George & Mary Ellen Roberts nee Thomson

[Laurence Roberts]

The marriage record says his father was called John however here is a possible birth where the father was called Erasmus:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X1ZZ-P5N


Blue

hi thanks - I can 't see the name Erasmus in above link though,

Laurence

[Blue70]

If you look where it says father's name it's there in light blue. Where did you get the name Erasmus from? Is it from family information? This is a possible birth with the father called John:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X1ZP-3B8


Blue

[dickiesam]

If this is the right Ellen, seems that by 1901 Laurence may have given up being a mariner...

RG13 - Piece: 3428 - Folio: 82 - Page: 20
Address: 199 Grafton Street, Toxteth Park.
THOMSON, Lawrence - Head - 50 - 1851 - Dock labourer - Scotland
THOMSON, Ellen - Wife - 42 - Carnarvonshire, Wales
THOMSON, Margaret - Dtr - u/m - 21 - General domestic servant - Liverpool
THOMSON, Maria E - Dtr - u/m - 19 - General domestic servant - Liverpool

[dickiesam]

Scotland's People have a match in the 1851, with a John and a Jean in residence. Used a spare credit to get this:

1851 - THOMPSON, LAURANCE - 2 - DUNROSSNESS, SANDWICK AND CUNNINGSB - SHETLAND - SGRO ref: 003/00 012/00 024

And this:
1861 - THOMSON, LAURENCE - 12 - SANDWICK AND CUNNINGSBURGH - SHETLAND - SGRO ref: 003/02 004/00 023.

Full census entries are available for download for 5 credits each at http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

EDIT TO ADD:
1851 - THOMSON, ERASMUS - 29 - BRESSAY, BURRA AND QUARF - SHETLAND - SGRO ref: 001/00 004/00 009
Janet Thomson also present.

[Laurence Roberts]

hi Blue I ve been looking at this on Tablet (in bed wiv flu !) but have come down to check on table top pc and it has come out quite different ! _ can see the fathers, the blue and all. Thanks. I think the Tablet was stopping full page from getting thru!

So it is either John or Erasmus, isnt it.

Some years ago, some one was helping me with family history and found a link and told me it was Erasmus. However, I am not sure where I have stored the print-off about it now unfortunately. And I forget the name I was told was Erasmus' wife. I am determined to keep better records this time , and even try to make a family tree type thing with all the data.

But as you say, the mariage lines do say 'John' in fact.

many thanks,

Laurence

[Laurence Roberts]

Thank you very much DS for these.

It seems to fit with Ellen's birth-place listted as Caernarfonshire, but I don't recognise Maria, unless that is Mary Ellen - Maria and Mary basically same name are nt they ?

I am trying to take it all in. (It's quite emotional too, and makes them all seem real again.) Nana Roberts (Mary Ellen Roberts nee Thomson is the only one I actually knew).

Thanks for using your credit for that too.

Laurence

[Laurence Roberts]

If you look where it says father's name it's there in light blue. Where did you get the name Erasmus from? Is it from family information? This is a possible birth with the father called John:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X1ZP-3B8


Blue

This seems a likely fit to me, as his father sings 'John' on the marriage certificate.

Thank you

[Blue70]

The marriage record is a good source for the father's name so I would go with John rather than Erasmus. Looking at the ages on the census records this birth is probably a better match than the other John & Laurence record:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X183-GTL


Can anyone find Laurence on the 1911 Census? It might give us a more exact place of birth.


Blue

[Hilary]

This is the transcript of the 1861 census
Souety School House Cunningsburgh Shetland
John Thomson 55 teacher bn Lanna Shetland
Joan 55 bn Tingwall
Jean 30 daughter Vail knitter bn Sandwick Shetland
Grace 28 daur bn Sandwick
Joan 26 dressmaker bn Sandwick
Agnes 22 daur stocking knitter bn Sandwick
Margaret 15 ag lab bn Cunningsburgh
Laurence 12 son bn Cunningsburgh
Barbara 9 daur bn Cuningsburgh

1871 Laurence is still with parents at Bogie Sandwick and Cunningsburgh now an ag lab.

[Hilary]

The 1891 censu sshows in Sandwick and Cunningsburgh aJoan Thomson aged 85 born Tingwall living with her son Laurence Thomson 42 a farmer and his wife Margaret.

I don't think this can be the Laurence in Liverpool in the same census. Also your Laurence says his father was a farmer this Laurence's father is a teacher.

[Laurence Roberts]

Thanks very much Hilary

[dickiesam]

Haven't found Laurence alive in 1911 or deceased prior, but this could be Ellen's death:

Death: THOMSON, Ellen
Registration district: Toxteth Park
Year of registration: 1903; Mar qtr
Age at death: 44
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 169

[Hilary]

Laurence dies 1928 but I can't find him around 1910

[Blue70]

Looking at the census dates of our man he might have been born in the latter half of 1850. This is the birth that I thought could be him:-

Name: Laurence Thomson
Father: John Thomson
Mother: Margt. Thomson
Born: 22 Sep 1850
Baptised: 20 Oct 1850
Place: Walls, Shetland, Scotland

I can't find any matching census records for 1851, 1861 or 1871. Laurence was a mariner when he married so he may have been away at sea a lot before he settled down in Liverpool. I think most Shetland Islanders either worked on the land or were fishermen.


Blue

[Blue70]

This appears to be Ellen Williams in 1871:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VBFZ-B9L


Blue

[Blue70]

Do we know why Ellen was in service at such a young age? Was she illegitimate? Here is one of a number of possible baptisms for her:-

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FM9C-RNY


Blue

[Laurence Roberts]

Thank you very much for these. It is encouraging. I wonder if it can be proved to be our Ellen ?

Funnily enough I stay with a friend near Llanbeblig / St Peblyg's church every year ! I walk up and down past it.

Yes she seems so young to be far from her home.

thanks very much

Laurence

[dickiesam]

Yes she seems so young to be far from her home.
Laurence

It wasn't unusual for child to be 'in service' at a young age in Victorian times. Even far away from home. I have one child in service as a domestic at the age of 14 who appears to have been made pregnant by her 'gentleman' employer. My paternal g.mother raised the baby to adulthood.

Some jobs children used to do in Victorian times are...
1. Down the coal mines
2. Chimney sweeps [human brushes!]
3. Rat Catcher
4. Horse poo picker/collector
5. Factory worker
6. Field worker
7. Seller in the streets
8. Scaring birds from the fields
9. Domestic service

[Laurence Roberts]

Thanks for this DS. what a list. What you say is true but we feel for them though in the past.

It was good your g grandmother stepped in like that.

[Blue70]

Hi Laurence,

Ellin Williams of Llanbeblig was born in the Workhouse here is the original entry:-






Information about this Workhouse:-

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Carnarvon/


Blue