Advice required! …..

[apanderson]

Hi All,

I've been going round in circles with this one . . . .

I can't for the life of me find Susan Mack and her child of a few days old on the 1891 Cencus.

Some background on Susan:

Susan Mack, daughter of Thomas Mack & Agnes Drysdale, born at Baillieston/Old Monkland, Lanarkshire 5th December 1869.

On the 1881 Cencus, Susan aged 11 living with parents Thomas & Margaret Mack (+ siblings James D. aged 8 and Margaret aged 6) at 18 Muirside, Baillieston/Old Monkland

In 1891 Susan (aged 21/22) had an illegitimate son, John Mack, born 10th April 1891 at the Maternity Hospital, Glasgow (district of Blackfriars). On the birth certificate Susan's occupation is given as Bleachfield Worker, domicile 283 High Street, Glasgow, no father's name given.

Susan (age stated as 28 ) married John Andrew Steel on 10th June 1891 at Muirside, Baillieston/Old Monkland - this would make her year of birth 1863?

On the 1901 Cencus Susan (age 31) & husband John Steel are living at 135 Garngad Road, Townhead with her son John Mack, (stated as step-son aged 9 but who would actually be 10 but we won't argue with that), their daughter Margaret aged 2 and son Andrew aged 8 months. (Her date of birth back to 1869)

John, Susan and some their family then emigrated to U.S. and are found on the 1910 Cencus: Hocking Twp., Monroe County, Iowa.

Susan's son. John Mack subsequently fought in WW1 with 15th Batt. H.L.I. and was killed in action 15th July 1917, aged stated as 25. The notice of his death was sent to Mr. & Mrs. James Mack, the aunt and uncle whom he lived with.

Sorry for rambling on but I thought it was best to post the info I already have.

So, just in case you've forgotten the initial question - Where was Susan Mack and her baby son at the time of the 1891 Cencus?

Anne

[AnnieMack]

Have you tried the census return for the hospital? It's just a long shot but maybe she was already there although the baby wasn't born until the 10th - the cesus was taken 5th/6th of the month from what I can gather.

Annie...away to give it a bit more thought too

[Rach]

In 1891 census there is a Susan Mack, born 1869, living at New Monkland, Lanark. Haven't looked at the page, just did the free search on S.P. Maybe she was with her parents before the birth if it was taken on the 5/6th as Annie says.
Good luck,
Rae

[DavidWW]

I was expecting a difficult one here, as wildcards and surnames as short as MACK ain't always easy

However, no wildcards required.........

As AnnieMack has pointed out, wee John will not appear in the census!

From the 1881 census Susan is shown as born Baillieston, and, of the Susans of an appropriate age shown in the 1891 census, one is shown as born Baillieston, in service in the Neilston area.

David

[apanderson]

Rae,

I haven't looked at this entry.

Susan's parents never left Baillieston/Old Monkland, I've found them on every other Cencus so I'm thinking that the Susan you found b.1869 and living in New Monkland is a different family. Never say never though!

Annie,

I thought about that option but I'm not exactly sure how I'd find the hospital on the Cencus. I'm presuming it would be Rottenrow/Royal Maternity which was just along the road from High Street, Susan's place of residence.

Anne

[apanderson]

David,

Susan stated her occupation as Bleachfield Worker on her son's BC - she could have been fibbing of course.

I would have thought that any girl in service in this 'condition' would have been given the bump (pardon the pun) by her employers?

Anne

[DavidWW]

David,

Susan stated her occupation as Bleachfield Worker on her son's BC - she could have been fibbing of course.

I would have thought that any girl in service in this 'condition' would have been given the bump (pardon the pun) by her employers?

Anne

Wha kens , maybe they were very considerate employers, or maybe, altho' shown as a "Domestic Servant", there was some sort of connection, family or otherwise; quite likely I'd have thought given the distance between Old Monkland and Neilston.

Or maybe, she'd been sent away from home to friends/relations to avoid bringing any shame on the family. A hospital birth back then was relatively unusual, so maybe some complication arose.

Given the forename, Susan being fairly unusual, the unusual surname of MACK, the exact match on age, and the exact match on place of birth, I'd take a lot of convincing that the Neilston record is not her.

But, and it's a fundamental BUT, such a census entry where there is no family relationship to the Head of Household shown can never be used as absolute proof.

And it's not impossible that there were other Susan MACKs of like age born in Ballieston, but that's at least something that you can research, - make sure to search on the basis of SUS - ScotlandsPeople will add the wildcard automatically, - so that Susanna and other variants are included.

David

[Rach]

Susan's parents never left Baillieston/Old Monkland, I've found them on every other Cencus so I'm thinking that the Susan you found b.1869 and living in New Monkland is a different family. Never say never though!

Sorry, I meant to write Old Monkland! However, if you have the parents on every census you would have found her if she had been there in 1891.
Rae

[AnnieMack]

I looked at the census return for Susan Mack aged 20 in Old Monkland but the parents are Janet and John so I don't think it's yours.

I will keep looking.

Annie