Major Brick Wall - Can anyone help me?

[Maitland]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this but have found it fairly easy so far, mainly because my family do not appear to have moved around much! However I really need some help...here goes....

As a family we were always aware that my maternal grandmother was not bought up by her real parents. We were told the person she called mum was actually the sister of her birth mother, this was accepted until I started digging. I have found my grandmothers birth certificate, which reads:

Jessie Gibb (Illegitimate)
Born 10th August 1908 - Burnbank, Ardoch, Cardross
Father - Blank
Mother - Jessie Gibb, Domestic Servant
Informant - Jemima Falconer, Nurse
Date - 29th August 1908

I have absolutely no information on the birth mother. The only time she is mentioned again is on the marriage entry for my grandmother and grandfather in April 1927, where my Grandmother is entered as Jessie Paterson (formally Gibb) and her mother is entered as deceased.

Now, the people who bought her up were George Galloway Paterson and Isabella Paterson (nee Gordon) so it's unlikely the 'adopted' (not sure if it was legal) mother and birth mother were related. I had a search done of deaths in case the birth mother had died in childbirth, but the registrar couldn't find anything. The only other clues I have is that my oldest aunt remembers a grand gentleman coming to the house on 3 or 4 occasions when she was about 7 (Mid 1930's) and wanting to take her (my Aunt) away, but my grandmother wouldn't have it (was that her father?). Some years later (possibly mid 1940's), there was an ad in a paper (my mum thinks it was a broadsheet so possibly Glasgow Herald) looking for the family of Jessie Gibb. I have a feeling my Grandmother knew exactly who she was she chose to ignore it.

I would love to know what happened and if there was any connection between the mother and birth mother. Thanks very much for reading this rather long winded post. Do any of you experts out there have any ideas which could help me?

Thank you so much, fingers crossed

Tracey

[LesleyB]

Hi Tracey
Welcome to TalkingScot

I'm assuming that your grandmother is deceased and that you have seen the death entry too?

Have you looked at all Jessie Gibbs in the area of the birth, around the right age (probably over 16 and under 40 at time of birth, probably at the younger end...early 20s? Almost certainly single, or there would have been more of a story on the birth entry!) in the 1901 census? May give some clues...
Not sure where you are based, but it would more be a job for a day at NRH as an online search, depending on the area, could turn out to be very expensive if there are lots of Jessies.

not sure if it was legal

Adoption was not a formal legal process in Scotland until, I think, 1930.

there was an ad in a paper (my mum thinks it was a broadsheet so possibly Glasgow Herald)

The ad may be traceable - back copies of the Glasgow Herald are available at the Mitchell Library (not online for as late a date as that yet), though it could take a good long while to trawl through the small ads over a number of years....and it may have been another newspaper

To help you get the most out of TS, check out the forum rules in "Essential Reading" http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=14
and also have a look at the "How to" Section
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=60
which should help you settle in and feel at home in no time!

Best wishes
Lesley

[Maitland]

Hi Lesley,

Many thanks for your reply. Yes, my Grandmother died in 1995 - I started doing this for her thinking she never knew who she really was, but now I'm starting to have my doubts.

I seem to have spent a fortune on Scotland's People getting absolutely nowhere, I don't know if the birth mother just isn't there, I don't have enough information or it's my lack of experience. I can't even find any mention on the 1901 census.

I've got my fingers crossed that one of the more experienced searchers will take pity on me and see if they can find anything.

Thanks again,

Tracey

[nelmit]

Looking at the 1901 census it looks likely that Burnbank, Cardross was a private residence so perhaps that was where Jessie was working at the time of wee Jessie's birth. It might be worth investigating who lived there in 1908.

Obviously a random stab in the dark, but my money would be on this Jessie as the mum. I think the birth place should be Greenock but a check at the original should hopefully confirm. There is a Jessie Gibb born Greenock but in 1877. There are submissions at the IGI about this Gibb family.

1901 Census from Ancestry -

Name: Jessie Gibb
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
Relationship: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Grunesh, Renfrew
Registration Number: 501
Registration district: Old Kilpatrick
Civil Parish: Old Kilpatrick
County: Dumbartonshire
Address: Lorena
Occupation: Domestic Servant

1881 Census -

Dwelling: 40 Inverkip Street
Census Place: West Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203574 GRO Ref Volume 564-3 EnumDist 20 Page 8
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John GIBB M 50 M Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: General Brocker
Mary GIBB M 30 F Isle Of Skye
Rel: Wife
Flora Mc D. GIBB 13 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Margaret A. GIBB 11 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Mary GIBB 8 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Betsy Mc D. GIBB 6 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Jessie GIBB 4 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Martha GIBB 1 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Daur

This is pure conjecture so no real help and like Lesley says a day at NRH or Park Circus would be your best bet.

Regards,
Annette

[Maitland]

Hi Annette,

Thank you so much for your reply, it certainly looks hopeful and I will be investigating further to see if I can find a link! I wonder if I could bother you further. Is there an easy way to search who owned the house 'Burnbank' around 1908, I have tried - but no luck as usual. Although born in Scotland I live in London so can only really search on-line at the moment.

Could I ask you one other thing (or anyone else who may be reading this) would it strike you as odd that a nurse register the birth of a domestic servants illegitimate child?

Thanks once again for taking the time to search and respond.

Kindest regards,

Tracey

[WilmaM]

There was a thread recently regarding babies born in Cardross:

http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ght=ardoch

The address is slightly different though, but may be of some interest.

[Maitland]

Hi there,

Many thanks for taking the time to respond, unfortunately the date of this document does not help me. I think the best bet is trying to find out who lived at Burnbank in 1908, even the 1901 census would be a starting point, but once again I am spending a fortune and getting no-where....so disheartening!

Kind regards,

Tracey