Elspet Jane PIRIE

[Jacqui in Warwickshire]

Hello list

Overnight, Suzie allowed me sight of the assembled copy records [thank you everyone for sharing] and this is my personal conclusion...

Elsie Jane is born as that.  The first occurrence of her as Elspet Jane is her marriage, and from then on, on official documents, she is Elspet Jane.  Why?  Did she dislike Elsie and revert to Elspet?  Or did the minister at her marriage suggest/decide that Elsie was the diminutive form of Elspet and that Elspet is what she SHOULD use "officially"?  There is no doubt that Elsie Jane is Elspet Jane from evidence of age, birth registration, parents on census, etc.

But why was ‘Elspet Jane’ given as Elsie Jane’s mother?  Elsie Jane and her sisters (from their marriages) knew their mother was “plain Jane”.  My personal take is that either the minister, or the registrar, made an error and simply used the bride’s name also as the mother’s name.  Once set in ink, it was taken as being hard evidence…until proved otherwise.  And that proving was only possible thanks to help of several Listers!

It boils down to not relying on one single record - even of "official" one - without supporting evidence!  And this copy marriage registration had two misleading items, so pick every document apart and find other evidence because even registrars and clerics can get it wrong when copying details!

Jacqui

[Waughhunter]

Hello.  I realise that this post was several years ago, and, as such, there is every possibility you no longer use Rootschat, but I felt that it was worth mentioning that it seems you are/were researching a family related to my own as we have several surnames in common.

William Pirie, born circa 1854 in Banffshire, Scotland, son of William Pirie and Jane Nicholson, married Jane McKie Waugh (1866-1905)in Troqueer parish, Kirkudbrightshire (now part of Dumfries) in 1898.  I am not sure what made him travel such a large distance from home.  They had at least two children that I know of, Agnes Pirie and John Waugh Pirie, both born in the 1890s.  Jane McKie Waugh was William's third wife.  His first two were Jane Stewart and Grace McTear.  I believe all three wives predeceased him.

Jane was the daughter of John Waugh (1834-1868) and his second wife, Agnes McKie (1840-1905).  Jane's older half brother, also called John Waugh (1857-1920) married Maggie Bell (1862-1944) in 1881.  This couple were my great grandparents. Maggie's mother's maiden name was Jane Findlay, so it seems we have a number of connections, although I don't have your Elsie (at least not with any connection yet found).   

I can only hope that, even after all these years, that this update can get to you.