Who were Mary's Parents?

[emanday]

I've just uploaded a 1910 MC for James Girtrig Crichton and Mary Smith.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-946

Although the handwriting is of the "heavy downstroke very light upstroke variety" James' parents are easy enough as I recognise them as actually his grandparents (Long story that bit ), but Mary Smith's parents are proving much more difficult.

I think her father might be Thomas Ferrier (or Ferries) Smith and I can get Electrical Instrument Maker for his occupation. However the line below that and her mother's first and maiden name is impossible for me to read. I'm hoping sharper and more experienced eyes will be able to decipher it for me [-o<

url added by marilyn

[LesleyB]

Hi Mary
Oh boy - that is not an easy one, is it? Once enlarged the whole thing appears to be written in Hebrew!
Constance Something (or heck, does that say (deceased) ?? [then next line] Thomasina? Smith (I think) Maiden surname starts with Mc. ...ends in R? (You'll have guessed that bit already, I'm sure!! ) I think you are right that the father is Ferrier Smith

Hmm. Maybe you'd be quicker looking for the poor woman's death? (but bet she died after 1950.... ) A clearer copy from SP may help.

Later: Whatever that Mc surname is...there is a witness of the same name.
It is MCLELLAN (I think!!) (oh dear - "McLellan!!" Its McLellan!" I said outloud... "other half" now confirmed in all his worst suspicions re. my sanity etc....)

Best wishes
Lesley

[Jean Jeanie]

Hi Mary

I'm usually not bad at these, but this one is awful.

Best I can do is:

Thomas Ferrier Smith
Electrical instrument Maker
? Assurance

Franncasia Smith
m.s. McCres---

Was she possibly a Francesca?

Sorry, that's all I can come up with.

Perhaps better to contact SP and request a better copy by post.

Jean

[AndrewP]

Hi Mary,

The answer can be found in (scientific instrument maker journeyman) THOMAS FERRIER SMITH's 1916 death certificate. He was married to THOMASINA McCHESNEY.

So the text on your 1910 certificate is:

Thomas Ferrier Smith
Electrical
Instrument Maker
Journeyman and
Thomasina Smith
M.S. McChesney

All the best,

AndrewP

[nelmit]

Hello,

You'll have to check as I don't have enough credits but there is a marriage between a Thomas F Smith and Thomasina M*Chesney in 1883 on SP.

I think this may be Thomasina in 1881-

Dwelling: 129 Renfrew St
Census Place: Barony, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203654 GRO Ref Volume 644-7 EnumDist 49 Page 7
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Margaret MILLER W 50 F Kilmarnock, Ayr, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Annuitant
Robert MILLER U 26 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Hatters Salesman
Andrew MILLER U 20 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Drapery Warehouseman
Thomasina MC CHESNEY U 17 F Girvan, Ayr, Scotland
Rel: Serv
Occ: General Serv

Kind regards,
Annette M

Later................
Just seen Andrew's post so I suppose that's it confirmed.

[Jean Jeanie]

Wow Andrew =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

Jean

[AndrewP]

Wow Andrew =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

Having taken a peek at the clearly written 1916 death certificate, it all fell into place. I don't pretend to have made it out from the 1910 marriage certificate.

All the best,

AndrewP

[emanday]

You do realise, don't you, that you are all positively brilliant?

So! Thomas and Thomasina, Eh? Bet that got confusing!

I'd never have got the McChesney with that handwriting.

Lesley, you're so right about it looking like Hebrew when enlarged. I tried the negative view as well and it really only made things worse! By the way, my son has already decided that my sanity is long gone

Actually Jean, looking at it again, it could so easily have been taken for a derivation of Francesca!

Andrew and Annette, thank you for finding those entries.

By the way; Mary's husband James gave his grandparents name as parents because he was the illegitimate son of one of their daughters and he appears to have always lived with them. Maybe he didn't know they weren't his parents?

[emanday]

I have now got back as far as Mary Smith's Grandparents.

Mary's BC was finally found by looking for her mother, Thomasina, in the 1891 census (Mary was 8 months old at the time) and she was, for some reason unlike her siblings, born in Leith!

Without her mother's name I'd never have found her BC!

Thank you all so much for solving my deciphering problem RULES