103 Years Old ~ X2 Great Aunt Mary Thomson

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2023: Week 40 (LONGEVITY)

My paternal grandmother was named after her aunt,
Mary Thomson, who lived to 103 years old. 

In the photo below is my grandfather (Thomas Thomson) on the left, Mary in the middle, and brother James Devlin Glass on the right.

Mary never married, and had no children. 

According to the stories my grandmother told me, about the aunt she was named after, Mary was very connected to her siblings.
Looking at the photo above I definitely got the sense they were close. 

On her 100th birthday she received a letter from the Queen. 

The photo above was taken on her 100th birthday. 

That's her brother, Henry who was 96 years old, with her. 

They were the last 2 surviving children of Thomas & Isabella (nee Glass) Thomson. 

Henry died less than a year later. 

Mary lived for 3 more years.

She was the oldest of 8 children, and outlived them all. 

Mary's family

Father:
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 22 FEB 1919 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Mother:
Isabella Glass
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 29 JUL 1943 • Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland

Their 8 children (1911 census confirms they had 8 children and all were still living):

Mary Thomson, lived to 103 years
BIRTH 28 NOV 1870 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 16 DEC 1973 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Never married, no children

Isabella (Bella) Thomson, lived to 77 years
BIRTH 6 JUN 1872 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1950 • Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
married: William Haughie, had 3 children (I have found records for)

Henry Thomson, lived to 97 years
BIRTH 19 JAN 1874 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 8 AUG 1971 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
married: Bessie, had 1 child (I have found records for)

Agnes Thomson, lived to 80 years
BIRTH 07 MAR 1876 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 30 JUL 1956 • 205 Berea Street, Pretoria, Eastern Cape, South Africa
married: Herbert William Smith, had 2 children (1911 census notes 2 children with both living, no records for other children have been found)

Thomas Thomson, lived to 60 years
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada
married: Elizabeth Young Slicer. had 3 children (2 lived to adulthood)
My great grandparents

James Devlin Glass Thomson, lived to 80 years
BIRTH 26 SEP 1883 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 31 AUG 1966 • Raumati Beach, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, New Zealand
married: Elsie Winifred Genge, had 6 children

Laura Edward Thomson, age at death is not known at this time
BIRTH 14 FEB 1887 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH AFT. 1940 (was listed as a survivor in brother Thomas' obit)
married: John Cleghorn (Cleghorn) Robertson, no records for children found

Richard Alexander Thomson, age at death is not known at this time
BIRTH 12 JUL 1892 • Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
DEATH BEF. 1940 (not listed as a survivor in brother Thomas' obit)
One Ancestry tree says he died of the Spanish Flu Epidemic 1918-1920

When you have family members who live to over 100 years old!!! 

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***

Sources:

Family stories

Photos:

Personal

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Happy Birthday X4 Great Grandfather Thomas Thomson ~ Born 232 Years Ago

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2023: Week 29 (BIRTHDAYS)

As I sat down to write this week's blog about BIRTHDAYS I decided to find someone in our Bramble Bush who was born on July 18th. 

I found:
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH 18 JUL 1791 • Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 26 MAY 1833 • Dalkeith, Scotland

Exactly 232 years ago my paternal 4th great grandfather was born to 

John Thomson
BIRTH 12 JUL 1763 • Seggie, Orwell, Kinross, Scotland
DEATH BEF. 1829 • Scotland, United Kingdom
and
Jean Beveridge
BIRTH BEF. 20 OCT 1765 • Portmoak, Kinross-shire, Scotland
DEATH Unknown

My 3rd great grandmother is their daughter
Agnes Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1826 • Inverkeithing, East Wymess, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 7 FEB 1898 • Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland

Agnes retained her maiden name as her married name when she married:
Henry Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1825 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 3 OCT 1901 • Buckhaven, Fife, Scotland

who was the son of
Alexander Thomson
BIRTH 4 MAR 1796 • Buckhaven, Fifeshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 FEB 1875 • Buckhaven, Fifeshire, Scotland
and
Williamina (Minnie) Cargill
BIRTH ABT. 1795 • Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH ABT. 1855 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

I have not yet wrapped these 2 Thomson family lines back together again, but I have no doubt that Agnes and Henry were somehow related.

My X2 great grandfather, son of Agnes & Henry Thomson was
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 22 FEB 1919 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
married to
Isabella Glass
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 29 JUL 1943 • Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland

My great grandfather, son of Thomas & Isabella was
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada
married to
Elizabeth Young Slicer
BIRTH 4 AUG 1882 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 24 JUN 1958 • Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

When I first started searching the Thomson line I was very confused by the number of Thomas Thomsons to be found.

This is the area the family is predominantly from. 

Today I found X4 great grandfather Thomas Thomson who was born 232 years ago exactly, and realized I know nothing about him because each time I try I get mixed up in the Thomson lines.

Up next I will try to find more information about this X4 great grandfather and his ancestors. 

When you realize you don't know enough about a particular line!!! 

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***

Map:

Google Maps. Retrieved July 18th 2023 from
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North+Berwick,+UK/@56.0784257,-3.2576583,10.66z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x48870656577f27a3:0x70433f000895b52e!8m2!3d56.058363!4d-2.719646!16zL20vMDIyeWtf?hl=en&entry=ttu

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________

Family Search's Timeline ~ Thomas Thomson

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2022: Week 34 (TIMELINE)

In considering the prompt TIMELINE I remembered seeing a timeline clickable tab on Family Search. 

Family Search is a fantastic FREE source of documents and records. 

This is my X2 great grandfather's timeline from Family Search. 

THOMAS THOMSON

The details become pretty obvious when you follow the timeline. 

Thomas & Isabella's first child (Mary who lived to 103 years old) was born 4 months after their marriage.

I have observed these 'premature' babies many times while looking at historical records.

Realizing that what happened in the past is no different than today!!!

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***

Sources:

Thomson, Thomas. Map & Timeline photos. Clipped from Family Search. Retrieved August 22nd 2022 from 
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G7LR-JYZ

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Courting & Dating ~ What Is the Difference

Courting - an old fashioned term from a time with old fashioned values.

My X2 great grandparents were married in 1870. 

In July it will have been 152 years since their marriage took place.

I don't think I would have really paid too much attention to Great Great Grandma Isabella & Great Great Grandpa Thomas' wedding & courting had the visual above not arrived in my inbox from Family Search this week.

With this week's prompt COURTING it got me to thinking about how different their experience in the 1860s was to mine in the 1990s.

What exactly would courting have looked like more than 150 years ago in  a small fishing community on the east coast of Scotland?

First we need to consider how courting and dating differ.

Difference Between website summarizes:

"Courtship is about getting to know each other and developing a deep relationship before getting married whereas dating is mostly physical with no strings attached and no emotional intimacy."  1

The definition at the site (linked in sources below) clearly comes from a Christian perspective. Given the time and location we are researching the Christian perspective would be an appropriate lens to view through. 

They were both 21 years old. Census records show they grew up within a 5 minute walk of each other. Both of their fathers were fisherman. It is very likely they knew each other from childhood. It's very likely their families were in the same social circle. 

My husband and I were 25 years old when we met. We grew up very far from each other. Our families did not know each other. We met in a bar where we partnered in a tricycle race. He was an out-of-town construction worker staying at the hotel. I was a small town girl.
                            ***(Cue: Journey's Just A Small Town Girl)***

Our experiences were VERY VERY different. 

Lets go back to the definition. 

It would seem they were courting, and we were dating.

BUT wait --- they were married in July of 1870, and their first child born in November of 1870. 

Hmmm.... a child born 17 weeks after their marriage?

What a scandal that must have been in their small fishing community in 1870.

My husband and I were married 7 months AFTER our first child was born. We had been living common-law for 2 years, and had been receiving medical treatment for infertility. There was no scandal in our small community in southern British Columbia, Canada 120 years later.

Their first child was born in November. Our first child was born in November. Conception in February. 

Their marriage in July. Isabella would have been about 5 months pregnant. Was she showing? Was their shame? The marriage records North Berwick as the location. It doesn't list if they were married in the home church of either of them.  Did their families belong to the local church? There is no religion recorded on the census records of either family.

At our marriage - our 7 month old son was the ring bearer with the rings tied into his shoe laces. 

Very different experiences.

In the years that I have been doing genealogy research I have discovered that in the past many first born children were not born 10 or more months after the wedding. 

I wonder if the past really was that different than the present. 

Now back to Isabella & Thomas. 

They were married till death did they part when Thomas died on February 22nd 1919 at the age of 70.

Today is the 103rd anniversary of my Great Great Grandpa Thomas' death. 

Isabella died July 29th 1943 at the age of 95. She did not remarry. 

They had 8 children. 

Mary Thomson
BIRTH 28 NOV 1870 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 16 DEC 1973 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Isabella (Bella) Thomson
BIRTH 6 JUN 1872 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1950 • Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Henry Thomson
BIRTH 19 JAN 1874 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 8 AUG 1971 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

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

Thomas Thomson (my great grandfather)
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada

James Devlin Glass Thomson
BIRTH 26 SEP 1883 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 31 AUG 1966 • Raumati Beach, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, New Zealand

Laura Edward Thomson
BIRTH 14 FEB 1887 • Someville's Court, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH Unknown

Richard Alexander Thomson
BIRTH 12 JUL 1892 • Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
DEATH Unknown

Realizing the past may have been more similar to the present than you ever realized!

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***

Photo:

A Match Made in 1870, Celebrate the marriage of your ancestors. Thomas Thomson & Isabella Glass. Family Search. Retrieved February 23rd 2022 from personal Family Search account.

Footnotes:

1. Difference Between Courting and Dating. Difference Between.   Retrieved February 23rd 2022 from  
http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-courting-and-dating/

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

The Jenny Smith ~ Isabella (nee Glass) Thomson's poem

Current me is super pleased with past me. 

This week's prompt STORMY WEATHER had me struggling to decide who or what to write about. 

I decided to leave it to later in the week hoping inspiration would hit.

What happened was I forgot the prompt so went to the weekly prompt list I printed at the beginning of this year's challenge.

I discovered I had a notation about who I was going to write about.

Current me is super pleased with past me for how organized I was & now am.

I had decided to post a poem written by my 2nd great grandmother

Isabella Glass
BIRTH ABT. 1848/1849 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 29 JUL 1943 • Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland
my 2nd great grandfather
Thomas Thomson
BIRTH ABT. 1849 • Buckhaven, East Wemyss, Fife, Scotland
DEATH 22 FEB 1919 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Isabella's birth year is not fully confirmed. 

Using the 1861 census her age was recorded as 12 making her birth year 1849. Her parents were married November 8th 1947 so that date makes sense. All of the following census records support 1849 as her birth year.

Her granddaughter (my grandmother) believed her to have died at age 98, but that would make her birth year 1845, and none of the records support that. I only mention this because grandma recorded on the poem page her belief that Isabella died at age 98. Find A Grave notes her as 94 or 95 when she died. The Find A Grave was created by my dad's 2nd cousin who I know researched with the assistance of a professional genealogist. His facts can be trusted. 

X2 great grandmother's poem about the stormy weather on THE JENNY SMITH fits this week's prompt. 

Isabella grew up a fisherman's daughter, and married a fisherman. 

She lived on the east coast of Scotland, North Berwick. As fisherfolk they traveled as evidenced by the 1891 census showing them in England. 

X2 great grandma, Isabella, knew all about the hazards of weather!

The poems were transcribed by my grandmother for her son, my dad.  The second poem, ROBIN REDBREAST, is also connected to weather.

The final line about tea made perfect sense. Grandma never left her Scottish roots behind. 

The love of tea was passed to me.  

I also shared it with my children.

about 1998

Grandma was very connected to her grandparents, Isabella & Thomas. She was born in their house on Clifford Road in North Berwick. 

Someday I want to walk in front of my X2 great grandparents house, but for now a virtual walk with Google Street View will do! 

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***

Sources:

8 Clifford Road, North Berwick, UK. Retrieved November 11th 2021 from 
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/8+Clifford+Rd,+North+Berwick+EH39+4PW,+UK/@56.0576394,-2.7271301,15.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x488707623eb664fd:0x2b65709873599406!8m2!3d56.0552935!4d-2.7211801?hl=en&authuser=0

Memorial 128537868, Isabella Glass Thomson, Find a Grave. Retrieved November 11th 2021 from 
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128537868/isabella-thomson

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

________________________________________________________________

Oops: Too Young for the Boer War ~ Thomas Thomson

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 49 (OOPS)

I remember Grandma telling me how her dad had signed up to go to the Boer War when he was underage. His mother (my X2 great grandmother, Isabella (nee Glass) Thomson) marched down to the local Army office and demanded he be sent home since he was not actually old enough to be there. 

Oops.

I asked dad if he remembered the story grandma told since I was looking for more details to write about.

Dad's recollections: "The only part of the story of my grandfather's involvement in the Boer war was that he joined the British Army by saying he was older than his 16 years when he joined and went to South Africa. When his mother found out she went to the Army and got him sent home. I don’t know when he went but he was 16 in 1896 as he was born in 1880. That’s all I know, don’t know if he actually got into action or not."

Definitely an Oops for the British Army since they had to send Great Grandpa back home. Definitely an Ooops for 16 year old Thomas who would have been in trouble with the British Army as they were sending him home & his parents when he got there. I would have loved to be witness to the conversations in South Africa & at home.

Realizing how very little I knew about the Boer War I began researching.

Oops. 

The Boer War took place October 11th 1899 to May 31st 1902. 

16 year old Thomas couldn't have been there in 1896. 

Maybe he signed up for the Anglo-Zanzibar War that happened August 27th 1896 which fits nicely into the expected dates. 

Or maybe it was the Battle of Ferkeh that took place June 6th 1896. 

Maybe there were other 1896 events the British Military was involved in.

I was feeling pretty confused at this point in my research.

Grandma and dad were pretty confident he went to South Africa for the Boer War. 

In genealogy research it's very common to hear family lore that doesn't pan out after being scrutinized. 

I knew there was a good possibility that the details were wrong, but Dad is retired career military & rarely does he get military facts wrong.

With that in mind I began searching with very specific terms - Boer War 1896. 

I was not finding anything that looked promising.....

BUT WAIT - Had I given up too quickly I wouldn't have found this nugget. 

British Troops Leave For Boer War (1896-1899)   1

The discovery of this footage from British Pathé suggests the family tale is accurate. 

The British Military began forming their troops in 1896 for the Boer War (also known as: Second Boer War, Anglo-Boer War, or South African War).  I watched the short clip, and couldn't see great grandpa Thomas Thomson among the men. I do not have a photo of Great Grandpa Thomas Thomson at the age of 16 so am unsure I would recognize him if he were there, but I would like to believe he's there. 

These are the different stages of life that I have photos of Great Grandpa, Thomas Thomson:

Photo believed to be young Thomas Thomson

Thomas with sister Mary Thomson and brother James Devlin Glass Thomson

Thomas with brother-in-law Dave Slicer

Thomas with daughters: Marion & Mary (my grandma)

Thomas with his bagpipes

This family tale - CONFIRMED!

When family lore proves to be correct!







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***









Footnotes:

1 British Troops Leave For Boer War (1896-1899), British Pathé,  Retrieved November 30th 2020 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyiqSW1ZLmU






Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________

Leaving North Berwick ~ A Tale of 3 Siblings

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 20 (TRAVEL)

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? 

#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





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Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

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