As you may or may not know, my husband is British. The rest of his family still lives in the UK, so every other year or so, we go over to see everyone.
Luckily for me, that also means a research trip! This time, we will have the opportunity to spend a week in Scotland. My husband and mother- and father-in-law are kind enough to have offered to watch the kids for a day so I can go to the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh. Let me tell you…I CANNOT WAIT!
I have been there before, but it has been several years. As much as I enjoy the ScotlandsPeople website, it is really nice to be able to preview all the BMD certificates I’m interested in without paying for each individual view. I can choose some of my stickiest problems and explore until I find an answer. (You hear that, Smiths? I’m coming for you!)
In addition, I plan to visit the Historical Search Room for the first time. After obtaining a Reader’s Ticket, you can view records held by the National Records of Scotland. Some of these records have to be requested in advance as they are held off-premises. You can search the catalog here.
The particular item I am most interested in is the paternity decrees from the Paisley Sheriff Court. My husband’s third great-grandmother, Jean Lochhead, was widowed in her early thirties. Her first husband, John Renfrew, had been a blacksmith in the Williamsburgh section of Paisley. With six children to raise on her own, Jean decided to continue her husband’s business after his death. At the time the 1841 census was taken, Jean’s household consisted of her and her children, as well as three young smiths who were likely her employees.
One of these men was John Brown, whom she would, the following year, pursue for paternity of her young daughter, Grace, my husband’s second great-grandmother. I am hoping that Grace’s paternity decree will hold more detail than that given in the abstract available on FindMyPast.co.uk. At this point, I have been unable to find John Brown at any point following the 1841 Census. Grace did not use her true father’s last name or even acknowledge him in records in her later life, listing herself instead as the daughter of John Renfrew. It seems that John Brown was likely a bit of a bum, but it would still be nice to trace his line further back and to be able to say, genetically, *this* is where our family comes from.
If we get the chance, I also want to visit the Heritage Centre at Paisley Central Library. This location holds the poor law records for Paisley from 1839 to 1930. Jean Lochhead resided in the Burgh poorhouse for at least the last ten years of her life. This could possibly be a treasure trove of information.
Have I mentioned that I’m excited about this trip?!
What is your favorite research location? Have you found an amazing record that broke straight through your brick wall?
Precious Threads 