HELEN BARCLAY,

[wildcats13]

I am trying to trace the parents of my 3x Gr. Grandmother, Helen (Eleanor) Barclay, born in October 1782 in Tratown, Dunottar, Kincardine, Scotland. She married John Robbie (Robie) in about 1800, and in the 1841 and 1851 census, they were living at Barclay Street, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire. Helen died in November 1852 in Stonehaven, Fetteresso, Kincardine. I know I am lucky to have got back this far, but I am interested to see if she is connected to the Sir David Barclay line from that area.
Wildcats13

[wildcats13]

I have been doing more checking and now I am not sure what year she was actually born. I can find no entries for both her birth and marriage on the OPR's on Scotland's People and other sites. Also I have tried to find the area of Tratown in Dunnottar for her birth, and I'm, not sure it actually existed.
Also on the 1841 Census, she was shown as being aged 55, which made her birth as about 1786. In her last Census in 1851, she was shown as widow aged 63 born in Dunnottar, which made her birth as about 1788.
Her husband John Robie joined the Royal Artillery Drivers in Aberdeen in 1801 and it is possible they were married about that time or just after as their son was born in 1804 in either Scotland or England, as it appears he was moved around a bit and Helen & son went as well according to when he was discharged in 1819 in Woolwich, Kent..
Hope it all helps in solving the problem.
Regards,
Wildcats13

[loobylooayr]

Hi Wildcats,
Just a suggestion.
Don't know your source for Tratown...If this has been transcribed from old records could it be Crawton?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawton
Sounds an interesting place.
Hope this is of help.
Looby

[wildcats13]

Thanks for that.
I think you are right as Crawton is only a short walk from Stonehaven where they lived after they married and he returned from the army in 1819. It was probably only a transcript error. I now just need to find her birth and marriage details, which has been very difficult so far. There doesn't appear to be any records on the OPR's at Scotland's People, and not sure where to go to now.
If she was born in Crawton, she would have been a home birth, so her family must have lived in one of the few cottages in the fishing village before they all later moved to Stonehaven. I wonder whether there is a list anywhere of the villagers living there during the late 1700's. Any ideas greatly received
Regards,
Wildcats13

[jlmc]

From the Register of St James's Episcopal Church in Stonehaven:

Robie/ Barclay:  Octr 4th 1801 Married John Robie, Servt to Sir George Ogilvy, and Helen Barclay in Links of Arduthie

[Flattybasher9]

Just curious, which "Sir David Barclay" are you referring to?

Regards

Malky

[Isabel H]

Links of Arduthie is the original name for the land on which was built the New Town of Stonehaven (in Fetteresso parish), separated from the Old Town (Dunnottar parish) by the River Carron.

[wildcats13]

Thanks for the marriage details,but I find it hard to believe that he was a servant of Sir George Ogilvy as he lived 1634-1679. Maybe it was a descendant of Sir George who was also named George.

Re Sir David Barclay:  I am not sure which one it was, but thought he lived in the same time frame, and I can find no birth details for Helen. There maybe no connection whatever, just a thought.

Wildcats 13

[wildcats13]

I was wondering whether you could send a copy of the Marriage entry for John Robie/Helen Barclay in 1801.
Also I am a bit confused with the age of Helen when they married. According to the 1841 Census, she was the same age as John at 55 years, ie; born about 1782.
In 1851 after John had died, she was shown as age 63, ie; born 1788, which would mean she was only 13 years old when married. Would this have been acceptable in those days?. Also John had enlisted in the army seven months earlier.
I have found a birth for Helen Barclay on 13 October 1788 in St Cyrus, Kincardine with parents as David Barclay and Catherine Barclay.
She had one child in 1804, but no further children.
penny for your thoughts.
Wildcats13