Where did slate quarrier Gilbert McKichen go after 1881?

[Doddie]

Gilbert Mckichen appeared (aged 22) in the 1881 census for the Ballachulish area. He was living with his widowed mother Isabella and younger sister Margaret. After that I can find no trace of him anywhere in Scotland or England until his marriage in 1910 in Perth. His surname provides a problem as I have seen Gilbert entered in documentation as Gilbert McKichan/Mckichen/McEachen/McEachan etc. If I can at least find out where he was in 1891, that would be a help. I am trying to date a photograph of a group of Ballachulish slate quarriers. I have managed to establish that the photograph could not have been taken later than September 1893 because one of the men died in a boating accident in that month. Gilbert is one of those named in the photograph. Knowing his whereabouts in 1891 would help me narrow the timeline even further. All help appreciated.

Regards

Doddie

[CaroleW]

No birthplace given and no details given for Isabella

Was he born in Glasgow?  If so 1891 - try Gilbert McKiehan aged 30 mother Isabella.  He was a railway porter though - not a quarrier

[Doddie]

Hi Carole, that's him, excellent spot. Another variation in spelling of the surname. Strange though, when searching for Gilbert in 1891 on Ancestry I entered him as 'McKichen' but made sure to also click on the 'Sounds like', 'Similar' and 'Soundex' options in order to cast my net as far as possible. The census entry you have found didn't show, or at least I don't remember it showing.

Gilbert must have left the slate industry - as quite a few others were at this time it seems - to seek more dependable work elsewhere. Thank you for solving my query. I now have a more accurate date for my photograph.

Regards

Doddie

[CaroleW]

Hi

I used the wildcard search and just looked at entries for gilb** born 1859 +- 2yrs.  Because of the surname I left it blank

[blogpiper]

Probably a red herring, but the name MacKichen appears in the small quarrying hamlet of Port Mary in Luing. Little remains of it now, except for ruins

[Doddie]

Hi blogpiper, thanks for that will check it out.

Regards

Doddie

[Skoosh]

Doddie,  Eachain is the Gaelic for Hector.

Skoosh.

[Catsalsus]

Hi

Try posting on the Ballachulish Quarrying Stories Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ballachulishslatequarry/

There is a property called Tom Eachainn in West Laroch, Ballachulish. 

Catherine

[susan ault]

My James Clark
chose not to be a quarrier at ballachulish like his father and brothers. It was when the LMS railway came he too decided to work for them and became a porter in Lambeth London.


sue