Thread: Isabella W Ritchie

Hi all I am trying to search for the history of Isabella W Ritchie's parents. According to the 1911 Census Isabella was born in 1892 in Kinfarms, Perthshire. the census says that in 1911 her exact whereabout was in Chelsea, London and is listed as the 'niece to head of household'. I am not sure if both her parents died or she just left to work with her uncle?? I believe she died 1956 in Ruthin, Denbighshire and sadly I cannot find any information regarding her parents etc.

To be honest I might be completely barking up the wrong tree but think its worth a try....as I am trying to trace the history of Isabella's daughter who I think is called Jean (or Jeanie) Grant Ritchie (married name Spatz) who was born in 1913 and died in 1983 in Delyn, Flintshire. Just not totally sure whether Isabella is Jean's Mother - and as I said could be totally barking up the wrong tree and possibly am clutching at straws - they may simply have the same surname and have lived from roughly the same place.

Jean's husband was German and they married in 1951 also in North Wales. We can find these records but have completely drawn a blank at Jean's parents. As mentioned Jean married a German man, again it is hard to find his background too....

Have to say though this ancestry searching is soooooooo addictive!!

Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated... Thanks

Hello I have found a Bella Ritchie this may be the one as they would call Isabella by the short name.Any way I will list the names


William Ritchie.Aged 35. Kate Ritchie. 33. Bella. Scholar 10. Euphemia 8. Robert. 6. William. 4. Address. Pitlewie Glen Cottage Perthshire

Parish. Kinfauns ( you had Kinfarms that maybe a cleric error.) Perthshire. I could not open Image to see what occupation as the Scottish one does not allow

Census.1901.. ED 2. Page 6. Line 22. Roll CSSCT.19011901_121 I hope this is the family you are seeking

Thanks so much for your post - I will definately investigate further although I fear I have hit a brick wall with this one!! I will post of any sucess though and thank you once again....

Hi Wooleyb,
Isabella Georgina Strong Ritchie born/christened 26 June 1891 Kinfauns Perth Scotland.
Parents William Ritchie and Catherine Dempster Ritchie. Might she be yours?
It ties in with William and Kate with daughter Bella that Bronson found for you.
Kinfauns is near Perth. I have been there once or twice.

Do you have the marriage cert For Jean Grant Ritchie and Mr. Spatz? That should give her father's name and occupation.

And here is her admission to Kingfauns school aged 4 Admission date 4th May 1896
Isabella Ritchie born 24 June 1891 .
Parent or Guardian William Ritchie
Address Craignorth. (in or near Kinfauns.... )


Marriage of Jean Grant Ritchie to Phillipp Spatz Jan/Feb/Mar 1951 St. Asaph Denbighshire GRO no. 8a, 1254.
A copy of cert can be purchased online from the General Register Office. price £9.25.

I have not yet found Jean's birth.

Lola5 thank you so much for your help.... I think though that I am barking up the wrong tree with Isabella W Ritchie sadly!!

However we now have the marriage certificate for Jean Grant Ritchie and Phillipp Spatz. We have discovered that Jean's father was Robert Ritchie (deceased iron moulder) and Phillipp Spatz's father also deceased builder called Willhelm Spatz. We now know that Jean was born Jeanie Grant Ritchie on 2nd December 1913 in Plantation, Glasgow City/Lanark but we are still waiting for her birth certificate to arrive to give us any other information. Jeanie Grant Spatz died in 1983 in Delyn, Flintshire. Phillipp Spatz left Jeanie to marry her best friend Sophia Jones in 1975 too so we know she was divorced by then and didn't marry again.

I have now turned by research to a Robert Ritchie who married Grace Baxter in 1885 and a Robert Ritchie who married a Mary Ann Young in 1877 both marriages took place in Lanark..... again clutching at straws but until we can see Jean Grant Ritchie's birth certificate we do not have a lot to go on.....

As for the Spatz family tie, we believe Phillipp to have been married three times and had a son in 1942 in Maxdorf, Germany then got captured in Guernsey and later married Jeanie and then Sophia - we think Phillipp died approx 1986-88 in Maxdorf, Germany - Jean was an only child but obviously has a half brother who would be 70 we think......

Beyond Jean we have nothing to go on at present..

Thanks for all your help though - it is so appreciated.

Well that is good you have the cert as sometimes it's the only way to be sure you have the right one. Tracing Jeannie in Glasgow should be easier as the Ritchie line in Glasgow is better documented than the Kinfauns one.