I think I may have sorted this out, but there again …
Helen Drummond was born in 1832 and first appears in the 1841 Census living at Lower Loan, Pittenweem. In 1851 she is still living in Pittenweem but has moved to Cowgate.
In 1856, at the age of 24, she proved she could have children when her first-born arrived – i.e. Christian Black – and there’s no indication here who her father may be. Two or three years later she had another daughter - Helen (Drummond) - followed three years after that by a son - James (Drummond) - then another daughter - Janet (Haig Drummond). All four children, incidentally, were stigmatised as ‘Illegitimate’ in the Scottish Records.
In the 1861 Pittenweem Census she is living at High Street and there is a James Reid – born Dunfermline - staying in the house/with Helen as a ‘boarder’ (mair than likely her ‘bidie-in’). James the Boarder is presumably Janet’s (Haig Drummond) father given that his mother’s maiden name was Haig.
Later, in September 1861, we then have Helen’s marriage to James Reid Wardlaw – just to muddy the water a little. Question: Did James Reid try and hide behind an assumed name (Wardlaw)? No, I don’t think so, since James Reid was born in Dunfermline and James Reid Wardlaw was born in Culross, Perthshire. James Reid born in Dunfermline seems to have been ‘kicked into touch!’
The 1871 St Andrews Census shows Helen living at 37 Abbey Street with James Reid Wardlaw (Head), her daughters Christian, Helen and son James and there is also anther son at this point – John Reid Wardlaw b.2 Nov 1861 presumably James’s son. James later married Maggie Ann Brown. (I think Susie thought his year of birth might have been 1863).
The 1881 St Andrews Census (Parish #453/ED7 / Pages 13 & 14 incidentally) then shows Helen living at 9 South Castle Street with James Reid (Head), born Culross, Perthshire, her daughter Janet (Reid), son John (Reid) and two Grandsons John B Reid, age 9 (we have a James B Reid shown as John and Maggie Reid’s eldest laddie in the 1891 St Andrews Census), and James McI Reid, age 2. Who were James McI Reid’s parents? There’s no indication in the IGI. There seems to be a slight discrepancy regarding the birth years for ‘Janet H’ and ‘John R’. A check in New Register House, Edinburgh should resolve this.
In the 1901 Census she is living at Woodend Cotton, Dunino, Fife, still with James REID and a grand-daughter Annie H---? (her surname is not clear) born in St Andrews, Fife. Who were Annie’s parents?
Helen died two years later in the Fife and Kinross Asylum – indicating that, compounding her Spinal Myelitis, she may have had some mental problems ... an’ it’s nae wunder efter a life like that.
Are you still confused? I know I am, but things do seem to be getting a little clearer … or are they?
