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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: Jang on Saturday 12 August 17 07:37 BST (UK)

Title: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Saturday 12 August 17 07:37 BST (UK)
I've found the death for Elisabeth Lamont on 24 March 1808 in Dalkeith in the SP index - reference number 90 85. Also listed with the same number is a death for Mary Lamont on 31 March 1808.

Can anyone tell me what the number means?

Jan
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Skoosh on Saturday 12 August 17 08:59 BST (UK)
 Jings, Jang, I would think it's the parish?

Skoosh.
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Saturday 12 August 17 09:04 BST (UK)
Thanks for your reply - the number preceding 90 85 is 683 which is Dalkeith parish. So I'm wondering if 90 85 is some sort of reference to the page number and or entry number?
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Skoosh on Saturday 12 August 17 09:46 BST (UK)
 I think you've cracked it! ;D

Skoosh.
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Saturday 12 August 17 09:49 BST (UK)
Except that the same number refers to two different people dying a week apart!

Jan
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: RJ_Paton on Saturday 12 August 17 11:39 BST (UK)
Except that the same number refers to two different people dying a week apart!

Jan

Without looking at the records it is little more than a guess but I would say that these refer to two entries on the same page
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Sunday 13 August 17 01:31 BST (UK)
You're right, Falkyrn - I checked the image and all the burials on page 85 have the same ref no. Thanks, mystery solved!

Jan
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Rosinish on Sunday 13 August 17 02:19 BST (UK)
Elisabeth appears to be single as there's only one surname attached to her?

Annie
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Sunday 13 August 17 02:53 BST (UK)
Thanks Annie, I'd overlooked that. I was hoping she was the daughter of James Lamond and Jean Coldwalls, born 5 March 1807, but as the other entries on the page say "daughter of", I think I can rule her out.
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Rosinish on Sunday 13 August 17 03:07 BST (UK)
as the other entries on the page say "daughter of", I think I can rule her out.

I haven't been lucky enough to have found a pre statutory death on SP of my own but...

Out of interest, what does it actually say about that particular Elisabeth please?

Just incase she is your person & the informant didn't know who her parents were?

I don't know what a death entry pre 1855 says although I think I may have one (searched for a friend) & I'm almost sure there were no parental details on that one either?

I will check although it may have been a death entry from an index (burial possibly) as it was so long ago I forget now?

Annie
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Sunday 13 August 17 03:31 BST (UK)
There's no info at all really - it says "1808 March 24 Elizabeth Lamont Dalkeith".
The entry for Mary Lamont further down the page says "1808 March 31 Mary Lamont Dalkeith"
whereas another entry has more detail - it says "Mary McKay daughter to Alexander McKay Edinburgh Militia."

As the Elizabeth Lamont I'm looking for was also the daughter of an Edinburgh Militia man, I think it would have said so if it was the right death.
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Rosinish on Sunday 13 August 17 03:46 BST (UK)
another entry has more detail - it says "Mary McKay daughter to Alexander McKay Edinburgh Militia."

As the Elizabeth Lamont I'm looking for was also the daughter of an Edinburgh Militia man, I think it would have said so if it was the right death.

I wouldn't read too much into that as it may be down to a lot of different things e.g. age of the person at time of death, parents may still have been alive whereas an older person & parents deceased the informant may not have known such details?

I'm not saying it is/isn't your woman but there are things you can consider which may answer why her parents/father isn't mentioned?

Have you searched for a burial which may give more?

Was she married & if so, who to & have you found his death & details?

Annie
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Sunday 13 August 17 05:49 BST (UK)
The one I'm looking for would have been a young child, born 1807. She had a sister, also Elizabeth born 1828 which suggested she'd died as  a child. The one who died in 1808 is the only one who comes up in that time frame, so maybe it is her.
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Forfarian on Sunday 13 August 17 10:27 BST (UK)
I don't know what a death entry pre 1855 says
It's very variable. The least informative ones just give a name, or in the case of a young child just the father's name. Sometimes a married woman is just listed as 'so-and-so's wife' and a widow may be just 'widow so-and-so'. Other than children, you don't get parents' names.

A couple of examples of the more informative ones from my own tree

January 1823. 23. The Corps of Sarah Alexander wife of Charles Guthrie farmer Parish of Glenbervie was intrd. [Brechin Burial Register 1782-1832, Angus Archives]

Mary Elmslie or Scott, 9 Sep 1847, (born) Parish of Tannadice, consumption, Wife of George Scott, Ironmonger, King Street [Dundee Howff Burials at www.fdca.org.uk/HowffInitE.pdf]
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Rosinish on Sunday 13 August 17 16:03 BST (UK)
Thanks Forfarian.....although no surprise, as other OPRs (some better than others).

Hi Jang,

I did a quick search of the index for all Lamont (fuzzy matching) option in Dalkeith (OPRs) & out of 12 listed it seems a hit or a miss.

Only 4 had parent(s) listed, 1 being (presumably yours) Jean Lamont, dau of 'Coldwels/James Lamond' i.e. I would expect she was single too?

Although Forfarian did say info. was variable, not all deaths were registered hence why I have none (so far) sadly.

It is however possible your Eli(s/z)abeth may be recorded on a MI or burial index with extra info?

Annie
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Rosinish on Sunday 13 August 17 17:39 BST (UK)
Jang, this may give you some avenues to explore...

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/MLN/Dalkeith

Annie



Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Monday 14 August 17 01:18 BST (UK)
Thanks, Annie, I've never done a fuzzy search before and you've found some deaths that I never could. And it's no wonder - Agnes Hitchener Lamont born 1818 comes up as: Lamon Augnest Hutchiner! The handwriting must be almost illegible.

Yes, Jean Lamont, dau of Coldwels/James Lamond is mine but not single - she was Jean Coldwalls married to James Lamond, the parents of the above Agnes Hitchener Lamont.

Thanks also for the genuki ref - I'd forgotten how useful they can be.

Jan
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Rosinish on Monday 14 August 17 01:42 BST (UK)
Jean Lamont, dau of Coldwels/James Lamond is mine but not single - she was Jean Coldwalls married to James Lamond, the parents of the above Agnes Hitchener Lamont.

Thanks also for the genuki ref - I'd forgotten how useful they can be.

"Lamon Augnest Hutchiner".....must have been a monday morning entry after a good weekend  ::)

I see why I didn't pick up the 'Coldwels' for Jean, I hadn't changed my search criteria in the surname box....it was a 'quick search'  ;D

It may be worth emailing a few of the sites listed on Genuki...nothing ventured as they say!

Annie

Added....If the actual doc differs from the index (which I'm sure it will) you can email SP with the details & they will refund your credits!
Title: Re: What does the reference number mean on Scotlandspeople?
Post by: Jang on Monday 14 August 17 02:56 BST (UK)
Thanks Annie. I've always found SP very helpful about correcting entries and refunding credits. I had one recently where Hall was mistranscribed as Hill. Understandable, I think.