George Moon of Russell Mill at Springfield in Fife: flax-spinning pioneer

Although a lot has been written about the industrial achievements of George Moon of Russell Mill, virtually nothing is known about his origins which is not helped by his marriage having his name indexed by ScotlandsPeople as Moorie.

St Andrews and St. Leonards (Fife) OPR
10th June 1809, were contracted, Mr George Moorie (Moone), manufacturer, and Miss Janet Thomson, both of this parish, proclaimed and married 12th inst. in Dundee by Dr. Nicol.

This shows that George Moon was already a successful businessman by 1809.

The baptism of George's first child, Penelope, was recorded in the St. Andrews and St. Leonards OPR with the surname of Moone, while the second daughter was recorded as Jean Moorie.

St Andrews OPR
Penelope, daughter of Mr George Moon, St. Andrews and Janet Thomson his wife, was born 25th of September and baptised 2nd October 1809 by Dr. Hill. James Thomson and Robert Thomson, witnesses.

St Andrews OPR
Jean, daughter of Mr. George Moorie (Moone), ingineer (sic), St Andrews, and Janet Thomson his wife, was born 2nd and baptised 7th October 1811 by Dr. Hill. Robert Thomson and James Thomson, witnesses.

George Moon seems to have been involved in flax-spinning at a mill near the St. Andrews harbour, but the venture was not a success and by 1816 the family had moved to Cupar where Christian and Janet were born.

Although flax was widely grown in north-east Fife, there seems to have been only small-scale processing, spinning and weaving at that time. Most texts concerning flax-spinning in Scotland mention that George Moon converted a corn-mill at Springfield, west of Cupar, to start spinning flax around the year 1818. This conflicts with Cupar Sheriff Court papers which state that Russell Mill, originally a corn, barley and lint mill, was let by Charles Maitland Esq., younger of Rankeillor, for 999 years at a yearly rent of £36 10s, and shortly afterwards was converted into a flax spinning mill.

Either way, after entensive rebuilding and adding coal-fired engines, to provide energy when there was insufficient water to drive the water-mill in summer, the Russell Mill became the largest spinning mill in North East Fife. It was gas-lit from its own gas works, and employed over 80 workers who were producing 1,500 to 1,600 spindles of yarn per week which was used to manufacture sailcloth and bagging. George Moon was hailed as a pioneer of flax spinning in north-east Scotland and was said to produce a superior yarn which commanded a premium price in Dundee. He also owned the Hospital Mill which spun tow yarn for the Dundee market.

The Ordnance Survey name book for the parish of Cupar, Fife, 1853-55 (sheet marked November 1849) describes George Moon's properties as follows.

Edenfield - A neat and well built house two storeys high, situated on the north side of the River Eden, adjacent to Springfield Railway Station with offices, vegetable garden and small portion of land attached, the property and residence of George Moon, Esq. Russell Mill - A large and extensive flax spinning mill, four stories high situated on the west bank of the river Eden, near Springfield railway station. It has excellent storehouses and workmen's cottages attached. Its machinery is entire and in excellent repair and is propelled by both water and steam power. The mill has not been worked this time past owing to the demise of the proprietor (Mr. George Philp). It is at present the property of his creditors.

The Dundee Street Directory, 1829-30, lists George Moon, flax-spinner, living at 23 St Andrews Street, just opposite St Andrews Parish church, the 'Trades Church'. His name has not been found in the 1841 census for Dundee, if he was living in Dundee, but perhaps he was living in Cupar and kept the Dundee house for business purposes. Unfortunately the 1841 census returns for Cupar in Fife have been lost, so his place of origin cannot be determined, but it probably just said "birthplace - not Fife". The Dundee Street Directory for 1842-43 names him on the Board of Management for the Scottish (Widow's Fund) Life Assurance Society.

His death in 1844 was reported by the London Gazette, and by the Dundee, Perth and Cupar Advertiser, Friday 8th November 1844, page 2, but it does not reveal his origins. However, most fortunately, the Cupar OPR is one of the few in Scotland which recorded burials.

Cupar OPR, 1844
George Moon Esq., flaxspinner, Russell Mill, died 4th November, buried 9th November, aged 63 years.

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The Children of George Moon and Janet Thomson in Springfield, Cupar of Fife

As George Moon died in 1844, aged 63 years, his birth can be placed around 1781. There are only two recorded baptisms which would fit: George, son to Donald Moon and Janet McFarlane in Blair Atholl parish, 22nd April 1781; and George, son to John Moon and Jean Greenhill in Mains and Strathmartine parish, 23rd September 1781. There are no others recorded, anywhere in Scotland, for five years on either side of 1781. The first George Moon, son to Donald Moon and Janet McFarlane, is thought to have emigrated to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in Canada, on the 'Clarendon' which sailed from Oban in 1808, making it unlikely that he was getting married in St. Andrews the following year. That leaves just one candidate and there is no marriage for a George Moon in the Mains and Strathmartine OPR.

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John Moon and Jean Greenhill in the parish of Mains and Strathmartine

The marriage banns for John Moon and Jean Greenhill are recorded in the OPRs of both Dundee and Mains and Strathmartine.

Dundee OPR, 1780
John Moon in the parish of Mains and Jean Greenhill in this parish, contracted 10th, married 20th November.

The marriage entry recorded in the OPR of Mains and Strathmartine provides no additional information. All of the five baptisms in the Mains and Strathmartine OPR relate to this single family, and their son George was the eldest. None of the entries mention where the family were living, nor the occupation of John Moon. However, the Dundee Militia Roll of 1799 lists William Robertson, servant to John Moon, bleacher at Little Mill, and the adjoining property was called the Claverhouse Bleachfield.

Mains OPR, 23rd September 1781
John Moon and Jean Greenhill had a child baptised before the Congregation, called George.

The Children of John Moon and Jean Greenhill in the parish of Mains and Strathmartine

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Robert Greenham and Jane Moon in Mountrath, Ireland

Cupar OPR, 1836
Robert Greenham, cotton spinner of the parish of Mountrath, Queens County (now County Laois) in Ireland, and Jane Moon, second daughter of George Moon of Russell Mill of this parish, married 3rd October by the Rev. John Moon, Minister of Newtyle.

Robert Greenham's family owned an extensive factory for spinning and weaving cotton at Mountrath, which employed 150 workers in the spinning mills and about 500 more, in weaving calicoes in their homes. The register of baptisms for Clonenagh lists their first three children: Jessie Victoria; Jane (Jean); and Robert James. Their fourth child, Margaret, was baptised in Cults, Fife.

Cults OPR
Margaret, daughter born 4th December 1843 Cults OPR

When the cotton milling business failed, Robert, his wife and three children emigrated to Australia, arriving in Melbourne, 9th March 1857.

The Children of Robert Greenham and Jane Moon in Mountrath, Ireland

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Janet (Jessie) Moon in Edinburgh

The 1881 census for Cramond, Edinburgh, shows that Janet was one of three boarders at 7 School Street, which was being run as a private asylum for 'lunatics' and paid for by the interest from her money.

Janet died, unmarried, at Queensberry Lodge, 64 Canongate, Edinburgh on 16th September 1891. Her estate, which amounted to £70 13s 6d was registered by Penelope Moon of 37 Warwick Gardens, Kensington, London, as the child of the deceased's nearest of kin (i.e. Penelope, daughter of Penelope Moon spouse to Rev John Moon, minister of Newtyle).