John CHRISTIE - Glasgow Police detective C1841-51

[annmck]

Hi all!

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me with my 4xgt grandfather, John CHRISTIE

As stated in a related thread, on his daughter Janet's 1841 immigration papers, her parents are recorded as  John Christie  & Janet Stewart, of High Street, Glasgow, and her father's occupation is given as Criminal Officer.

The 1851 census shows a John Christie 59, Detective Efficer (sic) Police,  at 15 Nicholas Street, Glasgow (St Paul). There is no mention of his wife, Janet, but his niece, Ellison Swan, abt 20, a dressmaker, and his (grt?-error?) grandaughter Janet Orr, abt 12, are residing in the household as well. According to this census entry John was born in Dumbarton, Perthshire abt 1792.

The archivist at Mitchell Library, Glasgow, has searched the index of Glasgow police service records for  the name John Christie (& variants) without success. It seems that personnel records only survive from the mid 1850s onwards, and, disappointingly,  John's is not amongst them 

I'm hoping someone recognises some of these people, or has some inspiration as to where I can track down more info about them. John & Janet's daughter, Janet, my gt gt gt grandmother, died in NSW at 1848, aged abt 29, leaving 3 small chn.

Cheers, Ann

[sancti]

Have you tried to find his death record?

[MonicaL]

Hi Ann

Not sure if you have these. From IGI, these are some of the children showing to a John Christie and Janet Stewart:

1. JANET CHRISTIE Christening: 19 MAY 1816 Killin, Perth also 29 MAY 1816 Killin, Perth (both actual extract, not sure about why two entries with slightly different dates)
2. MALCOM CHRISTIE Birth: 30 JAN 1819 Glasgow
3. WILLIAM CHRISTIE Christening: 04 MAY 1822 Glasgow - member submitted
4. CATHERINE CHRISTIE Birth: 04 JUN 1826 Glasgow

The Health Warning always when doing parent searches on IGI is that the entries may relate to more than one couple, which may not always be clear. People did move around counties, but whether your John Christie and Janet were married in Killin and then moved to the Glasgow area is hard to say 

Monica

[MonicaL]

If it is the right family, someone has transcribed the OPR entry for Malcom's birth:

CHRISTIE  :
John CHRISTIE, Watchman & Janet STEWART a Law: Son Malcom (no 2nd.L)
Bo: 30th January Wit. John McDONALD & George GORDON

www.mail-archive.com/lanark-l@rootsweb.com/msg02149.html

[RJ_Paton]

Have you tried the Glasgow Police Museum ?
http://www.policemuseum.org.uk/

[annmck]

Hi again,

and thanks for your ideas

Sancti: I've looked at the usual online sites for John's death cert but I don't know if he stayed in Glasgow or retired to the country, or have a clue where/when he died, so I don't have enough details yet to make an educated guess.....&  there are a heck of a lot of John Christies in Scotland at that time!!
I'm also in Australia, so reliant on distance mode research....

Monica: Thank you too  ..... now, unless you just happened upon Malcolm's birth info by chance   , I guess you went to some trouble to dig it out from the rootsweb archive for me, which is much appreciated.

In an earlier post, Christies in Killin, I speculated that these may have been my John & Janet & family, and using that premise tentatively "pencilled" Malcom (sic) & Catherine to my tree, but, as you say, it's so easy to force the pieces to fit the puzzle 

Falkyrn: Thanks for your suggestion of the Glasgow Police Museum which was my initial thought, too.  They were actually  the ones who referred me to the Mitchell Library archives..... as that's where historical police records are now kept, as it turns out...

I did have flash of inspiration after reading another "can't find 'em" thread, which led to the discovery that NSW State Library provides reader cardholders access to the GALE database. 
V.v.v.v. late last night/this morning, (ESTime), I managed to locate a no. of references to John Christie, criminal officer, in Glasgow Herald Justiciary Court reports.......so guess what I'm reading tonight 

2 more things....

Malco(l)m's birth record shows John's occupation as watchman-(still early in his career, obviously)- but his wife, Janet Stewart, has the notation at Law,after her name..... does this describe her marital status or does it have another meaning?

In Australia, many of our city & regional newspapers have also been digitised, and are held in the National Library of Australia. They are available, to search/view free online, at     

http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/


Again, thanks and don't be shy to offer suggestions, Ann

[sancti]

There is this record for 1841 census which might be a closer occupation to police work than a watchman although the age is out.

Name: John Christie
Age: 57
Estimated birth year: abt 1784
 
Where born: Scotland
 
Civil parish: Kinnoull
County: Perthshire
Address: Village Of Bingend
Occupation: Superinte Of Excise

William Ferrall 25
Alexis Ann Ferrall 20
John Christie 57
Jane Christie 20
Mary Christie 11
Catherine Robertson 25

Dumbarton is not within Perthshire so the 1851 mention is confusing.
 
 

[MonicaL]

Hi Ann

Regarding the OPR transcription: CHRISTIE  :John CHRISTIE, Watchman & Janet STEWART a Law: Son Malcom (no 2nd.L) Bo: 30th January Wit. John McDONALD & George GORDON

Without having seen the original, I would guess in the style of these entries, that you have something like, Malcom, lawful son (second born) to John and Janet - the lawful son implies that the couple were married rather than an illegitimate birth. Also, depending on the style of the register, you often got a birth order such as showing above, ie. 3rd born, 4th born etc... Helpful, when it comes up as you can tell if you have missed one!

Monica

[RJ_Paton]

The 1851 census shows a John Christie 59, Detective Efficer (sic) Police,  at 15 Nicholas Street, Glasgow (St Paul). There is no mention of his wife, Janet, but his niece, Ellison Swan, abt 20, a dressmaker, and his (grt?-error?) grandaughter Janet Orr, abt 12, are residing in the household as well. According to this census entry John was born in Dumbarton, Perthshire abt 1792.

Did this information come from the actual image of the 1851 census or was it via Ancestry's transcriptions ?