Sinclair/St Clair in Carlisle, Cumberland

[mareest]

Hello to All

I am new and stuck! I live in Australia and my husband's Great Grandfather came from there in 1876. What we have been told is that he was born in Carlisle and his father's name was John. His name is supposed to be Tom Percival St Clair...........I have been on IGI and Ancestry and can accept that his surname maybe Sinclair. I have lots of people info but nothing seems to really tie together.

Other things we have been told ------He was an only child..........his father John died from wounds received in the Crimean War. His mother remarried a John Dunbar and he had a Stepbrother John P Dunbar. He was an apprentice seaman and on his last visit to Australia on the Thirlmere he deserted in Adelaide. 
Of course all of this could be wrong.  (The rest from here we can verify!)

If anyone has information or can point me in the right direction I would be most grateful!

If I can help from this side of the world..........I would be happy to!

Thanks, Maree St Clair

[GeoffE]

Hi Maree, Welcome to Rootschat!

Any idea when he was born?

[mareest]

Hi

Sorry didn't give much info did I. I believe that he was born in 1850 or 1853. He was supposed to have been educated at St Bees Grammar School but they don't have him under St Clair. He was married in Australia in 1879. I am not sure what age they start their apprenticeships, but I think he deserted in 1876. Thanks, Maree

[lorimer]

Hi
Checked the Carlisle records, could only find one family of ST CLAIR IN CARLISLE IN 1861.  Elenor St Clair born 1832 Carlisle and Susannah St Clair born 1859 Carlisle.
There was a Dunbar family in Carlisle in 1841, John born 1811, Scotland, Agnes born 1829, Elizabeth born 1834, james born 1836 . All born CARLISLE.
Both familys living in the same Parish.  There was another Dunbar family in 1851 in Carlisle but none of the  names you mentioned.

Checked the earliest Carlisle Directory of 1811 no St Clair or Dunbar or Sinclair.

[mareest]

Thankyou for that information...........will investigate these further.

[Jools63]

Hello Maree,
I saw this thread yesterday and joined rootschat to reply.
I've also been looking for information on Tom St Clair, and have had contact with another person a few years ago about him. She had the same information I had from Auntie Kit, which it seems you also have. I haven't done much research over the last few years.
I started Googling yesterday and I found out some more information which was new.
There was a Thomas St Clair who was a crewman on a ship called the Duncan Dunbar (rings a bell!) which arrived in Sydney in 1864. Listed as 16 years old and was a cuddy servant.
I'm going to look into this a bit more, finding that snippet yesterday was a Eureka moment! he has been very difficult to trace.

[Jools63]

Hi Maree,
I got your message, I don't seem to have an option to reply through messages (maybe because I'm new). I'm in Melbourne.
Tom St Clair is my great great grandfather, I'm descended through his third daughter Alexandrina.
I didn't have the info from SA, I have had previous contact with a relative over there who had info on the immigration of the McBain family on the Hercules.
What is the name of the ship he deserted from?
Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Jools63]

Ah, I just found I needed 3 posts to be able to send pm's, so here 'tis!