Lack of burial records

[Matherino]

I've noticed on the Scotlands People website that there are no burial records for the Parish of Glass. I have a relative William Gauld being baptised in Glass on 8 Aug 1847. He doesn't appear on the 1851 Census with the rest of his family and can find nothing further for him. From this I guessed he probably died prior to the 1851 Census but as there's no burial records for Glass where his family where living, I can't be 100% sure. I guess my question is about Scotlands People: are there certain Parish records they don't have or does it most likely mean that they've been lost/destroyed? If its the former, where would one look for the Glass burial records? If the latter, is there any other way of discovering his fate other than trawling the cemeteries/churchyards in the Glass area and luckily stumbling across his grave? Not an easy option this latter as I live in Northumberland!

[higgsy]

Can't answer your questions on Scotland's People but have you tried Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History  (anesfh) site. They have some MI of Aberdeenshire graves, also Find a grave might help or http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/

Norma

[Forfarian]

I guess my question is about Scotlands People: are there certain Parish records they don't have or does it most likely mean that they've been lost/destroyed?

They have pretty much all the extant parish registers, but there are some, mostly the larger towns, where the records of burials were not part of the parish register.

There are also mortcloth records. Each parish had one or more mortcloths, which were pieces of material, often of velvet and sometimes embroidered, that were draped over the coffin during the funeral. The kirk session usually collected a fee for the hire of the mortcloth, and these fees are often itemised in the kirk session minutes.

The kirk session minutes have been digitised but they can be consulted only in the Historical Search Room in Edinburgh or in a small number of local archives which have a link to the National Records of Scotland. If I were you, this is where I would look next.

[ruthhelen]

There are a couple of MIs recorded by ANESFHS at Glass which appear to be this family, but none that I can see for the son William specifically:

Stone 66: In loving memory of ALEXANDER GAULD eldest son of ALEXR. GAULD farmer Edinglassie d.Haugh of Glass 24 Mar.1900 aged 56. Erected by his widow.

This looks like the Alexander Gauld born to Alexander Gauld and Mary Grant Wilson on 10 June 1843, and baptised in Glass on 11 June 1843 - presumably brother to your William Gauld?

There is also Stone 82: Sacred to the memory of ALEXANDER GAULD late farmer in Edinglassie d.9 Apr.1836 aged 88. Also MARGT. DUNCAN his spouse d.2 Apr.1821 aged 71.

This couple had 7 children baptised in Glass between 1777 and 1792, so possibly the grandparents of the Alexander Gauld senior mentioned above?

Ruth

[GR2]

What were the names of William's parents, and where did they live? I have a copy of "Glass Aberdeenshire, the story of a parish". It has an index for places, not people. There is an account of the Gaulds in Mains of Edinglassie. I can also see an entry for Nether Dunmeth which has an offshoot of the Gauld family in Edinglassie (including an account of one of them in the Peninsular War).

[Matherino]

Hi

Thanks for all your replies.

Forfarian, that's really interesting about the mortcloth records. Being relatively new to all of this, I freely admit to never having heard of such a thing. It seems that the Kirk Session Records could hold a record of the burial since there don't appear to be any Glass burial records. If I ever get a chance to visit the NRS in Edinburgh, I'll see if a record's held for my relative.

Ruth, those individuals mentioned are indeed related to my relative as you state. The 1st Alexander Gauld is the brother and the 2nd is actually the great grandfather. There was a line of 4 Alexanders and William was younger brother to the 4th.

GR2, William's parents were Alexander Gauld (1814-1879) and Mary Grant Gauld (nee Wilson). The father was the 3rd Alexander in the line of 4 mentioned above and he was a farmer at Edinglassie. He inherited the farm from his grandfather as his father (Alexander No. 2) died before the grandfather. The Gauld renowned in the area on account of his heroism in the Peninsular War was James Gauld. He was the youngest son of the 1st Alexander Gauld and so would be a great uncle to William if I've worked out things correctly. That book "Glass Aberdeenshire, the story of a parish" certainly looks interesting. Did a quick Google search on it and its quite expensive to buy. Wonder if there's an online version. Will look into this.

Thanks again.

[GR2]

I am sending you a personal message re the book.