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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: osip on Thursday 30 October 25 09:37 GMT (UK)
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On tracing my family I discovered a male Clark line starting with my granma Susanna Clark's (1910) father William Richard Clark b1875 in Liverpool. The male line continues - James Christopher b1844 possibly in Arbroath - Alexander b1805 possibly in Edinburgh - James who I have no birthdate for but possibly married to Elizabeth Miln/e.
My questioning was instigated by my mother telling me that she was related to a Clark family that was well known in the Milling industry. My research now leads me to the possibility that mum might have been refering to the Anchor Mills in Scotland.
I can't find any reference to the above names in the Clark family history and was wondering if possibly the connection is through cousins e.t.c. Or of course it is just a family myth.
Any help on moving forward would be most gratefully received.
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William Richard Clark b Sept Qtr 1875 Liverpool - mmn was Welsh
There is a William Clark/Agnes Welsh marriage 1874 Liverpool
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Thanks you Carole. I did go down that route for a while until I discovered Williams grave where he was buried with his wife, Annie Clark (Cook) b1877. His birth was stated as 1876 on the gravestone. But I have seen him refered to as b1875. Sorry to waste your time I should just stick to 1876 and I have modified the question.
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See 1939 register. He was b 18.7.1875. Do either of his parents have any connection to Scotland as I’m struggling to find him on the 1881 census
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The info I have is
Williams father James Christopher 1844 born Arbroath Scotland.
Williams mother Elizabeth Simpson 1847 born Scotland.
James father Alexander 1805 Dundee
James mother Elizabeth Whitton 1809 Leith
Elisabeth S. father James Simpson b?
Elisabeth mother Elizabeth Dunbar 1815
Alexander father James (Charles?) Clark
Alexander mother Elizabeth Miln/e
Modified - oh heck! Williams grave, died 1939 aged 74 years makes his birth 1875!
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I would not worry too much about the year until you know where the information came from, the point in this case there is no William Richard Clark/e born Liverpool 1874 +/- 2 years, the nearest is the one Carol posted.
Is this Susannah below?
CLARK, SUSANNAH mmn COOK
GRO Reference: 1910 M Quarter in WEST DERBY Volume 08B Page 321
If so do you have the marriage cert for her parents, likely the ones below. That will give you the name of Williams parents.
Marriages Dec 1897
William Richard Clark to Annie Cook
W. Derby 8b 623
Colin
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Hi Colin, that is my granma yes. This is a thread I started a few years back thinking William was of Irish descent. I have made this available to Carole as well and I'm thinking perhaps now I may be wasting your time pursuing a Scottish line.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=864827.msg7349022#msg7349022
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Having had a quick look at your previous thread I would recommend starting with the info you are positive about then work back. Clark/Clarke is a very common surname & often found spelt with & without an "e" which makes it more difficult
Marriage at St Chrysostom 3.10.1897
William Richard Clark 21 seaman father James Christopher Clark - deceased - mariner
Annie Cook 20 - father James Cook joiner
Witnesses William Lewis & Mary Cook
1901 Census shows both William & Annie were born Liverpool
The only Clark/Welsh marriage in England or Scotland is the 1874 one shown above but that was WILLIAM Clark - not James Christopher & was at St Bride with St Saviour
Where did you get Arbroath from as the birthplace for James Christopher?
The 1874 marriage transcription is on Lancs OPC & shows William as a Wood turner & his father as James deceased
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The James Clark b Arbroath 6.11.1842 to Alexander Clark & Betsy Whitton had no middle name
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
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The James Clark b Arbroath 6.11.1842 to Alexander Clark & Betsy Whitton had no middle name
That's not reliable - it's very common for people to acquire middle names that weren't on their birth certificates, never mind their baptism record.
I have read somewhere that the churches were really only interested in a child's first given name, because they regarded that name as the person's name in the sight of God, so it's common for a baptism record to omit all other given names.
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There is a remarkable dearth of possible James Christopher Clark(e)s in the BMD records. Specifically, there is no death in the FreeBMD index that could conceivably be him, and the first marriage is after the birth of William Richard Clark.
So did he die overseas, or was his death registered as plain James, or as James C?
Osip, you have only named the male line. I think if we're going to get anywhere with this we'll need the mothers' names as well.
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After my attempt many years ago to trace these relatives I passed all my info and certs to an uncle who said he could sort it. Of course he didn't and I havn't seen the info since!
Forfarian you are correct about James if I have the correct facts. He died off the coast of Pathos in 1894 on his way to Corfu. A drowning accident I assume?
The mothers line of my granma has proven very difficult.
Annie Clark (Cook) 1877 - Father James Cook 1841 - mother Sarah Withey 1843.
And that is as far as I got.
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In the 1891 census there is a family in West Derby consisting of James Clark, 49, marine engineer, born Scotland; wife Elizabeth, 44, born Scotland; daughter Elizabeth J Robinson, 22, born Scotland; daughter Margaret Clark, 15; son William Clark, 12; daughter Edith Clark, 10; son-in-law Alfred J Robinson, 22; and grandson James Robinson, 3.
Alfred James Robinson married Elizabeth Jane Clark in West Derby in 1887.
There are four Elizabeth Jane Clarks born in Scotland 1867-1870: one with mother's maiden surname Barlett, one with mmn Craigen, one with mmn Simpson and one with mmn Yule.
There are no Edith Clarks born 1879/1882 in Liverpool with mmn Bar(t)lett, Craigen or Yule. There is, however, an Edith Clark with mmn Simpson in Liverpool in 1880.
Cross-checking confirms that a Margaret Clark, mmn Simpson, was born in West Derby in 1876, and a William Clark with mmn Simpson in West Derby in 1879.
So I think that William Richard Clark's mother was Elizabeth Simpson.
Elizabeth Jane Clark was born in Edinburgh in 1868.
James Clark and Elizabeth Simpson were married in Edinburgh in 1867. Their marriage certificate will tell you the full names of their parents including their mothers' maiden surnames.
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Many thanks. Where and how do I apply for the Scottish marriage cert of James and Elizabeth?
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The official answer is that you go to www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk, invest in a few credits and use 6 of them to find, view and download an image of the certificate on the spot. It works out at £1.50 per certificate.
However seeing you're new to SP I took a look. James Clark's parents were Robert Clark and Ann Philip, and Elizabeth Simpson's were James Simpson and Elizabeth McGlashan.
Further investigation of the indexes at SP reveals that Robert Clark and Ann Philip were married in Monifieth in 1840. Their son James was baptised in St Vigeans in 1844, one of six recorded children.
In the 1851 census the family was in Ponderlaw Street, St Vigeans, which is actually in the burgh of Arbroath: Robert, 39, labourer at gas work, born Crathie, Aberdeenshire; Ann, 31, born Strathmartine; daughter Ann Alexander, 14, born Monifieth; James, 7; Margaret, 4; and Robert, 2, all born St Vigeans.
In 1861 they're in South Leith: Robert, 50; Anne, 41; James, 17; Margaret, 14; Robert, 12; William, 9; Betsey, 7; Peter, 4 and Isabella, 1.
By 1871 Ann was widowed and had moved to England and was living in West Ham with some of her children. This explains why I can't find Ann's death certificate in Scotland. Scottish death certificates tell you the names of the parents of the deceased, inclding their mother's maiden surname, but unfortunately English (and Welsh, and Irish) ones don't.
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Dates and ages all figure correct which means most of my results were incorrect. So it is Robert Clark, I'm figuring born 1812, who's father and siblings it is I need to research now.
There has been no obvious connection to the mills of the Clark family which was my original motivation for my searching. But it looks as though, and I'm excited about, I have a whole new family of Scottish relatives to research.
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No, it looks as if at least some of the Anchor Mills Clarks were sons of Andrew Clark (c 1785-1873), who was born in Paisley according to the census.
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Forfarian :)
Anchor MillsThread St, Paisley PA1 1GZ
Google for more information.
Colin
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I am having trouble pinning down the father of Robert Clark 1812 above. A general search obviously is bringing up different suggestion which is confusing me even more. How do I pin down the actual father of my Robert Clark?
From what has been discovered would you say the Anchor Mills connection is out of the question now?
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Thanks, Col. I had already done so.
The records of the Anchor Mills are in the University of Glasgow Archives.
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The irony of this post is that I was in the factory on one occasion in the late 1980s, by then it was owned by Coats Viyella.
Colin Clarke
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I am having trouble pinning down the father of Robert Clark 1812 above. A general search obviously is bringing up different suggestion which is confusing me even more. How do I pin down the actual father of my Robert Clark?
That depends on where he died.
They were in Leith by 1854, when their daughter Betsey was born, and Robert was alive in 1861. Ten years later, Ann was a widow. The question is whether he died before or after her move to England. If he died in Scotland before they left, his death certificate will confirm the name of his wife and should tell you the names of his parents, including his mother's maiden surname.
There's only one recorded baptism of a Robert Cl*rk* in Crathie and Braemar, son of James Clark and Janet Morice, baptised 1 December 1810, which is close to Robert's age in the 1851 and 1861 censuses. But that does not mean he has to be the one, because the records are incomplete and there could be another Robert Cl*rk* whose baptism record has not survived.
There are three deaths of Robert Cl*rk*s of suitable age in Edinburgh between 1861 and 1871, none with mother's surname Morice, and two in Glasgow with no mother's maiden surname indexed.
If, however, he died in England, his death certificate won't even tell you the name of his father. I'm not even sure that it will include the name of his wife.
It's also not beyond the bounds of belief that his wife left him, moved to London, and claimed to be a widow, though it's not very likely.
From what has been discovered would you say the Anchor Mills connection is out of the question now?
I wouldn't rule it out but even if it does exist it's going to be very difficult to prove because any connection must be before 1800. You'd need to take a much closer look at the Paisley Cl*rk*s to see if there is any connection to Aberdeenshire.
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Thank you Forfarian you have helped more than I could have hoped.
I think not being able to place people geographically in Scotland (I was in Edinburgh when I was a year old for a while) it is difficult to visualise in my head clearly where people lived.
I have also been checking shipping records for the possible accident that befell James. No luck so far.
I'll crack on.
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Regarding the Robert Clark b1810 above.
From my limited access to records:
b1810
d1902 Echuca, Victoria, Australia.
Father James Clark 1789-?
Mother Janet Morice 1786-?
Wife Ann Philip 1820-1892
Children William 1851-1925 Arbroath
James 1844 St. Vigeans
This would mean Robert born 1810 and not 1812. And that he died in Australia 1902.
And his son James died on route to Corfu 1894/5
This wouldn't change things but would mean my Robert searches would include 1810-1812
Which may bring about Roberts father. But so far no luck. (could be the James 1789 above?)
An added point - If Ann was in fact a widow about 1871, then the Robert above is not correct. Or as suggested, they may have split and Ann claimed to be a widow?
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Hi,
Just wondering Clarks of Deeside, is this crossing with this post?
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=894479.msg7688636#msg7688636
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Hi David, I can't see any obvious cross over points with the posts. Australia and The United States seem to have been popular destinations for many Clark descendents. Thanks
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Robert Clark, born Crathie and Braemar, on Deeside
Or am I getting confused and Robert is not relevant to your search?
There are not that many Clark families in the area at that time.
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Hi David, I'm up to speed now!
I have mentioned in an earlier post that geographically I have no knowledge of Scotland at all. Crathie and Braemar has always been stated as being in Aberdeenshire when I have searched. When your post mentions Deeside, which I havn't come across in my research, I didn't make the connection. I now know in fact that there is a connection.
The more I think of Robert being in Australia the more I think it unlikely. Even though the general online search suggests it may be true. Without paper and document evidence it is impossible to be sure.
Your research has turned up some fascinating history. Having photos can be so vital to research but also infuriating if the people and places can't be identified. That Smiddy is incredible. I would have to visit and stand in front of it.
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I wouldn’t cross him off, plenty of examples of families going to both Australia and Canada or the US, and moving between them. People moved a lot more than we think.
The Robert dying in Australia might not be correct, but Deeside families, mine amongst them, had links all over the world at the time.
If the other names are correct, I would pursue the line of research.
Forfarian has come up with a pretty convincing story.
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I may have also inadvertently linked to the wrong post by Geoff Turner, the same family though.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=894666.0
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I have mentioned in an earlier post that geographically I have no knowledge of Scotland at all. Crathie and Braemar has always been stated as being in Aberdeenshire when I have searched. When your post mentions Deeside, which I havn't come across in my research, I didn't make the connection. I now know in fact that there is a connection.
Yes.
Braemar is a small town in the parish of Crathie, and the River Dee flows past Braemar and Crathie and continues past Ballater, Aboyne and Peterculter (among others) before entering the North Sea at Aberdeen. Deeside is a name applied to the part of Aberdeenshire lying on both sides of the River Dee.
The more I think of Robert being in Australia the more I think it unlikely. Even though the general online search suggests it may be true. Without paper and document evidence it is impossible to be sure.
The official Victoria deaths index lists a death of Robert Clark, aged 92, parents James Clark and Janet Morris, in Echuca in 1902. So it looks as if this is indeed your Robert Clark.
As for his DoB, his baptism was in 1810, so the age on his death certificate is spot on. I wouldn't worry too much about his age in the census being out by a year or two. This is quite common, and Morice/Morris sound the same.
There's also an index listing of the death of Ann Clark, aged 72, parents Andrew Philip and Margaret or Mary Malcolm, in Echuca in 1892. There's no matching baptism in the surviving records, but Andrew Philp and Margaret malcolm did have two other children
Mary, baptised 5 November 1820 in Dundee
James, baptised 2 June 1822 in Mains and Strathmartine - which is the parish where Ann Philp or Clark was born, according to the census.
I see that a Margaret Philip or Malcolm, aged 82, mother's maiden surname Robb, died in Monifieth in 1876 aged 82. Monifieth is the next parish east from Dundee, and Mains and Strathamartine is the next parish north-west of Dundee. It is where Robert Clark and Ann Philip married in 1840. It might be worth a look at that certificate.
So it does look as if Robert and Ann emigrated to Australia. The original 1871 census does say quite clearly 'widow' but perhaps the enumerator got it wrong, or perhaps Ann herself was being economical with the truth.
You could get copies of the death certificates to provide the documentary evidence.
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Such a lot of information in such a short time! Many thanks Forfarian.
Many people do not consider their ancestry as being of any relevence. For me the sense of 'time and place' is very important.
This line of enquery was instigated by my late mothers claim to be related to 'people who owned mills'. As of yet this cannot be proven. But the case of me being related to Captain Cook through her granma Annie Cook was proven to be wrong through rootschat. He never had children nor did his siblings!
Roberts timeline is interesting;
1810 Robert born
1820 Ann born
1840 Married
1844 son James born (Scotland) 1875 James son William born Liverpool.
1851 son William born (Scotland)
1892 Ann died (Australia)
1902 Robert died (Australia)
Which then gives us the possible gap inbetween which Robert and Ann could have travelled to Australia. Both quite advanced in years! And one source suggesting they has 11 children!
Such a lot to look into. Thanks once again.
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And one source suggesting they has 11 children!
If you look at the two censuses, 1851 and 1861, from which I've already posted extracts, there are at least 7: James, Margaret, Robert, William, Betsey, Peter and Isabella. There's also Martha, born in 1862.
Or look at the six baptism records for children born before 1855, and three births after 1855, making 9 so far. See screenshots. The extra one is Andrew, baptised 1842. Presumably he died before the 1851 census.
the possible gap in between which Robert and Ann could have travelled to Australia.
Ann and the children were still in West Ham in 1871, so that narrows the gap still further. Maybe Robert travelled first and sent for his family once he had got settled there. You may be able to find an incoming passenger list with Ann and the children.
There's also Ann Alexander, aged 14 in the 1851 census. She could be the daughter of David Alexander and Ann Philip, who was baptised in Monifieth on 30 June 1836. That would suggest that Ann Phil*p was very young when Ann Alexander was born.
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Thanks Forfarian.
I checked for passenger lists but arrival records from British ports only survive from 1890. And no sign of our couple.
I checked the convict lists (started in 1787) the final list 1868. No sign.
But this is interesting. Or baffling depending on how you look at it.
Robert and Ann are buried in the same grave. Echuca Cemetary, Echuca, Campaspe Shire, Victoria, Australia. F Section 15 Grave 8.
Roberts details are good BUT, the Ann Clark details?
Ann Wright Clark (Just Ann Clark on Death Schedule)
b1820 - d1892 (same as our Ann)
Hulme, Lancashire, England.
Spouse Samual Clark 1811-1867
Father Andrew Phillip Farmer
Mother Margaret Phillip (Malcom)
both in Hulme England.
These are the only Robert and Ann in the cemetary. And in Victoria.
Any thoughts Forfarian?
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But this is interesting. Or baffling depending on how you look at it.
Robert and Ann are buried in the same grave. Echuca Cemetary, Echuca, Campaspe Shire, Victoria, Australia. F Section 15 Grave 8.
Roberts details are good BUT, the Ann Clark details?
Ann Wright Clark (Just Ann Clark on Death Schedule)
b1820 - d1892 (same as our Ann)
Hulme, Lancashire, England.
Spouse Samual Clark 1811-1867
Father Andrew Phillip Farmer
Mother Margaret Phillip (Malcom)
both in Hulme England.
These are the only Robert and Ann in the cemetary. And in Victoria.
Any thoughts Forfarian?
That certainly makes no sense at all. Is it from the burial records or from some other source?
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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/167343162/ann-clark
Death Schedule looks sound - death Tuberculosis
But the Hulme location is ? (okay. The correct Scottish details are on the Death Schedule)
And Spouse Samual ? (obviously wrong info)
Just spotted Roberts details next to hers! Robert must have arrived 1871.
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AH! I think that's an error on the part of whoever did the FindAGrave write-up. 'Wright' is in italics, indicating that that, not Phil(i)p, is her maiden surname.
There is in the 1851 census in Hulme, Lancashire, a family consisting of Samuel Clark, 39, bricklayer, born Cheshire; wife Ann, 29; sons William, 9; and Richard, 5 months, all born Hulme.
Samuel Clark married Ann Wright in Manchester on 25 September 1838.
William, son of William Clarke, bricklayer, and Ann, maiden surname Wright, was born 6 December 1841. I have yet to find any record of Richard.
There are two possibles for Ann Wright in Hulme
- baptised 28 February 1819, parents William and Ellen
- born 12 August 1820, baptised 22 March 1822, Thomas and Ellen
but there could well be others whose baptisms are not recorded, or not readily available
I see that FindaGrave has Samuel Clark buried in Ararat General Cemetery, so obviously this couple must also have emigrated. Samuel's death index listing is unhelpful - it doesn't name either his parents or his wife. Maybe Ann Wright or Clark died and he emigrated as a widower?
I am in absolutely no doubt whatever that this couple has nothing whatsoever to do with Ann Phil(i)p or Clark(e). The information on the death certificate must trump the assumptions of the person who put the additional information in FindAGrave.
If you want to prove that Ann Wright or Clark is not Ann Phil(i)p or Clark, you could get a copy of the marriage certificate of Samuel Clark and Ann Wright and see what her father's name was. I will eat my hat if he was Andrew.
You may also wish to consider asking for the information on FindAGrave to be corrected.
Does that make sense?
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Yes Forfarian that makes sense and after more reading over all the info available I agree 100% with you.
That death cert has been very helpful too with childrens ages and it provides us with a date of arrival in Australia.
And much credit to you as the cert also verifies all the info you gave me in earlier posts. Many thanks.
I'll post any more info I find.
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You're welcome.
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A lot has been said about Robert Clark but I have a more general question regarding him.
According to dates Robert landed in Victoria Australia in 1871. Being born in 1810, and him now being 61 years old I was wondering - was there no age limit to immigration? Would he have had an income?And at 61 what could have attracted him to move there along with his wife?
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Hi,
A very reasonable question, from my experience there was no upper age limit, people were travelling later in life as spouses died, farm leases ended etc.
If we are right in identifying him as a marine engineer, he was a skilled worker and would have been much in demand. There was a lot of emigration at this time and there would be many Deeside relatives out there ahead of him, sending back information by letter or word of mouth.
I have one relative who was back from Australia in Aberdeenshire in time to be present in the 1871 census before returning to Australia, and another who was a ships engineer on the Australia run, so lots of encouragement to go seek a better life.
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Hi David and thanks, you have some interesting research of your own I see. And Australian connections too.
The only occupation I have seen for Robert is a gas work labourer. The marine engineers of the family came later. Which seems to be the predominent occupation among men in other parts of my research too. Not surprising as most were of Liverpool origin.
That's a good point about other fellow countrymen being there who could offer advise or even accomodation. Even just within the Clark namesake there are plenty of established families.
I have no inkling of how scary such a venture must have been. But the attraction whatever it was must have outweighed any fears.
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Hi,
A couple of thoughts there, in the 1861 census he was a gas works foreman, not a labourer. So the skill thing would still be valid. I see that gas lighting was expanding in Sydney and also Melbourne, so opportunities there.
The other is if correct he died of TB? So a possible move for his health?
You can make up lots of stories! Who knows one might even be right.
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Yes you can make up lots of stories and here’s mine.
I like better the fact that Robert was a foreman and not a labourer as it shows he had managerial skills. And that fits better with my meshed list of facts below basically trying to match Roberts father James with James II. I’m expecting holes to be picked in it but I just thought I’d try.
James Clark was born in 1747 and started the business. He started making cotton thread in 1813 and, together with his son James (II)(1782-1865), built a mill at Seedhill, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
1810 Our Robert Clark is born (father James mother Janet Morris)
This mill was acquired in 1819 by James Clark II and his brother John, who formed J & J Clark, thread manufacturers, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
1851 Robert is a gas works foreman.
1854 James and Robert (sons of James Clark II Could this James II be married to Janet Morris making this Robert our Robert?) establish the business J&R Clark.
Robert and Ann were in Leith by 1854, when their daughter Betsey was born.
In 1859 the business moved to the Burnside Mill on the south bank of the river cart.
In 1861 Robert and Ann are in South Leith.
In 1871 Robert with or without Ann is in Australia.
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James Clark (1782-1865) died in Paisley Abbey district, mother's maiden surname Campbell. His death certificate says that he was the widower of Agnes McFarlane, and his parents were James Clark and Margaret Campbell.
James Clark 1782-1865 and Agnes McFarlane were married in Paisley in 1830, and they did indeed have a son Robert; he was baptised in Paisley on 24 March 1833. He would have been just 7 years old when your Robert Clark married Ann Phil*p* in 1830.
According to a newspaper article in 1878, "The members and sole partners of the firm of Clark and Co are James, John, Stewart and William Clark. The family has been connected .... with the manufacture of sewing cotton since its introduction at the beginning of this century, and .... as far back as 1720 were engaged in the manufacture of linen thread ....".
Stewart Clark died on 20 November 1907 aged 77. According to the deaths index his mother's maiden name was Aitken. John Clark, mother's maiden name Aitken, died at Gateside, Paisley in 1894 aged 66. Newspaper obituaries confirm that these were the John and Stewart Clark of the thread manufacturing company.
John Clark and Elisabeth Aitken were married in Paisley in 1819. Inconveniently, the threadmill Clarks seem to have belonged to one of the dissenting churches, and there are just two baptisms of their children readily available: Elisabeth in 1820 and James in 1821. However there is a Clark family at Gateside, Paisley, in the 1841 census consisting of John, 45; Eliza; 40; Elisabeth, 20; James, 19; Margaret, 15; John, 14; Stewart, 11; Anna, 8; Jane, 6; Robert, 5; Alexander, 3; and William, 3 months.
In 1851, at Gateside, Paisley, are John Clark, 58, thread manufacturer, born Paisley; wife Elizabeth, 55; children George, 27; John, 23; Stewart, 21; Annabella, 19; Jane, 17; Robert R, 15; Alexander, 13.
From this I deduce that the four thread mill Clark brothers were the family of John, not James, Clark.
Turning to Aberdeenshire, James Clark and Janet Morice had at least five of a family: Margaret, 1801; James, 1803; Andrew, 1808; Robert, 1810; Helen, 1813. This means that their father James must have been born before 1786, as a boy could not legally marry until he was 14. The chances are that he was a good ten years older than that, born around 1770.
Andrew Clark, born Crathy, agricultural labourer, was in Rescobie, Angus in 1851 with a wife and family, and Andrew Clark, 57, mother's surname Morris, died in Murroes, Angus, in 1865. His death certificate confirms that his parents were James Clark, labourer, and Janet Morris, and his death was registered by his brother Robert.
So none of the detail fits.
I also think it's rather unlikely that James Clark, son of a thread manufacturer in Paisley, would move to the remotest corner of Aberdeenshire, marry there before he was 18, earn a living as a labourer for a few years, return to the fold in Paisley by 1830, marry again there and start a new family.
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Hi,
I think I would agree with Forfarian. I did a bit of noodling and the firm seems to have been set up by brothers James and Patrick, sons of a farmer from Renfrewshire. As Forfarian suggests moving around like that seems unlikely, especially as a proposed son of an established business.
The only suggestion that I can see that might be plausible would be an even earlier link, and I think only DNA would solve that one.
That being said there were links between deepest Aberdeenshire and Lesmahagow in the 1850’s as attested by my own family.
There are also Clarks with deep roots in the Ballater area, so you don’t have to go too far to find possible ancestors of Robert.
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Forfarian.
Alas! Methinks the weeping rocks around,
And the low stream, that murmurs far below;
And trees and caves, with solemn hollow sound,
Breathe out one mournful melancholy ‘No’.
And so says Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) The great Scottish poet you may well know. Alas he agrees with you and answers my question with ‘one mournful melancholy ‘No.’ I thought it fitting as he worked alongside the Clark family in one of their work shops.
Mighty fine detective work Forfarian and of course you know I extend a massive thank you.
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Hi David. I may well consider you suggestion to dig deeper.
Who would believe how taxing it is discovering ones ancestors? And it isn't even me doing most of the work!
This is a big chunk of Scottish history I can put alongside my big chunk of Welsh history. Add the little Irish history I have discovered so far and sprinkle it all with English. Well it all brings a smile to my face.
Thanks David.