OPR.....

trish58 · Post by **trish58** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 2:35 am

Hi team
thanks for such a wonderful site, can you please tell me why I can find some of my ancestors on the OPR's and not other members of the same family.
I have found the marriage of GGGranparents 1840 James Agnew and
Margaret Kennedy, also the birth of one of their children John 1841, but I am unable to find the one I really want their Daughter Elizabeth she is on the 1851 census at 1year old, on the 1862 she shows as 12, but it is her birth I am desperate to find.
Any suggestions from such a great team?
You helped me before With Rae who turned into Raw, and Fury who turned in Henry//.
With your help I have been able to find around 200 members of the family so far and still looking.
Thank you so much.
Tricia (Australia)

pinkshoes · Post by **pinkshoes** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:33 am

Hi Trish - where is the family located in the cenus info you have? Might help to narrow the search.

In terms of finding OPRs I guess it depends on whether the event was ever recorded in the first place - not all were. Also whether the records survived. I'm sure DavidWW has written a very informative piece on the subject, posted here somewhere, and others wiser than I will no doubt fill in the missing bits.

Found this reply to a similar question :

viewtopic.php?t=2165&highlight=missing+oprs

Best wishes
Pinkshoes.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:37 am

Hi Trish
Is this your John - at Stranraer?

JOHN AGNEW
Male
Christening: 24 JAN 1841 Stranraer, Wigtown, Scotland
Parents:
Father: JAMES AGNEW
Mother: MARGARET KENNEDY

If so, the records for that area would appear, of the surface of things, to be in existence, however, there may be gaps:
899. STRANRAER
899/1 B 1695-1819 M 1712-1819 D -
899/2 B 1820-54 M 1819-53 D 1847-50 (2 entries)

Is the daughter Elizabeth stated as born in Stranraer in the 1851 census? Or had the family maybe moved by the time of her birth?

Best wishes
Lesley

trish58 · Post by **trish58** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 7:40 am

Hi Lesley
Sorry it has taken so long to reply.

Elizabeth Agnew 1851 census age 1, the census was taken in Ayr.
Place of birth states Kilmarnoch. Hope you can find her birth through this.
Apprecciate your help always.
Thanks
Tricia

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 9:19 am

Using the online IGI, checking within batch C119575 (baptisms in Kilmarnock 1819 to 1854), there are 10 Elizabeths baptised 1850 ± 2 years, none which could be reasonably mistaken for Agnew. I also searched within that batch and year range for children of Margaret Kennedy - that gave no results. Also no results for surname Agnew within these years within that batch.

Another factor to consider is that the 1840s were turbulent times in the Scottish churches. In 1843 there was "the Disruption" which led to the split in the Church of Scotland, and the formation of the Free Church by those splitting away from the Church of Scotland. This increased the number of people who were not Church of Scotland supporters. One of the results of this seems to have been a decrease in entries in the Parochial Registers (later to become the Old Parochial Registers - OPRs), which were held and maintained by the (Established) Church of Scotland. Another challenge put in the way of us researching our ancestors in that era.

All the best,

AndrewP

trish58 · Post by **trish58** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:38 pm

Hi Lesley
Yes this is my John, Elizabeths Brother,

LesleyB wrote:Hi Trish
Is this your John - at Stranraer?

JOHN AGNEW
Male
Christening: 24 JAN 1841 Stranraer, Wigtown, Scotland
Parents:
Father: JAMES AGNEW
Mother: MARGARET KENNEDY

If so, the records for that area would appear, of the surface of things, to be in existence, however, there may be gaps:
899. STRANRAER
899/1 B 1695-1819 M 1712-1819 D -
899/2 B 1820-54 M 1819-53 D 1847-50 (2 entries)

Is the daughter Elizabeth stated as born in Stranraer in the 1851 census? Or had the family maybe moved by the time of her birth?

Best wishes
Lesley