Author Topic: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland  (Read 9228 times)

Offline Skoosh

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 5,736
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #9 on: Saturday 07 June 14 19:48 BST (UK) »
Dunganess, over 1600 hits for "Kemp" in the National Archives,

http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue

Skoosh.

Offline willerson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #10 on: Sunday 08 June 14 12:53 BST (UK) »
Part 1

Sorry that I was unable to continue yesterday but the wedding went well and I can now continue with information on Alexander Kemp and his mother Catherine MacMillan and father William Kemp.

As I mentioned Alexander Kemp was the uncle of my grandmother Catherine MacMillan Patterson (nee Kemp).

From the 1861 Census you find the first mention of Alexander following his birth on 26th January 1860.

East end of Airth, Stirlingshire.  (living in a house with 2 rooms with one or more windows)

William Kemp    Head of house, married, Labourer (Turnpike Road), born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 46
Catherine B Kemp   Wife, married, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire, aged 34
Eliza Kemp   Daughter, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 10
William Kemp   Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 4
Alexander Kemp   Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 1

William Kemp aged 4 was born 27th February 1857, his birth registration shows that he was born at 12h 15m A.M. in Airth Village. His father is William Kemp, agricultural labourer and his mother is given as Catherine Kemp, Maiden name Benny McMillan. (This is interesting as Catherine is simply given as Catherine MacMillan on her wedding registration in Hamilton, Lanarkshire yet on the Old Parish Record of Airth Parish Church recording the wedding she gives her name as Catherine Benny MacMillan.)

As was the case in those days William would take work perhaps where he could find it and seasonally if working on the farm, so it isn't unusual to find as time goes by that job titles change.

From the Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births we see that Eliza was born to William Kemp and Eliza Christie, his second wife, on 10th June 1850 and baptized on the 23rd June 1850.

Missing from the census is Janet Kemp, again from the Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births we see that she was born 6th April 1854 and baptized on the 16th April 1854.

As Janet is not listed on the 1861 census I will be looking for her death certificate between 22nd Oct 1855 (as she is listed as living on the marriage registration of this date of William Kemp to Catherine McMillan) and 7th April 1861 (the date of the 1861 census) on my next visit to Register House in Edinburgh.

As mentioned in last posting Eliza (given as Elisa on the Parish Register), her mother died aged 34 on 26th April 1854 'in childbed', which seems to imply as a direct result of childbirth.

William Kemp was born August 14th 1814 and baptized on the 21st August 1814. The Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births has a rather interesting entry in that it could be that William had a twin sister. Here is a copy of the entry:

August 21st 1814 Kemp

William Kemp and Janet Gilfillan had (and here a part of the entry has been deleted and apparently replaced with the word ) twins born 14th and baptized 21st August called William and Elizabeth.

Again, on my next search I hope to find more about Elizabeth.

Part 2 to follow

Offline willerson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #11 on: Sunday 08 June 14 12:55 BST (UK) »
Part 2

I can also include here information on the William Kemp that married Janet Gilfillan, he was born on the 5th November 1780 as listed in The Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births. His father is Hugh Kemp and Mary Mitchel.

This is as far back as I've yet looked for information, hopefully I'll find more soon.

Now for the marriage registration for William Kemp and Catherine McMillan.

From the 1855 Marriages in the Burgh of Hamilton County of Lanark recorded by the registrar William Dickson.

22nd October 1855 at Hamilton, Marriage (after Banns) was solemnized between and according to the  Rites and Ceremonies of the Congregational Church of Scotland.

(signed) William Kemp. Residence Airth.  Age 36*, Agricultural Labourer, Widower, third marriage, 2 children by former marriages living and 1 child dead.

(William Kemp) born and registered on August 21st 1819* at Airth, Stirlingshire.

Parents : William Kemp (Shoemaker) and Janet Kemp maiden name Gilfillan

(signed) Catherine McMillan. Residence Airth. Age 28, Housemaid

born and registered on August 22nd 1827 at Glasgow.

Parents : Alexander McMillan (Potter Carrier) and Janet McMillan maiden name McEwen.

(signed) Thomas Pullar, Minister of the Congregational Church, Hamilton,

signed : Alexander Hamilton, (witness)
signed : William Chapman (?) (witness)   (The name is a little indistinct.)

Where and when registered : 1855 October 24th At Hamilton, William Dickson, Registrar.

*    William Kemp gives Aug 21st 1819 as his birthday and his age as 36
   His birthday was recorded in the Airth Parish register as 14th Aug 1814, he was baptised
   on 21st Aug 1814. He was therefore 41 when he married Catherine.

Also from the Old Parish Register of Marriages from Airth

October 22nd 1855 : Kemp and McMillan

William Kemp in this parish and Catherine Benny McMillan residing in the parish of Hamilton, were publicly proclaimed for marriage in the parish Church of Airth three several times 14th and 21st October and that no objections have been offered.

Also from the 1861 Census you find

East end of Airth, Stirlingshire.  (living in a house with 1 room with one or more windows)

William Kemp    Head of house, married, Shoemaker (Master), born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 82
Janet Kemp   Wife, married, born  Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 78

Living next door to William Kemp and Catherine (McMillan) Kemp we find William's father and mother, William Kemp and Janet (Gilfillan) Kemp. As William, married to Janet was born  5th November 1780 by the 1861 Census date he is 81 and will be 82 November 5th of that year. He also gives his occupation as Master Shoemaker, which ties into the 1855 marriage registration of his son.

From the deaths in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling, William Kemp, shoemaker, married to Janet Gilfillan, died 26th March 1868, aged 88 years, his father is given as Hugh Kemp, Farm Servant (deceased) and his mother is Mary Kemp maiden surname Mitchell (deceased) (on William's birth registration Mitchell is shown as Mitchel) Cause of Death is Age and Debility, several months as certified by David Haig, Surgeon, Airth. The informant is William Kemp, Son (Not Present), When and Where : 1868 March 31st. At Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar.

I have more information on William and Hugh as well as Jessie, through census and other records. Strangely enough I'd not started looking for information on their sibling Alexander. In that respect I'd appreciate anything you're willing to share.

One last little snippet to give you an idea of Catherine B Kemp (nee MacMillan), sadly as I mentioned she was admitted to the Larbert Lunatic Asylum on 15th May 1875, when she entered she was 4 foot 10 inches tall, weighing 6 st 7 lbs. A petite lady.

Bye for now.

Online Ruskie

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 26,196
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #12 on: Sunday 08 June 14 15:04 BST (UK) »
Welcome to rootschat Willerson.  :)

Tim hasn't been on rootschat for a couple of months but he should receive notification of your response. I'm sure he will be thrilled with the wealth of information you have provided.


Offline willerson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #13 on: Sunday 08 June 14 15:51 BST (UK) »
Thanks for getting in touch.  Hopefully I can make contact with my distant relative. I'll post up more details tomorrow, time permitting but will certainly add more soon.

Regards

Offline kempons

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #14 on: Monday 09 June 14 09:08 BST (UK) »
Hi Willerson,

Many thanks for posting this detailed information. It has assisted me in putting together some more of the Kemp jigsaw. After all, every little bit helps.

Have you considered a DNA test to help validate your Kemp line? Apart from conducting the Kemp(e) one-name study I am also coordinating the Kemp/Camp DNA project.

Please PM me for details of either.

Kind regards,
Andrew
Researching: KEMP/KEMPE/KEMPF/KEMPS/KEMPT, VANDERVEN, MURPHY, DEJONG, WELSH, DETHRIDGE, MOREY, RANSOM, McERVALE and WESTBROOK

Offline willerson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #15 on: Monday 09 June 14 09:28 BST (UK) »
Although I'd planned in the near future to have a DNA test carried out through an Edinburgh based company, it was simply to satisfy my curiosity regarding general roots e.g. of mainly Scandinavian origin, as I suspect in my case. In validating the Kemp line of that I have no doubt, as I knew my grandmother for many years, Catherine McMillan Patterson nee Kemp and my father, her son, has passed onto me a photograph of his grandmother who was married to Hugh Kemp.

Although not a medical person, my background is in Physics and Maths, I believe more of the Kemp genetic material made its way to my sister, she is just over 5 foot tall, like our grandmother and she is similar in stature to the diminutive Catherine Kemp nee McMillan who was my grandmothers grandmother. I will be interested to see if there are any clues as to the root of the porphyria that was inherited by my sister and father particularly as it may have contributed to Catherine Kemp nee McMillan's illnesses. So that line of enquiry I think will take me from Kemps to the McMillan parents of Catherine one of whom may have passed on the faulty genes.

Glasgow University conducted a survey over many years to track the spread of porphyria in Scotland and perhaps I could get some help there. As part of their study I'd to be tested and found not to carry the faulty genes. Though my sister has acute intermittent porphyria unfortunately.

Regards,

Willerson

Offline willerson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #16 on: Monday 09 June 14 20:53 BST (UK) »
Part 3

I don't believe I've included the following bit of information that did surprise me a little. Bearing in mind that William Kemp (31) married his first wife Helen Anderson about the date of 8th June 1845, the last day Banns were called for their wedding in Airth Parish Church and they had a child, unnamed that died after 5 months being interred on 13th October 1846, I have also found that a child called Jane Kemp died of fever and was interred in Airth Church graveyard on April 9th 1848 at the age of 5 years, therefore she was born before William and Helen married and the final piece of information on the interment sheet states Jane is a child of William Kemp, Shoemaker, Airth.

So unless there are 2 people called William Kemp both working as shoemakers, unlikely, then at the age of 63, William Kemp was the father of this child that died when he was 68. I don't have information on  Jane's birth which might let me know if the mother was Janet nor when William, born 1780 and Janet Gilfillan married yet but have added these searches and a birth registration for Janet to my to do list so that I can determine what age she was when this child was born or whether Jane was born to a different mother as Janet may have been too old to give birth to a child. There is another possibility which could be quite plausible, the son fathered the child out of wedlock and the father assumed parenthood, so more data needed to confirm what happened here.

Since I started with the 1861 Census last time, I'll move forward now to 1871 as a starting point.

From the 1871 Census you now find Alexander Kemp given as 11 years old, following his birth on 26th January 1860.

Civil Parish of Airth, Village of Airth 1871

Grahams Buildings  (1 room with one or more windows)

William Kemp    Head of house, married, Road Labourer, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 56
Catherine Kemp    Wife, married, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire, aged 41 (should be 44)
William Kemp    Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 14
Alexander Kemp    Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 11
Jessie Kemp    Daughter, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 6
Hugh Kemp    Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 4

The latest additions to the Kemp family are Jessie and Hugh.

From the 1865 Births in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling

Entry No. 13

Name and Surname : Jessie Kemp

When and where born : 1865 March 2nd, 5h P.M., Airth Village

Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Turnpike Road Surfaceman
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Catherine Kemp, M.S. McMillan
Date and Place of Marriage : 1855 October 22nd, Hamilton

Signature of Informant : William Kemp, Father (Not Present)

When & where registered : 1865 March 20th At Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar
From the 1867 Births in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling

Name and Surname : Hugh Kemp

When and where born : 1867 March 24th, 3h P.M., Airth Village

Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Turnpike Road Surfaceman
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Catherine Kemp,  M.S. McMillan
Date and Place of Marriage : 1855 October 22nd, Hamilton

Signature of Informant : William Kemp, Father (Present)
(It is signed in his own hand)

When & where registered : 1867 April 13th At Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar

By the 1871 Census Eliza Kemp, daughter of William to his second wife Eliza Christie has left the family home.

In 1867 she was married, the details are below :

1867 Marriages in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling

Where, when and how married.

1867 on the 29th day of November at Airth Manse.
After Banns according to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland.

Signatures of Parties, Rank or Profession whether Single or Widowed and Relationship (if any).

(Signed) Alexander Dick, Ploughman, (Bachelor) Age 23
(Signed) Eliza Kemp, Domestic Servant, (Spinster) Age 17
(between her 1st and 2nd names is an X , written above the X is the word 'her', below the word 'mark'.)

There appear under their names 2 witnesses, I presume this was to do with Eliza making her mark but being unable to read and write and so witnesses had to confirm her mark, as later on there are witnesses to the marriage in the correct entry column for marriage witnesses.

The witnesses were : William Dick and William Wilson.

Usual residence for both Alexander and Eliza is given as : Airth

For Alexander :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Dick, Farm Servant
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Jane Dick,  M.S. Adam

For Eliza :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Turnpike Road Surfaceman
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Eliza Kemp,  M.S. Christie (deceased)

If a regular Marriage, Signatures of officiating Minister and Witnesses.

(Signed) William Park, M.A., Minister of Airth

(Signed) Thomas Dick, witness, Mary Turnbull, witness

When & where registered : 1867 November 30th at Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar.


Offline willerson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 8
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Queensland - tracing the Kemp connections with Airth in Scotland
« Reply #17 on: Monday 09 June 14 20:55 BST (UK) »
Part 4

As I've mentioned although I've gathered a fair amount of data there is still a lot to do. For example, I need to locate a death certificate for Eliza and find her on the 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 census pages, as I believe she died in 1912 at the age of 62. This belief is based on the knowledge that there is a record of an Eliza Dick (nee Kemp) buried in Airth Parish Church graveyard. As far as I know there are 4 males named Alexander Dick buried in the graveyard but only one can be her husband, who died in 1917 at the age of 72, so I intend  visiting the graveyard soon to verify that they appear on the same gravestone and photograph this, the graveyard is only 3 miles or so from where I live so I've no excuse for not getting there soon !

Once I get the census information I can start looking for children too.

Now for William Kemp aged 14 in the 1871 census. I next found him in the 1881 census at the age of 24, unusually, still living at home at the age of 24 considering Alexander 21 and Jessie 16 in 1871 have moved out also the family have moved house since the last census. Missing from the family home is the unfortunate Catherine B. Kemp (nee McMillan) who was taken into the Larbert Lunatic Asylum on May 15th 1875.

High Street  (2 room with one or more windows)

William Kemp    Head of house, married, Roadman, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 66
William Kemp    Son, unmarried, Fireman Merchant Service, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 24
Hugh Kemp    Son, unmarried, Scholar, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 14


William Kemp, 24, is given as a Fireman Merchant Service, my understanding is that this means he was what we might call today a Stoker on a merchant ship.

As I've found many times records of those days often show ages that do not match with known birth registrations. So the next event I have for William is his marriage on October 2nd 1885. Now in the 1881 Census above he is correctly listed as being 24 yet 4 years later he gives his age as only 26 on his marriage registration when he is in fact 28 ! He has also changed job. Here are the details of the marriage registration.

1885 Marriages in the District of Grangemouth in the County of Stirling

Where, when and how married.

1885 on the 2nd day of October at Lumley Street, Grangemouth.
After Banns according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland.

Signatures of Parties, Rank or Profession whether Single or Widowed and Relationship (if any).

(Signed) William Kemp, Mason's Labourer, (Bachelor) Age 26 (see above)
(Signed) Christina Ogilvy, Domestic Servant, (Spinster) Age 20
Usual residence for William is given as : Airth
Usual residence for Christina is given as : Lumley Street, Grangemouth

For William :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Roadman (deceased)
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Catherine Kemp,  M.S. McMillan

(At this point Catherine is staying in the Larbert Lunatic Asylum and has been there 10 years)

For Christine :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : David Ogilvy, Shoemaker (Master)
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Michaela Ogilvy,  M.S. Gimines

(possibly should be Giminez as Michaela was Spanish and a Naturalized British Subject as given on the 1881 Census. This also shows that Christina was born in Gibralter (sic) should be Gibraltar, her father was born in Forfar, Scotland and is listed as a Bootmaker (Master) employing 1 man. Christina had 5 brothers and sisters listed on this Census, including a sister Margaret born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jessie born in England and the others born in Grangemouth starting in 1875 so it seems like the Ogilvy family settled in Grangemouth about that time having travelled extensively.)

If a regular Marriage, Signatures of officiating Minister and Witnesses.

(Signed) G. H. Cumming, Free Church Minister  (middle initial not too distinct)

(Signed) William Murray, witness, Jessie Ogilvy, witness

When & where registered : 1885 October 5th at Grangemouth, John Macdonald, Asst. Registrar.