Benjamin M R McAlpine

[Dibit]

Hello all,
Trying crack a mystery.... like most.
I have a Benjamin Maul Richard McAlpine, actually 2 senior and junior. Senior was born 1875 in Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. Father was Duncan McAlpine. The mystery is why he was named "Benjamin Maul Richard" McAlpine. I have found a memorial to a Dr. Benjamin Maul Richard in the Dumbarton Cemetery, also one of the founders of the Dumbarton Burns club. I just can n ot make a link here. Any information or ideas on this mystery?

[WilmaM]

Hi Dibit,

Does the Dr Benjamin Maul Richards' life span the time of your snr BMR McAlpine's birth?

If so, perhaps he was the family doctor and saved the mother's or child's life. [I'm assuming he was a medical Dr.]

Quite often you will see non-family names appearing as middle names of children. They could be rich relatives that they hope will bequeath something to the child or help their future career. They could be those who've had a great impact of the family - the minister who married the parents, the doctor who treated them or a passing stranger who rescued a drowning child or some great political or military figure who was prominent at the time [much like the celebs of today]

How you'd prove anything is doubtful though. Maybe check the Dr's census records for the time or check with the Dumbarton Library to see if there's any details on his life that would fit. Maybe even check for previous children in the family did any of them die young with Dr Richard attending them?

I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

[nelmit]

Yes, I agree with Wilma and I have no doubt he was named after Benjamin M Richard junior who was a GP living at 31 High Street, Dumbarton in 1881.

There doesn't have to be a family connection - my own dad was name after the GP who delivered him.

Regards,
Annette

[joette]

One of my great-grandfather's brothers is named John Gordon Smith McKimmie.Could find no family connection to the name.Then looking at a Census entry for another brother Lewis Inkson(never found a connection to explain his names) and hey presto his employer and one time employer of their Father was one John Gordon Smith.
He was one of their younger sons so I'm guessing they had run out of family names.
I am still trying to figure out why another rellie was named Ramsay Wardlaw McFarlane-but what a joy as it makes his progress from Scotland to Australia much easier to track than if they had named him John or William..
I would think that your relative was named for this Dr due to some similar connection.