McLarens

[Bertha]

Hi All
Finally got round to trying the 1911 census for my McLarens only to be disappointed. No sign of them in Leith where my gran lived most of her life.
My gran Sarah Kyle McLaren was born in Leith in March 1906 so would have been 5 yrs old, the only one of that age in Edinburgh at all is living with a family called Williamson (I think) as their adopted daughter. I know for sure this isn't her, I'm sure even if she hadn't mentioned it directly, it would have come out at some point. Never had the name Williamson been mentioned in the family.
By 1911 she had at least one sister Georgina born in 1909,a brother Robert 1908, & a sister Margaret born in 1911 but after the census. Her parents names are Robert & Margaret.
In 1909 they were living at The Shore in Leith & were still there around 1919/20 when my gr grandmother tried to sue Leith Dockers Union for a pension as Robert who had been a docker had been killed in WW1.(Got this from the National Archives of Scotland).
Tried using the variant spelling etc with no luck. Would appriciate any assistance as to best ways to search for them.
Kind Regards
Bertha

[Bertha]

Seems I have to eat my words! The wee girl listed with Mr Williamson in Water Street Leith, is my gran it looks like.
After spending a wee fortune online, having a day off & a few spare hours I went into NRH & had a taster session. I have to compliment the staff, the nice man who got myself & the only other person signed on, was so helpful. Mind you even he agreed the McLarens weren't in Leith in 1911!
At NRH you can search by District, for Sth Leith there were 3 books, we both went through every page with no luck
I decided to look & see what children were born to my gr grandparents between 1906 & 1911, I knew of 2, I found 3, one born just before the census so this gave me an address. Went back to the books & found the address (a tenement in The Shore) & examined every name to see if the enumerator had not read the census form completed by them correctly (both were not very literate). Came across a Robert Mclean & wife Margaret with 3 children , all were the same names & ages of my gran's 3 siblings however further over on the page it asks how many children & it says 4! I think this must be my family. Now why was gran not living at home? I will have to ask my dad a few questions. Never heard the name Williamson before. Seemed very strange as he is listed as William Williamson aged 46, single, a Dock Labourer, born Carluke, one other person a boarder Cecelia McConnell Aged 46, single, born Ayrshire.
I know adoption was kinda informal back then.
Going to ask my dad a few questions this afternoon, see if the names mean anything to him.
So the everyone, keep looking their there somewhere. Thought the chap at NRH said that there was a whole bunch of Suffragettes in Dundee who had refused to give any information to the census.
Happy hunting
Bertha