Hi guys,
I wondered if anybody here would be willing to give their thought on a mystery I cant explain in the census records.
I am trying to trace 3 x Great Grandparents, William Smith and Marion Paterson.
According to the 1911 census, William was born around 1835 in Muirkirk, Ayr, Scotland.
As for his wife Marion, the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census have her being born between 1833 and 1835, in London.
There is marriage record in 1852 between a William Smith and a Marion Paterson registered in New Monkland,Lanark,Scotland. The oral tradition in the family was that side did infact come from Scotland so this fits and I know William was certainly born in Scotland.
They had my great great grandmother Annie in 1867, born in Consett, Durham and the family then settled in Jarrow, Tyneside.
Yet all the previous census records that seem to be William have him married to a Marion (same approx birth year), yet her place of birth pre-1891 is always given as Scotland.
The options I have in my mind at present are that I have the wrong pre-1891 couple, although the children all match. William re-married another Marion of the same age. Or Marion changed the place of birth on the later census records, which I cant explain.
Any help would or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I am a novice with such things.