Wild goose chase?

[Jang]

Am I embarking on a wild goose chase in trying to find out more about my 3g grandmother, Jane WAKE, born about 1781 Scotland?

Apart from her marriage to Thomas COULSON in 1810 in Haughton le Skerne Durham, the only information I have about her comes from the 1851 English census:

St Saviour Southwark Surrey
1 1/4 Mary Anne Place
Jane Coulson 70 head widower Scotland
Jane Coulson 37 daughter unmarried Durham flax dresser
Hannah Coulson  34 daughter unmarried Durham flax dresser 
Thomas Coulson 13 grandson  unmarried Yorkshire scholar

How can I narrow down the county of her birth in Scotland?

Regards
Jan

[Gadget]

Hi Jan

I had this with one of my families - both husband and wife from 1841 to 1881. Then, in 1891 as a widow (and obviously giving info to census herself rather than her husband) my Jean/Jane turned up trumps and wrote down 'New Galoway'. What Joy!!! It opened up the whole family for me
I assume by her age that this won't happen in your case.
Have you tried the IGI or Scotlandspeople for possibles for Jane Wake? And definitely try searching for Jean as well as Jane Also, there's a recent website which gives the distribution of surnames which might narrow the field a bit.
I've just noticed that there are none b. Scotland on the IGI but quite a few in Co. Durham.  I think the marriage would have been Haughton le Spring.

Gadget

[Jang]

Hi Gadget,

I did try the IGI - only 2 Jane Wakes, one in Glasgow, the other in Midlothian and a Janet in Fife. I haven't used Scotlandspeople before.

The marriage was definitely Haughton le Skerne - 13 May 1810, according to the IGI.

I haven't tried the 1841 census yet either - apart from not knowing where she was in 1841, although  I suspect Haughton le Skerne, it will probably only tell me she wasn't born in that county.

One for the too hard basket for now, I think :-)

Best wishes
Jan

[Gadget]

Hi Jan

Haughton le Skerne - near Darlington then!

I notice that the IGI ones you mention are way out in terms of dates  Scotland's People might be your only chance www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk i think it's £6 for 30 units (1 unit = a page of 25 times).

I'd investigate east coast counties - one of my Georgie friend's ancestors moved from Aberdeenshire to Sunderland in the early 1800s by boat - this happened quite often.

I'll have another look at some of my records.

Gadget

[Gadget]

Jan

I've found some possibles with slight variations in spelling - Wait, etc. Do you have the names and birth order of her children? - naming conventions were pretty strong then.

Gadget

[Gadget]

Hello again Jan

I've done a little bit of exploring:

The greatest concentration of Wake as a surname was/is Northumberland/ Co. Durham

Have you seen this ref on Genuki - Haughton le Skerne

http://website.lineone.net/~jjoiner/mindex/mindex.html#Searches

its a marriage index and has your family listed. It also shows quite a lot of Wake/Waike

I notice on IGI  that their children are listed as George, Jane, Hannah

There is a possible baptism for a Jane Wake at around the correct time to a George and Jane Wake in Heighington, which is close to Haughton le Skerne

She might have been born Scotland/at sea or something and baptised when they reached home via the Tees

It might be worth asking on the Durham board. Someone might know about coastal movements.

Gadget

[Jang]

Hi Gadget,

Thanks for your replies and your detective work. :-)  I was interested in the baptism you found for Jane Wake  to a George and Jane Wake in Heighington - the names certainly fit with those of her children. I know I will have to venture onto Scotlands People at some stage!

Thanks for all your input.

Best wishes
Jan