Help with a missing piece in the puzzle - Jackson's Nemphlar

[Hootsman]

I wonder if anyone can help solve a problem.

I have one piece of the jigsaw missing and would love complete the puzzle.  I’m sure we all find one ancestor that either touches us in some way or we admire for their achievements or colourful life.  For me it is my 3rd Great Grandfather and his family: William Jackson born Nemphlar, Lanarkshire 23rd Aug 1807 died Kirkfieldbank, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, 27th Aug. 1884. His wife was Marion Brown born Lanark, Lanarkshire 7th January 1809 and they married at Lanark on 29th May 1831.  Marion died in Nemphlar on 16th Jan. 1875.

I have all of the census information for Marion but cannot find William in the 1871 Census.  Marion is recorded in the 1871 census as visiting her childhood friend Margaret Thomson nee Whyte – both were born in Strathan in Lanark.  William is not with Marion at this time and I cannot find him anywhere.

Prior to 1871 the family were living in the Weavers Cottages called Linnbank Cottages in Nemphlar.  I have the 1861 census for all of the residents of the 6 cottages in the row, of which William and Marion’s oldest daughter Marion is also a tenant, but the cottages are not listed in the 1871 census and the various tenants are recorded at other addresses.  It would seem therefore, that Linnbank Cottages were vacated for some reason before 1871.  William’s wife Marion is recorded in the 1871 census as a “Land Owner”.  So it would seem that they have given up the weaving and invested in land.  Between 1861 and 1871 raw cotton was in very short supply due to the American Civil War and it would have been sensible to get out of the industry at this time.

I have checked the 1871 census for each of William and Marion’s children and can place all of them with the exception of their daughter Mary who married Scott Clarkson.  After Marion’s death in 1875, William moved to Kirkfieldbank on the opposite side of the River Clyde from Nemphlar and living with him at the time of the 1881 census were Scott Clarkson and his daughter Mary and their 4 children.  Because William is happy to have his daughter Mary and her family live with him in 1881, I thought he may be with them in 1871, but I cannot find any of them in this census. This is the detail from the 1881 census:

1881 Census

Address: Kirkfieldbank, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Persons residing at above location:

William Jackson, Head, Widower, 73 years old, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Scott Clarkson, Son-in-law, Married, 34 years old, General Labourer, born - Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Mary Clarkson (nee Jackson), Wife, Married, 34 years old, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Marion Clarkson, Daughter, 14 years old, Scholar, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
John Clarkson, Son, 7 years old, Scholar, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
William Clarkson, Son, 10 months old, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland

I would really like to find William in the 1871 census, and for that matter Scott Clarkson born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, about 1846 (In some census records Scott is born in Wishaw and Overtown, but is recorded with his father and mother as born in Cambusnethan), if only to rule out the possibility that William is not with him.

Any help is greatly appreciated

[sancti]

I would have thought it unusual for poorly paid weavers to become land owners. What was the address for Marion when she died?

[Hootsman]

Hi Sancti,

The address for Marion on her death cert is given as Nemphlar. I also thought that this might indicate where they were living in 1875, but after searching the 1871 census for Nemphlar, I could find nothing.

John

[Hootsman]

I also agree for a weaver to suddenly buy land is unusual, but William and Marion had 10 children.  Marion and 4 of the girls all worked at the New Lanark Mill while Willaim, his brother and the boys worked on the handloom at home, so it was quite a little industry going on in the cottage.

John

[sancti]

Did you view the original census on SP to confirm her occupation?

[Hootsman]

Hi Sancti,

No the Census record is a transcript from Ancestry.  I know at times the transcripts can be a bit dodgy, but this looks to be well done with none of the usual misspellings.  Having spent a fortune on documents, I don't see that purchasing this one will make much difference.  It would have been down to James Thomson, the head of the household, to complete the census form and whether Marion told him a porkie or not it is likely that this was her occupation recorded.  The mystery is; why can I not find William or his Son-in-law Scott Clarkson + family in the 1871 census?  I know it is a difficult one Santi, I have been searching on and off for weeks, but I thought perhaps a fresh mind might turn up something simple. 

My thinking was; If William and the family were still at Linnbank Cottages in Nemphlar at the time of the 1861 census (census below) and there seems to be no record of the cottages in the 1871 census, then the family must have moved, but where to?  Well, the 1871 census for Marion records her still living somewhere in Nemphlar.  And further to that her death certificate states that she died in Nemphlar - 1875.  I am assuming then, that their home was somwhere in Nemphlar at the time of the 1871 census.  I did find one entry for a William Jacktar, purchased it, but when I examined it, it was actually for a William Lochart - bummer!  So there you have it Sancti, they must be somewhere, but where?

1861 Census

Address: Linnbank Cottages, Halltown of Nemphlar, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Persons Residing at above location:

William Jackson, Head, Married, 52 years old, Cotton Hand Loom Weaver, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Marion Jackson, Wife, Married, 50 years old, Cotton Winder, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
William Jackson, Son, Unmarried, 18 years old, Blacksmith, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Mary Jackson, Daughter, Unmarried, 16 years old, Cotton Weaver, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Adam Jackson, Son, 12 years old, Scholar, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Alexander Jackson, Son, 6 years old, Scholar, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland
James Jackson, Brother, Unmarried, 56 years old, Tea Traveler, born - Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland

[sancti]

Hi John

I tried looking for them on Ancestry last night and it is a mystery why there is no mention of them at all. The reason I asked about the original census image was when I looked at the 1871 record for Marion it did state she was a 'Land Owner' and also said that James Thomson was a 'Land Sewer'... not a very flattering occupation  My thinking was that he was a 'Hand Sewer' and that might be the real occupation for Marion. I then looked at the 1861 census and found out James was actually a farmer of 132 acres 

Is it possible that part of the 1871 census is missing for that part of Lanarkshire

[Hootsman]

Hi Sancti,

You know, I think you could be right with the missing census records.  If you can't find it, then I believe it has not been transcribed.

I think my next move will be to visit Lanark Library where I have had excellent help in the past.  If it does exist then I'd have a better chance of locating it on microfiche.  If that fails, I will be in the right place to carry out a more in-depth research.  It will have to wait until I make my next trip to Scotland to see my kids though - but time is something I have a lot of.

Thanks a lot Sancti,

John

[sancti]

I was thinking that it might be the hamlet of Nemphlar that was missing from the 1871 census but a search on Ancestry shows quite a few families living in Nemphlar on the 1871 census