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Many thanks to you all for solving the mystery of Tuam, but, of course, it's of no value if my Jas Finlay wasn't from there.

The hard bit now will be establishing where the Finlays were from. There were 6 children all born Donegal and I'm hoping if I can find them on Censuses through the years that one of them will have put a town instead of just Donegal. Easier said than done. I've done 3 with no success.

Are any Parish Records for the area available? The last 2 were born 1833/37.

Thanks again, Eric

Many thanks for the replies. Plenty of food for thought.

The soldier is James Finlay and according to the 1861 Census in Scotland, was born c1785 Donegal, Ireland. I'm not even sure that this soldier is the same person, but need to start somewhere.

The info has been supplied by a cousin (which means this is all foreign to me...pardon the pun) who believes that JF was born c1785 Donegal and he married a Sarah Hunter around 1813/14 in Donegal. I did find a reference to his enlistment in 1804, which I'm trying to find again, but I think it gave him as born in Donegal.

At the moment, I'm just trying to solve this Tuam puzzler.

Thanks, Eric

Hi. I've come across some Army Records from 1814 which show a soldier as being born in Tuam, Donegal/Co. Donegal about 1795/96. However, when I searched for Tuam it comes up as being in Co. Galway.

Can anyone throw any light on this for me please.

Thanks, Eric.

Hi, I have a transcript of the 1851 Census for Sarah Finlay, born c 1795 Ireland, living at 28 South Coburg St, Gorbals.
On it she is shown as Wife. Is it possible for someone to check the actual image to see if her husband James is also shown, on the off chance the family has been wrongly listed. He seems to have disappeared in 1851, although there may be a very outside chance he was at sea.

Many thanks. Eric.

Thanks Jim. Like you say, we'll probably never know. I have tried to contact the author of the article, but he hasn't chosen to reply.

I'd be interested to know who he got the info from, as they may be a living relative, and they may be able to clarify a couple of points, such as the year he went to Moscow, his children and where he was in 1921. I haven't located any of the family in 1921.

James Bond might be my imagination running wild!! But, always say you never know. At least I now know what he was doing out there.

Thanks anyway. Regards, Eric.