Topic: A Brick Wall Revisited

Isabella Johnston, my 1C2R, a descendant of my GGF’s elder brother, was born about 1847 in Glasgow. Her father Charles Johnston (1817- d.before 1857) married Isabella McFarlane (b. abt 1819 – d. bef 1857) on 20 Nov 1837 in Glasgow. They had six children including Isabella. I could not find any precise dates for either her mother or Isabella herself, nor in fact the dates for any of the other five siblings. But I did find some Census entries. They show that all children were born in Glasgow.

By 1861 the family dynamics had changed. The parents had both died, probably due to typhoid, cholera or dysentery. Isabella and two of her siblings were living with their unmarried Aunt Mary and Uncle Robert in Glasgow. Isabella was still with her Aunt (by then married) in 1871, and she continued to live with them until at least 1891. By then she was aged 42, an unmarried waitress. I had not been able to trace her any further.

So now, under the impetus of this 52 Weeks quest and the knowledge that there were many more entries in ScotlandsPeople, I returned to the search – and soon discovered Isabella’s death record – she died aged 76 and she had a husband named Balfour McGregor. Scottish death certificates are very informative and confirmed that her parents were Charles Johnston and Isabella McFarlane.

Back to the 1911 Scottish Census and there she was aged 60, with husband Balfour McGregor, a brass finisher/Labourer aged 58, duration of marriage 22 years??? (most likely a typo – actually 12 years as discovered later.) Living with them in Glasgow was an English-born schoolgirl named Kate McIntosh aged 4 and a lodger also born in England.

On to the 1921 Scottish Census which gave them at the same address as on her death certificate, but with a new surprise – a daughter Catherine aged 20½, born in London. Isabella would have been aged 52 then so perhaps Catherine was Balfour’s daughter but not hers – and most likely the Kate McIntosh of the 1911 Census.

Balfour’s identity is not in question. He was born in Anderston, Glasgow in 1858. Was Balfour married before? Could Catherine have indeed been Isabella’s daughter …? I cannot find any marriages for her, to either Balfour McGregor or an earlier McIntosh. And what happened to the daughter? Questions for more research! But I am happy that I have progressed well beyond that earlier brick wall.