Hi Folks
Thanks for everything!
However, all this information has thrown up even more confusion!
The George Bain/Baird who died on the 15th May 1857, doesn't seem to have been 'my' James Bain's father.
I was alerted to this fact by the name Elizabeth Orrell on his death notice.
In fact, this George Baird married Elizabeth Orrell in Edinburgh on the 24th March 1844.
They had five children - James baptised on the 22nd June 1845, Elizabeth Ann, baptised on the 21st May 1848, George Christie, baptised on the 21st December 1852, Margaret, baptised on the 4th March 1855, and Mary Ann, baptised on the 8th April 1857.
Elizabeth was born in England, and can be found with her father on the Scottish 1851 census, as Elizabeth Orrell Baird, with her two elder children, James and Elizabeth Ann. No sign of George.
By 1861, she had returned to Liverpool with her father, James Orrell, and children, James, Elizabeth, George and Mary Ann; she was listed as 'widowed'
Her son, James, who was also almost the same age as 'my' James, remained in Lancashire, working as a whitesmith, and marrying Elizabeth Hunter in Liverpool on the 18th September 1865, naming his father as George Bird (Baird), a joiner.
Also, Elizabeth Christie, who married 'my' George Bain was definitely the daughter of James Christie and Ann Paxton - her mother was not a 'Stephen.'
This can be proved in two ways, firstly Elizabeth gives her place of birth on the 1851, 1861, and 1871 census as Logie-Pert.
This is also listed as her baptism place; she was born on the 30th April 1820, and baptised there on the 8th May.
It can be backed up by the presence of her nieces and nephews on the 1871 census, Ann, Elizabeth and Thomas Christie.
They were the children of Elizabeth's younger brother, Thomas Low Christie, and his wife, Ann Alexender. Thomas had been born in Logie-Pert on the 1st April 1829, son of James Christie and Ann Paxton.
So, it would seem that a George Bain, a carpenter, had married Elizabeth Christie and went on to have my James, and another, George Baird, also a carpenter,had married an Elizabeth Orrell and also had a son, James.
Both George's final child had been born in 1857, and both were dead by 1861.
Very confusing, but definitely two different families.
Does every one agree?
Thanks Sue