Downie family - Midlothian then Durham

[TonyV]

I am researching my aunt's family. Her maiden name was Downie and she was born in the Gateshead area.  Her grandfather, John Downie, was born around 1836 in Edinburgh then moved to Gateshead to work in a chemical factory around 1858. I am trying to find more information about his parents and wife.

Around 1854/55 John Downie married an Irish woman called Mary McHugh or McEwen or McKeon. The three maiden names are used (McHugh twice) in registrations of their children. The first two names could sound the same if spoken to a registrar and possibly the same for McKeon - depends on the accent maybe. I'd therefore be interested to know her real name and whether the marriage took place in Scotland or Ireland.

I would also be interested to know if anyone can identify John Downie's parents or better still his lineage further back.

[Milliepede]

If I have the correct 1861 census there is a daughter Anne age 6 born abt 1855 so presume she was the first child and her birthplace is down as Scotland suggesting the marriage was in Scotland?

[TonyV]

Hi Milliepede

You have the correct first child and thank you for your interest. However, while there is little doubt that John and Mary lived in Scotland after they got married that doesn't mean that they got married there. Mary was from Ireland so while the two probably met in Scotland they may well have gone to Mary's family area to get married. That would be the normal thing to happen but as my post implied I've been unable to find the marriage in either country.

Tony

[River Tyne Lass]

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215183430/mary-ann-downie

I don't know if these Downie memorials have any connection to family you are researching.  The image is hard to make out but this is a photo I took a while back of a memorial for Mary Ann Downie 'of Gateshead'.  (As I recall I don't think I got all the memorials on this plot).  The grave plot is actually quite huge and is in Whitley Bay Cemetery, Tyne and Wear.  This Mary Ann died in 1947 aged 80.

[TonyV]

Wow! Very much so. Although this is not the woman I was asking about, Mary Ann Downie was the mother of my aunt and married to a son of the man I was asking about. I was not aware of the memorials because I live over 200 miles away. If you have better copies of the photographs than I can see on the link I would be most interested. Maybe we would need to use PM?

cheers

Tony

[River Tyne Lass]

Well, I have been taking a lot of photos for Find A Grave and got rid of the originals as soon as had put these up on that site.  However, not to worry, I think in a couple of weeks or so (fitting in with work) I think it will be possible to go back to that cemetery and take more photos for you.  I recall it was a massive plot covering the size of about four usual sized plots.

[TonyV]

Thank you. If that's not too much of an imposition I know that my cousin whose grandparents he never knew (Mary & Patrick) would love to have them. I worked out how to see the original and zoomed it so I can see most of the inscriptions and the fascinating part is that a son Stanley died as recently as 1978 which means that other caring relatives were still around quite recently. I can let you have my email when appropriate by PM.

Tony

[River Tyne Lass]

No problem, Tony I will get you the photos in a couple of weeks or so.  I will let you know on this board when I have them and then you could let me have your email by pm so I can send direct to you. 

[TonyV]

Thank you very much. There were 8 children and Stanley was one of them although I know for certain that some were buried or cremated elsewhere. It may however contain details of Patrick Thomas' parents who are the ones I posted about originally. That would be a real find.

cheers
Tony