Norries in Huntly

Post by **AndrewP** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:47 pm

Gloswegian wrote:I have been following up on the information Susan found on page two regarding the life and times of Elspeth Norrie and have been trying to confirm her death
In 1861 census the family are yet again at the same place but Elspet is not with them - I think she may be at Auchterless. However her child Isabella (Cumming) is there with her grandmother, along with a couple of other granchildren. One of these Mary Haggarty is 5 years old and on checking IGI again we find a Mary Ann Norrie born in 1856 to Elspet Norrie.

I have not found this Elspet yet in 1871 - however in 1881 she is with daughter Mary Ann and a grandson William Forbes. In 1891 and 1901 she is with her grandson William both times.
I would be grateful if you could point me in the right direction to find her death. I searched SP and found what I thought was her death in 1907, only to find on viewing the document, that it was not and more credits go to waste

How do you know where to look? And why do I feel like the SP website is like a slot machine that never pays out?

The slot machine may pay out. if you do a death search for surname La?rence and other surname Nor* for any years, any location, there are only two results. One is an Elspeth in Aberdeenshire who died before the 1871 census.

If it is still Elspeth Lawrence, maiden surname Norrie (married to Charles Lawrence, blacksmith) that you are seeking, then this is the one.

All the best,

AndrewP

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:59 pm

Hi Andrew

If it is still Elspeth Lawrence, maiden surname Norrie (married to Charles Lawrence, blacksmith) that you are seeking, then this is the one.

I think that it had been established that the Elspeth/Elspet that Gordon was looking for was not the one who married Charles Lawrence - I think Gordon's Elspeth/Elspet , the mother of Jane who later used her father's name of Robertson, remained unmarried...unless I've lost the plot, and it may well be possible.

She appears to still be unmarried as Elsie Norrie at the time of the marriage of Jane in 1899 to Wm. Stevenson when Jane claims that her mother Elspeth/Elspet/Elsie is deceased...but from earlier posts in this thread, I gather she may not really be deceased at this time.... oh, boy, I'll shut up before I get myself in a right tangle here...

Best wishes
Lesley

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:13 pm

1907 NORRIE ELSPET F 79 ALVAH /BANFF 146/00 0006

Gordon - who are the parents of this one? What are the other details?
It seems to fit what we know so far on the surface...
Most importantly - who is the death informant???

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:18 am

Gloswegian wrote:
I would be grateful if you could point me in the right direction to find her death. I searched SP and found what I thought was her death in 1907, only to find on viewing the document, that it was not and more credits go to waste

How do you know where to look? And why do I feel like the SP website is like a slot machine that never pays out?

Gordon

It did Gordon but you won the booby prize.

The death in 1907 is definitely the Elspet Norrie we have been following (or not as the case may be)!

The informant was son in law John Morrison and there is one who married Mary Ann Skakles in 1894 which confirms it's her but unfortunately he didn't know who her parents were.

Regards,
Annette

Gloswegian · Post by **Gloswegian** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:18 am

The informant was son in law John Morrison and there is one who married Mary Ann Skakles in 1894 which confirms it's her but unfortunately he didn't know who her parents were.

So the Mary Ann Norrie/Haggarty is now Mary Ann Skakles and she marries a John Morrison?

I was looking for one of her daughters or possibly grandson William to be the informant. It seems strange for someone who didn't really "know" the deceased to provide the details. I was also thrown by the fact that she remained single and that there were no parents named! Then again I am not surprised by anything in this family anymore

It seems my SP credits may be worth something after all

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:35 pm

Gloswegian wrote:
The informant was son in law John Morrison and there is one who married Mary Ann Skakles in 1894 which confirms it's her but unfortunately he didn't know who her parents were.
So the Mary Ann Norrie/Haggarty is now Mary Ann Skakles and she marries a John Morrison?
I was looking for one of her daughters or possibly grandson William to be the informant. It seems strange for someone who didn't really "know" the deceased to provide the details. I was also thrown by the fact that she remained single and that there were no parents named! Then again I am not surprised by anything in this family anymore

It seems my SP credits may be worth something after all

I was going by the 1881 -

Elspet Norrie 53
Mary A Skakles 25
William Forbes 1

Regards,
Annette

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:25 pm

Hi Gordon

It seems strange for someone who didn't really "know" the deceased to provide the details.

No, it happens. Perhaps her daughter was too upset or too busy dealing with funeral arrangements or there may be other reasons. The worst type of case I've come across is when someone dies in a hospital or home or poorhouse or similar institution and the death is reported by another inmate who hasn't a clue, not only about the deceased's parents, but also how old the deceased was and sometimes even their correct name!! Sometimes a neighbour is the infomant of a death - they can also be pretty unreliable sometimes. They maybe knew the deceased well to talk to, but they sure as heck often have no idea who the parents were or the exact age either!

It tends to get worse the older a person is when they die too.... if they die in their 70s or 80s, it is less likely that the informant, who is the person we family researchers are relying on

, will be confident about the answers to the required questions. That is one of the reasons it is important to pay attention to WHO the informat was, as you have to make some kind of decision as to how reliable you think the info they provided is likely to be. Even close relatives sometimes make a right mess of it, for the very reason that they were very close to the deceased so at the time of reporting the death they are upset and distressed, and quite understandably often get a bit muddled - surnames often get swapped about etc.

Best wishes
Lesley