Georges RICHMOND, born in Ayr on 20 December, 1681.

[Aks]

I offered to help a French acquaintance  with some genealogical research in England, but I didn't realize how far he had already gotten back already or that his ascendants originally came from Scotland, where I have little experience in doing research.

His family tree goes as far back as Georges RICHMOND, who was born in Ayr on 20 December, 1681. Georges came down to Crosscanonby, where he married Hanna PHANACKER (born in 1680 in Crosscanonby) on 18 October 1707.

Does anyone know where I could find Georges' birth record and possibly identify his ancestors?

George and Hanna's son, George RICHMOND, born on 5 November 1707 in Crosscanonby, Cumberland, married Marie Elizabeth BALLE (or BALLET), a French lady, on 9 April 1744, at the church of Saint Martin in Bergues, northern France.     

It appears that George was a carpenter living in Bergues in 1741, but was running some kind of tavern (he was a Cabaretier) in 1743.

It appears that the RICHMOND family might have been Catholic, as there was at least one Catholic priest of this name amongst his indirect ancestors.

My friend is also wondering what might have caused George to emigrate to France.

(I have put a similar post in the Cumberland forum.)

Thank you,

Alan

[Maiden Stone]

Have you tried Scotland's People? Or Ayrshire Archives?
Ayr Auld Kirk existed in 1681. Other possible  venues for baptism nearby: Alloway, Prestwick and St. Quivox, all with ancient churches.
Alloway & South Ayrshire Family History Society closed about a year ago.

Possible reasons for George's emigration to France, work or religion, assuming that he was Catholic. Penal laws against Catholics in England affected education of their children, inheritance and taxation, as well as practise of religion. Hanoverian Succession 1714 was followed by Jacobite Rebellion 1715. This was aided by French monarchy and joined by some northern English Catholic aristocracy and gentry. Catholics were blamed "en masse"  for the uprising and made to pay for it. Result was a crackdown on Catholics. Were the family on the Return of Papists, compiled after the rebellion? Also at various times during 18thC, births of babies of RC parents were listed in C. of E. parish registers. Some parishes included them with baptisms, some had separate lists. Burials of Catholics in parish churchyard may have a note beside entry in register: "papist" or "R.C. or "no ceremony" or "silent burial", but not all do. Wills of Catholics were supposed to be enrolled in Court Rolls because of penal laws on inheritance and tax, so may not always be with other wills in archives.
Do you know when and where  the elder George died? What was his occupation? Was it George junior who was carpenter and tavern-keeper in France? Many of my English RC ancestors were innkeepers throughout 18thC. They had other occupations when young men. Inns in villages or small towns may not have provided enough income or full-time work. In such cases the innkeeper followed another occupation during the day while his wife and/or daughter looked after the inn. Some English innkeepers were also yeomen. If George senior was also an innkeeper he may have left a will, or there may be a lease.

[Aks]

Hi Maiden Stone,

Thank you very much for this wealth of information. Please excuse me if I reply only briefly now as I'm just about to leave town until next Sunday.

I see a baptism record for George Senior on Scotland's people in the parish of Ayr which appears to be Church of Scotland, but I have yet to buy the credits necessary to view it. Apart from that, I have not had much time to search yet.

Thank you for your detailed explanation of the situation of Catholics at that time: this is exactly the sort of information my friend is looking for.

I do not yet have the date of death or occupation of George Senior. Yes, it was George junior who was variously listed as a carpenter and tavern keeper (my rough translation of the old French word "Cabaretier". I assume he got these from French documents and I've asked him about this. That's interesting what you say: perhaps indeed he had both professions. Actually, according to Wikipedia, "Unlike tavern keepers who could only sell wine to take away (off Licence, I suppose), Cabaretiers could sell wine 'for retail' (on the premises I suppose), but also provide food".

I'm sorry I have so few answers for the moment.

Alan

[Maiden Stone]

Another reason for going to France was as a servant accompanying his master. It was customary for aristocratic young men to go on "Grand Tour" of Europe in their late teens or early twenties, a sort of 18thC gap-year. The young "Milord" might spend a few months in France before travelling to Italy for more cultural education.
Also, returning to the possible RC connection, some Catholic nobles and gentry sent their sons abroad to be educated, because of restrictions at home. This was frowned upon by British Government since penal laws against Catholics applied to travel. By going abroad without permission and not returning within a certain time, they were deemed to have gone into voluntary exile and they were technically liable to legal consequences should they wish to return home. It's possible that some of the rich ones may have taken a servant along.
George's or his master's business interests may have taken him to France. Furniture? French architecture?
George may have been a ship's carpenter.

[Aks]

Hi Maiden Stone,

Thank you very much for all of this profound insight into this period of time. I will share this with my friend when I meet him tomorrow. Do you have any idea what would have motivated George born in 1681 in Ayr to move down to Crosscanonby in Cumberland? Would this have just been a normal "job move" or could the political situation have motivated him to leave Scotland and, indeed, was the border between Scotland and England always clear or might it have fluctuated? From the little I've studied of England in this period, it was not easy for people to move outside their parish of origin, let alone to another country (Scotland -> England).

Many thanks,

Alan

[Maiden Stone]

Could there have been a naval or trading connection, given that all 3 places were ports or near ports? Or was it that living near a port made it easier for them to travel between the 3 countries?

As for political situation, it was a  turbulent era.
"The Killing Times", name given to a period of conflict (approx. 1680-1688) between Presbyterian Covenanting movement, which was strong in S.W. Scotland, and  the Government forces of King Charles 2nd and his successor, his brother James (7th of Scotland & 2nd of England). There are Covenanters' graves in Ayr.
"The Glorious Revolution" 1688, which deposed Catholic King James, replacing him with his daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange, nephew of James.
This was followed by a rising in Scotland (1689-92) against the new monarchs and the Williamite Wars in Ireland 1689-91.
The ill-fated Darien Scheme led to the Acts of Union of 1706 & 1707, the Treaty of Union of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland.
Britain and France were at war 1689-97 and again for the first decade and a half of the new century. These were part of wider European wars. They were at war again in 1740s. (Jacobite Rising in Scotland 1745-6).
All this conflict meant there was constant need for soldiers and sailors and work for related trades.

[Aks]

Thank you very much, Maiden Stone, for all of this fascinating background information.

Alan