Reid/Crookston .....

[pinkshoes]

This continues to drive me bats. No more info on John/Alison/the weans, so I started on John's siblings. His brother Peter, born in 1836, married Martha Young in 1859 in Tranent. They had 7 children - Helen 1873, Marion 1871, Margaret 1868, George 1866, Peter 1864, Francis Young 1861 and James 1859. All of these children were born in Tranent.

Question : where are they all in the 1871 census? Marion was born 11 June 1871. I suppose they could have been elsewhere between 1868 and census night, but I can't find any of them in 1881 either. Nor any deaths - there is a Martha Reid/Young died in Ayr, but sadly its not mine.

To add to the confusion, James - another brother of John and Peter - married Agnes Young (I suppose Martha's sister - well why not) and they had children bearing the same names, born about the same time. I thought Francis Young might be easier to find than many, but I've been caught out by the other plain Francis, belonging to James and Agnes.

Is there a linen cupboard, or coalshed in someone's hoose containing all the forgotten Reids?

Oh, I woke this morning after a fitful sleep punctuated with dreams of various Reids - thought I had cracked it! Francis/Frances might be Frank. But no! Martha might be Mattie, but no.

I've also had a stab at Ancestry to look at immigration records, but either the Reid's aren't there, or the records aren't there or ... blah blah blah

I would be really grateful for any ideas, alternatively a shipment of taiblet to soothe the pain ...

Thanks for listening
Pinkshoes