Requesting help from Australia

[KayDenholm01]

Hi there,

I am hoping that someone may be able to help me discover more about my Great Grandfather's parents.

My Grandfather was William Denholm
born: 19 Jan 1837 - according to him in Charlestown - I have found him being christened in the United Association Burgh Seeders, Limekilns, Fife.

On his death certificate it states that they were unknown but that his father was a boat builder. The relatives who have given me a copy of an old family tree thought Williams father was Thomas.

I have also found the 1841 census for Inverkeithing which shows both parents but by 1851 they have gone. I do know that his mother went to Glasgow (my Dad told me) but there is no record nor is there a record of what happened to his father.

I hope someone will be familiar with the area and times and even might have copies of records that may shed some light. There are a number of the family (William had about 11 children) who would like to know what happened and perhaps where Thomas and Isabel came from.

[LesleyB]

Hi KayDenholm1

And welcome to Talking Scot

This looks like the family you have mentioned in the 1841 census (from Freecen http://www.freecen.org.uk )
Address: High Street, Inverkeithing, Fife

DENHOLM Thomas M 40 Boat Builder Outside Census County (1841)
DENHOLM Isabella F 40 Independent Means Outside Census County (1841)
DENHOLM William M 5 Fife
MALCOLM David M 10 Fife

- note that both Thomas and Isabella were not born in Fife, according to the above.

And this is the birth you mentioned (from IGI on Family Search):

(note that it may be the date of christening, not the date of birth)
Name: William Denholm
Christening Place: UNITED ASSOCIATION BURGH SECEDERS, LIMEKILNS, FIFE, SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 19 Jan 1837
Birthplace: United Association Burgh Seceders, Limekilns, Fife, Scotland
Father's Name: Thomas Denholm
Mother's Name: Isabel Robertson

- this gives you Isabel/Isabella's maiden name and from there you can maybe search for a marriage or banns mention. However, because the christening occurred in the United Association Burgh Seceeders it may be that you will not find it in the OPRs which are the records of the Church of Scotland, so it may not be available online. It may be, of course, that they did not marry in Scotland at all!

Do you know if Thomas and Isabella had any other children? If so, where were they born?

Best wishes
Lesley

p.s. I see that you have given a little more background information in this post:
http://www.s1inverkeithing.com/memories ... nholm.html

[LesleyB]

Rosyth would be the most likely cemetery for them to be buried in if based in Charlestown, but there is no mention of the Denholm surname in the MI book for Rosyth or for Inverkeithing churchyard. It may be that they are buried there, but do not have a stone, or it has not survived.

Not seeing anything obvious for Denholm in Fife on the Fife Death index either.

There may be a mention in the Rosyth Old Churchyard Lairs booklet - I will check, but there is no index, so it is a little time consuming!

I don't think it is a very frequently occurring surname in Fife. On this site in 1881, the greatest density seems to be in Midlothian area, so more than a good chance that they came from that direction....
http://gbnames.publicprofiler.org/Surnames.aspx

[AndrewP]

Hi KayDenholm01,

You should also consider cemeteries in Dunfermline. Both Limekilns and Charlestown were in Dunfermline Parish. See the following map (top left corner of).

http://maps.nls.uk/os/view/?sid=74400788

All the best,

AndrewP

[LesleyB]

Hi Andrew

I've checked the West Fife MIs book (which inludes Dunfermline of course) - no sign of the surname with any relevant first names.

Both Limekilns and Charlestown were in Dunfermline Parish

They may well be, but from experience of that area ( I have ancestors in both Limekilns and Charlestown) they tend to be buried in Rosyth Old ( in my family at any rate!) I wasted a lot of time early on in my research, convinced that they would be in Dunfermline and didn't even consider Rosyth as a likely location, but all my lot, who also had Burgh Seceder Connections, were buried in Rosyth.

When and where did William Denholm marry?

Best wishes
Lesley