Christian Prior

[aidansrest]

Hi

Can anybody help trace a baptism for:

Christian Prior born c1844 in Langholm/Westerkirk daughter of James Prior (born c1817 in Norfolk)and his wife, Mary Waugh, (born 1818 in Langholm).
I am convinced that Christian is their daughter, but she appears to live with her maternal grandparents, William Waugh and Ann Young throughout her life.

Her father was a gamekeeper and moved around Scotland and England, but took his wife and children with him.
They also appear to have had another daughter, Joyce, born around 1844 too, so if anyone can find her baptism that would be great!

Thanks

Sue

[down-under]

Hello

Did you see the 1851 census Croy Inverness address Cantraybrea?

James Prior age 34  Gamekeeper born England
Margaret wife age 32 born Langholm Dumfries

James son age 12 Langholm
William son age 10 Langholm
Mary Ann dau age 9 born England
Joyce dau age 7 Langholm
Adelaide dau age 5 Forres Moray
Devenas?? dau age 2 Forres


There is a Joyce age 7 born 1844


1861 Margaret is Mary

Devenas is son Davidson but I think should be girl

1861 Featherstone Northumberland

James age 44 born Norfolk Gamekeeper
Mary wife age 42 Scotland
Joyce dau age 17 Scotland
Davidson age 13  son Scotland
James son age 9 son Scotland
 John son age 6 Scotland
Adelaide dau age 16 Scotland
Maria L dau age 3 Scotland

the other James son must have died

Pam

[Gadget]

Did Christian have a son James in 1868, Westerkirk?

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYYW-Y1S

Trying to find a death or marriage for her in Scotland - so far, I'm not having any luck. Do you have any info for her after 1868?

Gadget

[Gadget]

I see that James is listed as Ann Waugh's great grandson in 1871:

Bentpath, Westerkirk

Ann Waugh, widow, 75, b. Canonbie
Janet Young, sister, unm, 85, b. -do-
William Murray, grdson, unm, 31, ag lab, b. Dumfriesshire
James Prior, grt grdson, 2, b. -do-
Thomas McMurdo, lodger, m, 64, carter, b. -do-

[aidansrest]

Hi

Yes, she did - James is my husband's great grandfather, he died in Seaham in 1952.

No sign of Christian after his birth; James was brought up by his maternal great, grandparents, William and Ann Waugh, Christian's maternal grandparents.

Can follow her father, Mother and siblings without a problem; but she disappears before 1871

Sue

[Gadget]

It's very odd how she disappears - I've done a couple of trawls for her in Scotland and Eng&Wales but just nothing.  Do you have James's birth cert 1868? If so what address does it give?

[aidansrest]

Hi

Sorry I don't have James' birth certificate, just his baptism record which confirms Christian as his mother (no father).

Christian registered her grandfather's death in 1866 and then had James' in 1868, before disappearing.
James remained with his great grandparents, so I was assuming that she had died or remarried before 1871. I fear that she may have died.

Sue

[Gadget]

Hi again

When/where did James (1868) marry ?

Also, I couldn't find anything for Joyce's birth/baptism. Their ages suggests that they could well be twins. Maybe, Christian was left with her grandparents for domestic reasons.

Gadget

[aidansrest]

Hi

James married in St John's Church, Seaham Harbour on the 12th July 1899 (I think, don't have my documents in front of me).
He left Scotland around 1886 after joining the 11th Hussar's (Prince Albert's Own) and served abroad in South Africa and India.
I'm assuming after he was discharged he was making his way back to Scotland when he met his future wife, Hannah, in Seaham, as they married less than a year after his discharge date.

He never returned to Scotland, and named his cousin, Thomas Murray, as his next of kin on his army papers.

Sue