Daniel Taylor Edinburgh

[Lincslass]

I am looking for the birth of Daniel Taylor abt 1842 Edinburgh. (If I have asked this before, I am sorry)

I have his marriage cert 18th April 1865 aged 21 and residing at Edinburgh castle. But his pension records have him as being discharged 12th May 1880 aged 37 years and 9 months  and that he joined up in 1880 aged 18 and was born Edinburgh. His parents William Taylor, Insurance Agent and Mary nee Gordon. I can pretty much pinpoint where he was during his lifetime as his children were born were the 74th Highlanders went.

His wife and children returned to England before 1891 as he had died whilst in the service of the Perak armed police as an Inspector (Started 1882). Trouble finding his death of course, but I thought I would find his birth.

Has anyone any ideas.

Jo

[MonicaL]

Hi Jo

Can't see anything for Daniel's birth unfortunately. Have you been able to find him on the 1851 census (I can't easily see an entry for him that year with family).

There is this entry for 1861 (which by the sounds of it is after Daniel had enlisted):

William Taylor 52, commision agent, b. Enzie Banff
Mary Taylor 36 b. Edinburgh
Mary Taylor 14 b. Dundee
Jessie Taylor 10 b. Abdn (aberdeen?)
Ann E Taylor 7 b. Glasgow
Henrietta Taylor 3 b. Glasgow
Margaret Taylor 1 b. Edinburgh

Address: 5 King St Place, Aberdeen St Nicholas

There are a couple of IGI entries post 1855 and the start official registration, which might be for this family:

Henrietta Taylor b. 16 Jan. 1858 in Central District, Glasgow - mother Mary's surname shows as GARDEN
Margaret Taylor b. 30 Sept. 1859 Edinburgh

Struggling to see an 1851 entry for them at present though, with a Daniel as son (bear in mind in your searches that Daniel sometimes shows as Donald, which is a variant).

Monica 

[MonicaL]

There is this entry for 1851, which still doesn't help with Daniel:

William Taylor 41, commision agent b. Glasgow
Marion Taylor 23 b. Larbert Stirlingshire
Janet B Taylor 3 Months b. Leith

Address: Starbank Place, Trinity, Leith North

The family is lodging with a Finlayson family. Birth places not a good match with that 1861 entry from earlier.

Monica

Added: Also this entry from 1851, which is a better fit in terms of birth places. Family lodging with a Robertson household:

William Taylor 48 bookseller b. Roffan (?spl), Bannffshire
Mary Taylor 24 b. Edinburgh
Thomas Taylor 7 b. Edinburgh
Mary Taylor 3 b. Dundee

Address: 29 Lawsen's Land, Kilmarnock Ayrshire

[MonicaL]

From on line trees for Daniel, the family likely Roman Catholic?

There are entries on the relatively new Roman Catholic Birth/Baptism database on Scotlands People. I can see entries for children to a William Taylor and Mary Gordon:

1847: Mary in Dundee
1849: William in Edinburgh (St John's Portobello)
1851: Janet in Aberdeen
1858: Henrietta in Glasgow

As you can see Jo, there are gaps for potential children....and no Daniel unfortunately.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Parents' marriage/banns show as being on 8 Oct. 1842 in both Ratho and Leith North (likely where groom and bride were from or living at the time of their marriage. Likely Daniel's birth after this date?

Monica

[Lincslass]

I felt sure I had replied last night. Perhaps I forgot to post it (busy night last night)

Anyway, I think I have found both William and Mary in 1841 In North Leith Mary living with her parents and William as a recruiter at Leith Fort. William being in the military would make sense as all the Taylor men went into the military. Though without clarification of their parents on any certificates, I can't be sure it IS them.

The 1861 looks good, especially as when Daniel joined up he did so at Aberdeen, though born Edinburgh. It would also make senses if William flitted about in Scotland if he was a recruiter for the army.

Thankyou very much for your help and something for me to get my teeth into.

Cheers

Jo

[Lincslass]

Hello Monica

Have found the births you mentioned to William Taylor and Mary Gordon along with one for William 16/11/1849. Also the one Anne E who is with the family in 1861 is also there but has been mistranscribed on the birth records as MMN Ginson.

As you say no birth/baptism for Daniel though and I am wondering if he was born out of wedlock and therefore not baptised. His age on the pension form puts his DOB as Aug 1842 3 months before William and Mary married.

Oh dear another brick wall.

Thanks for your help.

Jo

[jessden]

Hello Lincslass

I've just been reading the various posts here and wonder if there is a possibility that has not been considered yet.  You say that this is a military family and at the time of his marriage Daniel's father was based at Leith Fort (a base of the Royal Artillery).  Most of the garrison were not born in Scotland and would not have been Scottish Presbyterians. It is unlikely therefore that they would have had their children baptised at North Leith Parish Church.  There was, however, a military chapel at the fort which was, from 1807, served by clergy from St James Scottish Episcopal Church.  It seems to me that this was probably where Daniel was baptised and it would explain why there is no record of his baptism in the Old Parish Records.

Regards

Jessie

[Lincslass]

Many thanks Jessie. The rest of the children were pretty much born all over Scotland. And as you say, if they were married at Neith, it could explain why I can find no birth for Daniel.

Is there any way I can contact the military chapel that you know of.

As a by the by, I had in the past searched for service records for William but had always assumed he was born abt 1820. Having seen the family in 1861, I am now thinking I may have to look again. I found Williams death in 1870 aged 61 (b 1809) were he was supposedly married before but the only marriage I can find  that matches was 1820. I am beginning to think he was much older than the 33 years he stated when he married 18 yr old Mary.

Many thanks for your response.

Jo