My Family Tree

In 1841 census Helen Nimmo was supposed to be 35 years old. In that census the family housed a Grace Thomson (aged 12). Helen was 51 in the 1851 census, Grace was 23. Apparently, Helen and her husband John Nimmo had no idea how old they were. They had married on 26th Nov 1819 in Polmont. In the 1861 census, Helen (called Elen and using her maiden name Binnie) was living with the now married Grace Thomson, called Mungall. Helen's husband John Nimmo had died in 1857 in the High Street in Linlithgow. Helen (the so-called mother-in-law of the head of family, William Mungall) is now aged 68. Incidentally, Grace's first daughter was actually named Helen (aka Elen) Binnie Mungall in the parish register entry of her birth in 1852. Helen Binnie died on 18th Aug 1869 in Polmont, according to her son Thomas as informant. Thus her birth seems to be more reliably in 1793 or 1794, and was to be buried in Polmont where she and John Nimmo had apparently set up a grave in 1835.

The Janet Binnie b. 1794 (called Janet in the Polmont OPR) was in fact, perhaps, Helen Binnie, no twin mentioned). Helen Craig is unlikely to have had two births in the same year. It seems from the OPR records that William Binnie and Helen Craig had no child called Helen. Janet is the second daughter (after Margaret, b. 1790-12-20, after 'irregular' marriage in November or December 1790). It may be that the OPR name entry was a mistake. A second Janet was born to them in 1803. But there seems to be no record of a death of Janet Binnie between 1794 and 1803 that might otherwise have prompted the parents to have named another girl Janet again. A simple explanation could be that the first 'Janet' daughter was not called Janet but Helen. This may have prompted William and Helen Binnie's Janet to rename herself Helen.

By the way, Helen Binnie's son, Thomas, thought that Helen's father was called John Binnie on her death certificate in 1869, although he noted Helen Craig as her mother. William's father was John Binnie. There were diverse other errors in Helen Binnie's history, such as her ages in the 1841 & 1851 censuses.

Helen Binnie was witness at the murder case of a neighbour in Candie End, Muiravonside in 1842. Thomas & Jane Letham were the next-door neighbours of John Nimmo & Helen Binnie on the one side and of the murder victim, Mary Mair (maiden surname Fletcher) on the other. Allan Mair declared guilty and was sentenced to be executed on Wednesday, 4th October 1842.

London Standard Tuesday 19th September; Morning Post Thursday 21st September;
Lincolnshire Chronicle Friday 22nd September; Sheffield Independent Saturday 23rd
September; Northern Star Saturday 23rd September 1843
MURDER BY A MAN 84 YEARS OF AGE AUTUMN JUSTICIARY CIRCUIT Stirling, Sept. 13.
Allan Mair was accused of the murder of Mary Fletcher, or Mair, his wife, on the night of
Sunday the 14th, or morning of Monday, the 15th May last, within his house, at Candiend or
Curshort, in the parish of Muiravonside, and county of Stirling, in so far as he did, with a stick,
or other weapon, beat and abuse the said Mary Mair, of which injuries she came by her death.
He pleaded Not Guilty. Helen Bennie or Nimmo. - Knows Mair, and identified him. Mair came
to reside there in May, 1842. Had a woman that had stopped with him 30 years. Heard her say
so on the 14th May last. She passed as his reputed wife. Her name was Mary Fletcher. She
died on the 16th May, at four o'clock. Witness was with her when she died, and was in the
constant habit of seeing her since she came to reside there. Visited her once or twice a-day.
Told witness she was 85 years old. Looked fully that age. Deceased could not walk well - had
got a hurt in her back. Deceased never was unwell but once while there, and this was about
the new year. Said that she did not get her victuals as she ought from Mair. Said so in Mair's
presence. Panel gave deceased some abusive language, and wished she was in hell and her
soul burning. Never knew them want victuals in the house, but he kept them locked up. Many
a time he starved her, but witness always gave her something to eat, and some of the
neighbours did so too; but this was always done when panel was out. Deceased seemed a
well-disposed person. Mair always abused her, and heard him often wish she was dead.
Deceased often said, “Oh, Allan, we could live like the king on the throne, although we are
poor, if you were good to me." Had seen the panel strike her about three weeks before, on a
Tuesday, with a spade, when she was on the ground. The deceased was crying murder. Panel
was swearing at her. Witness called prisoner an old cruel villain. The deceased cried like a
child. Saw her on the14th May at seven at night, and gave her some supper. She was then in
her usual state, and took her victuals hearty. Witness was in bed, and heard the clock strike
11, when Jean Letham came to the door and knocked. She told me something that made me
get up and put on my clothes, and go with her, and I beard the cry of murder. Knew
deceased's voice. Heard the strokes. Was distant a few yards. Heard the cries repeated, and
the blows continued. I went to the door. The blows were very heavy, like the blows of a
hammer. When witness was at the front, she heard deceased say to Mair, "Let me lie, and die
in peace, and don't strike me anymore." Panel said he would make her put in the sneck of the
bed, and then he would let her alone. Deceased said she could not do it, as she could not
see. He said he would put her hand to it. Panel said she would need to undergo the
punishment. Witness then heard blows and cries of murder. Witness cried to Panel to let her
alone; but he said, whoever it was he would blow their brains out with a pistol. The people at
the door were Thomas and Jane Letham. A Witness heard him say, "I will make you glad to
put in the sneck, and the wedding is just beginning." Heard blows and cries of murder again.
Panel said he did not care although all the ministers and elders were there, he would make
her put in the sneck. It was a box bed. He was in bed. Heard him get out of bed, when he
threatened to shoot. I went to Letham's, as they had gone into their own house when he
threatened to shoot. Still heard cries of murder. Letham came to his own door, and wanted me
to go for my husband. Only a wall divides Letham's house and pannel's. Heard the cries of
murder continued, and did not see Letham go to Mair's house. Still heard the blows, and panel
telling ber to put in the sneck. When I went home it was about half- past one. Saw her next
morning about seven. Panel opened the door and said that deceased had been fighting with
the bed doors all night, and breaking them. Witness spoke mildly to him, as she was afraid,
and asked him what ailed him and her. Panel said he had got no sleep with her smashing
them. Said he was going down to the manse with the key, and to tell the minister to make a
snuff box of Mary, his wife. Witness had taken some tea for her, and went to bed, but did not
see her, and asked him what be had done with her, as she was not there. Panel swore at her,
and said, "Where could she be?" -Witness looked again, and she was crouched up at the foot
of the bed. She had a cap on, and an old piece of cotton cloth about her shoulders. The front
of her shift was all blood. Her arms were bare. Saw a deal of blood about the bed. When I
offered her the tea, she was not able to lift her right hand, but could move the other. She took
some of it, and pointed to Allan, and said it was he that did that, meaning the bruises that she
had got. I sent for a police officer, who came on the Monday at night, and took the panel into
custody. Deceased was alive at that time, but thought she died of the wounds received, as
she was in good health previously. Dr. Girdwood read a paper of the examination held upon
the body. The statement bears that the injuries inflicted were the immediate cause of her
death. Mr. Logan, in a speech of great ability, contended that the panel was insane in regard
to his conduct towards his wife, although his reason, in other respects, might not be affected.
Lord Moncrieff having summed up at considerable length, the jury retired, and after an
absence of 20 minutes returned, bringing in a unanimous verdict of Guilty as libeled. His
lordship then addressed the prisoner, who is 84 years of age, in a very impressive manner,
and sentenced him to be executed here on Wednesday, the 4th of October, between the
hours of eight and ten, and his body to be interred within the precincts of the gaol.