This is a tale of three siblings who moved away from Scotland in very different directions.
Their parents were:
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 22 FEB 1919 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
and
Isabella Glass
BIRTH ABT 1848 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 29 JUL 1943 • Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland
The 1911 census snipped below confirms their marriage date of July 22nd 1870 (the notes on the photo above) since it states they were married for 40 years.
It also records they had 8 children who were still living in 1911.
Below you will find the basic information for all 8 children, but this week's prompt TRAVEL focuses on child 4, 5, & 6. It's these three that appear to have had the need to see more of the world.
My great grandfather Thomas Thomson moved to Canada.
His brother, James Devlin Glass Thomson moved to New Zealand.
His sister, Agnes Thomson moved to South Africa.
Before looking at these three for this blog I had never realized that they were connected in birth order.
Did they grow up as close friends?
Did they dream of travel while they were growing up?
I will never really know what took each to the countries they would call home.
How is that they grew up in the seaside town of North Berwick, with a father who was a fisherman, and ended up so far away?
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| #8 (left), #6 (right) Clifford Road in North Berwick Scotland My grandmother was born in #8 |
My dad told me that his grandfather (Thomas Thomson) did not want to be a fisherman so sought out a different career. He became a stonemason, and lived in Canada, the United States, and Scotland.
James Devlin Glass Thomson was a Joiner's Apprentice in Scotland's 1901 census. New Zealand's 1938 Electoral Records James is a carpenter.
How Agnes ended up in South Africa is a mystery. She arrived before getting married in South Africa, and having her first child. She met her husband, Herbert William Smith in South Africa. Herbert fought in the Boar War as a medic with the Gordon Highlanders. Her second child was born in Scotland before the family of 4 returned to South Africa.
** * **
 |
| Thomas, Mary & James |
** * **
Mary Thomson
BIRTH 28 NOV 1870 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 16 DEC 1973 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Mary never left Scotland, never married, she lived to 103, and died in Edinburgh. My grandmother was named after this aunt.
The name Mary Thomson is too common a name to conduct a reasonably exhaustive search using available records.
** * **
Isabella (Bella) Thomson
BIRTH 6 JUN 1872 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1950 • Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Bella married William Haughie who was a tailor. They raised their family in Edinburgh.
** * **
 |
| Mary & Henry, On Mary's 100th birthday Henry was 96 |
** * **
Henry Thomson
BIRTH 19 JAN 1874 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 8 AUG 1971 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Henry married Bessie in Edinburgh where they raised their family.
I found pay records for Henry listed him as a Marine Joiner from
1916 to 1920, Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland.
** * **
 |
| Agnes |
** * **
Agnes Thomson
BIRTH 07 MAR 1876 • Graham's Close, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 30 JUL 1956 • 205 Berea Street, Pretoria, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Agnes married Herbert William Smith in South Africa. They had their first child there, but the 2nd was born in Scotland. I wonder if it was a family tradition to return to North Berwick for the birth of children.
** * **
 |
| Thomas |
** * **
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada
Thomas married Elizabeth Young Slicer in North Berwick, and moved to Canada. They returned to Scotland to have their first child, and then stayed to have their second (my grandmother) because WW1 started. After the war they went back to Calgary, Alberta, Canada and moved back into their home there.
** * **
 |
| James Devlin Glass |
** * **
James Devlin Glass Thomson
BIRTH 26 SEP 1883 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 31 AUG 1966 • Raumati Beach, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, New Zealand
James move to New Zealand, and married Elsie Winifred Genge. They remained in New Zealand, and raised their family there. James worked as a carpenter.
** * **
Laura Edward Thomson
BIRTH 14 FEB 1887 • Someville's Court, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH Unknown
Laura married John Cleghorn Robertson. I haven't been able to find any further details for Laura. John's 1921 Attestation Papers record him as an electrician, and that he was not married. Laura appears have died before 1921.
** * **
Richard Alexander Thomson
1892–
BIRTH 12 JUL 1892 • Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
DEATH Unknown
The family was enumerated in England in 1891, and must have remained through to 1892 when Richard was born. He is the only 1 (of the 8) that was not born in North Berwick. I haven't confirmed his death details. There are several trees on Ancestry that note he may have died in England (1918) possibly from the Spanish Flu epidemic.
** * **
In discussion with a distant cousin about why the family was in England he said that the area they were enumerated in (Tynmouth) had the North Shields Fish Quay which is one of the largest ports for prawns. With Thomas being a fisherman the logical reason for their being there was fishing.
As a Canadian I didn't really understand just how close Scotland and England are. Google maps show clearly the hypothesis of heading south to follow the catch as a logical one.
 |
| Google Maps |
As I looked at this map I realized maybe the three who journeyed far were not the only ones who had the need to travel. It appears as though Thomas & Isabella traveled some too. Maybe they were on the move between census records. Maybe they traveled in search of the best fishing spots. Maybe they created the travel bug in their children. Even the ones who stayed in Scotland didn't stay in North Berwick.
While searching for information I came across this photo I wondered if Isabella could be in this photo. Maybe they were in search of Herring when they headed south. Or maybe they were in search of opportunity which is the likely reason their children headed away from the seaside town of North Berwick.
 |
| "Description : A group of fishwives standing on the Quay North Shields. Creels and baskets are on the ground in front of the women. The women came from the North East Scotland and Great Yarmouth following the shoals of herring as they moved up and down the East coast. Fishing Collection : Local Studies Printed Copy : If you would like a printed copy of this image please contact Newcastle Libraries www.newcastle.gov.uk/tlt quoting Accession Number : 033090" |
Following ancestors as they search for opportunity!
This is why I search -
Cause ...
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***
Somehow Related Previous Blogs:
Somehow Related Blog Spot, Popular Name ~ Thomas Thomson'
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2020/03/popular-name-thomas-thomson.html
Somehow Related Blog Spot, Remembering - Thomas & Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson, and politics,
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/02/remembering-thomas-elizabeth-young-nee.html
Somehow Related Blog Spot, 3 Bricks in the Wall ~ Thomas Thomson (Stonemason, Brick House, Genealogical Brick Wall),
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/04/3-bricks-in-wall-thomas-thomson.html
Somehow Related Blog Spot, Elizabeth & Thomas - Together Again,
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/05/elizabeth-thomas-together-again.html
Links:
Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/
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