'missing person' - Thomas Lynch in 1851 and 1861 .....

[jennyblain]

1871 census has Thomas Lynch living in Glasgow, in Bridgton, aged 38, with Margaret aged 30 and child Thomas, 2. Elder Thomas and Margaret are both listed as born in Dundee, and I have the younger Thomas's birth in the Glasgow district of Clyde.

1881 census has Thomas Lynch, widower, aged 48, with children Thomas (12) and Margaret (8 ), in the Great Eastern Road, Glasgow, his partner Margaret Cassidy having died after birth of a third non-surviving child (I have the death record and the children's births - the parents did not register a formal marriage). Elder Thomas's birth is again given as Dundee.

So I'm trying to find him in the 1861 and 1851 censuses, and cannot. In 1861 the most likely candidates don't have Dundee births, and similarly in 1851 - and I cannot keep going on spending a pound a time to view people who turn out to be born in Ireland... Does anybody have searchable census records that allow one to search on birthplace? Otherwise this is just another of these puzzles which are fascinating but sooo frustrating!

Jenny

[Jack]

Hi Jenny,
In all Lanarkshire 1861 there are over 70 Thomas' of every age born in Angus (all places),
but none with a surname anywhere like LYNCH.
There are 6 Thomas LYNCHs not born Ireland, but all are less than 15yrs old and with their Irish born parent(s).
So from this i suppose we can only presume your Thomas was outwith Lanarkshire in 1861?
Jack
ps, i've no access to any 1851 Glasgow index that shows births,
but i did check 1851 Lanarkshire - no Angus born Lynch.

[jennyblain]

Thanks - I'll go on looking...
It is quite possible that we will never find this one. He is the 'family mystery', with stories suggesting that he took the name Lynch, for reasons that we don't know. So I keep trying to check - have not found any possible Thomas Lynch in the Angus census of 1841 (via FreeCen). There was one who looked promising in 1861 but he was listed as born in Ireland. But who can say?

Jenny

[JustJean]

Hi Jenny

I've been poking around looking for the big solution but so far I've nothing concrete to offer. It is interesting to note that there is a Thomas LYNEH (clearly mistranscribed Lynch!) on SP in 1851 Dundee age 18. Unfortunately he's a boarder and born Ireland...but also boarding with him amongst others is a Philip Lynch age 14 and a Mary Lynch age 20. Philip being such a wonderful name to track I set off to prove they were brothers. I've think I've done everything but

There is a very interesting Philip in 1881 in Dundee but his age is a little young:

Dwelling: Urquhart Street
Census Place: Liff & Benvie, Forfar, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203482 GRO Ref Volume 282-2 EnumDist 18 Page 6
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Philip LYNCH M 40 M Cavan Coy, Ireland
Rel: Head
Occ: Jute Factory Worker
Jane LYNCH M 35 F Fermanagh Coy, Ireland
Rel: Wife
Occ: Jute Factory Worker
Anne LYNCH U 16 F Dundee, Forfar, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Jute Factory Worker
Catherine LYNCH U 13 F Dundee, Forfar, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Jute Factory Worker
Thomas LYNCH 11 M Dundee, Forfar, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Elizabeth LYNCH 4 F Dundee, Forfar, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Philip LYNCH 1 M Dundee, Forfar, Scotland
Rel: Son

He's easy to trace though as his marriage is easily found (except he says he was 20 at marriage and 16 years later on this census he is age 40 ) and so are the births of their children....these from the IGI:

1. ANN LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 13 DEC 1865 Dundee, Angus, Scotland
2. JANE LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 22 DEC 1871 Springburn, Lanark, Scotland
3. THOMAS LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 09 APR 1870 Springburn, Lanark, Scotland
4. ELIZABETH LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 07 JUN 1874 Springburn, Lanark, Scotland
5. JAMES LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 27 APR 1873 Springburn, Lanark, Scotland

but one thing that really struck me is how on one record their kids were all born Dundee and the IGI shows them being born in Glasgow....about the same time your THomas was living in Glasgow with Margaret and wee Thomas. Just an illustration to show that places of birth can easily lead you astray!

I've even proven Philip's father was named Michael but that's where things go kahflooey.....there is another couple having babies in Glasgow (even one in 1855) with the same names as Philips parents and then this same couple is found living in Dundee in 1871 when Philip is in Glasgow. Except Philip's father was dead in 1865 so it can't be them..... So very confusing and probably no connection....but there seems to be a lot of movement between Ireland, Dundee, and Glasgow and the surname LYNCH.

Not sure why I'm bothering to tell you all this as it doesn't amount to a hill of beans

I'm wondering if you've managed to trace a death of Thomas? Don't suppose any parents names were given??

Best wishes
Jean

[jennyblain]

Thanks again Jack.

The information I have on the elder Thomas Lynch is:
Address at death 779 Great Eastern Road, Glasgow (matches marriage address for younger Thomas Lynch), and described as widower of Margaret Cassidy. On the DC (1889, Glasgow) Thomas is described as son of Michael Lynch, weaver, and Margaret Lynch MS McTaggart.There is nothing else to substantiate this, no 'Michaels' in the family names at all, and we don't know if it's so or if Thomas (or his son, aged 20 when having to report his father's death) made it up..

Both the children - Thomas and Margaret - gave their mother's name as 'Lowe' on their marriage records. But it seems to have been Cassidy.

On the other hand, it could link interestingly into your findings!

Margaret Cassidy, from her DC, is described as daughter of Michael Cassidy, mother's name not given. (Thomas reported her death.)

Family stories place the antecedents of Thomas in Dundee and the areas of Forfar and Meigle. We have had occasion to wonder if Thomas was leading some kind of double life - he was a labourer apparently getting work in various areas, iron forge labourer, chemical labourer, at one point asphalt layer, who (from family accounts) wrote highly literate letters in English to his children when he was away from home. It is quite possible we will never find an answer to this!

Grand talking to you, and thanks for all your looking-up things!

But this isn't any longer about the census, so maybe I should now move it into another forum... will take a look around.

Jenny

[jennyblain]

Oops, that last message should have been directed to Jean! Thanks Jean!

Jenny