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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: iregurl on Tuesday 31 October 23 19:23 GMT (UK)
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I was looking at the 1861 Cesus for my 4 x great-grandfather Andrew Watson when I saw another Watson family listed right below him. The first name of the Head of household I think says Delay?? Does seem right to anyone else?
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Possibly Betsy ?
Cathy
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Betsy from me too - note that the first letter isn't the same as the one in Do.
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If it is Betsy... then it's a missing link in my tree. I know of a Betsy Watson Storie married to a John Watson, but as far as I know not related. But it appears she is living with my 4x great-grandfather and his family after the death of her husband.
Am I right in assuming that would be they were related?
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Could you give us the full census reference, please? Or at least the location.
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Could you give us the full census reference, please? Or at least the location.
1861 Scottish Census
Andrew Watson 11 Abbey Close, Jedburgh
Betsy Watson (Widow) 11 Abbey Close, Jedburgh (her and her children are listed right under Andrew and his family)
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On the face of it, two people with the same surname living at the same address look as though they should be related, and since Betsy's children have the surname Watson, it seems possible that her late husband was Andrew's brother.
As it's Scotland, you can't see census images unless you pay for them at Scotland's People, but transcripts are available on other sites if you have a subscription. Using these, I've come up with some things you could check:
1851 census - I see Betsy is wife of a John Watson born in Jedburgh, who is quite a bit older than her, and a similar age to Andrew. Can you confirm that they are brothers?
In the 1861 census Betsy had a son William, aged 5. You're in luck with him, because according to the birth index at SP, he was born in 1855, the first year of civil registration. In that year, birth certificates include a great deal of information about the parents, so you might find that this would answer more or less anything you want to know about Betsy (and John). (The index doesn't give Betsy's maiden name; I'm not sure why - maybe the index didn't include this while the system was bedding in?)
I haven't looked for John Watson's death, but if it was in 1855 or later the certificate should give the names of his parents - again, to help confirm if he was related to Andrew.
Hope this helps.
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Andrew Watson 1861
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/590470b6e9379091b13c70af?dwel=590470aee9379091b13c5b1a&locale=en&page_number=0
Betsy Watson (next dwelling) 1861
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/590470b6e9379091b13c70af/betsy-watson-1861-roxburghshire-jedburgh-1826-?locale=en
As they are living next door to each other, there is a chance that there is some family connection.
Betsy is a widow, but she was the wife of John Watson (shoemaker)
You would need to look to see if John Watson is a brother to your Andrew Watson?
This is the same family in 1851
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59046fc6e9379091b139fed2/robert-watson-1851-roxburghshire-jedburgh-1843-?locale=en
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On the face of it, two people with the same surname living at the same address look as though they should be related, and since Betsy's children have the surname Watson, it seems possible that her late husband was Andrew's brother.
As it's Scotland, you can't see census images unless you pay for them at Scotland's People, but transcripts are available on other sites if you have a subscription. Using these, I've come up with some things you could check:
1851 census - I see Betsy is wife of a John Watson born in Jedburgh, who is quite a bit older than her, and a similar age to Andrew. Can you confirm that they are brothers?
In the 1861 census Betsy had a son William, aged 5. You're in luck with him, because according to the birth index at SP, he was born in 1855, the first year of civil registration. In that year, birth certificates include a great deal of information about the parents, so you might find that this would answer more or less anything you want to know about Betsy (and John). (The index doesn't give Betsy's maiden name; I'm not sure why - maybe the index didn't include this while the system was bedding in?)
I haven't looked for John Watson's death, but if it was in 1855 or later the certificate should give the names of his parents - again, to help confirm if he was related to Andrew.
Hope this helps.
Andrew and John aren't brothers, but I wonder if they are 1st cousins?? Andrew's father James Watson (Sargent Major) died in Jedburgh 1838 but his birth is recorded only as Scottish Borders. I've not been able to confirm his parents, but his first and only daughter was named Margaret.
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If you're wanting more on John Watson, then as well as hunting down his death registration I'd strongly recommend looking at the birth registration for William. To expand on what I wrote above, an 1855 birth registration should include (not necessarily in this order):
Child's name; sex; date, time and place of birth; baptismal name (if different) or name given other than at baptism
Father's name; rank, profession or occupation; age and birthplace; when and where married; any previous issue, both living and deceased
Mother's name and maiden name; how many children she has had; age and birthplace
Signature and qualification of informant, and residence if not where the birth occurred; whether they were present at the birth
OK, you can get some of that from the 1851 census, but there are important bits that you can't.