Missing Johnstones.....

IanJ · Post by **IanJ** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:31 pm

Hello everyone. First time in here so please be gentle.
I would very much appreciate some help finding the whereabouts of my Greatx2 Grandfather and his wife. The only information I have is that they had a son called Thomas Johnstone b:abt 1870, West Lothian(1891 English census, living in Oakham, Rutland.) I know that Thomas was not living with his parents in Rutland from at least 1891 and according to family memories, his parents stayed living in Scotland.
Thomas married an Ann Charlotte Dunn 14 4 1895 in Oakham and on their marriage cert it states Thomas's fathers name as George, a Foreman(of what I don't know).
I would like to know if West Lothian can be trimmed down a bit to provide a more accurate birthplace for Thomas and also his Mothers maiden name would be a great help. I would like to find this information out, or where I could start looking before I come up to the RO in Edinburgh in the new year.
I was recommended this site by another relation who has received some excellent help on here, Legs11. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ian Johnstone.

Post by **AndrewP** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:39 pm

Hi Ian,

Welcome to TalkingScot.

The online IGI gives only one that fits the bill. It does not prove that this is the birth you are looking for, but it is worth investigating further.

THOMAS JOHNSTON
28 FEB 1871 Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland
Father: GEORGE JOHNSTON
Mother: MARY ANN MCLEAN

There will be a matching birth certificate and there should also be an 1871 census report available from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk for a fee.

This could be them in the 1881 census (see also Lesley's 1881 census family below).

Dwelling: 3 Academy St
Census Place: Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203706 GRO Ref Volume 662-1 EnumDist 7 Page 28
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Thomas JOHNSTON M 44 M Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Shoemaker
Marion JOHNSTON M 45 F Blackburn, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Occ: Shoemaker Wife
William JOHNSTON U 18 M Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Private 71 Highlanders
Thomas JOHNSTON 11 M Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Janet JOHNSTON 5 F Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Jane JOHNSTON 3 F Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:42 pm

Hi Ian
Could this be them in 1881?
Dwelling: Claylands Cot Houses
Census Place: Ratho, Edinburgh, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0224023 GRO Ref Volume 698-A EnumDist 4 Page 1
George JOHNSTONE M 33 M Midcalder, Edinburgh, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Farm Servant
Mary JOHNSTONE M 32 F Falkirk, Stirling, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Joan JOHNSTONE U 12 F Midcalder, Edinburgh, Scotland
Rel: Dau
Occ: Scholar
Thomas JOHNSTONE 10 M Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Elizabeth JOHNSTONE 8 F Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Dau
Occ: Scholar
James JOHNSTONE 3 M Ratho, Edinburgh, Scotland
Rel: Son
Margaret JOHNSTONE 6 F Bathgate, Linlithgow, Scotland
Rel: Dau
Occ: Scholar
Isabella JOHNSTONE 1 F Ratho, Edinburgh, Scotland
Rel: Dau

& If this is them then it looks like Mary's maiden name was Mclean:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THOMAS JOHNSTON
Male
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):
Birth: 28 FEB 1871 Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents:
Father: GEORGE JOHNSTON
Mother: MARY ANN MCLEAN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record.
Source Information:
Batch No.: C116621 1855 - 1875
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll keep looking just in case any other likely family turns up.
Best wishes
Lesley

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:54 pm

Pipped at the post!!

The above pair also have a Joan who fits with the 1881 census above:
JOAN JOHNSTON
Female
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):
Birth: 08 JUL 1869 Mid Calder, Midlothian, Scotland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents:
Father: GEORGE JOHNSTON
Mother: MARY MC LEAN

Best wishes
Lesley

IanJ · Post by **IanJ** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:34 am

Thanks for all your help everybody. This has given me something to think about. What a great site this is. I do have one question though arising from this information. Is it normal for spellings of surnames to alter. ie, the 'E' on the end of Johnstone appears and then disappears and then reappears again when Thomas(if this is him) moves south of the border. Also, is there any way that I could totally 100% prove that this family is the ones that I am looking for? Thanks again for all your help. Ian

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:43 am

IanJ wrote:Thanks for all your help everybody. This has given me something to think about. What a great site this is. I do have one question though arising from this information. Is it normal for spellings of surnames to alter. ie, the 'E' on the end of Johnstone appears and then disappears and then reappears again when Thomas(if this is him) moves south of the border. Also, is there any way that I could totally 100% prove that this family is the ones that I am looking for? Thanks again for all your help. Ian

Trailing "E"s and "S"s regularly come and go, along with even bigger spelling variations, in this case with or without the "T"

Look up the birth of one of the kids on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk and you will get the mother's maiden name and, in 1855, but not restored until 1861, the place and date of the marriage of the parents, but that's not going to help you unless you can establish the name of his mother.

Assuming that the English census age is correct, there are 3 births of a Thomas JO*NSON* is West Lothian in 1869/70, but none with father George, but there is the single entry in 1871, - the entry found above via IGI. That this is most probably the same family as above is demonstrated by the 1869 marriage in Mid-Calder and the single elder sibling's age and place of birth, as well as the IGI entry, but, to be 100% sure as oppposed to just 99.9% you need his mother's name from somewhere.

David

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:50 am

Hi Ian
I'm guessing it is Thomas you know most about - are there any clues in any of his chilren's names? e.g. Does Mary turn up (OK, that one is not HUGELY conclusive!) , or even better, what about Mclean as a middle name? Any sign?

This might give you some pointers if you are on the right track or not. However, I've noted with my lot that it seems as soon as they go to England the traditional Scottish naming pattern is often ditched in preference for "fashionable" names, but there still should be the odd clue about with any luck.

Best wishes
Lesley

IanJ · Post by **IanJ** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:20 pm

Thanks for all the help you have given me on this topic. There are no names occurring in Thomas's children that have been used by his parents so that's a dead end I am afraid. Anyway, thanks again and will definitely recommend this site to anyone else needing help North of the Border. Ian J