How do I find Mary Ann Burns ??

[Gadget]

 

It was why I was searching on them Gadget.

I see that in one instance she and a Helen Burns were charged with theft.

[Gadget]

Found an entry in Dundee Advertizer 10 Dec 1892 - Mary Ann Burns or Holt

 Will see what it says.

[Gadget]

It says:

Arbroath
Mary Ann Burns or Holt, a pedlar, having no fixed residence, was charged with having on Thursday in High Street, behaved in a disorderly manner while in a state of intoxication. She pleaded guilty. Mr M'Neill reported that accused left the Poorhouse on Thursday morning and in the evening the police were obliged to take her on the Police Office. Accused said that she  was going to Dundee and on her promising to leave the town at once she was dismissed with an admonition

[scotmum]

The Waifs and Strays Society was Church of England based, so unlikely to be dealng with Catholic children in Dundee and sending them to a Catholic orphanage in Lanarkshire. I still think it more likely the children were in the Poor House and at some point the Parochial Board placed them at Smyllum. Unless Mary at some point took the children to England?

[scotmum]

A Mary Ann Burns or Holt was in the Highlands in 1894, and appeared in court  at  Tain, for having been drunk and disordely at  Invergordon. She was sentenced to 7 shillings or 7 days in prison.

Similar in Falkirk area in 1888. Seems to have at that time lived in Slamannan. Described as wife of a labourer.

And 1886 in Falkirk area:

.      Mary Ann Burns or Holt, a millworker from Dundee, for committing a similar offence in a lodging house in Back Row

She certainly moved around.

[LauraJC]

Thank you all 

She certainly seems to have led a wild life!!

I called my granny today and she says Mary Ann Burns / Holt went to Wales to "see someone" and "be looked after" , and she thinks she died in a hospital / asylum and had a Catholic burial.

I'm still trying to find a death record but it's difficult with such a wide age range and I suppose she could've changed her name.

[scotmum]

Not Wales, but there was this entry in South Shields at 1901:

Mary Ann   Burns   House Keeper   Widow   Female   49   1852   -   Scotland

I'm sure there may be other possibilities too, but I do fel you would be unlikely to prove any of them, unfortunately.

[scotmum]

One final thought, given your mention of her being in a hospital/asylum and possibly  dead by 1909, again, not Wales but Northumberland at 1901:

May Ann
Last name   Burns
Relationship   Inmate
Marital status   Single
Sex   Female
Age   50
Birth year   1851
Birth town   -
Birth place   Scotland
Birth place other as transcribed   SCOTLAND
Birth county   -
Occupation   Jute Spinner

..and look at her occupation in particular.

[Gadget]

That looks very much like the one that I found in 1881, Scotsmum

I did a quick search in Wales earlier but couldn't see anything.  As I have many Welsh ancestors, I have lots of Welsh records and will have a more detailed search later.

I must be a bit like her - I started off in Wales, then various places in England and Canada and then Scotland and have ended up in Newcastle