McLEAN/McCLAN

[Jamie H]

I am posting on behalf of a friend who is researching her Romany ancestors. She has the following information:

A photograph, undated, but taken about 1886, of four boys. On the back of the photo it says " McLEAN cousins, Hamilton, Ontario". The names of the boys are
Gordon robert, born c 1878
Benjamin Binsley born about 1880
Charles Russell born about 1881
Gordon Douglas born about 1883

The boys are either the family of
George and Anna Maria STEVENS
Anna Maria was the daughter of James McLEAN/McCLAN and was born about 1856 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England
George, son of Charles, basketmaker of London
They don't appear in the 1881 census for England.

OR

Henry McLEAN born 1862, a carpenter age 19 and living at  home with his parents, James and Rhoda McLEAN in Ipswich at time of the 1881 census.

My friend says she has had no luck finding Henry McLEAN in any English records after that date.

Any further information about the boys in Canada, or George and Anna Maria STEVENS would be welcome.

Thank you

Jamie H (on behalf of Ruth)

[KarenM]

Hi Jamie,

Not having much luck finding anything in Ontario for them 

You can search the 1911 and 1901 census for free at www.automatedgenealogy.com

Hamilton is in the County of Wentworth.

Karen

[Jamie H]

Thank you, Karen. I'll do that. 

Jamie

[ipswichian]

Hello Jamie H - I just came across your message below today, after googling "Benjamin Binsley". Believe it or not, it looks like we have the same photo in our family(!), though our copy just has the boys' names without the note of the surname.

My late nanna used to say it was of our "cousins in Ontario", so I've always wondered if we might have relatives alive over there who might never have seen this fantastic photo of their ancestors.

Nanna descended from James and Rhoda McLean/McClan and I thought the photo likely to be from that line, in view of the Scottishness of this surname and the Scottishness of the boys' names, although the surname is actually written Macklin the furthest I've got the tree back on that line, which is to the mid-18th century and I've still only got it back to the Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire/Huntingdonshire area via Norfolk (I am in Ipswich), so there's no certainty of any genuine Scottish link at all.  My tentative theory, though, is that they might have been Scots who remained in the area following Bonnie Prince Charlie's army passing that way in 1745, which might also fit with them joining up with local gypsies. Aagain I'd heard before, this time from my nanna's cousin, that they were originally gypsies.

Hoping to hear further - regards- Shane

[Jamie H]

Hullo Shane,

This is very interesting!! When KarenM replied to my initial enquiry she included a photo as part of her signature. But this photo was not the one I referred to in my post. But — you have identified KarenM’s photo as being one you have too; also, you were looking for Benjamin Bisley who was one of the people in the photo I mentioned (but which wasn’t displayed).

Have I explained it right? Not confusing?

My enquiry was on behalf of a friend, Ruth, and I am very excited to be able to pass on the information to her. It certainly looks as though you, KarenM and Ruth share the same photo, and family. Would you be willing to send me a private message so that I’d have your email address to give her so that she could contact you directly?

Jamie

[ipswichian]

Hi Jamie

The photo in our family is the same as the one Ruth has got, I'm pretty sure from what you say, as ours gives the same 4 brothers' names (I'm saying that from memory, but Benjamin Binsley has always stuck in my memory). I've might have a photocopy of the photo here (I think my aunt has the original since my nanna died a few years ago), so I'll see what I can find in my boxes of genealogy stuff. I can't send to you anyway yet, as my scanner isn't connected to our new PC yet.

My descent from the McClans is:
James McClan=Rhoda Gaze
daughter Mary Ann McClan=William Cook
son William James Cook=Florence Ella Warren
daughter Mildred Florence Cook=Nelson Maurice Wright
daughter Barbara Ann Wright=Michael Bernard Frank Hines
-->son Shane John Hines

I also have a copy photo of my great-grandfather William James Cook aged 4, taken in 1872 and with his three aunts behind him  (all looking about 20-ish and I think my nanna may have said all spinsters), who I understand also to be McClans and my nanna reckoned one of them (Jane, I thought, but maybe Kate, as I'm not sure there was a Jane), died in Hertfordshire aged 105, so presumably about the 1950's. I'll see if I can scan that copy photo in for Ruth when I get set up properly.

I tried various websites last night to see if I could find the family in Ontario in old censuses, but no joy so far, whether McClan or a variant of that or Stevens, so I'm still unclear exactly how the boys relate and I suppose they might have had another surname still - also unclear whether they were born before or after their parents emigrated. Perhaps they also ended up in Canada via America. A half-Canadian girl I work with recently suggested I write to a Canadian newspaper with the copy photo to see if that might do the trick. Now it looks like Hamilton may be he place to target, maybe I'll do that.

I'm happy to hear from Ruth - how do I send you a private message? Am I missing something obvious?

Shane

[Jamie H]

Hullo Shane,

Thanks for your post. I've sent you a private message with Ruth's details so that you can get in touch. She is very excited because you are definitely from her family. I hope it leads to lots of wonderful sharing of information. Ruth has a lot to share, and it looks as though you do, too 

Jamie

[SophiaG]

Hi

Just reading through the McLean James and Rhoda thread.  I think I may be distantly related as did they also have a daughter called Sophia.  I cannot seem to find anything about Rhoda other than she was born in Felmingham, Norfolk.  Have not heard anything about gypsies though.

[ipswichian]

Hi Sophia

Rhoda's maiden name was Gaze and yes she and James had a daughter Sophia who married Isaac Goodwin according to my database. Gypsy ancestry has been found on her husband James McClan's side.

Regards
Shane