Christina Sutherland, Edinburgh

[loobylooayr]

Hi EdinKath,

There is a James Sword at 17 Duke Street, Edinburgh on the 1851 Census - he is 48 year old - occupation (as transcribed on Freecen ) Upholster Employs 30 men.
He has a large family with his wife Jane age 46 , including -
James Junior   aged 28   - Clerk to his father.
John   H          aged  25  - Salesman App to His Father.
Alex S             aged 17 -   Cabinet Maker Assistant

Could James jnr perhaps be the father to Mary Sutherland/Sword?
Looby        

[EdinKath]

Hi Wendy, I also thought she was the most likely candidate but she married James McArthur and moved to Glasgow. Her brother William married Christina Pender in 1860 so she appears on later census as another Christina Sutherland with their daughters.

There are two I haven't been able to trace yet - Christina b.1830, daughter of William Sutherland, spirit dealer & Margaret Sutherland who's on the 1841 census as Christian Jun, 12, with William, her step-mother Christian Geddes and younger siblings.
and Christina b. 1827, daughter of William Sutherland, porter & Janet Anderson, on the 1841 census as Christian, 14, with parents and siblings.
By 1851, Janet Anderson has died and William remarried. Both Christinas have left home by the 1851 census.

Hi Looby, Either James Sword Sr or Jr could be Mary's father. I checked them both out a few years ago but came to no conclusions. Senior was married 3 times but not to a Christina! Junior never married. Not totally sure but junior might have bankrupted the business and ended up in the poorhouse. Or maybe Christina made up the name!

[loobylooayr]

Yes, I did wonder about James snr as a potential biological father too !  

There is a Christina Sutherland aged 22 (born Invergordon, Ross& Cromarty) on the 1851 recorded as an inmate at The Magdalen Asylum on the Canongate. I believe this was a place for unwed women or women in dire circumstances to give birth.

Looby

[EdinKath]

Hi Looby, do you know if any records from the Magdalen Asylum survive? 1851 is a bit early for Mary's birth (according to her age on all later records) but maybe another Christina went there to give birth around 1854!

[loobylooayr]

Hi Looby, do you know if any records from the Magdalen Asylum survive? 1851 is a bit early for Mary's birth (according to her age on all later records) but maybe another Christina went there to give birth around 1854!

Sorry, EdinKath, I don't know if there will be any existing records for Magdalen Asylum.
This entry is, as you say, a few years too early for Mary's birth - but nothing to say Mary was Christina's first child. Oddly enough , I've just realised when looking at the Freecen transcription again, there are only the staff & their families plus the young women listed 
There are no young children or babies 
Now, I'm doubting my statement that the Magdalen Asylum was for pregnant/unmarried mothers. However all the women are of child-bearing age.

Can't say obviously if the Christina Sutherland recorded there is the one you are researching. 

Looby

[loobylooayr]

Ahhh , thanks to Mr. Google -
https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/scotland-s-magdalene-asylums-for-fallen-women-1-4382349

The Magdalen Asylum was for "fallen women"  - a charitable organisation which strived to save women from prostitution . Some of them would be pregnant and give birth there - but the main aim was to get women off the streets and rehabilitate them.

Looby