Please can somebody cast their eye over this little lot & let me know which way they would go with the information. How I wish there were online death records pre 1855!
When my James Duncan died in 1878 his son Walter said James' parents were John Duncan & Janet Robertson.
James' age in each census [except for rounded 1841 age] was 53 in 1851, 63 in 1861 & 73 in 1871 - very consistent - which puts his birthdate somewhere very early 1798 or second half of 1797. In each census he said he was born in Musselburgh.
John D & Janet Robertson had 8 children that I can find, all born in St Cuthbert's, the last christened probably 1st August 1787 & no James. They did have a John, recorded 1775.
There's a James D born to a John & Margaret Wadell Feb 1798 in Inveresk. These two married in Jan 1788. This John was a gardener, as was James. It seems likely that I have the right James. The only trouble is, if this John Duncan was son of John & Janet, he would have been barely 13 when he married. The Margaret Wadell I think possible [b Prestonpans 1769] would have been 5 or 6 years older than him, not impossible.
It suddenly occurred to me that the John Duncan who married Margaret Wadell could have been John the older & maybe Janet Robertson had died at the birth of her last child in 1787. Would it be likely though, that John Duncan would move to Inveresk from St Cuthbert's? He & Margaret had 8 children, 7 of whom were born at Inveresk & the last at Manor, Peebles. Would this be consistent with the life of a gardener?
How can I find out if John Duncan was in fact not 5 years younger than Margaret Wadell but 15-20 years older? Is there some way I can find out when Janet Robertson died?
I should say that James' death certificate would seem conclusive, except I have found with someone else that the named parents did point to grandparents rather than parents of the deceased so I'm not wanting to jump to conclusions too hastily.
If anyone has any clues or thoughts please let me know. I'm trying ot put together an album for my mother's 80th in a few weeks & have just a few more bits for the puzzle back to the late 1700s.
In hope...
Census information Crown Copyright, from
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk 