kirby Lonsdale

[lesleyhannah]

I haven't done any family history for some years, and have actually lost the original tree I had - all a long story. However, I have just received a message from someone who was researching a branch of my family some years ago; I don't have the information he wants, but I remember how helpful rootschatters were to me in the past, so hope someone can help. My direct ancestor was Thomas Macdougal born 1825 in Dumfries. The family were from Ruthwell. I made notes on my paper record that I couldn't find Thomas on the 1871 census, but that he was working (as a servant perhaps) in Kirby Lonsdale in 1878. I have no idea where I got this information from, or whether it was in fact accurate. There were a lot of Macdougals (various spellings) in that area, so it could in fact even be the wrong person.

Any help will be appreciated - it's even made me curious about my old hobby ! Thank you.

[ColC]

I guess this is the family?

MCDOUGALL   THOMAS   THOMAS MCDOUGALL/MARY UNDERWOOD    14/06/1825   RUTHWELL

1841 Ruthwell Village. MCDOUGAL family all born Dumfriesshire

Thomas a Blacksmith 53 Mary 46

George 20, Thomas 16, John 14, Mary B. 11, Elizabeth 9, Agness 7, Sopiah 4, Jannet 1.

THOMAS MCDOUGAL   MARRIED   SUSAN DICKIE   21/12/1852   RUTHWEL

1861 Clarencefield Village, Ruthwell – all born Ruthwell

GRIERSON   Annie   Head   U      65   -
MCDOUGAL   Susan   Daur   Married   34   Ag Lab's Wife
MCDOUGAL   Thos   Grnson   -   7   Scholar
MCDOUGAL   David G.   Grnson   5   Scholar
MCDOUGAL   Walter Phillip Grnson  3   
MCDOUGAL   Mary Ann   Grndau   6m   

In 1861 Thomas below is working for Mary Thomson at Spittlereddinghill Farm House, Brydekirk, Annan.

MCDOUGALL   Thomas   Servnt   Married      35   Ploughman   Dumfriesshire   Ruthwell

Colin

[ColC]

I do not see Thomas anywhere in England in 1871. There are two in Scotland, the one below is the only one where no other McDougall's appear at that reference number, the original on SP would need to be seen.

MCDOUGALL THOMAS 1871 M 44 685/3 76/ 1   CANONGATE   MIDLOTHIAN   

1871 RUTHWELL. SUSAN 43, WALTER 13, JAMES 8, SAMUEL C 2, MARYANN 1

1881 Clarencefield Village, Ruthwell, Dumfriesshire - all born there.

Thomas   McDougall   Head   Married   55   1826   Railway surface lab   
Susan   McDougall   Wife   Married   54   1827   
Samuel   McDougall   Son   -      12   1869   Scholar   
Maryanne   McDougall   Daughter   -   11   1870   Scholar   

THOMAS MCDOUGALL DEATH   81   MMN = UNDERWOOD   1907   RUTHWELL

SUSAN MACDOUGAL   DEATH   88   MMN = GRIERSON   1915   RUTHWELL

Colin

[lesleyhannah]

Thank you Colin - this is definitely my family; DNA results show the connections, which is a bonus I hadn't expected when I started my searches. The connection with Kirby Lonsdale remains a puzzle. It does seem as if Thomas changed his occupation somewhere in the 1870s. The researcher who has contacted me has discovered a connection with Kirby Lonsdale and he would like more details. It's possible that Thomas appeared on a BMD cert and gave the address of his employer. Possibly someone reading this will find a Macdougal surname in their records. That would be a great help - Susan and Thomas obviously got together again later so any names/addresses in the area would be a clue

Thanks again for your help.

[ColC]

Kirkby Lonsdale census returns 1841, 1861 & 1871 are on freecen, I do not see any McDougall's on the returns for those years and the only Thomas is in Edinburgh, it would be ideal to see if that is he.
Otherwise he may have been in the North of England but maybe he was not recorded there or the record has not survived. In 1861 he was a Ploughman and by 1881 he worked on the Railway's. I wonder if in 1871 he was working as a surface man then?
In 1861 Kirkby Lonsdale's Railway Station Opened, just a thought?

Colin