I have a problem with a PIRIE. Doing research for a friend and this is one big stumbling block.
Elspet Jane PIRIE b 1863 Old Machar, dau of William PIRIE and Jane Dunn.
She appears in the 1871 census with her family.
Next appearance is as the named mother on the marriage certificate of her daughter, Elspet (Elsie) Jane FINDLAY marriage certificate when she married David Wilson NICOL.
Marriage: 27 Feb 1900. David Wilson Nicol, bachelor and labourer aged 22, married Elspet Jane Findlay, spinster and provision worker aged 21, married after publication according to the forms of the established Church of Scotland on 27 Feb 1900 at 57 Queen Street, Aberdeen. David's accommodation noted as 3 Farrier Lane, Aberdeen and Elspet's accommodation noted as 57 Queen Street, Aberdeen. David's parents named as George Nicol, trawler engine fitter, deceased and Elizabeth Nicol MS McAllister. Elspet's parents named as John Findlay, labourer at gas works and Elspet Jane Findlay MS Pirie. Witnesses were James Jamieson and James Williamson.
David and Elspet had a daughter, Maggie Bell NICOL b 1898, 2 years before they were married and Maggie is marked as illegitimate on her birth certificate; mother signed as Elsie Findlay. Father also signed the birth certificate. Where does the name BELL come from? But that’s another problem!
I tried to find a birth of Elspet Jane FINDLAY and found a possibility dated Dec 1879. Father John Findlay; mother Jane Pirie; married 1872 Portsoy. Downloaded that marriage only to find that the mother named her parents as Alexander PIRIE and Ann, so back to square one.
There is a possible marriage at Peterhead in 1900 but that can’t be right! They are on the 1901 census with a young son James.
I am beginning to wonder if Elsie’s mother, Elspet b 1863 gave birth to Elsie as an illegitimate child. The mother would only have been 16 years old at the time! Sounds fishy to me. But where did Elsie get her father’s name of John FINDLAY from???
If anyone can help out here, I’d be enormously grateful. There are so many PIRIE and FINDLAY in Aberdeenshire the words haystack and pin often come to mind!! Thank you for reading all this so far!
Suzie (in Orkney)