Lookup request - Birth or death certificate HELLEN CAMPBELL

[Spinelli]

Hello all,

I've got a bit of a loose end with  one of my ancestors. I have her marriage record and census records from 1861 to 1901, but I cannot for the life of me find her birth or death records. I believe she died between 1901 and 1911, as she is no longer on the family census. In 1901 the family lived in Dumbarton, and in 1911 the family lived in Old Kilpatrick (Clydebank).

I've searched for every variation of ELLEN/HELLEN/HELEN/BELL with every variation of MCRAE/MACRAE/MCCRAE/MCKAY/MACKAE.

Full details below:

1845
Marriage to Donald McRae 12/12/1845, Inverness.

1861 Census
Ellen McRae age 42
Born abt. 1819, Beaiug, Inverness
Household members: Donald McRae (spouse), Mary, Alexander, John & Allan (children)
Address: 1 Glasgow Road, Dumbarton

1871 Census
Ellen McCrae age 60
Born abt. 1811, Inverness
Household Members: Mary, John & Allan McCrae (children)*
*Spouse Donald McRae died in>>>>>>
Address: 5 Strathleven Place, Dumbarton

1881 Census
Ellen McCrae age 60
Born abt. 1821 Kilmore Gaelic, Invernesshire
Household members: John & Allan McCrae*
*Mary now married and living with John McIndewer
Address: 5 Stratheleven Place

1891 Census
Ellen McRae age 71
Born abt. 1820, Inverness
Household members: John McRae
Address: 5 Strathleven place

1901 Census
Hellen McRae age 79
Born abt. 1822, Inverness
Household members: Mary McIndewar (daughter) and her children, also George McRae (Boarder)
Address 10 Bank Street, Clydebank (RD Old Kilpatrick)

1911 Census
Ellen McRae's unmarried son John McRae lives with his widowed sister-in-law Mary McIndewar (nee. McRae).

1921 Census
Ellen McRae's unmarried son John McRae lives with his widowed sister-in-law Mary McIndewar (nee McRae) and niece Janet Gray.

Any help appreciated, pulling my hair out trying to find her!

[CaroleW]

SP shows the marriage was 12.2.1846 not 12.12.1845.  Entry is Helen Campbell

Ignore - 12.2.1846 was birth of their son Donald

[CaroleW]

Given the diversity in her birthyear & christian name have you already ruled out the 1902 death for Ellen McRae aged 72 in Dunbarton.  mmn McDonald.. Can't see any 1901 entry for that Ellen

[Spinelli]

I haven't ruled it out with any certainty, the date is of course later than any suggestion from the census' (varied as they are). But birth record for this Ellen McRae (nee McDonald) is Latheron, up in Caithness - which goes against every bit of info I have that places her birth in the Inverness region.

[CaroleW]

The 1902 death wasn't McRae nee McDonald.  McDonald was her mothers maiden name.  If it is her - you are looking for a Campbell/McDonald marriage

[Spinelli]

I purchased the record - you are correct 

Ellen McRae, widow of Donald McRae. Death registered by her grandson Hugh McIndewer.

Her parents were Alexander Campbell and Mary McDonald.

Thank you for your help, the odd date/location would have been enough to put me off buying the record if I hadn't been prompted.

[CaroleW]

I'm glad it was the right one.  There isn't a Mary McDonald but there is an Alexander Campbell marriage to a Margaret McDonald in Inverness but it was in 1795.

I'm inclined to think she was probably born around 1819-1822 than earlier

There is an 1841 entry for Helen Campbell b 1821 with parents Alexander aged 70 & Mary 50 but Mary's age doesn't fit a 1795 marriage unless she was a second wife

[Neale1961]

You seem to be missing the 1851 census from your full details in the opening post.
I think this is likely to be it.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14d110f4040b9d6ed5db49/helen-mcrae-1851-inverness-shire-inverness-1811-?locale=en

[Spinelli]

Thank you Neale, that does look like her census based on the children's names and husbands occupation.

I am confused as to how her age can be so variable thought - this 1851 census would have her born about 1810, her death certificate would have her born around 1830, and all the other census' are somewhere in between!

It's the first time i'm come across so much variation - based on her death certificate she'd have been about 16 at her marriage, but based on the census dates she could have been as old as 35. I've only found one birth record for a child of Alexander Campbell and Margaret McDonald in Inverness, and that's for a jean Campbell in 1817.