Billy Marshall King of the Tinkers

[ankerdine]

Hello to you all
It has been suggested to me that I contact you and post a question on your site. Has anyone ever attempted to create a family tree for Billy Marshall, King of the Tinkers? I imagine that this could take quite some detailed research as he had so many wives and children. I don't have any definite information but just heresay. My gt. uncle said that we were descended from one of the two main clans in Scottish history, a group of rough cattle-rustlers. I am currently researching my Marshall family in Stranraer/Kilmaurs/Creetown, as indeed I have been doing for a couple of years now. I am steadily becoming totally confused as all the Marshall families have the same Christian names and tend to move about a lot!
I would welcome some advice and/or assistance.
Thanks a lot.

[emanday]

Hi Ankerdine,

I am steadily becoming totally confused as all the Marshall families have the same Christian names and tend to move about a lot!

The Scottish naming pattern can be a real blessing most of the time but, as you are finding out, in larger families especially those who travelled, it can sometimes really cause confusion.

I am almost positive I have the right BDM certificates for one of my direct lines now, but I have other certs which took a lot of added research to discover that they were cousins or even 2nd cousins of my line who'd used the same names for their children. All valuable information in its own right, but some of them did set me off one the wrong course for a bit.

It's that kind of challenge that keeps me hooked

[ankerdine]

Hello again
Thanks for the words of encouragement. Yes, it's great fun isn't it, especially as we can visit the lands of our ancestors without too much trouble. The Mull of Galloway was delightful in June this year.
I have a Sloan in Dalrymple, Ayrshire too!

[emanday]

My Sloan's came over from Ireland sometime between 1866 and 1881, but I've not established which part of Ireland yet.

The first Scottish birth was in 1886 in Glasgow. I know a lot of Irish immigrants landed in Ayrshire and some stayed there, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility they were there for a while and some moved to Glasgow.

Mind you, there are a lot of Sloans in Ireland AND Scotland

[Russell]

And some moved between Scotland and Ireland which makes them even harder to pin down

What am I saying You can't pin down a traveller
There has been some work done on the Townsleys but they were further north usually.

Even into the 1940's there were itinerant Irish families following the various aspects of planting, weeding, harvesting and fruit picking across the Lothians and up to the Blairgowrie berry picking.

Most of the children spent a few weeks at school at their various halts so there may be a faint possibilty that some school attendance records still exist.

Farms and estates sometimes welcomed them and they were allowed to make camp on the farm or estate. Again some estate records have been archived.
You have set yourself a real challenge. good luck

Russell

[ladybird]

There has been some work done on the Townsleys but they were further north usually.

Russell

The Townsleys are one of my main branches and they have me totally stumped.
I've got back to a Robert Townsley (my 3xg/grandfather) born c1808 in Argyll. The nearest I can get on the OPR's is one with father John Townesley, Ireland....which is a lot of help!
Again you have the naming pattern to confuse the issue...it's not easy!
best of luck, Sylvia