George McAndrew born about 1861, Aberdeen

[cew1]

I am trying to find a birth record for George McAndrew.

He married Christina Russell in Edinburgh on 16.8.1881, according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland. He stated that he was a 21 year old bachelor and that his parents were Frederick McLennan McAndrew, Blacksmith, Deceased, and Mary McLennan, Deceased.

1891 Census states that he was was born in Aberdeen in 1861 and is 30 years of age.

1901 Census states that he was born in 1863 in St Cuthberts, Edinburgh and is 38 years old.

George and Christina have 5 children. George 1882-1882 and Christina 1883 were born in Plantation, Lanarkshire. Another George 1886, William 1888 and Carolina 1895 were born in Edinburgh.

George died in Edinburgh on 20.1.1930. His death is registered by his daughter in law and she states that his parents are as stated by George on his marriage registration - Frederick McLennan McAndrew, Blacksmith, Deceased and Mary McLennan, Deceased.

I cannot find a birth registration for George, or any record of his parents.
 
On 31.8.1881 there is a George McAndrews, (with an 'S') listed as a military deserter. He was born in 1863 in Aberdeen. I am wondering if this could be George and that he deserted to get married.

I was not sure where to post this, Aberdeen or Edinburgh.

[loobylooayr]

Good morning and welcome to Rootschat , Cew1 

Have you checked out and eliminated the birth of George McAndrew in 1862 registered at Old Machar, Aberdeen?

Looby

[cew1]

Hello, Looby,
Thank you for your quick response. If that is the George McAndrew born 22.12.1861 to Alexander McAndrew and Helen Conrie or Conry, then yes, I have. He died in 1871.

chris

[wivenhoe]

From the marriage certificate, 1881, what occupation do you see for George McANDREW?

What names for witnesses?

What addresses for bride and groom?

What names for parents of Christina RUSSELL?

[cew1]

George's occupation is 'hotel waiter'. His address is 27 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh.
The witnesses are Jane Maxwell Macpherson and Catherine Dingwall
Christina's parents are William Russell, Blacksmith and Mary Russell, MS Hislop
Christina's address is 4 St Stephens Street, Edinburgh

[loobylooayr]

It is interesting that the names provided by George for his parents on his marriage certificate both have the name McLennan - Frederick as his middle name and his mother Mary's surname.
Does the marriage certificate say Mary McAndrew ms McLennan or just Mary McLennan?

Looby 

[Forfarian]

Is his mother's name recorded on his marriage certificate as "Mary McLennan" rather than as "Mary McAndrew MS McLennan"? If so, then he was illegitimate.

According to the IGI there are only five Georges born 1855 to 1865 with mother's name Mary M*c*len*n, and only one of them does not list a father: George McLennan, born in Nairn on 3 February 1863. He would have been aged 18 on 31 August 1881.

In the 1871 census, there is a 14-year-old George McAndrew, born Aberdeenshire, living in Edinburgh St Cuthbert with his brother Fergus McAndrew, 23. In 1861 Fergus McAndrew, 14, is in Aberdeen with his widowed mother Margaret McAndrew and brother George Ritchie, 2; and in 1851 he is in Aberdeen, aged 4, with widowed mother Margaret McAndrew, 26, born Avoch. This could be the family of John McAndrew and Margaret McLennan who were married in Old Machar on 27 October 1845 (Fergus' marriage certificate should clarify that). It's not unheard of for a Margaret to be abbreviated to Marg and mistranscribed as Mary.  Margaret McLennan or McAndrew died in Aberdeen in 1864 aged 39.

On the other hand there is a birth of George Ritchie, no father named, mother Margaret Ritchie, in Aberdeen St Nicholas on 1 June 1858. I took a look at this, and he was born at 34 Gallowgate. His mother gave her name as Margaret, and her occupation as provision merchant, and she signed with an 'x' - in other words, she was illiterate. Could Ritchie have been his father's name, and the registrar thought it was Margaret's surname?

[cew1]

Forarian

The marriage registration lists Mary as Mary McAndrew, MS McLennan.
I had seen the 1871 Census with Fergus and his brother George and checked it out but somehow I had Fergus parent's as Fergus McAndrew and Isabella McKay, with no George, so I dismissed it.
I now have Fergus' marriage registration which lists his parents as John McAndrew and Margaret McLennan.
I also have the birth registration for George McLennan, son of Mary McLennan, born 3rd February, 1863.
At the moment I am leaning towards George being the illegitimate  son of Mary McLennan.

Thank you Looby, Wivenhoe and Forfarian for your help. It is much appreciated.

[flst]

It appears that Margaret McAndrew died in Aberdeen in 1864, aged 39. Her death was registered in the St.Nicholas district. Hopefully the information on it will be useful!. Did you look at the birth certificate of George Ritchie, born in 1859 & registered in the Old Machar district? Margaret was widowed before 1851, so the father cannot be Frederick McAndrew, but that doesn't mean George wasn't called McAndrew. If you are interested in the McAndrew line, then the other McAndrew family in Aberdeen is likely to be related.
flst