Pretend that I wrote this yesterday, in
commemoration of Alexander Cameron’s birthday. Which Alexander Cameron’s birth, you ask?
Given that the tradition of naming sons
after fathers and/or fathers’ fathers is a favoured practice in our family,
there are quite a few so you’re forgiven any confusion!
The Alexander Cameron I refer to, who was
born yesterday, the 15th February but back in 1825 was the second child (and first
son) of Alexander Cameron born 1793 and Janet Cramond born 1800. [1]
This makes him our Robert’s older brother
as well as John, James, Jessy and Elspet’s and younger brother to Jane and my 3rd great grand uncle.
On 27 February 1825 [1], at just over a
week old, Alexander was baptised in the parish Speymouth (aka Urquhart), the
same parish where his parents married [2].
Witnesses to the baptism were an Alexander Anderson, connection unknown, and
Alexander Cameron Snr, his grandfather and namesake (I presume).
Between this date and the Census in 1841 I
have no other documentation about Alexander – at the moment!
The census was conducted on the night of 6
June 1841 by which time 16 year old Alexander was a shipwright apprentice, following
in the footsteps of his dad Alexander (who had died in 1840) who was also a
ship carpenter. It was an occupation he continued with and which took him to
Aberdeen within a decade [3]. Like Garmouth, Aberdeen was also a major port for
shipbuilding in the mid to late 1800s.
Alexander returned to Urquhart parish and on
31 July 1852 “after regular proclamation” married Ann McDonald, a local of the
parish who was born in Elgin about 1825. She returned with him to St Nicholas
in Aberdeen where their first child, a son they named (can you guess? that’s right…) Alexander was
born almost a year later on 24 July 1853. Another son, James, followed on 2
July 1856 and then two daughters. The elder daughter Margaret was born on 14
June 1860, at which time the family were living at 2 Fish Street in St Nicholas
[4]. It’s possible that their second daughter and youngest Janet Ann was born
there too on 15 August 1863 but by 1871 [5] the family had moved to Bannermill
Street. Alexander lived there until his
death at age 62 of apoplexy [6].
Alexander followed in his father
Alexander’s footsteps as a ship carpenter (as did our Robert) but this family
tradition ended with him. Based on the various census records, all of his kids
went to school: his Alexander became composite printer, James a teacher (I
think!) and Janet a milliner. I’m still hunting down Margaret.
I’m not sure how much contact Alexander would
have had with his brother (our Robert) after Robert emigrated to Australia but
I imagine the caught up on his return to Scotland for his wedding to Betsy in
1862. By this time our Robert was an uncle at least three times over thanks to
Alexander and Ann and I can only hope got to meet some of his extended family
before returning to Australia for good.
[1] 1825 Baptism records for Speymouth,
Morayshire, Scotland.
[2] I'm guessing a little at this because I can't find the wedding reference but given this is where they lived, it makes sense.
[3] I think this is the case because at the
time of the next census was in 1851, it appears Alexander was not still living
with the rest of the clan, who were still based in Garmouth and at the time of
his wedding in 1852 he is described as being part of the parish of Old Machar,
which is in Aberdeenshire.
[4] 1861 Scotland Census
[5] 1871 Scotland Census
[6] Apoplexy is a rather outdated medical
term for a stroke
