Sordel? Aukingill?-Thurso

[jackie]

HI can anyone tell me where theses two places might be, I know I have seen postings for Auckingill before but too many threads to go through. I just pulled a certificate from Scotland people for a Helen Swanson that maybe my greatgggrandmother. It says:
1747 Jan 25 Jo. Swanson in Sordel (Fordel)? Had his daughter Helen baptized. Witnesses
(Ian??? Wa????ner or possibly Donald McPherson) there and Margaret Swanson in Aukingill.

Not sure at all about the first witness but the 2nd is definately Margaret Swanson and I was thinking that she might be a sister of John, or even his mother. Not sure if the mothers did or went to the baptisms or not
Trying to find my Swanson connections, but they seem to dwindle away throughout the years.
Any help greatly appreciated.
Jackie

[tenabowla]

I would suggest that Sordel is probably sordale which is near weydale.

[jackie]

Does anyone know of a map of that area where Sordal(e) is possibly located next to Weydale or close to it?
I am assuming from the Cert that I pulled it is in Thurso area. Also, Does anyone have any history of Swanson's in their line? Dating back into the 1700's, just trying to see if I can get a handle on that part of my family.
Thanks
Jackie

[jackie]

I just was reading another posting and came across multimap.com and I now have a good picture of where Auckingill and Sordale are in association with Thurso.
Good to have the Local now.
thanks for the hints of multimap.com
Jackie

[Mamie_2]

Hej Jackie
It's up northwest of Nybster but south of Freswick

Maryann

[Robert1893]

Jackie, Sordale is on the A882 Watten to Thurso road, about three and a half miles south of Thurso. It is on the junction of a minor road that runs roughly east. About half a mile along here there is a left turn into a road that leads to Achingills. About another mile further along this road there is Weydale. So these farms are all quite close together.

I am interested in your Swansons. My GGGreat Grandmother was Helen Waters whose birth I have narrowed down to one of three possibles. One of these with the odds in her favour (at the moment) was christened in 1773 to a Donald Waters and Helen Swanson at Stainland. This is two miles from Weydale. In 1782 a daughter, Margaret was christened to parents of the same name in Weydale. You mention a witness called Margaret Swanson, present at the birth of Helen Swanson in Achengills in 1747. I wonder if there might be a connection. I wonder if your Helen Swanson could be the wife of Donald Waters and mother of my Helen Waters. The locations are all close and there is the occurrence of a Margaret in each case.

[jackie]

HI Robert,

My Helen Swanson is married to William Simpson, son of Matthew Simpson & Margaret Waters (Parents: James Waters & Isobel Mulliken). Matthew's parents were William Simpson + Margaret Waters (Margaret's parents unknown) .

So your Donald could be a relation to either one of these Margaret's, and your Helen Swanson could be also a relation to my Helen Swanson. ON the Scotland's people I pulled the cert for Helen, listing that Helen's father as John Swanson.
So maybe John Swanson and Donald Swanson are brothers and the Margaret listed on Helen's baptism is either her Aunt or her mother. Sometimes I wish you could get more definate answers than the maybe's.

Jackie

[Robert1893]

Hi Jackie,

I had not tried to research Helen Swanson before as I am not even sure if she was the mother of my Helen Waters. There were three Thurso births of Helen Waters at appropriate times, any of whom could have married Donald Sutherland, my 3x Great Grandfather. I have recently excluded one who lived at Shalmstry as she is listed as unmarried in the 1851 and 1861 Census returns. That leaves two other possibles of whom one is the daughter of Helen Swanson and Donald Waters of Stainland and latterly Weydale. I am looking at this since I saw your recent message and will see if I can find any links. I need to have a good look at your information and also have a good think with a clear head.

[jackie]

Robert if you come up with anything let me know. I have been scratching me heed on my Helen Swanson for years now. I dinna cain if the one born tae John Swanson is 'er but these auld fowks o' oors give us a run fae oor money that is fae sure!

Let me know
Thanks
Jackie

[Robert1893]

Jackie,

There was a Helen Swanson born in Thurso, locality unknown at the moment. The Christening is given as 22 January 1733 and the father as Donald Swanson. The mother's name is blank. Typical! However there was a marriage of a Donald Swanson to a Margaret McPhail in Thurso, 17 October 1728. This is from the IGI, a well known source of information needing careful interpretation. However I am hoping to have accesss to the microfilms of Thurso OPRs soon and will look for other births to Donald Swanson and see if there are localities given. Trouble is, with the name Swanson being so frequent it might be impossible to sort this out. Happy days!

[Rosemary Skea]

Robert,
If you go to the FREEREG web site you will find all the Thurso OPR transcriptions of the marriages up to 1854 and births up until 1820. I am working on the last volume of births at the moment but it will be another couple of months before I have finished up until 1854.

And if you don't know, it costs nothing to view. On the same site the OPR for Olrig and Dunnet are complete, and there is a couple for Reay and Halkirk.

Rosemary

Queensland Australia

[Robert1893]

Hello Rosemary,

Thank you for that information. People like yourself are saints for transcribing records. I co-ordinate a group of transcribers of birth and marriage records for a number of register districts in England and I know how much work can be involved. I will certainly head straight to the FREEREG site. As far as I am aware and you no doubt can confirm, there are no existing records of marriages for Thurso between 1747 and 1782.

Robert

[Rosemary Skea]

Yes you are right Robert. 23 July 1747 is the last record in 1747 and the next one is 16th May 1782.

Rosemary