Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Sir George Skene, Knt., Provost of Aberdeen (see here),
He
returned to Aberdeen 1665.
In 1666 he
purchased Wester Fintray (E of Kintore,
see map).
In 1669 he
acquired, as a town house, a house in Guestrow, Aberdeen
which is now known as
"Provost Skene's House".
The Skene coat of arms
is in a number of places in the house.
He
never married.
After his half-brother David Skene's death,
he took care of his children
to treat as his heirs.
He married Katharine Skene to David Ædie, son of his old master, in 1671.
However, as
[Skene, 1887]
puts it,
"his nephews George and Alexander turned out
quite profligate and debauched", and robbed him,
so he disinherited them and settled everything on the Ædies
and on his other half-brother's descendants.
Provost of Aberdeen 1676 to 1685:
He was
Provost (mayor) of Aberdeen
from 1676 until new election at Michaelmas 1685.
Knighted 1681 in Edinburgh by
James, Duke of York (later James II).
Acquired
Rubislaw
house and lands, just outside Aberdeen, in 1687.
He
settled Wester Fintray on Giles Ædie
by mar contract 1690.
He
sold "Provost Skene's House" 1694 to David Ædie
(who had married his niece).
He sp the bapt of David's grandson (i.e. his great-grandnephew)
Norman Leslie 1697.
He is described as "of Fintray".
Will dated 24 Mar 1707.
He settled
Rubislaw
on his grand-nephew George Skene.
He
died 9 Apr 1707,
age 88 yrs,
bur St.Nicholas' church, Aberdeen.
[Skene, 1887]
reads the grave as saying 9 Apr, NOT 2 Apr.
Barbara Yates Gibbon said he
"went to Poland on a diplomatic mission
and was knighted on his return", and that he
gave each of the Ædie girls
("celebrated beauties in their day") a good dowry.
Provost Skene's House at night.
Photo 2008 by Dale Walker.
From here.
See terms of use.
And similar shot
from here.
[PORTRAIT of Sir George Skene, probably around time he was Knighted in 1681]
Arms of Provost Skene, dated 1688, formerly on the house of Rubislaw.
From p.145
of [Skene, 1887].
Location of
"Mansion House of Rubislaw".
Top: From old map.
Survey date: 1864 to 1867. Publication date: 1900.
Bottom: From old map.
Survey date: 1864 to 1867. Publication date: 1896.
From 1901 map
at old-maps.co.uk.
The area has been totally re-developed.
The "Lodge" to the SC here is the same as the "Lodge" beside Rubislaw Villa above.
The road at an angle beside it is the old road up to the Mansion House of Rubislaw, which is now vanished,
as is Rubislaw Villa.
The site of the Mansion House of Rubislaw is
on the N side of
Queen's Rd,
just W of Spademill Rd.
See satellite view.
See
street view.
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