Robert A Jones - clues?

[Hermit]

Searching for information about Robert A. Jones, born 16 Oct 1823 on Arran Island.  Nothing about him in the scotlandspeople Old Parish Registers, and his family soon moved to Dunany, Ireland (see my posting  Jones Family/Ireland/County Louth), where the Jones family had a coal-importing business.  Any property records  to find out where he lived on Arran – who they rented from?  Any business records to show whether his father was looking for coal on Arran?

[Arranroots]

Hi Hermit

First - humour me here - are you sure it is the Isle of Arran, Scotland and not the Aran Islands of northern Ireland?

If it is certainly Arran, I can recommend contacting Grace Small at the Arran Heritage Museum

http://www.arranmuseum.co.uk/

They are extremely helpful there and have amazing resources and wonderful volunteer staff.

kind regards, Arranroots 

[Hermit]

Dear Arranroots:  many, many thanks for your reply.  Your caution about the number of r's in Arran is well advised.  In this case, fortunately, the question is resolved in favor of Arran by Robert's obituary, printed in March 1908 in the Buffalo (New York, USA) Commercial Advertiser shortly after his death. It states that he "...was born on the island of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland ..."

Again, my thanks - I'll contact the museum -
Hermit

[Arranroots]

Good luck with that then! 

There are definitely coal measures on Arran, but I am not sure of the extent to which they were exploited.  Certainly in the 20th century, my grandfather and his father gained their livings by bringing coal and other materials onto the island.


funny thing - I spend my time chasing JONESes all over Wales, but this is a first on Arran for me!!

Arranroots