East Mains
Based on the research we have completed, East Mains was purchased by Thomas Shiels & Barbara Jean Cranston about 1817, rather than Micheal. All but one of their children were born in Culter whereas previous generations and Thomas’s siblings, were born across the area at various locations.
Culter was the county while East Mains was the address the address within the county.
East Mains was actually a farm adjacent to Eastmain Hill just outside of Culter and that it got its name from the hill. On top of the hill is a Cairn for Thomas Shiels erected on behalf of the 5th Duke of Buccleuch after a poacher shot Thomas on the Duke’s property.
When Thomas passed away in 1839, the East Mains property was transferred to his wife Barbara. Her youngest son, William James and his family lived with her at East Mains. When Barbara died in 1882, the property was transferred to William James Shiels. From William, it went to his wife Agnes and following her death to their daughter Barbara. In Barbara’s will from Sept 10, 1943, East Mains was willed to the three unmarried children of Barbara’s brother George, namely Moll, Agnes & Bob. Moll bought out the others and East Mains became hers.
After Moll sold the Shiels the Bootmaker shop in the late 1950’s and bought the house across the street, East Mains became their summer cottage. East Mains was left empty for many years after that. Our cousin David French from Carluke has confirmed this to your author and said there was no electricity or running water when he visited there as a young child in the 1950’s. Moll eventually gave the East Mains property to her nephew George (The Fireman) Shiels and he modernized the property and sold it in 1980.
