My Tangent - Written In The Stars? - And Something To Really Think About

Good Day,

Is this something written in the stars?



Here is the weirdest thing I have come across in my short sojourn and workings of this my obsession of genealogy.

It is possible that my son’s ggg-grandfather John Robertson, from his father’s maternal line's and his ggg-grandfather Thomas Aldridge, from his mother’s paternal line's families may have known or at least passed by each other at the regular services at the now no longer existing St. Peter’s Church in Liverpool.

Check out the following images, downloaded from the Bishop's Transcripts.

8 November 1845 Bishop's Transcript, St. Peter's Church, Liverpool - William Donaldson aka Robertson
Item 9, FHL [1068927]

10 September 1849 Bishop's Transcript, St. Peter's Church, Liverpool - Thomas Henry Edward Aldridge
Item 4, FHL [1068940]

Now this would have been no big deal if JK’s ancestry, like so many were all from an immediate location on this planet we call Earth. But here’s the rub, JK’s father, me, was born in Jamaica. My gg-grandfather, JK’s ggg-grandfather John Robertson was born in Lanark, Scotland.

JK’s mother, Maureen was born in Montreal. Maureen and I met in Fredericton, New Brunswick at University. All-things-being-equal I believe I have deduced that her gg-grandfather, JK’s ggg-grandfather Thomas Aldridge was born in Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire in England…

But at a moment in time, it appears that the Robertson and the Aldridge Families were in Liverpool. It was between the years of 1845 and 1849 that there were Robertson and Aldridge children baptized in the same Parish Church, St. Peter’s in Liverpool.

Happenstance? Maybe? A chance meeting? Perhaps? But 167± years later I discover that there may have been an earlier connection.

Written in the Stars? Definitely something to think about.

Enjoy!

Jim

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Part 636rd – Smith Robertson Genealogy – 1845 Baptism – When is a Robertson not a Robertson?

Good Day,

When is a Robertson not a Robertson? When three Robertsons are recorded as Donaldsons!

Isn’t genealogy fun? Doesn’t the search and research for what should be simple facts sometimes drive you crazy? It certainly does me.

The above-inserted is at the corner of Prince Edwin Street and Netherfield Road South in Everton in Liverpool, provided by Google in 2009. Sorry, about the laundry…

Let me give you a bit of background.

I have been researching and following my maternal Robertson Line. From Jamaica to London to Liverpool to North Shields in Northumberland to Glasgow to Oldhamstocks and Innerwick in Haddingtonshire (today East Lothian), Scotland… It has been quite a journey.

GG-Grandfather John Robertson, as a young man left the County of Lanarkshire in Scotland and traveled to North Shields in Northumberland, the most northerly County in England. From my research it was here in North Shields that he may have met his first wife, Margaret Ann (née Donnison).

In about 1839 Half-Great-Grandaunt Margaret Ann (née Robertson) Jaques was born. And then on 16 March 1841 Half-Great-Grandaunt Agnes Miller Robertson was born in North Shields.

At some point the family moved to Everton in the Parish of Liverpool, Lancashire. A younger brother, Half-Great-Granduncle William Donnison Robertson, on 12 September 1845, was born at Prince Edwin Street, in Everton in Liverpool Parish in Lancashire.

Sometime after the birth of William Donnison, gg-grandfather John Robertson’s wife is no longer identified on any family record. According to documentary proof, GG-Grandfather John remarries, 14 October 1849, to gg-grandmother Margaret (née Megwire) at the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, England.

I have been slowly putting the pieces of this generation of my Robertson lineage together… but they are taking time.

Well my recent discovery is a puzzler. Is it an error in transcription? Or is it just a plain error?

Reviewing the Bishop’s Transcripts for St. Peter’s Church in Liverpool I discovered a Baptism Registration dated 23 November 1845 which, for all intents and purposes, is that Great-Granduncle William. And here is the issue…the surname is not recorded as Robertson but as Donaldson. Say what?

Here is my transcription of the identified entry –

No. 2788

1845 November 23

William // John & Margaret Ann Donaldson, Prince Edwin St. Everton ∫tone Mason

by whom
Tho. Halton
do (Curate)

Here is the image of the Register page from the Bishop's Transcripts as downloaded from Item 9 of the microfilm FHL [1068927].

In Part 72r I included a copy of great-granduncle William Donnison Robertson’s Entry of Birth. The information provided on the Birth Registration is the same, or close, in all cases, with the exception of the Robertson versus Donaldson surname.

My only guess is and please note, that this is only a guess as I do not think that I was on the face of this planet in 1845, is that the recording scribe of the Bishop’s Transcripts may have received incorrect information from or misunderstood the Curate when he received the actual birth information. The scribe may have heard Margaret Ann’s maiden name as Donnison and her married name as Robertson and got a wee bit confused…and created a new surname, that of Donaldson, for the family.

Check out the two documents… What do you think?

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 598rd - Smith Robertson Genealogy - Dudgeon Thoughts - Updated Robertson Descendant Chart

Good Day, again,

At times there is a sense of relief, when I have finished a genealogy project of which I have set myself. This latest project was the Dudgeon Project.

In my search and research to follow up on the ancestry and genealogy of my gggg-grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson, I have been able to account for what appear to be her seven siblings.

Based on the baptismal order by year there looks to be some semblance of logic as to the birth order of the first seven siblings. The order birth order, as best as I can guess, from the documentation are: Thomas, John, Rachel, Jean, William, Isobel, and Janet.

I have an issue with the actual birth order of her siblings, or where she, gggg-grandmother Christian may fit in. The years of baptism order of the siblings, respectively, and excluding gggg-grandmother Christian are: 1759, 1760, 1762, 1763, 1765, 1768, and 1770. All-things-being-equal, these could be close to and approximately near the actual year of each one’s birth. No problem.

As I said, my issue is that of gggg-grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) and where she may have existed in the birth order of the Dudgeon siblings. The documents I have are of her 1774 Baptism and her 1778 Marriage. You can understand that it is somewhat hard to believe that she would have been married at about or around four years old. My logical conclusion is that she was baptized at a later date, than her birth year, in her life.

There are a couple of possibilities that could be acceptable to her being of age when she did marry gggg-grandfather. Assuming that she was at least 18 years old when she married in 1778 GGGG-Grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) could have been born before 1759. Also there may be a possibility that she could have been born around 1761. Until further documentation is found gggg-grandmother Christian’s birth year will remain a mystery.

And I continue. I have updated my Robertson Descendant Chart to include the Posting numbers of all my most recent entries to A Genealogy Hunt.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 589r - Smith Robertson Genealogy - Updated Robertson Descendant Chart

Good Day,

Quick and simple. I am updating my Descendant Charts, a part of the scope of my research and search of my genealogy, ancestry, and Family Lines. Here is the latest updated Robertson Descendant Chart.

Please Note: The yellow and blue symbols represent my direct blood line. All information on this Descendant Chart is based on current and available information. It may change as new and more correct data is discovered. New and updated data may be entered in red.

The added letters and numbers to the right and left of a name in the Descendant Chart, for example, C-P49, can be used to locate an image of the document as it appears in A Genealogy Hunt.

In order to see the actual Part referred, the Part number, for example "588h" can be entered into the Search This Blog box in the right-hand column. Once you press the Search Button a box should appear under the Headings and the appropriate links will be provided. Move your cursor to the link and click.

Key -

B = Birth

C = Baptism/Christening

M = Marriage

D = Death or Burial

P490 = Part 490.

All Descendant Charts are usually added to the pull-down menus under each appropriate Heading at the top of the page.

If you have any questions, comments, and ideas, please contact me.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 586rh – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Once Again – Another Update, Robertson Descendant Chart

Good Day,

The changes sometime come fast and furious once a door has been opened. In my search and research, this time of my Dudgeon and Hope Family Lines, I have discovered some new information. My genealogy is forever under construction; both of my blood and collateral lines.

Last night I chanced upon another sibling to my gggg-grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson. This time a new sister, my gggg-grandaunt Jean Dudgeon, baptized in Stichill and Hume in Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. The geography gets a wee bit complicated. I will be getting into that in a later Posting. This Post is strictly an update of my Robertson Descendant Chart.

But do not hold your breath only at gggg-grandaunt Jean Dudgeon… because… I have discovered a possible logical and corresponding record for ggggg-grandmother Janet (née Hope) Dudgeon’s Baptism Registration. The Old Parochial Record is dated 2 September 1733 in Sneep, Nenthorn Kirk in Berwickshire in Scotland. Her father is given as John Hope, and he would be my gggggg-grandfather. Once again, I will be providing the detailed information in a later Post.

Above is the newly updated Robertson Descendant Chart. There is a minor schematic change; a shift in position to the right, on the Descendant Chart, of Margaret Ann (née Donnison) Robertson and gg-grandmother Margaret (née Megwire/Maguire) Robertson

Please make sure that you note that information and data provided and entered on this Robertson Descendant Chart is always subject to change. I am always updating my Descendant Charts as I receive new, additional, and more succinct data and information.

Please feel free to ask questions, make comment, and email me. But please be assured that I will NOT answer or originate any emails offering business deals or get rich quick schemes.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 585r - Smith Robertson Genealogy - Updated Robertson Descendant Chart

Good Day,

And my genealogy journey continues.

I have updated my Robertson Descendant Chart... which of course is always under construction, to include my Dudgeon Family Line.

GGGG-Grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson had, that I have to date been able to discover, six siblings: gggg-granduncles and aunts - Thomas, John, Rachel, William, Isobel, and Janet. Due to the fact that the Baptism Registration, as I just posted does not have her birth date, I do not know, at this point in time, where she would fit age-wise with her brother and sisters.

I have also included the seven Dudgeon's parents, my ggggg-grandparents Thomas and Janet (née Hope) Dudgeon.

Here is the updated Robertson Descendant Chart.

And Jay in Wisconsin, here are our connections... and most common ancestors, ggggg-grandfather Thomas and ggggg-grandmother Janet (née Hope) Dudgeon.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 72r - 1861 Great-Grandaunt Agnes Robertson at 20 - Two New GGG-Grandfathers and Some More Cousins.

And this genealogy just keeps me writing. (Sorry, updated correction... keeps me typing.)

Great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson is now 20 years old. It's 1861 and she is living at home at 11 Parr Street, in the Parish of St. Leonard in Shoreditch. In Part 71r, the 1851 home address was 10 Parr Street. Did the Robertson family move? Or were the numbers on the doors changed? The Ecclesiastical District of Christ Church Hoxton is the same.

The members of the Robertson household included:

• Great-great-grandfather John, at 55 years. He is listed again, as an Iron Moulder, and he was born in Scotland.
• Great-great-grandmother Margeret, at 48 years. This is the Margeret from Warrington, Lancashire. (In 1851 is was from Yorkshire. A quick read details that there appears to be a number of boundary changes between Lancashire and Yorkshire.)
• Great-grandaunt Agnus, is single and 20 years old. Her occupation now is Bonnett Maker and her birth location is indicated as North Shields, Northumd. This is definitely Great-grandaunt Agnes. (It's amazing how many different spellings of the name Agnes I've come across so far.)
• Great-granduncle William. He's 15 years old and following in the steps of his father, as he is also listed as an Iron Moulder. His birth location is confirmed as Liverpool, Lancashire.
• Great-granduncle Thomas is 7 years old, a Scholar and was born in Shoreditch, Middlesex, and
• Great-grandfather Alexander, is a year younger at 6 years old. He is also a Scholar and was born, as well in Shoreditch.

The only one missing from the household is great-great-grandfather John's eldest daughter Margaret. (To date I have noticed two spellings of the name Margaret.)

1861 England Census

Source - The National Archives, London, England
and Ancestry.co.uk

The 1861 Census at 11 Parr St., in Shoreditch, now tells that the Robertson family continued living in the same area through at least 22 years later with the 1883 birth of great-grandaunt Agnes' niece, grandaunt Agnes Harriett, (see Part 67r).

That's when I started looking through the birth registrations that I have on file of great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson's three brothers: great-granduncle William Donnison; great-granduncle Thomas; and great-grandfather Alexander Pirie.

1845 Birth Registration - William Donnison Robertson
Father - John Robertson; Mother - Margaret (née Donnison) Robertson

Source: General Register Office, England

1853 Birth Registration - Thomas Robertson
Father - John Robertson; Mother - Margaret (née Magwire) Robertson

Source: General Register Office, England

1855 Birth Registration - Alexander Pirie Robertson
Father - John Robertson; Mother - Margaret (née Maguire) Robertson

Source: General Register Office, England

All three's mothers on the Birth Registrations were named Margaret. It's the Margaret's maiden names that produces a difference. Great-great-grandfather John Robertson had two wives. First Margaret Donnison, the mother of great-grandaunts Margaret and Agnes and great-granduncle William; the second, Margaret Megwire, the mother of great-granduncle Thomas and great-grandfather Alexander.

Great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson's mother Margaret (née Donnison) must have passed away sometime between 1845 and 1849. I say 1849 as I was able to find the Marriage Registration of great-grandfather John Robertson and his second wife, great-grandmother Margaret Megwire.

1849 Marriage Registration
John Robertson and Margaret Megwire

Source: General Register Office, England

Great-great-grandparents John and Margaret (née Megwire) Robertson were married at the District Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Hoxton in Middlesex.

And now there is a surname spelling difference between Magwire, Maguire, and Megwire.

In the Marriage Registration we are introduced to my two great-great-great-grandfathers: Thomas Robertson and Thomas Megwire.

But wait, look at the listing of the family at 10 Parr Street in the 1861 Census above - William Robertson and his unnamed wife and their two sons Henry and William. And William, the senior's birth location is listed as Hamilton, Scotland. Coincidental? And another coincidence... My grandfather Frederick Robertson's middle name was Henry. Bingo!

What can I say? Make sure you check back. Still more to come on great-grandaunt Agnes. Remember my Blog address - http://agenealogyhunt.blogspot.com/.

And one thing I ask, if you would like to use any of the information in any of the postings in my Blog, please give credit where credit is due.

Thanks, and Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 69r - Pygmy Goats - Great-Grandaunt Agnes Robertson Is Two Months Old

Afternoon,

Got my sunshine this morning. We trimmed and cut and chopped excess growth down the boardwalk and worked half-way down the side of the house. I keep forgetting, after living in Florida for 28 years, that under- and over-growth in two months in the full of the summer has the propensity of taking over completely... And if you hear that we've adopted a couple of pygmy goats it's cause I've heard that they are they prime way of getting rid of the super-growing four-inches-a-day kudzu vines!!!

Following up from Part 68r, excluding the the Baptismal Registration I hope to find in microfilm FHL[1068908], great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson's name appears in the 1841 Census. This first Census, includes the Robertson family, and great-grandaunt Agnes at all of 2 months old. Great-great-grandfather John was an Iron moulder and as the entry indicates he was born in Scotland. Here's my first connection outside of England.

My transcription --

18

13 Enumeration Schedule

City or Borough of Tynemouth
Parish or Township of No Shields

Place - Milburn Place No Side of nudale? St.

Houses -
Uninhabited or Building - -
Inhabited - do//
Names of each Person who abode therein the preceding Night - John Robertson
Age and Sex - Males - 30
Profession, Trade, Employment, or of Independent Means - Iron moulder
Where Born - Whether Born in Scotland, Ireland, or Foreign Parts - S.✓

Houses -
Uninhabited or Building - -
Inhabited - do//
Names of each Person who abode therein the preceding Night -

- Margt do, Age and Sex - Females - 30
- Margt Ann do, Age and Sex - Females - 2
- Agines do, Age and Sex - Females - 2 mo

Profession, Trade, Employment, or of Independent Means - - - -

Where Born - Whether Born in same County - Yes
Where Born - Whether Born in same County - Yes
Where Born - Whether Born in same County - Yes

The inserted, above on the right, England and Wales, Enumerator's Schedule describes the district that the Robertson's lived in.

And my transcription -

2
England and Wales.
Enumerator's Schedule

County of Northumberland (Parliamentary Division)
Hundred, Wapentake, Soke or Liberty of Castle Ward Past?
Parish of Tynemouth
township of North Shields (Part of)
City, or Borough, or Town, or County Corporate of -
Within the Limits of the Parliamentary Boundary of the City or Borough
of Tynemouth
Within the Municipal Boundary of -

Superintendent Registrar's District Tynemouth
Registrar's District North Shields
No. of Enumeration District 1
Description of ditto All that part of the Township of
North Shields comprising South Street, Middle Street,
and the South side of the North Street, Milburn Place;
being three parallel streets at the western extremity
of the Township, and also the few houses situated
on the Lime Kiln shore

That's all for this posting. The next one is sort of a side-trip as I ask the question "What pray tell is an "Iron Moulder""?

Stay tuned...

Jim

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Part 68r - This Time: Great-Grandaunt Agnes Robertson

Good Afternoon,

You can see that I am currently intrigued with the name Agnes. I just spent time with grandaunt Agnes Harriett (née Robertson) Davies in Part 67r.

As I began this research into the life of my next great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson, my work for the posting just kept getting longer and longer... and so I decided to present it in smaller segments, sort of like a serial. You're most welcome to follow along, and please, if you have any ideas, questions, comments, or even treasures please share them with me.

And of course the Agnes in this one's pea-brain that comes to mind is Agnes Moorehead, Bewitched's Endora.

Wouldn't you believe it? I just discovered this morning that Agnes Moorehead's middle name was Robertson! There has to be something truly mystical about this genealogy thing. Just too, too many coincidences...

And the reason that I'm, at this moment, stuck on the name Agnes?

Well, it's like this. From the records I've collected to date, grandaunt Agnes Harriett (née Robertson) Davies was great-grandparents Alexander Pirie and Elizabeth Charlotte (née Merrifield) Robertson's second daughter... Great-grandfather Alexander, second eldest sister was Agnes Robertson. Great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson was actually his half-sister by her father, gg-grandfather John and his first wife Margaret Ann (neé Donnison) Robertson. Gg-grandfather John's mother's name was Agnes (née Miller). And I'll stop there, before it gets anymore confusing. (Check out the Robertson Descendant Chart in the left-hand column.)

This posting is dedicated to great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson...

From FreeBMD I found the following page, to the right, highlighting an Agnes Robertson who was born in the 1st Quarter 1841 in Tynemouth. And from it I was able to get ahold of the correct Birth Registration.

Reading from her 1841 Birth Registration, that I received from the GRO, great-grandaunt Agnes was born at Milburn Place, North Shields in Tynemouth, Northumberland.

My transcription --

Certified Copy Of An Entry of Birth Given At The General Register Office
Application Number PAS 800234

Registration District Tynemouth
1841 Birth in the Sub-district of North Shields in the County of Northumberland

No. - 307
When and where born - Sixteenth of March at Milburn Place, North Shields
Name, if any - Agnes
Sex - Girl
Name and surname of father - John Robertson
Name, surname and maiden name of mother - Margaret Robertson formerly Donnison
Occupation of father - Founder
Signature, description and residence of informant - John Robertson Father Milburn Place
When registered - Nineteenth of March 1841
Signature of registrar - P.J. Tibbs Registrar
Name entered after registration - -

The A Marker on the inset map below, just about marks the spot, give or take a few miles or kilometers of her birth location. (Thanks Google Maps.) And using WolframAlpha, the distance between Tampa, Florida, where I live, and Tynemouth, England where great-grandaunt Agnes was born is about 4,319 miles or 6,951 km... (That is, 8 hours, direct, by plane)

The inserted picture below, is one I discovered at one time online which was indicated as circa 1925 of Milburn Place in North Shields in Northumberland.

And I've stated on numerous occasions, one should never stop looking. I just got a lead to a baptismal entry that may be that of great-grandaunt Agnes. Both parents, the date and place of birth correspond. I need now to get the microfilm FHL[1068908]; Parish registers of Christ Church, 1607-1941, Church of England, Tynemouth, Northumberland.

And stay-tuned to the continuing life story of great-grandaunt Agnes Robertson.

Enjoy,

Jim

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