Jane (Jean) Lauder was born on 4 December 1829. Jane and her siblings were left orphans when both of their parents died of cholera in June 1832. At the time of Jane’s application in 1836 her brothers Robert, aged ten (admitted 1833), and James Morrison, aged eight (admitted 1835), were already at John Watson’s Institution. Older brother John, aged twelve, was at school elsewhere, and her youngest brother Alexander Frances was aged just four. Their father John Majoribanks Lauder had been a searcher of customs at Greenock.

Jane’s application gave the details of the orphans’ circumstances:

The child was left an orphan, totally unprovided for, in June 1832, when its Father, Mother, & Maternal Grandfather, all died of Cholera within five days. There are no Male relations of the child in this country, or able to support it, nearer than second Cousins, and since it was bereft of its parents it thus resided with its Maternal Grandmother, who is now both aged and infirm, and alike unable in bodily strength and in pecuniary Means to take charge of, or support & educate the Child. Ample Certificates, numerously signed, of the respectable character of the Father, and the extreme destitution of the Orphan children were formerly produced with an application for the Brother of this child, and then got back from the Clerk to the Directors, will be produced anew with this application.

John Lauder’s death from cholera was reported in the Scots Times of 3 July 1832:

CHOLERA REPORTS….GREENOCK.… A very melancholy case of cholera took place here yesterday. Mr John Lauder of the Customhouse, felt rather indisposed during Wednesday evening, but his sickness had nothing to excite alarm. About one yesterday morning…his relations became alarmed, and sent for Mr Speirs, their family physician. When that gentleman arrived, Mr Lauder was completely collapsed. After administering the usual medicines, Dr Speirs called Mr Bruce, and Mr J. McKellar, when the saline transfusion was employed with considerable effect. The patient, however, soon relapsed, and in spite of every effort, died at nine yesterday morning. Mr Lauder was a gentleman of unblemished character, and his death is the subject of universal regret.

Jane was admitted to John Watson’s Institution in 1836. Her brother James Morrison’s application had been approved despite arriving late. Her brother Robert requested leave to remain at the school until the examinations in 1840 despite having reached the leaving age of fourteen. This was granted by the Directors.

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