Unregistered children 1871 census

[JSoji]

Hello,

I have a small family listed in the 1871 census. They're inmates in the Black Isle combination poorhouse: Eliza Fraser (27), George Fraser ( and Eliza Fraser (2). I can't find anything on any of their history - any ideas? They're all theoretically born in Cromarty, Cromarty, but there aren't any matching birth records on Scotlands People. I've been flexible with years and names, but no luck. Is there somewhere I could check for baptism records at a church in Cromarty?

I've worked back to them, and I think I have Eliza's death cert saying her parents were Peter Fraser and Catherine Fraser (M.S. Fraser). But I can't find any previous census listing them all together, and can't find any birth/baptism records for Eliza either. Nor can I find out what happened to little Eliza after 1871.

[eilthireach]

Eliza Fraser b. 17 June 1868, Black Isle Poorhouse, Rosemarkie, to Eliza Fraser, pauper, formerly fish cleaner in Cromarty. Birth record 080/1868/15 (Entry no. 15 in the Register of Births for 1868 for the Registration District of Rosemarkie, Ross-shire) Informant was John Fraser, Governor of the Poorhouse (Yes, a Fraser, but the surname was very common in Ross-shire, He was not a relation).For some strange reason, when I looked for Eliza on Ancestry's 1871 Scotland Census transcription, Ancestry only showed Eliza and a few names from the full list of the inhabitants ("inmates") of the Poorhouse, so it may be of interest to know that the list started as normal with the Governor's own household (himself, his wife, two servants, and then his children John, 15, Margaret, 12, and James, 10, all born Glasgow. He was enumerated there, aged 63, born Avoch, Ross-shire, with his wife, Agnes, 48, born Barony, Glasgow, and his children listed there were John, 15, Margaret, 12, James, 10, all born Glasgow. There were two servants listed in the household, Flora Tolmie, 39, b. Fodderty, Ross-shire, and Jessie McKay, 24, b. Killearnan, Ross-shire.

No birth record found for George 1859-1861 anywhere in Ross-shire. There was one George, but to a married couple, not to an Eliza Fraser.



 

[Neale1961]

 ........ I think I have Eliza's death cert saying her parents were Peter Fraser and Catherine Fraser (M.S. Fraser).

Eliza Fraser married Robert Harper in Rosemarkie on 20 Jan 1872

From the marriage certificate-
Eliza was 27 A domestic servant   (born abt 1845)
Parents Peter Fraser (farmer) and Catherine MS Fraser

Robert was 32, a soldier with 91st Regiment of Foot  (born 1839 in Wick, Caithness)
Parents Alexander Harper (cooper) and Stewart MS Sutherland

[Neale1961]

A Peter Fraser married a Catherine Fraser in Cromarty and in Rosemarkie in 1837.
There are baptisms for 5 of their children, up to 1844, but I see nothing for Eliza.

This is the family in 1841.
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a155a37f4040b9d6e6e0b74/thomas-fraser-1841-ross-and-cromarty-cromarty-1839-?locale=en
Peter may have had an earlier marriage. He is a baker, not a farmer.
Then, most annoying, they do not have an Eliza with the family in 1851 census. 


Then there is this Peter and Catherine in 1841 Cromarty census
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a155a3df4040b9d6e6e15c1/peter-fraser-1841-ross-and-cromarty-cromarty-1796-?locale=en

This looks more promising because in 1851 there is a child Elizabeth, age 7, with the family.
I can’t see baptisms for their children.


OK, I think I see the problem. There are 2 couples with the same names (both Peter Fraser and Catherine Fraser), and with some children , but not all, with baptisms recorded in Cromarty.
I believe your family is the one with the oldest parents, and the mother Catherine died before 1851 census.
The parents probably married in mid to late 1820s.
————————————-

I cannot yet see Eliza in 1861 yet.

There is a prison record in Cromarty in 1861 for an Eliza Fraser, age 17.
If it is her, this might explain why she cannot be found in the 1861 census.
NRS ref - HH21/2/1 p. 6

[Neale1961]

Eliza’s husband, Robert Harper died in 1911 in Stirling, age 71.
He was a tailor.

[Neale1961]

I have found them in 1881 living at 1 Kings Stables in Stirling.
Surname is transcribed as HARPIE

Robert HARPIE   Head   M   44   M   Tailor   born Wick
Elizabeth F. HARPIE   Wife   M   34   F   born Cromarty   
George HARPIE   Son   -----   16   M   Venetian Blind Maker   born Cromarty   
Elizabeth HARPIE   Daur   -----   12   F   Scholar   born Cromarty   
Catherine HARPIE   Daur   -----   2   F   born Stirling


Eliza’s son George married with the surname Harper in Stirling in 1884 to Mary Chrichton.
Soon after marriage, George and wife emigrated to Australia.
His marriage certificate might provide some useful information.

[Neale1961]

So Robert Harper and Eliza Fraser had a daughter named Catherine in 1879.

Another son named Peter was born in 1882 to Robert Harper and Elizabeth Fraser.

Then I see that Eliza Harper / Fraser died in 1889 Stirling (age 42)


By 1891 and still in 1901 census
Robert Harper is living with a new “wife” named Janet and her children with the surname Horn.

[JSoji]

This is gold you guys! Thanks for the effort!

I've downloaded little Eliza's birth record (unsurprisingly, she's illegitimate; and the Poorhouse Governor has surprisingly wretched handwriting), and I've emailed the National Records of Scotland about a copy of Cromarty's prison records for Eliza Fraser - would NEVER have thought of that, good call. I'll check out those censuses you've mentioned as well.

I have George's marriage record (venetian blind maker, confirmed), and Aussie death record - it lists Robert Harper as his father, and Cromarty as his birthplace; married in Stirling.

Robert Harper's family/parents have good records, as does his and Eliza's after their marriage. Looks like Eliza's childhood and parents just don't have much out there

[Forfarian]

I have a small family listed in the 1871 census. They're inmates in the Black Isle combination poorhouse: Eliza Fraser (27), George Fraser ( and Eliza Fraser (2).

Are you sure that they are in fact a family, and not just 3 Frasers who all happen to be in the poorhouse at the same time?

Is there somewhere I could check for baptism records at a church in Cromarty?

Surviving post-1855 baptism records could still be in the church, or they might be in an archive somewhere. In the case of Cromarty, Mr Google suggests that the parish kirk is no longer in ecclesiastical use, having been replaced by https://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/church-finder/profile?property_id=19869 - the Minister there should be able to tell you where any surviving post-1855 Church of Scotland baptism registers are.

If Eliza was not baptised in the Church of Scotland, she might have been baptised in Cromarty Free Church. To see what records of this denomination survive, go to https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/search.aspx and search for Cromarty, reference starting CH3.

Of course there is alway the possibility that she was never baptised, or that the record of her baptism has not survived.

In my opinion your best option is to start with the Highland Archive Centre https://www.highlifehighland.com/archives-service/ which has, among other things, the surviving Parochial Board records. The Parochial Boards administered the Poor Law, including running poorhouses, and the records, if they have survived, contain huge amounts of detail about the inmates.

You don't give an age for George Fraser but the index at Scotland's People says he was 8. If you haven't already done so, you really need to view the original census to make sure that you are not relying on the notoriously unreliable transcriptions at Ancestry.