Just tidying up some other bits for now....
I think John Innes Sloss and wife Agnes ended up in Australia!
There are electoral roll entries for a John Innes Sloss and an Agnes Sloss, both living at 25 Collins Street, Toowoomba North, Darling Downs, Queensland for 1963.
In 1968, at 178 Holberton Street, Toowoomba West.
Monica
Now that is a distinctive possibility, my mum and dad moved to Australia in the early 60s on the £10 pomme deal or whatever they called it (they returned a year or so later) and I remember her talking of certainly a Jescella (don't know if that's how you spell it) sloss and possibly others. If she's up for talking about it will do some digging!
Something else looks a little strange ...
In the 1911 census you've got at Knowehead, Dalmellington
James R. Meiklejohn (Head) 30
Marion Hendrie (Neice) 20
John Sloss (Nephew) 8
and next door
Margaret L Sloss (nee Lees) 67
William Sloss (Son) 33
Robert S Hendrie (Nephew) 12
John L Meiklejohn (Nephew) 2
Ok so James R. Meiklejohn was married to Jessie Sloss's sister Jane "Agnes" Sloss who died in 1909. Next door is Jessie and Jane's mum Margaret Sloss nee Lees (Robert Sloss died in 1896).
What strikes me as strange is, both households have taken in children that aren't their own. But if James R MeikleJohn has taken in a Hendrie and a Sloss then why didn't he take in John L Meiklejohn since he is in his bloodline?
Of course could simply be that if he was a working man, looking after an 8 year old (John Sloss) may be more practical than looking after a 2 year old (and presumable Margaret Lees was retired by then). That said, Marion Hendrie was 20 and didn't have a listed occupation, so wouldn't it be likely that she would have looked after the baby in those days?
Or has he knocked up his "neice" and his mother in law taken in the baby to cover up the scandal?
Perhaps I'm just getting carried away! Certainly some interesting lines of enquiry to check out at Scotland's people!
