Author Topic: Maxwell Family Mystery  (Read 1939 times)

Offline neiljmh

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Maxwell Family Mystery
« on: Wednesday 19 July 17 15:10 BST (UK) »
Hi, this is my first post and I'm hoping someone may be able to help with a little family mystery.

My great grandparents William Maxwell and Jane Kemp Selkirk Mill were married in Cowdenbeath on 31st December 1915. The marriage certificate seems to have wrong information on it. His parents are given as Alexander Maxwell and Jane Ross but I cannot find any record of a marriage in Scotland between people with theses names. William's death certificate gives the same fathers name but the mothers name is now Jane Malloch. Once again I cannot find a marriage record for them. I can find a marriage between a Walter Maxwell and a Jane Malloch in 1872. I believe these are his real parents as William Maxwell and Jane Mill's first child was called Walter who unfortunately died shortly after birth. They also had a daughter who had the middle name Malloch.

I also believe William may have added a few years onto his age. He gives it as 25 but it's probably nearer 21.

Another problem has been finding a birth certificate for a William Maxwell who has the parents Walter and Jane. On census records William's birthplace is given as Polmont in Stirlingshire. There is a birth record for a William Maxwell born in Polmont in 1895 illegitimately to a widow named Catherine Wood, maiden name Maxwell. Is this him?

I hope there is someone out there who can explain the marriage certificate especially.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Offline rosie17

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 10,071
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 16:10 BST (UK) »
Hi and welcome to Rootschat did it say on the marriage certificate if Williams father was deceased ?
As several tree's on An....y  have a death for Walter Maxwell 1914 Cowdenbeath Fife who was married to Jane Malloch

Rosie

Offline Citizen Smith

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 216
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 16:32 BST (UK) »
If you do a search for William Maxwell born Stirling area 1885-1895, Scotlands People comes up with an index of 7 matches. It costs 6 credits to view each certificate. If I was you, I'd start with the one nearest your William's age on his marriage certificate and widen from there to see if any of the names of parents prove or disprove your theories. Take the census ages with a pinch of salt, as they often rounded up or down to the nearest 5 years. The marriage certificate age is more likely to be correct - unless, of course, he had a reason to lie about it!
Sarah
Kirkcaldy and Dysart: Kinnaird, Brown, McDougall, Page
Burntisland: Brown, Chalmers
Perth: Low
Donegal: Browne, O'Donnell
Montrose: Allardice
Dorset: Allen

Offline neiljmh

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 17:24 BST (UK) »
Hi and welcome to Rootschat did it say on the marriage certificate if Williams father was deceased ?
As several tree's on An....y  have a death for Walter Maxwell 1914 Cowdenbeath Fife who was married to Jane Malloch

Rosie

Thanks for the reply. William's father on the marriage certificate, Alexander, is recorded as deceased.

Thanks for the tip, I'll have a look.


Offline neiljmh

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 17:26 BST (UK) »
If you do a search for William Maxwell born Stirling area 1885-1895, Scotlands People comes up with an index of 7 matches. It costs 6 credits to view each certificate. If I was you, I'd start with the one nearest your William's age on his marriage certificate and widen from there to see if any of the names of parents prove or disprove your theories. Take the census ages with a pinch of salt, as they often rounded up or down to the nearest 5 years. The marriage certificate age is more likely to be correct - unless, of course, he had a reason to lie about it!
Sarah

Hi, thanks for the reply.

If he lied on the marriage cert I'd love to know why   :)  I have that feeling

Offline isobelw

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,566
  • Gran & Granpa Clotworthy
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 17:38 BST (UK) »
In case you don't have this - Jane Malloch or Maxwell died in 1938 at Calderhead, age 84.
Isobel
Clotworthy, McMahon, Saunderson, Culley (Ireland & Scotland)
Weatherall, Greer (Ireland & Scotland)
Hamilton, Johnston, Dawson, Rennie, Wright (Clackmannanshire)

Offline rosie17

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 10,071
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 18:50 BST (UK) »
Hi what was  the fathers occupation on William's marriage certificate ...Names of witnesses

Rosie 

Offline neiljmh

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 18:56 BST (UK) »
Hi what was  the fathers occupation on William's marriage certificate ...Names of witnesses

Rosie

Hi Rosie, on William's marriage certificate his fathers occupation is coal miner. The witnesses were James Dempster and Nellie Glancy.

Neil

Offline neiljmh

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 5
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Maxwell Family Mystery
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 18:56 BST (UK) »
In case you don't have this - Jane Malloch or Maxwell died in 1938 at Calderhead, age 84.
Isobel

Thanks