Christina Melville - Brickwall

[SarahND]

Are we wandering too far away from the Melville search???? Hmmmmm...

Speaking of Alex I was just wondering... did we ever have a occupation listed for this guy, so that we might know him if we saw him? What did it say on Christina's marriage and death certs?

Sarah, determined to stop thinking about Findlater (who, by definition, will be found later ) Sorry for the bad joke...

[PaulaD]

Hi All,

Sorry for the silence - have been out celebrating

Sarah and Jean - you two are amazing I have watched in awe at the pair of you breaking walls before but this is incredible.

James Renton on the 1841 should be elder brother born 1773 Gladsmuir. There were at least 9 siblings in that family and haven't researched any of them!
Was thinking about what you said about James Rankin and BINGO
there he is on IGI married to Isabel Renton 11 Nov 1818 Newton!! Looks as if Isabel might have died pre 1841 unfortunately. At least 5 children and 2nd one was Alison born 1821 Newton. Will track them through the censuses later.

By the way Alex was a farm servant on Christinas MC and a ploughman on her DC.

I am surrounded by bits of paper covered with scribbles so think I should check through what I've got so far. I'm getting a bit and a lot

Speak to you later,

Paula

[SarahND]

Hi Paula,
Well, I was hoping Alex would have had a profession that would make him stand out, since otherwise-- how are we to know which one he is? One would need to know where he was when Christina was conceived, which the censuses won't tell us. And his death cert is not going to say: "Father of Christina" unless, as seems highly unlikely, she were there to sign it. I have looked at Alex* Melvilles of all spellings in 1841 through 1881 and nothing jumps out. Most Alexander Melvilles seem to have had quite specialised occupations, so the pool of potential Farm Servants and Ploughmen is rather small. In England the Alexanders all seem quite posh-- not an Ag lab in the bunch. But here are the choices from Scotland (born 1800 +/- 20). What is odd is that it is not always clear that we have the same people each decade, so I have to believe that some were seriously misindexed:

1841
Woodside, Stonehouse, Lanarkshire
Alexander Melville, 25, born Scotland, Ag Lab

Thornton, Markinch, Fife
Alexr Melville, 35, born Fife, Ag Lab
Janet Melville, 35, born Fife

Coates, Rhynd, Perthshire
Janet Melville, 55, born Perthshire
Alexr Melville, 30, born Perthshire, Ag Lab
Janet Melville, 25, born Perthshire, A Widow
David Melville, 6, born Perthshire

Skelbo, Dornock, Sutherland
George Clark, 45, born Scotland, Ag Lab
Donald Gair, 30, born Scotland, Ag Lab
Andrew Grant, 25, born Sutherland, Ag Lab
Sopar McKay, 30, born Sutherland, Ag Lab
John McKinzie, 25, born Sutherland, Ag Lab
Alexr Melville, 25, born Sutherland, Ag Lab
Jane Ross, 25, born Scotland, F S

1851
West Calder, Midlothian
James Russell, 78, Head, born Old Monkland, Lanark, Pauper
Catherine Russell, 76, Wife, born Glasgow, Lanark
Alexander Russell, 28, Son, born W Calder, Midlothian, Journeyman Sawyer
James Finlay, 12, Grandson, born W Calder, Midlothian, Scholar
Alexander Melville, 36, Lodger, born W Calder, Midlothian, Ag Lab

Inchdairnie East Lodge, Kinglassie, Fife
Alexr Melville, 55, Head, born Dysart, Fife, Ag Lab
Janet Melville, 53, Wife born St Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Ag Lab Wife

1861
Blebo-Craigs,Kemback, Fife
Alexander B Melville, 42, Head, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Ag Labourer
Agnes Melville, 38, Wife, born Balmerino, Fifeshire
Jane Melville, 14, Daughter, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Out Door Worker
Robert Melville, 12, Son, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Scholar
James Melville, 10, Son, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Scholar
Margaret Melville, 8, Daughter, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Scholar
Alexander Melville, 4, Son, born Kemback, Fifeshire
Isabella Melville, 1, Daughter, born Kemback, Fifeshire

Inchdairnie East Lodge, Kinglassie, Fife
Alexr Melville, 64, Head, born Dysart, Fife, Ag Lab
Janet Melville, 63, Wife born Edinburgh, Midlothian

1871 Not a single Ag Lab, Farm Servant or Ploughman in the bunch!

1881
Blebo-Craigs, Kemback, Fife
Alex B Melville, 62, Head, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Labourer
Agnes Melville, 59, Wife, born Balmerino, Fifeshire
Margaret Melville, 27, Daughter, born Kemback, Fifeshire, General Servant
Alexr Melville, 22, Son, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Blacksmith
Catherine Melville, 18, Daughter, born Kemback, Fifeshire, Outdoor Worker
Agnes Melville, 4 Mo, Grandaughter, born Kemback, Fifeshire
Mary Stewart, 64, Boarder, born Leuchars, Fifeshire

Well, you have probably already looked at these, but I suddenly felt I needed to have a look and see if something jumped out

All the best,
Sarah

[PaulaD]

Hi All,

Think I've solved some of the mystery

Have spent the day with the Given/Govans etc tracking them through census, births and marriages.
Found DC for Finlater Given who died age 78 in 1856 parents James Given and Margaret Lauder(Lawther?). Informant was Adam Given who says underneath his signature - son of 2nd wife!! No idea who is his Mum yet as no mention of wives on DC. Just says widower. Anyway, fiddled about with wildcards on SP and eventually came up with 8 children with wife Christian Noble and 1 with Christian Ogle. (Reckon he had a cold in the nose when he registered that one!). This child was Helen born 11 Nov 1813.

In other words I had the wrong mother for Christina Melville
The visitor in 1871 was her aunt Christina and dear old Fin was her grandfather and my 4 x grandfather!

Ages ago when I was just starting on this obsession I found the birth for Helen Given to Robert Given & Catherine Renton and knowing I have Rentons somewhere in the family I assumed that was the right one. (We used to have lots of drawings and paintings by Uncle Willie Renton). Goodness knows where he fits in but that can wait!

It hasn't got me any closer to finding out about Christina Melville. I wonder if she might have been illegitimate and her father didn't hang around. There doesn't appear to be any sign of her mother either so maybe she died young or remarried.

Anyway I'd like to thank Sarah and both Jeans for their help.

Paula

[SarahND]

Hi Paula,
=D> Congratulations on figuring out where the Christina of 1871 fits in! And I'm so pleased you turned out to be related to Finlater I suspect that you're right that Christina Melville was illegitimate. One of those Alex Ag Labs may just be her father-- but I don't know how you'd find out Who knows, one day a document may surface that will be the key you need, but in the meantime, progress has been made
All the best,
Sarah

[JustJean]

Hi Paula

Wow!! What a day you've had!!! So now the Renton's have been written off.......what a pity.....they were so easy to find !!!

Nice work on piecing everything together!!

I think Christina Melville was illegitimate too. The non finding of any siblings only adds further evidence to that fact.

Best wishes
Jean

[PaulaD]

Thanks Sarah.

I couldn't have done it without you

Thanks Jean!

Couldn't have done it without you either


Paula

[Jean Jeanie]

Hi All 3!

I was tucked up in bed last night by 11 0'clock as I have 2 of my grandkids here this weekend ( aged 2 and 1 ) and I needed the shut eye!

Glad you made some headway, Paula. I reckon the same as the others, Christina will remain one of those little mysteries.

Never mind I'm sure there will be plenty of others to chase

Best wishes
Jean

P.S. 6.30. a.m. is a wonderful time of the day to be wakened by childish gurgling and laughing!