I need a good lead! .....

[Jack]

Hi Nina,
There are a couple of Poor Relief applications by the BOWIEs.
They are a wee bit hard for me to read properly at the moment - apart from small writing, parts were in pencil,
but i've given some details from them that confirms they are "yours".
You're going to struggle finding a Campbelltown birth for Jessie...the inspectors tried unsuccessfully for over 5yrs to find one...
[the birth parish normally had to pay for any relief given by another parish, and they went to great lengths to find proof of birthplaces]
--
Glasgow Parish. D-HEW 10/4/60. page 43. N° 34340. William BOWIE (73) 9 Dec 1879.
Govan Parish. D-HEW 17/218. page 57283. Janet URQUHART or BOWIE (72) 14 Jan 1880.
--
William BOWIE, tailor, born Tulliallan, Kincardine. Applied from 1 Comely Park Place. [died 10 Dec 1879]
Parents - Andrew BOWIE, sailor & Jane SHAW.
Jessie URQUHART, born Lang Row, Campbelltown. Applied from 90 McLean Street. [died 2 Aug 1885]
Parents - David URQUHART, sailor & Elizabeth KELLY.--
Married - [but seems some confusion!]
5 Aug 1831 in Monteith Row, Glasgow. [William's record 1879]
48 yrs ago Jamaica St, Glasgow. Dr. Norman McLeod [Jessie's record 1880]
25 Oct 1831 by Rev Mr Brash. [this also on Jessie's 1880 record]
-children-
Andrew, 49 / 47, sailor, married, no chn, in Greenock.
William, 44 / 45, dyer, married 4 chn, in Kirkcaldy.
Elizabeth 42 / 35, married to James Robertson, 0 / 1 child working. 36 Comely Park Street.
Robert 32 / 32, tailor, married 4 chn. 1 Comely Park Place.
John 28 / 29, labourer, married 2 / 3 chn. 90 McLean St.
[ages & number of children are as they are on records of William 1879 / Jessie 1880]
--
28 Nov 1884 -
"Examined pauper again. She now admits that her parents were not married. She was born in the
Lang Row Campbelltown illegitimate daughter of David Urquhart a sailor & Betsy Kelly a domestic servant.
Her mother was afterwards married to ----- Semple a schoolmaster in Beith & had some children in Beith all dead.
Mother died in Paisley before pauper was married.
Pauper was brought up by grandmother in Campbelltown - Agnes Armour or Kelly - who died when she was 10 yrs old.
She then went to serve with Mrs McNair who kept the White Heart Inn in Campbelltown.
She was with her till she was 17, she left Campbelltown & has not stayed in it since.
Her mother had 2 cousins Mr Armour & Mr Anderson who were partners in a Distillery in Campbelltown and who are now dead"
-
5 Dec 1884 - Part of a letter from Campbelltown inspector saying he can't find Jessie's baptism.
".....there is a Miss Anderson who is a half sister to the Mr Anderson you refer to.
She says she never had any relatives named Urquhart, Kelly or Armour
which are the alleged surnames of pauper's parents & maternal grandmother.
Her half brother Mr Anderson was the son of an Armour by his mother's side; beyond that she cannot go.
So that really she knows nothing either of pauper or her parents.
Even if she did she cannot prove a birth that occurred 10 yrs before she was born herself..."
--
6 May 1885 -
"Search records for her birth in Edin."
--
26 Jun 1885 -
"Searched birth registers of Campbelltown from 1800 till 1810 inclusive for pauper's name, but without success"
==
Jack

[ninatoo]

Wow Jack,

That is absolutely AMAZING! No wonder Robert Bowie was confused as to his mother's name! It all fits, if somewhat confusingly!

I did find Jessie's birth at IGI under KELLY, so I did suspect she was illigitimate, and so I seem to have stumbled across things which I couldn't prove, but now can thanks to YOU!

This is the second piece of significant information I have received for this family today...nelmit found some info for the wife of Robert Bowie!

I am over the moon!!!

THANKS SO MUCH!

Nina

[Miss Poohs]

Apologies for stickin' my neb in, but Nina you must be thrilled to bits with all that info - fantastic isn't it.

Well done to all the fact finders - amazing

[ninatoo]

Hi Miss,

Yes I have been busy researching this information all day! I have found all but one of the children's marriages (Elisabeth to James Robertson is a toughie) and the son she has seems to be illigitimate, but apart from that it is all wonderful! I don't know exactly how many names have been added to my tree today, but it must be over twenty. And a couple of generations back too! I couodn't ask for better!

I can't wait to tell my cousin about this, as it is his predominant line. And the other information (it's under my Henry Madden thread...long story as to how it got there...)covers so much more of his line...it is amazing!

Yes, my heartfelt thanks to everyone who does these look-ups! I would never have found out this stuff without them!

Nina

[Mykayla's Gran]

Fantastic Ninatoo! Your hard work has paid off – with a lot of help from your friends! The lovely people on this unique site have done it yet again. Their tireless efforts to help others will never cease to amaze me. Well done to you all!

Vee