Completed - Syme Family of Preston Pans Scotland

[mcleodsyme]

I would be interested to hear from anyone who is related to the Syme family. 

The Syme family lived at Northfield in Preston Pans Scotland.  The fathers name was James, he died in 1819, his wife was Helen Knox and she died in 1843.  There was a son James who died after 1819 and before 1843, a son George and a son Thomas.

They had three daughters, I don't know the first name of two but their daughter Catharine was my G.G. Grandmother.

Thanks,

Mcleod/Syme

[Wee Bairn]

Hello  mcleodsyme,
Welcome to Roots.James Syme married Helen Knox 9 May 1783 Canongate Edinburgh , Midlothian .
They had the following children:
James Syme 24 Apr 1785
Christian Syme 28 July 1786
George Syme 21 Oct 1788
Andrew Syme 9 Oct 1790
Thomas Syme 5 Nov 1795
David Syme 29 July 1797
All extracts in the parish registers of Edinburgh Parish , Edinburgh , Midlothian Scotland.If you visit your local LDS Family History Center they will be able to help you locate the correct microfiche.
Happy Hunting,
Wee Bairn

[mcleodsyme]

Hello Wee Bairn

Thank you very much for all your work.

I have been working on our family history and had luck with the Mcleod side and now thanks to you the Syme side is progressing.


Mcleod/Syme

[JAP]

Hi McLeod/Syme,

After looking at your thread at:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,237141
I came across this old thread in your previous posts.

I'm not sure what you already know and what you are trying to find - perhaps only others researching your family?

In case you don't have the following ...

FreeCEN at:
http://www.freecen.org.uk/
has complete coverage of the 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses for East Lothian. 
Prestonpans was a parish in the county of East Lothian (formerly Haddingtonshire); see:
http://www.clerkington.plus.com/GENUKI/ELN/Prestonpans/index.html

From FreeCEN:
1841 - there are 9 SYME records in East Lothian but none in Prestonpans.

1851 - there are 17 SYME records including one household in Prestonpans; at Preston Northfield House, headed by George SYME, Lieutenant RN Half-pay, age 61, born Edinburgh Midlothian (presumably this is George son of James & Helen).

1861 - there are 19 SYME records including the household in Prestonpans; George now described as a Retired Commander RN.

The IGI (International Genealogical Index) on FamilySearch at:
http://www.familysearch.org
has George's marriage to Jane MACLEOD in 1827, Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian.
(Jane was born in Stornoway, Ross and Cromarty, ca 1803, according to the census records.)
A parent search in the IGI finds extracted entries for the christenings of 6 of their children; also a submission by an LDS member for the birth of a son John in 1834 in Prestonpans (given as his birthplace in the 1841 census) and his death in 1927 in Simco Ontario.
(Interesting to note that George & Jane's daughter Jane was born in Stornoway, Ross & Cromarty, according to the 1851 census but was christened in Inveresk with Musselburgh, Midlothian).
Also that the christenings of Helen 1836 and Elizabeth 1838 took place in Prestonpans yet there are no SYMEs in Prestonpans in the 1841 census ...

You could, if you wished, search for the family in the 1841 census (and later censuses) on the (pay-per-view) ScotlandsPeople site at:
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

All the best,

JAP
PS: There is a description and photograph of Northfield House at:
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/features/featurefirst1058.html

[JAP]

Hi again McLeod/Syme,

I Googled for:
"Northfield House" + Syme
and it led me back to RootsChat!!

To the following old thread:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,79749
which was started by Creatrix in 2005 and where, it seems, you posted once as 'MacLeod Syme' (not the current 'mcleodsyme'.)
Details of the 1851 census were posted there in Feb 2006 by 'tidybooks'.

Another relevant old thread started by Creatrix (no replies) is at:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,79740

Googling for Northfield House gets much information including photos of its 'doocot' (dovecote).  The following extract is interesting:
"The house was built in the year 1611  ... 
In 1746 Mr A. Nesbit, surgeon, Edinburgh, along with several other properties at Preston, purchased Northfield, and he afterwards sold it to James Syme, slater, Edinburgh. It was for a great number of years occupied by his son, the late Captain Syme, R. N.
In 1890 Mr James M'Neill, Wishaw, became proprietor of Northfield House and estate.  ...  "
It is from:
http://www.battleofprestonpans1745.org/arts-festival/html/press/vicinity/228.htm

One wonders who was living at Northfield House at the time of the 1841 census ...

JAP

[JAP]

A summary of threads about this family:

Some threads about this family:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,79740

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,79749

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=170609 (this thread)

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,237141

JAP

[mcleodsyme]

Hi JAP

I was hoping when I first posted my inquiry about the Symes that I would hear from a Syme family member but I am getting all my help from rootschat people like you which is just as good .

I did find the 1841 census on ancestry.com and found George and Jane.  James Syme and Helen Knox were by G.G.G.Grandparents, their daughter Catharine married my G.G.Grandfather John McLeod and their son George married John's sister Jane McLeod.  My nephew has a lap top writing desk which belonged to Commander George Syme very beautiful and a great keep sake.

Thanks for the info about IGI it will certainly help to fill in some gaps in my research about the family, I could never find anything about their marriage or the date.  Their son John McLeod Syme and his family are all  buried in the cemetery about a mile from my home a small world isn't it.

Thank you very much for all your help

Keep safe

Helen

[tidybooks]

Hi Helen,

Am I reading this correctly, George McLeod married his Aunt Jane, his father's sister. I thought this was illegal?

On the IGI there is  a submitted record of a George MacLeod marrying a Janet MacLeod on 12 Dec 1872, at Lochs, Ross & Cromarty he was 23 she was 21.

It is on SP as well, both surnames spelt McLeod

Tom

[JAP]

Hi Tom,

Sorry if I've misunderstood you but ...  Are you perhaps mixing up MCLEOD and SYME, and also the time period?  Do you have any reason to think that the 1872 MCLEOD m MCLEOD record you quote is connected to the family on this thread?  MCLEOD is a very common name - especially in R&C 

This thread mentions that (then Lieutenant) George SYME m Jane MACLEOD in 1827.
And that Catherine SYME (George's sister) m John MCLEOD (said to be Jane's brother though, as I understand, there is currently no documentary proof of this relationship) in 1831.

JAP
PS: Possibly best if material connected to these families is consolidated on the ongoing thread?  At:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,237141