Birth Registered Twice

[frances]

Have been looking at the BC for Davina Donald Mitchell (1910) illegitimate child of Jessie Donald and James Mitchell.

Davina's birth was registered in both St Giles , district of Edinburgh and at Newington , Edinburgh.

On the Newington reg it states in the When and where reg column "Transcribed at Edinburgh 26th June 1910-James Craig -Registrar." Can anyone tell me why a birth would be reg twice ?

Have managed to find Davina living with her mother on the 1911 census. I would really like to find out more about Davina's father James Mitchell who is described as a Groom (Domestic). He was dead at the time of Davina's marriage in 1922.

Any help/suggestions much appreciated.

Frances

[AndrewP]

Hi Frances,

That was quite regular in that era. If a child was born away from the parents' home, then the birth would be registered in the district where that took place, and then transcibed in the 'home' district.

In many of these cases it was the first born of a family and the mother went to her mother's for the birth.

All the best,

AndrewP

[joette]

I have a couple where the Birth was registered twice- the Mum(my Great-Aunt) had gone home to have her baby.
The baby was born at Grandparents house in Penicuik & registered there by Mum & Grandpa.Dad who was just up the road at Glencorse Barracks registered her there too.There is a notation on each entry I think to show it was the same birth.
I think that's the main reason for double registration.Mumis away from usual residence when she gives birth.Perhaps Grandparent or other family member registers Birth & then Mum on return home or eager Father does at usual residence.
Snap Andrew.

[AndrewP]

Hi Joette,

The scenario was not as you describe it, where it just happened that two people registered the birth, although it is feasible that could have been done on very odd occaions.

The double registration which was done quite often from the late 19th century to about 1930 was that the birth was registered in the 'birth' registrarion district. Then a day or two later that certificate was taken to the 'home' registration district and transcribed into the register there. In the last column, it was noted that this registration was transcribed from one in another district, usually naming that district there.

Cheers,

AndrewP

[SarahND]

Hello Frances,

I would really like to find out more about Davina's father James Mitchell who is described as a Groom (Domestic). He was dead at the time of Davina's marriage in 1922.

No proof it's him, but there is this chap in 1901:

15 & 17 James Court Bells Lodging House, Edinburgh St Giles
James Mitchell, 34, Lodger, born Edinburgh, Groom

Do you have any idea of your James' age?

All the best,
Sarah

[SarahND]

He was dead at the time of Davina's marriage in 1922.

I hope that is a typo and she did not marry at age 12

In any case, I thought I had tracked him down (pouring rain outside and I'm sitting here in a 8x12ft cabin going stir-crazy, so you're doing me a favor ) but then none of the possible-looking deaths in Edinburgh from 1909-1937 seem to be him. So perhaps he went elsewhere. With such a common name, it's hard to find him.

Anyway, here is the one I decided to follow:

He was supposed to be 34 in 1901 as given in my first post.

Then I'm guessing he's this one in 1891, although a few years older:
1891
53 Blackfriar's St, Edinburgh Iron Church, Canongate, Midlothian
Francis Mitchell, 35, Head, born Edinburgh, General Labourer
Sarah Mitchell, 34, Wife, born Newport, Fife
William, 14, Son, born Edinburgh, Billiard Maker
Francis, 11, Son, born Greenock, scholar
Jessie, 6, Daur, born Greenock, scholar
Bessie, 5, Daur, born Greenock
Sarah, 3, Daur, born Edinburgh
Helen, 1, Daur, born Edinburgh
James Mitchell, 27, Brother, born Edinburgh, Stableman

This is the same James in 1881, trying his hand at being a butcher, but it didn't last (brother Robert changed occupations too):

1881
Edinburgh St George
William Mitchell, 42, Head, born Edinburgh, Venetial Blind Maker
Elizabeth, 44, Wife, born Edinburgh
Robert, 19, Son, born Edinburgh, Butcher
James, 17, Son, born Edinburgh, Butcher

Here they all are together in 1871:
1871
Leggates Land 3 B, Edinburgh St Cuthberts
William Mitchell, 32, Head, born Edinburgh, Venetian Blind Maker ("Venetian Blond Makor")
Elizabeth, 38, Wife, born Edinburgh, Blond Makeis Wife
Francis, 15, Son, born Edinburgh, Apprentice Joiner
Rolert, 9, Son, born Ab, Scholar
James, 7, Son, born Edinburgh, Scholar
Lizzie, 2, Daughter, born Edinburgh

Francis was also a venetian blind maker in 1881 in Greenock.

William Mitchell & Elizabeth Cavers married 4 Jul 1860 Edinburgh Parish (IGI)

Children of William Mitchell & Elizabeth Cavers all born Edinburgh Parish:

Robert William born 4 May 1861
James David born 15 Dec 1863
Lizzie Lindsay born 6 Jan 1869

Elizabeth Mitchell other surname Cavers died in Edinburgh in 1890

So, I'm reasonably sure I have the same family from 1871-1891, but then the jump to the groom in 1901 and then onto fathering Davina needs more support. If David was his second name (as in the birth record,) then that might explain the name Davina.

I wish I could find his death, but so far have not found the death of a James who has parents William Mitchell and Elizabeth Cavers, nor any James who is a groom

And the rain is letting up so I'd better go do something else....

Cheers,
Sarah

[frances]

Thanks all for replies.

Sarah --- no it wasn't a typo but a big mistake on my part -- just as well you noticed error.

The Marriage certificate I was looking at was in fact for Davina's motherJessie's marriage to one James Hall.

I have no idea about James' s age. All I can say is that at the time of Davina's birth James was living at 17 London Street, Edinburgh.

Thanks for the census information-- looks promising, but as you say still need proof that it is the correct James..

Hope the weather has improved a bit where you are.

Kind Regards

Frances

[SarahND]

Hi Frances,
Another cloudburst passing over... so here I am again. There are exactly 25 people named james mitch*l in Edinburgh City in the 1911 census who are between 40 and 50 years old, (assuming I have found him in either the 1901 and/or the earlier ones and he would have been of that age). Since that census can't be searched by occupation, I'd want to be very sure which parish 17 London Street would have fallen in before making a guess on any of them. Do you know, or can anyone else shed knowledgeable light on this? I'm hoping that he would still be living there so it would give a more direct idea of how old he was and thus which James he was...

Regards,
Sarah

P.S. Do you have Davina's marriage and was James noted as deceased then, or was that information on Jessie's marriage record?

[Currie]

Hello Sarah,

The 1910-11 Edinburgh Directory, on page xxv, has code for the various registration districts. http://www.archive.org/stream/postoffic ... 1/mode/2up

Page xxx has London Street as what looks like district no. 2, which, if I’m reading it correctly, would be St. Andrew.
http://www.archive.org/stream/postoffic ... rch/london

All the best,
Alan

[SarahND]

Thanks, Alan,
That was interesting and led me racing off after yet another James Mitchell. Before looking at any of the 1911 census records, I took at look at 17 London Street in 1901 and here is the family living there:

James Mitchell, 42, Head, born Forfar, Provision Mercht
Mary Mitchell, 42, Wife, born Forfar
David Mitchell, 16, Son, born Edin, Booksellers Appce
Mary Mitchell, 15, Daur, born Edin, Scholar
John Mitchell, 12, Son, born Edin, Scholar
Allan Mitchell, 9, Son, born Edin, Scholar
Donald Mitchell, 7, Son, born Edin
Minnie Mitchell, 5, Daur, born Edin, Scholar

I then looked at 1891 to see if there was a son James who might have been on his own by 1901 and sure enough:

1891
40a Northumberland St, Edinburgh St Stephens, Midlothian
James Mitchell, 31, Head, born Forfar, Grocer (Shopman)
Mary Mitchell, 31, Wife, born Forfar
James Mitchell, 10, Son, born Dollar, Clackmannan, Scholar
Thomas Mitchell, 8, Son, born Edinburgh, Scholar
David Mitchell, 6, Son, born Edinburgh, Scholar
Mary Davidson Mitchell, 5, Daughter, born Edinburgh
John Allan Mitchell, 2, Son, born Edinburgh

He was born in Clackmannan, unlike his siblings who were all born in Edinburgh. He just made the 1881 census:

1881
Cairn Park Street, Dollar, Clackmannanshire
James T Mitchell, 21, Head, born Zoar, Forfarshire, Grocer and Spirit Merchant
Mary Mitchell, 21, Wife, born Zoar, Forfarshire
James Mitchell, 2 mo, Son, born Dollar, Clackmannanshire

So… back to the drawing board again for 1901. I don't see any James Mitchell of the correct age and profession and birthplace in Scotland that year. There is a 20 year old Farrier of that name, age 20, born Scotland in Clerkenwell, London in 1901. He is possibly the best bet. There are also a couple of possible soldiers stationed in England, but they are 19 and 17 years old.

Anyway, you know that by 1909-10 he was back in Edinburgh with his family.

There are two trees on Ancestry with this family, but neither one has information on James Jr. past 1891.

He may well be one of the James Mitchells who died in WWI.

Even though I found no census return with this James Mitchell listed as a groom, I do think that the address makes him a strong candidate.

All the best,
Sarah