JAMES COCKBURN - THE FAMILY GOLDSMITH
In this blog I am going to write a short story about my 8x great grandfather, James Cockburn born in July 1648 in Edinburgh to John Cockburn, Tailor and his spouse Sara Inglis. John was the second son of Sir William Cockburn of Langton Estate and his wife Lady Helen Elphinstone, daughter of Alexander the 4th Lord Elphinstone and his wife the Honourable Janet Livingstone. John's elder brother William inherited the Baronetcy in 1628 upon the death of his father.
John chose a different path when it came to his profession, settling on being a Master Tailor, living in the Canongate area of Edinburgh, which was the hub of business at the time in 17th century Edinburgh. On 22 February 1644 he married Sara Inglis, daughter of Thomas Inglis and Margaret Dalziel. Of the couple's 8 children, James was the 3rd eldest and eldest of the sons.
For his profession, James chose to be a goldsmith/silversmith and on the 15th July 1661 he was apprenticed at age 13 years to David Boige, a Master Goldsmith based in Edinburgh. Under David's tutelage, he underwent an 8-year apprenticeship and on the 17th July 1669 he was admitted as a Freeman of Edinburgh, after making (for his essay) a silver bowl with a cover, and a plain gold ring. This was made in the shop of James Symontoun and the essay masters were Edward Cleghorne and John Cockburne. However just before this event, he became a Burgess of Edinburgh by right of his late father who passed in 1658 and who also was a tailor, Burgess and Guildbrother.
In 1670, James went on to marry the first of his three wives, marrying Catherine Balconquell in Tranent, East Lothian. They went on to have 6 children, however it is believed that only two of them survived infancy. Catherine died around 1677 and one year later, James married Magdalen Scott, and they produced 13 children with a few of them dying in infancy. Whilst enjoying their married life, James's professional life went on from strength to strength.
In 1686 until 1688 James became the Dean of the Company of Goldsmiths and during this time he made a pair of silver tankards, of which their is only one from this century left in Scotland. This was purchased from a sale and saved for the nation and is now on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
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| The only surviving tankard made by James Cockburn in 1675 that is on display at the Museum of Scotland |
In 1687, James was made a Deputy-Master of the Mint in Edinburgh and in 1695 he deposited around £20,000 Scots in the newly set up Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh. Having done this, he was made Treasurer of the Bank as well as a Director. In 1696, James went on to purchase the estate of James Cockburn, first Baronet of Cockburn, who was a distant cousin. The first Baronet of Cockburn had accrued a lot of debts after lending financial assistance to Archibald Cockburn of Langton.
Despite having amassed a small fortune by 17th century standards, James was about to suffer a setback in his personal life as in 1698, his wife Magdalen died. She was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard alongside his other children who had passed before. James set about immersing himself in his work and Directorship of the Bank and in April 1700 he met and married Margaret Bruce, a sister of his apprentice, Robert Bruce, who himself, became a Master Goldsmith. They were only married a few months when James took ill and died in November 1700 at home in Edinburgh's Canongate area. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard on 6 November 1700 alongside his wife Magdalen and his children.
I have since visited Greyfriars Kirkyard and unfortunately I could not find his last resting place as it is now likely to be unmarked. I am liaising with other family members of the extended Cockburn family to raise funds to have a bench placed within the Kirkyard grounds to commemorate James's life and work. I hope that this will take place some time next year.
I recently found photographs of other works that James was involved in during his career such as the re-engraving of the Strathmore salver, a silver spoon made for a M. Bannin as well as a Monteith. I also discovered a photograph of a piece of silverwork, known as a silver caster that was made by his once apprentice, Robert Bruce.
Strathmore Salver, originally made by Alexander Scott and re-engraved by James Cockburn
Silver Spoon made by James Cockburn
A Monteith, made by James Cockburn
Silver Caster, Made By Robert Bruce, protege of James Cockburn
