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Forfarian,
Sorry to go on again about deciphering the suffix to "Campbeton" in Alexander's 1851 census entry, but I was wondering whether the good scan you kindly obtained from SP covered the whole page? And if so, could I view it ? ( - SP don't appear to have replaced their previous very unclear scan with it so far).

I have in mind examining the enumerator's writing on the rest of the page, to see if I can make sense of that infuriating last few letters.

Thanks!
Potterer.

Hello Forfarian!  Good to see you are on the case.. (and Don M too - just saw your post)

Briefly, re the NAS, yes I have, but no I haven't found too much yet - I did find the 1809 Description Book for the Edinburgh Militia (which I have seen), and which gives very useful information on the men in each Company, but I haven't found anything so far to indicate the Edinburh 10th's movements- if any.

The Edinburgh City Archives had the following related to this, as far as I could see, which from the decriptions did not appear to be obviously  useful for my purpose, though I haven't been to see them yet:-

- Rolls of men recorded in Edinburgh for auxiliary and regular forces 1796 – 1857. Parish Lists 1802. Oaths of Militiamen .Miscellaneous material. (thousands of men with physical descriptions. Unfortunately there is no nominal index…)

SL127 Militia Records 1717-1894, includes militia lists, assessments, lists of persons liable to serve, lieutenancy records, correspondence, financial records & correspondence

SL54  Army attestation registers 1794-1887.

SL12/81  Pamphlet on the County of the City of Edinburgh Militia, Gentlemen and Yeomanry and Volunteer Infantry   SL127/12/2 (listed Under Ref Code GB 0236 SL12, Misc Items & Deposits)

I'm not sure yet how I'd go about identifying other possible "10th Militias" in Scotland with any confidence.

I confess that (a) I'm not totally confident in my ability to search the NAS etc online effectively, and (b) I rather hoped that some kindly soul could wave a magic wand, having done similar research already !!

Otherwise I'll plod on...
Potterer.

Well, thats a pretty impressive response by you and SP, Forfarian!

The "Campbeton" looks pretty clear now, which is the crucial bit, and good to have, but like you I have no idea what the last couple of letters are, or mean.

Thanks for all that!
Potterer.

Forfarian,
Many thanks again for all the useful information.

I can see what you mean about the Kirk Session records - I did find a scanned copy of the Inverness Kirk Session online - a very interesting glimpse into the concerns and squabbles of the kirk and its folk, but a lifetime to search for anything specific, as you say - unless and until there's something like automated scanning of them  to create searchable text anyway.

Thanks too for the very useful placefinder link to https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/places in your other post re place names, although at a quick glance I still don't find Ardersier suggested as an alternative when searching for Campbelltown there, or vice versa.   Maybe its me.

Also, your sound advice to confirm the Parish and County when searching place names gets me wondering - the birthplace of "my" Alexander Grant in the 1851 Census*  looks rather like "Campbeton pa", which I took to mean possibly "Campbelltown parish" - BUT from what you say, Campbelltown was the name of the village ONLY , it was not the parish name.   The parish was Ardersier.     Am I going mad?!

* (1851 Census St. Cuthberts Edinburgh, 76[?] Crosscauseway, Alexander Grant aged 75, retired shoemaker, GROS/SP reference 685/02 149/02 007)

Many thanks to all for your prompt replies.

Forfarian - thanks for the background on Ardersier, I should have got the right county too.. !

I puzzled for ages about Alexander's birthplace in the 1851 Census, which looks rather like "Campbeton Pa " . The only Campbelltown I found in the gazetteers I used was the Argyll one, and I tripped over Ardersier/Campbelltown ( also Stewarton, next door I believe,) by accident.

Fort George there is very impressive and well worth a visit - the Highlanders Museum in the fort  there has very helpful staff and useful records too, which I was able to use to track the movements of the Inverness 10th Militia.

You are quite right about going to primary sources, of course.... 
The info on IGI does correspond with later Census records of the grandchildren -
it seems from what you say that they won't appear in the OPR's because they appear to have been registered with the Bread Street Relief Presbyterian congregation in Edinburgh.

Pennines - thanks for the Irregular Marriage information - as a militiaman its not unlikely for Alexander I guess - and thanks for checking military marriages.
The Border marriages would be worth checking. as you suggest.

Forfarian again:- I wonder what percentage of 18th century marriages etc weren't recorded?

I did read that the fee introduced (by George?) to register BMD's meant that very poor folk sometimes didn't bother, if cash was short.

Your point on Episcopalian marriage records not on Scotland's People is interesting  in the light of my comment above about the later Bread Street Presbyterian congregation, whose Minister, Reverend James Scott, married Alexander's son George, and Janet Borthwick in 1831, and (pace your IGI comment) at which George's children were possibly recorded too.

I wonder why George changed religious allegiance from that of his father?

Alexander's children and second marriage were all registered at St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh -I wonder if Alexander was sympathetic to non-conformism (right word in Scotland?) too at the time of his first marriage, which I seek?

Are there any records of Episcopalian BMD's? - and if so where, please?

Many thanks for your trouble reading all this !