John Black / Catherine Balfour

[bbilly]

Can anyone please help me , John Black & Catherine Balfour married on 7th April 1850 Abbotshall Kirkcaldy Fife
I have details of Catherine's parents but cant find parents for John ,
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Billy

[WilmaM]

Have you found John on the 1841 census he may be with his parents then, alternatively a widowed parent may show up on later census records living with John & Catherine.
Freecen shows 2 John Blacks at Abbotshall in 1841 - a 16 yearold with a Hellen as head of the household in High Street Linktown.
and a 20 year old cabinet maker probably in a lodging house
Or have you got his death certificate? that should [ after 1855] show his parent's names - if they were known to whoever recorded the death.

[bbilly]

Thanks for your reply Wilma .
When i searched 1841 census i did find the John Black aged 16 , With you saying that the other John Black was a cabinet maker i think i can rule him out as 1861 census shows John Black now living in Kinghorn Fife with his children and occupation given as a Flesher .

Regards Billy

[WilmaM]

When would your John Black have been born?
There were dozens of John Blacks in Fife, knowing his possible age [ remember 1841 rounded adult ages down by 5 years] would help narrow it down a bit.

Did they call any daughters Helen/Ellen that would maybe confirm the 16 year old is your man.

Interesting:

1851 census
Piece: SCT1851/399 Place: Abbotshall -Fife Enumeration District: 11
Civil Parish: Abbotshall Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Abbotshall
Folio: 0 Page: 8 Schedule: 33
Address: Balwearie Mill
BALFOUR Alexr. Head M M 58 Master Blacksmith Fife - St. Andrews
BALFOUR Agnes Wife M F 53 - Fife - Largo
BALFOUR Catherine Dau M F 24 - Fife - Abbotshall
BLACK John Grnson - M 3m - Fife - Abbotshall
LISTER Alexr. Servnt U M 18 Apprentice Blacksmith Fife - Kinglassie
BROWN Thomas Servnt U M 16 Apprentice Blacksmith Fife - Abbotshall

where was father John in 1851?

as this looks like the 1841 16 year old we found before:

1851 Census

Piece: SCT1851/442 Place: Kirkcaldy -Fife Enumeration District: 10
Civil Parish: Kirkcaldy Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Kirkcaldy
Folio: 0 Page: 14 Schedule: 61
Address: Cowan Street
HUTCHESON Robert Head M M 27 Labourer Fife - Kirkcaldy
HUTCHESON Isabella Wife M F 31 - Fife - Abbotshall
HUTCHESON Ann Dau U F 10 Scholar Fife - Kirkcaldy
HUTCHESON Janet Dau - F 8 Scholar Fife - Kirkcaldy
Page: 0/15 HUTCHESON Robert Son - M 5 Scholar Fife - Kirkcaldy
BLACK Helen Ma-Law W F 59 Winder Fife - Dunfermline
BLACK Richard Brolaw U M 14 Errand Boy Fife - Abbotshall
BLACK John Brolaw U M 24 Labourer Fife - Abbotshall

this one is unmarried so that couldn't have been him.
I hope he wasn't the one languishing in Cupar prison that night either.

Have a look at Freecen.org.uk yourself and see if you can find him.

[bbilly]

Hi Wilma
Thanks for your help much appreciated ,
1841 census High St Abbotshall , Helen Black with her children which includes John Black age 16 is correct family
1851 census Cowan St Kirkcaldy, Shows Helen Black living with her daughter Isabella & son in law Robert Hutchison ,John Black age given as 24 on this census, This is same family , The reason i know if you go back to 1841 census it shows Ann Black age 3 months father Mr Dickson , 1851 census shows her as Ann Hutchison age 10, Ann Black was the illigit daughter of Isabella Black and had her name changed after her mother married Robert Hutchison in 1843 ,So going with that this is correct we have a 2 year age difference in his birth year , Also because of this information it must have been a different John Black that married Catherine Balfour as they were married 1850 Abbotshall , As you said there seems to have been a few John Black's in Abbotshall .
Regards Billy

[bbilly]

1861 census High St Kinghorn
John Black Age 34 born Abbotshall

John Black Age 10 Abbotshall
James Black 6 Abbotshall
Catherine Black 3 Abbotshall

Going with this census John Black would have been born 1827
No sign of his wife Catherine