The Mystery of Matthew/Martha Kerr (Slamannan)

[Lucy_Anywhere]

There's a Matthew Kerr age 4 on a passenger list in 1910 - Scotland to Quebec.

Hi Milliepede and Carole - thanks for that, but doesn't look like they are the Kerrs I am looking for. Although it would have solved the Matthew mystery!

[ColC]

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie

Birth of MARTHA KERR on 05 August 1907 Newtownards

Mother Lizzie Kerr. No father noted

However I cannot see Martha on the 1911 census in Ireland, too many Lizzies to be certain.

It is possible that Matthew could be with relatives in Scotland but there is no death record.

This may be John’s marriage?

20 August 1891 St Marys RC Church Ballymena

John Kerr a miner age 20, father Robert married Martha Young 17, father John
Witnesses Charles Kelly & Mary Young.

Colin

[MaureeninNY]

 I'm sort of leaning towards the wrong gender/name theory.

 Do you know if Martha and James (KELLY) had any children? Someone out there might remember her birthday.

 Maureen

[alpinecottage]

Sometimes babies are born with indeterminate gender - perhaps the baby looked like a boy at birth but became more obviously female as he/she grew.  A name change from Matthew to Martha is relatively subtle.
Did Martha (the daughter) have any children of her own?

[MaureeninNY]

I'm sure there are other similar threads:

[Moderator Comment: Topics merged]

Maureen

[Rosinish]

It seems to me with an Irish accent the names Matthew & Martha could be mixed up if not heard properly & of course the sex ascribed automatically by name?

Everything from the birth yr, to 1911 census & forward would point to this.

Annie

[MonicaL]

The Scottish 1921 census is due to be released later this year....at last 

Searching for Martha, this will give you a better guide on her birth date. The census won't include an actual birth date, but age was now required as years and completed months, rather than just years as in previous censuses.

The 1939 Register entry for Martha (only available on application and there is a hefty charge for it) will only give you her age.

Monica

[Rosinish]

The 1939 Register entry for Martha (only available on application and there is a hefty charge for it) will only give you her age.

That's interesting Monica as the E/W 1939 Register gives birth dates.

Oh to be able to view ours in Scotland 

Annie

[Lucy_Anywhere]

Thanks, everyone - I really appreciate your insights.

I'm leaning towards it being a clerical error as well - a father with an Irish accent, a hard-of-hearing clerk, etc leading to the wrong name being recorded. Or possibly she looked like a boy at birth and the mistake was corrected by a subtle name change. I don't know if she had any children. I also don't know if they stayed in Scotland or moved down to Lancashire - I'll have to do some more digging.

Colin - yes, that is John and Martha's marriage. They moved over to Scotland shortly afterwards as their first child was born in Livingstone in 1892.

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of that thread, Maureen - I was wondering if this was a problem other people had come across. It just seems like such a huge mistake, but I guess if no one noticed at the time then it was never realised!

Lucy