My first Scottish ancestor

[Jill]

Is Jane Campbell b c1795* Edinburgh likely to be enough detail to go on if I get some credits for Scotlands People?

Have just had the death cert for my 3x gt grandmother which confirms that I've got the right Jane Lawrence (nee Campbell) in Stepney in 1871. She at last gives a town of birth (Edinburgh) instead of just saying Scotland.

*Edit to say this shd be 1796, ony just spotted the error

[Uncle John]

There are several bits of SP you could look at, but a big stumbling block is that Campbell is an exceedingly common surname. Having married and maiden surnames will help. The Scottish censuses are available on Ancestry as indexes and transcriptions, thought some of the transcriptions are a bit "interesting".

I assume this is her in Stepney in 1861
RG9 Piece 293 Folio 132 Page 48

But I can't se anything obvious in 1851.

[kiterunner]

I would always try your search on FamilySearch first before going onto Scotland's People, because FamilySearch does have most of the Scottish baptisms and is free. There are a few possibles on FamilySearch around 1795, and remember that the names Jean and Jane were interchangeable in Scotland. Have you found her marriage yet?

[kiterunner]

But I can't se anything obvious in 1851.


She's transcribed as Jana on ancestry, and at the same address as in 1861, 22 Princes St., Stepney:
Jane Lawrence Head Widow 55 Annuitant Scotland
Wm H C Do Son Unmarr 23 Printer + Compositor Middx Shoreditch
Jane P H Do Daur Do 21 Braider Emp 6 Hands Do Stepney
Mary Do Do Do 17 Assistant to Sister Do Do
Jas Alexr Do Son 19 Apprentice to Printer
Ann Lawrence Daur Unmarr 15 Assistant to Sister Middx Marylebone

Hopefully with the children having so many names, it will become obvious if we / you find the right Scottish family for Jane.

[Jill]

Thankyou Kiterunner & uncle John

I've also found her 1841 at Pleasant Row Mile End, (no sign of her husband, just the children and a pensioner named John Wood)

In 1871 she is here: RG10/564 folio 40 P.25 and she died at the home of her daughter Mary at 476 Mile End Stepney in 1878.

I have her marriage to William Lawrence a widower 25 Jun 1828 St Marylebone (one of their children was baptised there & another married there too) William seems to have died before 1841.

I also have marriage certs for all her 3 daughters (5 marriages between them), the death cert of son Alexander, & baptisms for all 5 children.

I've heard that there are strong Scottish naming patterns, are there likely to be clues here? her children are

William Henry Campbell Lawrence
James Alexander Lawrence
Jane Perrin Brown Lawrence
Mary Lawrence
Ann Lawrence

[Macbev]

Jill, the pattern often followed is:
1st son, named for father's father
2nd son: named for mother's father
3rd son: named for father
1st daughter:named for mother's mother
2nd daughter:named for father's mother
3rd daughter:named for mother
Subsequent children named for siblings, aunts, family friends

However, if she married an Englishman, the 'rules' may not have applied. I'd be a bit interested in those 'middle names' used for the daughter - Perrin and Brown - maiden names of grandmothers and other family members often surfaced among the children.

[JBee]

I've also come across John William *********

John after father's father
William after mother's father

subsequent son Daniel after his father

[Jill]

More to think about there then, thankyou both.

[Uncle John]

The fact that she's in England by 1841, still single and having a common surname, makes it almost impossible to say that any Jane Campbell baptism you might find in the Scottish parish registers is the right one. By the way Edinburgh was in the county of Midlothian.

[Jill]

That's what I feared Uncle John, but at least I know more about her than her husband. I think I'll have to write off these ancestors as an impenetrable brickwall.

[kiterunner]

If you can find a likely father for her, though, you can look on Scotland's People for a will and if he left one, it might give enough details of her, such as name of husband etc.

[Jill]

Thanks for that tip. I'd no idea there would be wills there, as you can tell, Scottish research is quite new concept to me so I will take the plunge tomorrow & get the credit card out.

[Macbev]

The initial search for wills on SP is free, Jill. If you want to get the images it will cost you five pounds.

[Uncle John]

I had thought of wills but it seemed such a long shot. The likelihood of finding the right person is still so remote.

[Jill]

I now feel that the cost would be prohibitive too. It also occurred to me that she may have left Scotland as a child so her father whoever he was could have made a will in England - there are 241 Campbell wills in Middlesex alone.


Update: I searched for Jane Campbell & found two who are possible (though not very likely) so I think further progress there is impossible. On the up-side I found the daughter of one of my great great grandparents who gave a Glasgow address when she was informant at her mother's death in England so that has opened up a whole new area.

Thanks to all those who offered advice.