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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Lanarkshire => Topic started by: ziggy2 on Friday 04 April 14 18:09 BST (UK)
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Can any one help me to find records In Kirkfield Banks Lanark or where to go to search for them?
I was told my great great grandfather John Cunningham born in Kirkfield Banks in 1843-1844.
John's Parents were Esther Smith and Robert Cunningham. I can not seem to find anything that will help me. Can not find John Cunningham's birth with Parents of Esther and Robert. I can't find him in the census either.
John Cunningham was married in the Parish of Whitburn on December 21,1866 to Jane Heggie.
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The spelling is Kirkfieldbank, all one word. It is a village about a mile from Lanark, in South Lanarkshire. If you have already tried on Scot. People then you could try Lanark library for advice.
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Hi Ziggy2
Gosh you have had a hard search for John haven't you :-\
Just adding a link to this older post which starts here www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=464020.msg3513820#msg3513820 with lots of background info on John's later years provided by Meg (she is amazing isn't she with her wealth of knowledge in these areas of Scotland ;)).
Reading through those posts see that there is different parent info for John on his registrations:
Marriage 1866: Robert Cunningham and Esther Smith
Death 1876: John Cunningham & Elizabeth Kay Or Ray
A couple of questions to try to help in this new post. What were the occupations showing for fathers Robert and John in each registration? Again, for each registration of marriage and death, did parents show as alive or deceased?
What is the source of the place name Kirkfieldbank, in the parish of Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, for John?
Monica
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To confirm details for John on the census you do have him in after his marriage to Jane in 1866. From 1871:
John Cunningham 25 miner b. Lanarkshire
Jane Cunningham 25 b. Cores, fifeshire
Euphemia Cunningham 3
Ida Cunningham 1
Address: East Whitburn, West Lothian
Monica
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Hello Ziggy2 & Monica,
Re: 1871 Census, East Whitburn, West Lothian.
Thought Jane's birthplace (Cores, Fifeshire) would likely be Ceres, Fifeshire.
FamilySearch has a Jane Heggie born 9th January,1846 at Ceres, Fife.
Daughter of Peter Heggie & Euphemia Davie.
Regards, Dod.
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Monica,
John and his father Robert Cunningham were both coal miners according to the marriage certificate.
On the Death certificate it states John's father Robert was dead and his mother was still living.
All i know is in the 1871 census is says John was born in Lanark. Family has John born in Kirkfieldbanks.
Thanks,
ziggy2
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ziggy2, I was about to post in despair of giving up, but think we got lucky ;) If nothing else, a start...
We have no trace of a marriage between an Esther Smith and a Robert Cunningham. Been looking for marriages for an Esther for that mid 1840s period and had found one in Carluke between an Esther and a William HAY (Kay/Ray came up in John's DC from what was mentioned on the other post?) https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTYZ-4J9
Been looking through the censuses, and found this entry in 1851. Below is from transcript (FreeCen also have this entry, correctly transcribed in terms of spellings etc):
William Hay 33 Handloom Weaver b. Shotts
Earter Hay 26 b. Carluke...maybe this entry https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTLC-858
John C Stay 5 b. Lanark...guessing the 'C' for Cunningham?
Robert Stay 3 b. Carluke
Margrate Stay 1 b. Carluke
Address: Braehead, Carluke Lanarkshire
Can't see any children showing them registered before 1855 and the start of official registration (likely why you are also not finding John's entry. Only about a third of events were registered before 1855).
Post 1855, the following show:
James 1856 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQX1-27N
Catherine 1858 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ88-347
Thomas 1861 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F772-MVN
George 1863 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQF3-F7X
Mary 1866 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ9B-9J2
The later births should include date and place of parents' marriage to let you confirm that Carluke marriage from 1846.
Monica :)
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Again, working off questionable transcriptions, I think this is the family, without John in 1861:
William Hay 43 cotton weaver b. Carluke
Caster Hay 34 b. Lanark
Robert Hay 14 cotton weaver b. Carluke
Alexander Hay 9 b. Carluke
William Hay 6 b. Carluke
Catherine Hay 2 b. Lanark
Address: North Vennal, Lanark
Closest I can get so far for John in 1861 at the moment:
John Hay 15, boy on farm, b. Lanark working at the farmer Stark's household in Over Williamston, Midcalder, Midlothian.
There are a few other possibilities perhaps also under Cunningham.
At this time, remember that names were always very fluid (not just in terms of spellings but also how people changed surnames around) so it wouldn't surprise me to find John under Cunningham or Hay for example. If we have the right entry, his mother Esther's new husband (if she was actually married to Robert Cunningham before) would have been around from when John was very little.
Who were the witnesses to John's marriage from his cert.?
Monica
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OK, I'm doubly happy now! Found a reference to Kirkfieldbank, but not in the way I was expecting.
Trying to find a reference to Helen Smith's death on SP. She has been misindexed with her maiden name of Smith showing as a middle name rather than a surname. Search for her using just first name Helen Smith and then Hay (ref. 649/02 0001). She died in 1917 at the age of 89...at Kirkfieldbank ::)
From 1901:
Esther Hay 74 b. Carluke
Ester Stevenson 14, grandchild Woollen Winder, b. Lesmahagow...mother Mary Hay I think.
Address: Kirkfieldbank, Lesmahagow, Lanark
Monica
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From 1891:
Esther Hay 64 b. Carluke
Mary Stevenson 24 b. Kirkfieldbank, Lanarkshire
Esther Stevenson 4 grandchild b. Kirkfieldbank, Lanarkshire
William Hay 36 coal miner b. Kirkfieldbank, Lanarkshire
Robert Hay 10 grandchild b. Glasgow
William Hay 6 grandchild b. Glasgow
Address: Dublin, Lesmahagow
And 1881:
Easter Hay 54 b. Carluke
William Hay 26 coal miner b. Carluke
Mary Hay 14 cotton winder b. Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire
Address: Kirkfieldbank, Lanarkshire
Lots of spelling variations to name Esther as we are seeing above www.whatsinaname.net/php/search.php?action=search2&search_name=esther
Monica
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The address of "Dublin, Lesmahagow" that Monica found probably refers to Dublin Row, which was in Kirkfieldbank in Lesmahagow parish.
Lizci
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Thank you, Lizci :) Certainly reinforces that Kirkbankfield residence. Esther and family looked to have lived in the locality for a good long stretch.
Monica
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Hi Monica,
Thank you for all your help and hard work. I am still a little confused though. As what I see from John Cunningham's Marriage and death, Johns father Robert Cunningham would of died in between 1866 & 1876.
The marriage of Esther smith & William Hay was in 1846. John Cunningham was born 1843-1844. It looks like Esther Smith and William Hay had a child in 1856. Was there a divorce between Robert Cunningham & Esther Smith ? I did not see a John with the Hays. Could John be illegitimate ?
I did find a Esther Smith & Robert Cunningham (weaver) in Angus Dundee also a death on Esther in Angus Dundee on Scotlandspeople. I am not sure if this is them because I can only find them with a daughter, no John.
Thanks again Ziggy2