William Grieves and Rachel Little

[Forfarian]

1861 census has the family minus John and Archibald living at Sandyside? Cottage next to the Turnpike Toll Gate in the Township of **neside  Could be Lyneside

The original is beautifully clear and legible - yes, Sandyside Cottage and yes, Lyneside.

I was intrigued to see that the last person enumerated in the household was Septimus Thomson, aged 10 months, and that the next door household is the family of Archibald Thomson and his wife Anne, who was born in Scotland.

A little more investigation showed that Septimus is indeed the seventh child of Archibald Thomson and Anne Beaty, who were married in Rothesay, Bute in 1845.

Could there conceivably be a connection between the Thomson family and the Gr*ve* family next door? Or were William and Rachel just minding the neighbours' baby for a night for some reason? Or did the enumerator with the beautiful legible handwriting make a mistake and put baby Septimus in the wrong household?

[Octaviusdance]

hello

I have found a William Grieve

Birth Date  10 March 1817
at Townhead , Hoddam, Dumfriesshire

Father's name Archbald  Mother Ann Coupland

Date/Names seem possible , but no confirmation.

I do not kne=w the geography of the area but perhaps this is near enough to br possible?

Best

Octo

[Forfarian]

Have a look at this map https://stataccscot.ed.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/county/Dumfries

Hoddom, Kirkpatrick Fleming and Half Morton are all in the south-eastern part of the county - the lower right map.

[Octaviusdance]

Hi

Great, thanks for the Map

So all the places of interest are relatively close. Is it reasonable for william of Hoddam to marry in Kirkpatrick Fleming and the live in Half Morton. What was mobility like in this area in about 1840?

Best

Octo

Septimus  lack of imagination?

[Forfarian]

I'd think that mobility at that time was quite enough for the connections you have listed.

Not sure about lack of imagination. How many people today, if you stopped them in the street and asked them, would have heard of the name Septimus and know what it means?

[Octaviusdance]

I think many would. We also have a couple of Octavians in the ancestral lines .  Hence my nom de plume Octavious Dance, that of a real ancetor of mine

Can you think of anyway I can confirm the suggested path of William, confirm it right or wrong

Thanks again for your help

Octavious

[Forfarian]

I think many would. We also have a couple of Octavians in the ancestral lines .  Hence my nom de plume Octavious Dance, that of a real ancetor of mine

I just might have a go and see how it is - next time I'm in a bus queue or something like that.

Can you think of anyway I can confirm the suggested path of William, confirm it right or wrong

No, I can't. But if I have an idea I'll let you know. It's a great pity that English, Welsh and Irish death certificates are so short on useful information.

[Octaviusdance]

Hello

The tree has collapsed

William of Hoddam fits everything but he went and married the wrong woman.

Ah well guess that is the end of this line, on to the next one, the Pirts .A great name, unusual, easy, I thought, Ha everyone is named Stephen or Hannah. Oh for a Septimus

Thanks for all your help

Best wishes

Octo

Octo