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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Stirlingshire => Topic started by: Dunganess on Tuesday 24 September 13 08:01 BST (UK)
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I am trying to trace my grandfathers connections with Scotland. Alexander Kemp who married Mary Jane Waddell in the Herbert River District. I believe that his had 2 brothers William and Hugh and a sister Jessie and his parents being William Kemp and Catherine nee McMillan. Alexander came from Airth in Scotland and his brothers also left Scotland but not sure where.
It is possible William had 2 other children to his first wife Elisa Christie, Eliza and Janet.
Would appreciate and information on the family.
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Hi,
I think William Kemp is on the 1851 Census with his wife Elisa at Airth
William Kemp age 35 Head Road Laborer Born Stirlingshire, Airth
Elisa Kemp age 32 Wife " , St. Ninians
Elisa Kemp age 8 months Daughter " , Airth
I found the couple on www.freecen.org.uk.
Looby
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Hi again,
Alexander Kemp's birth is on www.familysearch.org-
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQL5-X78
His brothers - Hugh (2 of them , first one must have died), William and sister Jessie are also on the site. You can also find the marriages of William snr. and the births of his first two daughters.
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk is a pay to view site which hold the originals of these records. William and Catherine marry in 1855 which is the year official compulsory registration begins in Scotland. Their marriage certificate should provide you with more information on the family - parents names/occupations/ previous marriages/ no. of children from previous marriages. Some of this info was only recorded during the first year of registration so having a 1855 marriage is a lucky year for a family history researcher!!
Good luck with your search,
Looby :)
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Dunganess, if you are searching for details of this family in Scotland, this thread might get more responses on the Scotland board, (though looby is doing a grand job ;)). A moderator can move it for you if you wish.
You need to get those certificates from Scotlands People as recommended by looby. They contain a wealth of information.
Are looking for the brother's immigration as well?
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Hi All, Thanks for all the information, any information available will be appreciated.
Tim.
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Tim, I see this has been moved to the Stirlingshire board, which should attract the attention of any knowledgable Scottish researchers.
If you are looking for the emigration records you should probably start a thread solely related to this on the Australia board. It is difficult to know where to post sometimes as there is often some information which crosses over or duplicates, but to prevent this happening wherever possible, it is a good idea to provide links to any related topics.
I will have a look later for your Kemps in Scotland (I have to sign off shortly :)) In the meantime, if you have any further information about the Kemps, please let us know. Once again this is to prevent anyone going to the trouble of looking for information that you already have.
Is the information you provided in your initial post all that you know about your Kemps? Presumably the information about Alexander's parents came from his marriage or death certificate/s? And are looby's finds all new to you? I get the impression you know more. :-\
Have you registered with Scotland's People yet? You need to purchase credits to view records though you can search for free. Obviously let us know if you need help along the way, and if you purchase any records let us know what information they contain if you require further help in the search for the Kemps.
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There appears to be a few Kemps buried (or are at least mentioned on MI's) in Airth Churchyard/Cemetery.
Have a look here: http://memento-mori.co.uk/1.pdf
Anne
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Hi All,
I was lucky enough 2008 to visit Scotland and on the spur of the moment went to Airth and walked around the grave yard where I found numerous Kemp graves. I also had a discussion with the post mistress across the road and she directed me to a retirement village Where I met an Alexander Kemp who informed me that there were 2 separate Kemp families from around Airth and he could not verify if he was connected. There was a great resemblance to one of my Australian cousins. This is how I became interested in my families history.
I think my line goes to William Kemp 1780-1868 & Janet Gilfillan <>Hugh Kemp 1748-1830 & Mary Mitchele <> John Kemp.
Not sure if that is correct and have no idea if they all came from the Airth area or what their occupations were.
Thanks, Tim
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Hi, I happened upon this site and your request for information last night, so have just activated the account.
Alexander Kemp was my grandmothers uncle. I live a few miles from Airth and have recently been gathering data on my family tree. I have spent several days at Register House in Edinburgh using the Scotlandspeople database.
I had concentrated on two of the brothers of Alexander, William & Hugh as Hugh was my Great Grandfather.
However I have a copy of the Birth registration for Alexander. Alexander was born January 26th 1860 at 2 p.m., his father was William Kemp, giving his occupation as Turnpike Road Surfaceman (the Turnpike Road ran through Airth), his mother is Catherine Kemp nee McMillan. The registration is signed in his own hand by William Kemp and the registration was made on February 2nd 1860 at Airth to the registrar Robert Armstrong.
In addition, his father William was married 3 times.
1. To Helen Anderson of Edinburgh on 8/6/1845, they had a child born May 1846 that died 13/10/1846, no indication on the death register of cause of death and the child had not been given a name. I have a copy of the Old Parish Register from Airth Parish Church. The page comes from the Interments in Airth Parish Graveyards. It shows Oct 13 _ Kemp, child of Wm Kemp farm servant, Airth, disease ? (it shows the question mark), Age 5 months.
Still to gather more data on Helen.
2. He then married Eliza Christie from Airth, on 24/6/1849 and had 2 children : Eliza Kemp born 10/6/1850, baptized 23/6/1850 and Janet Kemp born 6/4/1854, baptized 16/4/1854.
Eliza died around 6/4/1854. Again from the Interments in Airth Parish Graveyards I have April 26th 1854 Elisa Christie, Wife of William Kemp, Labourer, Airth Disease : in childbed (I take this to mean in childbirth or shortly thereafter) aged 34.
The 1854 register of Births in Airth Parish shows that Janet was born April 6th 1854 hence my belief that Eliza died then or just soon after.
Unfortunately, Ive got to run just now, my neice gets married in 3 hours and I have to get to the wedding.
I'll post more soon. Just to say though that Catherine Macmillan sadly ended her days in the local Lunatic Asylum. I have details of her almost 27 year stay there and a photograph of her taken about 1900 while in the Asylum. I believe she may have suffered from Porphyria as the faulty genes have found there way to my sister via my father whose mother was Catherine MacMillan Patterson (nee Kemp) and her grandmother was the Catherine Kemp who also gave birth to Alexander. Hopefully Alexander did not inherit this problem which today is readily understood and treated but in Catherine McMillan's day was not really understood.
Bye for now
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Dunganess, over 1600 hits for "Kemp" in the National Archives,
http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue
Skoosh.
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Part 1
Sorry that I was unable to continue yesterday but the wedding went well and I can now continue with information on Alexander Kemp and his mother Catherine MacMillan and father William Kemp.
As I mentioned Alexander Kemp was the uncle of my grandmother Catherine MacMillan Patterson (nee Kemp).
From the 1861 Census you find the first mention of Alexander following his birth on 26th January 1860.
East end of Airth, Stirlingshire. (living in a house with 2 rooms with one or more windows)
William Kemp Head of house, married, Labourer (Turnpike Road), born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 46
Catherine B Kemp Wife, married, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire, aged 34
Eliza Kemp Daughter, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 10
William Kemp Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 4
Alexander Kemp Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 1
William Kemp aged 4 was born 27th February 1857, his birth registration shows that he was born at 12h 15m A.M. in Airth Village. His father is William Kemp, agricultural labourer and his mother is given as Catherine Kemp, Maiden name Benny McMillan. (This is interesting as Catherine is simply given as Catherine MacMillan on her wedding registration in Hamilton, Lanarkshire yet on the Old Parish Record of Airth Parish Church recording the wedding she gives her name as Catherine Benny MacMillan.)
As was the case in those days William would take work perhaps where he could find it and seasonally if working on the farm, so it isn't unusual to find as time goes by that job titles change.
From the Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births we see that Eliza was born to William Kemp and Eliza Christie, his second wife, on 10th June 1850 and baptized on the 23rd June 1850.
Missing from the census is Janet Kemp, again from the Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births we see that she was born 6th April 1854 and baptized on the 16th April 1854.
As Janet is not listed on the 1861 census I will be looking for her death certificate between 22nd Oct 1855 (as she is listed as living on the marriage registration of this date of William Kemp to Catherine McMillan) and 7th April 1861 (the date of the 1861 census) on my next visit to Register House in Edinburgh.
As mentioned in last posting Eliza (given as Elisa on the Parish Register), her mother died aged 34 on 26th April 1854 'in childbed', which seems to imply as a direct result of childbirth.
William Kemp was born August 14th 1814 and baptized on the 21st August 1814. The Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births has a rather interesting entry in that it could be that William had a twin sister. Here is a copy of the entry:
August 21st 1814 Kemp
William Kemp and Janet Gilfillan had (and here a part of the entry has been deleted and apparently replaced with the word ) twins born 14th and baptized 21st August called William and Elizabeth.
Again, on my next search I hope to find more about Elizabeth.
Part 2 to follow
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Part 2
I can also include here information on the William Kemp that married Janet Gilfillan, he was born on the 5th November 1780 as listed in The Old Parish Records of Airth Parish Church, Registration of Births. His father is Hugh Kemp and Mary Mitchel.
This is as far back as I've yet looked for information, hopefully I'll find more soon.
Now for the marriage registration for William Kemp and Catherine McMillan.
From the 1855 Marriages in the Burgh of Hamilton County of Lanark recorded by the registrar William Dickson.
22nd October 1855 at Hamilton, Marriage (after Banns) was solemnized between and according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Congregational Church of Scotland.
(signed) William Kemp. Residence Airth. Age 36*, Agricultural Labourer, Widower, third marriage, 2 children by former marriages living and 1 child dead.
(William Kemp) born and registered on August 21st 1819* at Airth, Stirlingshire.
Parents : William Kemp (Shoemaker) and Janet Kemp maiden name Gilfillan
(signed) Catherine McMillan. Residence Airth. Age 28, Housemaid
born and registered on August 22nd 1827 at Glasgow.
Parents : Alexander McMillan (Potter Carrier) and Janet McMillan maiden name McEwen.
(signed) Thomas Pullar, Minister of the Congregational Church, Hamilton,
signed : Alexander Hamilton, (witness)
signed : William Chapman (?) (witness) (The name is a little indistinct.)
Where and when registered : 1855 October 24th At Hamilton, William Dickson, Registrar.
* William Kemp gives Aug 21st 1819 as his birthday and his age as 36
His birthday was recorded in the Airth Parish register as 14th Aug 1814, he was baptised
on 21st Aug 1814. He was therefore 41 when he married Catherine.
Also from the Old Parish Register of Marriages from Airth
October 22nd 1855 : Kemp and McMillan
William Kemp in this parish and Catherine Benny McMillan residing in the parish of Hamilton, were publicly proclaimed for marriage in the parish Church of Airth three several times 14th and 21st October and that no objections have been offered.
Also from the 1861 Census you find
East end of Airth, Stirlingshire. (living in a house with 1 room with one or more windows)
William Kemp Head of house, married, Shoemaker (Master), born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 82
Janet Kemp Wife, married, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 78
Living next door to William Kemp and Catherine (McMillan) Kemp we find William's father and mother, William Kemp and Janet (Gilfillan) Kemp. As William, married to Janet was born 5th November 1780 by the 1861 Census date he is 81 and will be 82 November 5th of that year. He also gives his occupation as Master Shoemaker, which ties into the 1855 marriage registration of his son.
From the deaths in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling, William Kemp, shoemaker, married to Janet Gilfillan, died 26th March 1868, aged 88 years, his father is given as Hugh Kemp, Farm Servant (deceased) and his mother is Mary Kemp maiden surname Mitchell (deceased) (on William's birth registration Mitchell is shown as Mitchel) Cause of Death is Age and Debility, several months as certified by David Haig, Surgeon, Airth. The informant is William Kemp, Son (Not Present), When and Where : 1868 March 31st. At Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar.
I have more information on William and Hugh as well as Jessie, through census and other records. Strangely enough I'd not started looking for information on their sibling Alexander. In that respect I'd appreciate anything you're willing to share.
One last little snippet to give you an idea of Catherine B Kemp (nee MacMillan), sadly as I mentioned she was admitted to the Larbert Lunatic Asylum on 15th May 1875, when she entered she was 4 foot 10 inches tall, weighing 6 st 7 lbs. A petite lady.
Bye for now.
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Welcome to rootschat Willerson. :)
Tim hasn't been on rootschat for a couple of months but he should receive notification of your response. I'm sure he will be thrilled with the wealth of information you have provided.
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Thanks for getting in touch. Hopefully I can make contact with my distant relative. I'll post up more details tomorrow, time permitting but will certainly add more soon.
Regards
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Hi Willerson,
Many thanks for posting this detailed information. It has assisted me in putting together some more of the Kemp jigsaw. After all, every little bit helps.
Have you considered a DNA test to help validate your Kemp line? Apart from conducting the Kemp(e) one-name study I am also coordinating the Kemp/Camp DNA project.
Please PM me for details of either.
Kind regards,
Andrew
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Although I'd planned in the near future to have a DNA test carried out through an Edinburgh based company, it was simply to satisfy my curiosity regarding general roots e.g. of mainly Scandinavian origin, as I suspect in my case. In validating the Kemp line of that I have no doubt, as I knew my grandmother for many years, Catherine McMillan Patterson nee Kemp and my father, her son, has passed onto me a photograph of his grandmother who was married to Hugh Kemp.
Although not a medical person, my background is in Physics and Maths, I believe more of the Kemp genetic material made its way to my sister, she is just over 5 foot tall, like our grandmother and she is similar in stature to the diminutive Catherine Kemp nee McMillan who was my grandmothers grandmother. I will be interested to see if there are any clues as to the root of the porphyria that was inherited by my sister and father particularly as it may have contributed to Catherine Kemp nee McMillan's illnesses. So that line of enquiry I think will take me from Kemps to the McMillan parents of Catherine one of whom may have passed on the faulty genes.
Glasgow University conducted a survey over many years to track the spread of porphyria in Scotland and perhaps I could get some help there. As part of their study I'd to be tested and found not to carry the faulty genes. Though my sister has acute intermittent porphyria unfortunately.
Regards,
Willerson
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Part 3
I don't believe I've included the following bit of information that did surprise me a little. Bearing in mind that William Kemp (31) married his first wife Helen Anderson about the date of 8th June 1845, the last day Banns were called for their wedding in Airth Parish Church and they had a child, unnamed that died after 5 months being interred on 13th October 1846, I have also found that a child called Jane Kemp died of fever and was interred in Airth Church graveyard on April 9th 1848 at the age of 5 years, therefore she was born before William and Helen married and the final piece of information on the interment sheet states Jane is a child of William Kemp, Shoemaker, Airth.
So unless there are 2 people called William Kemp both working as shoemakers, unlikely, then at the age of 63, William Kemp was the father of this child that died when he was 68. I don't have information on Jane's birth which might let me know if the mother was Janet nor when William, born 1780 and Janet Gilfillan married yet but have added these searches and a birth registration for Janet to my to do list so that I can determine what age she was when this child was born or whether Jane was born to a different mother as Janet may have been too old to give birth to a child. There is another possibility which could be quite plausible, the son fathered the child out of wedlock and the father assumed parenthood, so more data needed to confirm what happened here.
Since I started with the 1861 Census last time, I'll move forward now to 1871 as a starting point.
From the 1871 Census you now find Alexander Kemp given as 11 years old, following his birth on 26th January 1860.
Civil Parish of Airth, Village of Airth 1871
Grahams Buildings (1 room with one or more windows)
William Kemp Head of house, married, Road Labourer, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 56
Catherine Kemp Wife, married, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire, aged 41 (should be 44)
William Kemp Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 14
Alexander Kemp Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 11
Jessie Kemp Daughter, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 6
Hugh Kemp Son, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 4
The latest additions to the Kemp family are Jessie and Hugh.
From the 1865 Births in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling
Entry No. 13
Name and Surname : Jessie Kemp
When and where born : 1865 March 2nd, 5h P.M., Airth Village
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Turnpike Road Surfaceman
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Catherine Kemp, M.S. McMillan
Date and Place of Marriage : 1855 October 22nd, Hamilton
Signature of Informant : William Kemp, Father (Not Present)
When & where registered : 1865 March 20th At Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar
From the 1867 Births in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling
Name and Surname : Hugh Kemp
When and where born : 1867 March 24th, 3h P.M., Airth Village
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Turnpike Road Surfaceman
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Catherine Kemp, M.S. McMillan
Date and Place of Marriage : 1855 October 22nd, Hamilton
Signature of Informant : William Kemp, Father (Present)
(It is signed in his own hand)
When & where registered : 1867 April 13th At Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar
By the 1871 Census Eliza Kemp, daughter of William to his second wife Eliza Christie has left the family home.
In 1867 she was married, the details are below :
1867 Marriages in the Parish of Airth in the County of Stirling
Where, when and how married.
1867 on the 29th day of November at Airth Manse.
After Banns according to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland.
Signatures of Parties, Rank or Profession whether Single or Widowed and Relationship (if any).
(Signed) Alexander Dick, Ploughman, (Bachelor) Age 23
(Signed) Eliza Kemp, Domestic Servant, (Spinster) Age 17
(between her 1st and 2nd names is an X , written above the X is the word 'her', below the word 'mark'.)
There appear under their names 2 witnesses, I presume this was to do with Eliza making her mark but being unable to read and write and so witnesses had to confirm her mark, as later on there are witnesses to the marriage in the correct entry column for marriage witnesses.
The witnesses were : William Dick and William Wilson.
Usual residence for both Alexander and Eliza is given as : Airth
For Alexander :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Dick, Farm Servant
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Jane Dick, M.S. Adam
For Eliza :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Turnpike Road Surfaceman
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Eliza Kemp, M.S. Christie (deceased)
If a regular Marriage, Signatures of officiating Minister and Witnesses.
(Signed) William Park, M.A., Minister of Airth
(Signed) Thomas Dick, witness, Mary Turnbull, witness
When & where registered : 1867 November 30th at Airth, Robert Armstrong, Registrar.
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Part 4
As I've mentioned although I've gathered a fair amount of data there is still a lot to do. For example, I need to locate a death certificate for Eliza and find her on the 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 census pages, as I believe she died in 1912 at the age of 62. This belief is based on the knowledge that there is a record of an Eliza Dick (nee Kemp) buried in Airth Parish Church graveyard. As far as I know there are 4 males named Alexander Dick buried in the graveyard but only one can be her husband, who died in 1917 at the age of 72, so I intend visiting the graveyard soon to verify that they appear on the same gravestone and photograph this, the graveyard is only 3 miles or so from where I live so I've no excuse for not getting there soon !
Once I get the census information I can start looking for children too.
Now for William Kemp aged 14 in the 1871 census. I next found him in the 1881 census at the age of 24, unusually, still living at home at the age of 24 considering Alexander 21 and Jessie 16 in 1871 have moved out also the family have moved house since the last census. Missing from the family home is the unfortunate Catherine B. Kemp (nee McMillan) who was taken into the Larbert Lunatic Asylum on May 15th 1875.
High Street (2 room with one or more windows)
William Kemp Head of house, married, Roadman, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 66
William Kemp Son, unmarried, Fireman Merchant Service, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 24
Hugh Kemp Son, unmarried, Scholar, born Airth, Stirlingshire, aged 14
William Kemp, 24, is given as a Fireman Merchant Service, my understanding is that this means he was what we might call today a Stoker on a merchant ship.
As I've found many times records of those days often show ages that do not match with known birth registrations. So the next event I have for William is his marriage on October 2nd 1885. Now in the 1881 Census above he is correctly listed as being 24 yet 4 years later he gives his age as only 26 on his marriage registration when he is in fact 28 ! He has also changed job. Here are the details of the marriage registration.
1885 Marriages in the District of Grangemouth in the County of Stirling
Where, when and how married.
1885 on the 2nd day of October at Lumley Street, Grangemouth.
After Banns according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland.
Signatures of Parties, Rank or Profession whether Single or Widowed and Relationship (if any).
(Signed) William Kemp, Mason's Labourer, (Bachelor) Age 26 (see above)
(Signed) Christina Ogilvy, Domestic Servant, (Spinster) Age 20
Usual residence for William is given as : Airth
Usual residence for Christina is given as : Lumley Street, Grangemouth
For William :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : William Kemp, Roadman (deceased)
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Catherine Kemp, M.S. McMillan
(At this point Catherine is staying in the Larbert Lunatic Asylum and has been there 10 years)
For Christine :
Name, Surname & Rank or Profession of Father : David Ogilvy, Shoemaker (Master)
Name and Maiden Surname of Mother : Michaela Ogilvy, M.S. Gimines
(possibly should be Giminez as Michaela was Spanish and a Naturalized British Subject as given on the 1881 Census. This also shows that Christina was born in Gibralter (sic) should be Gibraltar, her father was born in Forfar, Scotland and is listed as a Bootmaker (Master) employing 1 man. Christina had 5 brothers and sisters listed on this Census, including a sister Margaret born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jessie born in England and the others born in Grangemouth starting in 1875 so it seems like the Ogilvy family settled in Grangemouth about that time having travelled extensively.)
If a regular Marriage, Signatures of officiating Minister and Witnesses.
(Signed) G. H. Cumming, Free Church Minister (middle initial not too distinct)
(Signed) William Murray, witness, Jessie Ogilvy, witness
When & where registered : 1885 October 5th at Grangemouth, John Macdonald, Asst. Registrar.
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Hi once again distant cousin,
I am fasicinated by the amount of information you have given me and i cannot thank you enough.
Alexander Kemp and Mary Jane Waddell my grand parents, Alexander died before I was born but Mary Jane lived well into her 90's and survived many of her sons.
1. William Thomas Kemp 26/10/1898 - 9/04/1980 married Eleanor Smith 12/06/1908. They had 1 boy and 3 girls. Uncle Bill fought in WW1 on the western front Service No. 1078, 49th BN AIF.
2. Ronald McMillan Kemp B 14/08/1900 married Edna Gertrude Hudson and they had 2 boys and 2 girls - Ron and Edna moved to Adelaide, South Australia.
3. Mary McCall Kemp 27/02/1902 - 1/10/1951 married Alexander McDonald Terry on 23/01/1935, they never had children and aunt Mary died of cancer.
4. Alexander Samuel Kemp 23/7/1904 - 10/05/1957 married Frances Ellen Hawkins and they had 1 son Alexander Robert Kemp.
5. Roy McLean Kemp 26/07/1906 - 7/06/1958 never married
6. Thomas Symons Kemp 16/12/09 - 13/10/1963 married Gloria Blanche Huddy and they had 2 boys and 1 girl.
7. Stanley Hill Kemp 11/05/1912 - 10/06/1974 Uncle Stan was a POW in WW2 captured at the fall on Benghazi and moved from POW camps in Tripoli, North Italy and Brunswick Germany. Service number QX 11368He married late in lift to aunt Doris and that is all I know at this stage.
8. Daniel Mclaren Kemp 10/11/1914 - 28/09/1970 married Esther Cordelia Beatts in 21/05/1946, my parents and I have 2 brothers. Dad server in WW2 QX 11532, 2/31 Battalion.
Will finish at a later date