The AITKEN brothers

[barbarajoh]

Dave, when Thomas marries Margaret in 1851 at Penicuik, he is a farmer of Australia so Pengrove's research looks right. In which case I question whether they are brothers? But then the Borthwick makes me think they are. Confused

Last night I searched
Monumental Inscriptions in Carrington, Newbatttle, Old Peatland (Lasswade), Newton and Roswell (Lasswade) all Midlothian.

I also searched burial record transcriptions which had the period 1820 to 1854 in Borthwick, Heriot and Stow, Glencorse, Penicuik, Newton, Crichton, Sutra, Costorphine and Cramond

I had already searched all Peeblesshire.

Searched burial transcriptions for Broughton 1820-1844, Glenholm 1822-1851.

There are Aitkens and Borthwicks in all these parishes which you would expect when Borthwick is a parish there and Aitken is such a common name but no Isabella's being buried married to an Aitken.

I also wondered about Borthwick being given to a grandchild who stayed in the area. Is that worth a search.

Barbara

.

 

[barbarajoh]

Marriage 28/07/1751 AITKINE GEORGE MARGARET BORTHWICK/FR383 (FR383) M MID CALDER /MIDLOTHIAN

This one makes me wonder if the Borthwick is further back, grandmother or great grandmother. they had a James in 1757 who could be the James born Midcalder in the census on the first or second page of this topic!

 

[DaveHam9]

Thanks very much Barbara.

Nothing found yet to prove or disprove they were brothers. Can't find them together in 1841.

No births recorded for either family on the vessel. So using known children born here naming pattern for both points to John & Isabella although shipping record says James & Isabella.

Did the informant for George's death assume his mother was Borthwick because it was a middle name for one of the children?

Another middle name was Moffat.

Both dead by 1852 but don't know how much earlier they died.

There is this one

James Aitken & Isobella Davidson
24 Dec 1816 Saint Cuthberts Edinburgh, Midlothian
Bride's Father: John Davidson
Batch: M119884

Death 04/03/1833 AITKEN ISABELLA DAVIDSON / JAMES AITKEN F LEITH SOUTH EDINBURGH CITY CITY/MIDLOTHIAN 692/02 0340 0186

Dave

 

[DaveHam9]

Copied from earlier post

That can't be Thomas who was 19 in 1841 per shipping record - arrived 15 July 1841

1841 census 6 June. Thomas could not have been in Scotland on census night.

Piece: SCT1841/690 Place: Kirknewton -Midlothian Enumeration District: 2
Civil Parish: Kirknewton Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 5 Page: 8
Address: Listonshields
Surname First name(s) *** Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
AITKEN James M 80 Farmer Midlothian
AITKEN James M 35 Midlothian
AITKEN James M 15 Midlothian
AITKEN Thomas M 13 Midlothian
AITKEN David M 11 Midlothian
AITKEN Margaret F 77 Midlothian
AITKEN Elizabeth F 30 Midlothian
AITKEN Janet F 15 Midlothian
AITKEN Margaret F 13 Midlothian
AITKEN Marion F 11 Midlothian

Piece: SCT1851/690 Place: Kirknewton -Midlothian Enumeration District: 2
Civil Parish: K-Newton & E Calder Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: East Calder
Folio: 688 Page: 12 Schedule: 39
Address: Listonshiells
Surname First name(s) Rel Status *** Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
AITKEN Margaret Head W F 81 Farmer Of 80 Acres Arable Midlothian - Mid Calder
AITKEN Janet Grndau U F 30 Farmer's Gnd Daur Emp At Home Midlothian - Kirknewton
AITKEN Thomas Grnson U M 23 Farmer's Grndson Emp At Home Midlothian - Liston Shiells
AITKEN Margaret Grndau U F 23 Farmer's Grd Daur Emp At Home Midlothian - Liston Shiells
AITKEN David Grnson U M 21 Farmer's Grandson Emp At Home Midlothian - Liston Shiells
HISLOP Helen Servnt U F 23 Gen Serv Peebles-shire - West Linton
HISLOP Humphrey Servnt M M 31 Ag Lab Lanarkshire - Crawford
REID William Servnt U M 16 Ag Lab Midlothian - Kirknewton
PATERSON William Servnt U M 13 Ag Lab Midlothian - Currie

 

[DaveHam9]

A note that is very hard to read on the shipping record for Thomas & Margaret in 1852.

Remarks: These people left ... ? in ... May/Mary ?? while having been in the employ of Mr A Cornwall / O'Connell ?? of - ... ? 10/16 ? ... ? They originally came not having their passage paid and invoiced in England.
Paid £2 each

Next time I'm at the State Library I'll save another image at a higher resolution.


Have not yet found what part of Queensland the two lived in.

Janet nee Cairns died in Brisbane at the home of a married daughter in 1910.

 

[DaveHam9]

The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) Wed 16 Apr 1873 p.1
BIRTHS
AITKEN.-On the 7th April, at Spring Hill, Mrs George Aitken, of a daughter.

BDM has the birth as 11th.

Spring Hill is only 2 km N of Brisbane CBD.


There is more than one Thomas Aitken in Queensland married to a Margaret.

Finding nothing in Trove for them in 1850s and 1860s.

 

[DaveHam9]

A birth is missing from the index

The Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861) Sat 4 Jun 1859 p.2
BIRTH
At Brisbane, on the 28th. ultimo, Mrs. Geo Aitken, of a son.

Thomas Cairns Aitken (my great grandfather) born 1860 Brisbane Queensland. I believe he died on 6 June 1893. He married Annie Young Dewar, and their children were Janet Aitken, Christina Brough Aitken and Thomas George Aitken. The lived in Mackay

Ok that fits.

2nd son - Mother's father

They both named a second daughter Isabella with middle name Borthwick.

 

[DaveHam9]

George and Janet named a daughter Marion Moffat

Robert Aitken
2 Oct 1800 BARONY,LANARK Birth 14 Sep 1800
Robert Aitken & Marrion Moffat


Janet died after George so if she was the informant then she has his father as Robert.

What is more reliable? James from Shipping record, John from naming pattern and Robert from death reg.

 

[DaveHam9]

Found a tree with Isabella Borthwick

Born 1428 Fife. :biggrin:

 

[pengrove]

Hi all,

can't keep up with you super searchers but I've been everywhere you have over the last 3 decades -- including a (futile) trip to Penicuick! I have lots more info to help -- and my tree on Ancestry ( Purdy/Elphinston/Covington tree) is based on my own research (don't trust others).

1. not wholly convinced about brothers -- they could be cousins or half brothers. Cousins could explain common grandmother, although I have also assumed Isabella Borthwick might be a bit further back.

2. there's a family story about poverty/orphanage/Balmerino house (don't know any more)

3. both George and Thomas were in Oz before returning (farmer wants a wife). see familysearch for George Aitken, aged 19, of Penicuick, arr 23.1.1842 per "Margaret", parents James Aiken (mason) and Isabella Aitken.

4. Agree there may be a false positive in the shipping records throwing us off.

5. I'd disregard Robert Aitken - second hand informant and not contemporaneous.

6. Thomas and Margaret children include:
869 C2937 Charlotte Aitkin Thomas Margaret Storey

Jane Munsden Aitken was born 24 OCT 1855, Durundur, Queensland. Don't know why there's no official record -- maybe a mispelling, although have her sister Isabella's baptism certificate registered in NSW. Jane died 30 JUN 1876, Townsville, in child birth. My great grandmother (Jane's niece) inherited the rather ungainly name of Jane Munson/Munsden Buckpitt Covington in memory.

7. A living Aitken wrote to me in 1985 as follows: "Thomas Aitken came to Australia when only a lad of about 17 years, my grandmother tells me. He returned to Scotland later and married Margaret Storie. Her parents were much against the wedding. Years later someone else in the family migrated to Australia and the family sent Thomas and Margaret a china ornament of 'Topsy and Eva', the characters from Uncle Tom's Cabin as a reconciliation gift".

8. Thomas Aitken prospered and settled on a large acreage in Townsville, now known as the suburb of Aitkenvale. George Aitken family appears to have been Brisbane based, certainly in later years.

9. The Storrie family were supposedly related to John Douglas Storey, a Queensland public service commissioner and University chancellor, after whom the Storey bridge is named. I've never established the connection, but have quite a bit of info on the Storrie family in Scotland.

10: I have a lot of full certificates - just too many to upload.

 

[pengrove]

..and more:

1. An extract from the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Jubilee Issue, dated 27 Aug 1913 (not on Trove - I have a transcript) says "Thomas Aitken was born in Scotland in 1817 and arrived in Moreton Bay in 1835. Went to Colinton or Cressbrook station owned by Mr D McConnel...engaged in dairying business in vicinity of Brisbane until 1867 when they came to Townsville to take up 3,500 acres of land at Ross River, near Townsville".

2. Have some OPR transcripts (deaths) that may be of interest:


11 June 1823: John Aiken, wright, Krulbridge, parish of Linton, interred

3 Dec 1829: John Aitken, son of John Aitken, feuar, Kirkhill, interred aged 25years

27 Feb 1839: John Aitken, feuar, Kirkhill, interred

 

[pengrove]

and some more on Thomas and Margaret Aitken:

http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2012/01/23/queensland-place-histories-aitkenvale/

https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/5994/WE-Cemetery-Trail-2.pdf

http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/36902064?q&versionId=47912455

 

[barbarajoh]

James who marries Isabella Davidson is a bookbinder so unlikely to be yours.

Have you checked non conformist records in your searches over the decades, Pengrove? No baptisms for the boys that are clear to be them

Maybe that hard to read shipping info is the way to go, Dave? but it looks like Mr McConnell is in Australia so not much I can do to help.

 

[DaveHam9]

Thanks pengrove.

Thanks Barbara.

From the first arrivals:

George - father James (mason) - 1st son John James

Thomas - father John (wright) - 1st son John

Half-brothers or cousins then.

Return arrival says they can both read and write.

George should be in the 1841 census.

My connection is by two of Janet Cairn's sisters.

Dave

 

[barbarajoh]

I like this one, Dave

Isabella Aikine Female 60 1781 Midlothian, Scotland
John Aikine Male 21 1820 Midlothian, Scotland
James Aikine Male 19 1822 Midlothian, Scotland
George Aikine Male 12 1829 Midlothian, Scotland

Address is East side of village of Pathhead and parish Crichton.

Barbara

 

[barbarajoh]

This James looks worth following because of the birth place and that he calls his first son James

At Cromistone Bank, Libberton, Lanarkshire

James Aitken Head Married Male 28 1823 Agricultural Labourer Broughton, Peeblesshire, Scotland
Mary Aitken Wife Married Female 25 1826 Wife West Calder, Midlothian, Scotland
James Aitken Son - Male 4 1847 At Home Cambusnethan, Midlothian, Scotland
Thomas Aitken Son - Male 2 1849 - Symington, Midlothian, Scotland

 

[DaveHam9]

Yes, thanks Barbara.

That James born 1823 could well be related.

I'll probably go to the State Library tomorrow so I will again check that 1852 arrival clearly has James as the father of both. Does not agree with the name of first son - John. I will also check George's age because it's not clear if it is 23 or 28 - it was 19 in 1842.

A mason and a wright and sons are farm lab and shepherd. ?? Could mean both died when they were young and they ended up with relatives on a farm.

Dave

 

[barbarajoh]

maybe not?

1851 still at Crichton
sabella Aitkine Head Widow Female 72 1779 Pauper U K Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland
James Aitkine Son Unmarried Male 28 1823 Coalminer Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland
George Aitkine Son Unmarried Male 22 1829 Coalminer Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland

do we rule this out or is it still a slight possible

 

[DaveHam9]

George should be abt 18 in 1841.

As of 4 Jan 1852 parents are listed as both dead. No clues from shipping record when or where they died.

Crichton is probably out.

James born 1823 could be a brother of one of them.

Half-brothers or cousins.

Dave

 

[barbarajoh]

You said in one of your messages that George could be 1823 or 1828, that is was hard to read?

Too many Aitkens or Aikens or Aikines

Barbara