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For anyone following this, I have learned a lesson tonight: just because you find somewhere with a name (in this case "Hillhead" where James Sinclair stated he lived on the birth certificate) do not, repeat do not, assume that that is the only place with that name. I have just seen from the 1873 Ordinance Survey results for Caithness that, as well as Hillhead in Wick, there were other Hillheads in Dunnet and two in Bower. And .... two of those were owned in 1873 by Sinclairs! The search continues!

I have checked now and the 14 year old in Grant Street is not on my list so I will look at him again. I have 14 other possibilities who would have been 22 to 36 when the baby was born. Ideally I want to find someone at, or very near, Hillhead, as that is what he wrote on the birth certificate

Help please. I, and others, have failed ever to identify anything about my great great grandfather James Sinclair other than the fact that he is named and signed as father, Ploughman, from Hillhead, on the birth certificate of his "illegitimate" son (my great grandfather), also James Sinclair. The birth was 2.9.1887. at High Street, Wick. We know all about the mother (my great great grandmother), Margaret Simpson, originally from Stroma, who had a further "illegitimate" daughter Ellen McGregor, then on 1.11.1893 married John Dunnet and had several more children with him. But James the Ploughman is not known of before or since the 1887 birth. Family lore has it that he was drowned, but there is no record of a death that would seem to match him. James the son lived until 1964, was in Wick with gran (Mary Simpson)/aunt (Annie Clyne nee Simpson) in 1891 & 1901 census, then joined the Royal Engineers, serving in Mauritius, WW1 BEF and then Egypt. His 1910 marriage record states his father was James Sinclair, farm worker, deceased. I am trawling Caithness for him but thus far can find no probable matches. Any thoughts really welcome. Thanks

Thanks for all that Amberdog. I have messaged you. John Schermeide in particular sounds interesting. She lived in Edinburgh and gave birth there, but there is no reason why he has to have been in Edinburgh if they met in Pitlochry, and I agree re the name change being possible to protect himself. Thanks so much. The hunt continues

Arthur, thank you. Having waded through thousands of records I have expanded my options to anything Sch or similar. But the way you describe it is useful.

Girl Guide, thank you. I have seen Josef Florian and he is in the Red Cross records too I think. The fact that the baby's name was Florence and that his middle name was Florian, was quite attractive. However what makes it less likely, I think, is that he was in his mid 40s and she was about 22. That does of course not preclude them making a baby (!) but there are so many others with similar names of much younger age, so I think him less likely. If however I found him mentioned elsewhere such as in the Scottish camps, or somehow in Pitlochry, then his age would become less important. One unresolved issue I have about him is that the Red Cross records say he was from 67 Falcon St, Plaistow and came from Bodenstadt, Bez Mahrisch, Weiskirchen which I think is in Germany and not near Linz. But I am no expert in mid European geography! Thanks again. all these comments are so much appreciated.