Thomas Bee

[Forfarian]

I can see this family in the 1901 census in Dalkeith (15 Back Street)
Thomas Bee 44 Brewers Cellarman
Margaret C Bee 22 daughter
Mary C Bee 15 daughter
Hugh C Bee 11 son
Agnes C Bee 7 daughter

These are the family of Thomas Bee and Mary Cheyne, who were married in Dalkeith in 1880. See screenshot. There was also an Agnes, born 1893, mother's maiden name not in the index; she and David died young.

Mary Cheyne or Bee, 46, died in Dalkeith in 1900, mother's maiden surname Johnstone. Thomas Bee, 61, died in Dalkeith in 1919. His mother's maiden surname isn't indexed (it will be on the actual certificate) but his age at death suggests that he's the one born in 1857, mms Kennoway.

There is no Thomas of anything vaguely like the right age in the births index for Dalkeith. The ones listed are either far too old (born 1857 and 1862) or far too young (born 1921 and 1922).

The 1911 census index lists Thomas Bee, 53, and Hugh Bee, 21, in Dalkeith. In 1921 Hugh is still there, with a wife Margaret and a baby Christina Logan Bee.

[Caitpaige24]

I've been looking on ancestry but can only seem to find a register of the marriage and nothing else.

Forget about Ancestry. It won't have the information you need.

You can get a copy of the actual marriage certificate from https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/app_select.asp - the GRO Index Reference is
Year 1925
Quarter Apr-May-Jun
District name Farnham
Volume Number 2a
Page number 289

Ok. I will give that a try. Thank you 

[Neale1961]

Dorothy Caroline Bee and Thomas Bee appear in the Farnham electoral rolls for 1933 and 1937 and 1939. Abode 41 Gorseland Cottages
Thomas does not seem to be with his family in the 1939 register.

When was their last child born?

[Caitpaige24]

Dorothy Caroline Bee and Thomas Bee appear in the Farnham electoral rolls for 1933 and 1937 and 1939. Abode 41 Gorseland Cottages
Thomas does not seem to be with his family in the 1939 register.

When was their last child born?

Hi,
I'm not sure when their last child was born. I'll have to check with my Dad and Aunt tomorrow and get back to you on that.

Thank you for the info on the electoral roll.

[Forfarian]

When was their last child born?

FreeBMD has
Norma 1926
Myrtle D 1930
Donald 1932
Lena 1938

The 1939 Register has 3 closed entries (presumably Norma, Myrtle and Lena) plus Donald. There's also a Doreen M Bee, born 1923, who has to be the one registered as Doreen M Rouse, mmn Rouse, in Farnham in 1923.

[Caitpaige24]

When was their last child born?

FreeBMD has
Norma 1926
Myrtle D 1930
Donald1932
Lena 1938

The 1939 Register has 3 closed entries plus Donald. There's also a Doreen M Bee, born 1923, who has to be the one registered as Doreen M Rouse, mmn Rouse, in Farnham in 1923.

Yes. I remember my dad saying that Mrtyle had a brother called Donald and a sister called Doreen. But couldn't quite remember what the other two siblings were called. So I believe this is the right family of the Thomas I'm researching.

[Forfarian]

From the 1911 Scotland census, we see 4 possibilities …..

Thomas Bee born abt 1903 living in Larbert, Sterling
Thomas Bee born abt 1900 living in Tranent, East Lothian
Thomas Bee born abt 1898 living in Forgan Fife
Thomas Bee born abt 1908 living in Newington, Midlothian

There are 169 Bees in the 1911 census in Scotland including

In Forgan: Thomas, aged 13.

In Larbert: Thomas, aged 11.

In Newington: 19 altogether, including one household containing Thomas, 31, Margaret, 32 and Thomas, 3.

in Tranent: Thomas, 11 and Andrew, 7

Amazing that three Thomases and one Andrew are in households where there is no-one else, and in particular, no adults, sharing their surname.

[Forfarian]

A bit of speculation.

The only household in the 1901 census in Scotland containing a Myrtle old enough to be a mother, plus a child named Thomas, is in Edinburgh, and consists of James Lyall, 30, born Borthwick; his wife Myrtle, 21, born Glencross; son Thomas, 4 born Edinburgh; a niece; and mother-in-law Jane Cranston, 76, born Pathhead Ford.

James Lyall and Myrtle McKenzie Cranston were married in Edinburgh in 1893 and their son Thomas was born in Edinburgh in 1896. Glencross or Glencorse is just north of Penicuik and Pathhead Ford is a mile or three south of Dalkeith.

Tracking back to the 1871 census, we find in Glencorse a family consisting of Charles Cranston, his wife Jane, 45, born Crichton; and several children, the youngest of whom is Catherine M Cranston, aged 1, who turns out to be Catherine McKenzie Cranston, born 18 July 1969 in Glencorse, daughter of Charles Cranston and Jane Gordon.

Crichton is only a mile or so from the village of Pathhead

So we have Catherine McKenzie Cranston, aged 1, mother Jane Gordon or Cranston, born Glencorse, and 30 years later Myrtle McKenzie Cranston or Lyall, 31, mother Jane Gordon or Cranston, born Glencorse. Matching age, middle name, birthplace and mother. Quite a coincidence, it is not? And all from the area around Dalkeith and Penicuik

Is it possible that Catherine and Myrtle are one and the same? And by extension, could Thomas Bee have been born Thomas Lyall? In which case there needs to be some explaining why Catherine/Myrtle's son adopted the surname Bee.

What do people think? Am I in the realms of fantasy?

[Caitpaige24]

A bit of speculation.

The only household in the 1901 census in Scotland containing a Myrtle old enough to be a mother, plus a child named Thomas, is in Edinburgh, and consists of James Lyall, 30, born Borthwick; his wife Myrtle, 21, born Glencross; son Thomas, 4 born Edinburgh; a niece; and mother-in-law Jane Cranston, 76, born Pathhead Ford.

James Lyall and Myrtle McKenzie Cranston were married in Edinburgh in 1893 and their son Thomas was born in Edinburgh in 1896. Glencross or Glencorse is just north of Penicuik and Pathhead Ford is a mile or three south of Dalkeith.

Tracking back to the 1871 census, we find in Glencorse a family consisting of Charles Cranston, his wife Jane, 45, born Crichton; and several children, the youngest of whom is Catherine M Cranston, aged 1, who turns out to be Catherine McKenzie Cranston, born 18 July 1969 in Glencorse, daughter of Charles Cranston and Jane Gordon.

Crichton is only a mile or so from the village of Pathhead

So we have Catherine McKenzie Cranston, aged 1, mother Jane Gordon or Cranston, born Glencorse, and 30 years later Myrtle McKenzie Cranston or Lyall, 31, mother Jane Gordon or Cranston, born Glencorse. Matching age, middle name, birthplace and mother. Quite a coincidence, it is not? And all from the area around Dalkeith and Penicuik

Is it possible that Catherine and Myrtle are one and the same? And by extension, could Thomas Bee have been born Thomas Lyall? In which case there needs to be some explaining why Catherine/Myrtle's son adopted the surname Bee.

What do people think? Am I in the realms of fantasy?

I don't know if I'm not following along or if I've confused you.


Thomas Bee is the dad of Mrtyle Bee-My gran(born 1930 and becoming Mrtyle Parratt when married).

I don't know who Thomas's parents are just that his family is from Scotland. Thomas then moved to Surrey Married a Dorothy 1925 where they had 5 children.

I'm assuming Thomas would have been born in 1890-1900 possibly