Hi Andy Gibson,
If my memory is right, you may be related to Jim Meikle whose grandfather, Alexander MacLean, was the only son from the marriage of Margaret Scott and John MacLean born Helmsdale 1832. Alexander was born in England but brought up in Helmsdale by his uncle, Alexander, the brother of John. Sadly, his first wife, Margaret died of TB soon after the birth and John MacLean married again to Elizabeth Gray and spent the rest of his life in Wallsend and had other children.
The first of these was John Malcolm Maclean, who after many years working for the Cooperative Society and becoming a manager, emigrated to Canada and became Secretary of The Cooperative Society of Canada at its head office at Sydney Mines, Novascotia. When he emigrated he claimed to be only 45, though in fact was 50. He had married, just before emigrating, Miriam Mary Clark, age 22 years. I have a copy of the marriage certificate in front of me where John Malcolm MacLean claims to be only 42. They had a son, John, certainly alive last year, whose daughter, Ann MacDiamid has been in contact with me. Such was the age confusion of John Malcolm Maclean that his identity could only be confirmed by knowing the day and month in which he celebrated his birthday (known from birth cert).
I think Jim Meikle would agree that my research opened up a whole new field for him and unblocked the researches of Ann MacDiamid. Although I have taken the name 'Helmsdale' I am in no way related to John MaClean, although living in Gateshead on Tyne I understand the environment of Felling, Heworth and Wallsend, not to mention the Pelton/Beamish area where John Malcolm became a Cooperative Society manager.
My connection is as a friend of Charlotta Maria Gudmundsdottir who lives near Reykjavik whose life is contingent to a certain cooper, John MacLean, who came to Iceland in the early 1860s and fathered an illegitimate child. In Icelandic records, his date of birth was 1840 and birthplace, Helmsdale. If this is correct, he cannot be the son of Alexander, the shoemaker and born in 1832.
This must be considered the latest state of play, and has nothing to do with the false trails early in this thread. Jim Meikle and Jon Hjaltason believe the DoB in the Islendigabok to be an error but it is a 'fly in the ointment' for the researches of Charlotta and Jon, who are related.
You mention other information. Of course, if you have found another John MacLean born around 1840 at Helmsdale, I would be very interested.
Kind Regards, Helmsdale.
