I have a mystery that may be difficult to solve.
Peter Brian, one of many spellings of the surname married in Pool of muckart, Perthshire, Scotland in 1821 to Helen Imrie, possibly from Creiff. From that time on he appears in Valuations and Census' with helen, as follows:
1821 Marriage Record: Peter Brian
1841 Census: Peter O'Brien, born in ireland
1851 Census: Patrick O'Brien (it is him, must of had a cold), born in ireland
1855 Valuation: Peter O'Brien
1861 Census: Peter Brynas, born in ireland
1865 death Certificate: Peter O'Brien
Somehow, all of the children and future offspring developed this name to Breingan. now there were Breingan's around, so I am guessing they just changed the name, lack of spelling ability I guess. That said, I would say that it is safe to say that Peter's surname was Brian or O'Brien. On his death certificate it is stated that his father was Henry.
Would it be possible to find shipping records or anything to locate him in Ireland?
Brad
Sunday 16th Jun 2019, 07:35PMMessage Board Replies
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Hello, Brad. You're correct, it's difficult.
There were no shipping records. It was internal migration, like moving from Scotland to England or England to Wales, except they had to board a boat. Irish Toolkit website has pages on immigration to Scotland. https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com Select heading Genealogy, then Emigration from drop-down menu. There is a piece "Irish immigration to Scotland". It has an advert (1820s) for Glasgow- Belfast steamer. "... well-established feature of early 19th century life in Ireland - the annual harvest migration..." A column at the side of the page, headed "No passenger lists" suggests alternative techniques for trying to find Irish origin. The page on immigration to Britain in 19th century shows traditional routes and mentions some popular destinations for Irish people from certain counties.
I couldn't read Peter's ocupation on 1861 census. Am I correct that it was "labourer" in 1841 and 1851?
I couldn't make out his father's name on death certificate either. Father's occupation looked like labourer. No mother's name?
Do you know Peter's religious denomination ?
What do you know about Pool of Muckart and district in the early decades of 19thC; how did people earn a living; are there any newspapers relating to the disttrict at the time?
Maggie May
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Hi Maggie,
Thank you very much for the reply.
I will have a read of the website, looks interesting so far. Yes, Peter was a laborour. On the 1861 census I think it means supervisor laborour on ???... a farm name possibly. But, still a laborour. They appear to have used the Church of Scotland for all major things, so protestant.
As for Pool of Muckart and district in the early decades of 19thC, it appears to be farming. But I have not read much about it. I will have to take a look. I hadn't thought about newspapers, expect the should be copies on Ancestry? Unless you have some sources?
thank you again.
Brad
Brad
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Irish Toolkit is interesting, has lots of useful information and tips and has frequent updates and news.
Access to historic newspaper resources depends to some extent on where you are. Local studies department of library service in Perthshire may be able to tell you if there were newspapers reporting on the area during early decades of 19thC. and if they survive. The library service may have a website and online catalogue. Gale British Newspaper Archive and Find My Past newspaper archive are accessible online. Some libraries in Britain provide access to both. Subscribing libraries may also allow their members to use British Newspaper Archive at home via their library membership registration. I don't know about newspapers on Ancestry. My thinking about local newspapers is that there may have been articles or letters about local economy, labour shortage, influx of Irish immigrants etc. and adverts for workers and travel.
I suggest researching economic and social history of the area at the time, paying particular attention to immigrant labour. Library local studies may be able to recommend reading. Local history or family history groups may be worth checking out. Peter may have begun as an annual harvest labourer who became permanent. He may have come alone or as part of a group, possibly from the same district or county. His father may have been the itinerant labourer, bringing his children over later.
Another factor to take into account is that Peter's first 2 decades of life coincided with war with France and unrest, repression, rebellion and invasion in Ireland. There were bad harvests and economic depression throughout Europe during the years after the end of the war at Waterloo in 1815. All those things caused upheaval and movement of people.
Maggie May