McDiarmid Family in Bordesley Green

[SandraJ]

Can anyone help - I am new to all this - I have just accquired a copy of the Scottish 1881 Census listing the details of my paternal family history. The 1891 Census lists them all but after that I have lost any further details.

This has opened up a whole host of family information going backwards to 1830. However my grandfather Alexander came to England, I guess after his time in the Army - he enlisted in 1901.

Have tried searching the 1901 Census for England but no luck. Can anyone advise.

Trying to get back to the UK within the next two months, to continue searching - where would the Birmingham records be kept?
Can you just turn up to search, can you request copies of certificates etc??

[Donald NZ]

Hi Sandra

Can I suggest that you fill in some more detail of what you are looking for. There are many knowledgable and helpful persons on the forum that may be able to assist, but would need a little background and an understanding of what you are searching for.
If you have traced back to 1830, you must have a genealogy lineage. I recall, from sometime last year having MacDermid from around Tongue & Durness in the early 1800 period, they may possibly link to your linage as MacDermid was not a common name in Sutherland.
Donald

NZ

[Peggy]

Hi Sandra,

You can find out about the Birmingham RO at www.birmingham.gov.uk/registeroffice
And about the Library at www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraries

Guess you found these on the 1901? None in Warwickshire.

Alexander Mcdiarmid 36 Scotland Head Barking Essex
Alec Mcdiarmid 54 Scotland Bro-in-law Leicester formerly St Margaret Leicestershire
Alex Mcdiamond 48 Scotland Head St Mary Hampshire

Peggy

[Marcus Mackay]

There may be a connection. I am a direct descendent of a Margaret (Peggy) Mackay (nee McDiarmid) who died in 1841/42(?) and is buried near Tongue in Scotland. She was a descendent of the Duke of Argyle family as I understand from people I spoke to in the Tongue area some years ago. I think she had two sisters. She also had a reputation for her Christian piety and the gift of "second sight" and is spoken of in John Kennedy's book, "The Days of the Fathers in Ross-shire".

[Donald NZ]

Hi Marcus
I notice you had a question mark on Margaret (Peggy) death date. Margaret died on the 15 April 1841.
Margaret went to Sutherland with her brother, a gamekeeper in the Reay forest. They came from Glenlyon.
Marcus, as a direct descendant do you know much about her family?. I am particularly interested in knowing more about her son Colin Mackay.
Also where did Margaret get the name “Peggy” from?

Donald NZ

[Donald NZ]

Hello Marcus
As a direct descendant of Peggy Macdiarmid, would you know when Donald and Peggy moved from Shegra in the parish of Kinlochbervie to Achninver, Melness.
I understand they were supposed to have moved about the time of the clearances, and although there is a Donald Mackay at Achninver in 1836, there is no Donald Mackay recorded in the 1841 census
It is understandable that Peggy / Margaret would not be on the 6 June 1841 census as she died seven weeks earlier, on the 15 April 1841.and buried at Melness, However I would have expected to have found Donald and family. Donald was at Achininver in 1851 census records. It is this middle 1820 / 45 period I have been searching for family information on. Would you have any info or be able to direct me where to find such info.
I guess that as you are related. that your lineage comes down through Ann.

Hopefully you may be able to shed some light on this 1818 / 1841 period of Donald and Peggy

Donald NZ

[Marcus Mackay]

Sorry Folks,

I stopped looking at this Forum for several months so have not responded. In our family Peggy was referred as "Peggy" although she was Margaret Mackay and in earlier life "Margaret M'Diarmid". I assumed Peggy was simply a derivative of Margaret. She was my great great grandmother through her daughter, also Margaret Mackay (nee Mackay).

The story told in our family was that as she was dying, her son "Colin" had been lost in a loch and his body had not been found. Her relatives/friends chose not to tell her given her condition, but she "divined" that he had drowned, told them and told them where to find the body. Her directions proved accurate. I assume this is the same "Colin"?

I cannot tell you when Margaret moved from Sheigra to Melness, but speaking to an old man in Sheigra in 1975 suggested she had lived sometime there in Sheigra. The site of their cottage, now alsmost gone, was pointed out. I think they also lived at Sandwood House, the isolate ruin near the coast of Sandwood Bay. However, I have a lot of old letters and material so will look through it for clues about this question.

You should also efer to what John Kennedy said of her in his book "The days of of the Fathers in Ross-Shire" written about 1860. I have a copy purchased from a bookshop in Scotland. I was also told there was a book or booklet about Peggy with the name "A Woman of Great Faith" or similar, but I have been unable to track it down. I also have a photograph of a drawing of Peggy probably done in her older years.

Hope this is of some help,

Marcus Canberra

[Anne Snoddy]

My family tree shows that I am 7 generations removed from Peggy McDiarmid, through my mother's side.

I haven't researched my family history very closely, and didn't really expect to see anything of interest when I put "Woman of Great Faith" into Google the other night. So it was lovely to read the chat that there has been about her and her descendents. I telephoned my mother just now and confirmed she still has a copy of the booklet about Peggy that Marcus referred to. I could send out photocopies if anyone is interested.

Anne in Edinburgh, Scotland

[Donald NZ]

Hello Anne
Thank you for the offer, I would certainly appreciate a copy of the booklet.

There is also another book called, “Margaret MacDiarmid or Mrs Mackay of Sheiggina and of Melness”. I have been searching for this book for a very long time, as a book title devoted to her name must have masses of information about her.
Only a couple of weeks ago I discovered there is a copy of this book in the library of::
North Highland Archive
Wick Library
Sinclair Terrace
Wick
KW1 5AB
Apparently it is a booklet, of fifteen pages, so it is understandable why it has been so difficult to locate.

I recently found mention of Margaret and her husband Donald in a book named, “KINLOCHBERVIE”, by ; Alexander Macrae.(page 45). There is mention of both Margaret and her husband Donald being in attendance at a Kinlochbervie church meeting in the 1830/31 period. This confirms that around this time, they were still living at Sheigria and had not yet settled in Achninver, Melness, Tongue.
Donald NZ

[Marcus Mackay]

Dear Anne,

I too would like to receive a copy of of the booklet your mother still has. It is interesting for me as my father told me of its existence over 40 years ago. I am basd in Canberra, Australia

Please let me know how you would like to do it. I can send a sterling cheque to cover postage/copy costs if needed alternatively you may be able to have the document scanned into electronic format and send by email (you need a scanner). I have provide email address and/or mail or fax number.

If you are interested I have an image of Margaret of a photo of a portrait. I could email or post this to you if you wish.

Donald's information about other references are also very interesting and I will follow them up as well.

Many Thanks,

Marcus

[Anne Snoddy]

Hi Marcus
I am happy to post you a copy of the leaflet about Peggy, and copies of one or two other papers I have. Please send your postal address to me at [email protected] and I will get the papers off to you next week. No charge - a gift from one incredibly distant relation to another!
Anne
PS I think the picture you have of Peggy may be the same as the one on the front of the leaflet. You can let me know...