http://www.lanarkshirefhs.org.uk/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=190.0
Lanarkshire-Family History Society-Forum
Research => Surname Queries => Topic started by: AussieDoug on January 10, 2011, 12:20:10 AM
- Title: McLay/McLoy/McClay/Mclea or similar families
Post by: AussieDoug on January 10, 2011, 12:20:10 AM - Hello from Australia,
My Great Grandmother was Isabella McLay daughter of John McLay born abt 1833 Aidrie Lanakshire New Monkland & Mary Love born abt 1828
Isabella married Dugald Rankine (father Daniel Rankine)b: 6 July 1846 in New Monkland, m: 21 June 1871 & d: 9 December 1925 in Scotland.
Some of my research has the family in Rothesay Bute in 1881.
Do you have any ties to this family?
I have pasted in below info passed on to me which may nail down the families.
Thanks
Cheers
Doug Mayes
Mary Love Birth 16 MAR 1828 in Kilsyth, Stirlingshire
Death
Marriage
Marriage Information
Date
Jun 1845
Location
New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland to John McLay
Residence Residence Information
Date 1851
Location Carnock, Fife, Scotland
Residence Residence Information
Date 1861
Location New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Residence
Residence Information
Date 1881
Location Rothesay, Bute, Scotland
1861 Scotland Census about John Mclay
Name: John Mclay
Age: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1826
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Mary Mclay
Gender: Male
Where born: Stirligh, Polmont
Registration Number: 651/1
Registration district: Airdrie
Civil Parish: New Monkland
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 128 Graham St
Occupation: Coal Mine Coachaster
ED: 5
Household schedule number: 33
Line: 3
Roll: CSSCT1861_117
Household Members: Name Age
John Mclay 35
Mary Mclay 33
Robt Mclay 16
John Mclay 13
Mary Mclay 9
Isabela Mclay 7
Janet L Mclay 4
Christine Gibson 15
Hi Doug
I copied your email from the Airdire website you left a link to. I’ve just had a look at the vital records available online via www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk and then did a quick look on Ancestry.com for a census check and a look on familysearch.org for the results of a parent search to be sure we had the right folks. It’s quite straightforward to locate the marriage of your Isabella McClay and Dugald Rankine and also the death of Isabella in 1880. These records can be viewed online and downloaded into your computer without needing to order an extract from General Register House Scotland. The system is quite neat and affordable compared to that of some other countries. Actually Scotlandspeople fees are due to increase in the new year at 1 April so if you were inclined to obtain copies of these records you should act before then. From these two vital records you are able to confirm the names of Isabella’s parents and the occupation of her father and whether the parents were alive or deceased at the time of Isabella’s marriage to Dugald and also at the time of her death. Using a combination of this data is how to prove you are linking the correct people together as family. In your case….you know Isabellas father was John McClay and you think her mother was Mary Love. Both Isabella’s marriage and death confirm these names as correct. They also indicate that her parents were both still alive at the time of her death. A further search for the death of a Mary McClay mn Love turns up just one lady who died on Bute in 1913. This record shows she was the widow of John McClay a coalmaster. Ironstone and Coal Conractor is the occupation of Isabella’s father on her marriage and Coalmaster is his occupation on her death certificate. This looks pretty likely to be the right lady to be Isabellas mother. The only thing I then did to wrap it all up was to look on the IGI to see if John McClay and Mary Love had children that included an Isabella born about 1853 (birth year derived from her stated age at marriage). Because statutory recordkeeping began in Scotland in 1855 it’s not always easy to find pre 1855 records. Well this looks like it might be the case with this family. The IGI shows several children to this couple but none born before 1855. They do however have a Janet Love McClay born in 1857. So next I had a look for John McClay with a wife named Mary and a daughter named Isabella and a daughter named Janet on the 1861 census. There is one who nicely fits the bill right there in New Monkland:
Name: John Mclay
Age: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1826
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Mary Mclay
Gender: Male
Registration Number: 651/1
Registration district: Airdrie
Civil Parish: New Monkland
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 128 Graham St
Household consists of:
John Mclay age 35
Mary Mclay age 33
Robt Mclay age 16
John Mclay age 13
Mary Mclay age 9
Isabela Mclay age 7
Janet L Mclay age 4
Christine Gibson age15
Christine is a domestic servant. All the other children are sons and daughters. Mary is his wife. According to the 1861 census Isabella was born in Torryburn, Fife, Scotland. The presence of a sister named Janet L (for Love?) convinces me this is your Isabella with her parents and siblings in 1861 and the death of Mary McClay in 1913 on Bute is that of Isabella’s mother.
Hope this is helpful for you.
Best wishes
Jean
