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| The following is a real Extended Search commissioned through Scotweb and undertaken by Scottish Roots. It includes all details returned to the client, including suggestions for further work if required. But remember that whilst this example is fairly typical, no two searches are ever identical and the sort of results found can never be guaranteed. |
Alexander Muir born 21st December, 1932 |
 My starting point for research was to look at the details of Hugh's marriage in 1925, which was located in Anderston in the 1926 register and noted as follows: On 31st December, 1925 at 15 India Street, Glasgow. After Publication according to the Forms of the United Free Church of Scotland. Hugh Muir would have been born around 1906. A search was made of the statutory birth indexes and his birth was located in Campbeltown in 1906 and noted as follows: On 19th February, 1906 at 2 a.m. at 46 Saddell Street, Campbeltown Hugh Muir was born; son of Arthur Muir (Carter) and Rosina Muir m/s McCormick (Ref. 1906b/Campbeltown, Co. Argyll 507/58) The details of his parents' marriage were located and noted as follows: On 2nd December, 1904 at Tonrioch, Campbeltown. After Banns (Ref. 1904m/Campbeltown, Co. Argyll 507/57) I wanted now to make use of the Census Enumerators' Returns. The census returns are house surveys carried out every ten years from 1841. They provide details such as name, age, occupation, place of birth, etc, for each person living at the address on the night the census was carried out. Those for 1841 give far less information and the most recent open to public inspection are those for 1891. A search was made of Campbeltown 1891 Census and the following helpful entry was located and noted: Roading, Campbeltown p; 5th April, 1891 Hugh Muir (Head), Married, 27, Distillery Workman b. Argyll, Campbeltown Ellen [sic] " (Wife) " 30 b. " , " Ellen " (dau.) 9, Scholar b. " ," Arthur " (son) 7 " b. ", " Malcolm " " 5 b. ", " Alexander " " 3 b. ", " Mary " (dau.) 1 b. ", " (Ref. 1891 Census/Campbeltown, Co. Argyll 507/bk15, p21) The above house had two rooms with one or more windows. Hugh's wife, Ellen, spoke both English and Gaelic. Arthur Muir would have been born around 1883/4 in Campbeltown. A search was made for his birth and this was located in 1883 and noted as follows: On 13th October, 1883 at Roading, Campbeltown Arthur Muir was born; son of Hugh Muir (Distillery Workman) and Helen Muir m/s Smith The details of his parents' marriage were located and noted as follows: On 8th June, 1883 at Longrow Street, Campbeltown. After Banns according to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland A search was made for the death of Hugh Muir (born c. 1864) and this was located in 1928 and noted as follows: On 2nd May, 1928 at 4 p.m. at Roading, Campbeltown Hugh Muir would have been born around 1864 in Campbeltown. A search was made of the statutory birth indexes and his birth was located in 1863 and noted as follows: On 13th July, 1863 at 6.30 a.m. at Millknowe, Campbeltown The next step was to search for the death of Arthur Muir and of Mary Stewart Muir, both of whom were described as deceased in 1883. Female deaths being easier to locate as they are cross-indexed under both maiden and married surnames, that of Mary Muir was traced in the first instance: Between 8 & 9 o C'k a.m. [sic] on 16th June 1871, in the house of Arthur Muir her husband in the Roading of Campbeltown, It is unfortunate that the names of the parents were not given, as this will make it extremely difficult to pursue the Stewart line. Arthur Muir proved to have died the following year: On 3rd September 1872, 1 a.m. at Roading, Campbeltown, (Ref. 1872d/Campbeltown 507-12) This family was located at Roading in the 1871 census: Roading, Campbeltown p; 3rd April 1871 Arthur Muir (Head), Married, 47, Carter b. Campbeltown, Argyll Mary " (Wife) " 47 b. " , " Alexr. " (son), Unmarried, 22, Distillery Worker b. " , " James " " 14, Scholar b. " , " Janet " (dau.) 11 " b. " , " John " (son) 9 " b. " , " Hugh " " 7 b. " , " Mary Jane " (dau.) 2 b. " , " (Ref. 1871 census Campbeltown 507/bk5/p2) This house had two rooms with one or more windows. Three additional children were noted for this family in the International Genealogical Index (IGI p; compiled by the Mormon Church authorities), ie Christina 22.11.1846, Agnes 17.12.1853 and Arthur on 24.12.1854. As Arthur and Mary had been married prior to 1855, it was necessary to consult the Old Parish Registers (OPRs). Before the introduction of compulsary civil registration in Scotland (1855), virtually the only source of births, or more commonly, baptisms and marriages, were the Old Parish Registers (OPRs). There were almost 1,000 parishes in Scotland, and not all of the old registers have survived. It was not really until the early part of the 18th century that the maintenance of OPRs became reasonably widespread. The registers were usually the responsibility of the Session Clerk and some were more diligent than others. The secession of 1733 had an adverse effect and many of those who seceded refused, on principle, to register baptisms with the Established Church. In 1783, an act was passed imposing a tax of three pence on every entry; this also deterred many from registering. A search of the Argyllshire OPR marriage index was made accordingly, leading to the following entry being located: Arthur Muir, Labourer, Craigs, and Mary Stewart, daughter of Alexr. Stewart, Carter, Dalintober, both of this Parish, were married first December 1845 (Ref. OPRm/Campbeltown 507/6/p54) This was helpful in establishing the name of Mary's father. The birth of Arthur Muir was also recorded through the Argyll OPR index: Arthur p; Lawful son of Alex Muir Taylor Barakey and Janet Wylie born 5 & bapt 7 Apr. 1822 Five older siblings were located and noted but no trace of the parents' marriage was found, either in the Argyll or the national OPR index, which includes all Scottish parishes: Margaret Lawful Daughter to Alexander Muir Taylor in Killeonan and Janet Wylie born 7th baptized 11 January 1809 Named Margaret In the hope of obtaining the names of the previous generation, a search was made for the deaths of Alexander Muir and Janet Wylie, both of whom had died by 1872. No trace of an Arthur Muir death was found in Campbeltown 1855-72 or of Janet Wylie Muir anywhere in Scotland during those years. This suggests that they had both died prior to the introduction of compulsary registration. Although the names of his parents were not known, a promising Arthur Muir birth was noted in the Campbeltown volumes: (Ref. OPRb/Campbeltown 506/2/p50) A further five baptisms were noted fo this couple, as well as their marriage: Alexander Muir & Margaret Alexander both of this parish, were contracted 18th Septr. 1779, & married Note the 1790 entry described Alexander Muir as Taylor, which strengthens the case for this being the correct family. No Janet Wylie birth was found in Campbeltown in the appropriate era. Before proceeding with further searching on the McCormick line, the deaths of Arthur Muir and Rosina McCormick were located and noted: On 4th January 1938, 2.15 p.m. at Shieldhall Fever Hospital Glasgow (us. res. 77 Gilbert Street, Glasgow) On 28th April 1963, 2.30 a.m. at 2 Auckland Street, Glasgow From the age shown on her marriage certificate, Rosina McCormick would have been born circa 1883, and this birth was duly located: On 10th September 1883, 7 a.m. at Kilchrist*, Campbeltown, The marriage of the parents was not initially found, but was located eventually under John McCormick and Mary Gleig: On 23rd January 1866 at Campbeltown Castle Hill Manse, After Banns, according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland, The McCormick family was found at Killeonan in the 1891 census: Kelleonan Cott. House [sic], Campbeltown p; 5th April 1891 John MCormick (Head), Married, 48, General Labourer b. Argyll, Campbeltown Mary " (Wife) " 45, Farm Worker b. Arran, Bute Peter " (son) 14 " " b. Argyll, Campbeltown Elizabeth " (dau.) 12, Scholar b. " , " William " (son) 9 " b. " , " Rosina " (dau.) 7 " b. " , " Helen " " 3 b. " , " Alice " " 6 mos. b. " , " Jane " " 4 b. " , " (Ref. 1891 census Campbeltown 507/bk5/p2) This house had two windowed rooms This household was listed at Knocknaha in the 1881 edition: Knocknaha, Campbeltown p; 4th April 1881 John McCormick (Head), Married, 36, General Labourer b. Argyll, Campbeltown Mary " (Wife) " 34 b. Bute, Arran Mary " (dau.) 15 b. Argyll, Campbeltown Cathrine [sic] " " 11, Scholar b. " , " Jane " " 8 " b. " , " John " (son) 6 " b. " , " Peter " " 4 b. " , " Betty " (dau.) 2 b. " , " (Ref. 1881 census Campbeltown 507/bk5/p13) (9) This house also had two windowed rooms John McCormick died in 1913: On 28th September 1913, 1.40 a.m. at 19 Argyle Street, Campbeltown, On 7th December 1918, 1.30 p.m. at Linkmill, Campbeltown, (Ref. 1918d/Campbeltown 507-151) John McCormick would have been born in Campbeltown around 1843, but no trace of this birth was found 1840-9. What appears to be the marriage of his parents was noted however in another Argyll parish, although no baptisms were noted for the couple: (1838) Decr. 7 Bryan McCormig [sic] Servant Machremore and Ann McNeill, Kilivran* both of this Parish were married 8th Current At the time of John McCormick's death his father was not said to have been deceased. It was disappointing therefore not to trace the death of Bri(y)an/Bernard McCormick/McCormack from 1866 to 1913 in either Campbeltown or Southend. Similarly, no trace was found of the death of Ann McNeill McCormick (etc). No Brian McCormick (etc) birth was found in Argyll back to 1790. One possible Ann McNeill birth was seen in the OPR index, ie the daughter of Neil MacNeil recorded in Southend on 10th March 1812. William Clegg and Ann Hamilton Clegg were apparently still living when their daughter married in 1866, and their deaths were duly located. William died in Kilmarnock in 1874: On 2nd June 1874, 1 a.m. at Infirmary, Kilmarnock, His widow's death was registered in Southend in 1899: On 10th June 1899, 4.30 a.m. at Village, Southend, By the time of the 1881 census, Ann was listed at Southend in the household of her daughter and son-in-law: 14th Ho. Back Row, Southend Village p; 4th April 1881 John Reid (Head), Married, 43, Farm Servant b. Argyll, Southend Ann " (Wife) " 33, Out Door Worker b. Arran, Kilmory William " (Son) 9, Scholar b. Argyll, Southend Annie " (dau.) 8 " b. " , " Ann Clegg (mother/law), Widow, 83, Annuitant b. Arran, Kilmory (Ref. 1881 census Southend 532/bk3/p8) The above house had one windowed room. The marriage proclamation of William Clegg and Ann Hamilton had been recorded in the parish of Saddell & Skipness in 1839: William Clegg residing at Carradale, of this parish of Saddell and Skipness and Ann Hamilton residing at Livincorrach of the Parish of Kilmorie Arran were publicly proclaimed in order to marriage within the Kirk of Carradale upon Sunday the 9th of June 1839 Three subsequent baptisms were recorded for this couple, including that of Mary. Kilmory is on the island of Arran: "Richard Campbell" lawful son of William Clegg and Ann Hamilton Carradale was born upon the 29th March 1840 and baptized on the 6th April following The investigation was concluded at that point, having exhausted the available time. Suggestions for further research: 1. Search for birth of Mary Stewart, Campbeltown circa 1824 p; the daughter of Alexander Stewart. 2. Search for birth of Alexander Muir and of Margaret Alexander who were married in Campbeltown in 1779. Also try to locate them in 1841 census. 3. Search 1841 Southend or Campbeltown census for Brian McCormick and Ann McNeill McCormick. 4. Search for birth of William Clegg circa 1809, possibly Saddell & Skipness. Examine 1851 Kilmory census for listing. 5. Search for birth of Ann Hamilton circa 1802 Kilmory. 6. Start searching other lines, eg Smith, Taylor and Robertson. 13 August 1996  Alexander Muir has kindly given permission for his Report to be used here, and invites any relatives who chance upon this to get in touch! He can be contacted by email at mpcghd@ozemail.com.au |
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