Thank you very much Kirstyfairfull, Rosinish and ColC for your replies.
I will refer to her as Margaret which is the name I have known her for a number of years however it appears she may have been known as Maggie, starting at which time I do not know.
To address your responses I will start at the beginning of them to make things easier.
Kirstyfairfull, thank you for the Family History Society in Cupar, I will make contact with them.
Rosinish, thank you for the information you located. The tree you located on Ancestry with the information is my cousin's tree. I am helping her add to family history. I have been researching for over 47 years now and whilst she has been researching for quite a number of years this part of the family history (her full lineage) has always remained a bit of a mystery.
The family has so many twists and turns. The unclaimed letter for a Mrs Wm Gray was not Margaret, we believe it could possibly have been the lady William Hay may have formed a relationship with. We cannot prove this at this stage.
William and Margaret had two children Annie Ethel Hay in Scotland and then John Ritchie Hay while the couple were in Assenhole, West Bengal, India. Both these two children ended up living out their lives in Australia.
Sadly the two children were spirited away to the United States, without Margaret's knowledge arriving 6 September 1883. They were actually told their mother died of Bright's disease. The children resided with a sister of the lady William had formed a relationship with (but never married). Her name was Maria Josephine Putland but went by many different christian names.
Annie and John returned to Scotland arriving Glasgow February 1891. They lived with William's mother and appear in the 1891 Scotland Census.
For some reason documentation shows William, purporting to be a Widower, being admitted to a Hospital & Asylum in Liverpool, New South Wales, having lived on his own means which were now exhausted. He was admitted on 1.9.1898 and discharged by request 9.9.1898. He was again admitted 21.9.1898 and discharged by request 1.10.1898.
William is next found living in England in the 1901 England Census with his "spouse" Myra J Hay. Myra or Maria had been living in the USA and arrived 1884.
To muddy the waters William had placed Margaret into Glasgow Royal Asylum, Gartnavel on 6 March 1882 as a private patient. She was later transferred to Woodilee 25 August 1883 by Authority of Dr Mitchell. Margaret was Discharged Relieved 5 July 1895. We have the records for Margaret
William, Maggie and their two children Annie and John were living in Paisley, Renfrew at the time of the 1881 Census.
The informant on Margaret's Death Certificate is Elizabeth Gray, sister-in-law to Margaret. Elizabeth had married George Gray, Margaret's younger brother.
It was by pure chance that I located the deaths of William and Myra in 1904. Their deaths were caused by "Asphysxia by Illuminating Gas Accidental". They had been back and forward to the USA between 1903 and 1904.
On their State of New York Certificate and Record of Death it is stated they had been married for 20 years which is totally not true as William and Margaret never divorced.
It also seems that William's actual profession could have been glorified over time. More than likely he was a Book Keeper / Clerk. No reference can be found to him being a Banker.
It would seem that William certainly did not cover himself in glory at all in relation to his lawful wife Margaret. She was turned from a Private Patient into a Pauper Patient.
Colin, thank you for your information. Robert Gray married Janet King my 3 x Great Great Aunt, sister to my 3 x Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth King.
Margaret comes from the marriage of this couple's first born son George Gray who married Ann Jack in 1844. Margaret was this couple's first born child being born in 1845. Ann died 1878 at "Bankhead", Uddingston, Parish of Bothwell. George died 1890 at Manor Place, Dunedin, New Zealand, a week after arriving to visit his brother.
I will now go back to look at the Valuations Rolls for 1925 and 1930, I just purchased the one for 1935, thank you for this.
Before I forget, the Gray Family were Agricultural Implement Makers from Uddingston and 3 of the sons settling in New Zealand and two other sons passing in Queensland, although only one can be located with a Death Registration. The family business was started with George Gray in the early 1800s and many awards were won by the businesses. They exported to Canada, New Zealand, Australia and I also believe Ireland as well.
In relation to John Hay, he married Elizabeth Baillie Hiddleston in 1868. She passed away 1921 and John in 1927 both in Glasgow. Robert Hay never married and passed away in 1921 Glasgow.
If Margaret was in fact in the care of Agnes Hay then it is highly likely to have been an Agnes marrying into the Hay family or perhaps a relative of the Hay family themselves. This will need further looking into.
Hopefully I have been able to answer your comments right. The hunt for Margaret continues.
Edit: The sad thing is that Margaret never knew what happened to her children and her children did not know Margaret was alive before leaving Scotland to start new lives in Australia.
With grateful thanks. Judi
