Lochbroom, Rossshire

[jmack]

Gadget:

Here's what I have

1841 - unknown

1851 - Wick, Caithness, Lodger age 25 Day Labourer

1853 - Marries in Wick to Margaret Murray, occupation given as Fisherman, his parents names are not listed on the marriage extract.

Their children are born:

Hector 1854
Janet 1857
Alexander 1859
Kenneth 1863
Donald 1866

at a number of addresses around Wick Caithness.

1861 census - Argyle Square, Wick.

1871 census - unknown

1881 census - Falkirk, Stirlingshire

1891 census - Manchester, England

1901 census - Keith, Banff - living with his daughter Janet/Jessie and family.

On all census he gives his place of birth as Lochbroom, Rossshire except for the 1901 where he states he was born in Ullapool.  Family stories though say Achiltibuie (most confusing).  Family stories also state that in order to reach his home he would have travelled over water - could this be a boat out of Ullapool to reach the more remote areas of the peninsula?

Many, many thanks

Jane

[Gadget]

Thanks for that. It will help with talking to the local people who may have links with the family.

Even today a boat from Ullapool would be a much faster way of getting to anywhere on the Coigach peninsular. By road, Achiltibuie (the main township) is about 26 miles, 16 miles of which are single track. This takes about 45 minutes outside of the main tourist season. By sea, it would take maybe 20 mins!

Here's a map:

http://tinyurl.com/sjhso

Gadget 

[Gadget]

Hello Jane

i have now searched through all the burial records and haven't found him. Kenneth McKenzie obviously didn't die in Coigach. NOne of the death registrations seem to point to him in the area either - or Dingwall or Inverness if he was hospitalised, etc.  The other local records will take a bit longer to search.

Re his death location - apart from a daughter in Banff and a son in South Africa, where elese would his children have been located in say 1900- 1920?

Gadget

[jmack]

Gadget:

Thanks for looking.  It would appear that the story of a well to do Hector buying his Dad a place in Achiltibuie is just that - a story - maybe he paid for him a trip there, who knows.

His other children were located in the Lancashire area of England.  An argument with his son is what prompted him return to Scotland and we have no evidence that this rift was ever healed so i don't think he returned to England.

It looks like I am going to have to trace the Banff descendants and see if they can shed any light on this mystery. 

Many thanks for all your help.

Jane

[Gadget]

Jane 

Good news

I've found him and he died Laide of Reiff (I know who lives there now as well  )

19th October 1919*, Kenneth MacKenzie, general labourer,  widr of Margaret Murray, aged 96.

Parents - Hector Mackenzie Crofter (dec) and Catherine m.s. Maclean (dec).

Cause of death - old age and general weakness. Informant - Mary Dewar, grand niece -present.

So it was most likely the family that I referred you to in the 1841 and 1851 censuses.

I'm dead chuffed 

Gadget

* marginal note   The date was originally put in as 1911. The marginal note says 'clerical error col 2 and 8'. These are the date columns.

[Gadget]

In the 1841 Hector and Catherine were both  50-54. I think they were both on the 1851 as well.

I'll check for their deaths.

Gadget

[Gadget]

Kenneth's father's death:

August 4th 1860, Laide of Reiff

Hector MacKenzie, tenant, married, age 76.

Parents - Murdo(ch) Mackenzie, tenant (dec0 and Mary , m.s. McLean (dec)

Cause of death - old age - about a month. Informant - Hector MacKenzie, son

[Gadget]

Kenneth's mother's death:

Sept 3 1861, Laide of Reiff

Catherine MacKenzie, widow of Hector MacKenzie, tenant, aged 81.

Parents - Donald Maclean, boat carpenter (dec) and Christina m.s. Maclean (dec).

Cause - old age - 3 months. Informant - Murdoch MacKenzie, son

[Gadget]

Jane

I missed this on the refs I gave you on the Reiff censuses:

The christening of Kenneth (not present on this census) to father Hector McKenzie was recorded 2 March 1824,