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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Wigtownshire => Topic started by: AlanMC on Monday 07 November 05 19:25 GMT (UK)
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Anyone have any of the following names in their tree?
Blain Leswalt and Stranraer 1800 - 1900.
Reid Inch and Stranraer 1800 - 1900.
Halliday Inch and Stranraer 1850 - 1900.
Thomson Leswalt and Stranraer 1800 - 1870.
Ewart Leswalt and Stranraer 1820 - 1870.
Mcalister Leswalt and Stranraer 1780 - 1860.
Johnston Inch and Stranraer 1770 - 1830.
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I have Blains in Stranraer and Inch - a marriage in Inch in 1812 (William Blain and Mary Maxwell) and the birth of children recorded in both these parishes. Their household was in Sun Street, Stranraer, in the 1841 census, and they later moved to Greenock.
Don't know if there is a Leswalt connection or not, though. If anybody has OPR I'm looking for any details beyond what is in indexes, on the marriage and births.
Jenny
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Hi Jenny,
For the 1841 census Sun Street came under Stranraer / Leswalt, so your Blain family are also from the Leswalt area. I see your family in the 1841 census, when did they leave to go to Greenock.
I have most births deaths and marriages for Blain living in the Stranraer area, I am also working on them from Inch and even Portpatrack.
Let me know if any where still in Stranraer after 1855 as I should have the gros number and details of most certificates after then.
Alan.
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Hi Alan,
My Blains left before the 1851 census, and at least one of them - John, b. 1820, was in Greenock in 1845 because I've found his marriage record there then! So I assume that the family moved to Greenock between 1841 and 1845.
Any information before that is very welcome! William Blain and Mary Maxwell married in Inch in 1812. However I don't know where either of them came from. What I do know is that there was a family of Blains in Inch - Peter Blain and his family - in the 1841 census, with a very similar set of first names (including Jess, Thomas and William).
Blains in Wigtownshire in the mid 19th century - and probably a bit earlier - seem to have included quite a number of Irish immigrants, in addition to more 'indigenous' Blains. Interesting!
Jenny
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The plot thickens - I just found out that the marriage I referred to in Inch (William Blain and Mary Maxwell, 19 Feb 1812) was actually in Donaghadee! It was ratified by the Inch kirk session in December 1812.
It seems there are Blains and Maxwells on both sides of the Irish sea, moving all the time...
Jenny
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It's the same with my Blain's as well, I know that both John Blain and his wife Sarah Logan were born in Ireland. As he was a fisherman he would go where there was fishing to be had, that is how most families were in those days. He is as far as I have got so far with the Blain's being born about 1799, sadly for me his parents names where not on his death certificate in 1879 Stranraer.
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my grandfather was robert blain,he was a fisherman ,married to a marshall from creetown
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my grandfather was robert blain,he was a fisherman ,married to a marshall from creetown
Is it this Robert Thomson Blain b 17 Feb 1883 Stranraer, Birth Certificate 899/00 - 0042.
Married Agnes Marshall 4 June 1905 at The Manse Lewis Street, Stranraer, Marriage Certificate 899/00 - 12.
If this is the Robert Blain you are talking of then he is the brother of my grandfather John Blain b 27 Sept 1880 Stranraer. Let me know and I can give you a lot of information ob the Blains and of some close family members.
Alan Cameron
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yes this my grandfather i very much like any information you have
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Contact me off list at *
Alan
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Hello Alan and Mendry
I noticed a reference to a Marshall from Creetown. This is where my family of Marshalls were registered on the 1841 and 1851 census records. They then moved to Stoneykirk. I would love to hear if there is any connection with my family. My gtx2 grandmother was a Jane Marshall and had many siblings.
Also, I have a gt.grandfather called David Blair (not Blain though) who lived with his first wife at Lochans, nr. Stranraer. Have you come across him at all in your researches?
Always hoping something will pop up at Rootschat.
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Alan
I also noticed a reference to the name Halliday. My gtx2 grandfather's first wife COULD have been a Margaret Halliday born c1818 (Ireland). They appear on the 1851 census with 2 children John and David at Twynholm. On my gtx2 grandmother's wedding certificate she marries a John Williamson (widower with 2 living sons). Is there any connection to your family here?
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Hi ankerdine,
I'm afraid to say I don't have anything on the Marshall side, I knew of Agnes Marshall as she married my grandfather's brother Robert. I have a look in my files all the same as I may have something in there that I have forgot about.
My tie with the Halliday name is also a Margaret Halliday she is my great grand mother b 1852 married 8 June 1869 Stranraer, my great grandfather was David Reid b 1849 Inch Stranraer. Margaret parents are Hugh Halliday b abt 1821 Ireland, and Mary Chambers b abt 1825 Ireland.
Copy of 1861 Census Gros 899/00 - 008
2 Rose Street Stranraer.
Mary Chambers Head Widow age 37 Sewer born Ireland.
Archie Halliday Son age 14 born Stranraer.
Agnes Halliday Dau age 12 born Stranraer.
John Halliday Son age 10 born Stranraer.
Margaret Halliday Dau age 8 born Stranraer.
Mary Halliday Dau age 6 born Stranraer.
Alan
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Hello Alan
It's quite interesting that my great aunt Mary (unfortunately without a named father) was also born in Sun Street, Stranraer, in 1880. Thank you for replying though to my posting.
I am particularly interested in the connection with Creetown and the Marshalls. They were an itinerant family settled at the Carpet Mill Barn on those 2 census records.
We may chat again.
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my aunt told me my grand mother agnes blain nee marshall was a descendent of billy marshall king of the gypsys and is buried in kirkcudbright cemetery i have visited his grave
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Hello Mendry
I hope that I get this message sent to you. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH TALK TALK BROADBAND WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ********.
My second cousin advised me that we were descended from the Marshall Clan who were cattle rustlers! I have read the stories of Billy Marshall, King of the Gypsies, but we couldn't find his grave in Kirkcudbright unfortunately.
I would be very interested to hear about the connection you have with Creetown as you may be descended from my gt.x2 grandmother's eldest brother William Marshall, born in Kilmaurs.
She had numerous other siblings too if you have any information going back from your Agnes Marshall. I look forward to hearing from you again.
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the cemetery attendant will know where the grave is ,it always has coins leftl on it by travellers,he told me they would not pass through with out leaving a gift,i am sorry i do not have more to tell you as i have just begun my searh ,if find any thing i will post you.
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Billy Marshall, King of the Gypsies
This ties in with a bit I remember, that a aunt or such owned the fairground in Girvan and also used to own the cinema there.
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Billy Marshall had connections both sides of the Irish Sea I believe. His life story is fascinating isn't it? I wonder how old he really was when he died.
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the BBC has just t recently made a radio programme about him.itook some photos of his headstone but as you can imagine it was very worn,iwill try and find the photo and if i can see the dateon it iwill post it.
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If you would like the Creetown information in full you may contact me by personal message.
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Alan
Just checked again with Scotlands People, my gt. aunt Mary Williamson was born in 1880 at 26 Sun Street, Stranraer. The family didn't live there at the time but around the corner in Back Ramparts. Would this maybe have been a midwife's house?
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Hi ankerdine, I think you have guessed right, in that the midwife / friend / relative had have stayed there.
On my fathers side I always wondered why my great grandmother gave birth to one of her sons in Greenock (they lived in Anderson Glasgow, I found out that her sister when she married moved from the family home at Cardross over the Clyde to Greenock, so she went there to give birth with her mother and sisters around to help.
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I thought you knew the Billy Marshall legend. He was supposed to be about 120 years old before he died. There were witnesses the local minister said which put him at least 110 years old but records were pretty poor back then.
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my grandfather was robert blain,he was a fisherman ,married to a marshall from creetown
We seem to have the same g/parents Robert Blain and Agnes Marshall are my fathers parents. Would love to swap info.
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the BBC has just t recently made a radio programme about him.itook some photos of his headstone but as you can imagine it was very worn,iwill try and find the photo and if i can see the dateon it iwill post it.
I have this photo also I think the date is 28 November 1792
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Has anyone found out the parents/grandparents of Agnes Marshall from Creetown? I should be interested to hear whether there are any descendants from my family of Marshalls in Creetown c1841/1851. I will try to insert the image of Billy Marshalls gravestone in Kirkcudbright. Apologies if it doesn't work".
Kind regards,
...it doesn't work I'm afraid, something to do with the size over 500kb, will look into this problem with aid of "Husband".
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Hi,
I have the surname Reid in my family.
All i have though is John Reid, b. Ireland married Sarah Danaham. They had a daughter called Elizabeth Reid from Wigtownshire. She married an Albert Logan.
This is one side of my family i don't have much on unfortunately.
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looking for nancy boyd daughter of robert and elizabeth(nee clark)
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Interesting stuff on Billy Marshall, the Gypsy King, I believe he fought at the Battle of the Boyne...Skoosh.
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Hi have McAlister/McAllister in my tree from this area. I am looking for more information on Robert William McAllister, b abt 1827 in Leswalt. I have him in the 1881 census for Kirkcolm, married to Helen Hutton, working as a ploughman, children are: John, William, Margaret, Grace and James. I cannot seem to find his parents or his death record. Any help/collaboration is greatly appreciated.
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I can trace Blains & Girvins through my tree originally around Stranraer area. Last one was Rye ( Girvin ) Davidson, died approx. mid 80's. Remainder of living Girvins/Blains in Oregon.
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I have Blain up until 1850-ish in Stranraer and Inch. Thought it worth saying this again, as I see this thread has re-opened after a long quiet period. Mine are in Sun Street in the 1841 census.
Jenny
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Hi Jenny,
We have only recently relocated back to the UK from Sydney plus I tracked down a living member of the Girvin family who's GGM was a Blain from Stranraer thus the re-ignition of the thread. All good stuff as far as I am concerned. I originally got the Blain info through GenesReunited many years ago but thought that the Blain/Girvin branch had died out however found a member of the American family living in Brisbane. Have the Stranraer Blains back to 1730 - welcome to it. Regards, Colin
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Folks, Robert De Bruce Trotter's, "Galloway Gossip" waxing on Galloway surnames, has Blain/Blane being originally MacBlane or MaBlane with some genteel folk calling themselves Bland when they rose in the world. ;D
Skoosh.
Marvelous book if you can get it folks, printed by The Stewartry Herald & Courier, Dumfries in 1901.
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Colin, would be very interested in what you have. There were several Blain families in Stranraer area. My William Blain was married to Mary Maxwell in 1812 (recorded in Inch) and we think he was a son b. 1790 of James Blain of Dilhabboch farm, in Inch. There are various other Blains in Inch and it's hard to sort out the families, however.
Best, Jenny
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Hello very new to here but I've Thomson Leswalt and I think Stranraer. John Thomson - my great grandfather. I think born around 1855. He was a Lance corporal and was in Malta in 1875 when he married my great grandmother Maria Dolores Borg and eventually came back to Scotland. Settled in Glasgow - I think at one point in Keppochhill Rd. I think his father was James Thomson and Mother Elizabeth? My father, Stevan Brady - his grandson - was evacuated to a farm during 2nd World war and it was to the Thomson's. Hoping to find out more about his side of family as I have more info on Maltese side way back several centuries than I do the Scottish side! Thanks Janet
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Hi Janet
Welcome to RootsChat :)
You will need to look at some specific records for John Thomson to really be able to trace him back and his family.
I think this is him in 1881:
John Thompson 33 Pte Soldier 71 Regt b. Port Patrick, Wigtonshire
Maria Thompson 24 b. Malta
John Thompson 4
Mary Thompson 3
Robert Thompson 2
Margaret Thompson 11 Months
Address: Johnston Terrace Married Soldiers Quarters, Edinburgh
Monica
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Possible entry for John with family in 1851?
John Thomson 68 wiver (?weaver)
Elizabeth Thomson 67
Margaret Thomson 28
Robert Thomson 26
Jane Thomson 26
Mary Thomson 21
Elizabeth Thomson 13
John Thomson 3 b. Leswalt, wigtonshire
Sarah Thomson 2
Hugh Thomson 6
Margaret Welch 2
William Tolls 25 visitor
Address: Wiver House, Portpatrick
Monica
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Likely best to check his death cert to confirm his parents' names? Some researchers have the names as Robert Thomson and Jane Campbell. They also show his death as being on 4 January 1918 at 167 Glasgow Rd Glasgow.
As always, without original certificates, hard for you to be certain you are following the right lines.
Monica
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Thank you Monica. That's very definitely him as of 1881 in Edinburgh. He was in the 71st Regiment and that's the first of their children's names too. They married in Valletta in 1875.
I've been hunting about Scotland's people but I cannot remember if his father's name is James or Robert.
I know at some point between 1875 and 1881 they left Malta, went to Gibraltar and Germany. Now in Edinburgh! Then between 1881 and 1895 (my granny born around then in Glasgow) they were also in Ireland as another daughter born then. I know he had become a night Watchman after turn of century and still was in 1915 as he is noted on my granny Sarah Brady's marriage cert in 1915. Later he passed away at that job as I managed to trace his death cert which had an unusual adjustment at the cause of death section. It had to be changed to say died due to hitting head after a fall at work. But can't seem to pick up his earlier life at all.
I chased a few false leads around Wigtownshire late last night but might have picked up his birth in the Galloway Free press to a James Thomson "and wife" on 1st March 1850.
But thanks....a very good start to the search as I'd no idea they were in Edinburgh and had been searching the Glasgow census.
And thanks for the welcome! Janet
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Janet, what did his death cert say in respect of his parents' names?
His birth was before the start of official registration in Scotland from 1855. Only about a third of BMD events were registered before 1855 for all sorts of reasons. Your best bet will be his death cert really (hopefully the informant to his death knew parents' names).
Monica
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I've got a paper copy of it somewhere. I will look it out. I'm sure it was his son that signed it. My granny signed Maria's in 1929 but he was gone before her.
I'm sure I have their marriage certificate too from previous searches so I will hunt it all out again.
I tend to do it in fits and starts and then become like a dog with a bone until I uncover something!
Thanks for tips. I will post up what I find!
Janet
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That will help you now for sure :) We can all look further with more info, confirmed from docs you have.
Monica
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Hi there I’ve just read the chats. My great great grandmother is Maria Delores Borg. I’m looking for any information on the Maltese side. I have quite a bit of info on John Thompson and the Scottish side but missing Maria’s family information. My grandmother was Dora Wilson and Sarah Brady was her aunt and bridesmaid. I keep reading on various forums that Maria’s parents were Rocco Borg and Paola Arena, but I’ve seen the register of Maria’s death that Sarah Brady, her daughter, registered but it states Maria’s father was Francis Borg. I’m confused and would welcome any information.
Many thanks
Brenda
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I'm related to John Thomson of Leswalt think born in around 1846. Went into Army and Married Maria Dolores Borg in Valletta Malta around 1875. Was in army barracks in Edinburgh by 1881 and eventually moved to Glasgow around 1890s. He is my great grandfather. Passed away around 1918. His family lived in Wiver House in Leswalt.