David Clark, Stonemason Journeyman, Kettlehill, Fife (Brickwall)

[whiteout7]

How would I go about busting this brick wall?
David Clark, Stonemason Journeyman in Kettlehill, Fife

His son was David Clark  b. 27 Jan 1872,  Kettlehill, Fife

The mother of the child was Helen Wilkinson b.  23 Jul 1845, Kettle, Fife

I would really like the David Clark, Stonemason Journeyman's birthdate/parents.

Was there a Stonemasons guild in Scotland? As I understand things a journeyman is not yet a master of his trade?

So many David Clarks in the 1871/1881 census how would I narrow it down?

[Joyful]

Hi whiteout7

Apart from the David b 1872 Kettlehill Fife did they have any other children?

How do you know that the David Snr was of Kettle? There was a village of Kettle with about

480 people at this time (1840's) but there was also the parish of the same name. I wonder if

the term Kettle Hill refers to an area rather than a specific village?

I haven't had any luck with familysearch.org, have you tried Scotlands people website?

Joy

[Ruskie]

Do you have the marriage of David snr to Helen Wilkinson? This will tell you his parent's names. This would be my first port of call.

A couple of other suggestions:

Look at the David Clarkes in the censuses and reduce results by area, then occupation?

Initially see if you can locate the whole family together in a census or two then work back to find David snr prior to birth of son David, then follow this David through earlier censuses and you may find him with his parents.

If you can narrow down a likely death for David snr this will also give his parent's names if known by the informant.

[Annette7]

I get the feeling they didn't marry hence the problem identifying David Clark, senior.

There doesn't seem to be an older David Clark living in Kettle itself but I wonder if he could be the David Clark, 24, Mason, who was still living at home at 14 School House, Dairsie, Fife in 1871?  Dairsie is just up the road from Kettle.

Annette

[whiteout7]

Yes, this couple never married and the birth certificate said reported rather David Clark, Stonemason Journey man.

Helen Wilkinson searching up and down the census never had anymore children.

So I couldn't use Scotlands people to narrow down a possible father, I find it a bit challenging!

Who ever he was they knew his trade, which makes me think he was well known in Ketttlehill

Thankyou for that suggestion Annette, closest yet I think.

[ev]

Hi ,

Is there anything written in the left hand margin of the birth certificate ?

RCEs
You may occasionally come across records with a note in the left margin 'RCE' or 'Reg. Cor. Ent.' followed by a volume number, page number and date.

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?r=554&402

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=551&1314



ev

[whiteout7]

Not that I noticed at the time. The birth certificate was really clear and easy to read. I might go back into sp and check that detail though!

[whiteout7]

I checked ev, no nothing in the margin of his birth certificate and he was actually Registered as David Wilkinson born 1872. It was his death certificate that had reported father David Clark Stonemason Journey man (deceased) on it.

So David Clark the Stonemason Journey man died before 1922. Although I don't know how this bit of evidence helps me. If he died in Fife that narrows it down to 46 men on sp.

I guess you could just change your surname to your fathers back then?

[whiteout7]

David Clark at Dairsie in 1871:
Andrew Clark 69 shoemaker
Magdalene 60
David unmarried 24 mason
Jannet unmarried 17 millworker
Andrew Clark 4 grandson



David Clark born 1872, I think named his second born son Andrew Proudfoot Clark (born 1907) coincidence?