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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: ArizonaBoy on Saturday 29 July 17 20:50 BST (UK)
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Would anyone please help me to find the family of James Laing.
He married Elizabeth Smith born in Dublin daughter of David Smith from Old Machar Aberdeen in Leeds in 1883 and named as James Tait Laing.
The 1911 England & Wales census shows him living in Leeds with his wife and his occupation as retired major Dist. aged 50. I think the regiment was Edinburgh Artillery Volunteer Corps.
Regards
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Hi ArizonaBoy
Have you been able to confirm at least his father's name from that 1883 marriage cert in Leeds?
Possibility this might be his birth here from indexes in 1860 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQ5W-C7D
Two other children to this couple show the surname of Tait as a middle name:
Janet 1861 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQWM-L41
John Tait Sorlie 1864 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQFK-RHT - must have died young and name reused
John Tait Sorlie 1867 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQFK-R6J
Monica
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This 1861 census entry is likely for the family above. Everyone born in Edinburgh:
James Laing 23 Brassfounder Finisher b. St Cuthbert, Edinburgh
Isabella Laing 20
James Laing 8 Months
William Laing 21 brother printer compositor
Address: 12 Lochend Close, Edinburgh Canongate
This couple look to have married in 1859 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYMR-QP2
There are so many James Laings born around the 1860s in the Edinburgh area, would be good to get further confirmation of some details for him at least from his marriage registration.
Monica
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From family trees online, someone else is claiming this James! They have him marrying and then dying in Australia in 1909...
His marriage registration in Leeds shows him as James Tait S Laing - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DZP-PSN So, wondering whether the S is for Sorlie and we are on the right lines (and it is the other family tree that is incorrect).
Monica
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Hi Monica
Thanks very much for the info.
Unfortunately I got the marriage details from findmypast.ie England & Wales Marriages Transcription and no details of father was shown.
Also I have James Laing on the electoral list for 1919 at 103 Harehills Avenue Leeds Yorkshire.
Do you think James Laing and Isabella Sorlie are his parents?.
Regards
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I don't know if the birth we are talking about from 1860 is the right one unfortunately. The only way to start confirming would be to order that marriage cert and see what it says about his father and then work that info back to Scotland. I only made the reference due to the middle name of Tait. The family I mentioned seem to like to use the middle names of Tait and also Sorlie.
You have details on Elizabeth Smith's side. Is that the line that you connect with? I couldn't easily see children to James and Elizabeth from the 1891 and the 1911 censuses.
Monica
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Hi Monica
Yes I an coming from the Smith side. Elizabeth Smith's mother was Ellen Monahan my great aunt.
As you advise I will go to Scotlands People site and get the marriage cert for James Laing/Isabella Sorlie.
Once again thanks for your help.
Regards
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Hi Monica
I downloaded the marriage cert for Laing/Sorlie. I find it hard to read. I tried to post the file but it is too large. I also have James Laing birth cert.
Regards
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Hi Monica
I've had another stab at working out the names on the marriage cert.
James Laing Father: James Laing Mother: Elizabeth Melrose (not sure)
Isabella Sorlie Father: James Sorlie Mother: Janet Tait
Regards
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This looks a possible birth entry indexed from the Old Parish Registers for Isabella Sorlie from the details you have for her parents on her marriage registration https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY9Y-5LZ
I can't see one yet for James Laing to the parents mentioned for him, but there is a pedigree file submitted to Family Search for his line it seems https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:SPSN-LMR
Monica
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Just thought to revisit some of the details on the ancestry tree I mentioned yesterday, who also claimed James, son of James and Isabella Sorlie. They have their ancestor James dying in 1909 in Queensland Australia. Checking the Queensland BMD index, there is a James Laing death showing on www.bdm.qld.gov.au/IndexSearch/querySubmit.m?ReportName=DeathSearch with parents indexed as James and Catherine Laurenson. So happens there is a birth showing in Scotland in 1859 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQKH-68W
There can be errors in family trees as you know. No sources are gvien to establish how the tree owners have linked James, son of James and Isabella Sorlie to the James who died in 1909 :-\
By the same turn, you will need to confirm from James' marriage that he is the son of James to start to confirm his details. I am hopeful that with his name of James Tait S Laing, we are likely on the right track for him hopefully...
Monica
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Hi Monica
There are two marriages for James Laing Snr on that family tree.
I presume that Mary Kirk is the wife shown on the 1881 England & Wales Census as his wife Mary Laing 35 yrs birth 1846 Machine Girl Perthshire. Isabella Sorlie must have died before their marriage in 1872.
I'm a bit confused
Regards
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You mean this entry in 1881:
James Laing 43 brass founder b. Edinburgh
Mary Laing 35 b. Bridge of Allan, Perthshire
Janet Laing 18 b. Edinburgh
Catherine Laing 6 b. Edinburgh https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQCZ-PH9
John Laing 4 b. Edinburgh
Mary Laing 2 b. Edinburgh
Address: 177 Pleasance, Edinburgh/Newington
James and Mary married at the end of 1872 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2HR-CP38. This looks to be a church record. Further entry here https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY36-H9S This is the entry in Logie Perth that shows on the statutory registers. Registered in early 1873 given the date of the marriage. Laurie was her maiden surname, Kirk her middle name.
Isabella Sorlie/Laing died at the age of 29 in 1871 in Edinburgh/Newington. This is all from the general index on SP.
Monica
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The 1911 England & Wales census shows him living in Leeds with his wife and his occupation as retired major Dist. aged 50. I think the regiment was Edinburgh Artillery Volunteer Corps.
Just as background and in case you haven't seen it. The 1891 census has James Laing and Elizabeth at the Calvary Depot, in Canterbury, Kent. His regiment then looks to be the 11th Hussars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Hussars).
Monica
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Hi Monica
I did not know about the 1891 Census entry for James and Elizabeth Laing in Canterbury.
The Major James Laing of the Edinbugh Artillery Volunteers I had is the wrong man.
I now need to obtain their marriage cert in Leeds.
Thank you very much for all the work and information you have provided in this case.
Kind Regards
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Hi Monica
I have at last obtained the marriage cert of James Laing and Elizabeth Smith.
They were married in the Register Office Leeds on 6th August 1883.
James Tait Sorlie Laing
Age 22 yrs
Bachelor
Sergeant 11th Hussars
Leeds Barracks
Fathers name: James Laing
Fathers occupation: Brass Finisher
Elizabeth Smith
Age 22 yrs
Spinster
Tailoress
31 Roscoe Road Leeds
Fathers name: David Smith
Fathers occupation: Librarian.
I think this confirms he is the son of James Laing and Isabella Sorlie and your hunch was right.
Once again thanks for all you help.
Regards
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That is great news! Thanks for the update :)
Monica
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Hi,
I am looking for information about a Joan Laing who married James (Jim) Wood in Leeds in 1949.
Would she be any relation to your laings?
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That's a bit of a needle-in-haystack query :)
You need to start with what you know and work backwards in time. What was the name and occupation of your Joan Laing's father? When and where was she born?