Haddington & nearby christenings for COCKFIELD for 1790-1820

[Bonza]

Dear Rootschatters

I wonder if anyone can help me find my COCKFIELD family christenings, likely to be in Haddington or nearby between 1790-1820.

My direct ancestor John COCKFIELD believed he was born in Haddington around 1804-1806.

There are four known siblings and the parents are David COCKFIELD and Janet GIRVAN.

Known birth details for all the children are:

Edward (b.c1795)
Mary (b.c1800)
Catherine (b.c1802)
John (b.c1804-1806)
Margaret (b.c1809-1810)

COCKFIELD is such a rare surname in Scotland. My lot seemed to be around East Lothian, but there were cousins in Glasgow too. On the 1841 Census David COCKFIELD is shown as not being born in East Lothian.

Any help with some christenings or the parents marriage even would be a great help and much appreciated, as I'm in Australia and will not be able to get to Scotland any time soon.

I've searched available online databases for the area without success to date.

Many thanks, Cheers for now, Bonza

[tidybooks]

Hi Bonza,

I looked on FreeReg www.freereg.org.uk and can see Cockfields in Dunbar in the 1820's. Edward Cockfield married a Beatrice Nelson or Nielson and had about 6 children in Dunbar.

http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/SearchResults.pl?RecordType=Baptisms&RecordID=1523448

http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/SearchResults.pl?RecordType=Marriages&RecordID=486518

Tom

[mamad]

Hello Bonza,

There is a gravestone for a Margaret Cockfield in Dirleton Churchyard. The stone has been erected by her son William.
Margaret  Cockfield, his mother died 11 May 1887.William Aitken, his father, died 6 Feb 1886.
Son William died 23 June 1900, his wife Georgina Spence died 19 Jan 1894, his son, John died 15 July 1898. Son William's grandson is also mentioned died on service at Basra, Persian Gulf, 18 July 1916 aged 17 years.

Had a look at her death cert on SP. She was 77 years old (would match with what you posted for Margaret's birth) living at the Distillery, Haddington. However father is David Cockfield, House Painter , deceased. Mother is Janet G???(unreadable). Informant was Robert Watt, son in law.

Also looked at census and she gives her birthplace as Haddington. Although died at Haddington, all census results show living at Dirleton. 1841 census shows father David staying with Margaret and her husband William. Surname for William has been transcribed as Althen, not Aitken.

Also there is an Edward Cockfield, retired painter, born Haddington about 1794 on 1841 and 1851 census - could this be a brother? Probably some relation as he is a painter.

As you say the name is unusual, so there probably is a relationship between your John and Margaret.

Mags

[mamad]

Me again, Bonza, apologies, if I had a brain I'd be dangerous. I should have read your post with more care. I scanned and thought John was the father not David. So you probably have some of the information I posted.

Can now see the mother's name as Girvan.

Posting the following but you may have them already.

Edward died 1858 aged 63 years at Dunbar
His wife, Beatrice died 11/03/1840 at Dunbar
There is a Mary Cockfield or Paterson died 1876 at Dunbar
Catherine Cockfield or Arundel died 1875 at North Berwick

There are two wills for two of Edward's children on SP.

Mags

[Bonza]

Thanks for your help Tom & Mags

I've got lots on the family going forward, the Dunbar connection (Edward is my John's brother. That Mary who married a Paterson is mine too), Margaret of Dirleton (have the Aitken link and Margaret's death, but didn't have the headstone info, so that was terrific), know about the Wills, one is for Edward's son who died in St Kitts.

I just can't find anything on my Cockfield family between 1790-1820.......

I think there's some sort of family history day at Haddington in a week or so too. Only wish I could get there.

Thanks again for your effort and help.

Any ideas how I could find the early christenings or marriage?

[mamad]

Hello again,

The Scottish War Graves Project has Dirleton Churchyard online and would you believe, there a pic of the gravestone with additional information about grandson William who was killed at Basra.

http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/scottishwargraves-ftopic889.html

Mags

[Bonza]

Hi Mags

Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that yet, so having an image of the headstone is terrific and the extra information is a great bonus.

Very much appreciated.

But where could I find the David Cockfield & Janet Girvan marriage or the children's christenings?

That may be the key to being able to link my COCKFIELD line back to somewhere else.

One thing I do know, which may be of interest to some people, is that I have information that credits my David COCKFIELD (husband of Janet GIRVAN) as being the author of 'HADDINGTON THE BRAVE', a song that was said to have been sung at least annually for over a hundred years in Haddington at their annual festival and possibly wider throughout Scotland.

Does anyone know this song or anything else about it? I wonder if its still sung in Haddington?

Cheers for now, Bonza

[Bonza]

Whoops! Actually the song is called "Brave Haddington for Me" ... not "Haddington the Brave" lol.

[tidybooks]

Hi Bonza,

Googled "Brave Haddington for me" and came up with this article.

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/haddington/chapter20.htm

A pity they did not know the author.

Tom