Robert Burn Marshall (1871 - 1935) Part 1

My grandfather, Robert Burn Marshall, was born on May 23, 1871 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, the only child of David Fenton Marshall and Rachel Wyse Hume. At the time of his birth, his parents were living at No. 1 Montgomery Place West in the District of St. Andrew.^[1] David Marshall, at this time, was working as a Stationer’s Apprentice.

It is not known at this time what happened to Rachel after Robert’s birth as no further documentation can be found for her in Scotland. David changed occupations, becoming a commercial traveller (or travelling salesman), and by 1881 Robert, at the age of 9 was living with David’s parents, Robert and Ann Marshall (née Kynoch) in Glenprosen (near Kirrimuir) and attending the school there. The Senior Robert was the schoolmaster.^[2] Did Rachel die young (perhaps in childbirth)? Did Rachel and David separate?

Sometime in his early teens, Robert moved to Dundee with his grandparents (Robert and Ann) where Ann died on March 13, 1885,^[3] only 1½ months before her daughter, Helen, was to marry.

What he got up to in his late teens is unclear, but there is a record in the 1891 Scotland Census for a Robert Marshall, aged 19 born in Edinburgh as being in the local prison in Dundee.^[4] This Robert Marshall worked as a General Labourer. If this is my Robert Marshall, who knows what he got up to, but my guess at this point would be that, being single and 19 years old, he probably had just gotten paid and went and had a good time at the local pub and then had the unfortunate luck to be picked up and thrown in the local jail to sober up – being there on the night that the census was taken. Further investigation has to be done to confirm if this is my Robert Marshall.

On February 26, 1892 Robert married Margaret Roy Weir in Dundee. Robert, aged 20 was working as a Ticket Writer (or sign writer) and Margaret, aged 23 was a Jute worker. They were living in adjacent tenement flats at 41 and 43 Step Row.^[5]

This marriage was marred by tragedy. While living at 19 Barrack Street in Dundee, their first child, Rachel Baillie Marshall, was born on November 22, 1892.^[6] She was to die a few months later (a death record has yet to be found). On August 17, 1895 a second daughter, Isabella Weir Marshall, was born.^[7] Unfortunately, she was only to live a few months and passed away on October 13, 1895.^[8]

By 1901 Robert and Maggie were living in Glasgow where they had a son, Robert Wyse Marshall, born on March 1, 1901.^[9] According to the 1901 Scotland Census, they were living at 68 McLellan Street in the District of Govan and Robert was working as an Iron Borer.^[10]

At this time, Glasgow was a booming industrial city and there were plenty of jobs. Robert probably worked in one of the factories in the area where they lived, possibly at the Maclellan Works just across the road from where they lived. Unfortunately, tragedy was to strike once again when their son passed away on March 12, 1902, just a few days after his 1st birthday.^[11]

The couple moved back to Dundee, living at 65 Main Street in the Hilltown district, where Robert became a house painter. It was here that Maggie died at the age of 46 on April 30, 1914.^[12]

Stayed tuned for Part 2 as Robert does the “hanky panky” with his cousin!

Footnotes:

^[1] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), birth entry for Robert Burn Marshall, 1871, District of St. Andrew, Burgh of Edinburgh; citing Statutory Registers no. 685/02 0490.
^[2] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 13 October 2009), 1881 Scotland Census, entry for Robert Marshall (age 9), Glenprosen, Kirrimuir, Page 1; Line 3, citing no. 299/00 017/00 001.
^[3] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), death entry for Ann Marshall, 1885 District of St. Andrew, Burgh of Dundee; citing Statutory Registers no. 282/04 0319.
^[4] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 4 August 2009), 1891 Scotland Census, entry for Robert Marshall (age 19), Dundee, Angus, Dundee Prison, Page 1; Line 16, citing no. 282/02 027/02 001.
^[5] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), marriage entry for Robert Burn Marshall – Maggie Weir, 1892, District of St. Peter, Burgh of Dundee; citing Statutory Registers no. 282/ 01 0053.
^[6] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), birth entry for Rachel Baillie Marshall, 1892 District of St. Clement, Burgh of Dundee; citing Statutory Registers no. 282/03 0851.
^[7] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), birth entry for Isabella Weir Marshall, 1895 District of St. Clement, Burgh of Dundee; citing Statutory Registers no. 282/03 0544.
^[8] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), death entry for Isabella Weir Marshall, 1895 District of St. Clement, Burgh of Dundee; citing Statutory Registers no. 282/03 0452.
^[9] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), birth entry for Robert Wyse Marshall, 1901 District of Plantation, County of Lanarkshire, Glasgow; citing Statutory Registers no. 646/01 0160.
^[10] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 4 August 2009), 1901 Scotland Census, entry for Robert Marshall Household, District of Govan, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, citing no. 646/1L 039/1L 016.
^[11] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 31 May 2009), death entry for Robert Wyse Marshall, 1902 District of Plantation, County of Lanarkshire, Glasgow; citing Statutory Registers no. 646/01 0089.
^[12] Scotland, “Search the Records,” database, ScotlandPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 26 June 2009), death entry for Margaret Marshall, 1914 District of St. Andrew, Burgh of Dundee; citing Statutory Registers no. 282/04 0415.