In addition to tracing my Cairns ancestory I am also keen to trace the families that make up the other branches of my tree. The following are some of the brick walls I have come up against so if you can help me overcome these obsticles I would be forever grateful.

David Cairns son of David Cairns a Net Weaver in Fisherow Musselburgh and Mary Tweedale and his wife Agnes Murray dau of John Murray a Gardener in Tyminghame and Musselburgh and Elizabeth Anderson.

What happened to Jessie Murray?

Is she in your family tree? Jessie Murray was born on 29 June 1856 at Prestonpans East Lothian, daughter of John Murray and Elizabeth Anderson. In the Census of 1861 the family were found to be residing at the Back of Newbiggin Musselburgh. The childs name was given as Janet and she was aged 4. In the 1871 Census at Back Road, Newbiggin Jessie is discribed as a Needle Woman aged 15. This is the last record I have of Jessie except the photograph displayed on this page which clearly shows a handsome woman in her late teens or twenties.

The handwritten note on the back of this photograph which was written by my Great Aunt Minnie confirms that this photograph was of Jessie Murray, Aunt Minnie's mothers only sister. The question is what became of Jessie Murray. I have searched for a marrage and for her death but so far all my research has come up negative. The Census of 1881 shows that Elizabeth Anderson, Jessies mother, was still living in Newbiggin Musselburgh with her son Alexander a Golf Caddie, and a child named Mary Murray aged 8 years. The child was discribed as her grandaughter.

A search for the birth of Mary Murray revealed no child of that name being born in Auchtermuchty Fife as the Census stated. So could this little girl have been Jessies illigitamate child?

No further record of this child has been found. Is she one of your ancestors?

Jessie Murray had six brothers and most of them have been traced. Although it is known that one of her brothers, John lived for a time in Aberdour Fife with his wife Martha Cathcart. They had a son Andrew, born 5 Dec 1872 at Aberdour but no evidence has been found to link Mary with John & Martha or any of her other brothers.

Jessie had a brother Andrew who according to Census records was born about 1851 in the Parish of Whittinghame East Lothian. No record of this birth has been found likewise with other members of this family. A search of the 1881 Census shows one Andrew Murray a Coalminer born 1854 in the parish of Prestonkirk East Lothian as a Prisoner in Greenside Prison Edinburgh. Whittinghame is quite close to Prestonkirk.

Who was this man ? What was his crime ? What became of him ? Any information that could lead me to source material that perhaps could help solve this mystery would be very much appreciated.

If you think you can help with information. Please contact me:

| Home Page | One Name Study | Queries | Email | Family Tree |

This document is maintained by archie.cairns@blueyonder.co.uk. Material Copyright © 2000 Archie Cairns