MacDonalds from Skye to London?

[Rosinish]

Another birth around the same time...
Caroline Macdonald
B 05 Jul 1803 Holborn, Middlesex
Father John Macdonald
Mother Eleanor Macdonald

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWNS-655

Do ANY of the forenames of the females feature further down the line?

Sometimes a clue to descent.

Annie

[Rosinish]

Is this your tree?

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Macdonald-2284

Annie

[K MacDonald]

Re Occupation    Private Soldier Royal Hospital Chelsea

There is a family legend about one of the Henry Macdonalds having served in the Black Watch Regiment. Which, if were true, might explain the gaps in the census records, if he was out of the country on military service. But it's a leap in the dark.

Any suggestions on the best way of searching military service records online?

[K MacDonald]

Is this your tree?

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Macdonald-2284

Annie

Indeed it is :-)

[K MacDonald]

Another birth around the same time...
Caroline Macdonald
B 05 Jul 1803 Holborn, Middlesex
Father John Macdonald
Mother Eleanor Macdonald

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWNS-655

Do ANY of the forenames of the females feature further down the line?

Sometimes a clue to descent.

Annie

Sadly, no.
The female names in the next two generations are permutations of
Eliza, Maria, Ann, Emily, Sarah, Lydia ,Elizabeth and Annie.

I might be clutching at straws looking at those?
Father John Macdonald
Mother Eleanor Macdonald

[Rosinish]

Try this....

http://theblackwatch.co.uk/history-and-research/tracing-a-soldier/

Annie

[Rosinish]

Often on English records the mother's name was given as her marital name but it wouldn't be unheard of if her maiden name was MacDonald although the name Eleanor (again) is not a common Scottish Highland name but she may have been named from her mother's side if they were English.

I don't mean to sound off putting, just looking at things from different angles.

Annie

[Rosinish]

I should have added, the name John MacDonald/McDonald in Scotland with no specifics & only a possible for a yr of birth would be a "needle in a haystack" sadly as John was a very common name.

Annie

[Rosinish]

Correct names/area but era way off but this looks to be one of your kin possibly?

Henry Macdonald
Birth year   1894  London, Middlesex
Occupation   Blacksmith Mate
Attestation 28 Feb 1911
Attestation age   17
Service number   94381
Married 06 Dec 1915
Child Henry John, birth date 08 Sep 1916
Archive reference AIR 79/855
Next of kin Henry John Macdonald
Record set   British Royal Air Force, Airmen's service records 1912-1939
Category   Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory Service Records
Collections from   Great Britain

Annie