Robert George Cree

[Dorothy A Ludaescher]

Dear Trevor

George as he liked to be known is my grandfather born 13 Feb 1883 and died 1st Feb 1933.

I have in my possession his baptism Certificate from St. Comgalls Church of Ireland showing his baptism date as 8th July 1883 and his name is Robert George on the certificate.  On his marriage certificate dated 5 May 1903 both he and my grandmother stretched the truth according to my mother and even on his death certificate of which I have a certified copy my mother was not sure of his age and now we know it should have been 49 and not 48 he was only a few days short of being 50 years old when he passed away and my Grandmother was born 19 February and my mother would say they were both born the same month and year.

As for this other George I am thinking we are dealing with the same person unless you have other information.  I have come across these errors myself and thought I would bring this to your attention.

I also have information about the child born without a name in 1864 and have found Margaret Cree born 1864 to Eliza and Hugh. info in St. Comgalls Church, MIC/583/19 Baptisms. Birth certificate has Mary Anne McJury as informant. Baptism 10 April 1864 and Birth as 7 Mar 1864.

also Listed in FHL film # 101080 as female birth. Page 717 Line 37.  the child in your information has been listed as a son to Hugh and Eliza if you have a month date for this child it would have to be Dec 1864 allowing 9 months for this boy to have been born so I am almost sure this first child of Hugh's is a girl.

Hope you can figure all this out and contact me if there is any questions.

Sincerely Dorothy

PS We have conversed before you and I quite a few years ago

[Trevor Cree]

Dorothy,

Many thanks for providing us with your own information about the origins of your grandfather. As you say there is a bit of confusion about Robert George Cree and/or George Cree. My own source of information is a photocopy of the original birth registration of a 'George Cree' the son of Hugh Cree & Eliza Cree (Major) whose birth is stated to be 21st April 1883 at West Street, Bangor. Your own information states that his birth was on the 13th February 1883 which differs from the above. Your baptism certificate also states that he was christened Robert George Cree and not just George Cree. 

I think that the first point to confirm is that your grandfather's parents were indeed Hugh Cree and Eliza Major/Marjorie and that we are not talking about another family? My own records do not show the birth of a Robert George Cree on the 22nd February 1884 and neither do Mike's birth lists. Mike is much better at this than I am but it would seem to me that a Robert George Cree born in 1884 did not exist and may have originated from an incorrect IGI entry. This would seem to be confirmed by the 1901 Census which simply shows a George Cree of 18 years that would give him the correct birth year of 1883. It could well be that Robert George Cree (Cree No. 7420) does not exist and all of the events assigned to him should be reassigned to George Cree (Cree No 9980). However it is interesting that your grandfather's baptism certificate did indeed name him as Robert George Cree.

The information that you have provided about the birth of Margaret Cree on the 7th March 1864 to Hugh and Eliza is certainly new.

Many thanks and good to be in touch again,

Trevor.

[Mike Spathaky]

Hi Dorothy, Trevor,I agree with all that. I have deleted George Cree #9980 as all the details were attached to #7420 which I have retained. It's not unusual for an additional Christian name to be added at baptism compared to birth. The unnamed CREA was in the old IGI and not on Fam Search now. I have reverted the name to Margaret CREE and the sex to female. Thanks for helping to ensure we get everything absolutely correct. The only outstanding issue is the family story about George and Elizabeth being both born in February. Dorothy, can you confirm Elizabeth Martin's birth date is 19 February 1883 please?Best Wishes,
Mike

[Dorothy A Ludaescher]

Hi Mike,Yes I have the birth Certificate of my Grandmother Elizabeth Martin born 19 Feb 1883.  Her Parents are Walter Martin and Hannah McCoid.  address at birth was Christian St. Harrington.

Mike Spathaky said:

Hi Dorothy, Trevor,I agree with all that. I have deleted George Cree #9980 as all the details were attached to #7420 which I have retained. It's not unusual for an additional Christian name to be added at baptism compared to birth. The unnamed CREA was in the old IGI and not on Fam Search now. I have reverted the name to Margaret CREE and the sex to female. Thanks for helping to ensure we get everything absolutely correct. The only outstanding issue is the family story about George and Elizabeth being both born in February. Dorothy, can you confirm Elizabeth Martin's birth date is 19 February 1883 please?Best Wishes,
Mike

[Mike Spathaky]

Hi Dorothy,

Thanks for that! Would that be Harrington in Cumberland, England (now Cumbria)? It's a small port about 3 km S of Workington. It has a Christian Street straight off the main quayside.There are photographs of it at www.harringtonhistory.co.uk/Christian.htm. Interesting that we already have a Hannah McQuoid whose name was sometimes spelt McCoid.

I have answered my own question. Walter and Hannah Martin were living in Christian St, Harrington, Cumberland, England at the 1891 Census. He was a furnace keeper aged 43. She was aged 41. Both were born Ireland. Of their seven children the eldest two were aged 16 and 12 and born in Ireland; the others were all born in Cumberland, so that gives 1880 as the approximate date they migrated to England. Elizabeth was aged 8 and born in Harrington.

The family was also in Harrington in 1881. In 1901 they were in Glasgow and Walter was a stoker born in "Banger, Irleand." Lizzie was 18 and a shop girl. I cannot find the parents in 1911 in Ireland, England or Scotland.

Best Wishes,
Mike