Help with an elusive Fife Ancestor!

[grannysrock]

Hi Suzanne
I was just wondering if Jessie died in Scotland and if so , does her death certificate give the same information on her parents ?

Also , if her first child William was born at Elie ( this is on ScotlandsPeople I think) , and that was her usual residence at the time of her marriage , I wonder if she had family there ? Does the Elie birth mention an address ?

Best of luck
Sally

[nelmit]

No help at all but I think this may be Jessie in 1851 from FREECEN-

Piece: SCT1851/692 Place: North Leith -Midlothian Enumeration District: 60
Civil Parish: North Leith Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: North Leith
Folio: 745 Page: 7 Schedule: 38
Address: 6 Hamburg Place

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MCINNES Louisa A Head W F 33 Annuitant England - -
MCINNES John Son - M 7 Scholar Midlothian - North Leith
MCINNES James A Son - M 5 Scholar Midlothian - North Leith
MCINNES Charles Son - M 1 Midlothian - North Leith
JOHNSON Janet Servnt U F 16 General Servant Midlothian - North Leith

I did notice that a Thomas Finlay was working at a farm in Elie in 1851.

Regards,
Annette

[MorrisFife]

Hi again,

thank you for all your posts!
Here are the answers to some questions:

1) The address for Jessie's son William Robertson 1857 in Elie is Muircambus, which is NW of Elie.

2) John and Jessie also had a daughter, Jessie Robertson, born in 1878 in Wakefield, Dunino.

3) I found a death record on SP for what I am quite sure is our Jessie, for May 9th, 1918. Place of Death: Cottage Hospital, St. Andrews. Usual residence: Pittendriech near Stravithie. Married to John Roberston, Farm Servant, Informant John Robertson (son), with an address in St. Andrews. In the 1901 Census that son is living in St Andrews, albeit at a different address. Infuriatingly, informant clearly didn't know much about Jessie's parents (maybe another indicator that her parents were not mentioned much in the family, for reasons of illegitimacy or such?), as they are given only as ___Johnston and ___Johnston, whithout first names or a maiden name for the mother.

4) I found a Margaret Johnson in the 1851 Census in Pier Place, North Leith, Head of Household, Widow, age 40, occupation Spirit Dealer. Unfortunately, I can't find her in the 1861 Census.

Annette, what makes you think that the Janet Johnson on the 1851 is our Jessie?

Thanks again!

Suzanne

[karenmcc]

Hi All,

what about this one on freecen. the age is out, but only a couple of years and maybe whoever filled it out thought ages should be rounded up for all. If Charles filled it out, men often aren't worried to much by things like age. If my brother had to tell everyones age in out family, you can be sure things would be rounded.

1841 census - Leith South - Midlothian

Darling's Brae

NOTMAN Margaret f 40
NOTMAN Charles m 20
NOTMAN Mary f 15
NOTMAN Jean f 10

All born midlothian



forgot to add, I had also looked at the Janet Johnson Annette found as a possibility for your jessie.

Karen

[MorrisFife]

Hi Everyone,

thank you for your posts! I will have a look at the Margaret Notmans you found.

But that still leaves me with the questions of where and how Jessie's birth would have been registered.
I haven't yet come across an illegitimate birth in my Scottish research, so maybe you can tell me how these would have been handled? Presumably under her mother's name?

I looked for her birth as Jessie Notman also, but there is nothing on SP. And how would she be able to call herself Jessie Johnston on the 1841 and 1851 Censi, as well as on her marriage register? Would she have had to produce a birth certificate in order get married?
Would Kirk Session records be a place to look, in case she really was illegitimate? If yes, where can I find them?

Sorry to be such a pain, but this one has cost me many sleepless nights. How I wish I could be time traveller sometimes...

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Suzanne

[LesleyB]

Hi Suzanne

I haven't yet come across an illegitimate birth in my Scottish research, so maybe you can tell me how these would have been handled? Presumably under her mother's name?

Usually they are listed under the mother's name. If the father was mentioned too, you may find in illegitimate birth listed under both surnames, but there are differences before and after 1855 - if after 1855, the father would not be given on the SR register (even if the mother knew his name) unless he went with the mother to register the birth.

I looked for her birth as Jessie Notman also, but there is nothing on SP. And how would she be able to call herself Jessie Johnston on the 1841 and 1851 Censi, as well as on her marriage register? Would she have had to produce a birth certificate in order get married?

You can call yourself anything you like in Scotland. No documents were required to be produced at the time of marriage, or at the time of registering a birth or a death.

Would Kirk Session records be a place to look, in case she really was illegitimate? If yes, where can I find them?

Kirk Session records are held at National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh with most of them now digitised and able to be viewed on the PCs there. Some originals at held at NAS and some originals are held in local archives.

Best wishes
Lesley