I thought I’d take a side path & outline a little about one of the Scottish/Australian ancestors of interest to me. It is a story that took me quite awhile to unravel and one which I hope may be of interest to some other family tree researchers.
Robina TAYLOR was born Robina Whitelaw on 17 Sep 1858 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland. She immigrated to Queensland with her husband Walter TAYLOR & their two children. The family left Glasgow on 24 May 1883 on the Nebo (Ship) and arrived in Queensland in August of that same year. I believe they may have had at least two more children in New South Wales, Australia - but the two children I think likely to belong to this family did not survive past infancy.
When researching Robina’s background I was working backwards in time. I was sure I had found the correct census records, but confused as Robina’s surname kept changing. When I finally saw her birth registration details it all made perfect sense. Here I will describe Robina’s life in the more logical direction of forwards in time.
Robina’s mother was Jessie GREY who was born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1832. In 1848 Jessie married William BLACK. She was a widow by the time Robina was born, and working as a Tobacconist. According to the birth registration Robina’s father was Robert WHITELAW and he was an iron moulder by trade.
There is an added note beside Robina’s birth record which says:
In an action relating to the paternity of this child, at the instance of Jessie Gray or Black, Tobacconist in Coatbridge, against Robert Whitelaw, Moulder, Drumdyran, the Sheriff Court at Airdrie, on the 30th day of November 1858, found that the said child was the illegitimate child of the parties aforesaid (1st July 1859).
The informant for the birth registration is John REDDELL, listed as Step-Father to the Mother.
On the 1861 Scottish Census record, Robina is listed as Robina BLACK & is living in a household with her remarried Grandmother, Helen REDDELL. She is still with her Grandparents in 1871, but listed as Robina REDDELL. She married Walter TAYLOR on 22 Jun 1877 at Broomknoll Street Church, Airdrie listing her maiden name as Robina WHITELAW. By the 1881 Census, she has 2 children, William TAYLOR & John Riddell TAYLOR.
William TAYLOR went on to marry in Queensland, but lived in New South Wales for a period as well. John Riddell Taylor lived in New South Wales, and I believe that is also where Walter & Robina resided. I am still hoping to work out where & when Robina died. I think Walter died fairly young, aged 40, so possibly she remarried. If you have any ideas, I would love to hear from you.
I have seen online trees which include Robert WHITELAW’s legitimate children. I believe he married Janet Russell WHYTE a couple of months before Robina was born. I hope if descendents of Robert read this story they are intrigued by it, like I am, rather than in any way shocked. I personally like all the colours involved: Grey, Black, & White.
