Possible Irish Famine orphan

[Tygerr]

One of my ancestors was James HUNTER (b. abt 1840, d. 1915). The earliest record I have that mentions him is the 1841 UK Census.

In this census, he is living in the parish of St. Cuthberts in Edinburgh. He is listed as being 11 years old, doing 'glue work', and his birth place is listed as Antrim, Ireland.

At that time, he is living under the care of Samuel John STOCKMAN (born about 1828 in Antrim, Ireland, d. 1878 Dundee, Scotland) and his wife Margaret (born about 1831, Cavan, Ireland).

Margaret was the daughter of James SIMONS of Ashfield parish, Cavan, Ireland. They were married in Edinburgh in 1850.

Later the whole group moved to Dundee in Scotland. On James's marriage certificate, it says that both his parents were deceased and his parents are listed as Alexander and Rose HUNTER. On his death certificate, his mother is again named as Rose Ann, but this time it says that he was illegitimate and that his father was presumably a Thomas PICKERTON.

This has left me a bit stuck. If James was indeed born in Ireland, how did he end up in Scotland living with the Stockmans?
One theory I'm working on at the moment is that perhaps James's parents were victims of the Great Famine in the 1840's and that the orphaned James was sent to live with the Stockmans who may have been close friends or relations. I know that a lot of Irish families (particularly those originally of Scottish descent living in the Ulster counties) ended up moving back to Scotland during the famine to find work.

Of course, James could have been orphaned by other means (i.e. not related to the Famine), or he could well have been an illegitimate child and his mother might have been forced into a workhouse or something similar and forced to give him up.
I'm really just speculating at present...

If anyone has any information regarding the persons I mentioned, or could refer me to some sources that may be of use, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks
Tyron Hunter
Johannesburg, South Africa.

[richarde1979]

Dundee was known as a 'womans town' at the time as it had more female head of households than anywhere else in U.K. It did act as a magnet for widowed women and their families from Ireland (and other parts of Scotland) because work for women and children was plentiful in the Jute mills, whereas there was very little for men. In my own family my 5x g gran was widowed during the famine, and took herself and her children to Dundee for this reason. I'm also fairly sure they took a young local lad with them who hsd lost both his parents and was orphaned, (who later married one of the daughters, and became my 4x great grandad!) so the scenario you speculate of orphaned children being bought over with other families certainly  happened, and especially to Dundee for the reasons given above.

[Tygerr]

Thanks. So at least my suspicion is plausible.

Now I just wish there were more Irish records to work with... Haven't been able to find the Stockmans, Simons or Hunters in those parts of Ireland...

[ambyrne1]

Tyron,

There are some Stockman in Antrim but a little later after 1840. Here goes,

Fanny Stockman in 1881 in Antrim, Householder, 33 Dock st, York Street and in 1894 at 10 Worchester terr, Chamberlain St.
Frank Stockman in 1894, in Antrim, superintendent, 14 Lapper Street
Hugh Stockman in 1870 in Antrim,
Robert Stockman in 1894, Antrim, Labourer, 17 Trainfield street, New Lodge Road.
James Stockman in 1856, Antrim, 14 Tomb Street, Nailers shop
Ralph Stockman in 1846, 1856, Antrim, Nail Maker, 3 Nelson Street
Samuel Stockman in 1870 Governer in the Poor law union in Bally Castel Antrim.
Samuel Stockman in 1894 in Down is a farmer in Maze.

There is a James Simons in Cavan in 1846/1856 and is listed as a Main Street Cavan and is a Saddler and Harness maker. in 1984 there is a James Simons in 68 Main street and is also a saddler and harness maker.. is this son?

In Slaters 1894 there is a Thomas Simons listed in the Ashfield town in Cavan and is listed as a farmer.

 

[ambyrne1]

Tyron,

There is a few Alexander Hunter's listed for Antrim.. Here you go.

Alexander Hunter, 1824, Belfast,
                             1846 Belfast, Danmurray and is a Bleacher
                               1846, Belfast, 138 North Street,
                                 1846, Carrickfergus, Tallow Chandler, Market Square and 138 North Street,    Belfast
                              1856, Belfast, cannot make out the street, number 8 and is a weaver
                               1856, Belfast, 144 Peters hill upper, baker
                              1856, Belfast, dont have address, is a gentlemen
                               1870, the cottage, dunmurray. gentlemen