52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Isabella SINCLAIR (nee BIRRELL) 1810-1891 - Landed

 

Isabella SINCLAIR (nee BIRRELL) 1810-1891

Ahnentafel Number 31

Context for discovery:

This biography is written as part of the “52 ancestors in 52 weeks” exercise devised by Amy Johnson Crow. You can join in too here.  

The theme for this month is extending the branches and for this week “Landed”. 

Isabella Sinclair was my 3^rd-great-grandmother. Landed can be used as a theme I think for many parts of Isabella’s life.  Her husband was a fish dealer and no doubt landed many fish.  They emigrated from Inveraray to Melbourne Australia and were no doubt very glad to have landed after a voyage of over 90 days.  Last but not least, I think they landed on their feet in Australia after much hardship in Scotland. 

 

Port of Inveraray

 

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

[i]

 

Birth Date/Place:

Isabella was born and christened on 14 April 1810 in Inveraray, Scotland.[ii] 

Her father was recorded as James Birrell, farmer, on her marriage record and her mother was listed as Menzies on her death certificate. I have found a marriage for James Berrell and Isabell Men(z)ies at Inverary on 21^st January 1799.[iii]

Isabella was the third child in her family. Her eldest brother John was born 7 November 1799 and christened on 10 November. [iv] Her older sister Helen was born 2 October 1806 and christened 4 October.[v] Alexander was born 14^th December 1814 and christened on 18^th December.[vi]

 

Baptism Date/Place:

14 April 1810 Inveraray, Scotland.

Major World Events/Disasters/Wars etc

Isabella moved to Australia during the Highland Clearances of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. 

There is a James Birrell coming to Australia in July 1854 on the Red Jacket but I have not yet confirmed whether that is a relation e.g. her brother.  He was aged 25.

Schooling

I need to follow up with the local family history society to see if there are any education records for the time.  I have quickly looked at the Kirk Session records for the period but have found no mention of the Sinclairs. I did find a mention of a Donald Birrell, son of James Birrell of Newton denied having fathered a child to Helen McNicol in 1838. I wonder if anyone is transcribing those Kirk session records.  It would be a good thing to do. Note to self - if have time, transcribe them!

Marriage Dates/Places:

Isabella married Peter Sinclair on 18 September 1838 in Argyle, Inverary, Scotland.[vii]  From Peter’s death certificate, his parents are recorded as Donald Sinclair and Margaret (formerly Bell).  A birth was found for a Peter Sinclair in Glasgow in 1802 of Margaret Bell and John Sinclair.  All very confusing. 

Children’s Birth Dates/Places:

My father did some research at the LDS library back in 1992 and found the following.[viii]

1.    Isabella born 3^rd March and baptised 8^th March1839[ix], father Peter merchant of Inveraray

2.    Margaret born 23^rd March and baptised 25^th May1841[x] father Peter merchant of Inveraray

3.    Agnes or Anna born 26^th July and baptised 20^th December 1842, father Peter fish curer of Inveraray [xi]

4.    James John born15 October and baptised 9^th December 1845[xii], father Peter fish curer of Inveraray

5.    Ann born 1846[xiii]

6.    Helen born 5th September and baptised 10^th September1848[xiv], father Peter fish curer of Inveraray

7.    Peter born 12^th December and baptised 29^th December 1850[xv], father Peter fish curer of Inveraray

8.   Emma Maria born 26^th  July and baptised 15^th August 1853, father Peter Sinclair fish curer of Inveraray[xvi]

 

 

Ichthyology books scans from New York Public Library, 1784 - 1796 Created by: PICRYLCreative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication ("CCO 1.0 Dedication")

 

 

From Peter MacIntyre's Odd Incidents in Olden Times, Or, Ancient Records of Inveraray.

“That part of Lochfyne, by which this parish is bounded on the east and south-east, has been from time immemorial noted for its herrings, which are superior in quality to any found in the Western seas.  The harbour of Inveraray was anciently called Slobk Ichopper, which means the Gullet where vessels bought or bartered for fish;….It appears than anciently the French merchants used to come and barter their wines for herrings, as there is a point of land about three miles south of Inveraray still called the frenchman’s point, and the tradition of the country is that it was to that particular spot the herrings were in use to be brought in order to be cured and sold.  The herring fishing commonly behins in the month of July, and has been known to continue till the first of January.  In some years, when herrings came in a considerable body, there have been at least 500 boats employed in catching them, each boat having our men at an average.  From the best information it is believed there have been caught and cured in some seasons 20,000 barrels, valued then at 15s. per barrel.  Lochfyne is also famous for haddocks, whitings, cod etc and is well adapted for fishing, having a clean bottom and no banks or hidden rocks.  Its depth may be from 50 to 105 fathoms” Extracts from the Statistical account of Scotland, published in 1793, Parish of Inveraray by Rev. Paul Fraser[xvii]

 

Immigration/Migration Dates/Places:

 

 

from British Newspapers Archives Kings County Chronicle 1857 9 September

 

 

Trove article [xviii]

 

Isabella and Peter left Liverpool on 7^th September 1857 on the Black Ball clipper “Horizon”.  They arrived in Melbourne, Australia with their six children: Isabella, Margaret, Ann, James, Ellen (Helen) and Emma on 8 December.

Timeline/Residence Dates/Places:

Fellow researcher Mary Sinclair advised me in a message that:

“Peter Sinclair the fish curer vociferously objected to the design of the new pier in Inveraray between 1835-1837. “

Mary advised she has records of letters from him to the Fishery Board suggesting alterations to the design.  She states that:

"he also shows up in the Fishery Board records in 1831 having had a fish barrel seized for being made of fir (apparently the wrong wood to use!)."

1841 Census[xix] Sinclair household in Relief Main Street, Inveraray, Argyllshire, Scotland is as follows:

·         Peter aged 30 born Scotland, merchant (born circa 1811)

·         Isabella aged 25 born Argyllshire

·         Isabella aged 2 born Argyllshire

·         Margaret baby born Argyllshire

·         Jean Brown aged 20 born Argyllshire

·         Donald Bell aged 70 born Argyllshire – Shoe Manufacturer (we have to assume that this is Peter’s maternal grandfather)

I have highlighted shoe manufacturer because if you read about the Clan Birrell on this site here, you will note that Henry Birrell of Fifeshire was a shoemaker so I do wonder if the Birrells did move from Fifeshire to Argyl.  Further research is required here.

Mary Sinclair further advised that on 22^nd April 1842 Peter was declared bankrupt. 

"A creditors meeting was advertised in the Caledonian Mercury 19 April 1852  Legal documents related to this show he had a brother Malcolm and a younger brother John and an aunt Mrs Govan." 

I have been able to locate these newspaper articles.

24 February 1842 Perthshire Courier from British Newspaper Archives

 

 

2nd August 1848 Page 3 The Scotchman from British Newspaper Archives

 

I found the most amazing book online called The Harvest of the Sea: A contribution to the natural and economic history of the British food fishes by James Glass Bertram. He gives some insight into the tricky business of commerce in herring which he describes as follows: 

"The way of dealing in herring is pretty much as follows:—Owners of boats are engaged to fish by curers, the bargains being usually that the curer will take two hundred crans of herring—and a cran, it may be stated, is forty-five gallons of ungutted fish; for these two hundred crans a certain sum per cran is paid according to arrangement, the bargain including as well a definite sum of ready money by way of bounty, perhaps also an allowance of spirits, and the use of ground for the drying of the nets. On the other hand, the boat-owner provides a boat, nets, buoys, and all the apparatus of the fishery, and engages a crew to fish; his crew may, perhaps, be relatives and part-owners sharing the venture with him, but usually the crew consists of hired men who get so much wages at the end of the season, and have no risk or profit. This is the plan followed by free and independent fishermen who are really owners of their own boats and apparatus. It will thus be seen that the curer is bargaining for two hundred crans of fish months before he knows that a single herring will be captured; for the bargain of next season is always made at the close of the present one, and he has to pay out at once a large sum by way of bounty, and provide barrels, salt, and other necessaries for the cure before he knows even if the catch of the season just expiring will all be sold, or how the markets will pulsate next year. On the other hand, the fisherman has received his pay for his season’s fish, and very likely pocketed a sum of from ten to thirty pounds as earnest-money for next year’s work. Then, again, a certain number of curers who are men of capital will advance money to young fishermen in order that they may purchase a boat and the necessary quantity of netting to enable them to engage in the fishery—thus thirling the boat to their service, very probably fixing an advantageous price per cran for the herrings to be fished and supplied. Curers, again, who are not capitalists, have to borrow from the buyers, because to compete with their fellows they must be able to lend money for the purchase of boats and nets, or to advance sums by way of bounty to the free boats; and thus a rotten unwholesome system goes the round—fishermen, boat-builders, curers, and merchants all hanging on each other, and evidencing that there is as much gambling in herring-fishing as in horse-racing."

  

View of a Curing Yard from the book

The Harvest of the Sea

       A contribution to the natural and economic history of the

              British food fishes

Author: James Glass Bertram

LONDON
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET
1865

1851 Census [xx]– Isabella aged 35 is living at Inveraray, Argyllshire, Scotland, wife of Peter Sinclair, writer and:

·         12 year old daughter Isabella

·         10 year old daughter Margaret

·         8 year old daughter Anna

·         6 year old son James John

·         4 year old daughter Helen

·         Baby Peter Sinclair and

·         Unmarried 18 year old female servant Effy McKellar  

 

On the Scotland's People website, I found Peter Sinclair on the Valuation roll for the Burgh of Inveraray as a tenant, living in a house owned by the Duke and paying 10 pounds per annum. He was recorded as a Clerk.  On the same page I found Isabella's mother Mrs Margaret Birrell listed as renting a house for 9 pounds per annum. (1855 SINCLAIR, PETER (Valuation Rolls VR004000001-/2, INVERARAY BURGH) Page 2 of 25)

The family emigrated to Melbourne, Australia in 1857.This was right in the middle of the gold rush period.To give an idea of the time here is a quote from Basil Lubbock's book (available on the Gutenberg Library) The Colonial Clippers:

"In the year 1852 102,000 people arrived in the Colony of Victoria, and in the 18 months following the discovery of Ballarat the population of Melbourne sprang from 23,000 to 70,000, and that of Geelong from 8000 to 20,000.

In the five years 1852-7, during which the rush to the diggings was at its height, 100,000 Englishmen, 60,000 Irish, 50,000 Scots, 4000 Welsh, 8000 Germans, 1500 French, 3000 Americans, and no less than 25,000 Chinese—not to speak of the other nationalities of the world, all of whom were represented—landed on the shores of Port Phillip."

On the shipping list Peter is described as being 50 years of age and a fish curer.  Wife Isabella is 38 years old, daughter Isabella 16, Margaret 14, Ann, 11, James 9, Ellen 7 and Emma 4.  [xxi]

One can only imagine what it must have been like moving from a small fishing town like Inveraray with a population of maybe 1000 people to the bustling metropolis of Melbourne.  But it seems like there would have been a friendly face waiting to greet the family when they arrived.

Newly discovered cousin Jessica has alerted me to the fact that John Sinclair, a builder and contractor was in business with a Peter Steel Sinclair at that time and living in Melbourne.  John was born 1807 in Inveraray and we are pretty confident he was Peter Sinclair Senior’s brother.  She supplied a death certificate for John who died in Healesville in 1890 aged 83. The certificate shows his father as being John and his mother Margaret (nee Bell). 

Peter’s death certificate shows his father as Donald and Mother Margaret Bell.But death certificates are not always the most reliable source of information as we know.

Jessica supplied a small biography obtained from the Victorian Trades Hall Council and it states John Sinclair was the first contractor for the Melbourne University Building, took a great interest in the labour question, as well as being President of the Eight Hours League.  He was MLA for Norther Melbourne October 1859-August 1864. I found an obituary in Trove to support these assertions..[xxii] 

Peter Sinclair Senior worked in the Parliamentary Library as per my blog post here. I am now starting to understand how Peter ended up working here.  I still wonder if he had a bookshop in Edinburgh as I did find an article about a Peter Sinclair in Edinburgh who was bankrupt and had a bookshop.

Greenham Studios. (1901). Victorian Parliament House, Federal Parliamentary Library, Melbourne, [1920?] Retrieved January 30, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136761356

In my research for this post I found the following newspaper article which I thinks proves they were brothers.

 

1859 09 12 Page 2 Ovens and Murray Advertiser Beechworth Vic Electioneering Revelations

 

From the Rate Books in Victoria we find that Peter is paying the rates on Marion Street Fitzroy, a property which John owns. (Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Australia; Series Title: 2336/P Microfilm copy of Rate Books, City of Fitzroy [copy of VPRS 4301] [1858-1901]) 

 

In 1859 Peter and Isabella's daughter Margaret marries John's son Peter Steel Sinclair.

 

In 1861 Isabella Junior marries George Ellis. Peter Senior is appointed to the position of Clerk in the Parliamentary Library.  His annual salary was £250.  He worked there until 1871.

 

 

54 Napier Street Fitzroy image by Alex Daw taken 2019

1867 Peter is recorded as living at 54 Napier Street Fitzroy from 1867 in the Sands Directory.[xxiii] and as per Rate Books found in the Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Australia; Series Title: 2336/P Microfilm copy of Rate Books, City of Fitzroy [copy of VPRS 4301] [1858-1901]

1884 The Sinclairs move to the West side of Best Street on the corner of Scotchmer Street in North Fitzroy.  Their neighbour is Mrs Slattery.[xxiv]

1887 Husband Peter Sinclair dies on 30^th December[xxv]

1891 Isabella dies.

Military Service Dates/Places:

Not applicable

Occupation Dates/Places:

Not found.

Organizations/Associations Dates/Places:

Unable to identify any.

Death Date/Place:

Isabella Sinclair died 14th January 1891 at 37 Best Street in the City of Fitzroy.[xxvi]  She was aged 74 years and died of Intestinal Obstruction.  Dr Fox saw her on 13th January.  Her father was listed as James Burrell (Farmer).  Christian name of Mother not known.  Maiden surname Menzies. 

The certificate says that Isabella was born in Fifeshire in Scotland and had been in Victoria 37 years. It recorded that she was married in Invercargill Scotland at about the age of 24 to Peter Sinclair.  Her children were listed as Isabella about 36, Annie about 34, Margaret, 32, Helen, 30, James 28 and Emma aged 26.  We can see from this death certificate how facts get muted or misremembered over the years - Inveraray becomes

Burial Date/Place:

She was buried on 16th January 1891 at Melbourne Cemetery[xxvii] certified by by W.G. Apps. The Minister was F. Usher and the witness was L.J. Apps. 

Probate

This has been obtained.

FAN CLUB (Friends and Neighours)

Baptism sponsors/godparents – not recorded

Marriage Witnesses Officiants – not recorded

Accompanying passengers on shipping list – too numerous to mention.  There were over 400 but it may bear further investigation.

Newspaper articles – as above

Census – other lodgers/neighbours

City directories – others living in household/on street

Land Deeds – witnesses/buyers/sellers

Maps – neighbours

Military – unit members – not applicable

Death – informant/undertaker – as above

Obituary – survivors – newspaper announcement

 

Family Notices (1892, January 14). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197010732 

Probate – executor/Heirs/Witnesses - obtained

Cemetery – others in plot – husband Peter, James John, son and daughters Ann and Helen. TO DO – find grave and photograph.

 

CONCLUSION

I have been aided in my research by the efforts of not only my father, but also Mary Sinclair who is conducting a one-name study of the Sinclairs in Inveraray and a new cousin found through DNA testing, Jessica Prestedge. Thank you to all of you so much for helping tell a better story about our ancestors.

I feel that this biography has been more about the male members of Isabella's family rather than herself, but I hope that you have been able to glean something of what her life must have been like by association.  Reading the Kirk Session records gave me a feeling for what a closed narrow and small society Inveraray would have been and it must have been a relief to get away from everyone knowing everyone's business, despite the beautiful views.  Plus I think the feeling of being poor would have been much more marked with the landed gentry living up at the castle just down the road from you, whereas surely there would have been more hope of opportunity here in Australia - and certainly better weather! 

When I recounted this tale to my husband he said it reminded him of his Ivor Cutler record.  This record has driven me nuts over the years but it does talk about herrings if you are interested.

 

 

Thank you for reading this far if you have made it to the end.  I hope your family history week has been fruitful !

---

[i] Nattes, J., Miller, W., Fittler, J., & Bensley, T. (2005). Scotia depicta; Plate XVIII/a. from National Library of Scotland. https://search.nls.uk/permalink/f/sbbkgr/44NLS_DG74582310

[ii] "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYZS-S2X : 11 February 2020), James Berrell in entry for Isabell Berrell, 1810.

[iii] Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[iv] "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY8P-1HR : 11 February 2020), James Berrell in entry for John Berrell, 1799.

[v] "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYZS-QQM : 11 February 2020), James Berrell in entry for Helen Berrell, 1806.

[vi] "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY85-H5W : 11 February 2020), James Berrell in entry for Alexander Berrell, 1814.

[vii] Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[viii] LDS Roll No. 1041067

[ix] Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[x] Ancestry.com. 1851 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Scotland. 1851 Scotland Census. Reels 1-217. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.

[xi] Ancestry.com 1851 Scotland Census Parish: Inveraray; ED: 1; Page: 16; Line: 5; Roll: CSSCT1851_109; Year: 1851

[xii] Ancestry.com Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950

[xiii] Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Death Index Victoria 1921-1985

[xiv] Ancestry.com -Ancestry.com

[xv] Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[xvi] Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[xvii] MacIntyre, Peter Odd Incidents in Olden Times, Or, Anceint Records of Inveraray, Aird & Coghill, 1904 http://books.google.com/books?id=9x4NAAAAYAAJ&oe=UTF-8

[xviii] SHIPPING. (1857, December 12). Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle (Melbourne, Vic. : 1857 - 1868), p. 4. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201380101

[xix] FindMyPast,

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Schedule 26

[xx] Ancestry.com Operations Inc Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Ancestry.com Operations Inc

[xxi] Public Record Office Victoria, Inward Overseas Passenger Lists, VPRS 947/P0000, Oct - Dec 1857, Image 314

[xxii] DEATH OF AN EIGHT HOURS PIONEER. (1890, December 8). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196976870

[xxiii] Ancestry.com. Australia, City Directories, 1845-1948 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.Original data:Various publishers. Australian City Directories. Gould Genealogy & History, South Australia, Australia.

[xxiv] Ancestry.com, Australia, City Directories, 1845-1948

[xxv] Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Cemetery Records and Headstone Transcriptions, 1844-1997 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.

[xxvi] Ancestry.com. Victoria, Australia, Death Index, 1836-1988 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018. Original data: Victoria, Australia, Death Index, 1836-1988. The Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

[xxvii] Ancestry.com, Victoria, Australia, Cemetery Records and Headstone Transcriptions, 1844-1997