RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Lanarkshire => Topic started by: Liz Aitken on Tuesday 03 March 15 23:04 GMT (UK)
-
I am trying to find information about Alexander Aitken who went to Dunedin NZ. He was a blacksmith. I want to trace his ancestry. Thank you, Liz Aitken
-
Hi and welcome to Rootschat
Can you tell us when and where Alexander was born?
Did he marry in Scotland or NZ
-
Hello Liz,
Welcome to Rootschat!
Could you add some additional information - maybe some dates, places and his wife's name (if he was married) etc., so we can try to help.
This would give us an idea of when and where to start looking.
Anne :)
-
I have a little more information about Alexander Aitken. He was married to Elizabeth Harvey in Larnarkshire. The date looks like 1857. His mother was Ann and his father was James. He had a son, James who was born in 1857 in Bothwell. Alexander, Elizabeth and James sailed to New Zealand.
I'm trying to find out Alexander's birth date and where he was born, also when he sailed to New Zealand and possibly the ship... I know it's a big ask! Thanks
-
Have a look here Liz:
(You should arrive at 'Family Search' and listed are the births of children to James Aitken & Ann Adam, all born Bothwell (Lanarkshire).
No sign of an Alexander though.
https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Aaitken~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Abothwell~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1850-1870~%20%2Bfather_givenname%3Ajames~%20%2Bfather_surname%3Aaitken~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3Aann~%20%2Bmother_surname%3Aadam~%20%2Brecord_country%3AScotland
Sorry about the huge long link - you might have to copy & paste it into your browser.
Has the name Adam appeared in any descendants?
Anne :)
-
Alexander married Elizabeth Harvey, 27th March 1857, see:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTYC-BHS
If you were to download their Marriage Certificate from Scotland's People, both sets of parents would be listed as well as Ann's maiden name.
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Anne :)
-
Hi Anne
Many thanks for your welcome and help. I have Alexander's and Elizabeth's marriage and death certificates. According to these certificates, Alexander was born in 1835 to James and Anne (nee Scott) and Elizabeth in 1838 to William and Marion (nee Chalmers) Harvie.
I have had no luck in finding the birth records of either Alexander or Elizabeth nor the marriage records of their parents. I would be grateful for any assistance.
Thanks so much.
Liz
-
OK, found some more:
(Note: Census details are from transcriptions, so may not be accurate)
1841 Census, Living at Muirhead, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
James Aitken, Head, age 35, Cotton Hand Loom Weaver, born c1806, Lanarkshire
Ann Aitken, age 35, born c1806, Lanarkshire
Mary Aitken, age 15, born c1826, Lanarkshire
Robert Aitken, age 13, born c1828, Lanarkshire
William Aitken, age 11, born c1830, Lanarkshire
Alexander Aitken, age 6, born c1835, Lanarkshire
Thomas Aitken, age 4, born c1837, Lanarkshire
Daniel Aitken, age 2, born c1839, Lanarkshire
Family Search (only three of James & Ann’s children listed):
Thomas Aitken, born 12th November 1836, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
Daniel Aitken, born 11th May 1839, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
Janet Aitken, born 26th June 1841, Bothwell
1851 Census, Living at Shotts Road to Edinburgh, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
James Aitken, Head, age 45, Linen Hand Loom Weaver, born c1806, Slamannan, Stirlingshire
Ann Aitken, age 49, born c1802, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
William Aitken, age 22, Linen Hand Loom Weaver ,born c1829, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
Alexander Aitken, age 16, Blacksmith (Journeyman) born c1835, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
Thomas Aitken, age 14, Cotton Weaver. born c1837, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
Daniel Aitken, age 11, at home, born c1840, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
Janet Aitken, age 9, at home, born c1842, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
David Aitken, age 6, at home, born c1845, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
(Possible) 1861 Census, Living at Edinburgh & Glasgow Road, Bothwell,, Lanarkshire
James Aitken, Head, age 45, ‘Watter of Lennon’ (Weaver of Linen?) born c1816, ‘Stammers’, Stirlingshire (Slamannan?)
Ann Aitken, age 51, born c1810, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
William Aitken, age 32, Labourer R (?) ,born c1829, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
Thomas Aitken, age 24, Blacksmith. born c1837, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
1864, 14th July, Death. At Bellshill, Lanarkshire, James Aitken, Worsted Weaver age 59
Married to Ann Scott
Son of Robert Aitken, Worsted Weaver (deceased) and Janet Aitken nee Mains (deceased)
Cause of Death Asthma & Consumption (not certified)
Informant: Thomas Aitken, Son, Bellshill
If you go to Family Search and look for births of children to Robert Aitken and Janet MAIN in Slamannan, Stirlingshire, between the years 1795 - 1820, there's quite a squad!
On to Alexander Aitken & Elizabeth Harvie …..
1857, 27th March, Marriage. At Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, of Alexander Aitken & Elizabeth Harvie
Family Search (two of Alexander & Elizabeth’s children listed):
James Aitken, born 27th August 1857, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
William Aitken, born 6th April 1859, Bothwell, Lanarkshire
There is one Public Tree on Ancestry which lists 9 children, but with very little details:
? Aitken b. 1857 (James)
? Aitken b. 1860, d. 1927 (William)
Anne Scott Aitken, b.1862, Dunedin, d. 1951, Brighton, NZ. (Married Joseph Outram, 1882, Dunedin)
? Aitken b. 1865
? Aitken b. 1869
? Aitken b. 1871
? Aitken b. 1873
? Aitken b. 1876
Marion Chalmers Aitken b.
So it looks like Alexander, Elizabeth & their two sons sailed to NZ sometime between April 1859 and 1862.
I’ve had a look to see if I could find anything about their voyage, but I’m not seeing anything.
Anne :)
-
Hi Anne
Many thanks for the fabulous information you found on the Aitken family. I really appreciate the time and effort you spent on this. It gives my husband and I a great start to locating Alexander Aitken's forebears.
Best wishes
Liz
-
Hi Anne
Many thanks for your welcome and help. I have Alexander's and Elizabeth's marriage and death certificates. According to these certificates, Alexander was born in 1835 to James and Anne (nee Scott) and Elizabeth in 1838 to William and Marion (nee Chalmers) Harvie.
I have had no luck in finding the birth records of either Alexander or Elizabeth nor the marriage records of their parents. I would be grateful for any assistance.
Thanks so much.
Liz
Elizabeths birth and two of her siblings
from the British Vital Records Index.
Recorded in: Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Christening
HARVEY, Elizabeth
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 4 Feb 1833
Christening Date: 15 Feb 1833
Collection: Kirkton; United Presbyterian
Father: William HARVEY
Mother: Marion CHALMERS
Recorded in: Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Christening
HARVEY, Amelia
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 20 Dec 1835
Christening Date: 27 Dec 1835
Collection: Kirkton; United Presbyterian
Father: William HARVEY
Mother: Marion CHALMERS
Recorded in: Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Christening
HARVIE, William
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 3 Feb 1842
Christening Date: 20 Feb 1842
Father: William HARVIE
Mother: Marrion CHALMERS
-
Hopefully Liz will log in again soon and hopefully she'll be pleased with our findings.
Anne :)
-
Hi again Anne,
I am more then pleased with the help you have given to me, I am absolutely thrilled. Thanks so much, you can't imagine how excited I am. I am now looking at another Scottish relative on this site. What an amazing help it is.
Liz :)
-
Hi Liz,
I now EXACTLY how excited you are - I get excited finding folk too - even although they're nothing to do with me or my family.
It feeds an obsession - you'll soon understand how that feels too!!
Anne ;D
-
Hello Liz
Anne Scott Aitken, daughter of Alexander Aitken, blacksmith, Dunedin and Elizabeth Aitken, married Joseph Outram on 18 August 1882 in Royal Terrace, Dunedin.
Joseph and Anne Outram's daughter Olive Hazel Outram married John Longstaff Baines on 29 December 1922 at Caversham Baptist Church, Dunedin. They were the aunt and uncle of my mother, so are my great aunt and great uncle.
The Outram, Aitken and Baines family have been, and still are being researched by a number of people. Myself and John Baines (grandson of Olive Hazel Outram and John Longstaff Baines) in particular.
I live in Dunedin, NZ. Whereabouts are you? We should probably make contact off the list.
If you go onto http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search, or more specifically, http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search?recordid=102718&type=Burial you will see that
Alexander Aitken, blacksmith, died on 27 November 1895, aged 60 years and had been in NZ 35 years. Therefore he must have come to NZ around 1860.
His wife Elizabeth died on 9 October 1927, aged 89 years and had been in NZ 67 years - which again makes time of arrival in New Zealand around 1860.
They are buried in the Southern Cemetery, Dunedin, Block 138, Plot 7. Photographs of the plot are attached on the cemetery information. Other family members buried in the plot are:
Catherine Freeland Aitken, died 10 April 1868, aged 9 months
John Harvie Aitken, died 20 July 1883, aged 4 years
William Harvey Aitken, clerk of Milton, died 21 June 1908, aged 43 years
Amelia Margaret Aitken, spinster died 25 August 1954 at Dunedin Public Hospital, aged 79 years
Catherine Findlay, widow of Dunedin, died 18 November 1955, aged 82 years
I see that there is a probate of will for Alexander Aitken, blacksmith of Dunedin, died 1895 at Archives New Zealand, Dunedin office (Reference given at http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=22045668). Doesn't seem as though I have looked this up. So, I will go and take a digital photograph of the documents this week. Have ordered it on-line and will go and see it on Tuesday.
Jacqui
-
Hi Jacqui,
I live in Sydney and am married to John Aitken and I'm helping him to research his family as well as working on my own. It's important for our children to know their ancestry.
Alexander Aitken is John's Great great grandfather. Alexander's son James is great grandfather and his son, Gordon is John's grandfather.
Gordon was killed at Gallipolli and John has been doing extensive research into this. Gordon was a member of the Wellington Battalion and arrived at Anzac on 25 April 1915. Sadly, he was killed at Chunuk Bair in 8 August. John has his medals and death plaque.
Thank you so much for the information you've sent and to know of your connection. I have passed all of this on to John and if you want to contact us off line he would be very happy. His email address in (*)
Thanks again,
Liz :)
(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy,
to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.
New members must make at least three postings before being allowed to use the PM facility.
See Help-Page: http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
-
Hi Liz,
I have a few Aitken's in my tree from Coatbridge/New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland we might be able to link these family members.
Aitken, Alexander abt 1883 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Aitken, Andrew 1889 - Old Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland, d- 01 Jul 1916 - Somme, Picardie, France
Aitken, Andrew abt 1857 - New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland 13 Feb 1923
Aitken, Catherine abt 1887 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland -
Aitken, David Feb 1893 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland 14 Jan 1922 - Old Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Aitken, Elizabeth 1875 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Aitken, James Mahon 1879 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland, d - 25 Sep 1915 - Loos, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
Aitken, John abt 1885 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Aitken, Mary 1891 - Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Aitken, Robert
Here is the link to my tree in Ancestry - http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/5687629/person/6926149254
Regards,
Cindy Gillespie
Brooklyn, Michigan, USA
-
Hi! My name is Catherine and Alexander Aitken is my great great great grandfather :) I live in Australia. Marion Chalmers Aitken my great great grandmother married Louis William Holmes (from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England) in New Zealand and they came out to Victoria, Australia. One of their sons (my great grandfather) was born in Auckland, New Zealand and all the rest of the children were born in Victoria, Australia.
I noticed there is difference in years of birth of Elizabeth. Went to the Dunedin cemetery website for Alexander and took 89 years off 1927 for Elizabeth Aiken's (nee Harvey) birth which would make Elizabeth being born in 1837/38 not 1833 like the census said. Which is weird. Don't know if you all noticed this. She had her birth certificate as 1838 and yet the British Vital Records Index says 1833.
Recorded in: Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Christening
HARVEY, Elizabeth
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 4 Feb 1833
Christening Date: 15 Feb 1833
Collection: Kirkton; United Presbyterian
Father: William HARVEY
Mother: Marion CHALMERS
It's lovely to meet you all and some distant relatives :)
-
Can't delete this message ....
-
Liz, did my info come through about Alex and Elizabeth Aitken?
Watch the NZSoc Geneology Magazine Dec 2015 issue for "The Aitken Portraits"
regards
Robert Findlay
-
Here is just a little information on the Harvey side of this family. Elizabeth Harvey had a sister Janet (Jessie) who married John Stevenson. This information has been extracted from the burial records of Cambusnethan cemetery in Wishaw.
I hope it is of some use. All dates are of interment.
JANET STEVENSON, housewife, Cambusnethan. Aged 59 years. Married.
Parents - William Harvey & Marion Chalmers.
Interred in the Private Burial Ground, plot 355, on 28th November 1906.
JOHN STEVENSON, coal miner, Cambusnethan. Aged 65 years. widower.
Parents - John Stevenson & Christina Greenshields.
Interred in the Private Burial Ground, plot 355, on 5th October 1909.
JOHN STEVENSON, Cambusnethan. Aged 4 months.
Parents - John Stevenson & Janet Harvie.
Private Burial ground plot 355 on 29th June 1869.
WILLIAM H. STEVENSON, Cambusnethan. Aged 2 years.
Parents - John Stevenson & Jessie Harvey.
Private Burial ground plot 355 on 25th July 1872.
MARION C. STEVENSON, Cambusnethan. Aged 19 years. Unmarried.
Parents - John Stevenson & Jessie Harvey.
Private Burial ground plot 355 on 8th June 1893.
This is a picture of the "Walled Private" as it was called. I don't know the exact location of the Stevenson plot, sorry.