Wednesday, 6 July 2022

An Antenuptial Fornicator - 4*Great GrandMother Helen Laidlaw

Helen Laidlaw

born 1772

Biography

Helen Laidlaw was born about 1772, she married James Syme (born 1773) in 1793, and they had six children:
Margret Syme (1794 to 1879)
Jean Syme (born 1795)
John Syme (born 1798)
James Syme (born 1803)
Barbara Syme (1804 to 1881)
Helen Syme (1809 to 1901)
Note: Helen's surname is also recorded in her sources as: Laddley, Laidly, and Sim.

Timeline

1772: Helen's Birth -
Helen Laidlaw, the child of unknown parents, was born about 1772. [1]
We estimated Helen's birth date on the assumption that she was 21 when she married James Syme in 1773.
1793: Helen Marries - Lanarkshire, Scotland
Helen married James Syme on Sunday, September 8th 1793, at Barony, after proclamation. James was the son of John Syme and Margaret Dick. Helen and James lived at Barony. [1]
The 8th of September is the proclamation date, so the actual marriage was later.
1794: Birth Of Daughter - Fifeshire, Scotland
Margaret Syme, Helen Laidley and husband James Syme's first child and first daughter, was born Thursday, April 17th 1794, in Anstruther, Fifeshire, Scotland. Margret was subsequently baptized in Anstruther on Sunday, April 20th 1794. [2]
The parish noted that Helen was born in antenuptial fornication, and as the father had not given satisfaction to the session, Alexander Clark stood as sponsor for the child'.
1795: Birth Of Daughter - Fifeshire, Scotland
Jean Syme, Helen Laidly and husband James Syme's second child and second daughter, was born Tuesday, December 15th 1795, in Anstruther. Jean was subsequently baptized in Anstruther on Sunday, December 20th 1795. [3]
1798: Birth Of Son - Fifeshire, Scotland
John Syme, Helen Laidlaw and husband James Syme's third child and first son, was born Sunday, November 11th 1798, in Anstruther. John was subsequently baptized in Anstruther on Sunday, November 18th 1798. [4]
1803: Birth Of Son - Fifeshire, Scotland
James Sime, Helen Laidlaw and husband James Sime's fourth child and second son, was born Sunday, January 30th 1803, at Cellardyke, Fifeshire. James was subsequently baptized at Kilrenny on Sunday, February 6th 1803. [5]
1804: Birth Of Daughter - Fifeshire, Scotland
Barbara Syme, Helen Laidlaw and husband James Syme's fifth child and third daughter, was born Sunday, October 7th 1804, at Cellardyke. Barbara was subsequently baptized at Kilrenny on Sunday, October 14th 1804. [6]
1809: Birth Of Daughter - Lanarkshire, Scotland
Helen gave birth to her and James Syme's sixth child and fourth daughter, Helen Syme, in 1809 in Lanark, Lanarkshire. [7]

Sources

  1. Old Parish Marriage Register Entry for James Sym and Helen Laddley, 8 Sep 1793. National Records of Scotland (scotlandspeople.gov.uk: Old Parish Registers Marriages: 1793 RD: 622/70 (Barony), Page: 124 of 501, Entry: 9). Primary source, accessed 6 Aug 2020
  2. Old Parish Birth Register Entry for Margaret Syme, 17 Apr 1794. National Records of Scotland (scotlandspeople.gov.uk: Old Parish Registers Births: 1794 RD: 402/20 (Anstruther Easter), Page: 215 of 359, Entry: 2). Primary source, accessed 5 Aug 2020
  3. Old Parish Birth Register Entry for Jean Syme, 15 Dec 1795. National Records of Scotland (scotlandspeople.gov.uk: Old Parish Registers Births: 1795 RD: 402/20 (Anstruther Easter), Page: 221 of 359, Entry: 5). Primary source, accessed 5 Aug 2020
  4. Old Parish Birth Register Entry for John Syme, 11 Nov 1798. National Records of Scotland (scotlandspeople.gov.uk: Old Parish Registers Births: 1798 RD: 402/30 (Anstruther Easter), Page: 10 of 102, Entry: 8). Primary source, accessed 5 Aug 2020
  5. Old Parish Birth Register Entry for James Sime, 30 Jan 1803. National Records of Scotland (scotlandspeople.gov.uk: Old Parish Registers Births: 1803 RD: 438/20 (Kilrenny), Page: 63 of 168, Entry: 4). Primary source, accessed 5 Aug 2020
  6. Old Parish Birth Register Entry for Barbara Syme, 7 Oct 1804. National Records of Scotland (scotlandspeople.gov.uk: Old Parish Registers Births: 1804 RD: 438/ 20 (Kilrenny), Page: 68 of 168, Entry: 9). Primary source, accessed 13 Apr 2018
  7. 1851 Scotland Census Helen Mansfield Household. National Records of Scotland (ancestry.co.uk: 1851 Scotland Census: Parish: Lanark; ED: 7; Page: 10; Line: 16; Roll: CSSCT1851_169; Year: 1851 , Page: 10; Schedule: 49). Primary source, accessed 14 Jul 2016