William Fraser - Brickwall

[Ann Baker]

Hi All

This one has been a nightmare and has had me pulling my hair out for a long time. William Fraser who according to the census was born about 1815 and from Fort Augustus left the rea and moved to Paisley where he married a Janet Cameron in 1834.

I know he died in Paisley in 1871 although I cannot find a death cert (and several people have looked and still not found). I know when he died cos his widow applied for Poor Relief and he died  in the workhouse infirmary. The lack of a death cert means I can't confirm his parents.

He and Janet had 6 children the eldest being Hugh born 1835, followed by John, Robert, Margaret, William and Alexander.

William was a shoemaker and on a visit to the Inverness archives a couple of years ago I tried looking at shoemakers in the area to see if I could find any connection - not a sos!

Given his name and where he's from, this really is a needle in a haystack. Does anyone have any suggestions for trying to find his parents?

Thanks

Ann

[CaroleW]

I know he died in Paisley in 1871 although I cannot find a death cert (and several people have looked and still not found). I know when he died cos his widow applied for Poor Relief and he died  in the workhouse infirmary

Are the WH records available?  Was any actual date of death shown on them?

[Ann Baker]

Hi Carole

The poor records aren't available online. I went and looked at them at the library on a trip home to see my mum who still lives in Paisley. I can't remember the exact date and took a photo of it on my phone - needs charging but it was definitely 1871 (I have 22nd May in my head)

I have tried all sorts of permutations of his name even turning it around and I and a few others have been to SP in Edinburgh and still not found him. I know the poor application was his wife as the address was the family home (3 New St - now a much bigger building housing the YMCA)

Thanks

Ann

[CaroleW]

He is on the 1871 census in Paisley Low Church aged 54 and has a son Alexander aged 20

Might be a coincidence but there is an 1871 death in Paisley Low Church for an Alexander Fraser aged 56.  Have you already ruled it out in case his christian name is wrongly entered?

The 1871 also has an Alexander Fraser (wife Agnes) aged 58 but he is in Paisley Middle Church

[Ann Baker]

Hi Carole

Yes he is on that 1871 but then the census was taken in April and he died in the May (now retrieved from phone )

Yes that Alexander Fraser I'd already looked at but it's not him - He was single tho he did die in the same place.

Thanks

Ann

[Ann Baker]

All I knew for certain before I checked the poor books was he'd died somewhere between that cenus and 1873 (one of his children married then and he's shown as deceased on the marriage cert)

[Skoosh]

Ann,  the lists of Inverness shoemakers have recently been published in the Highland Family History Society Journal.

Skoosh.

[Ann Baker]

Thanks Skoosh

Do you have a link?

I  know I'm making a huge assumption with expecting his first born to be named after his father  - first born being Hugh. I did find Hugh's in the area when I went up there but none I could get back to him.

If only I could find that blooming death cert 

Ann

[Skoosh]

Ann,  generations of shoemakers therein,

www.highlandfamilyhistorysociety.org

Skoosh.