Lanarkshire 1840's birth records

[Stu Royston]

I would value thoughts on how comprehensive records of births were in the 1840's. My ancestor, William Park was apparently born around 1848 in "Glasgow, Lanarkshire" , based on census, marriage and death records. These and other records make me very confident that his parents were William Park and Janet Laurie, but I cannot find a matching birth record. Do parish records from this period always list parents only, or is it possible other family members might appear ? Many thanks, Stuart

[DonM]

Stuart,

I don't see a baptism but then his family might not be members of the Church of Scotland.

Where is he in the 1851 Census?  I see only 5 ages 2-5 in Lanarkshire.

Don

[Forfarian]

I would value thoughts on how comprehensive records of births were in the 1840's. My ancestor, William Park was apparently born around 1848 in "Glasgow, Lanarkshire" , based on census, marriage and death records. These and other records make me very confident that his parents were William Park and Janet Laurie, but I cannot find a matching birth record. Do parish records from this period always list parents only, or is it possible other family members might appear ? Many thanks, Stuart

Not at all comprehensive. Estimates of the proportion of baptisms in the 1840s that are missing from the surviving records vary.

In my own tree I have 1124 people born between 1840 and 1850. Of these I have yet to find 332 baptisms, which is just under 30%.

If I just consider Lanarkshire, I have 94 to find out of 352, which is 27%.

Family members do sometimes occur as witnesses to a baptism, but this varies from parish to parish, and only very occasionally does the record state the relationship of a family witness to the child.

(For part of the 18th century the parish of Rothes in Moray records the witnesses' names, addresses and often their relationships to the child, but doesn't record the name of the child's mother! Here's an example: 1775, November 9th. Joseph lawful son to George Leslie in Mattock-head was baptised. Witnesses Joseph Leslie in Davie's Housie, grandfather to the child, Grizal Leslie there, James Anderson and Patrick Farquhar both in Dandaleith and William Mantoch on the Muir of Hillockhead and Elspet Farquhar there.)

[Stu Royston]

Thanks for replies, in the 1851 census he is aged 3 with his mother Janet Park and uncle Robert Lawrie in New Monkland; his father died in 1849 in Glassford.  That record actually has Glasgow Renfrew as his birthplace , but all the others refer to Lanarkshire- is there a difference ?

[Stu Royston]

Stuart,

I don't see a baptism but then his family might not be members of the Church of Scotland.

Where is he in the 1851 Census?  I see only 5 ages 2-5 in Lanarkshire.

Don

Thanks for replies, in the 1851 census he is aged 3 with his mother Janet Park and uncle Robert Lawrie in New Monkland; his father died in 1849 in Glassford.  That record actually has Glasgow Renfrew as his birthplace , but all the others refer to Lanarkshire- is there a difference ?

[Forfarian]

Thanks for replies, in the 1851 census he is aged 3 with his mother Janet Park and uncle Robert Lawrie in New Monkland; his father died in 1849 in Glassford.  That record actually has Glasgow Renfrew as his birthplace , but all the others refer to Lanarkshire- is there a difference ?

Some of the parishes which are in the city of Glasgow are officially in the County of Renfrew. I have to admit to finding it very confusing

[ColC]

This is the record on freecen, which seems to agree with that on SP, I do not see William on either?

MILLER   Robert   Head   M   M   43   Woollen And Linen Draper   LKS   Old Monkland      
MILLER   Margaret   Wife   M   F   44              FIF   Kincardine      
PARK   Janet   Niece   U   F   17      LKS   Glasgow

Colin

[ColC]

I see William now but he is in a different household

PARK   WILLIAM   1851   M   3   651/ 57/ 12   Airdrie or New Monkland   Lanark

PARK   JANET   1851   F   17   651/ 29/ 2           Airdrie or New Monkland   Lanark


Colin

[Stu Royston]

this is the 1851 record I mentioned;
Parish: New Monkland; ED: 32; Page: 12; Line: 8; Roll: CSSCT1851_170; Year: 1851
He is in Millroad, Airdrie with his mother Janet Park and uncle Robert Lawrie. Subsequent census records show him aged 13 still with his mother, in the same location then in 1861 then aged 23 with his aunt in 1871, before he is married in 1880.