Tangus Campbell

[alys]

I wonder if anyone can shed light on the unusual forename Tangus for me.  I am interested in Tangus Campbell who married Anne Mcilrie ( later births to Ann, Agnes/Mclearie, Mcleary, Mckenzie) in Torryburn, Fife in 1762.  I have found three births to the couple in Inverkeithing, Fife from 1764 to 1768 and seven in Bo’ness, West Lothian from 1770 to 1784.  In 1785 Tangus Campbell received “Supplies” from Bo’ness Kirk Session and in 1786 there were “Supplies” to Tangus Campbell’s widow.  There are supplies after 1786 to both Ann Campbell and Widow Campbell. 
Anne McClearie is a mystery too. 
Would I be right in thinking that as I have not found a claim from Bo’ness on another parish in the Kirk session minutes that Tangus and Ann were born in Bo’ness?
ScotlandsPeople has an Abigail Tangus in Petty, Inverness, married to David Calder, with births from 1804 to 1811 but I cannot see any connection.
Any insight would be gratefully received.

[GR2]

This predates the parochial boards. At this time poor relief was given by the kirk session to parishioners in communion with the kirk and sometimes to strangers. Receiving assistance, especially regular payments, would mean you were living in the parish. It did not mean you were necessarily born there.

When parochial boards started to administer poor relief in the 1840s there was often a tendency to direct claimants, if practical, to the parish of their birth.

[Forfarian]

Would I be right in thinking that as I have not found a claim from Bo’ness on another parish in the Kirk session minutes that Tangus and Ann were born in Bo’ness?

I don't think you can rely on that assumption. If they lived in Bo'ness from 1770, they would by 1785 have established a connection with Bo'ness long enough to be regarded as parishioners there.

GR2 is right that after the parochial boards took over the administration of poor relief from the kirk in 1845, parochial boards made great efforts to claim back the cost of dealing with paupers from their parishes of birth if that was at all possible.

However one of the rules in the Act that set up the parochial boards was that a person who had lived 5 years continuously in a parish was effectively deemed to be a parishioner there, irrespective of where they were born, and the parochial board of that parish of residence was not entitled to reclaim the cost of dealing with them from their parish of birth. I assume that this would in some way have formalised the practice before 1845, and therefore surmise that Bo'ness Kirk Session would have regarded the Campbell family as parishioners in 1785, after they had been in residence there for 15 years.

[alys]

Thank you both for the insight about poor Relief.

If anyone has any ideas, however fanciful, about the name Tangus I would be interested to read them.

[sancti]

Pre 1855 records on SP show no baptisms for the name Tangus and only the 1 marriage that you have for Tangus Campbell

[alys]

I can only think it is a nickname but, if so, how did it come about?  I’ve tried working on possible naming patterns to find parents and siblings but have nothing conclusive.  Three children were born to Tangus and Ann in Inverkeithing – Janet, William and Alexander; and the remaining seven were born in Bo’ness – Ann, Mary, Richard, James, John, Walter and Duncan.

[J11]

I know this may seem a bit obvious, but could he be an Angus and Tangus a nickname?

[Rosinish]

That was a thought which crossed my mind too J11

Annie

[alys]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.  Angus has occurred to me too, also Thomas Angus becoming Tam Angus becoming Tangus.