Richard Campbell and Margaret Speirs/Spiers

[frances]

Trying to trace Richard Campbell , born 1860 Edinburgh who is with his parents ( John Campbell and Helen Carmichael ) and siblings on the 1881 census for Corstorphine.

He marries Margaret Speirs in Edinburgh 1885.

Seems to disappear after that.

Any help appreciated.

Frances

[SarahND]

Hello Frances,
Could this be Richard and family in 1901?

Hareleeshill, Dalserf, Larkhall, Lanarkshire
Richard Campbell, 40, Head, born Lanark, Newmains, Colliery Lab
Margaret, 36, Wife, born Lanark, Larkhall
John, 17, Son, born Lanark, Overtown, Pit Pony Driver
Edward, 13, Son, born Lanark, Overtown, Scholar
Richard, 9, Son, born Lanark, Red Row, Scholar
Margaret, 7, Daur, born Lanark, Red Row, Scholar

I noted that in the 1881 census his birthplace is given as Carnwath, Lanark (on Ancestry transcribed as "Carmaiath") so the location would not be a surprise. Are you sure he was born in Edinburgh? Where and when was Margaret born?

All the best,
Sarah

[frances]

Hello Sarah,

I couldn't find his birth and checked for Edinburgh as two of his siblings (James and Helen) were born there. He was born Edinburgh January 1860.

The 1861 census gives his birth place as Edinburgh.

Ran out of credits, but Richard and Margaret were def married Edinburgh 1885.

Thanks for the help.

Frances

PS His occupation on the 1881 census is given as a dairy Assistant and they lived at Pinkhill Dairy in Corstorphine.

[SarahND]

Frances,

Yes, that's the census I looked at. Odd that his birthplace (and that of his parents and older siblings) was transcribed as Lanark. It also says Carnwath at Findmypast. Nothing like looking at the original!

Best wishes,
Sarah

[AndrewP]

Hi Frances (and Sarah),

The 1901 census given by Sarah is the family of Richard Campbell and Margaret McCormick (married Overtown 1882).
• Overtown is in Cambusnethan registration district.
• Red Row is in Dalserf registration district.

So that leaves you searching for them in 1901.

All the best,

AndrewP

[AndrewP]

Hi Frances,

I have a good feeling about this household in the 1891 census.

Burtons Land, Greenbank, Mearns, Lanarkshire
• Richard Campbell, Head, Mar, 27, Agric Labourer, Haddingtonshire Roseburn
• Margaret Campbell, Wife, Mar, 28, , Stirlingshire Slamannan
• Richard Campbell, Son, 9, Scholar, Edinburgh Edinburgh
• John Campbell, Son, 4, Scholar, Edinburgh Edinburgh

The following details show similarity to the census information.
1) Richard (senior), although not born in Roseburn, lived in Balbirnie Place, Roseburn, Edinburgh at the time of the 1871 census. Haddingtonshire could be a mistake.
2) Margaret Speirs was born in 1857 at Arbuckle [near Plains], New Monklands, Lanarkshire (not far from the next parish eastwards: Slamannan, Stirlingshire).
3) John Campbell was born to Richard Campbell and Margaret Speirs in Corstorphine in 1887.

I couldn't find a suitable birth for Richard, as Campbell or Speirs (various spellings). If his age on the census is correct, he was born a few years before Richard and Margaret's marriage.

See what you make of that lot.

All the best,

AndrewP

[nelmit]

I liked that family too Andrew but the year of Richard Junior's birth put me off.

There is a birth indexed at Midlothian in 1882 - FORENAME is Richard Campbel.

Regards,
Annette

[AndrewP]

There is a birth indexed at Midlothian in 1882 - FORENAME is Richard Campbel.

Hi Annette,

That looks like a likely candidate, going by the mother's occupation, although without absolute proof.

He is Richard Campbell Beattie, born Edinburgh in 1882, illegitimate to Margaret Beattie, Dairymaid. So like the rest of the people in the household in Mearns, the link is tenuous, but I would put it down as a good sort of tenuous.

Over to Frances.

Thanks,

AndrewP

[frances]

Thank you all. my head's now birling !!!

Will take some time over the weekend to digest the information and post back .

Cheers

Frances

[nelmit]

As a wee aside there was a very sad story in the Dundee Courier on 29th December 1882.

On Wednesday afternoon fire broke out in a byre belonging to Mr Campbell, Pinkhill Dairy, Corstorphine, and eight cows were burned to death.

Regards,
Annette