History of the Goalen Family

James Goalen (1836-1908)

James Goalen was an Architect, Surveyor and House Agent. He was born on 10 Nov 1834 in Leith, Scotland. The addresses at which he practiced as an architect are listed in this Dictionary of Scottish Architects.

He married Elizabeth Hunter in 1868 and they had 11 children, 9 of which survived to adulthood:

• Frances Eliza Goalen (b. 1869, 6 Morton St, Leith) never married
• Elizabeth Rebecca Goalen (b. 1871) married Robert Wilson MD in 1900
• Margaret Isabella Goalen (b. 1872, 13 Morton St)
• Mary Goddard Hardie Goalen (b. 1874, 13 Morton St, Leith)
• Mary Hardie Goalen (b. 1876, 13 Morton St, Leith) married James A Somerville in 1904
• James Thomas Goalen OBE (b. 1878, 13 Morton St, South Leith, d. 1929) married Jane Groundwater Duncan in 1909
• John Ker Goalen CA (b. 1879, d. 1920) never married
• Agnes Alexandrina Gordon Goalen (b. 1880, 13 Morton Street, South Leith, d. 1960) married William Pettigrew Ferguson in 1906
• Helen Gladstone Goalen
• Jane Spence Goalen (b. 1884, 161 Constitution Street, Leith, d. 1942, married Hugh Christopher Somerville in 1907, South Leith Parish Church
• Georgiana Dawson Goalen (b. 1887, 161 Constitution Street, Leith, d. 1966) married:
  • Second Lieutenant John Whyte Somerville (d. 1916) in 1913 at South Leith Parish Church
  • John Wylie in 1921 at Cramond, Edinburgh

James died in 1908 at Allerly, Russell Place, Trinity and his eldest son James Thomas Goalen then continued to live in the house, whilst Elizabeth moved to a different property in the same street.

In his Will he stipulated that, once his his wife had died and all of his daughters had either married or died, one third of his estate should go to James Thomas Goalen and the remainder should be split amongst his other children.