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Like Angela I am about to give up on my paternal line which I have tried to increase for over 30 years. You are my last resort.

My Gt Grandparents John Leith (b: c1845)and Elspet Bruce moved to Sheffield from Aberdeen, Scotland. They married in Sheffield on 24 Sept 1849. On the marriage certificate John's father is named as Alexander Leith, a Commercial Clerk. It is this person that I have had trouble finding.

There is a John Leith, aged 6, with an unmarried Elizabeth Thomson in the 1851 census at 101 Skene Street, Aberdeen but I don't know if this is my John. My John did give one of his sons 'Thomson' as his middle name so it does seem possible.

I can't find Johns birth. I can't find him on the 1861 census, unless he is the 'Strapper' at Blairton Farm House, but this doesn't ring true as he became a 'Printer/Compositor' in Sheffield and represented the Typographical Society at a meeting in Jan 1889.

As far as his father is concerned, there is an Alexander Leith who died in hospital of a fever, aged 30, on 11th Aug 1848 but I can't find anything about this man's occupation in order to do a comparison. Quite a few people died of a fever at the same time, was there an outbreak of a contageous disease at this time?

That's the sum of the information I know about Alexander Leith. Not much to go on I know, which is my problem.

There is a story that my Grandfather wrote a family tree when my cousins were small but it no longer exists. However, one cousin does remember that a medal was struck to commemorate our Leith line and the MacConochie line (not sure of the spelling) but I can't find anything on this either and I don't know what they were commemorating or how long ago it was struck.

If anyone can shed any light on Alexander Leith or any of the above, I would be eternally grateful. I would love to get a connection to my Scottish roots.

how could John be born c1845 and marry in 1849 ?? Have you found them on later census fter they married ?

Scottish BMDS didnt start till 1855 so you would be looking for his birth on parish records on Scotlands People .

AHHH it was 1869 !! a typo

Marriages Sep 1869
Bruce Elspet Eccleshall B. 9c 263
LEITH John Ecclesall B. 9c 263

?????

John Leith
Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
christening: 20 Jun 1843 KIRRIEMUIR,?ANGUS,?SCOTLAND
parents: Alexander Leith,? Agnes Ramsay


name: John Leith
gender: Male
baptism/christening date: 20 Jun 1843
baptism/christening place: KIRRIEMUIR,ANGUS,SCOTLAND
father's name: Alexander Leith
mother's name: Agnes Ramsay
indexing project (batch) number: C11299-4
system origin: Scotland-ODM
source film number: 993443

1881 census transcription details for: 2, Harwood St, Ecclesall Bierlow


National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG11
Piece: 4637
Folio: 16
Page: 23
Reg. District: Ecclesall Bierlow
Sub District: Ecclesall Bierlow
Parish: Ecclesall Bierlow
Enum. District:
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 2, Harwood St, Ecclesall Bierlow
County: Yorkshire (West riding)
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
LEITH, John Head Married M 36 1845 Printers Compositor
Aberdeenshire, Scotland
LEITH, Elspeth Wife Married F 36 1845
Aberdeenshire, Scotland
LEITH, John C Son Single M 10 1871 Scholar
Sheffield, Yorkshire
LEITH, Robert T Son Single M 9 1872 Scholar
Sheffield, Yorkshire
LEITH, Albert Son Single M 6 1875 Scholar
Sheffield, Yorkshire
LEITH, William Son Single M 4 1877
Sheffield, Yorkshire
LEITH, Elsie B Daughter Single F 2 1879
Sheffield, Yorkshire
LEITH, Elizabeth Daughter Single F 0 1881
Sheffield, Yorkshire

John Leith
England and Wales Census, 1901
birth: 1845 Scotland
census: 31 Mar 1901 Ecclesall Bierlow,? Yorkshire (West Riding),? England


name: John Leith
event: Census
event date: 31 Mar 1901
age: 56
relationship to head of household: Head
birthplace: Scotland
record type: Household
registration district: Ecclesall Bierlow
sub-district: Ecclesall Bierlow
ecclesiastical parish: St Marys
civil parish: Ecclesall Bierlow
county: Yorkshire (West Riding)

John Leith
England and Wales Census, 1881
birth: 1845 Scotland
census: 1881 Ecclesall Bierlow,? Yorkshire (West Riding),? England
spouse: Elspeth Leith
children: John C Leith,? Robert T Leith...


name: John Leith
age: 36
gender: Male
birth year: 1845
birthplace: Scotland
relationship to head of household: Head
marital condition: Married
profession/occupation: Printers Compositor
address: 2 Harwood St
census place: Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire (West Riding), England
record type: Household
family history library film: 1342120
the national archives reference: RG11
piece/folio: 4637 / 16
page number: 23

1871 census transcription details for: Dale Street, Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield

National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG10
Piece: 4670
Folio: 106
Page: 1
Reg. District: Ecclesall Bierlow
Sub District: Ecclesall Bierlow
Parish: Ecclesall Bierlow
Enum. District: 19
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough: Sheffield
Address: Dale Street, Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield
County: Yorkshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
LEITH, John Head M 26 1845 Printer compositor Scotland
LEITH, Elspeth Wife F 26 1845 Scotland
LEITH, John Charles Son M 0 1871 Yorkshire

?????



name: Alexander LEITH
gender: Male
birth: 28 MAR 1817
Stonehouse lanarkshire Scotland
death: 6 OCT 1892
7 New Street Stonehouse
AFN: 4Z4K-0H0

Parents
father: Robert S LEITH (AFN: 4Z4J-NS5 )
mother: Susanna (Susan) SCOTT (AFN: 4Z4J-QPV )

Marriages (1)
spouse: Marion HAMILTON (AFN: 4Z4K-NZB )
marriage: 31 JUL 1842
stonehouse lanarkshire scotland
Hide children (7)

child 1: Robert LEITH (AFN: 4Z4K-SN5 )
gender: Male
BIRTH 1844
Stonehouse lanarkshire scotland
DEATH before 1854

child 2: William LEITH (AFN: 4Z4L-31Q )
gender: Male
BIRTH 1857
Stonehouse Lanarkshire scotland

child 3: Elizabeth LEITH (AFN: 4Z4K-Q74 )
gender: Female
BIRTH 1843
stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 4: John LEITH (AFN: 4Z4K-W35 )
gender: Male
BIRTH 1847
Stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 5: Alexander LEITH (AFN: 4Z4K-ZGR )
gender: Male
BIRTH 1850
stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 6: thomas LEITH (AFN: 4Z4L-54P )
gender: Male
BIRTH 1861
Stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 7: Robert LEITH (AFN: 4Z4L-1FV )
gender: Male
BIRTH 1854
stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

name: Robert S LEITH
gender: Male
birth: 1784
Carnwarth
AFN: 4Z4J-NS5

Marriages (1)
spouse: Susanna (Susan) SCOTT (AFN: 4Z4J-QPV )
Hide children (6)

child 1: Helen LEITH (AFN: 4Z4J-SFK )
gender: Female
BIRTH 14 AUG 1808
Stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 2: John LEITH (AFN: 4Z4J-VFW )
gender: Male
BIRTH 8 SEP 1811
Stonehouse Lanarkshire Scotland

child 3: Alexander LEITH (AFN: 4Z4K-0H0 )
gender: Male
BIRTH 28 MAR 1817
Stonehouse lanarkshire Scotland
DEATH 6 OCT 1892
7 New Street Stonehouse

child 4: Margaret LEITH (AFN: 4Z4K-382 )
gender: Female
BIRTH 1820
Stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 5: James LEITH (AFN: 4Z4J-XMH )
gender: Male
BIRTH 6 MAR 1814
Stonehouse lanarkshire scotland

child 6: William PLENDERLEITH (AFN: 4Z4Z-N2D )
gender: Male
BIRTH 26 JUN 1806
Stonehouse Lanarkshire Scotland
DEATH 5 APR 1885
Stonehouse Lanarkshire Scotland

John Leith
England and Wales Census, 1871
birth: 1845 Aberdeen,? Scotland
residence: 1871 Ecclesall Bierlow,? Yorkshire (West Riding),? England
child: John Charles Leith


name: John Leith
event: Census
event date: 1871
gender: Male
age: 26
relationship to head of household: Self
birthplace: Aberdeen, Scotland
record type: Household
registration district: Ecclesall Bierlow
sub-district: Ecclesall Bierlow
event parish: Ecclesall Bierlow
county: Yorkshire (West Riding)

1851

Name: John Leith
Age: 7
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844
Relationship: Son
Father's Name: Alexander Leith
Mother's Name: Agnes Leith
Gender: Male
Where born: Kingoldrum, forfarshire
Parish Number: 321
Civil parish: Tannadice
Town: Tannadice
County: Angus
Address: Village
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 2
Page: 1 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 2
Line: 10
Roll: CSSCT1851_69
Household Members: Name Age
Alexander Leith 27 b. Kirriemuir, Ag. Lab
Agnes Leith 30 b. Lentrathen, forfarshire
John Leith 7
Betsy Leith 1


The same chap in 1861

Name: John Leith
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844
Relationship: Servant
Gender: Male
Where born: Parish N K, Forfarshire <<<<<<
Registration Number: 328
Registration district: Alyth
Civil parish: Alyth
County: Perthshire
Address: Cumno
Occupation: Millwright
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 41
Line: 6
Roll: CSSCT1861_47
Household Members: Name Age
David Galloway 53
Margaret Galloway 43
David Galloway 19
George Miler 19
Denton Illingworth 20
Alexander Mcwalter 18
Thomas Cossaus 17
Peter Stewart 12
Agnes Campbell 19
John Leith 17

Not seeing the same man on later census.


This is the census that you refer to. Have you looked at the image of the original on Scotlandspeople to check Elizabeth's status please? Was she single or perhaps a widow who had reverted to her maiden surname?



1851

Name: Elizabeth Thomson
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1821
Relationship: Head
Where born: Aberdeen, aberdeenshire
Parish Number: 168B
Civil parish: Old Machar
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: 101 Skene Street
Occupation: Winder Of Jain
ED: 19
Page: 55 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 294
Line: 14
Roll: CSSCT1851_41
Household Members: Name Age
Elizabeth Thomson 30
John Leith 6

Rootgatherer - Elizabeth's status is 'Unmarried'.

I should also have said, that on John and Elspeth's marriage certificate Alexander Leith is Deceased by this time (1869) . This also cuts out the Stonehouse, Lanarkshire connection as that Alexander died in 1892.

Shirley-I'mgetting..... Yes, it was a typo it should have been 1869.

I do know of the Kirriemuir family but discounted this as they are all Ag.Labs and Alexander was a Commercial Clerk.

As to the information in Sheffield - I have all the English documentation for John and his descendents, it is the Scottish connection that I'm having trouble with but I do appreciate your input.

I have spent lots of time and money on ScotlandsPeople over the years but can't dig up anything new. I thought maybe someone has access to a different database or documents or train of thought. My lateral thinking is getting a bit circular. :-S

Your response has been amazing and really appreciated.

maybe barking up the wrong tree, but it maybe worth checking out??


1861 Scotland Census
about John L Cameron

Name: John L Cameron

Age: 16

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845

Relationship: Son

Mother's Name: Jane Cameron

Gender: Male

Where born: Abdn, abdsh

Registration Number: 168B

Registration district: Old Machar

Civil parish: Old Machar

Town: Aberdeen

County: Aberdeenshire

Address: 32 Upper Den Burn

Occupation: Printer Compositor

Jane Cameron 44
John L Cameron 16