Place name near Linlithgow

[RichardK]

Can anyone help with this place name please?  It's the location of a marriage in 1917, and it is also listed as the bride's address.  It looks like it could be 'The Parage, Avontoun, Linlithgow' - I've found Avontoun to the south(ish) of Linlithgow Bridge, but can't seem to find anything like 'The Parage' around there.  Does anyone know whether such a place exists or have a better suggestion as to what the writing says?

Thanks
Richard.

[Willison]

Hi RickardK, I was over that way earlier and had a look. I imagine 'The Parage' to be one of the houses or cottages visible, or partly visible, from the road (the A706). No visible signs bearing that name or anything like it. Will try to take a more detailed look next time I'm over there but the road doesn't lend itself to slowing the car to look around, and even worse on foot.   
I take it you have had a look at 'oldmaps.com'? They have a map from 1917 that may show the property.

[RichardK]

Hi Willison

Thanks for looking - it's very good of you to have a look.  I have tried old-maps, but there wasn't anything obvious.  I suppose it may well be one of the houses - maybe they actually got married in the bride's house.

Whatever you do, don't cause an accident on the road!  I used to work with a town planner, who said that planners should pay more car insurance for their habit of stopping abruptly to look at interesting buildings / unauthorised building works etc.

Many thanks for your help.

Regards
Richard.

[corbiekid]

Hi RichardK,

I am familiar with this area but do not know the name. 

Maybe we could pinpoint the house by surnames and censuses, what is the bride's name? 

[RichardK]

Bride is Christina RHIND (groom is William AITKEN) - but I know that in the 1901 census she's at Charleston Farm, Duffus, Morayshire.  Her parents stayed up in Morayshire (dying there in 1911 and 1924), so I presume Christina came down south alone, quite likely to work as a domestic servant.
Thanks
Richard.

[corbiekid]

This has really got me puzzled.  I agree it looks like "The Parage" and I had a look at the marriage entry on Scotland's People. 

I noticed that the P in Parage is not written the same way as the P in Parish (in the other marriage entry on the same Scotlands People page) and wondered if that was significant.

A few years ago, the Registrar in Bo'ness told me that two registers were kept.  One stayed in the Registrar's office and the other, when completed, went to Register House in Edinburgh.  I was told this when I asked why, despite having her birth certificate, my greatgrandmother (Johan, and obviously female) was in Scotlands People as John and male!! 

The Registrar was meant to fill in both registers together at the time of registration but it was common practice to fill in one with all the details and then fill in the second at his leisure.  This lead to copying errors and I think this is this case here.

In your marriage record, a capital L is written with a curly looping top and could be mistaken for a P and combined with bad writing, I think the "The Lodge" was mistaken for "The Parage".

On the 1856 map, there is a lodge to the east of Avontoun House and later there was a south lodge (still standing today).  I don't know when east lodge was demolished or when south lodge was built but I reckon Christina Rhind lived, and was married, in one of them.

That's my theory but I am more than happy to be shot down in flames if someone finds "The Parage".

[RichardK]

Hi Corbiekid

That's a nice theory - and certainly some sort of lodge to Avontoun is highly plausible.  Unless someone finds a better suggestion I think that's probably the theory to go with.

Thanks - you've obviously put some thought into this!

Richard.

[alba99]

I lived in that area in the 50s and 60s and it doesn't ring a bell.  The Lodge theory is probably the best alternative.

Les

[mr-aitch]

Hi, All.

In cases of doubt I'm a great believer in going back to the original for the answer and I did that today at New Register House.  I looked at both the fiche copy and the original book.

And the answer?  It is, without any shadow of doubt "The Garage" and the problem you have, Richard, was caused by the digitisation.  I had it checked by three members of staff just to make sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me.

As for finding out where it was, the best way of doing that will be to consult the Valuation Rolls for 1917 available at the West Lothian Local History Library.

If I may I'd like to offer an alternative procedure from that quoted to Corbiekid by the Bo'ness Registrar.  My understanding of the procedures is:

Yes, two books were kept.  If you have any personal experience of registering events you will know that for births and deaths you only signed one book, i.e. the original.  The Registrar made a copy in the second book, i.e. the copy, and wrote your name under the word "signed".  After the end of the year the Registrar compiled an index at the back of each book.  The original book, ie. with the actual signatures, was required to be sent to GROS.  That's what happened and you can satisfy yourself that was so - look at any birth or death image you have downloaded from ScotlandsPeople and you will see the informant's actual signature.  Ergo, the original book is in NRH and not the Registrar's copy.

(Marriages did not have original signatures because the couple signed the schedule and the Regsitrar wrote the names in under "signed".  For some marriages by Warrant of the Sheriff-Substitute the couple delivered the schedule to the Registrar and signed themselves.)

The index compiled by the Registrar was used to make the Digros and SP computer indexes so any error in that will show up on both systems.  Just this week I had problems finding a marriage under the man's name and only found it using the woman's.  I checked the fiche of the Registrar's index which confirmed that he hadn't been indexed.

If I can find some time Richard I'll have wee look for The Garage.

Cheers, all.

Tom