Other children of James McKellar and Isabella Gillies:
William, lawful son of James McKellar mariner in Gourock and Isabella Gillies his spouse, born 3rd June 1821 at Inverkip, baptised 22nd June.
Peter, lawful son of James McKellar seaman of Gourock and Isabel Gillies his spouse, was born 28th April 1823 at Inverkip and baptised 22nd May.
Margaret, daughter of James McKellar, Master of steamboat Hercules, and Isabella Gillies, born 19th June 1825 at Greenock Old or West, baptised 10th July.
Janet, daughter to James McKellar Shipmaster, and Isabella Gillies born 21st March 1827 at Greenock Old or West, baptised 15th April.
There are likely to be other births for James McKellar and Isabella Gillies between marriage in 1813 and 1820 but these records appear to be missing. On 4/2/1838 and 8/2/1838 there are marriage entries for Isabella, second daughter of Captain James McKellar of the steamer Samson who married to Duncan Clark Jnr, butcher. Possible daughter, probably born in the 1813-1820 gap.
William McKellar applied for his Masters Certificate on 31/5/1851 and the certificate was issued on 10/6/1851. The parish entry has him born 3/6/1821 but his seaman’s records have him born 3/6/1820 and 3/7/1820. He probably needed to be fourteen to get an apprenticeship so he may have lied about his age. He was living in Dellingburn St., Greenock.
Ship Rank From To Built Year Tonnage
Acadian Apprentice 20/3/1835 17/9/1835 Greenock 1832 385t
Arethusa Apprentice 5/10/1835 11/10/1838 Greenock 1828 322t
Louisa Apprentice 3/11/1838 Reg. Liverpool 320t
Louisa Seaman 7/11/1841 Reg. Liverpool 320t
Calypso 2nd Mate 14/11/1841 4/6/1842 Greenock 1825 379t
Copia Mate 9/6/1842 1/12/1843 Greenock 1842 301t
Christian Mate 30/1/1844 Dumbarton 1841 193t
Christian Master 3 years 17/9/1847 Dumbarton 1841 193t
Clydesdale Master 11/12/1847 27/6/1848 Greenock 1835 250t
Kalibokka Mate 21/7/1848 13/9/1849 Reg. Liverpool 355t
Arethusa Mate 24/10/1849 11/4/1850 Greenock 1828 322t
Calypso Mate 1/6/1850 25/4/1851 Greenock 1825 379t
Total 15 years and 1 month service on Masters Certificate application.
The Acadian was on the Halifax route and the others to the West Indies.
Atalanta 51724 Master 8/7/1868 -/9/1869 New Brunswick 1865 341t
Ringdove Master 30/9/1870 23/7/1871 St Johns
Abraham Lincoln Master 9/1/1872 -/3/1873 Reg. Monrovia
Tern 58549 Master 1/7/1873 12/9/1873 Newcastle 1868 557t
Atalanta Barque Liverpool to Buenos Ayres
Ringdove Brig Cardiff to Montevideo to Buenos Ayres to Antwerp
Abraham Lincoln Schooner Liverpool to Monrovia to Cape Palmas and West Coast of Africa.
Tern Screw steamer Glasgow to Rotterdam
William moved to Liverpool and in 1861 he was married and at 61, Louis St. His wife Elizabeth (37) and child William J. (
were born in Scotland. In 1871 William J. was staying with uncle James Stewart, master mariner. William Snr was at 29, Collingwood St., Liverpool in 1881, Master Mariner, widower. Possibly Elizabeth died 1873 West Derby aged 53. 1891 William (J.) McKellar aged 37, born Greenock was AB crew member on steam schooner Chantrey (97757) at Liverpool. Previous ship Falernian of Liverpool. He was buried in West Derby on 18/9/1929.
17/8/1846 Capt McKellar on barque Christian of Glasgow
2//9/1847 Marriage of Captain William McKellar to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Dow, coal merchant, at 13, Charles Street, Greenock Old Parish.
1/12/1873 Captain William McKellar of 61, Mitylene Street Liverpool, reported to police that on 27/11/1873 in Limekiln Lane, he had his Masters certificate and pocketbook stolen. Lost notices were put in newspapers but to no avail. Consequently he had to apply for a replacement which had to give evidence of his examination and ships he had sailed on. A new Masters Certificate was drawn up on 22/12/1873 and issued on 20/2/1874.
18/5/1888 Captain William McKellar died at Wood’s Mariners Asylum, Greenock, aged 68. (Greenock Telegraph 21/5/1888). The Sir Gabriel Woods Mariners Asylum was for ‘aged and decayed Master Mariners of good character’. Opened in 1850 and still operating. The death certificate has retired shipmaster, aged 66, widower of Elizabeth Dow, son of James McKellar steamboat Master deceased, and Annabella McKellar nee Gillies deceased. Interesting his mother was entered as Annabella and not Isabella.
Peter McKellar (1823) married Sarah Usher at South Shields, Durham, on 3/2/1847, and in 1851 they were in 8, North Street, Tynemouth, North Shields, Northumberland. Peter was a nail maker.
They had five children all born in Tynemouth:
Jane 1848-buried 1/4/1848
John Thomas 13/5/1849 (bap 11/7/1849) –Dec Q 1931 Tynemouth
Flora Preston 7/2/1854 (bap 29/3/1854)-1904. 1891: servant at Chirton, unmarried.
Jane Usher 19/6/1856 (bap 24/9/1856)-1909
Mary Ann 2/7/1859 (bap 17/8/1859)
Peter died in 1888 and Sarah in 1879, both at Tynemouth.
Margaret McKellar daughter of James McKellar shipmaster of Greenock married James Wallace shipmaster, son of Samuel Wallace, carpenter of Greenock, in Greenock Old or West parish on 30/12/1850. James Wallace was born 3/5/1822 in Port Glasgow, parents Samuel Wallace and Margaret Paton. 1841: James with parents at King St., Port Glasgow.
Nothing found on Janet.
Possibly 1841: Hole, Greenock West, servant aged 15.
Jim