Hi melonsmum and Monica,
To clarify the position in my own mind I’ll try to set out what I understand to be the current situation.
This is because the subject of the original query – Thomas B SCOTT from Peeblesshire, son of Thomas – has now been dismissed from consideration as have Thomas Beattie SCOTT from Newcastleton, Roxburghshire and Thomas SCOTT b Liverpool.
So what are we left with?
*Melonsmum’s Ggpa was Thomas Beattie SCOTT
*Thomas Beattie married in 1892 in Ireland. His mc gives his father’s name and occupation as Thomas SCOTT, Manager
*Thomas Beattie was recorded as of ‘full age’ on his mc; as 34 (dob ca 1867) in the 1901 Irish census; as 44 (dob ca 1867) in the 1911 Irish census; and as 85 (dob ca 1866) at his death in Oct 1951
*Thomas Beattie’s occupation was given as Clerk on his mc; Clerk, Linen Business in 1901 and Commercial Clerk, Linen Business in 1911. Later Irish street directories give his occupation as Foreign Correspondent; the burial register lists him as a Compositor
*On the censuses, Thomas Beattie’s birthplace is recorded as Scotland; a 2nd cousin of melonsmum thinks he came from a border county of Scotland
*The names of Thomas Beattie’s children don’t seem to offer up any clues as far as Scottish naming patterns are concerned (see reply #13)
*Melonsmum has seen an oil portrait of her Ggggpa painted ca 1840 (see reply #13)
We are
now exploring Thomas SCOTT b ca 1865 in Govan parish, Renfrewshire (sic) – he was still a scholar in 1881 which seems appropriate for a chap who was a Clerk in 1892. This Thomas has a correctly named father i.e. Thomas SCOTT and father Thomas is involved in the linen/drapery trade (as was Thomas Beattie in Ireland). Father Thomas was b ca 1825 in Dalkeith, Midlothian; he is the son of Allison (SHIELS) SCOTT who, in the 1851-1871 censuses, is recorded as the Widow of a Relief Church Minister. … We can’t find the family in 1841. And we haven’t found Thomas b ca 1865 or Thomas b ca 1825 in Scotland in 1891 or 1901 – perhaps the family had all gone to Ireland - perhaps after the death of Allison (SHIELS) SCOTT in 1871.
Now some thoughts and questions:
1. Does Ggpa Thomas Beattie’s middle name of Beattie appear anywhere other than on his mc?
2. What do you take as the meaning of the occupation of “Foreign Correspondent”? Perhaps it didn’t have the obvious meaning which we would give to it now? Perhaps Thomas Beattie was still in the linen trade – but dealing with exports to foreign countries? Do the addresses in the electoral rolls give any clue whether this might be the case?
3. Melonsmum, do you have any further info about the portrait. Where does the date of ca 1840 come from. Where does the info that it’s your Ggggpa (i.e. Thomas Beattie’s grandfather) come from? Is there any more information about it at all?
Do let me know if I've missed something
JAP