George Johnston Berwickshire

[Millmoor]

I wonder if this is your chap. There is a Johnston family recorded at Middlestots in the parish of Edrom in the 1841 census. This includes a William Johnston age 14. I cannot see him in 1951 but this could be a family worth exploring. Below is the census entry from Freecen.

https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a1428e7f4040b9d6e13fefc/william-johnston-1841-berwickshire-edrom-1827-?locale=en

William

[gajjer]

Thanks. That looks interesting.

[Millmoor]

There is a baptism for a William Johnstone in Edrom - Born 9 Mar 1826 Baptised 27 Apr 1826.

Residence - Middlestots.

Parents - Adam Johnstone and Christian McLean.

William

[Forfarian]

I don't know why but I would have thought it unusual for a young man to come down from Scotland and join the Met.

I am not surprised at all. Young men from all over the Highlands moved into Scottish cities and became police officers, so it would be quite reasonable for them to go a bit further south and join a police force in England.

I actually know someone of similar age to myself who did exactly that, and served in the Metropolitan Police for the rest of his career.

It also would not surprise me if someone had studied the topic, but I have no idea how one might find out. 

[gajjer]

I don't know why but I would have thought it unusual for a young man to come down from Scotland and join the Met.

I am not surprised at all. Young men from all over the Highlands moved into Scottish cities and became police officers, so it would be quite reasonable for them to go a bit further south and join a police force in England.

I actually know someone of similar age to myself who did exactly that, and served in the Metropolitan Police for the rest of his career.

It also would not surprise me if someone had studied the topic, but I have no idea how one might find out.

That's encouraging. Thanks for that.

[Neale1961]

There is a Johnston family recorded at Middlestots in the parish of Edrom in the 1841 census. This includes a William Johnston age 14. I cannot see him in 1951 but this could be a family worth exploring. Below is the census entry from Freecen.

https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a1428e7f4040b9d6e13fefc/william-johnston-1841-berwickshire-edrom-1827-?locale=en

This Johnston family (but not son William) are in Canada by 1851.
In 1851 William is working as a stable boy in Edrom, but he eventually turns up in Canada too, where he married.

[gajjer]

There is a baptism for a William Johnstone in Edrom - Born 9 Mar 1826 Baptised 27 Apr 1826.

Residence - Middlestots.

Parents - Adam Johnstone and Christian McLean.

William

The only thing there would be that that William would be 8 years younger than Jane. But then again, you never know! I believe that William may have died just before George was born. So he wouldn't be around for the 1851 census.

[Neale1961]

I don't know why but I would have thought it unusual for a young man to come down from Scotland and join the Met.

I am not surprised at all. Young men from all over the Highlands moved into Scottish cities and became police officers, so it would be quite reasonable for them to go a bit further south and join a police force in England.

You are aware that other members of his Durno family came to, and were married in London?

[gajjer]

I don't know why but I would have thought it unusual for a young man to come down from Scotland and join the Met.

I am not surprised at all. Young men from all over the Highlands moved into Scottish cities and became police officers, so it would be quite reasonable for them to go a bit further south and join a police force in England.

You are aware that other members of his Durno family came to, and were married in London?

Am I? Who would they be? Some of the entries in the Durno part of my tree were gathered from a DNA match to someone in Australia.

Are you suggesting George went down to London with some of the Durno family?