William McAra

[mjmcara]

Hi
I have traced back to William McAra 1871 census born abt. 1830 Scotland, Married to Ann born abt. 1829 Scotland. They have a family of five children and possibly a sixth William that died 1856.
The children on the census are:
Annie born abt. 1857 Plumstead Kent
Margaret born abt. 1861 Plumstead Kent
Robert B. (Balgarnie) born abt.1863 Plumstead Kent
John born abt. 1867 Plumstead Kent
Alexander born abt. 1870 Plumstead Kent
I believe I found the marriage 1855 Lewisham and children’s birth registered Lewisham. Robert Balgarnie would be my GGfather.
If anyone knows of, or comes across the family I would certainly appreciate a message.

Mike

[AlanC]

McAra Family

I've been researching a John & Mary who according to census results feature as living in Crieff, Perthshire. Sorry no Williams there but with such an unusual name, there is probably a connection somewhere.

[KiteRunner]

You would be best to get Robert's birth certificate as that will confirm Ann's maiden name, and then you will know if it is the right marriage. Then the marriage certificate will tell you the names and occupations of William and Ann's fathers, and you should be able to start tracing them back via Scotland's People. A free surname search for McAra on there shows about 400 on each census.

[mjmcara]

Thank you for the information received, this is greatly appreciated.
I have tried to update according to the messages

William McAra born1830 Scotland, married 1855 Plumstead, died 1879 Plumstead.
Married
Ann Brownlee born 1827 Scotland, married 1855 Plumstead, died 1886 Plumstead.

They had a family of nine children

1. William born 1855 Plumstead died 1856 Plumstead
2. Ann born 1857 Plumstead married Frederick Moore 1876 Plumstead, died 1886?
3. Thomas William born 1859 Plumstead, died 1864 Plumstead
4. Margaret born 1861 Plumstead, married Thomas Brown 1879
5. Robert Balgarnie born 1863 Plumstead, married Katherine Lewins 1884 Plumstead, died 1921 Plumstead
6. James born 1865 Plumstead, married Cecelia Taylor 1889 Plumstead
7. John born 1867 Plumstead, married Jane Elizabeth Jacobs 1885 Dartford, Kent
8. Alexander born 1869 Plumstead, married Rose Elizabeth Deane 1893 Plumstead, died 1915 Plumstead
9. Elizabeth Jane born 1872 Plumstead, married Emmanuel Legge 1894 Plumstead

[Katarzyna]

Bit of a long shot but could this be them in 1861?

William Carey 30 Ann Carey 33 Ann Carey 4 Thomas Carey 2 Margaret Carey 4 Mo
William and Ann b Scotland and all 3 children b Plumstead

RG9; Piece: 408; Folio: 65; Page: 40

William is a Smith on 1871 and Blacksmith on 1861

[mjmcara]

Thank you Kat, I belive it is my family.

[mjmcara]

I received the marriage certificate for William McAra and Ann Brownlee.

Williams’s occupation was Artificer and his father’s name was John McAra also Artificer.

Ann Brownlee, her fathers name was David occupation Manager Cotton Factory. Her place of residence at time of marriage, Tradestone Glasgow North Britain.

I cant find a birth for William. I have a 1851 census the name is McAree, on the census it looks like McAra. he is a private in the 33 regiment born Sterling Scotland.

Any help would be appreciated

[KiteRunner]

The 1851 census entry is at Newcastle on Tyne, so it may or may not be your William. Have you got anything that says that your William was in the army at all?

The IGI does have one possible baptism but it is a few years earlier than your William is supposed to be born: William McAra christened 8 Oct 1826 Crieff, Perth, father John McAra, mother Jean Wilson. If we can find out whether that John was an Artificer (or a Blacksmith?) it might help. One way might be if you go on Scotland's People to view the image of the OPR baptism - they do sometimes give you the father's occupation.

[KiteRunner]

Scotland's People has "Trust Disposition and Settlement; Codicil" and a separate Inventory, for a John McAra, oversman (or overseer) and forgeman at Moffat Forge near Clarkston, near Airdrie, spouse of Elizabeth Gray or McAra, date 6 Nov 1872. I wonder if we can find him on the censuses to see if there is a William with him? And does anyone think "forgeman" could be an Artificer, or are they very different things? I don't think I've seen Artificer as an occupation before, but forgeman could be related to blacksmith?

Bother, I've looked at the baptisms for that couple's children on the IGI and there isn't a William listed.

[GallowayLass]

The FreeDictionary gives a couple of possible defs for artificer. The 2nd one could be a hit for you.
1. A skilled worker or craftsperson
2. An enlisted man responsible for the upkeep of small arms and machine guns etc.

OED gives these;
1. A person who makes things by art or skill; an artisan, a craftsman
4. a. A constructor, a manufacturer; the maker of a particular object.
5. Mil.
a. A military engineer; (originally) a contracted civilian artisan; (later) a skilled soldier attached to the ordnance, artillery, and engineer service.
b. An engineer or skilled technician in a navy, esp. the Royal Navy. Freq. with modifying word, as engine-room artificer, ordnance artificer, etc.; also in compounds, as artificer-engineer.

[Kazza]

It sounds as if William could have been employed at the arsenal (not the footie team) in Woolwich but perhaps is not enlisted in the Royal Artillery. Lewisham/Plumstead would be the right location for BDM's connected with Woolwich or the Royal Artillery.

[mjmcara]

William McAra & Ann Brownlee Marriage

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Template/Genealogy/MarriageWilliamMcAraAnnBrownlee-1.jpg

[Janet]

An artificer or Tiffy as I used to call them, are engineers and part of the Royal Navy. For example in Plymouth the main college for Artificers is at HMS Fisgard Torpoint and of course Woolwich would have had its own RN College for Tiffies.

Janet

[mjmcara]

I took Williams age from the marriage certificate age 25 in 1855, his death was registered in 1879 age 49,(I dont have the certificate) 1861 census Plumstead he is listed as William Carey blacksmith age 31 born Scotland and 1871 census William McAra smith age 41 born Scotland

In 1851 census there is a William McAra indexed McAree aged 21 soldier private 33 Regiment born Sterling Scotland

In another 1851 census there is a William McAra age 21 hammerman(Iron) born Medlothian ______ looks like Croamond. I think this second 1851 census could be William if a Hammerman is a smith?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[champagnegal]

Always remember that any certificates may not all tell the truth - my great grandad on his marriage certificate was apparently 19, he wasn't - he was 17 and stated that he was 19 so as not to need his father's permission !!.

[Uncle John]

In another 1851 census there is a William McAra age 21 hammerman(Iron) born Medlothian ______ looks like Croamond. I think this second 1851 census could be William if a Hammerman is a smith?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Is this the Ancestry transcription of the 1851 Scottish census? It is full of transcription errors, so it's always worth paying out to see the actual image on ScotlandsPeople. My interpretation is Midlothian, Cramond, which is on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Cramond Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland

A hammerman sounds to me to be related to smithing. BUT, as has been said, there is no substitute for certificates. If they are Scottish, they will not cost very much from ScotlandsPeople and they are much more informative than English certificates.

[GallowayLass]

A hammerman is a person who operates a hammer e.g. in a blacksmith's, or shipyard, or a steam hammer in a foundry.

[Christine in Herts]

<snip>

A hammerman sounds to me to be related to smithing. BUT, as has been said, there is no substitute for certificates. If they are Scottish, they will not cost very much from ScotlandsPeople and they are much more informative than English certificates.

You can usually get images of the register entries for the price of any other image. One benefit (for genealogists) of the different law in Scotland.

Have you got the Dartford cert? If not, and it's a church event, you may be able to find the register image on MedwayCityArk.

Christine

[Uncle John]

You can usually get images of the register entries for the price of any other image. One benefit (for genealogists) of the different law in Scotland.

That's what I meant to say!

[mjmcara]

I have located an 1851 census for William McAra mistranscribed as McAree, soldier age 21, 33 Regiment, born Stirling Scotland. As an Artificer (marriage certificate) he could be a soldier and would explain why he moved to Plumstead, location of the Royal Arsenal.

I have found a marriage for a John McAra and Mary Maxwell 27/04/1831 Parish Stirling County Stirling

27/04/1831 MCARA JOHN - MARY MAXWELL Stirling /STIRLING

Also found a birth for a John McAra in Stirling but it looks like the family moved Crieff and had several other children

16/04/1810 MCARA JOHN parents ALEXANDER MCARA/JEAN MCEWAN St.Ninians /STIRLING

Any help or ideas would be appreciated, I have tried to find military records but no luck.