I am a volunteer researcher for the Quilters Guild of Great Britain. The Guild asks members who are also family historians to research the makers of quilts in their museum collection. I have been asked to research James Hamilton of Scotland, who made the quilt pictured here. However, I am having difficulty, and I wondered if anyone could help me, please, with some look ups. I only have access to basic Ance****, which has limited Scottish records. Here is what we have been told about James:
He was born in January 1872. So were a lot of other Scottish James Hamiltons.
In the 1891 census he was a tailor. I cannot find this reference. To me, the quilt looks as though it is made with fabrics a tailor might have to hand.
He had a daughter in 1915, when he was living at Smiths Place, Plains, by Airdrie.
I think a way forward might be to find him in the 1911 or 1921 censuses at the Plains address, and confirm his date of birth, and find out where he was born. But neither census is available to me. It would be good to know who the rest of his family were, and what sort of life he might have led in Plains at that time.
I would be grateful for any help or ideas anyone can give me, which will be properly acknowledged in the Guild’s archive.
