Janet Gardner

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After looking for ages to find my ggggrandfathers parents. I have finally found them. One thing worries me though as to if they where married. On the IGI they are John Sclater and Janet Gardner. Their son being William Sclater born Caputh Perth in 1826. On S.P. had a really hard time to find his birth using John and Janet Slater as Williams marriage cert says Slater. I only found it when I put Sclater and had to put Gardner for the mother. Surely if they where married her name should have been the same as his. I also cannot find a marriage cert. no matter how I spell Slater, with or without a C. I have had to order Williams birth cert. and I am wondering if I am to assume that they weren't married.
I have also tried to find them together on 1851 census can find both names but not together. John had died pre 1860 when William got married.
 What would be the likelihood of them not being married but both registering the birth, or, did the woman not always take her husbands name at marriage.
Any ideas would be gratefully received.
Regards
Anner.

[MonicaL]

Hi Anner

In Scotland a woman did not have to legally take on her husband's surname at marriage. They could still use their maiden name if they wanted.  Just a couple of other points for you to bear in mind:

1. The registration of their son William's birth would be under father's name and mother's maiden name. So the problems you've had when searching on SP if you searched with mother's surname as Sclater are to be expected.

2. You won't find all births and marriages pre 1855 and the date of official registration on SP. This is due to all sort of reasons not least that many Old Parish Registers simply didn't survive (lost/destroyed). So just because you haven't found a marriage entry for John and Janet, don't necessarily think they weren't married.

Having said all of the above, the birth could have been illegitimate. In some cases the father's name would go on the birth register.

From William's marriage cert in 1860, his father shows as deceased. If mother still shows as alive (not always 100% true) you could try searching for her death for confirmation of her status.  Have you found William in the 1851 census to see who he was living with? Although c. 24 years, he might be with mother.

Regards.

Monica

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Hello Monica and thank you for your reply. I have looked for William on the 1851 census and think I have found him still in Perth as a farm servant and lodging at the farm. I know he married in Glasgow and did a search for him there and got no results. I have also tried for John Slater with name variations as the birth is registered as Sclater, but again as John died before 1860 haven't had many results. I also tried for Janet S(C)later none fitted, but found a death cert. for Janet Gardner, with no other info, not even if married, widowed or single. There where no parents either, just that she died from Typhus at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. That is the nearest I have got to her. A member of staff had witnessed her death.
 I haven't found on the 1851 census John Slater with Janet anywhere that looks right but I am waiting with bated breath for the 1841 to be put on SP and hopefully will find them all together as William will only be 14 years.
 I did an IGI and Freecen search, and all the Johns came up with wives that were different from Janet. On her name (Gardner) found a few that looked promising, living by their own means. By the way that was on Freecens 1841 census.
But again thanks for your help.
Anner.