James Girtrig Crichton - Adopted?

[emanday]

James Girtrig Crichton was born to Helen Crichton in 1887. He was illegitimate. When his mother later married David Pithie (not James' father, or certainly never acknowledged as such) he didn't appear to live with them, but is only shown as a "visitor" in the 1901 census of his Grandparents home.

When James married Mary Smith in 1910 he gave his Grandparents, James Crichton and Margaret Girtrig as his parents.

What I'd like to know is; Might there be any kind of official adoption paperwork anywhere, or did wee James just grow up thinking Gran and Granda WERE his Mum and Dad?

[DavidWW]

There wasn't an official adoption procedure, involving the Sheriff Court, until 1930.

An orphan adopted from a home, i.e. orphanage or the like, would have generated some paperwork, which may have survived, but that doesn't sound like the situation here.

The "parking" of such a child with grandparents was quite common, - also common when the wife died in childbirth, or died young leaving the widower with infants.

Whether or not he grew up believing that his grandparents were his parents is a good question.

If he believed it as a kid, and the age of his grandparents was such that he had no reason to question the situation, then maybe he never knew.

The fact that he showed his grandparents as his parent on his marriage register entry is no proof of what he knew, as he may have done that to avoid embarrassment arising from showing that he didn't know the name of his father.

What does his death record show?

The overall answer to your last question is that you may never know if he knew the truth

David

[emanday]

Haven't managed to find his DC as yet, David. He could have easily survived past the 1956 DC access cutoff as many of the Crichtons seem to have lived long lives.

Without knowing when he died, I can't see a way of getting it from GROS either.

As you say, I'll probably never know what he knew or thought or, for that matter, if his Mum's eventual husband ever knew who wee James's Mum really was either.

I know now that the Crichtons had a hard time around the time of his childhood, but I also know that the ones I knew of, and can even remember, always seemed a pretty good hearted bunch. Maybe I knew him too but just can't remember him?

[DavidWW]

Haven't managed to find his DC as yet, David. He could have easily survived past the 1956 DC access cutoff as many of the Crichtons seem to have lived long lives.

Without knowing when he died, I can't see a way of getting it from GROS either.

...........snipped............

You need to find SKS who will take the few minutes necessary to check the index at NRH or Park Circus ........ there won't be many matching records for a James Girtrig Crichton, - the only problem could be if his middle name doesn't appear on the register entry; even then a search based on his age at death based on 1887 +/- , say 5 years, shouldn't take too long, especially if you have some info on likely location.

David

[joette]

The experience in my family is that Granny had two children out of wedlock.
Her parents raised both but they were both aware who their parents were.
If you live in a small village you can't hide much.
I think this coloured her view of motherhood & when she finally got married & had my Dad she was too scared to love him as she should have.
Very sad but she was great as a Granny.
I have known families however where Grandparents, elder married siblings have raised the children & the weans themselves have been unaware of their parentage until marriage or trip abroad has warranted official documentation.
I have an old friend who discovered she was her "sister's" child snooping through some old family papers.She was totalty oblivious to her origins & had no clue that her sister was not just that.
I suppose when families were large & spanned the years then 20 years was not uncommon between eldest & youngest.

[emanday]

I suppose when families were large & spanned the years then 20 years was not uncommon between eldest & youngest

I suppose he wouldn't have questioned an older "sister" being 16 years older than him, but the oldest of his "brothers and sisters" had a good 32 years on him, and his grandmother was 57 when he was born.

Having said that, I don't suppose boys/men in that era gave such things much thought, not that they were likely to be allowed within earshot of "women's discussions"

I suppose I'll just have to let that particular question hang. Did he know - Maybes aye, maybes naw

[DavidWW]

I suppose when families were large & spanned the years then 20 years was not uncommon between eldest & youngest

I suppose he wouldn't have questioned an older "sister" being 16 years older than him, but the oldest of his "brothers and sisters" had a good 32 years on him, and his grandmother was 57 when he was born.

Having said that, I don't suppose boys/men in that era gave such things much thought, not that they were likely to be allowed within earshot of "women's discussions"

C'moan!, surely he would at some point in his life questioned the situation on the basis that his "mother" was in her in her late 50s when he was born, but then, maybe he did, but just kept stum!

I suppose I'll just have to let that particular question hang. Did he know - Maybes aye, maybes naw

I can't disagree with that sentiment of Scotland's greatest living philosopher, - Big Eck, - the next national football team manager ??

David

[emanday]

We await that announcement with bated breath

[jintyb]

Mary
On the search resources board under Scottish Architects there is a John Girtrig Young,just wondered if he is one of yours.I found him by accident looking under Findlay but no architects in my lot.
Regards
Janet

[emanday]

Coo! Thanks Janet.

The Girtrig family were very few in number and they did originate in Ayrshire. I've got several girls in the families whose birthdates could indicate that they might have married a Mr Young in time to have John in 1885.

And here was me saving my credit card to hit the OPR images on the 25th

Blow the expense - I'm off to do a bit of digging