McDonald Family Pulteneytown

[Duncan McDonald]

My parents, now dec'd started researching my fathers family in Leith. They traced my fathers. grandfather to Pultenytown around 1890's but got no further. Proofs seemed difficult because of a disparity of ages however all the names and relative ages tied up. The names were Duncan McDonald and Chrissie Malcolm.
Apparently the family bible was left with other members in 'Wick'
Can anyone shed any light on their background or how and why they would go to Leith
Thanks

[trinkie]

I cant find Duncan MacDonald in Wick on the 1901 census.
can you give rough dates of birth etc, were there any children?

There is a Duncan and Christine in Perth - could that be them?

Many Caithness folk went to Leith. I suppose the fishing took them down there, but there would have been more work in Leith for them
there wasn't the same industry in Caithness at that time.

Give us more details if you possible can.

Good luck
Trinkie

[trinkie]

I found them in the 1891 census
22 Smith Terrace Wick.

Duncan MacDonald 62yrs born Portmahomack
Chris M 46
Chris M 13
Jamesina M 9.

will go back and look again !

Trinkie

[trinkie]

I think I've found them in Leith 1901 census

7 Ballantyne Place

Duncan MacDonald 66yrs born Portmahomack
Christine 58
Duncan 25 born Pultneytown Marine Fireman
Jamesina 17 born Pultneytown Coffee Bottler
William born THURSO. grandson

hope this helps
Trinkie

[Duncan McDonald]

Thanks for the prompt response.
From notes I have found I can add some further information;
There was a brother William born 21/5/1884 in a street noted as Barnigal St Pulteneytown but I'd guess that may be Barrogill St. There was also a sister Elisabeth.

[trinkie]

1891 census 12 Barrogill Street, Pultneytown

William MacDonald 31 Fisher born Pultneytown
Christina 32
Robert M 12
Christina 9
William 7
Duncan J 4
Colin M 1 all children born in P'town

I wonder if the M is for Malcolm - which could have been the surname of a grandmother.


Hope this helps,
Trinkie

[trinkie]

I've also found

1901 census ship ''Benbow'' off Keyham Dockyard Devonport, Devon.

William MacDonald born Scotland 1884 Crew/ Boy single age 17yrs.


This could be your William...... you will have to decide !
If you want to see the page please PM with your email address.

Trinkie

[Duncan McDonald]

Hi Trinkie
That looks as though it could well be the family. Another remote cousin Gt'Gt' granddaughter of William spoke recently about Collin as a brother. I understood the sister to be Elisabeth and was unaware of Robert. I am now wondering if a further sister was born in Leith, there is talk of 2 sisters who lived together, one of whom married a Robert Gun
Malcolm was the surname of William's wife 'Chrissie'.
My father, Duncan, was at one time manager of Wick airport and I have pictures of him greeting the Queen Mother when she visited. Whilst living in Wick he apparently 'bumped' into a branch of remaining family.
We understand the family bible remained with the family in Wick

[phyllis ferguson]

Just a wee word of advice.Don't get hung up on middle names. They could be grandparents names but very often they were names of the minister who baptised them. I got caught in this trap for a while.
It's more modern for grandparents names to be used nowadays (last 100yrs) and not necessarily in the 19th century.