William n' Mary .....

Post by **AnneM** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:13 pm

Hi folks

I'm probably being very thick, not for the first time, but on searching for ancestors for one of my friends I find myself unable to locate on the 1881 census a couple who were married in 1875.

They are William Cowe who according to his MC should be around 29 and his wife Mary who should be around 25. He was a plasterer and I would expect to find them in Aberdeen. I've tried a couple of spellings but as I've said have had no luck.

My main reason for trying to locate them on the census is that Mary seems to have been born between her mother's marriages but uses husband number 2's surname (Barclay) and claims him as father on her MC. However she could have any of 3 surnames at birth and I would rather like to find out which it was. Could have been Souter (or variations), Duncan of whom there are millions up here or Barclay. If I knew where she was born (possibly Tyrie) I would be much more likely to be able to find her.

Their daughter Elizabeth was married in Aberdeen in 1907.

Ta muchly

Anne

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:21 pm

Hi Anne

Is this the family?
Dwelling: 24 Charles Street
Census Place: Aberdeen Old Machar, Aberdeen, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203447 GRO Ref Volume 168-2 EnumDist 5 Page 9
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
William COW M 27 M Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Plasterer (Journeyman)
Mary COW M 25 F Fyvie, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Mary COW 4 F Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Jane COW 2 F Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Rachel COW 3 m F Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Daur
James COW U 30 M Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Brother
Occ: Plasterer (Journeyman)
David COW U 20 M Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
Rel: Brother
Occ: Plasterer (Journeyman)

Best wishes
Jean

Post by **AnneM** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:20 pm

Thanks Jean

That's them. Mary is however still being elusive. I could not find her birth in Fyvie so I decided to stop being a skinflint and look in the other censuses. Just to confuse matters in 1871 she is in Tyrie as a servant aged 16 to a family called Duncan (the name of her mother's first husband) when her birth place is given as Aberdour. In 1891 she and William are still in Aberdeen (now aged 36) and then her birthplace is given as New Pitsligo. Now Aberdour and New Pitlsigo are pretty close to each other and Tyrie where her mother was twice married and she was in 1871 is not far off. They're all part of my work patch. However Fyvie is quite a bit south west and nearer Banff than Fraserburgh. Confused? You will be or at least I am. I suppose the ages of 16 in 1871 and 36 in 1891 could make her born pre 1855......groan. Her mother Rachel Souter or Duncan or Barclay died in New Pitsligo in 1861 when Mary was only 5 or 6 so I guess it's possible no-one really knew when or where she was born.

I was hoping for an 1855 certificate but can't find it.

Still must keep digging.

Anne

Post by **AnneM** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:40 pm

BTW I've just located mother Rachel in 1851 in Tyrie on Freecen. The census entry states that she is 20 and married to James Duncan who is a Chelsea Pensioner aged 84!!!!!!! They have a child Jane aged 10 months. I hope that is a mis transcription. If not the mind boggles!

Anne

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:10 pm

AnneM wrote:BTW I've just located mother Rachel in 1851 in Tyrie on Freecen. The census entry states that she is 20 and married to James Duncan who is a Chelsea Pensioner aged 84!!!!!!! They have a child Jane aged 10 months. I hope that is a mis transcription. If not the mind boggles!

Anne

Hi Anne....good to see you're making progress....but what progress!!

Look at it this way...even if it is a transcription error....it sure would make into a great story

Best wishes
Jean

Post by **AnneM** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:39 pm

Hi Jean

Not real progress towards finding Mary's birth unfortunately! I think I may wait till I'm at NRH to search again which will give me more scope.

Anne

Post by **AnneM** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 7:44 pm

Hi again

I could not find the thread about age gaps between couples but I'm sure that this one has to take the biscuit. I checked the microfilm at NRH and sure enough James Duncan's age is an amazingly readable 84. There was therefore a 64 year age gap between Rachel and James. What's worse is that they were married in November 1848 when she was only 17 or 18. Why on earth would she marry a man in his 80s??

Anne

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 11:18 pm

Hi Anne

Only possible explanations I can come up with.....

1. She was blind
2. He had lots of money
3. He didn't look and act his age...(ie I'm picturing fountain of youth miracle here

)

This might be a candidate for the Guiness Book of World Records

Best wishes
Jean

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:03 am

Or he was just lucky

Ok! Ok! I know you will say it is a male thing

Alison Plenderleith · Post by **Alison Plenderleith** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 12:54 pm

I'd like to say love's blind but the cynic in me is saying he must have been wealthy

Regards,

Alison