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Orkneys anyone ??

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  • Orkneys anyone ??

    Hi

    I've tried to decipher this 1851 census for ages I'd like John Spence's birth place but i can't make it out - see attached photos. :(

    If it helps his Daughter was born in St. Johns New Brunswick and I know Johns family is from the Orkneys but after "Island" i can't read it........

    Anyone recognise the name Any Orkadians out there ???

    Roger:D
    Attached Files

  • #2
    No. 1. Island Panama B Subject
    No. 2. Lancashire Liverpool
    No. 3. St Johns NB B Subject

    So all 3 people were British subjects, born all over the place.
    Last edited by Uncle John; 17-03-09, 20:36.
    Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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    • #3
      It almost looks like Panama but I'm sure thats not right.

      The scale on my map is lousy, so I will need to find a magnifier to see if any names look possible.
      Sheila

      Taking a pause from tripping the light fantastic.

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      • #4
        oh you've throw a cat among the pigeons now Uncle John !!
        I suppose it might have been abroad ........ Johns children were born alternately St Johns or Liverpool - Captains perks taking the wife with you !! I'll check when Panama was settled , but come to think of it I don't think it was ever British...... ???
        Last edited by RNM; 17-03-09, 21:14.

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        • #5
          Apparently panama was still Spanish although getting shirty about it ; and frequented by pirates (mostly Bitish) - I'd love to have a pirate in the family but it seems unlikely he'd have been born ashore ??? no great love lost between us and spain in the Caribbean

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          • #6
            Uncle John You're right about the British Subject bit and having just blown it up to poster size it does look like Panama ............ But in 1795 the politics seem to make this unlikely ..... and its just occurred to me Panama ain't an island anyway !!!! And although it has plenty off the coast I've been to the San Blas Islands and they're still indian only areas.

            BUT if its British Subject it must be outside the UK ....... true ???? How many islands are there in the World ??!!!!!!

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            • #7
              Looks more like Pamana to me and there's apparently a Pamana Island in Indonesia. Just a guess though

              Pamana Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
              Hail Spode!

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              • #8
                Originally posted by guybrush View Post
                Looks more like Pamana to me and there's apparently a Pamana Island in Indonesia. Just a guess though

                Pamana Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
                It does, doesn't it!

                Perhaps a search in the overseas births on familyrelatives or FMP may thow up a clue or two.
                Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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                • #9
                  Pamana ok id found Panana (India) but its a port now, reclaimed marsh by the look of it so may have been an island in 1795 ............ Bombay was

                  I'll try Pamana Indonesia Guybrush - I just wish census man formed his letters properly !!

                  Still its an odd way round Island whatever rather than whatever island ............

                  I could may be narrow it down if i could trace his fathers travels - is there an online archive of Master Mariners ???

                  Thanks for everything so far ............ Roger : ))

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                  • #10
                    Found a list of the worlds islands on wikipedia - yes I know fount of much misinformation; However - found a Pomona Island in New Zealand Follow the link find its named after an island in the Orkneys !!!

                    Apparently the main island (the mainland) in the orkneys was known as Pomona but not by the locals.


                    "The name Mainland is a corruption of the Old Norse Meginland. Formerly the island was also known as Hrossey meaning "Horse Island". The island is sometimes referred to as "Pomona", a name that stems from a sixteenth century mis-translation by George Buchanan and which has rarely been used locally,[4][5] although it is retained in the name of the Pomona Inn at Finstown in the parish of Firth.[6]"

                    Now why would a census use "Island Pomona" for the orkneys in 1851 ?????? and why add British Subject ?????

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                    • #11
                      On wikipedia there's a list of orkney places and there is an Ireland, Orkney which might explain the Island Pomona rather than Pomona Island.

                      List of places in Orkney - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                      It seems the name Pomona was used up until the early 1800s in common language but was used only on official documents and maps after that.
                      Hail Spode!

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                      • #12
                        Thanks guybrush that makes more sense ; it seemed really odd that John would have used an archaic name for the island in 1851 but maybe it was the official version. Certainly isn't now it doesn't feature on any maps. The British Subject tag is a bit odd too, Scotland was definitely Britain !! why the need to belabour the point??

                        Ithink its the accurate reading though So thanks - yet again - to everyone for all your help : ))

                        Roger

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                        • #13
                          Hi Roger,

                          Are you trying to find John's parents, or do you have their names?

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                          • #14
                            I'd love to find johns parents - I haven't really looked yet. The birth place conundrum was the stumbling block. I think there are birth records in Scotland that go way back, so assuming Spence isn't the Orkadian version of Smith hopefully........... : )
                            I'd also like to know more about John and his travels - sadly none of the Master Mariner docs seem to be available on line : ((

                            Roger

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                            • #15
                              Hi Roger,

                              This site may be useful to you...........it has BMD's from Orkney. Good luck.

                              Orkney Islands, Scotland Genealogy Website

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                              • #16
                                Thanks susan I'll check it out : ))

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                                • #17
                                  Here's a link to family search's 'Pomona' pages.

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