Court Records

thomsj1 · Post by **thomsj1** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:28 pm

Hi

I've been trying to track down my elusive gggrannie Robina Thomson and have hit a problem. I know that she gave birth in Glasgow to a boy (my grandfather) in 1892 and that the birth was illegitimate. I have an RCE that confirms a successful paternity action later in 1892 against a James Buchanan. I found her in Glasgow in the 1901 census where she gives her surname as Thomson and her birthplace as Glasgow. Her 9 year old son James (my grandad) was living with her. Robina never married and in her death certificate in 1945 my grandad listed Robina's parent as James and Agnes.

The problem is that even with this info I can't find Robina in either the 1871 or 1881 census, nor can I find her birth certificate even after expanding the search across the whole of Scotland. I'm now wondering whether the court record for the paternity action in 1892 would contain any more worthwhile information than I already have in the RCE extract.

Can anyone advise if it is possible to obtain a copy of the court record ? The action was heard by the Sheriff Substitute of Lanarkshire - David Davidson Balfour. I've got Sheriff Balfour's photo from the 1909 Who's Who in Glasgow - it was easy to find compared to gggrannie Robina !!

Thanks

Jim Thomson

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:04 am

Hi Jim
...and a warm welcome to Talking Scot

I found her in Glasgow in the 1901 census where she gives her surname as Thomson and her birthplace as Glasgow.

There should also be mention of her age there which might give you some clues as to her year of birth. Also at the time of her death an age will have been given, and again this may indicate a year of birth - it may not be accurate though, kinda depends...

Robina never married and in her death certificate in 1945 my grandad listed Robina's parent as James and Agnes.

James Thomson (I'm assuming here, might be wrong!) & Agnes who? Probably a big clue there as well, (if her son knew the name of his grandmother - they don't all know that kind of thing!

)
Best wishes
Lesley

thomsj1 · Post by **thomsj1** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:27 am

Hi

I went back to the 1901 census to check Robina's age - it's listed as 29. If that's right then the age of 76 on her death certificate would be incorrect. The big thing is what I didn't see the first time I looked at the 1901 census record - she had a 27 year old sister named Agnes living with her. I don't know how I missed that first time around - I probably first found the record in the wee small hours when I should have been in bed instead of paying GROS a fortune in credit fees. I've just checked the 1891 census and found Robina and Agnes living at another address in Glasgow - there's a strong possibility that Robina was pregnant with my grandad at the time. The odd thing though is their ages - they are listed as 26 and 24. Yet 10 years later in 1901 they are 29 and 27 - something doesn't add up here ! Back to the drawing board I think but not tonight - it's half past midnight and I've run out of credits again !

Cheers

Jim

ninatoo · Post by **ninatoo** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:59 am

Don't let descrepencies in the age put you off! I have very very few ancestors who were honest about their ages from census to census.

I would try searching for sister Agnes' birth, of which there seem to be two possibilities at IGI. One has parents James Thomson and Agnes McMillan and the other had James Thomson and Agnes Wotherspoon (they had two daughters named Agnes). As there seems to be no record of Robina's birth at IGI, I would investigate that she may have been illegitimate, or the child of a first marriage.

Nina

gzmcwherter · Post by **gzmcwherter** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 5:34 am

Hello,
Found the following in the 1881 Census and thought they might be yours...

Dwelling: 218A So Wellington St
Census Place: Govan, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203670, GRO Ref Vol. 644-11 E.D. 24 Pg. 12

Henry WILSON, Head, M, 27, Cabinet Maker, b. Glasgow, Lanark
Elizabeth WILSON, Wife, M, 25, b. Glasgow, Lanark
Henry WILSON, Son, U, 5, Scholar, b. Glasgow, Lanark
Catherine WILSON, Daur, U, 3, b. Glasgow, Lanark
Annie Robina WILSON, Daur, U, 2 m, b. Glasgow, Lanark
Robina THOMSON, Boarder, U, 19, Cotton Peicer, b. Glasgow, Lanark
Agnes THOMSON, Boarder, U, 17, Cotton Peicer, b. Glasgow, Lanark

Hope this helps.
Regards,
Gina

Post by **Pandabean** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:56 am

I had a look on the National Archives ( and the National Archives of Scotland and came up with no possible links. I thought they may have held records for courts.

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:22 am

Hi Jim

If the Sheriff Court material is extant, it might provide a little bit more info, but Pandabean's look at the NAS on-line index may indicate that the chances of such extant material aren't good, but not everything is yet listed in the on-line index.

The RCE might give addresses for the parties in 1892, but it looks like you have now found them in the 1891 census, and I can't immdiately think of what else the RCE might contain that could be of help.

David

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:53 am

Hi Jim

I probably first found the record in the wee small hours when I should have been in bed instead of paying GROS a fortune in credit fees

That sounds like all too familiar a scenario!

That pair in the census that Gina found look very likely - interesting to see too that one of the Wilsons has Robina has a middle name.... wonder if there is a connection there?
Best wishes
Lesley

thomsj1 · Post by **thomsj1** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:23 pm

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Gina - you've hit the nail on the head. The one thing constant in every document I've found so far on Robina is that her occupation has been cotton factory worker. It would make sense for Agnes to follow her big sister into this line of work.

I'm heading off to visit a cousin I haven't seen for years - he reckons he has WW1 medals that belonged to my grandad. That should give me his regiment and number and open up another line of investigation.

The genealogy bug has got me !

Cheers

Jim

PaulaD · Post by **PaulaD** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 2:33 pm

Hi Jim,

Just did a search on SP 1871 census for Robina Thom*son age 9 and it comes up with 1 match. Haven't got any credits to check if she's yours.
Paula