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Messages - AlexWood

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World War One / Re: Thomas Black Spence RGA (Coastal)
« on: Sunday 27 November 11 21:48 GMT (UK)  »
Thanks very much it's a giant leap forward and I'll ask my mum about the civil wife bit when I see her at Christmas - best done face to face I think!

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World War One / Thomas Black Spence RGA (Coastal)
« on: Sunday 27 November 11 10:28 GMT (UK)  »
Hi, I've got my Gt Grandfather's enlistment form off ancestry.co.uk and was looking for help deciphering his postings. I can read when he was posted to the BEF but that's about it. And what is class "Z" in the Reserves? All help gratefully received.


3
Stirlingshire / Edward Donaldson/Peter McArthur
« on: Monday 03 January 11 22:21 GMT (UK)  »
Does anyone know how adoptions and name changes worked in the mid C19?

My Great Grandfather is Peter McArthur and according to my mum no-one in the family knew much about him...and now I'm not surprised.


His death certificate from 1914 says his father was Peter McArthur and his mother was Mary McArthur MS Donaldson.

His Marriage Certificate of 1895 says father the same and mother Isabella McArthur MS Gillespie.

The 1881 Census has them living in Smarts Court, St Ninians and  the head of the household is Isabella (Peter Snr died in 1878) with one son Thomas Gillespie and Peter as an adopted son.

So I went looking for a Peter McArthur and found one born on Islay 9th Feb 1864. He seemed a good candidate being the illegitimate son of a Mary McArthur.

Then I checked the 1871 census and found the McArthur family but no sign of young Peter. Instead they have an Edward Donaldson living with them as an adopted son. He was born illegitimate in Stirling to Mary Donaldson in February 1863.

My gut feel is that Edward is my ancestor and had his name changed but is there anywhere I can check that?

Oh yeah, there is no sign of Peter Snr ever marrying Mary Donaldson his death cert just lists an Isabella Gilles then Isabella Gillespie.

I hope the relationships are clear but if you want to know anything just ask.

4
Banffshire / Re: George and Barbara (Barbra) Wood
« on: Monday 23 February 09 20:12 GMT (UK)  »
Sorry I'm a bit late to this...real life  ::)

Anyway, I'd be very interested in anything you've got on George and Barbara's children.

I've got Rankins, Reids and Morisons at various points in my tree but nothing that jumps out and hits me as linking up directly with what's here,  It is possible there's a link hiding in there somewhere...

Barbara Killah born 25th May 1800 to William Killah and Isobel Rankin. Siblings James 11th Feb 1798, William c.1802 and Mary c.1805

Isobel Rankin above born 11th March 1771 to William Rankin and Jean Morison

William Rankin above born 1748 to William Rankin and Anne Reid. Siblings (I've not checked any of these out!) Isabel 1760, Agnes 1745, James 1746, George 1755, John 1750, Alexander 3rd December 1762, Anne 1752 and Elizabeth 1755.


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Banffshire / Re: George and Barbara (Barbra) Wood
« on: Sunday 09 November 08 21:55 GMT (UK)  »
Thanks Monica, this is a great help.  Yes my family are George Wood & Barbara Killoch. Also Killah in one source but Killoch seems the commonest spelling.

The Mary staying with the Killochs is a good candidate for George & Barbara's daughter because I've found a baptism record for a daughter of theirs called Mary born in 1830.  I was keeping her for later investigation so that's another job you've saved me.  :)

Margaret doesn't appear as their daughter from the birth records so I'm guessing a niece but will look into that later.

Thanks very much for your help.

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Banffshire / George and Barbara (Barbra) Wood
« on: Saturday 08 November 08 21:46 GMT (UK)  »
Hi I'm new to this and have hit my first problem... :)

I can find this couple in the 1841 census for Gamrie with their children William (8 ), Margaret (4), George (6) and James (2).

By the 1851 census the parents have disappeared and all the children appear to be in service with different families.

I would expect this to reflect the parent's deaths and the kids being farmed out.

However...by 1851 there's a George and Barbara Wood in Gamrie at a location that features later in my one's (James) life. They are about the right age and George is also an agricultural labourer.  But they have a different set of children that I can't find in the 1841 census.  There's no other likely candidate in the 1841 census that I can find either.

Any advice on how to tackle this or a solution that wraps it all up would be most welcome.

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