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Hello all

William is a bit grainy. Is there any chance you wonderful guys could clean him up?

Jim

Can anyone help please?

Isaac's photo is all grainy, it has suffered with age just like me.

Please can you do your magic?

Jim

Can anybody help me with my ggggrandfather?

   James McKellar was born on the twenty fourth of June 1817 in the town of Gourock on the River Clyde. He married Isabella Shearer on 9/4/1839 at Greenock Middle Church, Renfrewshire. His seafaring career began in 1929. Apart from one, all of his ships were paddle steam tugs, although there was some accommodation for passengers/cargo on some of them. He first served on the James McInroy for thirty seven months. This was followed by the Samson in 1831 which was the first steam tug in Europe. Then followed by the Hercules in 1833, Agnes, a brigantine, and back on the Samson in 1835. He then returned to the Hercules for seven years.
   By now he was quite experienced and so from 1845 he was Master on board, starting with the Champion then Defiance and Jenny Lind. Four years on the Helen Faucit and Helen McGregor takes us to 1853 when he took charge of the Robert Bruce. This was quite a large vessel and although competent, James had not taken his Masters examinations. He did apply however on 12th August 1857, and passed on 17th August. Address at the time was 14, Hamilton Street, Greenock. The 1871 census has James as master on tugs Eliza and Rover at Greenock.
James died on 3/7/1876 at Gourock Infirmary of apoplexy aged 59.
   In 1851 James was at 43, Hamilton Street, Greenock with Isabella, daughter Helen and possibly his father, also James aged 57. The census transcript has this James born Kilmarn (Kilmun?) in Argyllshire, but the quality is poor. Unfortunately I can’t find the 1817 birth record for James. James (1794) married Isobel(Isabella) Gillies on 25th January 1813 and on the marriage entry James is described as a boatman in Gourock. With Gillies being in granddaughter Annabella’s middle name and 1794 James at the same address as James 1817, I would assume that he is the father. James 1817 seaman’s record says he was born in Gourock, living in Hamilton Street, Greenock.
James senior was a paddle boat steamer Captain from Glasgow/Greenock to Ireland and Liverpool. There were at least a dozen Captain McKellers on the Clyde then.
Siblings:
William McKellar b. 3/6/1821, bap. 22/6/1821 Inverkip, Renfrew, parents James McKellar and Isabella Gillies.
Peter McKellar b.28/4/1823 bap. 2/5/1823 Inverkip, parents James McKellar and Isabella Gillies.
Margaret McKellar b. 19/6/1825 bap. 10/7/1825. Greenock, parents James McKellar and Isabella Gillies.
Janet McKellar b. 21/3/1827 bap. 15/4/1827 Greenock, parents James McKellar and Isabella Gillies.
Likely to be other births for James and Isabella between marriage in 1813 and 1820.

I can't find the birth records of either James senior or junior or the death record of James senior and I need them to move on. I have a death entry for a James McKellar of 13/5/1878 in Gourock but it's not my James. This one was married to Jane Anderson in Gasgow in 1839.

Any help would be much appreciated

Rgds

Jim

Hi all,

Can anyone help out?

I'm trying to get information on Rachel Edwards. She married Samuel Jones at St. Mary's, Swansea on 7/3/1815. I have a copy of the marriage entry but it does not give her age or names of parents. The only candidates I can see on Family Search are:

Rachael Edwards born 12/2/1792 Llangibby Mon. Parents Owen and Sarah
Rachel Edwards born 29/4/1781 Llantrissant, Mon. Parents Walter and Rachel
(May mean nothing but they did name one of their children Walter)

Her husband Samuel was a marine in the Royal Navy which he left on 4/3/1816.
1815: Swansea. Mareen (Marine) on marriage entry.

Nominated to the Coastguard service on 25/1/1821 from Uphill, Somerset with first posting to Tenby CG station. Nomination Book of 1821 has him taking examination in Swansea.

They had a child Charles baptised in Tenby on 15/3/1822.

Thereafter they moved about and settled in Ireland.
31/12/1822 Transferred Tenby to Minnard Head, Ireland.
19/8/1825 Joined Revenue Cruiser Kite at Portsmouth.
17/10/1825 Transferred Minnard Head to Osmington Mills, Weymouth.
16/9/1826 Transferred Osmington Mills to Ballymacotton, Ireland.

They had a child George at Weymouth in 1926 and on his baptismal record her name is spelt Rachael. On the marriage entry it is Rachel. Samuel was a sailor on George's baptismal record.

As they married in Swansea and Samuel went from Somerset to Swansea for his examination it may be that Rachel was from around there though I can't be sure, but it's highly likely she was Welsh.

I am hoping to get a record of her death in Queenstown which may give a clue to her birth year, but pre 1864 records were lost in the troubles.

Unfortunately I have no info on their whereabouts from 1816 to 1821.

Any help would be much appreciated, and a Merry Christmas to all my readers.

Rgds

Jim

Please could you do something for Annabella and her family? Obviously the photo has seen a bit of wear over the years but it's the only one I have of my gg and ggggrandmothers.

Best Regards


Jim Mc