Foinburg, Scotland?

[MonicaL]

1851 census, just after William's birth, below:

Thomas Ross 27 General Clerk To Writer To The Signet b. Tain, Ross
Janet Ross 24
Marion Ross 2
William Ross 9 Months

Address: Bank Street No 20, Edinburgh Tolbooth

1871:

Thomas Ross 47 writer b. Tain
Janet Ross 45
Wm Ross 20 Watch Maker (app)
Thomas Ross 17 Bk Binder (app)
John Ross 12
Donald Ross 5

Address: 7 Forbes St, Edinburgh St Cuthbert's

Monica

PS: In Scotland, the occupation 'writer' in this context (from what we had before) means solicitor.

[MonicaL]

His adopted brother John McDonald Ross followed a different career path entirely, in shipping and was an engineer on the SS Nile. It was said that HIS father ( a Ross ) was an engineer with the Sanitation dept in Hong Kong, same era.

Could the Ross you mention, father to John McDonald Ross, connect with this entry in Wills & Testaments on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk:

John Ross 6/1/1914 - overseer of water works, Hong Kong, d. 24/10/1913 at Edinburgh, testate.
Inverness Sheriff Court SC29/44/56

However, dates/years don't compute perhaps? The executrix to the will is a Catherine Matheson or Ross (wife?) with an Inverness address.

Monica
   

[MonicaL]

Back to census, in trying to narrow down any dates for William. He had left the family home by 1881:

Janet Ross 53
Marion Ross 30 Machinist
John Ross 22 Bookbinder
Donald Ross 15 Message boy

Address: 105 St Leonards St, Edinburgh St Cuthberts

This transcript does not show marital status so not clear whether Thomas may have died or be away from home on census night...except there is still no sign of Thomas in 1891 (so likely he died between 1871-81?):

Janet Ross 64
Marion Ross 42 Upholstery Sewer
John Ross 32 Bookbinder
Donald Ross 25 Gunmaker

Address: 12 Montague St, Edinburgh St Cuthbert's

Not sure if William's brother John connects easily to the resident in Hong Kong who died in 1913 (from Wills). William's brother seems pretty consistent in Edinburgh working as a book binder. The one brother we have nothing further on though is Thomas who shows last with family in 1871.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Brian, sorry for the stream of posts 

I think this is possibly Thomas, William's brother in 1881:

Thomas Ross 27 bookbinder b. Edinburgh
Robina Ross 23 wife b. b. Edinburgh

Address: 4 Lauriston St, Edinburgh St Cuthberts

Can't easily see William though in 1881.

Monica

[Millmoor]

Janet Ross is showing as married in  the 1881 census,Monica.

Might this be Thomas? (Noting age is slightly out!)

Thos Ross 55 b Tain Clerk (Sasine Office) Married
Mary Eliz Ross niece 27 b England Housekeeper

Address  23 E London Street.

If it is him he left a will "10 Sept 1888 confirmation of Thomas Ross,14 Claremont Terrace,Edinburgh,Clerk H M General Register of Sasines for Scotland who died 10 August at Edinburgh to Elizabeth Carne  14 Claremont Terrace aforesaid his niece."

Again if correct it looks as though  Thomas and Janet had separated. The will might indicate William's whereabouts at the time  of writing (1877).

William

Ps Please do not ask me to explain sasines,  Semmex! 

[Millmoor]

The deaths index on SP gives age of Thomas Ross at death as 65 which is in line with birth year given on previous censuses.

William

[MonicaL]

That helps with that then, William!  Saw the detail on the will but couldn't connect that Thomas still alive and a niece as executrix. As you mention, hopefully the will can add further background.

Worth noting that there are two different documents on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk 'wills & testaments'. One is clearly marked as the will (ref SC70/4/233) and the other document is not clear what it is (could be a number of things such as inventory - ref SC70/1/268).

A little here on Sasines, William  www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=26232.0 Lots more can be googled.

Monica

[seemex]

Could the Ross you mention, father to John McDonald Ross, connect with this entry in Wills & Testaments on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk:

John Ross 6/1/1914 - overseer of water works, Hong Kong, d. 24/10/1913 at Edinburgh, testate.
Inverness Sheriff Court SC29/44/56

However, dates/years don't compute perhaps? The executrix to the will is a Catherine Matheson or Ross (wife?) with an Inverness address.


That's what my records show....he was in charge of the Hong Kong Water and Sanitation. but what's with the 1914? then died a tear before in 1913? Maybe like another I have come across, it might be 1943 and mis-read and mis-transcribed. I had one where the the grave transcription was 1911 and it dumbfounded us for years, then I saw the actual stone on Fin a Grave and the date was 1941 but the filling material in the four had come loose, so made it look like a one.

[seemex]

1871:

Thomas Ross 47 writer b. Tain
Janet Ross 45
Wm Ross 20 Watch Maker (app)
Thomas Ross 17 Bk Binder (app)
John Ross 12
Donald Ross 5

Address: 7 Forbes St, Edinburgh St Cuthbert's

Monica

PS: In Scotland, the occupation 'writer' in this context (from what we had before) means solicitor.


Then there's this one! The watchmaker sure fits. All the names fit, but so many different families? Common names I suppose, which also creates a problem. Maybe I need t start looking at passenger lists again although I don't know what exists for outbound to Asia. I have lists where I've seen a Donald Ross returning to UK from Asia