Birth - Alexander Thompson - COMPLETE

[sancti]

Terry - here's another couple of census entries.  Alexander Thomson, aged 9, father Alexander, born and living in Lesmahagow parish in 1851.  This time the father is a blacksmith.  There's no mother, just an 11-year old sister.  The address has been transcribed as Dumhill or Damhill Smithy - I know the area but have never heard of that place so can't tell you where in Lesmahagow parish it is.  They're still there in 1861 and 1871, and Alexander Jnr is also a blacksmith.


This links to quite a good map of Lanarkshire parishes:

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/LKS/parishmap.html


Lizci

That could be him

1871 census has this

Alexander Thomson 67 head  born: Lesmahagow, Lanark Occupation: Blacksmith Farmd Of 34 Acres
Alexander Thomson 28 son  born: Lesmahagow, Lanark Occupation: Blacksmith Mester
Maron Thomson 32
Alexander Thomson 6
William M Thomson 23
Alexander Gray 15

Address: Damhill Smithy Lesmahagow

In later census records in England he is a Spring Maker which would fit with his Blacksmith background

[GrandpaT]

I agree its looking good.

Re your earlier post I think you're right -  details of first marriage seem the next step. On his second marriage cert in England (Jan 1879) his age was given as 32, so I guess that narrows the gap a bit for searching.

Incidentally, whats the cheapest method to obtain copy birth certificates in Scotland - via SP?

T

[lizci]

Terry -I think he is the one.  I've just looked at my Ordnance Survey map, and Damhill Farm and Smithy is close to Corehouse Farm, so presumably was part of the Corehouse estate.  The OS map is a modern one, so it must still exist.

The National Library of Scotland website has some very good maps so you might be able to find it on one.  Look for Lanark, then look on the other side of the Clyde (which is Lesmahagow parish) and you should see Corehouse.  I think it's roughly south from Kirkfieldbank (to the right on the map!!).

Lizci

[MonicaL]

Hi All

Following the family that Lizci has potentially found, someone has an A/try tree for this Alexander. Not clear on sources as they are not shown/given, but this is the line that they have:

Alexander Thomson Snr = Elizabeth Wiseman

Son Alexander born 2 May 1841 at Damhill Smithy. Three marriages  given for him:

Mary Meikle on 23 May 1863
Jane Gladstone in 1868
Rosa in 1877

Not sure on this at all (the above first two marriages) as sometimes people put things down on these trees in 'pencil' but interesting as Lizci has found that they have made the same connection from Alexander Snr to Rosa for this Alexander.

The only only thing is that the age difference for this Alexander Jnr is anywhere between 6-12 years younger on later censuses. Not impossible but less common - where 2/3 years are perfectly normal as a variation.

Monica

[MonicaL]

There is a possible marriage showing for an Alexander T and Mary Meikle in 1863. IGI entries for children show two sons, Alexander b. 1864 and a William b. 1867. SP shows a death for a Mary Meikle/Thomson in 1867 in Lesmahagow.

The 1871 census entry that Sancti posted earlier:

1871 census has this

Alexander Thomson 67 head  born: Lesmahagow, Lanark Occupation: Blacksmith Farmd Of 34 Acres
Alexander Thomson 28 son  born: Lesmahagow, Lanark Occupation: Blacksmith Mester
Maron Thomson 32
Alexander Thomson 6
William M Thomson 23...age mistranscribed as born in 1867 - the M stands for Meikle.
Alexander Gray 15

Address: Damhill Smithy Lesmahagow

The original image would confirm Alexander Jnr's marital status which more than likely would be a widower with wife Mary's death in 1867 (we can probably ignore for now that possible marriage to a Jane Gladstone in 1868...can't see any trace of it  ).

Guess the questions I would have now are: with an established occupation as a blacksmith based at the Damhill Smithy for many years,how did he end up in Swindon doing something completely different (also shows as a mechanic on his MC to Rosa?) and also, what happened to the two sons from this first marriage who don't show with him and Rosa in later years?

Monica

[MonicaL]

This is Alexander and new wife Rosa in 1881 (Terry, sure you have this but just helps others for background):

Alex Thompson 36, spring maker b. Scotland
Rosa F. Thompson 20 b. Wroughton, Wiltshire
Address: 2 Andover Street, Swindon

Some children given for them include:

Stewart Richard b. 1882
Gilbert Samuel b. 1891
Robert b. 1895
John b. 1898

The two boys look to be still with their grandfather:

Alexander Thomson 77, Farmer 50 Acres Arable
Marrion Thomson 35, daughter
Alexander Thomson 16, grandson
William M Thomson 13, grandson
Helen Sharp 17, servant

Address: Damhill Smithy

Monica

[MonicaL]

One possible double check that you could do...

William Meikle Thomson married Ellen Neilson in 1893. It may be that you get some clues from what details are included for his father Alexander on William's marriage certificate (I am thinking here of an occupation that may match what you have in Swindon for him).

This is William and young famiy in 1901:

William M Thomson 33, gamekeeper domestic b. Lesmahagow
Ellen Thomson 30
Alexander M Thomson 7
Gracie Thomson   6
Deans Neilson Thomson 4

Address: Gamekeepers House Corehouse, Lesmahagow

This is an example of what is included on Scottish marriage certs post 1855 www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?r=554&403

Monica

[lizci]

The 1841 Census shows Alexander as 1 month old living at Damhill Smithy (wrongly transcribed as Camhill) with parents Alexr and Elizabeth and siblings Samuel 15, Robert 11, Agnes 8, Marion 7, Elizabeth 5 and Janet 2.  Parents' ages given as 35 but in 1841 Census ages of adults were "rounded down" to nearest 5 years so not necessarily accurate! 

IGI shows 2 marriage entries for Alexander Thomson and Elisabeth Wiseman - 13 Mar 1824 in Avondale parish (Strathaven area) and About 14 Mar 1824 in Douglas parish.  This suggests one partner came from each parish, so the marriage was entered in both registers. 

There are a number of children born to this couple - a mixture of extracted baptism dates (from Old Parish Registers) and submitted birth dates (by members of LDS):-
Samuel - born 19 Feb 1825, Douglas
Lilias - baptized 15 April 1827, Douglas
Agnes - baptized 28 Oct 1832, Lesmahagow
Marion - baptized 21 Sept 1834, Lesmahagow
Elizabeth - baptized 14 Aug 1836, Lesmahagow
Janet - baptized 19 May 1839, Lesmahagow
Alexander - born 02 May 1841, Lesmahagow

The 1841 Census was carried out on 07 June, so that would fit in with Alexander being one month old.

I live just a few miles from Damhill (I know the farms surrounding it, but had never heard of Damhill).  When I get a chance I will drive over and see what's there.

Lizci

[MonicaL]

Lizci, when you do get a chance to have a wonder, this might help to orientate regarding locations. From 1881, the enumerator's walk for District 18 see http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/LANARK/1999-07/0931725519

Monica