Stirling Castle

First hand oral family history had my second great grandfather, Edward Clarke, arriving before 1870, to Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand from Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland.  He became the manager of an underground coal mine at Shag Point, Otago. This mine notably included workings so near the seabed that ship propellers above could be heard by the miners. A frightening thought in these safety conscious times.

Imagine my surprise to find that Edward had first migrated to Brisbane, Queensland, together with his future wife Isabella Kerse and her family in 1866. Four years later the entire family  took the further move to New Zealand.  Surprise, because by a strange coincidence I undertook the reverse migration from Otago to Brisbane 133 years later.

The remainder of this posting is to address my findings to date about Edward’s origins.  I have reached my ‘brick wall” for the time being and welcome any comments, clues or feedback as to my next steps.

Research objectives:

• Learn and confirm the names of Edward’s parents
• Learn and confirm Edward’s birth information
• Learn and confirm the identity of any siblings that  Edward may have had

Starting points:

Australia and New Zealand

Edward Clarke is my proven ancestor. He died in Palmerston, Otago, New Zealand (NZ)  on 20 Sep 1921 and was buried at the Palmerston Cemetery.(death registration)   Associated evidence indicates he was aged 77 (headstone, death registration). Edward’s death certificate identifies father as Alexander Clarke, birth place of Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland (assumed that this information from probate was provided by daughter and executrix Isabel Torrance(Clarke).  Isabel  also declared Shotts as his birthplace (probate).  Edward calculated birth 1844.

Edward declared father as Edward Clarke, labourer,  mother as Margaret Clarke(Macarthur, ) and age as 24 (marriage certificate, 17 Jul 1868, Ballarat, Victoria).

So already we have two possible fathers; Alexander OR Edward. Edward calculated birth 1844.

The Shott’s birthplace  is also consistent with my  family’s oral history.

Edward and Isabella’s children

Edward and Isabella had 7 children in New Zealand.  I aligned them with Scottish naming practices. Maybe these would help us with our later  search.

• Jane, first daughter  – look for maternal grandmother (Isabella’s mother) to be Jane – YES
• Edward Thomas – look for paternal grandfather to match  – UNPROVEN
• Margaret, second daughter – look for paternal grandmother (Edward’s mother) to be Margaret    YES – as stated on records found so far (more later)
• James, second son – look for maternal grandmother (Isabella’s father) to be James – YES
• Isabella, third daughter – look for mother to match – Isabella  YES
• Mary Ellen, fourth daughter – look for paternal grandfather’s mother to match – UNPROVEN (more later)
• Elizabeth Ann, fifth daughter – look for maternal grandmother’s mother to match -UNKNOWN

It seems we may have seen the naming convention followed but unusual to see a second given name for the first son.  I was aware the English had been using second given names from the late 18th century but had not seen this extend to Scottish families.

So did we just extend Edward’s father possibilities to Alexander OR Edward OR Thomas?  In particular Edward and Thomas were names directly provided  by Edward while he was under 30 years old.

Scotland

I visited Scotland (on a virtual trip!!) and in particular spent quite some time on Scotland’s People.   I started in Shotts, Lanarkshire.

Working back:

1861 Census  Parish of Cambusnethan, Village of Burnbrae (adjacent Shotts)

• Thomas Dougherty, head, married, 50, labourer, born England
• Margaret Dougherty, married, 40, labourer’s wife, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Mary Dougherty, daughter, 12, housemaid, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Janet Dougherty, daughter,10, scholar, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Margaret Dougherty, daughter, 8 scholar born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Sarah Dougherty, daughter, 4, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Anne Dougherty, daughter, 2, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Edward Clark, stepson, 16, labourer, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Elizabeth Russell, boarder, 7, scholar, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire

1851 Census Parish of Cambusnethan, Holland Bush (adjacent Shotts)

• Betsey G McArthur, head, widow, 61, born Carnworth, Lanarkshire
• Thomas Doherty, lodger, married, 40, labourer, born Northumberland, England
• Margaret Doherty, lodger, married, 30, born Carnworth, Lanarkshire
• Peter Doherty, lodger, son, 12, born Ireland
• John Doherty, lodger, son, 10, born Ireland
• Alexander Wilson, grandson, 9, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Edward Clark,grandson, 6, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
• Mary Doherty, granddaughter, 2, born Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire

We seem to have found the family group. By 1851 Thomas Doherty married with Margaret Doherty (likely maiden McArthur), Edward identified as grandson of Margaret’s probable mother, Betsey G McArthur (maiden name unknown).  Thomas Doherty/Dougherty was found in both censuses as being born England.

Edward’s parents.

I am no closer to proving Edward’s birth parents, but these records point to having been born to a father Edward, who left/passed away before Edward was 6, and who after living with his grandmother Betsey McArthur for quite some time, was recognised as Thomas and Margaret Doherty/Dougherty’s step son by the age of 16.  This  would adequately explain why Edward’s first son was named Edward Thomas.

Next questions

• Where is Edwards’ birth record?
• Was Margaret Doherty actually Edward’s mother with an out of wedlock birth?
• Will we find the ‘sibling” records?

A baptism and a wedding

There are few instances of Clark or Clarke in the Cambusnethan/Lanarkshire records around 1844.

I did find a baptism with a little promise perhaps;

Edward Clark Baptism (unlawful) birth to Edward Clark and Ellen McDonnel 2 Sep 1843 at the Parish of St Andrew, Glasgow, Lanarkshire. (Roman Catholic baptisms).  Possible?

Also a wedding;

Thomas Dougherty married Margaret McAuthur (sic) on 22 Mar 1849 at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Hamilton, Lanarkshire.   Hamilton is ESE from Glasgow and about 15 miles from both Shotts and Holland Bush.  I think we now have sufficient evidence that Edward’s stepfather as Thomas Doherty.

There is much more to do here.

Speculation – NOT PROVEN – New hypothesis?

I located a death record of Edward Clarke, 19 years old, private in the 68th Regiment of foot (English army), who fell off Stirling Castle in 1843. Stirling Castle is about 30 miles north of Glasgow and at this time appears to have been used as a barracks location for English troops, largely involved with patrols in Glasgow.

Could this senior Edward have been the father of our Edward Clark? We have no other Lanarkshire death record at this time. His date of death is consistent with our subject Edward’s date of birth.

Could this senior Edward have produced a child with Ellen McDonnell while billeted or on leave in Glasgow?  Were the MacArthurs in Glasgow at that time able to take in the child?   

Thomas Doherty was also from England. Could he have been a military colleague of Edward(senior) who stepped in to take the responsibiltiy after the senior Edward’s unfortunate demise.

I stress, this final section above  (italics) is pure speculation. I look forward to expanding my research to gain further evidence.

I would be pleased to get feedback, pointers, hints or comments.

Tim Isaacs