McLennan Clan

[KimmiRowell]

Thank you ever so much. Will deffo give it ok. Really appreciate your advice xx

[Forfarian]

KimmiRowell tells me that she has found the records of Roderick travelling to South Africa on the 'Grandtully Castle' in 1883, single, policeman.

As he was unmarried in 1883, (unless he was being untruthful) he was in the UK and unmarried in 1881 when the census was taken. That hugely reduces the number of possible candidates.

I’ve had a quick look at the FindMyPast transcription of the 1881 census, and there are 19 Roderick Mclennans and 4 Roderick Maclennans listed aged 21 to 31.

There is a police constable, aged 27, unmarried, born Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, lodging in Glasgow in the household of Roderick McLeod, police constable, 28, married, born Ross and Cromarty, parish unspecified. So the obvious resource to target is the records of Glasgow City Police – see https://www.glasgowfamilyhistory.org.uk/ExploreRecords/Pages/Police-Officers.aspx

It’s tempting to think that he must be the son of Kenneth Maclennan and Elizabeth (Betsy) Ross, who were living at Burnside, Dingwall, in 1851:
Kenneth McLennan, head, married, 50, stone dyker, born Contin
Betsy McLennan, wife married, 49, born Munlochy
Roderick McLennan, son, 8, scholar, born Dingwall
Elizabeth Fraser, visitor, unmarried, 40, dressmaker, born Inverness-shire
Kenneth McLennan, son, 4, born Dingwall
But in that case, if he is yours, why did he not name any of his sons Kenneth or his daughters Elizabeth or Betsy?

There's another Roderick McLennan police officer, 29, born Fodderty, in South Leith. However he is married to Helen Wilson with two sons, Kenneth (6) and John (1). I can't find them in 1891, but I can't find a death of Helen Wilson or M(a)clennan in Scotland, so it may be that the whole family emigrated together.

I'll have a look at some of the other unmarried ones in the 1881 census.

[KimmiRowell]

This is absolutely brilliant thank you !!!
I will definately look into the Police records.
I am, however not going to rule out him having a family here and leaving them behind

[Forfarian]

I have bad news - that Roderick is not yours after all because he is in the 1891 census in Glasgow with a wife and family.

There are 7 unmarried Roderick M(c)Lennans in the 1881 census whom I cannot match with ones in 1891
1. Aged 29, lodger, maltman, born R and C, lodging at 26 Govan Street, Gorbals, Glasgow
2. Aged 31, clearing house clerk, born England, boarding at 7 Annfield Row, Dundee
3. Aged 31, son of John McLennan and Catherine McDonald, born Applecross, in Applecross
4. Aged 26, son of John and Hannah McLennan, born Aultbea, living in Laid, parish of Gairloch
5. Aged 25, son of Roderick and Christina McLennan, born Rosskeen, in Kilmuir Easter
6. Aged 24, son of William McLennan and Margaret McLean, born Killearnan, in Inverness
7. Aged 23, son of Roderick McLennan and Elspet McGregor, born Fortrose, in Dunblane

There is also one in the 1891 census whom I cannot definitely match to any of the seven
Aged 35, coachman, unmarried, born Torridon. Torridon straddles the parishes of Gairloch and Applecross, so (b) may be 3. above.

Note that apart from 2. above, all of them were born in Ross and Cromarty.

[maclennan25]

The Clan Maclennan website has an entry for Roderick and Ada with info submitted from a grandson of Jessie; Roderick Duncan Maclennan was born around 1870 in Inverness-shire and died around 1925 in SA. It also says he met Ada on the ship on the way to SA.

There is no other info for Roderick but there is a death notice/certificate for Ada with address dated 25th August 1937. There are also only four children listed for Roderick and Ada and you mentioned seven and no documents for Roderick, there are possibly errors in the information. (There is a marriage certificate for Jessie dated 1926 but you may already have this info).

Although not Inverness-shire, if the middle name is correct, there is a Roderick Duncan Mclennan born in Avoch, Ross-shire in 1876 (scotlandspeople: MCLENNAN, RODERICK DUNCAN, Male, 1876, 059/A 27, Avoch) but he seems too young to possibly be married and had a child by 1889.

There are a few other Roderick Duncan's born around that time but none have the surname Maclennan.

I hope this helps

[KimmiRowell]

Thank you so much for this information, its really great. Out of interest how did you find the information on the website ?
Thanks
Kathy

[maclennan25]

The clan Maclennan genealogy website? It is a subscription website for £14 per year.

https://www.clanmaclennan-worldwide.com/genealogy/