There was a butcher’s shop in Kittybrewster, Aberdeen owned by Reuben Laing who is my great grandmother’s brother; their father James Laing founded the business in 1850 at the age of 24. It is believed that the original connection between the Penny and Muirden families is between my paternal grandmother (Maggie Buchan 1881 – 1969) and maternal great grandmother (Marjory Laing 1863 – 1944 who was called “Grandie”).
Reuben Laing inherited the butcher business from his father and also had auction marts.
Farmers and a few Slaughtermen are seen here standing in the yard of Reuben Laing’s Woodside Premises. Under the Public Health Act (Scotland) 1897 – 4 undertakings in the City were Licensed to Slaughter cattle. At the time of this photograph, it was common practice for cattle to be driven through the Street to the Slaughterhouse. Reuben Laing’s premise was well placed for both the Cattle Mart at Kittyybrewster also for Kittybrewster Railway Station. Reuben Laing had several high-quality Butchers Shops in the City including one beside the Fountain at Woodside.
More information about Woodside on this page.
Marjory Laing – known by three generations as “Grandie” is my great grandmother.
Having been contacted by Bill Cheyne who mentioned his grandmother was friendly with Reuben Laing and his wife into the WW2 era I did some more research into wider connections (more than we might have imagined!). My uncle George was friendly with Nan Cheyne who is not in Bill Cheyne’s direct family line but this led to discovering someone who might have been her grandfather. This PDF covers Laing and Cheyne Connections… and more.
This PDF shows the Laing family line back to 1800.
Norman J Penny - Family 