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Hi!

I wondered if anyone could help work out how these families are connected?

James JOHNSTON (1819) was married to Isabella HUNTER (1833) and they are recorded on a number of census returns and baptismal records as living in Birsay, Orkney. James was recorded as a Seaman in the 1861 census and a farmer in the 1871 census return.

They had a number of children:

Anne - 1857
George - 1859
Christina - 1862
Robert - 1864
Isabella Hoursten - 1867
Mary - 1870

In 1881, Isabella H is in London:

William FOLSTER (1833) - Mariner
J FOLSTER (1823) - Wife
Isabella JOHNSTON (1868) - Vistor

The FOLSTERs are also from Orkney.

She is recorded in Birsay in the 1891 census as:

Isabella MOAR (1830) - Head - Farmer
Lizzie MOAR (1871) - Daughter
Peter GORRIE (1846) - Brother - Blacksmith (out of work)
Isabella JOHNSTON (1868) - Niece

And again in Birsay in the 1901 census as:

Elizabeth MOAR (1871) - Head - Farmer
Isabella JOHNSTON (1868) - Cousin

I am trying to figure out how the JOHNSTONS came to be linked with the MOAR/GORRIEs.

I have found Isabella MOAR (nee GORRIE) in earlier census returns, with her brother Peter GORRIE and family and think I have found a marriage to Thomas MOAR (26/02/1869), but I cannot fathom the link with the JOHNSTONs.

Can any kind soul shed any light?

Thank you so much in advance,

TreeGirl

Hi -

I've just discovered that one of my relatives is recorded on the 1921 census as being a patient in the Leicester Isolation Hospital, Gilroes.

He served in WW1 and came home and worked in Leicester as an Engineer.

I wondered if anyone could give me any information about the types of things people were admitted to this sanatorium for?

Many thanks in advance,

TreeGirl

This is fantastic, Larkspur. Thank you!

TreeGirl

Lots of food for thought here!

Will probably try and get Thomas' birth certificate to see what light that can shed.

Thanks all.

TreeGirl

(The reference to 'double barrelled' was tongue in cheek, btw! A nod to my Nan, who was initially excited when we found her grandfather was Thomas Smith Johnson because she thought it meant they were 'posh' and exclaimed "We were double-barrelled!" only to be disappointed when it was pointed out that it was more likely to indicate illegitamacy!)

Hi -

amondg - you got me thinking and I have done some more digging and have found a record of a baptism for Thomas Smith JOHNSON from May 6th 1840 which states that mother's name was Elizabeth SMITH and father's name was Matthew JOHNSON. Seems I can't pass him off as stepfather after all!

TreeGirl