Thread: Birth record for William Short, born Coldstream, Berwickshire 1838

Another one from me, I'm afraid. I'm trying to focus on specific records in these posts, in the hope I can stay on track a bit better. My other threads have turned up staggering amounts of useful information (for which I'm extremely grateful), but haven't answered the main questions I intended to address. I'm hoping focused questions will help.

So, I'm looking for a birth record for William Short in Coldstream (or very close) in 1838 (or very, very close). Below are two census records which I believe show William and his family. The first eliminates anyone born after the 1841 Scotland census (and most of the contenders), the second shows William with his uncle John Short, and the person I believe to be his mother, Mary Short. At this point I believe William was illegitimate, although his marriage record lists his father as Edward Short, Land Agent. I'm open to the possibility that he wasn't illegitimate, but at this point I don't think it's likely. Edward is probably fictional, or at the very least probably isn't really a Short.

Record 1:
------------
Name: Wm Short
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1839
Gender: Male
Where born: Berwickshire, Scotland

Civil Parish: Coldstream
County: Berwickshire
Address: Coldstream Loan Cottage
Parish Number: 733
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Short 55
Leonard Short 30
Thos Short 25
Wm Short 20
Margt Short 15
Wm Short 2

Source Citation: Parish: Coldstream; ED: 1; Page: 17; Line: 600; Roll: ; Year: 1841.


Record 2:
------------
Name: William Short
Age: 12
Estimated birth year: abt 1839
Relationship: Nephew
Gender: Male
Where born: Coldstream, Berwickshire
Parish Number: 733
Civil Parish: Coldstream
Town: Coldstream
County: Berwickshire
Address: Loan House
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 1
Page: 1
Household schedule number: 4
Line: 11
Roll: CSSCT1851_196
Household Members:
Name Age
John Short 21
Mary Short 35
William Short 12

Source Citation: Parish: Coldstream; ED: 1; Page: 11; Line: 1; Roll: 764; Year: 1851.

Incidentally, both records relate to the same physical building, and everyone in both records is related.

Sorry Noggin, that's not the one, that's his cousin, I've found that William in later records, marrying Isabella Leyden and living in Hawick.

The birth date is from his marriage and death certificates, both of which have him born 1837-38, and the birth place is from later census records, which say either "Coldstream, Scotland", or simply "Scotland". These are they:

1861
-------
Name: William Short
Age: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1839
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland

Civil Parish: Bishopwearmouth
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas
County/Island: Durham
Country: England

Registration district: Sunderland
Sub-registration district: South Bishop Wearmouth
ED, institution, or vessel: 15
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 419
Household Members:
Name Age
James Grey 32
Helen Grey 28
Mary Jane Grey 10
Margaret Grey 7
John Grey 5
George Grey 2
William Short 22

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 3775; Folio: 67; Page: 68;

1871
-------

Name: William Short
Age: 31
Estimated birth year: abt 1840
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Ann Short
Gender: Male
Where born: Coldstream, Scotland
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Ecclesiastical parish: Trinity
Town: Sunderland
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Registration district: Sunderland
Sub-registration district: East Sunderland
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Household schedule number: 204
Household Members:
Name Age
William Short 31
Ann Short 26
William Short 4
Alexander D Short 1 Year, 6 Months
Ann Gage 78

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 5014; Folio: 58; Page: 34;