Margaret Ann Laing

[marcie dean]

Hi Monica,
It is Robert Laing deceased occ Brush Maker  cannot read witnesses very easily.  Looks like Thomas Kingsland and Mary Walker  No sign of mothers name.


I think Mary Walker is a cousin probably of Williams which is why Charles Laidlaw names one of his sons as William Walker Laidlaw (but he died) whilst a baby.

Hume, I owe you some.  Is there another way that I can load this up so that you can view it.?  email or something.

[MonicaL]

It's not a horrible analogy - it's funny 

In that case, I would be inclined to go with Hume's details as a possible family for her given the occupation stated for father - without being able to verify 100% given the discrepancies on her marriage and death certs.

However, from her death cert parents' names, Hume has found a likely family with parents as named on her death cert. and occupation matching for father (Robert). Also a Margaret in the correct age group from the 1851 census - likely her family I would say.

Any witnesses named on the cert?

Monica

Added: sorry posts crossed over. Witness names don't seem to be connected on the Laing side do they?

[hume]

Hi Marcie and Monica,

I did have a wee look at William and Margaret's marriage entry, as I was rather confused whether we were looking for a James or a Robert Laing. Unfortunately I think it's perhaps been that the registrar has taken down some incorrect details and/or omitted information by accident.

I think it is very likely that James Laing/Elizabeth Melrose are the couple you are looking for.

It would be worth following them up with their deaths, provided they died after the start of official registration in 1855. This would confirm parents' names as known, and possibly one of the family registering.

As I noted in my earlier post also, the OPR marriage entry between James and Elizabeth would be interesting to see. It won't have the same information that a statutory certificate will have, but it should have some clues to James and Elizabeth's background.

hume

[marcie dean]

  Hume,
 If it turns out that her niece/neice made a mistake when registering her for her death certificate, it may well be  that you have indirectly found a member of his family. A sibling
I must admit that I had hoped there would have been a witness which said sister, cousin etc.  I am now thinking that Mary Walker is related to William because the name appears in the names of some of the children, usually William Walker Laidlaw whom have died before reaching the age of 2 . I might follow Mary Walker to see if that is her married name or not. at the same time as checking out James and elizabeth.  I owe you my thanks plus a few credits
marjorie.  Might be an idea to do some more census checks dont you think?

[hume]

Marcie,

I had a look for the Laings on the 1861 census but only found Margaret living away as a domestic servant. The other siblings were similar and spread throughout Edinburgh and the county. This could be that the parents died between 1851 and 1861, leaving the children to find employment and homes in service etc.

hume

[MonicaL]

I saw that Hume. Thought it might explain some of the confusion on parents' names at the time of Margaret's marriage to William perhaps?

Monica

[marcie dean]

 There is an 1851 census 272 Bells cls Canongate with
a Margaret Laing aged 48 occ Charwoman /Pauper with
Susan Laing aged 13
Margaret Laing aged 8
Grace Laing aged 6

The funny thing is there is also another (1871 census reg765/2 Meggett Peebles roll no cssct1871_176  Syart
William Laidlaw aged 40   occ shepherd
Margaret Laidlaw aged 28
Robert Laidlaw  aged 5
Alexander Laidlaw aged 4
William Laidlaw aged 2
James Laidlaw aged 1 month   I know that they are not this family I am researching, but I get the feeling that they are connected as the boys names are family names, but I have never known our family to farm, although I have had the inkling to do so.  How weird is that? I accept your research and go with that.
marcie

[marcie dean]

Sorry, but you would have to know my family tree to see the weirdness.

Marjory and John had
William, Agnes, Elizabeth, Lily,Margaret,Marjory,Robert, James and Alexander
Susan is another family name.

I did find a birth for a Margaret Laing with a father Robert and a mother Margaret but cannot remember her middle name was something like Hobbit last name Docherty?  will look it up on Ancestry and let you know  I wish they still had the ability to look up the address.
Thanks for all your help, may not seem like it, but I do appreciate all your help
and I did not mean to seem as though I was questioning you Hume, but I could not see how a daughter could forget or give the wrong info but could see a relative doing so.

[hume]

Hi Marcie,

Not at all - questioning finds is the only way of making sure you are including the full and correct information into your family tree. Otherwise, you end up with errors and discrepancies. However, in this case (and as Monica noted earlier), this is one I don't think you will be able to verify 100%.

The discrepancy between the marriage and death certificate is one that may not be explained, but you are lucky enough to have full parents' names on the death certificate. These details were given by a niece [hopefully on Margaret's side] who surely would have known her grandparents' names.

From the parents' names, you have a marriage entry which could confirm father's occupation and an 1851 census entry which includes a Margaret of the right age and birthplace as their daughter.

hume