Genealogy Chat

Hi there all. I got very excited recently cos I thought I'd found Scottish ancestors, but now I'm not so sure. In 1881 my 2xgreat grandfather, Joseph Matthews, his widowed mother & brothers John & James are all in Itchen,Southampton,where my mum was born,but their place of birth is Scotland. In the 1861 Scottish census, they are all in Kirkoswald with their father Edward & mother Elizabeth, but Edward's place of birth is listed as Southampton & Elizabeth's as Weymouth. Why on earth would they have moved from Southampton to Scotland, had 6 children & then moved back again? Incidentally, I can't find them anywhere prior to 1861. Any bright ideas?

1861 for info Name: Edward Matthews Age: 49 Estimated birth year: abt 1812 Relationship: Head Spouse's name : Elizabeth Gender: Male Where born: Southampton, England Registration Number: 601 Registration district: Kirkoswald Civil parish: Kirkoswald County: Ayrshire Address: Ardlochan Collage (2) Occupation: Fisherman ED: 3 Page: 6 (click to see others on page) Household schedule number: 27 Line: 21 Roll: CSSCT1861_87 Household Members: Name Age Edward Matthews 49 Edward Matthews 14 Sussex Elizabeth Matthews 40 Weymouth Henery Matthews 5 James Matthews 3 John Matthews 12 Joseph Matthews 6 William Matthews 18 Laborrth ? England

Hi GB. Yes, that's the one. I was a bit confused to see they lived in a 'collage'! I presume that's a college? Which is still very confusing as Edward & his son John were fishermen & James & Joseph were sea mariners!

1851 Name: John Mathews Age: 2 Estimated birth year: abt 1849 Relationship: Son Father's name: Edward Mother's name: Elezabeth Gender: Male Where born: Kirkoswald, Ayrshire Parish Number: 601 Civil parish: Kirkoswald County: Ayrshire Address: Ardlochan Cottage ED: 8 Page: 2 (click to see others on page) Household schedule number: 8 Line: 20 Roll: CSSCT1851_134 Household Members: Name Age Edward Mathews 4 Elms, Sussex Elezabeth Mathews 29 Dorset Weighmouth ? Elezabeth Mathews 13 Dorset Weighmouth John Mathews 2 William Mathews 7 Dorset Laworth ? Edward Mathias 39 Hante, Southamton ?

1841 possible Edwd Mathews abt 1816 Eliza Mathews abt 1838 Dorset, England Elizh Mathews abt 1821 Dorset, England Listed as C.G. which I think is Coast Guard

Hello LFTS. I'm sure that work is the usual reason for moving, but why would a fisherman need to move from Southampton to Scotland? And Kirkoswald doesn't even seem to be right on the coast!

GB, there's obviously some knack to finding things in censuses which you've got & I haven't! I shall have to try & find those records myself - thanks very much.

Wow GB. Where did you find that one? Edward & John certainly tally as I have their dates of birth as 1847 & 1849 respectively. Elizabeth senior's date is close & place of birth matches. I've not come across Elizabeth junior before. So she was born approx 1838 in Weymouth. William's date matches up as I have 1843, but he was born in Laworth,Dorset. Does such a place exist? Cottage certainly makes more sense than college ( or collage)! So they had Elizabeth in Weymouth in 1838, William in Laworth in 1843, the rest of the kids in Scotland, and were back in Southampton by 1881. What were they playing at?

Hi Gillian. There do seem to be some very bizarre spellings in that 1851 entry. Perhaps Laworth is a misspelling of Weymouth?

1841 they are in West Lulworth, Dorset Maureen

Thanks Maureen. Lulworth is near Weymouth, isn't it? I've been down that way on holiday a few years ago. So it definitely looks as tho they were both originally English - how disappointing! The only non-English ancestors I've discovered so far are German, & they're a pain in the neck cos they've brought me to a dead-end at my great-grandparents on one side & completely spoilt my family tree chart!

Karen, Just to confuse you, College was also a district of Glasgow, also a fishing port!! Derek

Derek, even they wouldn't have been so feckless as to take a detour round Glasgow, surely? Just had a thought - Laworth (which also is given as Laborrth on Ancestry), could just be a Scottish person trying to scribe Lulworth, couldn't it? In which case GB's 1841 entry would match.

Wait a minute-have just noticed Edward was born in Sussex,so they had Elizabeth in Weymouth in 1838 William in Lulworth in 1843 Edward in Sussex in 1847 4 boys in Scotland between 1849 & 1859 & by 1871 were living in Southampton. Is this normal? I thought people didn't travel around so much in those days.

Karen, Don't laugh!! My current 'Freeko' family starting my Grt, Grandfather was a soldier did; England, Irelend, England, Ireland, Scotland, Ireland, Scotland Ireland and finaly (Knackered) Scotland in 15 years, no cheap flights in they days!! Fishermen/seamen didn't see travel as a big thing, living, surviving etc not like nowadays. I#ve traveled Europe to keep in work. Derek