1881 Missing William McKay

[Pendlewitch67]

Good evening

I am unable to find William McKay/Mackay, whipstring maker, born Scotland c 1830 in 1881 in Burnley.

I have his residences at census time and from his marriage in Manchester in 1853 up to his death in Burnley in 1888. I have tried several variations of McKay including variations of his year of birth and place of birth, which potentially could be Edinburgh, though I have only one piece of evidence that states this.

On the 1881 census search I have tried empty name fields, initials and I have also checked the workhouse in case he was ill or homeless. I have tried different places in the Burnley area including a broader field of just Lancashire. As he was widowed by 1881 I searched all his children who he could have been staying with but with no luck. To my knowledge, he had no other family in the area that he could have been staying with.

For the most part, William's year of birth, according to his marriage certificate and census' 1861 and 1871, is 1830/1 though at his time of death his son registered his  age as 52 making him born c1836.

I am looking for any suggestions for search options that I may not have tried or knowledge of some Burnley records that are missing, please. Alternatively, I can only think he has been missed.

Thank you.

Kind regards
Amanda

[amondg]

Which Catherine did he marry in 1853?

[Pendlewitch67]

Which Catherine did he marry in 1853?

Hi

His wife passed away in 1873 so he is a widower by 1881.

[amondg]

Only found daughter Catherine so far married Thomas Layfield 1876 and their daughter Mary age 1

Her sister Maria Mackay 21, Hugh 18, and Elizabeth 16 are living with her at 14 Hart Street, Burnley
 

[Pendlewitch67]

Only found daughter Catherine so far married Thomas Layfield 1876 and their daughter Mary age 1

Her sister Maria Mackay 21, Hugh 18, and Elizabeth 16 are living with her at 14 Hart Street, Burnley

Thanks. Yes got all of the family but William.

[Raybistre]

This one is a probable: Name   William Mc Kay
Sex   Male
Age   48
Birth Year (Estimated)   1833
Birthplace   Scotland
Marital Status   Single
Occupation   Clock Stringmaker
Relationship to Head of Household   Boarder
Event Type   Census
Event Date   1881
Event Place   Openshaw, Lancashire, England
Event Place (Original)   Openshaw, Lancashire, England
Line Number   1
Page Number   16
Piece/Folio   3907/84
Registration Number   RG11

Says he is Single but he might have considered himself so
Ray

[Pendlewitch67]

This one is a probable: Name   William Mc Kay
Sex   Male
Age   48
Birth Year (Estimated)   1833
Birthplace   Scotland
Marital Status   Single
Occupation   Clock Stringmaker
Relationship to Head of Household   Boarder
Event Type   Census
Event Date   1881
Event Place   Openshaw, Lancashire, England
Event Place (Original)   Openshaw, Lancashire, England
Line Number   1
Page Number   16
Piece/Folio   3907/84
Registration Number   RG11

Says he is Single but he might have considered himself so
Ray

Hi.

Thank you. I had considered this William due to the similar profession but couldn't figure out why he would be in Openshaw. The year of birth and marital ststus are off but I guess he could have gone there for work. He was in Burnley from c1872 so figured he must have been able to get work as a whip string maker.

As you say he may have called himself single if he in fact informed the enumerator. Wouldn't be the first time a widowed ancestor has referred to themselves as single. I also wonder if clock string maker was mistranscribed.

Definitely a contender. 😁

[amondg]

Just out of curiosity where did you find Charles born 1868?

[Pendlewitch67]

Just out of curiosity where did you find Charles born 1868?

You mean which website?