Looking for information on Alexander Bell born 1840 in Renfrewshire, Scotland

[srp123au]

Hi
Looking for the birth of Alexander Bell around 1840 in Renfrew.. his parents were James Bell and Mary Ritchie.

Looking for their marriage date and any other children also presumably in Renfrewshire.
Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Forfarian]

There's nothing obvious in the church records at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

I presume that he emigrated to Australia and that you got his parents' names and his age and birthplace from his death certificate?

When did he emigrate? What else do you know about him?

[GR2]

I can't see them on the 1841 or 1851 census for Renfrewshire on FreeCEN. The nearest is a Donald Bell (ship carpenter) and his wife, Mary in Greenock, with Alexander, aged 1, in 1841. By 1851 Donald is dead and Mary is a grocer. The children are now Alexander, Elizabeth and Donald.

[srp123au]

He came to Australia as a mariner? I have found a NSW discharge seaman document that says he was cook on the last ship he was on Hydra and he registered in Melbourne, VICTORIA. Discharged on October 30 1867 in NSW.

He married Emily Jane Morland 15th Feb 1869 at Scots Church, Sydney, NSW. It says his occupation is a mariner and his usual residence is at sea. So its possible that the discharge register is not him.
Also, on the marriage certificate it says his parents were James Bell and Mary Ritchie and that his born in Renfrewshire, Scotland.

He had 3 kids with Emily Jane: Mary Jane, Emily and Sarah all in Newcastle NSW. Mary Jane is my ancestor she was born in Stockton, near Newcastle. On Mary Jane's birth certificate in 1870 it lists his occupation as Fisherman.

He died in 1875 in Stockton as a crane fell on him and is buried at Christ Church Cemetery Newcastle. Unfortunately, in 1970s all of the headstones were destroyed and most of them converted to rubble and so I cannot find the burial location.

Unfortunately on his death certificate it says unknown for parents, marriage and place of birth. It says his occupation was a labourer. The informant was the coroner.

[Forfarian]

Lots of newspaper reports on Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/ about the accident, including one on the inquest in the Newcastle Chronicle of 10 August 1875.

No information, however, about his family.

I see that the doctor who testified at the inquest estimated Bell's age at 40 to 45, which would suggest he was born earlier than 1840. Could he perhaps have shaved a few years off his age when he got married? Not that this helps as SP don't seem to have any records of baptisms of children of James Bell and Mary Ritchie.

Could he have been illegitimate?

There is a possibility that there might be some information about him in Merchant Navy crew lists but I'm no expert on accessing those.

[ColC]

There are 3 Alexander Bells about age 1 on the 1841 Freecen census

Parents Donald & Mary as already mentioned, 1851 Alex age 10

Parents Alexander & Ann – 1851 below Ann must be an error he did marry a Janet?

1851 Alesander born Edinburgh & Janet, son Alex born Renfrew age 11. Others age 7 – 15. 
Alex now 21 still with family above in 1861.

This family might be worth looking at?

Parents Alexander born OUC & Alison OUC (Alex born Renfrew age 20 months) no trace of 1851 anywhere, so did they emigrate.

No trace of marriage?
BELL   ALEXANDER   ALEXANDER BELL/ALLISON ROBERTSON   10 JULY 1839   21 JULY 1839   GREENOCK - TRINITY ASSOCIATE

Not on 1841 census.
BELL   JOHN   ALEXANDER BELL/ALISON ROBERTSON   21 APRIL 1835   3 MAY 1835   GREENOCK - TRINITY ASSOCIATE

BELL   MARGARET   ALEXANDER BELL/ALISON ROBERTSON   3 SEPTEMBER 1837   17 1837   GREENOCK - TRINITY ASSOCIATE


Colin

[srp123au]

Thanks Forfarian and ColC. I checked out those Trove records.. will look again..
I think I need to find his mariner records.. knowing where to start is the fun part. Does anyone know about the Scottish Mariners? Would it be a Navy record?

[ColC]

Records for Mariners are held at the National Archives in Kew, London. Information below might help as a starting point. They have researches that can help, at a cost. I was lucky I contacted someone who was going and he found the information I needed for my wife's GGGF in Ayrshire.
Each sailor has a Seaman’s Ticket and that is the key to tracing the voyages made.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/merchant-seamen-serving-up-to-1913

Colin

[srp123au]

Hi
I have recently got a Find my past subscription on on looking at the Mariner records there there's an Alexander Bell aged 22 and born in Glasglow Renfrewshire (is this possible?) it says his journey was in 1856. I cannot decipher the writing but it may be AB (Ableseaman?) from Glasglow to London?