Gordon Blair - Mystery? or Not!

[sparrett]

What information is on Isabella Dun BLAIR's 1864 Qld Birth Certificate?  This lass is on the direct line for OzScot's friend.   

Yes.  This would be of interest, and possibly, a very positive step in the search.

There seems to have been an impediment to an early marriage of Gordon and Julia and as far as I can see, it does not lie with Julia.

I have not spotted a previous or existing marriage for her, one does not sense parental opposition (anyhow, she was well of consenting age herself). She does not appear to have other children from prior relationships whom a new husband may not wish to take responsibility for.  So nothing I can see for her.

The impediment therefore would seem to be with Gordon.

If he was the man of the NORVAL marriage, was he so pure of heart, that although this marriage was a secret, he chose to wait the 7 years or so.


Seems odd that Julia was co-operating with a charade re the marriage too whilst being in a clearly 'domestic situation".

Sue

[jennywren001]

Jane Blair signed the death cert of her son Thomas Gordon Blair in 1858 , son of James Gordon Blair, occupation Writer

So that's where part of the info. has come from regarding his name & occ.

Annie

Annie,
I've attached a snip from the above certificate it's the father who signs J Gordon Blair...not the mother 
Jen

[loobylooayr]

Annie,
I've attached a snip from the above certificate it's the father who signs J Gordon Blair...not the mother 
Jen

Jennywren,
I believe that the clip you have posted is from the 1857 Birth Registration of Thomas Gordon Blair where indeed the father has registered the birth.

However , Annie and I were referring to the 1858 Death registration  of the child on 27/9/1858 

It is Jane Norval/Blair who registers this death and gives father's name as James Gordon Blair occupation Writer 

Looby

[isobelw]

Interesting that in the article about James William Blair it says his father Gordon came to Queensland from Glasgow. The name Gordon Blair is very uncommon - there are only a handful in the Scottish BMD records. I think it is fairly conclusive from the evidence that the Gordon in Australia was born in Stirlingshire. This article now links him to Glasgow as well. Gordon turns up in Australia in 1861 at the same time as Glasgow Gordon disappears and both have links to lawyers offices. For some reason Australia Gordon fails to marry until 1876 but then obtains a certificate bearing the details as they would have appeared if the marriage had taken place in 1863ish-( one wonders if this certificate was later 'doctored' to show an earlier marriage date thus providing the basis for the death certificate details). Brain working overtime here!
Isobel

[majm]

.....  For some reason Australia Gordon fails to marry until 1876 but then obtains a certificate bearing the details as they would have appeared if the marriage had taken place in 1863ish-( one wonders if this certificate was later 'doctored' to show an earlier marriage date thus providing the basis for the death certificate details). Brain working overtime here!
Isobel

    Exactly ....  Many a legal document has been fudged.   I continue to urge that the church records ... both the C of E at Ipswich and the Presbyterian at Ann St in Brisbane should be sought .... they ought to be extant, and they may well have same or similar info to that already found, but, to me, they are primary documents to unwinding the mystery and should have Gordon's signature on them, and perhaps contain 'margin notes' from the clergy.   The wee lass born 1863 who succumbed at about three months - if baptised, there should be an entry for her to seek out too.    Naming Godparents, giving usual abode, occupation of her parents .... It is perhaps showing my age, but in my opinion, family history information is not the exclusive domain of Ancestry or other online commercial websites.   

JM.     

[majm]

Hopefully of interest ....

http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Search/BasicSearch.aspx

INDEX info only
Eccs Files
Gordon BLAIR  Series 4486 Item 281260
Julia BLAIR, Item 2815283

Land Agreement 23/9/1863-22/2/1864
Gordon BLAIR as Purchaser …. Series 1215, Item 1959983

JM

These files would also be on my 'must have' list if this family were on my family tree. 2 x Probate and 1 x Land

JM

[OZScot]

.....  For some reason Australia Gordon fails to marry until 1876 but then obtains a certificate bearing the details as they would have appeared if the marriage had taken place in 1863ish-( one wonders if this certificate was later 'doctored' to show an earlier marriage date thus providing the basis for the death certificate details). Brain working overtime here!
Isobel

    Exactly ....  Many a legal document has been fudged.   I continue to urge that the church records ... both the C of E at Ipswich and the Presbyterian at Ann St in Brisbane should be sought .... they ought to be extant, and they may well have same or similar info to that already found, but, to me, they are primary documents to unwinding the mystery and should have Gordon's signature on them, and perhaps contain 'margin notes' from the clergy.   The wee lass born 1863 who succumbed at about three months - if baptised, there should be an entry for her to seek out too.    Naming Godparents, giving usual abode, occupation of her parents .... It is perhaps showing my age, but in my opinion, family history information is not the exclusive domain of Ancestry or other online commercial websites.   

JM.   

I have just sent an email for a request of information from the Presbyterian Church Ann St., Brisbane from the original marriage document 7 July 1876. Also asking for any attached notes and copies of those signatures and if there is any evidence of an earlier marriage by both to each other and or parties. Hopefully they reply. Next I'll contact Ipswich C of E.

[OZScot]

Second email seeking relevant information sent to Ipswich C of E ... now it's a waiting game.

Every Church I've ever contacted for information have been most helpful and even putting
me in touch with Local Historians etc. They were all Scottish!!!

[majm]

 

When I have been part of the team as a volunteer answering the enquiries about parish registers, and on the other hand, when I have been the enquirer, I too have not ever had anything but co-operation and helpfulness.    My fingers are crossed that the C of E Ipswich will have a family sheet, perhaps back at least to the early 1860s.

RChat's Australia Board's Resources board has a child board for NSW.  I mention this because on that NSW Resources are many live links including to some special images uploaded and free to search.  These special images are from the parish registers of the C of E's Christ Church Cathedral, at Newcastle (NSW).  And included there are their family sheets.   Here's a direct link to the family sheets to give everyone an idea of what can be included.   This link covers images from 1820s to 1890s.  There's two images per double page ... so a family entry is on both left and right hand of the double page.   I would expect C of E in Qld may well have offered same type of record keeping for their clergy (cheat sheets could be clerical jargon for these    ) 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157606066769147/

(RChat's Australia board also has separate child boards for each of the eight jurisdictions that form the Federation of Australia.  Main board : http://www.rootschat.com/forum/australia-resources-offers/ )

Fingers crossed

JM