Searching for William Templeton, Dumfries.....

moragb · Post by **moragb** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:31 pm

Hi, I am trying to find some details on my father's birth father. My dad was born illigitamate and was brought up by his great Aunt and her husband, Marguarite Constance Black (MS Harper) and Henry (Harry) Black who later adopted him. His birth father is on his birth cert as William Templeton and at the date of registration on 13th January 1932 his address was 76 Shakespeare Street, Dumfries. His occupation was Commissionaire. Dad was born on 24th Dec 1931 at 4 Broomhill Ave, Glasgow. I have his birth mother, Agnes Gray Harper's birth certificate, she was born 3rd April 1903 but have not found any details of William Templeton's birth so I assume he was born after 1905 when Scotland's Peoples records end. I have my Dad's baptism record and his surname was still Templeton but parents were recorded as his adoptive parents not birth parents.

Can anyone out there help a frustrated researcher?

thanks
Morag

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:41 pm

Hi Morag
...and a warm welcome to Talking Scot

A search for William Templeton on Scotlands People born between 1895-1905 (all areas) brings up 59 matches. Is there some reason you think he may be younger than Agnes? Or do you know where he was born and none of them match this location? I'm not sure how you would know you had found the correct William's birth, but you may know of some other information which would help you here - do you think he was definately born in Dumfries?

If there is no sign on SP of the William Templeton you are looking for then as you say maybe he was born after 1905 or another possibilty may be that he was not born in Scotland?

Best wishes
Lesley

moragb · Post by **moragb** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:06 pm

Hi Lesley,
thanks for the welcome. As you say, which William is it and how would I know? The answer is I don't, which is why I am stuck. Is there any way of finding out about the William Templeton living at 76 Shakespeare Street, Dumfries in January 1932? Is there anyone out there who could possibly look at records in the area which might give me a steer one way or another. The only other way is to wait until a census comes out with him at that address so I could be old(er) and grey(er) by then. I have got back 10 generations on one side but can't get past my grandfather on the other - got to do something....

Thanks for your help

Morag

Post by **Tracey** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:22 pm

Hello Morag

I dont know if you have looked on the 1901 English Census but there are 12 William Templeton's born in Scotland on it. Help or hindrance who knows

1. William Templeton abt 1885 Scotland Brother-in-law Newbottle Durham
2. William Templeton abt 1869 Scotland Head Barrow in Furness Lancashire
3. William Templeton abt 1875 Ayrshire, Scotland Head Ribby with Wrea Lancashire
4. William Templeton abt 1860 Ayrshire, Scotland Head Toxteth Park Lancashire
5. William Templeton abt 1861 Scotland Head Morden Surrey
6. William Templeton abt 1886 Scotland Boarder Yardley Worcestershire
7. William Templeton abt 1894 Scotland Son Stainburn Yorkshire
8. William A Templeton abt 1892 Inchinnan, Scotland Son Birlingham Worcestershire
9. William B Templeton abt 1895 Scotland Son Bootle cum Linacre Lancashire
10. William S Templeton abt 1871 Scotland Boarder Chelsea London
11. Wm Templeton abt 1838 Scotland Boarder Penzance Cornwall
12. William Templeton Dick abt 1870 Illeth, Scotland Passenger Vessels Lancashire

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:38 pm

Hi Morag
I'm not sure what to suggest - unfortunately there are quite a few William Templetons around - pity there wan't a middle name or initial, but thats just the way it is sometimes...

I have a similar problem in my tree and the irony of it is that it is much easier to find out about those more distantly related to you due to the passage of time, than it is to find out about people who were living more recently. You've a long wait for that census, and he may not even be at that address in 1931...so I think we need to try to come up with some other ways of approaching the problem.

I'm thinking that someone with local knowledge is what you need, preferably someone who lived near there in 1932 - a letter in a local newspaper perhaps might jog some memories. You do not need to be too specific, just say that you are doing some family history research and trying to find out about a William Templeton who lived at ...etc.

Electoral rolls would confirm he was there and maybe give some clues as to which years he was there. Likewise valuation rolls possibly. Neither will give an age or place of birth, but the valuation roll might confirm his occupation. Maybe try contacting the local library who may have acress to these rolls and request some help as you are researching from a distance?

A Commissionaire - where? Where could he have done this job at this time? A local cinema? Hotel? Might be worth digging about to find out what businesses existed in the area at that time that would employ a commissionaire and find out what you can about them - there may be employee records perhaps?

The only other thing can suggest doing is to assume he died in Scotland and check all deaths - I doubt you will find him online though as deaths stop at 1955 and I would expect he may have lived past that date if born around 1900-5, so it would probably be a visit to New Register House or someone to check for you. Again, unless he is still in the same area or has the same job it may be difficult to identify the right one.

I hope someone on the board is local to the area and my be able to give you some pointers. Others may also come up with different suggestions as to how to find him. Don't give up. He wont be going anywhere - keep at it and you may just find him. And if you don't find him at least you will know you that gave it your best shot.

Best wishes
Lesley

moragb · Post by **moragb** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:52 pm

Hi guys,
thanks so much for the help and advice (and sympathy) It can be a really frustrating game this one. If anyone out there is local to the Dumfries area and is willing to help me by looking up electoral rolls etc, please get in touch, I would be very grateful. I'll keep going till I find him

thanks

Morag

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:19 pm

Hi Morag
I wonder if this ws his place of work?
http://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/cinema_i ... /s85/Odeon
Odeon
Shakespeare Street
Dumfries, DG1 2JJ
Information: 0871 224 4007
picture here - used to be called ABC Regal
http://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/~gbarr/cinema ... fries.html

Or maybe here:
Theatre Royal which seems to be in Shakespeare Street
http://www.theatreroyaldumfries.co.uk/home.html
Built in 1792; later extended with a new facade in 1896.
Converted to a cinema and roller-skating rink in the 1920s. Renovated as a theatre in 1959.
Now the oldest operating theatre in Scotland. Currently seating around 219.

Looks like you could get a take away from there now:

BEST PIZZA & KEBAB HOUSE 76A SHAKESPEARE STREET DUMFRIES DG1 2JH

& take a cab home!

County Mini Cabs
76b Shakespeare Street
Dumfries Dumfriesshire DG1 2JH
Tel: (01387 269269)

Best wishes
Lesley
JJ

moragb · Post by **moragb** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:02 pm

Hi Lesley,
wow I love this forum idea. I will contact these places and see if they have any record of commissionaire's in 1932 and see if I can get something there.

thanks again
Morag

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:16 am

If he was a "real" commissionaire then he would have been a member of the Corps of Commissionaires, http://www.the-corps.co.uk/ . That in turn means that he had to have had a good military record. They have some very limited records on the regiment involved.

David
JJ

moragb · Post by **moragb** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 6:40 pm

Hi,
thanks for the information and the website. I've had a look at it but there is nothing on archives etc so I have emailed them and will see what reply I get

Morag