James McKay and Catherine Melville

[Dorothy]

I was amazed when someone contacted me re this couple born in Loth, Sutherland. Catherine is my Ggrandmother's younger sister ...married in Edinburgh in 1856. They are buried in Linthorpe cemetery, Middlesbrough in 1910.There were 8 children but how did they come to move to Middlesbrough? I thought that they had followed Catherine's younger brother who did well in NSW, Australia!

[arthurk]

Hi Dorothy

Finding out what our ancestors did is one thing; working out why is sometimes beyond us. If it's any help, though, Middlesbrough in the 19th century expanded rapidly to become a major centre of heavy industry - mainly steel, and I think there may have been shipbuilding alongside that. There are also mines in the vicinity. Does that help at all?

Arthur

[Dorothy]

Correction from my previous post My G grandmother Isabella was one of Catherine's younger sisters. She moved to South Shields about 1869 after living in several Scottish towns .I wonder of they ever visited each other as Middlesbrough is not that far from South Shields.James and Catherine's 7th child, Euphemia Chambers H, was b. in West Derby in 1875.So I'd better get back into investigating when and where they moved to after marrying in Edinburgh in 1856.Chris sent me wonderful old photos also which was a wonderful treat to see:-)

[jac65]

Hi

What was James occupation? Work was often the reason people moved and the places you mention, Middlesborough, South Shields and Liverpool (West Derby) were all associated with shipping and docks.

Andy

[grisel]

Hi Dorothy
I thought I had found your family
in 1881 RG11 piece 4848 f8 p9 (Crown copyright) in Middlebrough - but this James could not have married in 1856.
He was born Loth Sutherland 1843 and was a boilermaker.
Wife Catherine b 1842 Edinburgh.
Children Grace b1864 Edinburgh, James b 1869 Middlesbrough and Euphemia b 1871 Middlesbrough.

There are similarities though. Are you sure about the 1856 wedding? family search has a baptism Grace McPherson McKay 1864 Edinburgh, parents James McKay and Catherine Melville.

[grisel]

. Are you sure about the 1856 wedding? .

ah yes I see the marriage on Family Search in 1856.

Also another baptism of a Barbara McKay in 1862 in Edinburgh and possibly a Marion in 1860 in Bo'Ness West Lothian.

[grisel]

in 1881 RG11 piece 4848 f8 p9 (Crown copyright) in Middlebrough - but this James could not have married in 1856.
He was born Loth Sutherland 1843 and was a boilermaker.
.

I should wear my glasses! This James was apparently born Loth Sunderland. Or is that a mistake in transcription?

[arthurk]

I should wear my glasses! This James was apparently born Loth Sunderland. Or is that a mistake in transcription?

Almost certainly a mistake. You've reminded me that when the 1881 census transcription was first available (on CD), it was noticed that the Scottish county of Sutherland had been transcribed throughout as Sunderland. It looks from this as though it wasn't corrected when the data was put online.

Arthur

[Dorothy]

Yes.when I saw the info on the 1881 census, I remembered when my CD was replaced by the LDS because of the error ...Sutherland not Sunderland. I could have been mistaken about the marriage date. James was the son of James McKay and Mary nee McLean of Loth, Sutherland. Catherine was not born in Edinburgh .She was born in Loth.The 3rd child was named after Catherine's stepmother, Grace MacPherson , who married my John Melville in 1847 after the death of his first wife- Jane McKay and she married Arthur Leopold Busch who became famous .Google for info. on Wikipedia etc.Trained in Middlesbrough and later moved to the USA ...a fascinating story.