Portobello

Looking for Scottish Ancestors

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dibbs
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:09 pm

Portobello

Post by dibbs » Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:18 pm

Hello

I have a relative who was according to the 1881 census born in Portobello, Scotland.

His name was David Smith and he was born abt 1844/5 as per 1881 and 1891 censuses

His marriage certificate in 1866 Eccleston, Lancashire to Ellen Kilshaw gives David's father as David Smith a Labourer.

I have been unable to find a birth for Portobello on Scotlands People. Would anyone be able to advise please?

Thank you

Dibsy

Russell
Posts: 2559
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2005 5:59 pm
Location: Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire

Re: Portobello

Post by Russell » Thu Sep 01, 2011 2:30 pm

HI Dibsy and can I be the first to welcome you to TalkingScot.
We like a challenge here so don't hesitate to ask for help on the difficult questions.
Portobello was just a little seaside village back then - I think there was a pottery in operation but not much else. It was only in Victorian times that sea bathing became popular and Portobello developed into a resort. It was not a separate parish either and came under Duddingston.
The mid 1840's date may be your stumbling block as there was considerable religious upheaval about that time with congregations breaking away from the Established Church of Scotland and forming Relief churches. Many then became Free churches and records of births, deaths, marriages did not form part of the Established church record system which is the Old Parochial Record (OPR) system we rely on today. Some rejoined the Established church and their records were amalgamated, others did not but their records are sometimes held by the National Archives. Still others faded into oblivion and their records were lost.
Perhaps someone with a better knowledge of the area will be able to tell us whether there was an actual church in Portobello around this time and of what denomination.

Russell
Working on: Oman, Brock, Miller/Millar, in Caithness.
Roan/Rowan, Hastings, Sharp, Lapraik in Ayr & Kirkcudbrightshire.
Johnston, Reside, Lyle all over the place !
McGilvray(spelt 26 different ways)
Watson, Morton, Anderson, Tawse, in Kilrenny

nelmit
Posts: 4002
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:49 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Portobello

Post by nelmit » Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:26 pm

Hello and welcome to Talking Scot Dibsy.

This looks like your David and family in 1861 at Portobello -

David Smith 40 Labourer, Bottle works.
Hannah Smith 38
David Smith 15 Ap Bottle Blower born Liberton, Midlothian
John Smith 11
Alexander Smith 9
Elizabeth Smith 6
Margaret Smith 4
Charles Smith 1

Here is his birth indexed at the IGI

DAVID SMITH
28 SEP 1845 Liberton, Midlothian, Scotland

Parents:
Father: DAVID SMITH
Mother: ANN HUTCHESON

His younger siblings have Hannah Hutchison as the mother's name.

Regards,
Annette

WilmaM
Posts: 1920
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:46 am
Location: Falkirk area

Re: Portobello

Post by WilmaM » Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:08 pm

This will be them in 1851:
Piece: SCT1851/685 Place: St Cuthbert's -Midlothian Enumeration District: 49
Civil Parish: St Cuthberts Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: St Cuthberts
Folio: 712 Page: 4 Schedule: 14
Address: Rose Hall
Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
SMITH David Head M M 30 Coal Carter Midlothian - Edinburgh
SMITH Hannah Wife M F 28 Midlothian - Edinburgh
SMITH David Son U M 5 Scholar Midlothian - Edinburgh
SMITH John Son U M 1m Midlothian - Edinburgh
Wilma