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Collessie

Map showing the location of the parish

"Collessie is a parish lying to the north of Kettle. It is 8 miles in length by 5 in breadth. It consists chiefly of fine enclosed lands, and some fine plantations rising from the Eden to the hills on the north. The village, of no importance in the way of business, is situated 3 miles from Auchtermuchty and 6 from Cupar. The railway passes through the parish. The parish church is a neat building surmounted by a spire." from Slater's Directory published 1852.

Towns and Villages

Collessie
Giffordtown
Ladybank


Please read the main Fife pages if you have not already done so.

Cemeteries

Collessie Churchyard, Braehead, Collessie (grid ref. NO 286134):

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Census

The original 1841 census returns were lost in transit to Edinburgh.

Parish / district reference number for 1851 - 1901 censuses: 416

Further information on the main Fife page.

Church History

In addition to the parish church at Collessie, there was a Church of Scotland at Ladybank and a Free Church at Ladybank.
The 1865 Ecclesiastical Directory lists the parish church and the Free Church.

Details of church history here.

Church Records

The original Old Parish Records (of baptisms / births, proclamations / marriages, and burials) of the Church of Scotland, which cover the years up to 1854, are held in the General Register Office for Scotland in Edinburgh, and copies on microfilm may be consulted in local libraries and at LDS Family History Centres around the world. The baptisms / births and proclamations / marriages (but not deaths) can also be searched at Scotland's People - the online database of Scottish Birth, Marriage, Death & Census records at the General Register Office. The index can also be searched on the LDS FamilySearch website.

Deaths are listed on Fife Family History Society's  Pre-1855 Fife Deaths CD.

The old parish records span the following dates (although there may be gaps within these ranges):

Collessie OPR Births / baptisms Proclamations / marriages Deaths / burials / mortcloths
416/1 1696-1819 1696-1819 1727-1819
416/2   1696-1773 1723-1773
416/3 1820-1854 1820-1854 1820-1854
Data supplied by General Register Office for Scotland

Kirk Session and similar records for the parish church (CH2/765), Ladybank Church of Scotland (CH2/1117) and the Free Church (CH3/61) are held at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. Some Kirk Session material is to be found in the OPR records (416/2). Details of church records here.

Heritors' Records (HR36) are at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. Details of records here.

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Civil Registration

Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths began in Scotland on 1st January 1855. Full information on the main Fife page.

Registration district number start date end date
Collessie 416 1855 1967
Auchtermuchty 406 1968 1971
Auchtermuchty 418 1972 2002
Fife 418 2003  

Registration districts did not necessarily coincide exactly with parishes. In the 20th century especially, there were frequent changes in registration districts.

Description & Travel

Collessie church Ordnance Survey Grid Reference GPS Post code Lat. 56°18'21"N
NO 286134 56.307617
-3.155594
KY15 7RQ Lon. 3°9'4"W
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Directories

On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is a transcription of Westwood's 1861 Parochial Directory of Fife.

Historical Geography

On 15th May 1891, the following subjects were transferred from the parish of Cults to the parish of Collessie: Annesmuir (part); Sunnybraes; Edensmuir Commonty; Sweethome.

A Vision of Britain provides historical descriptions, population & housing statistics, historic boundaries and maps.

Land & Property

Some Valuation Rolls are held by the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library. Details here.

Maps

Historic maps: Present-day maps:

Names, Geographical

The Ordnance Survey [Place] Name Books 1850-1854 are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre. There is an index to the entries for this parish on the Fife Council website (select  A in the A-Z list, then  Archives).

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Obituaries

Fife Deaths Abroad 1855-1900 - a compilation of overseas deaths recorded in Fife newspapers - has been produced by Andrew Campbell of Fife Family History Society. The Society have recently re-published it in their Publications Series, 26.

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

The relief of paupers after 1845 was carried out by the Parochial Board and later by the Parish Council. Their records are at the Fife Council Archive Centre. Details of records here.

Population

Year Population
1755 989
1801 930
1851 1520
1901 2161  * boundary changed
1951 2042

See also A Vision of Britain for population statistics.

Probate Records

Prior to 1824, wills, testaments & inventories of residents of Collessie may be found in either the St Andrews Commissariot (CC20) or the Edinburgh Commissariot (CC8) records. From 1824, commissary business has been conducted by the Sheriff Court of Fife at Cupar (SC20).

Indexes and finding aids are given on the main Fife page.

Local sources worth searching for deeds include St Andrews Commissary Court and Cupar Sheriff Court.

Schools

School Board Records and / or school logbooks are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre. Details of records here.

Town Records

The archives of the former Burgh of Ladybank (dating from 1877) are held by  the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library. Details of records here.

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William McM. Owen    last updated 17 December 2006