Hello All,
I need some help to solve this Ancestor of a close friend of mine that I'm doing an Family tree for.
You will be placed in the Genius class if you can or shed some light.
I have never come across, from a man who was obviously an articulate man who could read and write, who had a responsible well paying job in his day and who would plainly know all of the correct details for which he had to give on such things like BDM's & travel documents etc., I have to conclude that they were most likely fabricated and intentional or just plain Bizarre.!!
Unless someone can find a missing piece or pieces or a known family reason, I have to say it is intentional, but why I have no idea and can only surmise. I'll lay out some facts for investigation.
His name is either Gordon Blair [most used] or James Gordon Blair used often, but I haven't yet seen Gordon James Blair. He married Jane Norval on 7 June 1850 in Glasgow Lanarkshire - Fact.
I have seen Janet Norval and Jane Jamieson Norval as well, when her name is used. She had been married or most likely not to Henry Schawbe and they had a child Jane Drummond Schawbe or Norval but Henry died before her birth.
Gordon's birth is as used by him on documents is any of 1826, 1828, 1832, 1847 ... there are more if I dig deeper but that'll give you an idea what has been used. Also his place of birth is as much varied too. Stirling, Stirlingshire, St. Ninians, Glasgow and Dumfries to name some. His parents are listed as John & Jane Blair - farmers.
Back to Gordon & Jane Norval. They had 5 children Georgina was the 1st 15 Nov 1850 and the next 4 all died within a short time frame. One that may be the hardest to find was an unnamed child born 10 July 1852 the others are well documented.
Now it gets interesting because I next find Gordon Blair arriving by ship the Mangerton on 7 Aug 1861 in Brisbane sunny Queensland ... alone !!. He states he is 19yrs, farm labourer born Stirlingshire. Before leaving he had a job as a 'Law Clerk' but states farm labourer. Hmmm .... keep the law clerk to the front of matters as it will reappear in Qld.
Where is Jane Blair? I found her in the 1861 Census living as a boarder 27yrs with her daughter Georgina now 9yrs and the head is listed as Esther Jamieson 27yrs same age and that 'Jamieson' name & may be related?. Jane has reverted back to her Maiden name Norval for her and Georgina.
Did they divorce? I can't find one maybe someone can? I would like to think so because the deceit on his certificates continues in Qld.
Did he divorce or did he have a major bust up with Jane and leave amicably ? or did he desert and board ship and lie about his age & job qualifications to be hard to find. He left on that ship from Plymouth. Long way from anyone to detect him back then and why not leave from Glasgow where he was working?
More to come as I have overstepped the size quota.
