Look-up request Attestation Record

[Pendlewitch67]

Good afternoon

I was hoping for assistance with a look -up of the 1823 attestation/service record of Alexander Mc Kay born 1805 Reay, Caithness, discharged 1844.

I am trying to determine whether or not he is my 3 x gt grandfather. I'm finding my Scottish ancestry tricky and seem to be having more luck finding out who my ancestors are not rather than who they are. Hopefully, this document may give me a much needed clue though I'm not getting my hopes up.

Thank you.

Kind regards
Amanda

[Ladyhawk]

Anc*y has this record UK, Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensioners, 1713-1882

Alexander McKay
Birth Place   Reay, Caithness occ Labourer
Rank   Sergeant
Regiment   79th Foot
Regimental Number   327
Age at enlistment   18
Attestation Date   28 Jun 1823
Attestation Place Thurso, Caithness
Document Type   Soldier's Service Documents

some info. from

Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay

Private 1st Jan 1829 to 31st Dec 1832
Promoted
Corporal  1st Jan 1833 to 24th March 1835
Sergeant 25th Mary 1835 to 7th Oct 1849 edit should read 1844

edit to add

From Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay

5ft 10, dark hair, eyes black, complexion dark, trade a labourer

and

Opinion of medical officer at Dublin? November 21st 1844

Sgt. Alexander McKay having this day been examined by medical board, at Dublin? of which I was President, has been found unfit for further service from, in both legs, also rheum...? & general debility

Added on the first page it says he served abroad six years
in Canada six years

[Pendlewitch67]

Anc*y has this record UK, Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Regimental Registers of Pensioners, 1713-1882

Alexander McKay
Birth Place   Reay, Caithness occ Labourer
Rank   Sergeant
Regiment   79th Foot
Regimental Number   327
Age at enlistment   18
Attestation Date   28 Jun 1823
Attestation Place Thurso, Caithness
Document Type   Soldier's Service Documents

some info. from

Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay

Private 1st Jan 1829 to 31st Dec 1832
Promoted
Corporal  1st Jan 1833 to 24th March 1835
Sergeant 25th Mary 1835 to 7th Oct 1849 edit should read 1844

edit to add

From Detailed Statement of Services of No 327 Sergeant Alex ‘r McKay

5ft 10, dark hair, eyes black, complexion dark, trade a labourer

and

Opinion of medical officer at Dublin? November 21st 1844

Sgt. Alexander McKay having this day been examined by medical board, at Dublin? of which I was President, has been found unfit for further service from, in both legs, also rheum...? & general debility

Added on the first page it says he served abroad six years
in Canada six years

Wow 😁

Thank you so much. Much more information than I was expecting. I wasn't expecting any service abroad as I thought that Alexander served in the reserves moving up and down the country.

The key I was looking for was his occupation, of all things.

I am trying to determine if he was the Private Alexander McCay who was stationed at Burnley barracks in 1829 with his wife Catherine. They had a daughter, Isabella,  who was bap. 1829.  In 1841 Sergeant Mckay is in Paisley barracks with other McKays, one of whom is 35 year old Catherine and a William McKay aged 5. As the families aren't grouped I can assume/hope it's the same Alexander and Catherine but more importantly, William. The issue though is with William's age, 5 years younger that the William I was hoping for. However, my William's dob is yet to be verified as I have variations on his actual birth ranging from c1830 to 1836.

This is a lot of information for me to hopefully determine whether or not Alexander could be my ancestor.

Thank you 😁

[Ladyhawk]

For info.

Alex'r McKay
Military Rank   Sergeant
Military Pension Age   39
Birth Place Reey Caithness
Military Regiment   79th Foot
Military Pension Date   21 Dec 1844
Residence Place   Thurso
UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Admission Books, Registers and Papers, 1702-1980
no other info.

I'm wondering if he might be this Alexander McKay 

MCKAY   Alexr   Head   W   47   Pensioner   Caithness   Reay      
Henry   Son   11   England         
Georgina   Dau 8   Aberdeen      
D S   Son         5   Caithness   Thurso      
SWANSON   Isabella   Sislaw U 40 House Servant   Caithness   Thurso
1851 Campbell St

MACKAY   Alexr   Head   W   66   Pensioner   Caithness   Reay      
MACKAY   Dond S   Son   26   Blacksmith   Caithness   Thurso      
SWANSON   Isabella   Servnt 56   Housekeeper   Caithness   Sordale Thurso   
1871 Barrock St


Alexander MacKay Age   77
Relationship   Father-in-law
Where born   Reay, Caith
County   Caithness
1881c Address   Sinclair St
Occupation Pensioner

[Pendlewitch67]

For info.

Alex'r McKay
Military Rank   Sergeant
Military Pension Age   39
Birth Place Reey Caithness
Military Regiment   79th Foot
Military Pension Date   21 Dec 1844
Residence Place   Thurso
UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Admission Books, Registers and Papers, 1702-1980
no other info.

I'm wondering if he might be this Alexander McKay 

MCKAY   Alexr   Head   W   47   Pensioner   Caithness   Reay      
Henry   Son   11   England         
Georgina   Dau 8   Aberdeen      
D S   Son         5   Caithness   Thurso      
SWANSON   Isabella   Sislaw U 40 House Servant   Caithness   Thurso
1851 Campbell St

MACKAY   Alexr   Head   W   66   Pensioner   Caithness   Reay      
MACKAY   Dond S   Son   26   Blacksmith   Caithness   Thurso      
SWANSON   Isabella   Servnt 56   Housekeeper   Caithness   Sordale Thurso   
1871 Barrock St


Alexander MacKay Age   77
Relationship   Father-in-law
Where born   Reay, Caith
County   Caithness
1881c Address   Sinclair St
Occupation Pensioner

Hi

Thank you.

What I do know for sure is William's father, Alexander, labourer, was deceased by 1853 when William married in Manchester.

I latched onto Alexander trying to figure out why William moved from Manchester c1872 to Burnley. A very dodgy connection but worth looking at, I thought. However, this information could very well prove he is not my Alexander which is all part of the fun of genealogy. I believe I have come across Alexander and son, Henry, who it now seems more than likely is the Henry in Paisley barracks in 1841.

It's always useful to rule somebody out than not know for sure.

Thanks again 😁

[Ladyhawk]

What I do know for sure is William's father, Alexander, labourer, was deceased by 1853 when William married in Manchester.

Can I ask if this your William & Catherine on 1861 census

Piece   2967
Folio   41
Page number   25

William McKay   29   Head born Scotland
Catherine  31 Wife born Liverpool
Mary 6 Daughter
Catherine 5 Daughter
William 3 Son
Maria 1 Daughter

Was his wife Catherine's mn Daly

[Pendlewitch67]

What I do know for sure is William's father, Alexander, labourer, was deceased by 1853 when William married in Manchester.

Can I ask if this your William & Catherine on 1861 census

Piece   2967
Folio   41
Page number   25

William McKay   29   Head born Scotland
Catherine  31 Wife born Liverpool
Mary 6 Daughter
Catherine 5 Daughter
William 3 Son
Maria 1 Daughter

Was his wife Catherine's mn Daly

Hi

Thank you.

Yes, this is my William and Catherine. I am struggling to find him prior to 1851. I suspect he may have been in Manchester in 1851 (only speculation though as I have only found a census record for William M in Chorlton).

No idea who William's mother is. The only thing I have to go on is a prison record stating born Edinburgh, 1830. Ages on the census returns vary from 1830 - 1833 and when he died his son registered his age as 52 in 1888.

[Ladyhawk]

No idea who William's mother is.

The only thing I have to go on is a prison record stating born Edinburgh, 1830. Ages on the census returns vary from 1830 - 1833 and when he died his son registered his age as 52 in 1888.

William McKay
Marriage 11 Sep 1853 St. Austin's Lancashire
Father   Alexander McKay
Mother   Mary
Spouse   Catharine Daly
Father Hugh Daly
Mother Catherine
edit to add image on Anc*y
Lancashire, England, Catholic Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1762-1913

Could this be William with his mother Mary & siblings on 1841 census

Barracks Habergham Eaves Nr Burnley
Mary McKay 40
John 15
Alexander 15
WILLIAM 10
Eliza 10
? 5
Joseph 5
All noted born ’S’ Scotland
Piece   508 Folio   46 Page number   13

Possible death of Mary

Mary McKay age 71
Death 31 Oct 1873 Ardwick, Manchester,
Reinterment Cemetery Ardwick Cemetery

[Pendlewitch67]

No idea who William's mother is.

The only thing I have to go on is a prison record stating born Edinburgh, 1830. Ages on the census returns vary from 1830 - 1833 and when he died his son registered his age as 52 in 1888.

William McKay
Marriage 11 Sep 1853 St. Austin's Lancashire
Father   Alexander McKay
Mother   Mary
Spouse   Catharine Daly
Father Hugh Daly
Mother Catherine
edit to add image on Anc*y
Lancashire, England, Catholic Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1762-1913

Could this be William with his mother Mary & siblings on 1841 census

Barracks Habergham Eaves Nr Burnley
Mary McKay 40
John 15
Alexander 15
WILLIAM 10
Eliza 10
? 5
Joseph 5
All noted born ’S’ Scotland
Piece   508 Folio   46 Page number   13

Possible death of Mary

Mary McKay age 71
Death 31 Oct 1873 Ardwick, Manchester,
Reinterment Cemetery Ardwick Cemetery

Hi.

Thank you. No, I ruled out William at the barracks at the start of my research. He is the son of John and Mary Payne. That William was born in Ceylon.

I have William and Catherine's marriage certificate but there is no mention of William's mother so her name on the Catholic register is a breakthrough 😁

William and Catherine's first daughter was Mary so I suspected she may have been named after William's mother.

The burial of Mary McKay in Ardwick is definitely my next line of enquiry.

Thank you so much.

Kind regards
Amanda