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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Caithness => Topic started by: Pendlewitch67 on Thursday 23 October 25 13:45 BST (UK)
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Good afternoon
I was hoping for assistance with a look -up of the 1823 attestation/service record of Alexander Mc Kay born 1805 Reay, Caithness, discharged 1844.
I am trying to determine whether or not he is my 3 x gt grandfather. I'm finding my Scottish ancestry tricky and seem to be having more luck finding out who my ancestors are not rather than who they are. Hopefully, this document may give me a much needed clue though I'm not getting my hopes up.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Amanda
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Anc*y has this record UK, Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensioners, 1713-1882
Alexander McKay
Birth Place Reay, Caithness occ Labourer
Rank Sergeant
Regiment 79th Foot
Regimental Number 327
Age at enlistment 18
Attestation Date 28 Jun 1823
Attestation Place Thurso, Caithness
Document Type Soldier's Service Documents
some info. from
Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay
Private 1st Jan 1829 to 31st Dec 1832
Promoted
Corporal 1st Jan 1833 to 24th March 1835
Sergeant 25th Mary 1835 to 7th Oct 1849 edit should read 1844
edit to add
From Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay
5ft 10, dark hair, eyes black, complexion dark, trade a labourer
and
Opinion of medical officer at Dublin? November 21st 1844
Sgt. Alexander McKay having this day been examined by medical board, at Dublin? of which I was President, has been found unfit for further service from, ??? in both legs, also rheum...? & general debility
Added on the first page it says he served abroad six years
in Canada six years
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Anc*y has this record UK, Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensioners, 1713-1882
Alexander McKay
Birth Place Reay, Caithness occ Labourer
Rank Sergeant
Regiment 79th Foot
Regimental Number 327
Age at enlistment 18
Attestation Date 28 Jun 1823
Attestation Place Thurso, Caithness
Document Type Soldier's Service Documents
some info. from
Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay
Private 1st Jan 1829 to 31st Dec 1832
Promoted
Corporal 1st Jan 1833 to 24th March 1835
Sergeant 25th Mary 1835 to 7th Oct 1849 edit should read 1844
edit to add
From Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay
5ft 10, dark hair, eyes black, complexion dark, trade a labourer
and
Opinion of medical officer at Dublin? November 21st 1844
Sgt. Alexander McKay having this day been examined by medical board, at Dublin? of which I was President, has been found unfit for further service from, ??? in both legs, also rheum...? & general debility
Added on the first page it says he served abroad six years
in Canada six years
Wow 😁
Thank you so much. Much more information than I was expecting. I wasn't expecting any service abroad as I thought that Alexander served in the reserves moving up and down the country.
The key I was looking for was his occupation, of all things.
I am trying to determine if he was the Private Alexander McCay who was stationed at Burnley barracks in 1829 with his wife Catherine. They had a daughter, Isabella, who was bap. 1829. In 1841 Sergeant Mckay is in Paisley barracks with other McKays, one of whom is 35 year old Catherine and a William McKay aged 5. As the families aren't grouped I can assume/hope it's the same Alexander and Catherine but more importantly, William. The issue though is with William's age, 5 years younger that the William I was hoping for. However, my William's dob is yet to be verified as I have variations on his actual birth ranging from c1830 to 1836.
This is a lot of information for me to hopefully determine whether or not Alexander could be my ancestor.
Thank you 😁
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For info.
Alex'r McKay
Military Rank Sergeant
Military Pension Age 39
Birth Place Reey Caithness
Military Regiment 79th Foot
Military Pension Date 21 Dec 1844
Residence Place Thurso
UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Admission Books, Registers and Papers, 1702-1980
no other info.
I'm wondering if he might be this Alexander McKay :-\
MCKAY Alexr Head W 47 Pensioner Caithness Reay
Henry Son 11 England
Georgina Dau 8 Aberdeen
D S Son 5 Caithness Thurso
SWANSON Isabella Sislaw U 40 House Servant Caithness Thurso
1851 Campbell St
MACKAY Alexr Head W 66 Pensioner Caithness Reay
MACKAY Dond S Son 26 Blacksmith Caithness Thurso
SWANSON Isabella Servnt 56 Housekeeper Caithness Sordale Thurso
1871 Barrock St
Alexander MacKay Age 77
Relationship Father-in-law
Where born Reay, Caith
County Caithness
1881c Address Sinclair St
Occupation Pensioner
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For info.
Alex'r McKay
Military Rank Sergeant
Military Pension Age 39
Birth Place Reey Caithness
Military Regiment 79th Foot
Military Pension Date 21 Dec 1844
Residence Place Thurso
UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Admission Books, Registers and Papers, 1702-1980
no other info.
I'm wondering if he might be this Alexander McKay :-\
MCKAY Alexr Head W 47 Pensioner Caithness Reay
Henry Son 11 England
Georgina Dau 8 Aberdeen
D S Son 5 Caithness Thurso
SWANSON Isabella Sislaw U 40 House Servant Caithness Thurso
1851 Campbell St
MACKAY Alexr Head W 66 Pensioner Caithness Reay
MACKAY Dond S Son 26 Blacksmith Caithness Thurso
SWANSON Isabella Servnt 56 Housekeeper Caithness Sordale Thurso
1871 Barrock St
Alexander MacKay Age 77
Relationship Father-in-law
Where born Reay, Caith
County Caithness
1881c Address Sinclair St
Occupation Pensioner
Hi
Thank you.
What I do know for sure is William's father, Alexander, labourer, was deceased by 1853 when William married in Manchester.
I latched onto Alexander trying to figure out why William moved from Manchester c1872 to Burnley. A very dodgy connection but worth looking at, I thought. However, this information could very well prove he is not my Alexander which is all part of the fun of genealogy. I believe I have come across Alexander and son, Henry, who it now seems more than likely is the Henry in Paisley barracks in 1841.
It's always useful to rule somebody out than not know for sure.
Thanks again 😁
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What I do know for sure is William's father, Alexander, labourer, was deceased by 1853 when William married in Manchester.
Can I ask if this your William & Catherine on 1861 census
Piece 2967
Folio 41
Page number 25
William McKay 29 Head born Scotland
Catherine 31 Wife born Liverpool
Mary 6 Daughter
Catherine 5 Daughter
William 3 Son
Maria 1 Daughter
Was his wife Catherine's mn Daly
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What I do know for sure is William's father, Alexander, labourer, was deceased by 1853 when William married in Manchester.
Can I ask if this your William & Catherine on 1861 census
Piece 2967
Folio 41
Page number 25
William McKay 29 Head born Scotland
Catherine 31 Wife born Liverpool
Mary 6 Daughter
Catherine 5 Daughter
William 3 Son
Maria 1 Daughter
Was his wife Catherine's mn Daly
Hi
Thank you.
Yes, this is my William and Catherine. I am struggling to find him prior to 1851. I suspect he may have been in Manchester in 1851 (only speculation though as I have only found a census record for William M in Chorlton).
No idea who William's mother is. The only thing I have to go on is a prison record stating born Edinburgh, 1830. Ages on the census returns vary from 1830 - 1833 and when he died his son registered his age as 52 in 1888.
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No idea who William's mother is.
The only thing I have to go on is a prison record stating born Edinburgh, 1830. Ages on the census returns vary from 1830 - 1833 and when he died his son registered his age as 52 in 1888.
William McKay
Marriage 11 Sep 1853 St. Austin's Lancashire
Father Alexander McKay
Mother Mary
Spouse Catharine Daly
Father Hugh Daly
Mother Catherine
edit to add image on Anc*y
Lancashire, England, Catholic Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1762-1913
Could this be William with his mother Mary & siblings on 1841 census
Barracks Habergham Eaves Nr Burnley
Mary McKay 40
John 15
Alexander 15
WILLIAM 10
Eliza 10
? 5
Joseph 5
All noted born ’S’ Scotland
Piece 508 Folio 46 Page number 13
Possible death of Mary
Mary McKay age 71
Death 31 Oct 1873 Ardwick, Manchester,
Reinterment Cemetery Ardwick Cemetery
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No idea who William's mother is.
The only thing I have to go on is a prison record stating born Edinburgh, 1830. Ages on the census returns vary from 1830 - 1833 and when he died his son registered his age as 52 in 1888.
William McKay
Marriage 11 Sep 1853 St. Austin's Lancashire
Father Alexander McKay
Mother Mary
Spouse Catharine Daly
Father Hugh Daly
Mother Catherine
edit to add image on Anc*y
Lancashire, England, Catholic Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1762-1913
Could this be William with his mother Mary & siblings on 1841 census
Barracks Habergham Eaves Nr Burnley
Mary McKay 40
John 15
Alexander 15
WILLIAM 10
Eliza 10
? 5
Joseph 5
All noted born ’S’ Scotland
Piece 508 Folio 46 Page number 13
Possible death of Mary
Mary McKay age 71
Death 31 Oct 1873 Ardwick, Manchester,
Reinterment Cemetery Ardwick Cemetery
Hi.
Thank you. No, I ruled out William at the barracks at the start of my research. He is the son of John and Mary Payne. That William was born in Ceylon.
I have William and Catherine's marriage certificate but there is no mention of William's mother so her name on the Catholic register is a breakthrough 😁
William and Catherine's first daughter was Mary so I suspected she may have been named after William's mother.
The burial of Mary McKay in Ardwick is definitely my next line of enquiry.
Thank you so much.
Kind regards
Amanda
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I have William and Catherine's marriage certificate but there is no mention of William's mother so her name on the Catholic register is a breakthrough 😁
William and Catherine's first daughter was Mary so I suspected she may have been named after William's mother.
The burial of Mary McKay in Ardwick is definitely my next line of enquiry.
Glad to have been of some help :)
Instant digital image available from GRO if you want to take a chance - cost £3.00
MCKAY, MARY 71
GRO Reference: 1873 D Quarter in CHORLTON Volume 08C Page 448
Edit to add
I've been looking to see if I can find Mary on 1871 census but no luck yet ???