RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Wigtownshire => Topic started by: ankerdine on Sunday 17 June 18 19:56 BST (UK)
-
My gt grandmother Jane Williamson was born 1860 Stoneykirk. Three of her brothers John (1857), Alexander (1863) and Robert (1865) were baptised at St. Josephs RC church Stranraer. She does not appear to have been baptised into the same faith as her 3 brothers, neither did her youngest brother, Francis, as far as I can see. They were obviously very poor - was that the reason? Her parents were married at Gatehouse of Fleet at a Roman Catholic service in 1855.
Just curious that's all.
Judy
-
Hi Judy,
Do you mean that your gt grandmother Jane and her brother were baptised in a different church ? Or do you mean that they were not baptised at all?
If the latter I would assume it was perhaps the cost - or maybe even the hassle of travelling from Stoneykirk to Stranraer (it's only 6 miles but if you had to walk it in winter maybe you wouldn't bother ::) )
I've a gt gt grandmother born in same area in 1850s , she was from a large family - some of her older siblings were either not baptised or were baptised at St Josephs RC in Stranraer. The younger siblings were christened at the local Church of Scotland parish church (1860s) - I have no idea why.
Looby :)
-
Hi Judy and Looby
It could also be that relevant parish registers have been lost or destroyed over the years...
Monica :)
-
The timescale might indicate they escaped the famine in Ireland of the 1840's.
Skoosh.
-
Thanks Monica - you are right , the records may not have survived.
Thanks Skoosh , obviously don't know about Judy's family - but mine are on 1841 Census and yes, origins are Irish :D - they must have arrived in 1820s or 30s.
Looby :)
-
Yes thanks Looby you story sounds similar to mine.
I have a short sub to FindMyPast and found the RC baptisms there. I did trawl back and forwards to search the relevant periods for my gt.gran and her younger brother but didn't find them. I'll ask my recently found distant relatives next week when I meet them again to see if they can throw some light on this anomaly.
Yes, gtx2 grandfather was Irish so must have come to Scotland to escape the Famine. See other previous posts some years back on Rootschat. Such a lot of help on here over time thank you all.
Only just discovered this new snippet of information.
Judy
-
Does anyone know where to find names of deceased of the Irish Potatoe Famine? Alternatively the names of those evicted through non-payment of rent?
Maybe there is a reason why this information is not available?
Judy
-
Does anyone know where to find names of deceased of the Irish Potatoe Famine? Alternatively the names of those evicted through non-payment of rent?
Judy
There's a new thread about it today with a link to a website which is compiling information about evictions.
Edit. I've now found the thread and I see it was started by you. I bookmarked the site. https://irishfamineeviction.com
-
Not every area and thus every family in Ireland were effected by the Great Famine of the mid 1800s. Indeed, Ulster got off much lighter than other Provinces. There may have been more an economic reason for going to Scotland. Civil registration of deaths began in 1864 but some church registers start earlier. Usually it was only the Church of Ireland that kept burial registers but it's worth looking just in case there are deaths recorded.
Catholic Parish Registers- https://registers.nli.ie/
-
Thank you for responding to my query. I did wonder if there was a reason behind so little verified information being available on line.
I have read about the "coffin" ships and read some literature about the Famine itself. Surely so many folk on here were directly affected by such an instrument to migration both east, and west.
I wish I was younger then I would do a dissertation on such a subject.
Judy
-
It was just a short trip from Ireland to the west of Scotland, migrant workers made use of this long before the Famine & long after. A monument to those who died in the Famine was built on the Glasgow Green & opened last week.
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/irish-highland-famine-memorial-unveiled-14787721
Skoosh.
-
Thank you for your input Skoosh.
I think John Williamson made his first official appearance in Scotland on the 1851 census in Twynholm. There he was a vagrant with a wife and 2 children, both born Scotland, 1843 and 1847. I have not confirmed this is my ancestor but, on the marriage certificate (1855) to my gtx2 grandmother, a John Williamson is listed as a widower with 2 male children!
I respect that other people on here have added input to my query over time but things keep popping into my head as I try to fathom out where he originated from.
Judy
-
If a child was born 1843 in Scotland it means the family were there before the Great Famine.
Irish Famine Timeline www.irishhistorian.com/IrishFamineTimeline.html has a section "Ireland Before the Famine" for the period 1740-1843. According to this crop failures and/or severe food shortages occurred in 1740, 1782, 1783, 1801, 1839 and 1842. 1833 a Royal Commission estimated 2,385,000 people were out of work and in need of assistance for 30 weeks of the year. An English Poor Law Commissioner visited Ireland in 1836 & 1837 and discovered extensive poverty. 1838 Irish Poor Law Act was passed, prompted by fears of waves of unemployed Irish migrating to Britain. The Act introduced a national system of poor relief but there was no "outdoor relief " and no guarantee of receiving relief. 1839 there was severe distress in south and west Ireland.
-
My gt grandmother Jane Williamson was born 1860 Stoneykirk. Three of her brothers John (1857), Alexander (1863) and Robert (1865) were baptised at St. Josephs RC church Stranraer. She does not appear to have been baptised into the same faith as her 3 brothers, neither did her youngest brother, Francis, as far as I can see. They were obviously very poor - was that the reason?
Most Catholics were poor at that time so poverty shouldn't have been a factor.
Were both parents Catholic?
Have you looked into the history of St. Joseph's church? Were there gaps in registers? An ailing or absent priest? Was the baptism register in Latin? If so, did you look for a Joanna? Have you looked for late baptisms of Jane and Francis, possibly years later?
One possibility is that they were baptised at home and the baptisms weren't recorded.
Did Jane or Francis have a Catholic wedding ceremony?