Thread: William Clark born Newbattle Scotland 1801

Hello



I am trying to trace the parents of William Clark who was born in the parish of Newbattle Midlothian Scotland in 1801. He married Jean Ainslie in the parish of Carrington or Primrose on the 20th of May 1831. They had four sons,



William born 1832 Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland

Richard born 1836 Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland

Andrew born 1838 Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland

David born 1841 Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland



and one daughter



Catherine born 1834 Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland



Who were William's parents?



any help would be appreciated,



Thank-you

Hi Silverfox,



24/05/1801

CLARK WILLIAM

WILLIAM CLARK/HELEN BEGBIE

FR754M

Newbattle/MIDLOTHIAN

Hi Starlight,



That was quick, I only registered about half an hour ago.

Thank-you very much



I don't suppose you have DOBs for William Clark and Helen Begbie too please?

Did Helen have any other names?



regards,



John Clark.

Hi John, I haven't got anywhere yet but will try again in the morning.



I have just checked the image and William was born on 22/04/1801 and Baptised on 24/05/1801.



Witnesses - Geo and James Stephensons

Thank-you Starlight,



I would appreciate anything you can do



regards,



John Clark.

Hi John,



I'm sorry I cannot get any further. I am getting no matches for William Clark/Helen at all before 1803.

The are 7 Helen Begbie births in the Midlothian area and 3 Hellen Begbie's but only 2 marriages anywhere. Maybe they got mistranscribed.

With no Helen matching with William it is not possible to work out if Helen was her maiden name or if she had been married before.



Hope this makes sense. It would have been easier if it was after 1855

Thank-you Starlight for your efforts.



I knew this was not going to be an easy one as I have been trying to crack it for some time now.



There is a slight twist to this, in that on William Clark's, (William and Helen's son) birth certificate 22nd May 1801 it shows his father as William Clark and his mother as Helen Begbie.



However on his death certificate dated 22nd May 1875 it shows his father as William Clark and his mother as Catherine Begbie.



Now I spoke to someone at the General Register Office for Scotland. He suggested that possibly she had two names, Catherine and Helen.



At the time of Williams Birth she was known as Helen. The reason I think I am looking for Helen Begbie. He went on to suggest that her grandson who signed his fathers death certificate, when asked what was your father's father and mother called? he has said William and Catherine as at that was the name she chosen to be called and he had always known her as Catherine.



I'ts a bit long-winded I know and I hope you haven't dropped off yet but it's all I have to go on. I have to admit I cant find a William Clark and Catherine Begbie either? The only other thing I can think of is that possibly they were born (possibly married?) in England before moving to Scotland and having William in Newbattle.



I have attached a copy of William's birth, marriage and death certificates if it helps. There is always the possibility that I am misreading the name as these certificates particularly the Old Parish Register one's are hell of a difficult to read.



regards,



John.



PS I can't get my images down to a size which meets your limits for attachments. Is there any other way I can get these images to you please?

Hi John,



The name Catherine would make sense if they went by the scottish naming system. William named his first daughter Catherine which would be the name of Catherine's maternal grandmother.

I will take another look tomorrow. Begbie deffinately appears more often in Scotland but maybe William was from England.



http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/hard...tems.htm#Scots

Hi Starlight,



I'm ashamed.



I'm Scottish, in case you hadn't already guessed and I wasn't aware of the Scottish naming system. Mind you I've only been at this genealogy thing for 4 months. Well I've learned something new, thank-you.



Now it may interest you to know that William's son William born 1832 Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland named his first daughter Jean after his mother Jean Ainslie.



regards,



John.

Hi John,



Not everyone kept to a system but it was more common in the past. I have been lucky with my main paternal branch in that everyone until me kept to the system. It has helped me find where children had been born and died between censuses. Where I got my childrens names from I haven't a clue.