Gillespie/Kerr

[Jennilee241988]

I am looking for information on my great grandfather  Joseph Gillespie and great grandmother Martha Kerr. My grandad was born of the 5th of January 1925 in Cambeltown Argyleshire. I know that Martha immigrated to Australia  on the ship  the Esperance Bay with her two child  John  and Donald in 1930. I am looking  for Martha or Joseph's family. The only thing I know about Joseph is that he was a coal miner.

[rosie17]

You might be better to search for a birth for Martha Kerr on wwwscotlandspeople.gov .. if you have not used this site before it will cost you £7.00 for 30 credits ..I see by the immigration records for Martha Kerr she was born 1906 ...So that would let you download her birth which would use up 6 credits which will give you her parent's names ...You can also search for her on the 1911 census records did Martha marry Joseph in Australia ?

[Jennilee241988]

I'm  not entirely sure. I was told that they married in Scotland but the immigration records list her and her youngest son under the  name Kerr.

[MonicaL]

On the same site that Rosie mentions, Scotlands People (SP), can't easily see a marriage.

Best way of checking really would be to get your granddad's 1925 (by snail mail as it is not available to view online for those years - 100 years privacy rule for births on SP). Scottish BMDs are really informative and you should be able to confirm, at least up to 1925 the details for Martha and whether she was married etc. Your granddad's birth reg on the index on SP might also give you further clues. If only the surname Kerr shows, then Martha registered his birth without father involved. If two surnames show, it would mean that father attended the registration of the birth at the Registrar and consented to the use of his name on the birth cert.

Monica 

[Annette7]

Australia marriage index shows a Martha Kerr married in 1930 Perth, Western Australia - no husband details are shown BUT
also shows an entry for a Joseph M. Gillespie - no wife details, not even a year, in Perth, W.A.
HOWEVER
the registration number for both entries is 412.

Think this must be your couple.

You state that youngest child Donald shown as Kerr in 1930 but the name of the child is Thomas G. Kerr - however, Australia Death Index shows a Joseph Donald Gillespie b.1932 d.1975 in Perth, Western Australia - parents shown as Joseph M./Martha.

A lot of the entries for Perth are very 'bitty' with lots of blank boxes.   Cannot see death entries for Joseph M. or Martha but suspect the lists are not complete.

There are 2 birth entries on SP for 1925 births in Campbeltown  - a plain John Gillespie and also a John McAulay Gillespie.  If I'm reading shipping lists correctly looks like Joseph and indeed whole family went to Australia on 11/2/1926 when Martha had already had John.   He obviously left her pregnant as Thomas Gillespie Kerr's birth is registered in 1926 (probably latter part of year).

Annette


 

[rosie17]

This is the immigration record Annette mentioned which I would think ties up with the family
Mr John Gillespie age 31 Miner
Adam Gillespie age 16 farm servant
Mrs M Gillespie age 26 wife
Jessie McIntyre Gillespie age 4 daughter
Annabella McGown Gillespie age 2 daughter
John McAulay Gillespie age 4 months son
Hughetta ?Gillespie age 12
Joseph Gillespie age 20 farm servant
Donald Gillespie age 20 farm servant
Peter McGown Gillespie age 22 Miner

Last address Drumlemble Campbeltown Scotland

[rosie17]

This appears to be the same family in the 1901 census address Drumlemble Campbeltown
John Gillespie b 1873 age 29 Coal Miner
Annabella b 1872 age 28 wife
John Gillespie b 1894 ,Mary Gillespie 1896,William 1898,Catherine 1906

[rosie17]

Hi Jennylee,....Is that your tree on Ancestry that has a marriage for Joseph Gillespie to Martha Kerr 1931 ..Then a death for Martha in 1936 ...If so you might be better to try and get copies of both certificates to see what information is on them
Rosie

[ev]

Hi all ,

Just to add to all that Annette has found -
http://www.wamarriage.info/

Kerr Martha Perth 412 sex   F 1930 , spouse   Gillespie Joseph M.


ev