Alexander Gilchrist born c1847

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:46 pm

Looking for information on Alexander Gilchrist born c1847. As yet I have very little information on him other than his date of marriage which gave the names of his parents.
Alexander married Elizabeth Levack from Mybster, Halkirk, in 1874 in Coburg Place, Springburn Glasgow. Elizabeth died in 1896 and according to her death certificate Alexander had predeceased her.
I have Elizabeth and three children, Alexander born c 1876, Margaret born c1877 in Lanarkand James born c1880 also in Lanark, in the 1881 census at 39 Cornwall Street Govan, Elizabeth is listed as head of household.
The oldest child, Alexander, was born in Mybster, Halkirk.

Any help in tracing his whereabouts would be great.
Thanks

Post by **AndrewP** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:15 am

The online IGI stops at the end of 1874 for births, so only their first child is shown there.

ALEXANDER GILCHRIST - Birth: 11 OCT 1874 Halkirk, Caithness

What were Alexander senior's parents' names?

On ScotlandsPeople, there are three Alexander Gilchrist deaths from 1880 to 1896 for a birth year of 1847 ± 5 years. Rothesay (age 36, 1882), Aberdeen St Nicholas (age 34, 1886), or Ayr (age 40, 1888) - take your pick. If choosing by age closest for an 1847 birth, the one in Ayr looks like the first choice.

All the best,

AndrewP

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:47 am

Hi Andrew
Alexander's parents were, according to his marriage cert, Alexander Gilchrist and Margaret Gunn.

There are a few Gilchrist's in Caithness and Sutherland but I couldn't find an Alexander or Margaret that might fit.

Post by **SarahND** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:43 am

To confuse things a bit, here is what looks like Alexander in 1871, married to a Margaret. Could he have given the name of his first wife instead of his mother? Stranger things have happened... Does the occupation fit? Hmmm. Maybe not, as I see your next post...

1871
High Brimfield, Springburn, Lanarkshire
Alexander Gilchrist, 23, Head, born Parish, Monkland, Prion Puddler (I assume this is "Iron", not "Prion"

)
Margaret Gilchrist, 22, Wife, born Manchester, England
Mary Nan Gilchrist, 1, Daughter, born Glasgow, Barony

All the best,
Sarah

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:49 am

Thanks for the info - every little helps!
His occupation on his marriage cert is given as marine engineer which could explain why he wasn't around in the 1881 census.

Post by **SarahND** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:57 am

Okay, forget everything I just said

That Alexander is there in 1881 with Margaret and several more kids.
Back to the drawing board,
Sarah

I see in the 1881 that Elizabeth is an "Engineer's Wife" not widow, so he has to be somewhere...

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:20 pm

Just to confuse things a bit more - again one of my 'just in case' scenarios.

1851 Census

Piece: SCT1851/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 5
Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Latheron
Folio: 0 Page: 14 Schedule: 52
Address: Upper Lybster

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MACBEATH Elizabeth Head W F 68 Hemp Spinner Caithness - Forse, Latheron
MACBEATH Margaret Dau U F 34 Herring Net Maker Sutherland - Swiney Latheron
GILCHRIST Alexander Grnson - M 1 - Caithness - Latheron Lybster

Haven't a clue if this is the Elizabeth from the census or not (and I know Gunn is a very common name in those parts) but -

ELIZABETH GUNN Pedigree
Female Family

Marriages:
Spouse: GEORGE MCBEATH Family
Marriage: 20 FEB 1807 Halkirk, Caithness, Scotland

Who wants a paracetamol.

Kind regards,
Annette M

fmackay · Post by **fmackay** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:39 pm

Hi Annette,
thanks for the info!
I did see that family on freecen and thought it might be a possibility - might just leave this branch till I get down to NRH in the New Year!

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:19 am

Following Annette's lead, I've come up with another far-fetched scenario... Probably nothing to do with yours, but you never know. Can a "civil engineer" also be a "marine engineer"?

Could this possibly be Alexander in 1891, home for a family reunion while his wife and children were elsewhere? I can't tell if he's married or not on the Ancestry index, but the order on the page is as I have indicated, with sister Helen in between him and the daughter in law, so perhaps she is his brother's wife and not his?

1891
12 Pitt Ter, Stirling, Stirlingshire
Elizabeth McDonald, 80, born St Ninians, Stirlingshire, Annuitant
Catherine Gilchrist, 54, Daur, born Stirling, Stirlingshire
Alexander B Gilchrist, 43, Son, born Stirling, Stirlingshire, Civil Engineer
Helen Gilchrist, 41, Daur, born Stirling, Stirlingshire
Jessie Gilchrist, 33, Daur in Law, born England
Alexander Gilchrist, 12, Grandson, born Cathcart, Renfrewshire
Catherine Gilchrist, 11, Grand Daur, born Cathcart, Renfrewshire
Maryannie Gray, 15, Serv, born Bannockburn, Stirlingshire, General Serv Domestic

This famiy is interesting... look at the place of birth of the grandson Robert:

1881
37 King St, Stirling, Stirlingshire
Elizabeth McDonald, 70, Head, born St Ninians, Stirlingsh, Annuitant
Catherine Gilchrist, 45, Daughter, born Stirling, Stirlingshire, Annuitant
Helen McDonald, 30, Daughter, born Stirling, Stirlingshire, Annuitant
Lizzie M Gilchrist, 17, Grandaughter, born Perth, Perthshire, Scholar
Robert M Gilchrist, 15, Grandson, born: Brit Subj, Ceylon, Scholar
Agnes McPherson, 20, Servant, born Gartmore, Perth Sh, Domestic Servant

Alexander seems to be elsewhere this year...

Well, it's an idea

Sarah

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:55 pm

Had a gut feeling about this one so I checked the poorhouse index while I was at The Mitchell this morning and sure enough Elizabeth applied in 1891. I wonder if Alexander died round about then?
I'm afraid I didn't have time to look at the application to see the contents but I'll try between Christmas and New Year.

You could try contacting the archives as I think they may be able to email copies these days. http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/ ... tchell.htm
The application is under Elizabeth Gilchrist/Levack born 1851, D HEW 17/354 99813. We won't know till it's seen how informative it might be but hopefully it will tell you a bit more about Alexander.

Kind regards,
Annette M