Scots in nineteenth century Russia

clare2320 · Post by **clare2320** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:52 pm

Hi -
I'm hoping someone can give me some help finding online resources to try and find what some McNeil ancestors of mine from Arbroath were doing in Russia - one of them, last seen in the 1851 census as a blacksmith's apprentice, is not seen again until 1891, when he has a son, an iron driller, who was born in Russia. I feel there is an interesting story here, if only I could find it!

Any ideas appreciated, with thanks
Clare

Post by **paddyscar** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:19 pm

Hi Clare:

Would he have joined the army or a business concern going to Russia? There would have been a need for a blacksmith at hand to see to the horses.

http://books.google.com/books?q=scots+in+russia

Also, you could search scots in the service of the czar on the same site.

Both searches will pull up several books.

Have you tried any of the military record sources to see if he would be there?

Frances

clare2320 · Post by **clare2320** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:55 pm

Many thanks Frances,
I must confess it had never crossed my mind he might have been in, or associated with the military. But the son's birth in 1857 ties in with the end of the Crimean War, and I think it wasn't unknown for spouses to go too.
I shall order some of the books that came up from my local library and see what I can come up with on military lists
Thanks again
Clare

Post by **paddyscar** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:00 pm

Hi Clare:

You're welcome. There may be some suggestions coming from other members, so make sure you check back.

Frances

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:17 pm

There were quite strong trading links between Dundee & the Baltic. There was a book written a number of years ago called "The House by the Dvina" by Eugenie Fraser who was half-Scottish, half-Russian. I think her father came Dundee.

Muriel

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:28 pm

Hi Muriel

There was a book written a number of years ago called "The House by the Dvina" by Eugenie Fraser who was half-Scottish, half-Russian. I think her father came Dundee.

I read that book years ago, long before I started researching the family history....and absolutely loved it!

Best wishes
Lesley

Muriel · Post by **Muriel** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:51 pm

Me too! It's one of those books that stays with you.

Muriel

lemonstraw · Post by **lemonstraw** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:36 pm

clare2320 wrote:Hi -
I'm hoping someone can give me some help finding online resources to try and find what some McNeil ancestors of mine from Arbroath were doing in Russia - one of them, last seen in the 1851 census as a blacksmith's apprentice, is not seen again until 1891, when he has a son, an iron driller, who was born in Russia. I feel there is an interesting story here, if only I could find it!

Any ideas appreciated, with thanks
Clare

Hey Clare2320

Ive a similar story to yours, mines are from Newburgh in Fife, Ive James Urquhart who appears on the 1841 census then dosn't appear again until 1861 census and my 3 x great grandmother is down as been born in Russia, the research that ive done so far is that they were involved in the flax mill, weaving businesses in Fife. The info ive got so far is that Fife bought a lot of the flax they used for weaving from Russia. What i did do was contact the family history section in the Fife area and someone from the this section called me back and said that she was very interested and was going to have a delve about and see what see can find out for me. Maybe you should try calling Arbroath library and see if they have any info or point you in the right direction, as you say its going to be an interesting story if we can only find out why they went over to Russia in the first place.

For me it was a great find as my grandad always told us we had Russian connections and nobody believed him

David Douglas · Post by **David Douglas** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:31 pm

My GGG-grandparents from Kirkliston, W. Lothian, were in St. Petersburg from about 1850 to 1858. I've heard there were newspaper adverts at the time, offering 3-year contracts in Russia, but I haven't come across any so far and don't know what kind of skills they were looking for. Most of this family were a different times in their lives ag. lab.s and shale miners.

They must have got stranded in St. Petersburg when the Crimean war broke out, but they don't seem to have been treated too harshly - they had 3 children over there. Maybe internment is a 20th century invention. However, I suspect they chose to keep quiet about it after coming home to avoid being accused of aiding the enemy - my grandmother knew quite a bit about that family, and it came as a big surprise to me that they'd been in Russia.

Apart for the records of the British Chaplaincy in St. Petersburg (which they're not in), I don't know what kind of Russian records might exists, or how to start.

lemonstraw · Post by **lemonstraw** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:15 pm

David Douglas wrote:My GGG-grandparents from Kirkliston, W. Lothian, were in St. Petersburg from about 1850 to 1858. I've heard there were newspaper adverts at the time, offering 3-year contracts in Russia, but I haven't come across any so far and don't know what kind of skills they were looking for. Most of this family were a different times in their lives ag. lab.s and shale miners.

They must have got stranded in St. Petersburg when the Crimean war broke out, but they don't seem to have been treated too harshly - they had 3 children over there. Maybe internment is a 20th century invention. However, I suspect they chose to keep quiet about it after coming home to avoid being accused of aiding the enemy - my grandmother knew quite a bit about that family, and it came as a big surprise to me that they'd been in Russia.

Apart for the records of the British Chaplaincy in St. Petersburg (which they're not in), I don't know what kind of Russian records might exists, or how to start.

Hi David

Interesting, have you tried the Mitchell Library for any newspapers (im not sure how far back they go) but im not far from the Mitchell and I can go and have a look it you havent already done so ?

How did you go about checking the British Chaplaincy ? i had a wee look on the internet but didnt find out much, it would be so good to find out more, im so interested on why they went to Russia. My family disappeared round about the same time as yours as they re-appeared on the 1861 census, the last date i have for them being in the UK was around the marriage in 1845, the first daughter was born around 1848 in Russia.

TalkingScot.com

Scots in nineteenth century Russia

Scots in nineteenth century Russia

Re: Scots in nineteenth century Russia