James Wood 1843-1918 Cullen Banffshire

[knights6lb]

I am not sure who is going to receive this reply so I will write as if to all.     JW. was born 21.08.1843, married Christina McKenzie 15.10.1874 and they had 13 children - 4 girls etc.     He died in Cullen 05.05.1918 and had been a fish curer selling inter alia, salted herring in barrels to Russia.    Cullen is located on the north facing Moray Firth coast midway between Banff and Buckie and is indeed where Cullen Skink (smoked haddock soup) comes from.     In answer to one query, I have trace of him in all census returns except 1901 but his wife and 9 children were at home - hence the mystery.

BAK

[Forfarian]

In answer to one query, I have trace of him in all census returns except 1901 but his wife and 9 children were at home - hence the mystery

With a CV like that, he was probably away in Russia or somewhere on business on census night.

[knights6lb]

I have heard worse suggestions but there is no family tradition, nor is it mentioned in his obituary/eulogy.     Not withstanding, thanks for the suggestion   BAL

[dowdstree]

It may be that he slipped through the net (no pun intended) on the night of the census. Away somewhere doing whatever. It did happen.

My great grandfather is "missing" from one of the Scottish Census records and my theory is that he was away poaching in the Sidlaw Hills  that night.

Just have to accept the fact that he was not recorded.

Dorrie

[anne_p]

Yup!
My ancestors were not at home with their kids on census night 1851.
I used to think that they were down at the local pub until, I unearthed some information on their older children.
I can't prove it of course but, I'm 100% certain they were in Ireland.

James Wood
There are many newspaper articles relating to your James Wood, including an obituary.
He was well known in every city and fish market in the country, which means that he could have been anywhere on census night.

There are also many articles on his children, and I spotted a few obits for his sons, including Sir Murdoch McKenzie Wood who died in Oct 1949.

Also:
Military Funeral for son  Col John B Wood who died in Bathgate in 1927
Son David Wood who died in Borneo 1947
Son James Wood who died in Glasgow in 1947
Son George Wood who died in Montreal in 1946

Do you have all the family information?
At the time of his 1918 death,  the obit for James Wood snr states that his wife died about 9 moths previously and that he was survived by 9 sons and 2 daughters