I wonder if any of you have suggestions regarding where I go from here in finding out more about Thomas Stark, my 3 x great grandfather.
What I know so far:
Thomas married Mary Farquharson in June 1856 in the Parish of Linton Peebles. On the marriage entry he is listed as being 21 years old and his parents are given as Thomas Stark, Farm Servant, and Margaret Aitken. Interestingly, Margaret is not given as "Margaret Stark, maiden Surname Aitken", which perhaps suggests that his parents weren't married.
In Census records, Thomas consistently gives his birthplace as Penicuik.
On his death in 1909, in the Parish of Glencorse, Midlothian, his parents are again listed as Thomas Stark and Margaret Aitken, and again there is no maiden surname listed for Margaret and she is not described as Margaret Stark. The death informant was Thomas' son Cornelius.
I can find no record of a Thomas Stark being born to a Margaret Aitken and Thomas Stark around 1835. I've searched from 1828 to 1840 and there are some Thomas Stark births, but none that fit. I've also searched for Thomas Aitken births in case Thomas was illegitimate, but no luck there either.
There was one birth of a Thomas Stark in 1834 in South Leith where no parents were given, but this child had been found abandoned.
I've tried various wildcards on SP to see if Thomas Stark and Margaret Aitken are listed as having married at some point, but there is only one Stark/AIKEN marriage listed, but this is in 1737, which is impossible.
I've found a possible candidate for Thomas' father, Thomas Stark, in a man with that name who died in 1886 in Melrose, who is listed as a Land Steward. Thomas the elder was listed as a Farm Grieve on Thomas the younger's death certificate, although this is perhaps a tenuous connection. The man who died in Melrose was a widower, but his wife's name was not Margaret.
Any suggestions?
Best wishes
Brian
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