What can I hope to find on a christening record?

[andi]

Hi,

I think I have found the christening of an ancestor in LOCHALSH, ROSS AND CROMARTY, SCOTLAND in 1843 but what information could I hope to find on the entry? Would it give details of the fathers occupation?

The father I think originates from Scotland but he is not with his wife and children on the 1841 census in Liverpool and dies just before the 1851 census!!

His wife and 2 children appear in 1841 in Liverpool (1 child has passed away the previous year).
On 1851 census the father is dead and a fourth child is now present. On 1851 and 1861 censuses it says the child Donald was born in Ireland but in 1871 it says Scotland and 1881 (he's now blind) it says Liverpool.

The name of the child is Donald Mathieson and his burial record in May 1890 calls him Donald Kenneth Mathieson.
He is 6 in 1851 and 16 in 1861 giving an approx birth year of 1844/45. The christening record gives a birth year of 1842??

The parents of Donald are Kenneth Mathieson and Margaret Brownbill. The surname Mathieson appears as Matheson and Matthewson in various records. The father Kenneth was a hairdresser.

I don't know why they would have travelled such a distance but they clearly did for Donald to be born elsewhere. Maybe they travelled via Ireland to Scotland and Donald was born on the way?

The hints I get for the father's also take me to Scotland but I am reluctant to add them as I cannot be certain.

Any help appreciated
Andrea

[louisa maud]

In England Christening records normally give
date of christening
childs names
surname and Christian names of parents
father's occupation
address
and sometimes if we are lucky there is a birth date but not always,

You seem to have a lot of information already apart from his date of birth

Having seen Scottish marriage certs they give much more information, so, I assume they would give you all the details listed above at least, you might even get mother's maiden name

Happy Hunting

Louisa Maud

[andi]

Thanks Louisa,

I have Donald's marriage record as they were based in Liverpool (apart from the elusive birth!) and it only names his father.

His parents Kenneth and Margaret also married in Liverpool but as in was in 1831 there was no mention of parents.

I just feel that this birth is the clue to finding out where Kenneth originated from.

Thanks
Andrea

[MonicaL]

Hi Andrea

One problem with that Scottish christening entry in Scotland (apart from birth year for Donald) is that mother Margaret also shows as Matheson. In Scotland, birth and christening entries show mother with her maiden surname, not married name. See https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ79-2P2

Another birth to this couple in 1844, Margaret, born in the same area https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQ79-ZM2

Monica

Added: Marriage for this couple looks to have been in 1840 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYQV-5HM

[Wred]

Looking at  the index on Scotlands people (which is free) Kenneth Matheson married Margaret Matheson 1840 at Lochalsh.

[Forfarian]

I think I have found the christening of an ancestor in LOCHALSH, ROSS AND CROMARTY, SCOTLAND in 1843 but what information could I hope to find on the entry? Would it give details of the fathers occupation?

Information on baptisms before 1855, when statutory civil registration was introduced, is very variable.

You get the father's name, and in most cases the name of the child and date of baptism. The mother's name, if it is included at all, will be her given name and maiden surname. Sometimes you get the date of birth, the father's occupation, the names of witnesses, the parents' residence, the name of the officiating minister, the place where the baptism took place (it was not always in the kirk) and in rare cases the person the child was named after or the relationship, if any, of the witnesses to the child, though I have never seen a record that gave all of that information.

The least informative one I've seen just said '[year] So-and-so had a child baptised'. No month or day, no child's name, no mother's name, no other information.

I agree with Monica that if your Kenneth's wife was Margaret Brownbill, they are not the Kenneth Matheson and Margaret Matheson whose son Donald was baptised in Lochalsh in 1843.

[Forfarian]

Looking at the index to the 1861 census on SP, I see that in Lochalsh, enumeration district 3, page 9 there are
Kenneth Matheson, 44; Margaret Matheson, 40; Donald Matheson, 19; John Matheson, 12; Rory Matheson, 10; Donald Matheson, 7; Johnnie Matheson, 4; and Kenneth Matheson, 1.

I also note that Kenneth Matheson and Margaret Matheson had John, born 10 April 1857 and Kenneth, born 28 January 1860.

So it looks to me as if Donald Matheson, born 1842 and baptised 1843, may still have been with his parents Kenneth and Margaret in Lochalsh in 1861. If so, then obviously he isn't the one you are looking for. A look at the original of the 1861 census on SP would confirm or refute that.

[Annette7]

Donald Kenneth Matheson married Rachel ElizaBeth Nuttall 1869 Liverpool. I think you have the wrong 1871 census entry as he is with his wife in Everton and birthplace is Ireland as before.

Since he was with his mother in 1851 and 1861 when Ireland is given as birthplace I think its pretty categorical that he was indeed born in Ireland.

As Monica has explained it's just a coincidence that the Donald born Ross and Cromarty had similar parents names.

Annette

[Dundee]

I think you have the wrong 1871 census entry as he is with his wife in Everton and birthplace is Ireland as before.

Annette

It says place of birth is Scotland, not Ireland 

Debra