Burntisland

[bluemale38]

Hi anyone have any information about burntisland after extensive research i have got back on my tree as far as bunrtisland, am looking for ways to find folk that never appeaed on a census or any other records that where on scotlands people website, am looking for a hinksman most likely german tha came to fife burntislamd some time after 1760, i do know that the north sea was refered to the german ocean in that time, looking to find a ship captain that came here form germany, and clues etc would be grateful as am in a dead here regards jim

[Christopher]

Hello Jim,

Would Burntisland Cemeteries and Churches be of assistance to you?

Best Wishes,

Christopher

[PrueM]

Hi Jim,

I have Burntisland ancestors, only back as far as the early 1800s so far, but if I can be of help just let me know.

The http://www.burntisland.net website that Christopher has kindly pointed you to is a good one.   There is also a Burntisland page on GENUKI:  http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/FIF/parishes/Burntisland/index.htm

Prue

[bluemale38]

hi, prun

well am looking in and around the area for the past few years for my ancestors, i have a john hinksman being born in dysart in 1816 to william hinksman and janet or jessie davidson, i cant find this janet or william anywhere , as the story goes my grandfather found a headstone in Kirkcaldy in the 60s with thename john hinksman dated so am told late 1600s, am descended from a german jew ship captain that came to kirkcaldy and married a local lass if i could find some mention of the name hinksman or with a different spelling in the area it may lead me to find more, have nothing on the janet or jessie davidson i do know that the william hinksman was a marchant seaman so any clues or pointers would be great thanks jim

[PrueM]

Hi Jim 

I was writing a reply a couple of hours ago when my computer froze up    I hope I can remember what I was going to tell you!

I had a look on the IGI to check on your John HINKSMAN.  Found the baptism recorded there, a submitted record, which means that an LDS church member submitted it as part of their own research.  It also means you have to double check it, so I went back to Scotland's People to look at the parish registers they have online.  Found the baptism, and even better, they now have a link to images of the original documents, so I downloaded the one for John -  the relevant bit is attached below for you 

There are no other HINKSMANs in Fife or even in the whole of Scotland.  I think you will find that your John's parents were from somewhere else...possibly England although I'm not familiar enough with the name to be able to tell you where.  A search throught the IGI might give you some clues.  There are a couple of HINKSMANs listed on the Scotland's People wills database, but both are much later than your current enquiry.

The other thing I was going to mention is, how do you know that John HINKSMAN born 1816 in Fife is your relative?  Have you traced your line back to him?  It would help us to help you, if you could tell us what you've already got.

Cheers 
Prue

[bluemale38]

Hi Prue.

Wah thats wonderful, Yes Prue the John Hinksman you found there is my relative. I have traced from him to the present day. His Parents Willliam Hinksman and Janet Davidson where born in scotland at least the Janet Davidson was William is down as being a Merchant Seaman. I did wonder when i was doing this if John Hinksman Parents where born in outside of Scotland. But what i found through research and taking to older members of family is as follows. A German deep sea captain arrived in Scotland, he was thrown off his ship for Keel hauling his crew, i believe this would have been John Hinksman grandfather. the name hinksman is very rare in scotland and i suspect it may have been spelt in a different way. I know that the family Hinksman in Scotland are not from England as through my research i have discovered one of John Hinksmans great grandsons still alive in Canada, his story matches same as the one i was told about the german sea captain, there also seems to be some Jewish connection.
I have been looking for John Hinksman parents somewhere in Scotland for the last few years without success. I was told that my grandfather found a grave in Kirkcaldy with hinksman on it which i still have to find, i suspect that it was this John Hinksmans father William grave he found.

So i tend to believe different sides of the family that i discovered about this german sea captain arriving in scotland and it would be great if i could find this grave for william hinksman and janet davidson in burnt island or kirkcaldy. The Joh Hinksman wife Elspeth Hutchison also seems to be a hard one to discover, i had her marrying John Hinksman in 1841 in Ceres or largo and dying in 1893 aged 74 a native of st andrews.

Anyway sorry for blabbing on here...... you say the lds member entered this information as part of there own research does there name appear on the record so i can contact them.... thank you very much for your help.

[PrueM]

Hiya Jim 

If you go to Family Search yourself and go to this search page:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true
Type in John Hinksman, year 1816, Region British Isles, Country Scotland and you will find the record I found.  If there's any extra info about the submitter and the sources, it will be there.  Often though there's nothing helpful unfortunately.

I'm sure you know that the origins of family stories can be lost in the mists of time!  The thing to do is keep them in mind, but concentrate on the facts as you research.  You can't rely on the family stories being true unless you come across the evidence for them (we've all been guilty of that  ) 

I searched on Scotland's people but couldn't see a marriage for John's parents, nor any other children.  It might be a case of the surname being spelled in various different ways.  I noticed that Family Search throws up HINXMAN, HINCKSMAN, HINKSMANN as well as HINKSMAN.  It would be worth you buying some credits on Scotland's People and trying out some Soundex searches.

Where did you find mention of William Hinksman's occupation, and Janet Davidson's birthplace?

And where does the Burntisland connection come in?

Cheers
Prue

[bluemale38]

Thanks i will try that. i have spent a fair amount on scotlands people website to find this william hinksman and janet davidson. i know family stories can be well far fetched sometimes, but what i have found through researching my line i came across two seperate families connected to this hinksman line, one from dundee and one from canada, both told me the story about this german jewish sea captain arriving in scotland, bear in mind that i didnt tell them about this as i knew stories can get lost or re arranged, but but confirm that they both had this story in there past with out myseklf saying a thing, and well i made contact with these folk and they had the same story in there family background before i came along. i will try and look again thanks for your help.

On the burnt island topic both these families had the story of burnt island in there past as well, also my grandfather did tell me that he had founf a grave for john hinksman in burnt island many years ago, sadly he past before i got into this. i do think that the story is true as i do know that the north sea was once called the german ocean and this part of fife traded with germany many years ago.

[slaw]

I have just had a look at my copy of the 1881 census for Scotland and found the following;
JOHN HINKSMAN FISH DEALER AGE 64 BORN DYSART FIFE SCOTLAND
ESPITH(ELSPETH?) HINKSMAN AGE 63 BORN ST ANDREWS FIFE
DAVID HINKSMAN SON FISH DEALER AGE 37 BORN LARGO FIFE
ANNIE HINKSMAN DAU AGE 21 BORN NEWPORT FIFE
CHARLES BROWN GRANDSON AGE 7 BORN NEWPORT FIFE.
ADDRESS 40 BLACKCROFT CENSUS PLACE DUNDEE FORFAR

sHEILA