Hunnam/Donaldson

[LesleyB]

Hi Maple
I make it to be:

• William Hownam, married (illegitimate)
  1860 June Twentysecond, 9hrs AM Cockenzie
  M, 47years
  William Hownam, domestic servant deceased, Anne Donaldson
  Phthisis, ? year, as certified by James L King, surgeon ? ? who saw deceased 21st June
  Churchyard of Tranent as certifired by Alex ? Church Officer
  George Tarron? [his X mark] step father, at sea, Cockenzie, William Hamilton, registstar, witness.
  1860 June 23rd at Tranent William Hamilton, Registrar.

Best wishes
Lesley

[AndrewP]

Hi Maple,

I read the certificate as:

Hownam, William (Married), Illegitimate
1860 June Twentysecond, 9h AM, Cockenzie
M, 47 years
William Hownam, Domestic Servant, Deceased
Ann Donaldson
Phthisis, 18 years, As certified by James L King, Surgeon Practitioner(?), who saw deceased 21st June
Churchyard of Tranent as certified by Alex^r Sives, Church Officer
George Farron(?), His X mark, Step Father, At sea, Cockenzie, William Hamilton, Registrar, Witness
1860, June 23rd, At Tranent, William Hamilton, Registrar

All the best,

AndrewP

[maple23]

Thanks Lesley

[maple23]

and Andrew

[maple23]

phthisis - Greek for consumption

[LesleyB]

Yup - that's the one. Common cause of death back then.

[maple23]

it is frustrating trying to trace a surname that changes a few times. I have seen Hunnam spelt many ways and end up going down dead ends. Is there a trick to choosing the right name on SP without using too many credits?

[LesleyB]

Hi Maple
Perhaps the best way to approach it is to use wildcards:
e.g. search for H*n*m
which should cover you for most variations in the names such as Hownam, Hunnam without adding to many red herrings to the results. Failing that I'd try H*m*n just in case.

People often think that searching for unusual names is easier than those more frequent names, but I've certainly found it is not always the case - those unusual names are far more prone to mispelling, mistranscription misinterpretation and general all-round misrepresentation (!!) than the Smiths, Parkers, Duffs and Mitchells of this world!

Best wishes
Lesley
late: just realised that the optional H*m*n will have you swamped by lots of Honeymans!! Only to be used if you are desperate!

[maple23]

Hi Lesley

Thanks for this advice, it's much appreciated.

Maple

[isobelc]

Hi Maple,

Ancestry has an 1851 census entry for Barclay Close,Cockenzie for
William Hannam Head age 39 Fisherman born Tranent
Jane Hannam wife age 38 born Tranent
Agness Hannam daughter age 16 House Servant born Tranent
William Hannam son age 14 born Tranent
Janet Hannam daughter age 10 born Tranent
Ann Hannam daughter age 7 born Tranent
George Hannam son age 4 born Tranent (shown as b Cockenzie in 1881)

In 1861 at Street of Village district of Tranent
Jane Hannan Head age 48 Fish Hawker
Agnes Hannan daughter age 17 Ag Labourer
George Hannan son age 14 Fisherman
James Hannan son age 9
Thomas Hannan son age 6
Jane Hannan g/daughter age 3 (Jane Hownam b 1858, daughter of Ann )

It would seem likely that the 1860 death cert you have found is probably the right one.

Isobel