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Hi Michael,
Sorry I should have mentioned, Matthew Polin son of Patrick Pullen and Mary Ann Larkin , was my husbands great grandfather. Matthew left Ireland for Scotland where he married Mary Braniff whose family was also from Newry, after the birth of their first son they moved to London. Matthew's son Hugh was my husbands grandfather. Hugh's daughter married an Australian and migrated to Queensland where she and her children live today.
Any of this sound familiar ?
sharon

Hi, Probably not relevant now but, Mary Theresa Polin born 1906 to Matthew Polin and Mary Catherine Braniff was my husbands Great Aunt. My husband was born in Australia and never met Mary. There is family still living in London related to Mary. Mary's parents were very strict Catholic's and never attended their son Hugh's wedding or have anything to do with his children (my mother in law), as Hugh did not marry a Catholic or raise in children in there church, so our branch don't know a great deal. There are descendants of Mary and Hugh's other siblings that did stay in touch with the family in London.
sharon

Thanks Lizzie,
Yes that could explain it, the Grandson was born in 1889.  I think the Janet Campbell would be the closest name of his mother, in 1908 the grandson would have most likely been going off memory of something his parents once told him, seeing as both were deceased by 1877, long before he was born. If the father did remarry to a Mary Brown it would have been before 1877 but after 1851/1852 and maybe John was old enough to remember his mothers name in 1877. All possible explanations.
However, still can't find a possible birth 1851/1852 to Janet Campbell and John Ritchie.
Maybe John's birth mother died when John was still very young and his father remarried to a Janet Campbell then remarry again to Mary Brown?
That's where I go next anyway.
Thanks again everybody
Sharon

Hi
Following the paper trail from birth death marriage certificates and census.

 I have a death cert of John Ritchie from New Zealand stating fathers name John Ritchie, mother Mary Brown Cambell, age 56 in 27.2.1908 born Glasgow, wife Isabella Paul. Informant son Daniel McQueen Ritchie.

I have found the marriage certificate of John Ritchie and Isabella Paul. 18.8.1877 Great Hamilton Street, Paisley, stating fathers name John Ritchie (dec) and mother Janet Cambell (dec), witnesses Isabella's brother and Minister of the North Parish. Groom John Ritchie age 25.

I have searched the Scottish BDM for five years either side of 1851 and 1852 with no luck. Plenty of John Ritchie's with a father John Ritchie but none with a mother matching either of the names.

Have been in the handwriting forum to check that I am reading the handwriting as best as possible. In the census the only time I can say for certain thats him is not until the 1881 census. In 1877 he was living at 4 love street paisley which was the home of the Paul family in 1871.

Anybody got any other ideas to climb this brick wall.
Thanks

Hi,
I didn't know what that said, its clear now , not known. John and Mary or Janet where both deceased by 1877, so the informant on the death which was his son in 1908, would not likely have known the occupation of his grandfather that he never met.
Thanks for that, i'm opting for Cambell too, was kinda hoping it might have been something else, no birth record matching cambell or campbell.

Thanks again everyone