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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Fife => Topic started by: BW252 on Friday 08 April 16 09:31 BST (UK)
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I have a problem finding details of the following Gay family from Crail:
Alexander b1826 Crail married Isabella Anderson b1816 Kilconquhar d1906 rail. No death for Alexander. He was a Ship Master. Three of their family all born Crail are proving elusive:
Alexander b1848 no trace after 1861 census
George b1852, Draper no trace after 1871
James b1856, Grocer no trace after 1871
help, as always very greatly appreciated.
Harry
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Harry,
Sure you have this photo of gravestone for Alexander and Isabella...but just in case https://hu.billiongraves.com/grave/Isabella-Anderson-Gay/15007551#
Monica :)
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Monica
thank you very much. I had the death details on Isabella but not the grave stone. This certainly helps with Alexander - now to find the details of his drowning!
thanks again
Harry
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Oh, that is good that it is new to you.
Also, re son George:
GEORGE ANDERSON GAY is noteworthy among a large group of Scottish merchants who came to America at about the same period, the middle of the nineteenth century, and all of whom, in various cities, have attained signal success.
Mr. Gay was born in Crail, Fifeshire, Scotland, September 28, 1854, the son of Captain Alexander and Isabella (Anderson) Gay. He entered school in his native town, but left at a very early age and served a four years’ apprenticeship in the general store of Sharp & Murray, Cellardyke, Fife.....
www.electricscotland.com/history/descendants/chap60.htm
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It was George himself who gave his birth year as 1854 not 1852 (fitting with this entry that you have https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYCR-LKM).
This is his 1920 passport application here https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR2-GYZM and also for 1922 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKDF-QY35
His 1871 shipping manifest entry https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPV-2NN1
1880 census https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFCF-RBV
1930 census https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMPY-F7Q
1940 census https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K716-4FP
The 1900 and 1910 census entries would be good to find for you to check whether he had any children etc.
Monica
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Hi
I suspect that George left a will, Monica - Connecticut wills are on Ancestry.
William
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That is good news, William :)
George was a busy transatlantic man over the years. Many shipping manifest records going back and forth for his and family members.
Main UK address being given by his was 6 Downie Terrace in Crail.
Monica
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Monica
thanks again for all this fabulous information. I have also been researching his brothers family and found that the 3 sons (of John Guthrie Gay, Alexander, David and George) had gone to the USA (Hartford) they will be the 3 nephews he put thro Yale! Very interesting to see what he did for Crail, I have many connections with Crail thro the Taylors, Gays, Tobits. I noticed on Alexanders grave stone that he was 47 years old. I have him as being born in 1826 (Isabella was born in 1816) this would mean that he married at 16???? Doubts creep in when I see this although all his childrens MCs and DCs are correct with parents.
again thanks very much for the links and data
Harry
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I think his nephews show with George on one of the census entries in the US linked and also on shipping manifests.
Harry, re brother James. I wondered about these details for him.
His mother Isabella shows alone with grandchild in 1901 (you have this I am sure but just for detail here):
Isabella Gay 82 Living On Own Means
Alexander A Gay 9
Address: Nethergate, Crail
I couldn't see a will for her however there are two will & testament entries showing in 1916:
James Thomas Wilson GAY - 20/10/1916. NETHERGATE, CRAIL, D. 19/06/1916 AT CRAIL, TESTATE.
James Thomas Wilson GAY - 20/10/1916. RETIRED COMERCIAL TRAVELLER, NETHERGATE, CRAIL, D. 19/06/1916 AT CRAIL, TESTATE. CUPAR SHERIFF COURT INVENTORIES SC20/50/98
There is a death for this James in Crail in 1916, aged 60.
Monica
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James Thomas Wilson Gay not correct James is it :-\ Just seen this birth entry for him https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY1V-8RD
Monica
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Re Captain Alexander Gay, an entry here:
Wednesday 13 November 1861 , Dundee Advertiser , Angus, Scotland
Newcastle Courant
NORTH SHIELDS
“... was seen to co down with the three men, and all 7 are supposed to have'perfahed. The boat belonged to the Mary, of Crail, Captain Gay. The boat washed on shore on ...
Friday 08 November 1861 , Newcastle Courant , Tyne and Wear, England
Lots of other entries around this time in newspapers of that time.
I don't have a subs unfortunately to www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
Monica
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...I noticed on Alexanders grave stone that he was 47 years old. I have him as being born in 1826 (Isabella was born in 1816) this would mean that he married at 16???? Doubts creep in when I see this although all his childrens MCs and DCs are correct with parents.
Have you come across this before https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F16C-RJS Banns to the marriage given the reference to 'intended marriage'?
Alexander and Isabella both show on this index as 21 in 1842. I think however what this means on the original cert will be that both the bride and groom were of full age (ie over 21).
Monica
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Monica
they were married on 12 Jan 1842, no ages given. There is an OPR entry for him with correct parents as baptism and birth on 15 Sep 1826? Could he have been born in 1814 as gravestone gives with age 47? and been baptised 12 years later?????????
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What detail do you have for his birth/christening and parents?
Monica
ADDED: Who were Isabella Anderson's parents? Was in an Alexander Anderson and wife Janet Brown?
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The Newspaper articles report that the ship, a sloop, was lost off Hartlepool in a gale. The crew lost numbered four, the Captain Gay , who belongs to this place (ie Crail), his son ( a young boy), another young person, belonging here and the other from the Highlands. The ship was washed ashore at Seaton Sands.
William
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Thanks, William. I read a snippet from one of the entries that no bodies were recovered. May explain why there is no English death cert. for Alexander Gay.
Monica
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Monica
OPR entry for birth of Alexander gives parents as William Gay and Ann Paterson. Isabellas parents are given on her DC as yes Alexander Anderson and Janet Brown
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There is a Masters and mates cert for an Alexander Gay from Crail with dob 16 Nov 1813 issued in Dundee in 1851- the record lists all his vessels from 1830, when he was an Ordinary Seaman, until 1851 when he was master of the Mary (name not clear but I think that is what it says).
William
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Monica and William
I wonder if the young son could be Alexander b1848, he would be the right age, 13, to be on the boat?
thanks again to you both
Harry
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William
any mention of the Amethyst at all. I have from somewhere found he was also on that vessel. Oh dear the date of birth seems to be throwing all this family tree upside down??? Yet all the BCs, MCs and DCs seem to fit
Harry
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Harry, I don't think that entry is correct for Captain Alexander :-\ He showed as full age when he married in early 1842 (ie over 21 years old). At latest, circa 1820. Death age of 47 in Nov 1861 will put him c. 1814.
Names of his children from what I have seen:
Alexander b. 1842, 1st, died 1847
Henrietta b. 1845
Alexander b. 1848
Thomas b. 1850
George b. 1852
James b. 1856
John Guthrie b. 1859
Monica
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There is a Masters and mates cert for an Alexander Gay from Crail with dob 16 Nov 1813 issued in Dundee in 1851- the record lists all his vessels from 1830, when he was an Ordinary Seaman, until 1851 when he was master of the Mary (name not clear but I think that is what it says).
William
William, Mary is correct I think. Shows in the newspaper snippets as such.
Monica
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Will have a look but wonder if name has been transcribed as Guy on Family Search as there is a birth in Crail 1 Nov 1813 with parents Alexander Guy and Lucy Ramsey.
William
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Monica
These are indeed all their children. There is no recorded Alexander born between 1810 and 1820. I am beginning to think that Alexander is the father but I have picked up a different Alexanders birth. Parents were married in 1811 in Crail and their first child is born in 1817. If I could only find him in a census that may help!!!!!
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No Amethyst but list stops in 1851. Do you have them in the 1851 census as there is an Alexander with wife Isabella and 4 month old Thomas in Dundee transcribed as Guy.
William
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That sounds like them in 1851. Henrietta and 2nd born Alexander are with maternal grandfather, Alexander Anderson.
Monica
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Will have a look but wonder if name has been transcribed as Guy on Family Search as there is a birth in Crail 1 Nov 1813 with parents Alexander Guy and Lucy Ramsey.
William
William, this looks like this family in 1841:
Alexander Gay 55
Lucy Gay 55
Helen Gay 20
Thomas Gay 15
James Gay 14
John Gay 14
Address: Shoregate, Crail
Monica
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Monica
I am beginning to think I have made an enormous boo boo. The Alexander that all this points to is the son of Alexander Gay and Lucy Ramsay and NOT Gay/Paterson.
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Harry, this is William's find for 1851:
William Anderson 56
Ann Anderson 56
Mary Anderson 17
John Anderson 15
Alexander Guy 37 lodger shipmaster b. Crail
Isabella Guy 34 lodger shipmaster's wife b. Crail
Thomas Guy 4 Months lodger b. Crail
Address: 50 Gellatly Street, Dundee
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Monica and William
all evidence is pointing to the wrong Alexander - no mention of any paternal grandparents and the dob is all wrong. The Guy evidence is also strong. Now how do I change my family tree from one person and all the children etc to another person
Harry
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There is a Masters and mates cert for an Alexander Gay from Crail with dob 16 Nov 1813 issued in Dundee in 1851- the record lists all his vessels from 1830, when he was an Ordinary Seaman, until 1851 when he was master of the Mary (name not clear but I think that is what it says).
William
This is a perfect fit really isn't it https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYV6-Y2B Great find, William.
This is the rest of the set: https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bbirth_place%3Acrail%20%2Bfather_givenname%3Aalexander~%20%2Bmother_surname%3Aramsay~
Monica
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Harry, have you looked at any of the images of the pre 1855 christenings for the children of Captain Alexander and Isabella? You can often get additional clues from the names of sponsors to the christenings when trying to connect to other family members.
Lots of great photos here https://canmore.org.uk/site/35336/crail-shoregate-harbour of Shoregate, Crail where both the Anderson and Gay family show as living for many years.
Monica
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Alexander and Lucy (she is Louisa in 1851) are on the 1851 and 1861 censuses. His birth year is given as 1783 and hers as 1886. Their death certs should be on SP.
William
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Marriage Alexander Guy and Lucia Ramsey 25 Dec 1807 Crail - there are a couple of other births of their children under the Guy surname as well as a son John under the surname Gay - all suggests that you might have to search under both surnames.
William
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Monica and William
thanks very very much for all the information you have both provided. I have now been able to "swap" the Gay family over to the correct Capt Gay. I have also checked a few of the OPR births and confirmed both Grandfathers as witnesses/sponsors.
Very interesting entry for Christian born (1807) before Alex and Lucia were married:
"27 August Alexander Gay and Lucia Ramsey had their dau Christian (in Fornication) baptised (born 2 July last) Thomas Guy sponsor. Witnesses William Scott and James Guy)"
Harry
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Sounds like you are speeding back on track, Harry ;)
Monica
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Yes Monica
I think I have it all correct. Took me ages last night to change the family across to the correct Alexander but I feel that I have it all now.
However I still cannot find my original Alexander b1826 !!!
thanks again for all your help. Crail is always a very special place for myself and my family as my Grandmother and many other relations lived there and I visit as often as I can!
Harry
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This thread has certainly mushroomed, if threads can mushroom! I noticed Harry's original post yesterday, but as I didn't recognise the names Alexander Gay and Isabella Anderson, I didn't intervene. Now there are 4 pages of fascinating research to read, and a shipwreck into the bargain.
I certainly know the names of Alexander Gay and Lucy Ramsay. Alexander died in 1864, aged 81, in "the Big House" by the Shore. I wonder if that is the old 3-storey 17th c. Customs House, which by the 19th c. housed several fisher families. When my Peebles grandparents in Crail were first married they lived on the top storey. Alexander's parents were Thomas Gay, fisherman, and Christian Brown.
His wife Lucy Ramsay died in 1866, aged 80. She was the daughter of Alexander Ramsay, seaman, and Christian Burns.
Alexander Gay and Lucy Ramsay were the parents of Helen Gay who married George Clark in Crail in 1857; Agnes Gay who married George Barclay of Cellardyke; and Christian Gay who married Captain David Gellatly of Anstruther, a merchant seaman who at one time was master of the steamer "Xantho" which plied between Anstruther and Edinburgh. There are probably other children of Alexander and Lucy but these are the ones I've just managed to find in my notes. I'll have a look to see if I have any more information on this Gay/Ramsay family.
Harry (another one!)
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Hi Harry
Lots more details ;)
Is this the "Big House" here? www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/rcahms/35351/crail-35-shoregate-customs-house/rcahms?item=388542
Monica
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Monica
I always thought that was the Custom House down near the harbour
H
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That certainly is. Harry above was wondering if the reference to 'the big house' on Alexander Snr's death cert in 1864 referred to there.
Monica
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....There are probably other children of Alexander and Lucy but these are the ones I've just managed to find in my notes. I'll have a look to see if I have any more information on this Gay/Ramsay family.
Harry (another one!)
The children that I was seeing yesterday included:
Christian 1807
Agnes 1810
Alexander 1813
George 1816
Helen 1818
Lucy 1820
Thomas 1823
John 1829
All in Crail.
Monica
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Hi Harry
Thomas Gay and Christian Brown are my GGGGGrandparents. Thanks also for your info, much appreciated.
My GGGrandfather James Taylor (1824-1855) who married Christian/Christina Gay (1824-1911) was also lost at sea, He was the Master of the SS Albion when it was lost. His son Andrew George was born 8 months after the sinking. George went on to marry Mary Ann Gay (1866-1928). Quite a mix with all the Gays!!!
Harry
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Monica
yes I have all of these children. Did you see my note on the OPR birth of Christian???
H
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Yes, I did. You are fortunate to find it noted on the OPR entry. Normally you would have to dig around Kirk records (which are not online with very few exceptions) to come across this info.
Monica
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That certainly is. Harry above was wondering if the reference to 'the big house' on Alexander Snr's death cert in 1864 referred to there.
Monica
Yes, I haven't seen it called "the big house" before, but it's certainly the biggest house by the shore. A lot of the Gay family lived in the Shoregate or thereabouts. Opposite no.35, the Customs House, is no.36, formerly the home of my 2 x gt.grandmother Marjory Myles (Mrs. Andrew Taylor).
Taylor is an old name in Crail, and one of the men lost in the 1765 tragedy which was commemorated in a ceremony at the harbour last year was a Taylor.
Harry
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Here is a bit more about the Gays of Crail. You will know most of this already, Harry, but it may be of interest to others too.
Thomas Gay and Christian Brown were the parents of
William Gay who married Ann Paterson, and
Alexander Gay who married Lucy Ramsay.
Wm. Gay and Ann Paterson had sons called William Gay and James Gay who married the sisters Margaret Spence and Jessie Spence respectively. They were the daughters of George Spence, labourer, and Janet Wilson, of Crail. If my researches are correct, George was a brother of my 3 x great-grandmother Penelope "Penny" Spence who married William Dewar, labourer. The Spence family originated in Kingsbarns.
Wm. Gay who married Mgt. Spence in 1847 was a seaman on the "Indiana". When he died in 1881 aged 61 his death-certificate says he was a mate in the Merchant Service. The informant was his son James Gay, who gave an address in Belfast. James had a brother called George Spence Gay who married Mary Rollo in 1876.
Alexander Gay who married Isabella Anderson was master of the "Amethyst" of Arbroath. Why he sailed out of Arbroath I don't know.
Gay was also, and still is, a common name in Pittenweem, a few miles to the west of Crail, but I don't think the Pittenweem and Crail Gays were related. I have a theory that the surname is a shortened version of Rumgay, a name which becomes less common in the East Neuk just as Gay becomes more common. Similarly, I believe that the Pittenweem surname of Butters is an abbreviated form of the rare surname Buttercase.
Harry
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Harry
thanks again for all the info. Yes I did have most of it but not the other Spence sister - very interesting. As you will have seen I made a tremendous mistake in picking the wrong Alexander! I believe I did this in my early days of research and have since learned my lesson. George Anderson Gay was certainly a revelation in what he achieved but for all his greatness I still cannot find his death.
Harry
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:o George was certainly successful and a substantial philanthropist.
...the Hospital (at Hartford) received over $6 million from the late George Anderson Gay and...
www.harthosp.org/portals/1/images/8/providingspring2001.pdf
Monica
Added:
NEWS
Museum, Hospital, Seminary Get $18m
By FRANCES GRANDY TAYLOR; Courant Staff Writer Courant Staff Writer Owen McNally contributed to this story., May 1, 2001
Way back in 1937, George A. Gay celebrated his 85th birthday with a grand gesture to five Hartford charities. "With a clear mind and a good memory, health for my age good, I have much to be thankful to God for, and I am," he wrote. In gratitude, he gave away $20,000. Now, 60 or so years after Gay's death, his estate has left three of the city's best-known institutions sums that make the $20,000 look like chump change. Hartford Seminary, Hartford Hospital and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art have each received $6.2 million in the past year from a trust left by Gay, deliverable only after the last of his heirs had died.
http://articles.courant.com/keyword/art-collector/recent/2
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Many Thanks to Monica, William and Harry for all this wonderful information which enabled me to sort out my mistake and more.
Off on holiday to Jersey now, hopefully take my mind off the research for a week at least!
thanks again
Harry
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We had a holiday in Jersey a few years ago. Well, we tried to. Just an hour after dropping off our bags at the hotel my wife fell over in a restaurant and broke her ankle, and we spent the next few days in our hotel waiting for a flight back to Edinburgh. I've sometimes suggested having another attempt at a holiday in Jersey, but for some reason she doesn't seem too keen!
Harry
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I can understand your wife's reluctance ;) as beautiful as Jersey is!
Harry, enjoy your week there :)
Monica
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Back from Jersey and into the fray again! James Gay who married Jessie Spence seems to be elusive. I think I have them in 1851 in Crail where he is shown as a Spirit retailer. However on the OPR BCs for William Thomas 1849 and Janet Anne Wilson 1850 he is shown as a seaman. I just cannot find them after 1851 at all.
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It was quite common for a fisherman in the East Neuk ports to become a publican, variously described as a spirit dealer, vintner, beer dealer or whatever. Often the wife ran the business if the man was away.
I share your puzzlement about the fate of James Gay. His wife, now a widow, married her 2nd husband James Bowman in 1857. She was a vintner, he was a fish-curer, but joined her in the booze business.
Janet/Jessie Bowman or Gay or Spence died in 1892, aged 70. In my last post I got my generations mixed up. If I've got it right, Jessie's father George Spence was a brother of my 4 x great-grandmother Penelope "Penny" Spence who married William Dewar, so Jessie Spence was a cousin of my 3 x great-grandmother Ann Dewar who married Robert Peebles.
Harry
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Thanks Harry
the 3 brothers are all a bit of a mystery. James, Alexander 1826 and John 1829 are all "missing"
They are all brothers of my GG Grandmother Christian Gay 1824 - 1911
thanks again
H
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Hello again. A friend and fellow genealogist has pointed me in the direction of Crail monumental inscriptions in the Scottish Genealogy Society pre-1855 East Fife MI volume. At one time I would have looked there first, but I've become totally fixated on checking Scotlandspeople online
At no.34 in the Crail MI we find
1861 Wm Gay 8.5.1858 72, w Ann Paterson 28.9.1857, 66, chn Jas & Alex inf, Jas s 24.2.1852 33, John 1.6.1851 22, Alex 2.9.1850 19, by s Thos of NZ.
Then at no.95
(obelisk next 94) Jas Gay shipmaster 24.2.1852 33. w Jessie Spence 10.5.1892 70, da Jessie Wilson Gay or Key (stepfather Jas Bowman 6.12.1891 74), s Wm lost at sea 16.10.1864 16.
No.94 is a white obelisk commemorating Angus Mackay and his wife Helen Bowman.
Now that we have some definite dates it might be possible to find out more details from Scotlandspeople.
Harry
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Harry
this is just fantastic. I do hope you are not using your cash to investigate SP! I have been all over SP for those three to no avail.
There is nothing coming up for deaths pre 1855 for any of the men mentioned.
Are these Crail MIs online??? How do we check deaths at sea?
your help in this has been tremendous - I dont know how to thank you
Harry
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I bought the SGS East Fife MI volume back in the Stone Age before email and the internet, or at least before Scotlandspeople. So looking it up don't cost me a cent, I just have to reach up to my bookshelves and pull it down! I should have thought of looking in there before for the Gays, but it took my friend Norma to prompt me. We have both made good use of that book over the years. I don't think those MI volumes are online, but I presume the Society keeps them in print.
http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/Shop.aspx
And of course the fact that there are MI means that there are headstones you can still see in the relevant churchyard. Each parish entry in the book is preceded by a map of the graveyard showing the location of the stones.
Harry
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Harry
thanks very much again. I have now ordered the Crail MI (Fife South East) volume
Harry
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News articles about a trust from George A. Gay - https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zf8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=inQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3703%2C234873
http://articles.courant.com/2001-05-01/news/0105012801_1_mr-gay-art-collector-seminary-s-endowment
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Shellyesq
thanks very much for all this info
Harry
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Now have the MIs for E Fife. All the info given in previous posts has been invaluable, thanks very much. I am fairly zipping thro the Gays from Crail and believe I am almost complete. However there is always one! William Alexander Gay born 1849 in Crail, Fa William Gay and Mo Margaret Spence He is with his Grandmother Janet Spence (Wilson) in 1861 but can find no trace of him after this.
H
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There is the potential for some confusion here. A friend in Canada has emailed me a report in the Glasgow Free Press of Saturday, 28th October, 1865, about the foundering of a brig, the "Janet Allison" of Dundee, 3 miles off Berwick-on-Tweed, with the loss of all the crew except for the captain. One of the drowned sailors was William Gay of Crail, ordinary seaman.
The headstone of James Gay and Jessie Spence in Crail churchyard mentions their son William Gay, drowned at sea on 16th October 1864. I'm taking that from my copy of the pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions of East Fife, published by the Scottish Genealogy Society, and it's perfectly possible that the inscription actually says 1865 but the transcriber has mis-read it as 1864. Easy to do with weathered inscriptions. The lapse of time between the disaster happening and its mention in the Glasgow newspaper is probably about right.
However, your enquiry was about this William Gay's cousin, the William Gay born to William Gay and Margaret Spence. Scotlandspeople shows
Jas. Gay & Jessie Spence had a son, William Thomas Gay, on 18th February 1849.
Wm. Gay & Mgt. Spence had a son, William Alexander Gay, on 11th November 1849.
I don't know what became of William Alexander Gay.
Harry
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Harry
I agree with you on the date of Williams death as 1865 not 1864. The inscription says he was 16yrs old so that fits. I will just have to plug on and hope to find William Alexr.
many thanks for all your help
Harry
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Hi Harry
Thomas Gay and Christian Brown are my GGGGGrandparents. Thanks also for your info, much appreciated.
My GGGrandfather James Taylor (1824-1855) who married Christian/Christina Gay (1824-1911) was also lost at sea, He was the Master of the SS Albion when it was lost. His son Andrew George was born 8 months after the sinking. George went on to marry Mary Ann Gay (1866-1928). Quite a mix with all the Gays!!!
Harry
Hi, realise your post is several months old but if you see this, I think we are distantly related- Andrew George Taylor was my Great Grandfather (so James Taylor who drowned on the Albion was my Great Great Grandfather)! My attempts at tracing the family tree beyond him and Christina/Christian (? wasn't sure if was 'ina' or 'ian') came unstuck on Ancestry and Scotland's People websites so if you have any info beyond them then would love to find out more!
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Also, do you have more info on the sinking of Albion itself? My father believed it had either been on its way to/from Orkney (thought its cargo was potatoes one way and coal the other) - not sure what direction it was going when it went missing. Be great to fill in some of the gaps if you or anyone else on this site has any info. Thanks.
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Hi Harry
Thomas Gay and Christian Brown are my GGGGGrandparents. Thanks also for your info, much appreciated.
My GGGrandfather James Taylor (1824-1855) who married Christian/Christina Gay (1824-1911) was also lost at sea, He was the Master of the SS Albion when it was lost. His son Andrew George was born 8 months after the sinking. George went on to marry Mary Ann Gay (1866-1928). Quite a mix with all the Gays!!!
Harry
Hi, realise your post is several months old but if you see this, I think we are distantly related- Andrew George Taylor was my Great Grandfather (so James Taylor who drowned on the Albion was my Great Great Grandfather)! My attempts at tracing the family tree beyond him and Christina/Christian (? wasn't sure if was 'ina' or 'ian') came unstuck on Ancestry and Scotland's People websites so if you have any info beyond them then would love to find out more!
James Taylor appears to have been the son of James Taylor, coal merchant, and Jane Taylor, who were married in 1814 in Crail. James the father died in 1867 aged 77, and was the son of James Taylor, shoemaker, and Margaret Elder.
The Christian Gay who was married to James Taylor, ship's captain, was the daughter of William Gay, seaman & fisherman, and Anne Paterson. In 1841 Wm. and Anne have James Paterson, 80, living with them, presumably her father. William Gay, widower, died in 1858 aged 72, son of Thomas Gay, fisherman, and Christian Brown.
Harry
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Hi, thanks very much - great to be able to add these to the tree. Using Ancestry and Scotlands People I got very muddled when I tried mapping this myself, especially since my GG Grandmother's side were Gay too- I think Mary Ann Gay (who married Andrew George Tarylor, son of James who sank on the Albion) was the daughter of Jessie Anderson and John Gay. Think Gay and Taylor seemed the 2 most common surnames in Crail over those decades!
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Yes, lots of Gays and Taylors. One of the eight fishermen drowned at Crail harbour in the disaster of 21st January 1765 was an Andrew Taylor, and over a century later my great-great-grandmother Marjory Myles married a fisherman called Andrew Taylor in Crail.
Harry
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Also, do you have more info on the sinking of Albion itself? My father believed it had either been on its way to/from Orkney (thought its cargo was potatoes one way and coal the other) - not sure what direction it was going when it went missing. Be great to fill in some of the gaps if you or anyone else on this site has any info. Thanks.
The detail I have on the Albion is:
SS Albion was a Sloop of 68 tons, 15 metres length with a beam of 5 metres, built 1823.
Arrived Aberdeen from Wemyss 2 Dec. Left Aberdeen 18 Dec for Thurso to collect Orkney seed potatoes.
30th December is logged as having long continuous s'ly gales. Ship may have been lost in the Pentland Firth.