CAMERON family from Leith

[wiggo53]

Thanks so much for this info, I am rapt. We always thought that nan married an englishman!
Am continuing to look into the marriage situation for more information. You really have made my day! Thanks again.
Heather

[wiggo53]

Akwaaba, I have just spent the past three hours on that website, reading 103 pages of info on my nan's first husband's war service. I feel like I know the man already! Many thanks again, you have given me the oomph to keep looking for nana.

[MonicaL]

Wiggo

Just to have it on the post for any reference, this is the only Matilda Kelso I can see on the 1881 census in Scotland. Mother's name is interesting, if your Ellen was called after her (maybe at this stage!):

James Redmond 66, labourer, b. Ireland
Mary Redmond 60, b. Ireland
Patrick Redmond 20, son, labourer, b. Ireland
Alexander Kelso 27, son in law, labourer, b. Ireland
Ellen Kelso (Redmond) 26, b. Ireland
Matilda Kelso 6, granddaughter b. Greenock
Robert Kelso 4, grandson, b. England
Margaret Kelso 1, granddaughter, b. England
Robert Halliday 21, visitor, b. Ireland
Elizabeth Halliday 20, visitor, b. Ireland

Address: 7 Lennox Land Inch Green St, Greenock East, Renfrewshire

And the family in 1891 - all the children showing as born in Greenock:

Alexander Kelso 32, Sugarhouse Labr, b. Ireland
Ellen Kelso 32, b. Ireland
Matilda Kelso 16, Millworker (Wool)
Robert Kelso 14
Margaret Kelso 12
James Kelso 10
John Kelso 5
Ellen Kelso 3

Address: 32 Inverkip St, Greenock Renfrewshire

I cannot see this family in the 1901 census index nor can I see a death for mother *El*n Redmond/Kelso in Scotland post 1891...which sort of brings us back to where we were before....

Monica

[Akwaba]

Not such an interesting tale for his brother - Priestley, Leon Roy Carrington.

A spanner in the works or lateral thinking.    Leith TAS  Australia?

[MonicaL]

That was a great link to Eric's military records Akwaaba 

Just looking at the details on next of kin etc. The marriage between Eric and Ellen took place in Chester 1st Qrt 1918. There looks to be two addresses for wife Ellen, firstly in Widnes, Cheshire then this looks to have been scored through an address in Southwark London added.

I wonder if Ellen's family were living in Lancashire at the time of her marriage to Eric? There is this death for example:

Deaths 1st Qrt 1918 - Matilda Cameron, 40,    Prescot    8b   885

A search of birth in Lancashire between 1900 - 1920, brings up quite a number, including a Kenneth but more importantly:

Births 4th Qrt 1912 
Cameron    Florence A (Kelso- mother's maiden name)    Nantwich    8a   570    

Births 3rd Qrt 1915   
CAMERON    Anne McK (Kelso- mother's maiden name)    Prescot    8b   1262

And Prestcot from that 1915 birth is where a couple of years later we have a death for a Matilda Cameron....

Still completely stuck on marriages for David and Matilda or any relevant birth entry for Ellen.

Monica

[wiggo53]

MonicaLes you are brilliant! I think you may have hit the jackpot with the Cameron clan. My uncle (nan's youngest, Malcolm) told me at Xmas that he thought that nan's family had only one son and his name was Kenneth. He remembered that he went off to war but thought he enlisted in the American air force but not sure. I had not considered that Nan's family may have moved to England with her because all I am going on at this stage is the fading memories of my dear old 86 year old dad. My dad changed his birth certificate at 16 to make himself 18 so he could enlist. He basically came home, married mum and got on with life. Sadly, he didnt ask his mum many questions re his heritage. I really appreciate all of this help from everyone. 

[nelbec]

I have noticed you asking about Cameron from Leith, I hope I can help with what I have found out in the last 5 days.

I was looking for information on a Eric Priestly who is buried in Widnes Cemetery Cheshire England. I found his war records and found that he died at reading No1 war hospital on 11th June 1918 and was buried from 16 Margaret Street Widnes Lancashire. His wife's name was Ellen Priestly and they married on 9th February 1918. The address's for them were Eric Eaton Temperance Hotel City Road Chester and for Ellen 15 Trinity Street Chester. His Father is down as Harry Priestly Store Keeper and her father as David Cameron Innkeeper. They were married at Chester Registry Office and the witness's were James Murray and Annie Dolan.

Also in the records for Widnes Cemetery are Matilda Cameron 16 Margaret Street Widnes died 8-1-1918 age 40 buried in plot 11R grave 2696 William Cameron 16 Margaret Street Widnes died 16-3-1970 age 78 in plot 12C grave 4644.

I am going to Widnes Library Thursday/Friday to view the local paper to see if the Burial for Eric Priestly is in which I believe it will.

This happens because a friend and myself found his Commonwealth Headstone and wondered why he was buried in Widnes.

[wiggo53]

Hi nelbec, thanks so much for that information. It definitely gives me an explanation of why my nan seemed to have buried eric from a different address than hers. They obviously had all moved over to England to be with nan (Ellen). It did say that there were a large number of mourners at the funeral which I couldnt understand being that eric was an aussie soldier and I couldnt imagine the difficulty of getting to England at the end of WW!.  The family in mour ning would have been my nan's own family.
I cant thank you enough  for sharing this information with me and would appreciate it if you come across anything more regarding the Camerons of Leith...or Chester!
Heather 

[nelbec]

Ellen had a brother named Alexander and he was badly injured in early 1918 and was hospitalized in Scotland (no Information) he was serving in the Gorden Highlanders and had been in France for 16 months prior to this. Before he enlisted he worked at Widnes Foundry and as a boy attended St Maries School, these are in an area of Widnes called Newtown were Margaret Street was. His sister Ellen Cameron who was recently married to an Australian soldier has worked for 15 months with the Navy and Army Canteen Board, 9 of which she spent in France.She also served as a stewardess on The Spectator a ship of The Harrison Line.
Widnes Weekly News 31st May 1918
There is also a photograph of Alexander and of Ellen in the same report but did not turn out on the copying sorry.

The funeral of Eric Earnest Priestly took place in Widnes the husband Mrs Ellen Priestly of 16 Margaret Street.They were only married in January of this year Mrs Priestly being then in France in the service of the Navy and Army Canteen Board.(She must have come home, My comments). Private Priestly was 25 years old joined the Australian forces early in the war and had been wounded 4 times before receiving the wounds to which he succumbed in hospital in Reading on June 9th.He was the first Australian soldier to be killed or died of wounds received to be interred in the cemetery( still is the only one,my comments) The funeral was attended by a firing party of the South Lancashire Regiment from Warrington, and also a party of buglers.The coffin being covered with the Union Jack. The Rev H. j. Gibbins  (Vicar of St Pauls ) officiated and the chief mourners were Mrs Priestley (widow) Mr W Cameron ( father -in-law) Private Alex. Cameron  ( brother-in-law) of the Gorden Highlanders (who obtained leave from hospital and attended on crutches. Mr Tom Cooksey (friend of the deceased and a discharged Australian Soldier) Mrs Myers, Mrs Jones, Mr and Mrs Shaw Mr Ned Flanagan, Mr Edward Tobin, Mr M Hastings and a number of employees from the Muspratt Works( another works from Newtown)

A bit of information on Eric's family his father was Henry Samuel Priestly his mother was Amy nee Carrington. married Sydney 1885. Henry died 1939 and Amy 1937.

Hope this helps if I find anything else out I will be in touch.

The reason I got involved is when we found the headstone in Widnes cemetery and wondered why and found out he was buried from 16 Margaret Street. I became more interested as my Grandfather lived at 24 Margaret Street and worked at Muspratts at the same time and must have known the Cameron family. They do say it is a small world how true.