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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: issi on Wednesday 17 September 25 10:28 BST (UK)
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Well, this is interesting, I can't get all of this so I've included more than is needed in the image to give a feel for the handwriting. The entry I'm interested in is the baptism of Margaret Allan, dau. of Peter Allan and Margaret ?? (top right of the image).
Here's what I've guessed - corrections/suggestions most welcome:
1844 March
Allan & ?
Peter Allan & ? ? - his wife - (?
?) had a Daughter - born 29th April
1843 - baptised 22 March 1844 - & named
Margaret = (the father being ?under church can
?send the mother alone was ?)
I'm guessing "under church" means he was in trouble for something? If this is so, what sort of misdeeds could he have done?
Any help filling in blanks or correcting mistakes most welcome. Particularly unsure about the mother's maiden name - seen various transcriptions of it, none of which I'm sure about. Not helped by not having found their marriage.
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Mother's name looks like Margaret (Mt) COWE
Last line - "the mother alone was sponsor" ?
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F/S has siblings David/Alexander/Barbara with all as Mother Margaret Cowe.
FreeREG has Cowie
Cant see Marriage either on line.
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Margarets Death Cert would be a help.
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F/S has siblings David/Alexander/Barbara with all as Mother Margaret Cowe.
FreeREG has Cowie
Cant see Marriage either on line.
Sorry Trish - what does F/S mean? thanks
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F/S is Familysearch.
Could it be the place name 'Aberchirder' in first set of brackets?
Could it be 'consent' rather than 'can send'? There was a tendency to carry words onto subsequent line.
I wonder if it was indicating an irregular marriage, perhaps.
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It might be worth checking this death, to rule it in or out:
ALLAN
MARGARET
81
MCINTOSH
F
1893
247 / 33
Turriff
COWE
MARGARET
81
MCINTOSH
F
1893
247 / 33
Turriff
as registered under both Allan and Cowe.
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Thanks scotmum for replying.
Apologies I forget that not every one know about Familysearch.Org
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Banffshire has good coverage on Freereg (and Freecen). Here is the transcription that they have ( which I think you have already seen):
Place Marnoch
Birth 29 Apr 1843
Baptism 22 Mar 1844
Father Peter Allan
Mother Margaret Cowie
Abode Aberchirder
Father Occupation Painter
Witnesses James Reid and Elizabeth Gallon Registered 31 Dec 1855
This last line suggests a different/further entry in the parish register to the one posted . I think it would be worth looking at the Kirk Session Records.
The 1851 census transcripts that I can see have mother Margaret recorded as Margaret Cow. Might be worth viewing the original if you have not already done so.
William
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The family appear to be in Turriff by the 1871 census. The death found by Scotmum, therefore, seems a good bet.
Here is a transcription of the birth certificate ( she was born after the start of civil registration in 1855) of a younger sister, Elspet Allan. Here the mother's surname is showing as Cowe.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9GN-THTD?lang=en
Again it might be worth obtaining the original from SP. Certificates for 1855 contain a great deal of detail.
William
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This would appear to be Margaret Allan's marriage details. Again her mother's maiden surname has been transcribed as Cowe.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6TGJ-FZT7?lang=en
William
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Thank you very much everyone for all your help and suggestions :). I managed to find Margaret Allan's d. cert (by accident - I'd tried everything to find it and then found it when I was looking for her mother's - it was under Margaret Stuart not Stewart which was on the m. cert), so far I've seen her mother's surname transcribed as Cowe (which I think it is), Howe, Cowie and Carne.
I have heard of familysearch, just not seen it abbreviated to f/s before.
Any suggestions on where I'd find the kirk records, please?
To fill in a bit of this Margaret (dau. of Peter and Margaret Cowe (MA snr))'s story (I'll call her MA jnr), she was a domestic servant had a son when she was 23, John Howitt Allan (JHA), no father's name on birth entry. (tho Knox or Allan is suggested in a transcript of another record I haven't seen). When he was 6 she married Alexander Stewart (or Stuart depending on which record you're looking at). Found her d. but haven't found any censuses with them both (he was present at her d. in 1884 in Aberchirder).
From censuses etc. it appears JHA was brought up by his grandparents, and became a house painter (his grandfather was a painter too). He had two marriages, 1st wife died at 27, after having at least 4 children (m. when 22). My grandmother was his daughter from his 2nd marriage (along with 2 sons who died in infancy). JHA emigrated to Canada (without his family) and died there.
There's a wee tragic story I realised when I found MA snr's (nee Cowe) d. entry. Was surprised to realise I already had a copy of it. She died of bronchitis of 2 months, 81 years, living with JHA. I realised that the reason I already had a copy was because further up the page was the death of one of JHA's sons, 11 weeks old, 2 days earlier, from bronchitis of a few days. Awful for the family.
Thanks again everyone, glad to have been able to fill in more of Margaret Allan and her mother with your help, and to translate that entry.
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The Kirk Session Records are to be found on Scotland's People. Go to Virtual Volumes and in place search type Marnoch. The Kirk session records for Marnoch 1842 - 1896 can then be browsed. You only pay if you download a page. Hope this helps.
William
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I think the last lines are "The father being under church censure the mother alone was sponsor".
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Thanks William :), I didn't realise they were there.
and thank you Isabel H - lol, that confused me, I didn't remember writing that post, then I realised that you, Isabel H, aren't me (issi) - I'm an Isabel H too!
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If you have access to FindMyPast try this. Do a general search for Peter Allan with Marnoch as the location.. Choose Directories and Social History from all categories. This produces one result from a series of booklets called The People of Banffshire and Moray. The transcript has this for Peter Allan
1844
Marnoch
Censured for antenuptial fornication with Jane Chalmers.
This could, of course, be a different Peter Allan. I have now looked at the Kirk Session Records myself and cannot see the original there related to the above. Further confusion arises from the fact that there seems to be a baptism for a Jane Allan in 1846 with parents named as Peter Allan, a farm servant, and Jane Chalmers.
Apologies if this simply muddies the waters!
William
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Thanks William. I had a look at the Marnoch kirk records but couldn't find a mention of Margaret and her illegitimate son John Howitt (or Howet) Allan. I'll try Turriff next. Thanks for the FindMyPast search tip. Tried Margaret but didn't find anything.
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William, thanks to your help, I've found a possible Turriff kirk reference to Margaret's illegitimate son John Howitt (or Howet) Allan who has no father listed on his b. entry in 1866, from April 1867, father from Edinburgh! Not that I can read it all. No idea what the 1st word is, they use it a lot.
At Turriff the 6th April 1867
Allan & Howit
? Margaret Allan residing Turriff who acknowledge herself guilty of fornication and charged William Howit Tailor No. 1 James' Square Edinburgh with being the father of her child xxxxxx [wish this bit wan't missing!] as directed ? ? summoned
(closed with prayer)
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A couple of sites worth looking a when it comes to identifying " missing " fathers are Scottish Indexes and Old Scottish. For example the former has a paternity index which could be of use if Margaret pursued the father.
William
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thanks, forgot about Scottish Indexes, didn't know about Old Scottish thank you :)
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Can't find Peter Allan in the Turriff kirk record, but a lot of it's fairly stained and I'm not used to scanning them, also not sure how far back to go to find his misdemeanour (whatever it was).
I've requested John Howitt/Howet/Howit Alan's birth certificate, if that doesn't say more about his father I'll use the Old Scottish site to see what they can find on him, see if it matches with what I found earlier. And see if I can find the alleged Howit in Edinburgh in a census.
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Also found this Turriff kirk sessions 4 May 1867 (unfortunately at the bottom of the page again in the worst-degraded part)
Allen & Howitt
? Margaret Allen and re-newed ? against William Howitt ? ? ? to be summoned for the second ?
Can't find a subsequent entry, but it is fairly degraded.
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6th April 1867 Turriff Kirk Session Minutes
Compeared Margaret Allan residing in Turriff who acknowledged herself guilty of fornication and charged William Howit, Tailor, No1 James Square Edinburgh with being the father of her child, and was directed to be summoned.
I don’t think there ever was a third appearance at the Kirk sessions, because it looks as if William Howit had run off to England.
By March 1868 William Howitt, age 21, Tailor was in Leicester Gaol, charged with feloniously receiving, but found not guilty.
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William Howat in 1851 census
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59026547e9379091b1c42c13/william-howat-1851-aberdeenshire-auchterless-1847-?locale=en
1861 census Alvah, Banffshire
William Howat, 14 born Turriff, Apprentice Tailor
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59027e20e9379091b129a22e/william-howat-1861-banffshire-alvah-1847-?locale=en
William HEWITT, son of William Hewitt and Janet Clerichew
Birth 6 July 1846 Turriff
Parents - William HOWAT married Janet CLERIHEW in Auchterless in 1840
1841 census
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14018df4040b9d6ee59557/william-howat-1841-aberdeenshire-turriff-1816-?locale=en
Janet Clerichew (Howit) remarried in Turriff in 1851 to Donald / Daniel McKenzie
1861 census
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/59026a82e9379091b1d9a213/daniel-mckenzie-1861-aberdeenshire-turriff-1823-?locale=en
Maybe this Death?
William HOWATT age 35 (mother CLARKHUGH) 1881 Gourock
ADDED
I believe William married Anora / Ann Fitzgerald while in England, about 1876.
Still looking for marriage.
1881 census for Anora and children
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/image-viewer/census_lds/census_lds-3a42d107-651a-43de-b7d3-45e88f748527?search_token=91855202968ce783d685b5&row=row_4&sort=&order=&from_page=
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Hi Issi
What an interesting and intriguing search this is proving to be!
I did a Google search for Peter Allan Aberchirder and the top "hit" was the attached from Old Scottish. Look at the Allan and Allan or McKenzie entries.
https://www.oldscottish.com/criminal-records-banff.html
You will see that the entry for Adam Allan or McKenzie names his father as Peter Allan, dancing master.
I also believe that Peter was the father of the John Allan and William Allan or McKenzie. This is John Allan's baptism.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB3F-DZB?lang=en
It is unfortunate that the Marnoch Kirk Session records only start at 1842 as Peter was probably censured before that date!
Adam, John and William can be located in the 1841/ 1851 censuses ( as Allan or McKenzie). They are with their mother in 1841 but not in 1851. Sit down for this part! The reason they are not with their mother in 1851 is because in 1845 Helen McKenzie was convicted of theft and sentenced ( with her brother John ) to seven years transportation and ended up in Tasmania. Here is a record from the Scottish Indexes database.
https://www.scottishindexes.com/jcdetail.aspx?jcid=1845084&pid=184508461
The case can be read about in the newspaper archive ( as can the cases with Adam, John and William).
Adam married in 1864. Here is a transcript of his marriage cert naming his parents as Peter Allan and Helen McKenzie,
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSSG-14R4?lang=en
I have actually downloaded the original and he names his father as Peter Allan, painter and his usual address as Aberchirder.
I think you have the basis of a good book here, Issi! And just one general point , having uncovered a large number of illegitimate births among my own Banffshire ancestors, illegitimacy did seem to sometimes run through the generations ( my g grandfather was illegitimate as was his mother, grandfather and g grandfather!).
William
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... in 1845 Helen McKenzie was convicted of theft and sentenced ( with her brother John ) to seven years transportation and ended up in Tasmania.
Convict Helen / Ellen McKenzie
Arrived Tasmania 1846 on “Emma Eugenia”
7 years sentence
She received her Ticket of Leave in 1849
She received her Certificate of Freedom in 1852
Best place to view original convict documents
https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/1417453
Convict John McKenzie (the younger)
Arrived Tasmania 1846 on “Joseph Sommes”
7 years sentence
Best place to view original convict documents
https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/1417467
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This has been a fascinating read :)
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Wow! That a lot to digest, thanks everyone for all that research! Nothing like a good scandal, eh? ;D
It'll take me a few days to go through all of these links, thank you all :)
The censuses I've found for Peter Allan (1841, '51, '61, '71, '81 (he d. between '81 & '91)) have him married to Margaret Cowe/Allan. She got 6-7 years knocked off her age for the '41 census, but reinstated for the later ones. He is variously listed as a house painter and house painter & musician, and parish entries have him as a painter. Margaret's last census has her listed as a dancing masters widow.
Peter Allan's b. place is listed as Ordiquhill, Banffshire, Scotland.
Thank you Neale1961 for the word "compeared", it was driving me nuts seeing this word over and over again in the kirk sessions and not knowing what it was ;D and thanks for William Howitt's fate. I couldn't find him in Edinburgh in the '61 '71 censuses, thanks for tracking him down - did he ever really reside in James Square Edinburgh??
Thanks again everyone, there's so much more now in that corner of my tree! :) :)
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Death for Peter Allan (age 73) in 1883, Turriff
Mother’s maiden name - Taylor
Baptism
PETER ALLAN
10/12/1810
ORDIQUHILL
Parents - CHARLES ALLAN / MARY TAYLOR FR266 (FR266)
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Banffshire Journal 29, May, 1883.
Turriff
" By the death of Mr Peter Allan, house painter, on Friday, there has passed away one who enjoyed a local reputation as a fine violin player of old Scotch and dance music, and who was a very successful teacher of dancing throughout the district".
His death would, therefore, have been on 25, May, 1883.
William
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Thank you everyone :). I found his b. and d. last night (ok, very early this morning, you know how these rabbit holes go lol, which is why I hadn't posted them here, figured I should get some sleep!), but hadn't seen the article., thanks for that, that's lovely :). There was another contender but the d. entry confirmed this is the right one. d. registered as being 6pm-ish on the 24th. No profession given for his father. d. of pneumonia ([something]) 14 days, registered by son Alexander (not present)
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Marriage for Charles Allan and Mary Taylor (from Freereg)
Ordiquhill
27 May 1810
A note states " No proclamations were used as Charles Allan was a military man".
The next year July 20th, 1811 in the Ordiquhill Kirk Session minutes we have this " Compeared ( that word again!) Chs, Allan and his wife Mary Taylor and confessed that they had been guilty of antenuptial fornication". They had to pay up to be absolved! ( It is image number 29 in the Ordiquhill Minutes).
William
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wow good find! you must have the patience of a saint to go through these records (or a very good index ;D)
So my trying to read that entry:
July 20th ? ? - Compeared Chs. Allan in Cornhill and his wife Mary Taylor ? confessed that they had ? ? guilty of Antenuptial Fornication. They ? that they might be ? absolved. The ? agreed to their request upon them paying six shillings and eight pence ? to the ?. This they immediately complied with and they were accordingly suitably exhorted, rebuked and absolved. Closed etc.
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If you have FindMyPast the record set, Scotland , People of Banffshire and Moray can be searched . It is in part a digest of some of the Kirk Session records. I found this record by simply searching the surname Allan in Ordiquhill and so knew where to look in SP.
Some of the missing words might be "been", "sessionally", "session" and " to the poor". Possibly "craved" or "avowed" before that they might be. Hopefully someone more expert will come along!
William