Alexander Sturrock's mysterious move?

[Keryn]

Hello
I am trying to find information on Alexander Sturrock (b1806; d1843), a baker, who married Margaret ? (possibly Carney/Cairney/Cairnie) and had two children, David William and Mary Ann/Maryann.  For some reason Alexander left his children between 1832 and 1837 and moved to Southwark, Surrey, leaving his children with a Joan/Jane Sturrock.  But what happened to Margaret his wife?  This is my 2nd mystery.  I considered that she may have died in the 1832 Cholera epidemic in Dundee, but can't find a death certificate for her.  Alexander went on to have two more children (Alexander James and Alexander Charles) with Sophia Godwin, whom he never married.

Does anyone know if death certificates were issued during the 1832 Cholera epidemic and if so where I might be able to find them please?  I am also searching for a birth certificate for Alexander, however I do not know who his parents were.  If anyone could offer any advice I would very much appreciate it as I have come to an impasse in my research - I would love to look at the registers myself, however I am in Australia!!!  Thanks.

Keryn 

[Gadget]

Hi Keryn and welcome to Rootschat 

Statutory registration didn't begin in Scotland until 1855 so you wouldn't find a death certificate for 1832. The nearest would be a burial record but these are far from complete. Other sources would be the mort cloth rental records, again not all have survived and aren't usually available online.

If there was a grave stone erected, you would be able to find a monumental inscription but many of our ancestors didn't have these.

Similarly with birth records. We have to rely on baptisms and these are only generally available for those carried out by a Church of Scotland minister. There are some RC baptism records as well. Many pre 1855 records are missing.

Sorry.


gnu

Added - forgot to mention this link:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/scottishwayofbirthanddeath/

[ev]

hi Keryn

Welcome to Rootschat  

Have you tried the Dundee Howff records

http://www.fdca.org.uk/FDCAHowffInfo.html

ev

[Keryn]

Hi ev
Thanks for the welcome and the advice.  Unfortunately I have checked the Dundee Howff records with no luck!  I am still searching and hopefully will come up with something.  Thanks again.
K

[Keryn]

Hi Gnu

Thank you for the advice, it is just what I have been spending days trying to find out!!!  Now I can refine my searches.  I must be doing pretty good as I have found baptism and marriage records for 1831 and 1832 and a little earlier. I would still rather be in the actual country to view the records - one day...

I am looking into the link you sent and will let you know how I go.  Thanks again for your help.

Regards
K

[Gali]

Children:
David William Sturrock, b. Dundee 1831, Alexander Sturrock, Margaret Cairnie
NB: also baptism record in St Giles Without, Cripplegate, in London for someone of this name in July 1831, father Alexander, baker, mother Margaret
Maryann Sturrock, b. Dundee 1832, Alexander Sturrock, Margaret Cairney - perhaps Margaret died in childbirth? 

From Freecen: 1841 Census, Seafield Lane, Dundee
Jean Sturrock, aged 66
Mary Sturrock, aged 27
David Sturrock, aged 10
Maryann Sturrock, aged 8m (?should be 8 years)
James McKechnie, aged 20m

From Ancestry, transcription, 1851 Census, Liff and Benvie, Dundee
Jane Sturrock, b. 1775, Liff, Dundee
Mary McKechnie, b. 1814, Dundee
Mary A Sturrock, b. 1833, Dundee
James McKechnie, b. 1840, Dundee
John Matthew, b. 1822, Dundee

I think you need to try to find a death certificate for Jane/Joan Sturrock (if she died after 1855) and her daughter, Mary Sturrock McKechnie from Scotland's People to find out who their parents were ... you can download these from http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

There is a Jean Sturrock born Dundee 1775 to parents Alexander Sturrock and Jean Smart with sibling, Alexander b. 1782 (father of 'your' Alexander b. 1806??)  which might be worth investigating. 

[Gali]

There is a will for Alexander Sturrock, baker, d. 1843 of Webber St, Blackfriars, Surrey available via the National Archives:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?queryType=1&resultcount=1&Edoc_Id=116981

[Gali]

And a will for Sophia Godwin, baker, of Webber St, Blackfriars, from 1852
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?queryType=1&resultcount=1&Edoc_Id=11078

[Keryn]

Hi Gali

Thanks for the information!
I have found the census records and have looked at the will for Alexander Sturrock.  The will informed me of the existence of David William and Mary Ann to mother Margaret Sturrock.  I haven't been able to find another Mary Ann Sturrock other than the one born to the same parents as David William Sturrock in Dundee.

I will investigate the Jean Sturrock/Joan Sturrock and hopefully that will lead me to Alexander's (b1806) parents.  Thanks so much for the help.  Everyone is so helpful on this site!!!   I will let you know how I go with Jane/Joan.  thanks again.

K
 P.S. Just saw your new post about the will - woohoo thanks for that, I'm off to have a look.