Need Help

[donalds01]

Hi There,

I amtrying to trace my family in Scotland.
My grandfather (William Donald) was born in Balleter 1906-06-26, but I battle to find anything. I am living in South africa.
Is there any body that can assist.

Regards
William Donald Smith

[nelmit]

Hi William and welcome to Talking Scot,

Only questions for the moment.

There were 12 William Donald births at Scotland in 1906 (5 at Aberdeenshire) - have you looked at them all?

What were his parents names?

Have you tried searching for him using his mother's maiden name as his surname?

Regards,
Annette

[donalds01]

Hi Annette,

Thanks for the reply.
I am not sure where to look, but was able to narrow down the births in 1906 to 8.
Where can I search for more specific detail on the births?
I requested a birth certificate, but I am not sure if I will receive the correct one.
I also requested a full birth certficate for my mother (Heather Donald) in South Africa to get more specific detail of my grandfather (William Donald).
In SA it can take up to 9 months to get the birth certificate.

Regads,

Donald (William Donald Smith)

[AndrewP]

Hi Donald,

None of the five William Donald births in Aberdeenshire in 1906 is near to Ballater. They are all to the north or east of the county. Ballater is to the south-west of the county, in the registration district of Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Montrose Budie]

There's a chance that the DONALD family were in Ballater at the time of the 1901 census.

There are two DONALD families in Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn, in 1901. In one the wife is too old to have a child in 1906. The other is a possibility on age, especially since they are shown at Kimberley Cottages in Ballater. The father is a blacksmith, so a good chance that they would still be there in 1906.

There's only one slight problem. There's a 2 year old William J DONALD in the household !

Unless you can get someone to have a look at the records at GROS in Edinburgh, or Park Circus in Glasgow for that matter, you may have to wait for the release of the 1911 census next year, possibly some time in April, and go looking for a 4 year old William DONALD. But that could still be before you have the copy of your mother's birth certificate !

mb

[Montrose Budie]

It occurs to me that there's another way of approaching this.

Let's assume that the date and place are correct. i.e. 26Jun1906, Ballater.

By searching on the basis of no surname and no given name, you can see the total number of birth entries in the registration district of Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn, GROS Ref 201/00 for 1906 (or for any other year, or range of years). This turns out to be 52.

Then search on the basis of given name of William only, - this gives 7 results. Of the 3 that could be 26Jun1906, starting from the basis of 52 birth registrations in the full year, none show a birth date of 26Jun1906.

There is a William George McDONALD, illegitimate, but he was born 5th August, in Glenmuick.

Apart from this there's just two DONALD births in Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn in the period 1903 to 1909, a George Alexander and a Norman. Widening the period to 1897 to 1915 doesn't produce any others.

So something is wrong somewhere ....................

mb

[joette]

Gone off to be born at Granny's house? I have quiet a few who are not born where they think they were but on investigating where born at Granny's or Auntie's house particulalrly the first child. If you stayed around to recuperate afterwards the birth may be in Granny's Parish.I have a GGGGreat-Granny who is not sure if she was born in Scotland or Ireland.
I have a couple who are registered in Granny's Parish & then for good measure Dad has registered them at home too.One of my Great-Aunt's children is for example registered in Edinburgh where her Father was billeted at the barracks & Mother registered her at Penicuik where she gave birth at her parents home.The difference in miles is miniscule but two seperate Reg districts.

[donalds01]

Hi there,

Thanks to all of you for the assistance!

According to my aunt who now also went back to the UK, my grandfather was definately born on 26 June 1906 somewhere in Scotland, he's last place of residence was Balleter before he come to South Africa. He got married in South Africa to a South African woman (my grand mother).
I also found somebody today that have a connection at home affairs in South Africa that can assist me with my mothers full birth certificate in a shorter period of time than 9 months, that will give me more acurate details of my grandfather.
According to my aunt, there is a family cemetry somewhere in Scotland for the Donald family.

Regards

Donald

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Donald

OK.

There's a total of 12 William DONALD born in Scotland in 1906, but only 4 of then are plain William; the other 8 have a middle name.

Of the 4 only one is outside the county of Aberdeen, in Edinburgh.

Of the 8 with a middle name, two are in the county of Aberdeen; the rest all over, but 3 are in counties quite close, - Banff, Moray and Angus, plus one in Dundee.

Shouldn't take that many credits of ScotlandsPeople to check tham all out and, hopefully, find the right one. See also above for establishing how many registrations there are in a year, cost free BTW, which gives an idea if a record is likely to be in the middle of the year.

mb

[donalds01]

Hi Anette,

Thak you!

I found some information in the archives in South Africa (www.national.archives.gov.za).
William Donald is the exact name my grandfather used when he came into South Africa (This also showing on the national archives in South Africa for his death), which give me an indication that this will be the exact names his birth was registered/when he left Scotland for South Africa. He married a South Africa woman Maria Magdalena Vermaak in South Africa.
I will now look on Scotlands people for his details to get his birth certificate that should also give me some indication of his parents details.

If there is any other website I can search, can anyone give me the details?

I will take the next step once this is done.

If anyone else can assist, I will apreciate.

Kind Regards

Donald