Help with some possible Glasgow Births please.

[Rosinish]

On the marriage record of my great grandfather, where David and Catherine show as witnesses, Catherine's name is recorded as Catherine McCallum OR Watson, (not the usual McCallum M/S Watson -  it was unusual to see any reference to a maiden name anyway when the person was a witness - never seen that before!

Jeanne

Jeanne,

Who was your g g/father & when was he married?

The only thing I can think of is that David & Catherine were either estranged or divorced for her to be known by both maiden & marital surname 

I may be wrong.......however, a search here may reveal something.....

http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/search.aspx

Annie

[Rosinish]

I think this might be Catherine and David (as Daniel, as a variant):

I've seen Daniel as a variant of Donald, but not so far of David. Could it be a transcription error?

I think a closer look at the original would reveal David...........I have seen David transcribed wrongly as Daniel...the "el" being a "d" & "n" being a "v"

Annie

[kiwihalfpint]

I've seen Daniel as a variant of Donald, but not so far of David. Could it be a transcription error?

I have come across David/Daniel .... on my gguncle's death certificate, his son is mentioned as Daniel, could never find a Daniel for the family, until it twigged that it was in fact David.

Cheers
KHP

[jaybelnz]

"Who was your g g/father & when was he married?"

Annie, I think I've just answered one of my own questions!

My great grandfather was Whitefield Watson, his first marriage was to my great grandmother Jessie Mason.  Jessie died in 1913. His second marriage in 1914 to Elizabeth Clark is the one that was witnessed by David McCallum and Whitefield's sister Catherine Watson OR McCallum.

This second marriage was an irregular one, (much to the disgust of his very strong Baptist family of course)! So I'm thinking now that they probably wrote the original document themselves, as the two witnesses that were necessary for the declaration, and possibly used the word "or" instead of the usual "MS" for maiden surname?

Then later when that declaration document was taken to the Registrar to have it officially registered, (and it was) it was likely entered in to the register exactly as it appeared on that original? 

Why didn't I think of this before now - when I've puzzled about it for years???

What do you think?

[jaybelnz]

There is a birth for a Joseph Watson McCallum in 1902, Blythswood Glasgow. I wonder if this is connected (Catherine's father)?

Monica

Added: He is a son to David and Catherine. Married in 1927 to a Marion Scott Cooper Burleigh. He was a chauffeur by occupation at the time and father David is showing as a commercial traveller. No other obvious family names on registration.

Just another little coincidence here, (nothing to do with my enquiry of course) but regarding Blythswood, ( not Glasgow) one of my great grandfather's brothers, John Watson, married a Marion Sloan, they lived in a house in New Cumnock - it was named Blythswood Cottage!  😄😄

[MonicaL]

I wouldn't read too much into the 'McCallum or Watson' in respect of Catherine on the marriage reg for Whitfield in 1913. It is actually correct to show it this way if someone wanted to. In Scotland, married women never lost the legal use of their maiden name (that is why it is always so prominent on so many things). If it had shown Catherine Watson as a witness, that would have been fine too even though she had been married for 15 years! I think it is likely no more that a style issue that was used by whoever wrote up the registration for the marriage.

Monica 

[jaybelnz]

  . No problems with it Monica, I  knew about the legal right for Scottish women to retain their maiden name, and grew up with most of my Scottish Aunts in NZ still referred to orally by their maiden names, and also my mum and both grandmothers, I'd just never seen it written that way with the "or" on a document.

Jeanne 😄

Most of my very long time friends and cousins all call each other (and me) by our single names!  And our old school nicknames sometimes slip in too! 😄

[Forfarian]

On the marriage record of my great grandfather, where David and Catherine show as witnesses, Catherine's name is recorded as Catherine McCallum OR Watson, (not the usual McCallum M/S Watson -  it was unusual to see any reference to a maiden name anyway when the person was a witness - never seen that before!

I have seldom seen a married woman witness using both surnames, but where they do the form <given name> <maiden surname> or <husband's surname> is quite normal. In fact the only place I ever see <given name> <husband's surname> MS <maiden surname> is on birth, marriage and death certificates where the parents of someone who been born, has died or got married are listed.

In all other legal documents it is always <given name> <maiden surname> or <husband's surname>.

[jaybelnz]

Thank You and I apologise for my late response Forfarian, I've only just picked it up. 

Cheers
Jeanne