Robert Smith born 1853 Edinburgh

[islay 1]

This was my great grandfather,and later became a ship's rigger and seaman,living in Govan,but was born in Edinburgh in 1853.Unfortunately that is all that I know,although there is a slight - very!- chance that a family of the name of Swann may be linked.Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thank you.

[Little Nell]

Welcome to RootsChat.   

Presumably you know who he married?  Your best way forward would be to view their marriage entry (he married in Scotland?) since at the moment I can find two Robert Smiths born in Edinburgh in 1853.  The Scottish marriage entry should give you his parents' names thereby enabling you to move backwards.

Nell

[hume]

Hi Islay,

Welcome to RC.

Was your great-grandmother Mary Byron? If so, Robert married her in Greenock, 1889. At the time, he was 32 (Mary 22). He gave his parents as Edward Smith, baker (deceased) and Janet Smith m.s. [maiden surname] McLaren (also deceased).

hume

[islay 1]

Wow!Yes,he did marry Mary Byron,which is quite an uncommon enough name to think that you have definitely found the right Robert Smith.Thank you so,so much for taking the time to answer this question.It will help me no end,and I'm very grateful.

[islay 1]

This is a question for Hume,who found the details of my family yesterday. I have searched the scotlandspeople and family search for the information you supplied,to further my own search backwards,but cannot see any results at all in my searches. could you please explain where i am going wrong?Is there another resource that enabled you to find the birth of Robert Smith to Edward Smith and Janet Mclaren?I've searched for her too,and cannot find any reference to her on scotland's people or family search.I'd be grateful for your suggestions,thank you!

[Little Nell]

The marriage certificate gives the details of both sets of parents as given to the registrar at the time of marriage, so presumably this is what is recorded on the marriage entry.

But I too could not find a matching marriage and I cannot find Robert on the 1861 census with a father Edward.  He seems to have tweaked his age at some point.

Nell

[islay 1]

Thank you for looking,Carolyn

[hume]

Hi Islay,

Can I ask if this thread is related to another of yours; http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,456583.0.html?

As I had found two births to a Edward Swan and a Janet McLaren; Janet in 1857 Edinburgh and an unnamed daughter in 1863. No marriage as I can see, or any birth of Robert but I wondered if this was the clue or connection you may be looking for.

I also found them in the census but will wait for your answer.

hume

[islay 1]

Yes,yes!I have posted about the Swann family in connection with this Robert Smith. Oh,please help me solve this puzzle! I am spending hours on scotlandspeople and on ancestry and  family search and getting nowhere with this branch of the family,although with some help from the very kind people here on another branch I have been able to delve further on my own with great success.I am so grateful.

 My grandfather wrote that his father Robert Smith had been born in Edinburgh 1853,but that was all,except that there was a connection with a Swann family - names Edward and a son Robert,also of Edinburgh,and that one may have been an engraver in metal.I found this in a note on a piece of paper years after after he died,when I was clearing my dad's effects after he too had passed away.Sadly all of my relations have died within the last five years and I have no one to ask if they can shed any light for me,as I could not find a connection at all.

I should be so very grateful  - and delighted - if you can help me.Thank you,Carolyn