1 Sep 2023

I took advantage of the new digital image service at the GRO and ordered quite a few birth certificates of siblings of my ancestors in the Hinksman, Carr and Hall families. The price is very reasonable, about a seventh of the cost of a full printed certificate.

I ordered certificates for the families of Richard Hinksman and Mary Ann Spencer, John Peak and Dinah Smith, Matthew Hall and Mary Miller, and George Carr and Margaret Robertson.

I also got to looking for more information about Margaret Robertson. I already had the date of birth as 23 Oct 1821, although without a source. I found a baptism of a Margaret Robertson with a corresponding birth date at the Scotch Church in Alnwick:

Entry 481. Margaret Daughter of John Robertson labourer in [Hocket]?, Parish of Embleton and County of Northumberland and Ann his wife was born 23 October and Baptised 1 Nov 1821¹

There is also the baptism of another child, Andrew, in 1824:

Entry 510. Andrew Son of John Robertson in Rennington in the Parish of Embleton and County of Northumberland and Ann his wife was born 31 March and baptised 19 April 1824²

The baptisms were conducted in the Scotch Presbyterian Chapel on Pottergate Street, Alnwick which was founded in 1758.

I found Andrew in the 1851 census living with his mother Ann in Horton. He had several siblings: Charles (24), Elizabeth (22), Mary Ann (20) and William (3)³. Ann’s birthplace is recorded as Scotland.