Hugh Tait b1828 Saltcoat

[mabeljessie]

Hi,
I am looking for any help regarding this Hugh Tait born around 1828 in Saltcoat. He was my gg grandfather who arrived in Aust around 1853. From the details I have been able to find, he was a Fireman in the Merchant Navy and I have a copy of his sign on document issued March 1845 as an "apprentice" "age - 17. DOB -1828 Place of birth Saltcoat Ayr"  He then came to Aust somewhere around 1853.

I have no record of his parents or any other family members. I can find no record of his birth or baptism and wondered if anyone has any info on his family living in Saltcoat area around this time.

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers

[loobylooayr]

Hi and Happy New Year 

There is a Hugh Tait on the 1841 Census living at Manse Street, Ardrossan ( right next to the town of Saltcoats). This could be your ancestor. Unfortunately he is not living with any other Taits.
   LUSK       John              35       Cotton Hand Loom Weaver        Outside Census County (1841)           
        LUSK       Mary              30                   Outside Census County (1841)           
        LUSK       Martha              13                  Ayrshire           
        LUSK       Janet              11               Ayrshire           
        LUSK       Hugh              8               Ayrshire           
        LUSK       Jane              6               Ayrshire           
        LUSK       Mary              2               Ayrshire           
        SIMPSON       Alexr              15       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Outside Census County (1841)           
        SIMPSON       Archd              11       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Outside Census County (1841)           
        MCINTOSH       Willm              15       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Outside Census County (1841)           
        TAIT       Hugh              14       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Ayrshire           
        LOVE       John              10       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Outside Census County (1841)           
        SANDON       Robt              10       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Outside Census County (1841)           
        GILEHEIST       Alexr              8       Hand Loom Weaver Appr        Outside Census County (1841)        Surname uncertain possibly Gilchrist   
        MCRORIE       Wm              20       Hand Loom Weaver Jrnyman        Outside Census County (1841)           
        GLUCEA       Wm              20       Hand Loom Weaver Jrnyman        Outside Census County (1841)           
        AURTHUR       Peter              20       Hand Loom Weaver Jrnyman        Outside Census County (1841)           
 All spellings as transcribed on www.freecen.org.uk

[Rustypup]

   Happy New Year to everyone.


   Although Manse Street is listed as Ardrossan it is in fact in Saltcoats.

   Saltcoats is split into 2 parishes , Stevenston and Ardrossan.


     Rustypup

[mabeljessie]

Happy New Year

Thank you Loobylooayr and Rustypup for your replies.

I had looked at that census before but it made me rethink/relook and I am now wondering if he belonged to the family of James Tait b 1802 Roxburgshire and Agnes Hamilton b1800 Ardrossan. They have John 19/10/1820, Mary Hamilton 1/1/1825, Jane 28/12/1826, Catherine  12/5/1829, Agnes 16/10/1831
There is a 3yr gap where Hugh could fit in between 1826-29. I have sourced info from IGI and ancestry which has Scottish Birth and Baptism results. The later children listed on the census I can't find birth or baptism results for.

In the 1841 I find them Living in “Montgomery St Lane Ardrossan” without James snr, John and Mary.
TAIT       Agnes       F     35                          
TAIT        Jean         F          14                      
TAIT       Catharine       F       12              
TAIT       Agnes       F       9                      
TAIT       James       M       7                  
TAIT       Jess       F       5                  
TAIT       Francis       M       3           

[loobylooayr]

Hi Mabeljessie,

Yes I saw that family on the Census too in 1851 and wondered   Father James is with them and is a Harbour Master's Assistant
What names did Hugh give his children ? Do any of them match to this Tait family ?

Looby

[mabeljessie]

Sorry I posted before I had quite finished... tooo many visitors interrupting my important thinking space.

Then in 1851 I found this. Could James have been away at sea in 1841 was this a pre requisite for being a Harbour Master/assistant?  I believe I have to look at all possibilities.

TAIT       James   Head    M    M    51    Harbour Master's Assistant        Lanarkshire - Glasgow       
TAIT       Agnes    Wife    M    F    47        Saltcoats           
TAIT       Agnes    Dau    U    F    20    Housekeeper Saltcoats              
TAIT       James    Son    U    M    18    Joiner      Saltcoats           
TAIT       Jessie       Dau    U    F    16            Saltcoats           
TAIT       Francis    Dau    U    F    14    Scholar     Saltcoats           
TAIT       Johanna    Dau       F    7    Scholar     Saltcoats           
TAIT       Robert    Son       M    10    Scholar     Saltcoats           
TAIT       Elizabeth    Dau       F    3       

Last night I was looking over Hugh's Merchant Navy records that I have. It has an entry on his apprentice file that says "204.98.2 29.11.4 Deserted St Johns" ( the apprentice below him has same entry) I also have his ticketed entry from 1848 which says under "has been in foreign service" the entry says "American"
A couple of questions if anyone can help - Is St Johns likely to be US or Africa?
secondly what exactly does the foreign service bit mean, served on American ships or engaged in trade in foreign waters?

I know I ask lots of questions - but I was always told you never know if you don't ask and as I am an Aussie girl (well not so much of the girl anymore) somethings are not as obvious.

BTW if anyone needs any help with Aussie questions  I am only to happy to oblige.
Cheers
Mabeljessie
        

[loobylooayr]

I'm not really an authority on the maritime questions but hopefully someone else will be.
Like you when I saw James Tait's 1851 Census occupation I thought that he must have been missing from the 1841 because he was at sea.

Found this on 1841 at Ayr - on the Vessel Drudge Boat
FLEMMING       Robt       M       20       Seaman        Outside Census County (1841)           
 TAIT       Jas       M       30       Seaman        Ayrshire           
WILSON       David       M       22       Labourer        Ayrshire           
 CUMMING       Jas       M       20       Labourer        Outside Census County (1841)

Wonder if this is James?? His age is out compared to 1851 and his place of birth is different but it may not have been him who provided the enumerator with the info and someone could have taken a wild guess. Then again it could be a different James.

Back to Hugh - did he use the Scottish naming pattern with his children? Can you list their names in order of birth to we see if they can give us a clue 

Looby           
 

[loobylooayr]

Wonder if this is James Tait's Merchant Navy record -
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCS1-KDY

[mabeljessie]

Hi Loobylooayr,

No particular clues in the names, Andrew Joseph, Frederick George, Hugh Albert for the boys and Jessie Agnes, Margaret Louisa, Emily Jane, Alice Elizabeth, Flora Edith and Ada Isabella for girls.

Death certificates in Victoria Australia are very detailed however the only problem can be how reliable or knowledgeable the informant providing the information is, luckily their details are also provided. I have Hugh Tait's death cert from 1889 he died aged 60.In this case we know the information was his 23 yr old son and he listed Hugh's parents' names  as Joseph and Jessie with no maiden name for mother or occupation for Joseph.

In the past I have found this information fairly unreliable as unless the children or spouse know the grandparents they really have no idea and just grab at names from stories they were told. I have several death certs with errors due to lack of real information by the informant.

Hugh had a rather large home in Melbourne, Victoria which he named "Albert House"  I have no idea what relevance that name has to the family either. There was a little lane running behind the house which has subsequently been named "Tait Lane" and I recently contacted the local historical society to ask why. They replied it was named after the family who lived there in the early years of the area.

Great I just saw the link to James Tait merchant seaman records so will have to have a look at purchasing those. I think I saw a John Tait as an apprentice builder somewhere too, will have to check that one out. It is funny how they record births or baptisms of some children and not others. In my case I have a great grandfather and his brother in Australia whose births were never recorded in the 1840-1850's and it causes me great problems. No actually it is what it is all about the chase is as much fun as the find really.


Mabeljessie