HELP! Sherriff/Westwater's in Fife

[Bax85]

Hi - I have tried browsing the conversations already started, but have had no luck with the particular family members I'm looking for more information on. 

I am looking for more information on the Sherriff side of my family.  I have a James Sherriff (1818 - 1873) Dysart, Fife, marrying a Katherine Westwater (1823 - 1901) in 1846.  I have Katherine's parents as George Westwater and Margaret Knowles. 

James and Katherine had three children that I know of, James (1847 - 1926), Margaret (1849 - 1935) and John (1850 - 1945).

I have James parents as James Sherriff and Janet Wishart, but have no DOB or DOD and I'm also unable to go any further back. 

I'd really appreciate any help that is available as I am completely stuck!

[Rosinish]

If you check through the census records it will give you an idea of where/when born also his DC should give parents names incl. mothers' m/s if known to the informant?

Who were his children in order of birth as this can give clues to parentage?

Annie

[Bax85]

Hi Annie

Thanks for getting back to me.

I have been trying all weekend to locate the DC and census records again, as I am assuming that's where I must have already gained some of the information but have had no success.  I'm just hitting a complete road block whatever I try with this little branch of the tree!

The children were born in the order of James, Margaret then John.  I've found some newspaper articles on them, but it's their parents and grandparents I'm having issues with.

Thanks, Aimie

[Forfarian]

Bax85, when you say you 'have Katherine's parents as George Westwater and Margaret Knowles' and 'have James parents as James Sherriff and Janet Wishart', do you mean that you have seen their death certificates and got their names from there?

I have been trying all weekend to locate the DC and census records again

The death of James Sherriff, aged 56, was registered in Dysart in 1873 and that of Catherine Sherriff, other surname Westwater in 1901, also in Dysart, aged 75. You can download images of both certificates from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk at modest cost, and thus confirm the names of their parents.

Always use wildcards in your search - sh*r*f* will find all variants of the surname.

James Sherriff, 44, born Kirkcaldy, is in the 1851 census at Mid Street, Dysart and in the 1861 census in Back Street, Dysart with wife Catherine and three children.

In 1871 James Sheriff is in Back Street, Dysart with Catherine and two children.

Catherine Sherriff, 58, is in the 1881 census at 111 Back Street, Dysart, alone.

All the above are from assorted transcriptions and indexes. You can (and should) download images of the originals from Scotland's People to check that there are no errors in the transcriptions.

[Bax85]

Forfarian - thank you so much!

I have some certificates printed, but not all.  To be honest I started this tree over ten years ago and didn't keep my records as well as I do now.  It was such a long time ago, that I've been working on different parts of the tree over the years and lost track.  I have visited the record hall in Edinburgh quite a few times, but will also have a look at downloading the information from that site - thanks

Also, I didn't know about the wildcards - so that is very useful. 

I'm off to try again!