Author Topic: Solved Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour  (Read 7228 times)

Offline Liviani

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I realise this is very much a long shot as I've tried for a while now to find out more about this lady and there is very little for me to go on. Coupled with the fact that 'Anderson' is an insanely common name all over Scotland. Although, you never know, I may have missed something and this is me reaching out. I'd be eternally grateful to anyone who may find something for me to go on.

Note; She was born in Aberdeenshire but spent the majority of her life in Kincardineshire. Though I am looking for anything that could lead me to who her mother is in Aberdeenshire.

Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson was my great-grandmother. I have seen her birth, marriage and death certificates.

Her birth record states she was illegitimate, born 17th February 1883, New Aberdour, Parish of Aberdour.

Mother's name; Maggie Anderson a Domestic Servant. Father's name is blank. I have no further information on her mother.

Helen b.1883 married George Hosie Sheret in Stonehaven 1904 and they had the following children all of the below are deceased;

Alice b.1906                Garvock, Kincardineshire
Charles Ewan b.1907   Marykirk, Kincardineshire   
Ellen Margaret b.1909  Garvock, Kincardinshire      (my grandmother)   
Isabella b.1911           Marykirk, Kincardinshire           
George Hosie b.1915   Fordoun, Kincardinshire

Helen died 1918 in Pitgarnie, Marykirk, Kincardinshire her widower was the informant and gave her mother's name as Maggie Anderson a domesitic servant father blank.

Her widower, George Hosie Sheret re-married in 1920 to a Fanny Wilson at Logie Pert, Angus.

I have the 1911 census featuring George Hosie Sheret and Helen Anderson. It appears that she went by both Helen and Margaret in various records. This was also the case for my grandmother (Ellen Margaret) as she is in this census aged 2 named 'Margaret Sheret'. They were residing in Marykirk in 1911.

Their daughter Isabella died 1930, Dundee. The informant for her death is George Hosie Sheret again, her father. It states that Isabella's mother's name is; Margaret Anderson Sheret m.s. Knight  ??? ??? ??? I have no idea where this 'Knight' comes into it from what I have.

On both Helen M M Anderson's marriage and death certs; her mother 'Maggie Anderson' is not noted down as deceased. Whether this means she was still living or if the information just wasn't known at the time, but it may prove useful.

I also feel that the 'McQueen' is useful, though I haven't been very fruitful with my searches. I have scoured the internet for anything I can about Aberdour Parish in Aberdeenshire and haven't come up fruitful. I have seen the name 'McQueen' pop up often but this must be a relatively common name in the area and I can't seem to match it to anything.

I don't know where she is in 1891 and 1901 either.

If anyone could help with this very frustrating query as I'm utterly stuck.  :-X :-X :-X

Many thanks.

Liviani







mtDNA subclade K1b2b. Father's Y-DNA I-S25383
GEDmatch kit; CF7867455
Father's kit; RY1336515
Mother's kit; AF2312865


Kincardineshire
Sheret, Hosie, Valentine, Crow, Beattie, McArthur, Wyllie.
Angus (Forfarshire)
Adam, Valentine, Ewan, Elder, Guild, Kydd, Bradford, Stronner, Gibson, Cloudsley, Evans, Stewart, Stott.
Perthshire
Small, Robertson, Murray, Kennedy, McGregor
Ross & Cromarty
Cameron, Stewart, Grant
Banffshire - Gamrie
Anderson, Massie

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 18 July 17 21:34 BST (UK) »
Could Helen's mother Maggie have married after her birth to a Mr Knight?

There is only one possible marriage for this:

A Maggie Ann Anderson married a James Knight in 1886. Marriage took place in Durris, Kincardineshire.

Monica


Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Liviani

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Re: Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 00:05 BST (UK) »
Could Helen's mother Maggie have married after her birth to a Mr Knight?

There is only one possible marriage for this:

A Maggie Ann Anderson married a James Knight in 1886. Marriage took place in Durris, Kincardineshire.

Monica

I'm not sure as I checked SP for death records for a Ma (name begins with) Knight other name Anderson with no date restrictions and only one comes up as below;

KNIGHT
MARGARET
37
1898

168/1 1283
St Nicholas

This would put her year of birth at 1860 or 1861. The Maggie Ann Anderson from the marriage cert you posted was 26 in 1886 so probably 1860 and I think it's the same person. So if this Margaret/Maggie died in 1898 she would've probably been noted as deceased on Helen Anderson's Marriage cert in 1904 and her death cert in 1918. Of course, perhaps the information just wasn't known.

I'm not sure at present. Will do some more digging with these names.

Many thanks for looking this up for me.

mtDNA subclade K1b2b. Father's Y-DNA I-S25383
GEDmatch kit; CF7867455
Father's kit; RY1336515
Mother's kit; AF2312865


Kincardineshire
Sheret, Hosie, Valentine, Crow, Beattie, McArthur, Wyllie.
Angus (Forfarshire)
Adam, Valentine, Ewan, Elder, Guild, Kydd, Bradford, Stronner, Gibson, Cloudsley, Evans, Stewart, Stott.
Perthshire
Small, Robertson, Murray, Kennedy, McGregor
Ross & Cromarty
Cameron, Stewart, Grant
Banffshire - Gamrie
Anderson, Massie

Offline Liviani

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Re: Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 01:39 BST (UK) »
A few months ago I had searched census records and came across one that is a possible match for Helen M M Anderson. I had some difficulty finding it again.

I do not know if this is her, but she's a tough cookie to track down. My gut instinct tells me this isn't her given the parish of birth stated.  But this could easily be a mistake. Given that Helen M M Anderson was born in February 1883 it's likely that every census she is in would mean her year of birth worked out from the age is accurate. Of course this is only if the true age is entered.

As Helen M M Anderson was illegitimate and her mother was a Dom Serv. Then I feel it's likely she would've been brought up by relatives unless her mother married after she was born.

The head of this household is a Mary A Knox aged 50 and is a widow. Let me know your thoughts on this one guys if you can? It's a puzzling one.

Kirkhill , Old Deer , Aberdeenshire.
Helen Anderson 9 Niece Female birth year 1882 b. Aberdeenshire

Copy & Paste removed.

mtDNA subclade K1b2b. Father's Y-DNA I-S25383
GEDmatch kit; CF7867455
Father's kit; RY1336515
Mother's kit; AF2312865


Kincardineshire
Sheret, Hosie, Valentine, Crow, Beattie, McArthur, Wyllie.
Angus (Forfarshire)
Adam, Valentine, Ewan, Elder, Guild, Kydd, Bradford, Stronner, Gibson, Cloudsley, Evans, Stewart, Stott.
Perthshire
Small, Robertson, Murray, Kennedy, McGregor
Ross & Cromarty
Cameron, Stewart, Grant
Banffshire - Gamrie
Anderson, Massie


Offline Liviani

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Re: Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 01:52 BST (UK) »
Could Helen's mother Maggie have married after her birth to a Mr Knight?

There is only one possible marriage for this:

A Maggie Ann Anderson married a James Knight in 1886. Marriage took place in Durris, Kincardineshire.

Monica

Hi Monica.

Scratch all of my above threads as you have proved to be correct with finding that marriage!

I have access to newspaper archives and for some reason I do not know why I hadn't checked this before now. Thankfully (although the story is harrowing) I've found out where the name "Knight" comes from and I will now go ahead and order an image of this marriage cert.
Thank you so much for this suggestion.

I've attached a snippet of the article so you can see.

mtDNA subclade K1b2b. Father's Y-DNA I-S25383
GEDmatch kit; CF7867455
Father's kit; RY1336515
Mother's kit; AF2312865


Kincardineshire
Sheret, Hosie, Valentine, Crow, Beattie, McArthur, Wyllie.
Angus (Forfarshire)
Adam, Valentine, Ewan, Elder, Guild, Kydd, Bradford, Stronner, Gibson, Cloudsley, Evans, Stewart, Stott.
Perthshire
Small, Robertson, Murray, Kennedy, McGregor
Ross & Cromarty
Cameron, Stewart, Grant
Banffshire - Gamrie
Anderson, Massie

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Solved Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 09:51 BST (UK) »
Bad, bad man. Poor Helen. Her early years must have been so hard....

I will send you the image of the 1886 marriage if you can send me your email via PM.

I have a feeling we are going to struggle too with mother Maggie Ann's origins  :-\ Not sure on her main maiden name and whether mother Isabella actually married a Francis Anderson, or whether Isabella was actually Anderson (not a Smith) and details were made up for the 1886 marriage registration. Started looking at this all last night...but had to get to bed!

Just for now. I thought mother Margaret, now Knight, might have been working as a domestic servant in the McHardy household for 1891. There is a Margaret Knight, and a son Alexader aged 1 and born in Aberdeen, living in the McHardy home at Cairnfauld (a farm I think), Durris. Would be easy enough to check if you look at the birth cert for Alexander Knight. There are only two showing in Aberdeenshire in 1889 and 1890.

In 1901 there is an Alexander Knight, aged 11 and born in Aberdeen, showing at the Orphanage Aberlour www.childrenshomes.org.uk/AberlourOrphanage/

Odd link here. This orphanage has strong links to the Dowans in Aberlour. The Dowans belonged to my husband's family from the early 1930s to war time when it was requisitioned for Officers' quarters https://www.dowanshotel.com/the-hotel/

Looks like searching for Helen's roots will continue for a while yet..... ::)

Monica



Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Forfarian

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Re: Solved Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 11:56 BST (UK) »
Out of curiosity, who were the parents of the wicked stepfather James Knight? I have 'lost' a whole string of Knights including a James, born 1843 in Keith, parents George Knight and Ann(e) Leslie.
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.

Offline MonicaL

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Re: Solved Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 12:52 BST (UK) »
Forfarian, below is a clip with James Knight's details from the 1886 MC:

Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Forfarian

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Re: Solved Brick Wall - Helen Margaret McQueen Anderson b.1883 New Aberdour
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 12:55 BST (UK) »
Thanks, Monica. Not my missing James, then. (It was a bit of a long shot!)
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.