Author Topic: Two possibilities for Thomas Robertson Kerr, which is the right Thomas? Pls help  (Read 3416 times)

Offline phronesis00

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Hello, can anybody help me find his parents?

I am using ancestry.co.uk if that helps. I don't have any access to scottish parish records.
I am trying to locate the Family of a Thomas Robertson Kerr.
I thought I found them but was disappointed to discover that I was wrong and / or don't have enough evidence to prove it.
(I know the R Stands for Robertson because Robertson Kerr is the family name passed down)
What I know for sure about him:
I know when he died etc.
I have Thomas Kerr in 1911 - Portsmouth England, place of birth Yetholm, Roxburghshire in 1866.
Thomas R Kerr 1901 - Navy Vessels Malta.
Married in Portsmouth in 1983 to Elizabeth Scarrott.
No records at all for 1891

What I don't know is who his parents were and this is what I need to find out.
Two possible contenders in 1881 - Thomas Kerr, born 1866, on 'The Champion' a Naval apprentice, but it says born in Newfoundland St Johns.
The other is Thomas R Kerr, born 1866/67 in Melrose Roxburghshire, and living in Edinburgh with his ADOPTED parents James Kerr and Jessie Kerr as an apprentice blacksmith (they have no other children). The R could possibly stand for Robertson? Also, James Kerr was born in Yetholm Roxburghshire, which can't be a coincidence. He is with his adoptive family in 1871 also.
Both these Thomas' seem to dissappear from the record after that, either dead or moved elsewhere. Could one of them be the right man?
Thomas Kerr is such a popular name. Is there another contender that I'm missing?
I have no means to check marriages to see if any Robertsons married Kerrs in Yetholm that might help solve this mystery and if he was adopted I suppose this means he might have been illegitimate?

I can't find a birth family for Thomas R Kerr presumably because he was adopted very young between censuses. Curiously though I found a match that is rather far fetched but that interested me, for a Thomas Roberston, also in the 1871 census, born 1868, to a Samuel Robertson (mother unknown, stated mother on the census is Samuel's younger sister Elizabeth and Samuel is listed as father), family are all from Ednam Roxburghshire, but working in Maryhill Lanarkshire. Familysearch.org suggests mother is Helen Edmonston, but I can't find this lady after 1851. Samuel Robertson is a teacher, which sits with family legend about one of Thomas's direct ancestors being a schoolmaster. From 1881 onwards Samuel is in a lunatic asylum and his elderly parents are deceased, no record of what happened to the children. Thomas can't possibly have both been with his birth family and his adopted family on the same night to be recorded on the 1871 census in two different parts of Scotland though! And why would they only take one son as there was another son called George. Just a coincidence?

This is driving me nuts.
Any advice would be appreciated!

Offline Kay99

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Re: Two possibilities for Thomas Robertson Kerr, which is the right Thomas? Pls help
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 21 December 13 06:57 GMT (UK) »
Welcome to RootsChat  :)  I may be missing it but checking the 1871 census I couldn't see Thomas with his adoptive parents as below in 97 Nicolson Street Edinburgh

James Kerr 27 b Blacksmith
Jessie Kerr 30 Edinburgh

Kay

Offline ev

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Re: Two possibilities for Thomas Robertson Kerr, which is the right Thomas? Pls help
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 21 December 13 07:12 GMT (UK) »
Hi ,

Quote
Married in Portsmouth in 1983 to Elizabeth S

FreeBMD has a possible marriage Thomas Robertson Kerr / Elizabeth Rosina Crockford 1st quarter 1893 Portsea Hampshire  :-\

ev
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Offline crimea1854

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Re: Two possibilities for Thomas Robertson Kerr, which is the right Thomas? Pls help
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 21 December 13 07:28 GMT (UK) »
The Thomas R Kerr who served in the Navy, was still alive at the end of WW1 because he is on the medal roll as a Chief Armourer. You could order his service record, but this contains no family information.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D6668774

There is also the possibility that he had at least one son who followed him into the navy.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7049204

Martin


Offline ev

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Re: Two possibilities for Thomas Robertson Kerr, which is the right Thomas? Pls help
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 21 December 13 07:35 GMT (UK) »
FreeBMD has a death Thomas R Kerr 4th quarter 1947 Portsmouth , age 80.

ev
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