Swales or Swalies, Wilson, Varey - Falkirk/Bannockburn/Scotland, and Yorkshire

[ghm46]

Does anyone have any information about the Swalies (Swales) who were in Bannockburn and Falkirk areas in Scotland from 1850 onwards.  From Yorkshire, Norse bloodline among others.

Charles Swalies (Swales) and Margaret Swalies nee Wilson (had at least two children: Isabella and Mary). No records that I can find in Scotland on Charles Swalies who was recorded as deceased by 1890.  The only other Swales in the area at the time were Henry Swales and Elizabeth Swales (nee Varey), Joseph Swales, James Swales.  Elizabeth Swales died in a caravan on the Bonnybridge showground, Falkirk in 1918.  Her parents were Joseph Varey and Christiania Varey (nee Forrest).

Margaret Swalies parents were William Wilson and Mary Wilson (nee Lockhart).

A Sarah Swales died in 1894 in Bannockburn aged 3 months - father James Swales, hawker/traveller, mother Jessie Turnbull.

Isabella Swalies married a Forsyth and then lived with William Docherty with whom she had 5 children and had to specially declare Docherty as the father of them and that she'd not seen her Forsyth husband for years.

All were travellers and hawkers.

[magpie28]

Hello just noticed your post, Henry Swales and Elizabeth Varey were my grt.grt grandparents their son Joseph was my gt grandfather. I don't know if they were related to Charles Swales.
 Regards Margaret

[ghm46]

Thanks for your reply Magpie28.  That's amazing news.  Do you have any more background info? I think we might be related.

There was Charles, Henry and William who all spelled their surname Swalies and they were all in the Falkirk area. But the spelling reverted to Swales on later, more present day marriage certs etc.   I was wondering if they were brothers or cousins etc. Margaret Swalies was my great great grandmother. Henry was either my great great grandfather or great great uncle. Haven't worked it all out yet.

Many thanks!

[magpie28]

Hello again, Henry and Elizabeth had a daughter Margaret (Maggie). She was married to William McCallum is it the same Margaret.
Regards Margaret

[ghm46]

Hi again,

I don't think that's the same Margaret.  Here's what I know so far:

My g.g.gran Margaret  (born Findhorn) was married to Charles Swalies and had Isabella, Margaret, Williamina and my g.gran Mary (b 1871) in places ranging from Findhorn to Liverpool, Sunderland, etc).  However, years later when single Margaret settled in Falkirk, Mary's later marriage/death certs named Henry Swales as her father, not Charles who was originally named as her father (ie my g.g.grandad, I thought). So I've been looking for the connection between Charles, William and Henry Swales. And their names spellings changed from Swalies to Swailes to Swales along the way.

No trace of Charles after 1876 when he was living at 18 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh on his own.

Henry married Elizabeth in 1876 and they appeared to be in Tynecastle, Northumberland at the time.

Henry Swales and Elizabeth (Varey) had George, Dinah, Margaret, Joseph and John (living at one point in Coalhill St, Camlachie, 1901,1911).

I found a patient record for a Henry Swales, age 59, in 1911 census - it doesn't give the name of the hospital but it appears to be in Glasgow.  His occupation is listed as a house painter, born England.

Henry Swales, pedlar,  widower of Elizabeth Varey (father George Swales mother Margaret Cunningham) died aged 87 in 1940 in Edinburgh.

[magpie28]

Hello, I don't think my Henry was her father as he was born in Bury Lancashire in 1855. He was also on the 1871 census in Hillbeck Brough Westmoreland with his father George and his second wife Sarah , his mother Margaret Cunningham died about 1859.
Regards Margaret

[Annette7]

Charles Swails married Margaret Wilson 18/1/1861 Church of the Holy Trinity, Elgin, Morayshire.   His parents are given as Robert Swails and Nancy nee Watson.

The reason you can't find him after 1876 is because he died as Charles Swails 31/7/1876 in Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh (usual residence 18 Blackfriars Street).   Informant was his widow Margaret.   Parents confirmed as the same except mother is 'Ann' (Ann/Nancy interchangeable).

Now I get confused - you say their daughter Mary b.1871 when married/death has her father listed as 'Henry' - however, their daughter Mary married a John Cuthill 6/6/1890 Falkirk and marriage certificate correctly states her father as 'Charles' and not 'Henry'. 

Charles was baptised as Charles Watson Swales bp.18/3/1833 Beverley, Yorkshire son of Robert and Nancy.   

Annette

[magpie28]

Hi ghm46,
I'm sorry you were looking at the wrong family, can't tell you how many times I've done that In the past. Luckily Annette stepped in with all that information  . If you go to family search.org and register for free you will find Charles birth and a few of his brothers ,
Good luck Margaret

[ghm46]

Annette and Margaret - thank you both so much for that information! That is sooo helpful.

I've looked again - it was Mary Cuthill's death certificate that notes Henry Swales as her father instead of Charles.  It notes Henry, restrauteur, as deceased by this point (1924).

Same with her sister Williamina - birth cert said Charles as father, but marriage certificate (1891) said William Swales, hawker.

I'll definitely check out family search .org - thanks again!