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Thomsons from Prestonpans to North Berwick

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Kelly

Kelly Report 21 Jul 2025 17:19

Interesting - Thank you

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 20 Jul 2025 18:09

Possibly "Milly" ??? Just a suggestion - her father Alexander might have been a brother of William??

No way to prove it.

Amelia Thomson
in the 1851 Scotland Census
Name Amelia Thomson
Age 22
Estimated Birth Year abt 1829
Relationship Servant
Gender Female
Where born Preston Paris, East Lothian [Prestonpans, East Lothian]
Parish Number 685/2
Civil parish Edinburgh St Cuthberts
County Midlothian
Address 25 Earl Grey St
Occupation House Servt
ED 35A
Page 7
Household schedule number 31
Line 12
Roll CSSCT1851_183
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Andrew Grieve 38 Head
Sarah Grieve 40 Wife
Mary A Grieve 22 Daughter
Samuel A Grieve 21 Son
Graham Grieve 12 Son
Amelia Thomson 22 Servant


Baptism ??

THOMSON
AMELIA
ALEXANDER THOMSON/AMELIA WATSON FR2154 (FR2154)
F
08/10/1828
718
80 / 84
Prestonpans


Parents' marriage ??

THOMSON
ALEXANDER
MYLES /WATSON FR2332 (FR2332)
11/11/1825
718
90 / 33
Prestonpans


Can't see Alexander and Mylie/Emily in 1841, nor definite deaths for them before that.

Kelly

Kelly Report 20 Jul 2025 17:10

Thanks for the hint for downloading the images, the certificates at £15 were getting a bit expensive.

Your advice is always welcome, my ambition is to be as good as you guys, and I promise I won't make any assumptions.

Thank you all, I am very much looking forward to my visit to Canty Bay & North Berwick.

My 3 offspring are taking me their for my 60th birthday :) Have a great summer

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 20 Jul 2025 13:37

Re 1841 census;

James Thomson in 1841 census is possibly William's father - but no way to prove that.
Possibly his death ??:

THOMSON
JAMES
-----
51
M
31/10/1841
718
90 / 240
Prestonpans



William's baptism isn't showing on Scotland's People.

Ages stated in 1841 were frequently inaccurate, so don't assume Milly was definitely born c1829.
There's no baptism for Milly on SP, in any year, with any parents.
No marriage or death, either, as far as I can see.

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 20 Jul 2025 12:29

Address in 1881 was HERIOT Place.................

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 20 Jul 2025 12:08

This MAY be William's death...........buy CREDITS (as advised on your earlier threads) to download the image. No need to buy the cert!

THOMSON
WILLIAM
80
-----
M
1891
713 / 47
North Berwick

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 20 Jul 2025 11:53

Are you making use of Scotland's People website?

It should be your 'best friend' ..................

NB: 1841 does not show relationships..................until you can prove it, don't assume any of the children other than Mary are offspring of the 1831 marriage.

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 20 Jul 2025 11:20

1841 and 1851 censuses were posted by Argyllgran a few days ago

Do not make any assumptions...................ever. That is a piece of advice I was given many years ago, and it is wise to heed it.
You were the only one attaching Mary Buchan to your family ;-) ;-) ;-)
Thomson is such a common name - there may be no connection.............or a close one. Only careful research will give you the answer.

Good luck with your further research

Kelly

Kelly Report 20 Jul 2025 09:56

I have just checked out 1841
William Thomson
in the 1841 Scotland Census
Name William Thomson
Age 30
Estimated Birth Year abt 1811
Gender Male
Where born East Lothian, Scotland
Civil parish Prestonpans
County East Lothian
Address Prestonpans
Occupation Seaman
Parish Number 718
Household Members (Name) Age
James Thomson 50 – seaman – How related ?
William Thomson 30 - seaman
Janet Thomson 25
George Thomson 6
Milly Thomson 12 - Born 2 years before James & Janet wed ? on 18/12/1831
Mary Thomson 2

It seems by 1851 - Janet James & Millie have gone ?


Kelly

Kelly Report 20 Jul 2025 08:54

Hi Erica, thank you for all your work and you are right, there was a mistake with the year of William Thomson born 1815, That is corrected.

I have ordered marriage certificate for Mary Thomson & George Kelly to confirm but from reading Abby's notice regarding Mary's parents we have her mother as Janet Thomson NOT Mary BUCHAN as previously thought
Name George Kelly
Age 22 years
Birth Year (Estimated) 1837
Marital Status Single
Occupation Fisherman
Father's Name James Kelly
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Janet Hogg Kelly
Mother's Sex Female
Spouse's Name Mary Thomson
Spouse's Age 22 years
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1837
Spouse's Marital Status Single
Spouse's Father's Name William Thomson
Spouse's Father's Sex Male
Spouse's Mother's Name Janet Thomson Thomson
Spouse's Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 20 May 1859
Event Place North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Thank you for the marriage of William & Janet Thomson , having the same surname could indicate they are distant cousins? Were first cousins aloud to marry ?
THOMSON, WILLIAM
JANET THOMSON/FR2348 (FR2348)
18/12/1831
718
90 / 65
Prestonpans

Kelly

Kelly Report 18 Jul 2025 21:05

Thank you everyone I have alot to be getting on with.

I have an appointment at the scottish Fisherie Museum , John Gray centre, and I've been invited down to Canty bay . Very excited

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 18 Jul 2025 20:59

You really must read the latest info on the previous page

You should have downloaded the marriage certificate………..the info you’ve got is incomplete, and you can’t do FH research with only partial info. That’s the way to get things very wrong.

Kelly

Kelly Report 18 Jul 2025 20:55

My Mary Thomson was born 1837 and died 1922 aged 85

George Kelly married Mary Thomson May 1859
Name: George Kelly Gender: Male Marriage Date: 20 May 1859
Marriage Place: North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
Spouse: Mary Thomson
FHL Film Number: 6035516
Dwelling: 7 Heriot Place, Haddington, North Berwick Scotland

By 1861 Census George Kelly and Mary Kelly have moved in with Mary's father William Thomson - Head - From Prestonpan aged 55 living at Shore street with their 2 year old son James Kelly

By 1871 George Kelly & Mary Thomson still living at Shore Street. They have six children and a lodger - probably Mary father William Thomson from Prestonpans . George is listed as a fisherman. - Head
Richard is listed as one year old.

By 1881 the family are living at 7 Heriot Place in North Berwick but by this time ( 1880) George has died. Given that Elizabeth is three years old it is likely that George died after 1877.


In 1891 the family is living at 9 Heriot Place (although there is a possibility it is still the same house, the numbering having changed).

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 18 Jul 2025 20:55

I hope the OP returns before rushing off to Cockenzie on a wild goose chase………

Abby

Abby Report 18 Jul 2025 20:14

Field
(only fields with a value are shown) Value
County East Lothian
Place (Links to more information) North Berwick
Church name (Links to more information) North Berwick Vol Vii
Register type (Links to more information) Unspecified
Register entry number 22
Marriage date 7 Dec 1822
Groom forename James
Groom surname KELLY
Groom parish North Berwick
Groom condition Bachelor
Bride forename Janet
Bride surname HOGG
Bride parish North Berwick
Bride condition Spinster
Notes Proclamation
Transcribed by Mary Hamilton
Credit by the General Register Office for Scotland
File line number 34

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 18 Jul 2025 18:19

??

Mary Thomson
in the 1851 Scotland Census
Name Mary Thomson
Age 13
Estimated Birth Year abt 1838
Relationship Daughter
Father
William Thonson
Gender Female
Where born Prestonpans, haddington
Parish Number 718
Civil parish Prestonpans
Town Prestonpans
County East Lothian
Address High Street
ED 5
Page 2
Household schedule number 9
Line 18
Roll CSSCT1851_193
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
William Thonson 32 Head - sailor
George Thomson 15 Son - coal miner
Mary Thomson 13 Daughter

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 18 Jul 2025 17:48

Possibly the family in 1841??

William Thomson
in the 1841 Scotland Census
Name William Thomson
Age 30
Estimated Birth Year abt 1811
Gender Male
Where born East Lothian, Scotland
Civil parish Prestonpans
County East Lothian
Address Prestonpans
Occupation Seaman
Parish Number 718
Household Members (Name) Age
James Thomson 50 - seaman
William Thomson 30 - seaman
Janet Thomson 25
George Thomson 6
Milly Thomson 12
Mary Thomson 2

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 18 Jul 2025 17:32

Mary's baptism is not on Scotlands People - nor are any siblings' baptisms.

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 18 Jul 2025 17:28

Mary's parents' marriage??

THOMSON, WILLIAM
JANET THOMSON/FR2348 (FR2348)
18/12/1831
718
90 / 65
Prestonpans

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 18 Jul 2025 16:55

So, as I suspected, the 1851 census is NOT in any way relevant

Thank you Abby