Genealogy hive mind

A lively, interactive online session where the collective knowledge of the Society of Genealogists community comes together to tackle tough family history challenges.

This is your chance to tap into our genealogy hive mind – a place where curiosity meets experience, and where no question is too small, too unusual, or too complicated. Whether you’re staring at a stubborn “brick wall” in your research, puzzling over a cryptic record, or trying to unravel the mystery of which of the many John Smiths in your tree is your John Smith, help is at hand.

You’ll have the opportunity to share your queries with a welcoming group of fellow researchers, including our seasoned experts and long-standing members who’ve spent years navigating the twists and turns of archives, records, and historical sources. Together, we’ll share tips, offer fresh perspectives, and suggest new avenues for your search – so you can make progress where you might have felt stuck.

Questions  discussed:

Question 1 – There is however one other Smith to be looked at. She is Margaret Smith who had an illegitimate son, Forbes Eadie, whose father was James Eadie, an ancestral uncle of mine. James Eadie was married to a Catherine Smith. It was sometime before I realised that Margaret Smith and Catherine Smith were not sisters.  In 1851 in Kilmeny Islay Margaret Smith 50 was living at Balole which was just across the farm road from Esknish, the home of my direct ancestor, Peter Smith With her were Archibald Bell 20 an agricultural labourer, Flora Smith 80 her widowed mother and Malcolm Smith 41 her brother also an agricultural labourerd95 On account of the proximity of Balole to Esknish it seems most likely that Flora’s husband was a Smith of Esknish possibly a Samuel Smith. There is a Flora Campbell b. 28 Jul 1771 to Archibald Campbell in Dudal Begg and Mary McCorqudale. This seems a likely candidate for Flora as the entry matches her age and Dudal Begg lies just to the north of Balole. In 1841 living at Balole were widow Smith a spinning woman, Dugald Smith her son an agricultural labourer and Catherine Smith 10 her granddaughter who may well be the daughter of Flora Smith or another illegitimate child of Margaret Smith96. Also in 1841in Cnocknamona, Bowmore were Flora McQueen 60, Malcolm Smith, an agricultural labourer and Archibald Bell who is presumably Flora’s grandson97. As widow McQueen was at Esknish in 1817 it is likely that she is of the Smith family and probably Peter’s elder sister.  There are no regular Parish Registers for Kilmeny until the mid-1820s. There are a few entries back to 1802. The main record source prior to 1820 is Estate Records. These are mainly Tacks (Leases) and periodic Rent Rolls. The main Tack for Esknish is in favour of a James Smith, Angus Smith, and a Samuel Smith along with John McLergan and a MacDuffie. Angus is the father of Peter Smith. There are, however, no Tack or Rental records for either Balole or Dudal Begg. This is probable due to there being mining interests to the north of Balole and Dudal Begg. The mineral lessees would presumably have required unrestricted access resulting in the farms being included in the leases leaving the farmers as mere sub-tenants. Do you feel I am right in my analysis of the problem Ian F Brown

Question 2 – My Gt Aunt was in prison when her children were admitted to the London City Roadworkhouse around 1901 and I’d like to know what she did and where she was imprisoned Elizabeth Letitia ROBERTS nee BUCHANAN b.24 May 1872 Kingsland, Hackney, London. Married John ROBERTS a joiner, 27 Dec 1892Islington Register Office. Son John b. 26 April 1894, Islington. Husband John died 31 Aug1897. Son Patrick George b. 7 Jun 1900 City of London Lying In Hospital, father shown as[the deceased] John ROBERTS, Horsekeeper. Daughter Marie b. 2 Sep 1901 City of LondonLying In Hospital, father shown as [the deceased] John ROBERTS, Horsekeeper. All 3children subsequently baptised into the catholic church [family was CofE]. Children invarious Workhouses until Sept 1904, then discharged from 200 Kingsland Road,[St Leonard Shoreditch] the boys to ‘B’ School [?] Marie to Inf Institution…Father recorded as dead andMother in prison. Elizabeth was my Grandmother’s sister who nobody had heard of in the family until I startedresearching. Suspect that she became the ‘black sheep’. I can find no record of her crime,trial or imprisonment or death and my Grandmother refused to talk about her. Searched Holloway prison registers from 1900-1910. Searched death and burial registersextensively. The eldest son, John was sent to Canada on the Home Children scheme in1910, subsequently to serve in WW1 with the CEF and the Canadian records I have seenclearly show he had no idea who his parents were.I have searched all Census returns forElizabeth but there is no sign of her on census’s after 1891 although other addresses showup on her childrens’ birth certificates in 1900 as Moneyer Street, Hoxton and 1901Haberdasher’s Street, Hoxton. I have birth certs for all. Marriage of Elizabeth to John in 1892. John’s death cert in 1897.Birth certs for each child and catholic baptism certs. Workhouse Admission and DischargeRegisters. One Census [1901] showing eldest child, John, as visitor. Annie Woodward