All excited and no where to go!!!

[CarolBurns]

I am so excited as I have just searched for hubby's Great Great Grandad in the 1841 and found him with no bother LOL

The main problem is that I don't know when he started out in Scotland and whether he died in Scotland or just abandoned his wife.

Here are the details I have in reverse order

In 1861 he is found in Kelso, Roxburghshire with wife Agnes and son Hugh aged 5 and stepson William wallace aged 13. Peter is aged 43 born in Ireland and a Labourer. Agnes is 46 born in Melrose, Hugh is 5 born Kelso and William is down as William Burns aged 13 born Eckford. I do know that William was born from a previous marriage for Agnes not Peter

In 1851 he is named as Patrick Burns aged 30 Lodger, born Ireland - Railway Labourer. Agnes is Agnes wallace widowed aged 37 born Melrose and she has 3 sons - John born 1840 England, james born 1843 England and William born 1846 Eckford.

I searched for Agnes and husband in 1841 and found them in Northumberland so Peter / Patrick was not lodging with them at that time.
I did find him in Abercorn, West Lothian aged 20 years born in Ireland. he is living at "THE HUTS ON ESK (I think) RAILWAY P*********)

Does anyone have any idea where this might be or if I can find out which Railway company he may have been working for? When did this work start which might give me an idea of when he came over from Ireland and where did he come ashore in Scotland

The spooky thing is that his Grandson (Peter James Burns' (hubby) Grandad) also Peter James Burns was born in Northumberland and also worked on the Railway as a Platelayer. Luckily hubby hasn't worked for the Railway.

Any info would be appreciated

Thanks in advance

Carol

[Gadget]

Hi Carol

I recognise this family of yours 

I've just been looking through one of my Railway books  - not much on Scotland, I'll have to consult my husband on this BUT as far as i can make out the main trunk routes were finished by 1852-3 (as far as Edinburgh/Glasgow)  and 'railway mania' was at it's height from the mid-1840s, although there were many 'Acts' for individual railway lines passed 1833- 37.  There was a separate Dept of Railways at the Board of Trade set up in 1840.

I'll have a more thorough dig around but I'd think that he must have come over not so much before 1840 - unless he worked on road building before that.

Gadget

[CarolBurns]

He was only 20 in the 1841 census so I don't think he will have come over much earler than 1835. Saying that he seems to add years on as he is going along.
1841 - 20
1851 - 30
1861 - 43

Cannot find him anywhere else

But I have found a website for the Border Union Railway which ran from edinburgh to Carlisle and ran through Hawick. Now in 1851 they were in Heiton Roxburghshire but in 1861 they were in Kelso. The railway was opened on 1 July 1862 and closed in 1969. Does this sound like it could be the right one do you think?

Carol

[Gadget]

He would have been between 20 and 24 in 1841 Carol, so might well have come over earlier - or with parents.

I'll have to check in my Scottish History books for those lines - I'll be back later.

Gadget

[Gadget]

Hi Carol

Had a chat to husband. he only has stuff on Highland lines but, like me, thinks that 1841 is a bit early to be a Railway Porter in Eskdale. Your Patrick might well have been working to build one of the North British Railway lines, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_British_Railway

My (Scottish) books don't seem to give very much local detail just building of trunk lines in the 1830s-40s.

Gadget

[CarolBurns]

he was a Railway Labourer

Did I put Porter?
No just checked

I was wondering where the "huts on Esk Railway P******" would be

Carol

[Gadget]

Hi Carol, this stuff does get to one, was just about to start preparing in the kitchen and suddenly shouted 'it's platelayer' 

your pxxxxxxxxxx that is.

Gadget

[CarolBurns]

we're as bad as each other lol

I have customers in Steak house and keep running in to give the food orders, checking my rootschat messages and running back lol

Should go quiet again in about 15 mins when they are all eating - I hope!


Carol

[Gadget]

Back again after checking. 'Huts on Esk' would fit because if he was a platelayer then he would have been working close to the rails he was building, wouldn't he? This suggests he was one of a band of labourers building the line.

Have you looked for other Burns born Ireland in the area? I remember i found some in Glasgow but that's too far. I expect that their were lots. But what you're looking for isthe birth/baptism of a  Patrick/Peter Burns in Ireland 1816 -1821 -ish.

I'll be offline for an hour or so, but will return

Gadget