JAMES CHALMERS FINDLATER SNR - Bef 1928

James Chalmers FINDLATER (Snr) was born on 28th December 1865 in Monquhitter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He was the son of Isabella FINDLATER (no father is mentioned on the Scottish Register of Statutory Births and he is noted as being illegitmate). We should also note that Isabella herself is the illegitmate daughter of William FINDLATER and Margaret MILNE, both of whom then get married to other people.

In the 1871 Census he is living with the GORDON family (Ann GORDON nee FINDLATER is his mother's aunt) but he is listed in the household as James CHALMERS only (ie no FINDLATER) and is said to be a "relative".

The 1881 Census has him living in Monquhitter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with his mother and his step-father (George COPELAND) where he is noted as being a "visitor" with an occupation of "Draper's Assistant".

By the time of the 1891 Census he is living in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland and is still noted as being a "Draper's Assistant" and he is newly married to Christina GRANT who is five years older than James (Christina is #20 on our list of immigrants).

By the time we get to the 1901 cenus he is living in a house called "Dunedin" on Miller Street in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland with his wife, Christina, and six children. His occupation is now given as a "Draper".

Finally in the 1911 Census he is still living in Hamilton but is now a "Commercial Traveller"

James & Christina were married at 169 George Street, Glasgow, Scotland on 18th June 1890. On the marriage record his occupation is given as a "Draper's Salesman" and Christina is noted as being a "Dressmaker". James has also given false information on the official marriage document regarding his parentage to hide the fact that he was illegitimate. A copy of the offocial marriage record can be seen here.

James Chalmers & Christina went on to have at least eight children who were all born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland:-

  1. James Chalmers FINDLATER (Jnr) (b: 14th July 1891 d: 9th November 1968) (#12 on our list of immigrants)
  2. Mary Ellen McLennan FINDLATER (b: 8th November 1892 d: 1976). Mary came out to New Zealand with her mother and younger sister Anna in 1927. She appears to have stayed a spinster all her life.(27/04/2016 - Oops, the last statement is incorrect, Mary married Harry Wilson HEYHOE in 1953.)
  3. Isabella Jane FINDLATER (b: 29th January 1895 d: 1977). (#22 on our list of immigrants)
  4. Kenneth Alexander Grant FINDLATER (b: 1896 d: 1964). (#14 on our list)
  5. Ian Grant FINDLATER (b: 1898 d: 1902). Ian died in Hamilton, Scotland at the age of four.
  6. Christina Grant FINDLATER (b: 17th December 1899 d: 1991). (#23 on our list)
  7. William Gladstone FINDLATER (b: 1901 d: 1916). William died in Hamilton, Scotland at the age of fifteen.
  8. Anna McLennan FINDLATER (b: 25th July 1902 d: 1978). Anna came out to New Zealand with her mother and her elder sister Mary in 1927. She married Keith Clarence BIGHAM, who was the younger brother of Dr Christina Grant FINDLATER's husband, Henry Isaac BIGHAM

    9. Given this couple's proclivity there may possibly be a child missing from the above list from the period between 1892 & 1895 (maybe a miscarriage or a stillbirth). It should be noted that the obituary of Christina Grant BIGHAM (nee FINDLATER), child nr six on the list above, states that Christina is the fifth of ten children but only gives the names of the six who come out to New Zealand.

    James Chalmers himself comes out to New Zealand in the mid-late 1920s (certainly before 1927 when his wife Christina FINDLATER arrives), although the exact date and ship have still to be established.

    This means that with the exception of the two children who die in Hamilton, Scotland (Ian Grant FINDLATER & William Gladstone FINDLATER) the whole family arrive in New Zealand, spread over an approximate 15 year period.

    The order of the immigration for the family seems to be:-

    about 1914 - James Chalmers Jnr

    1921 - Kenneth Alexander Grant

    1925 - Isabella Jane and her husband Robert FORBES

    1925 - Christina Grant

    James Chalmers Snr

    1927 - Christina and her daughters Mary and Anna.

    James Chalmers FINDLATER Snr died, of cancer, on 8th July 1928 aged 62 at 17 Cuba St., Lower Hutt, Wellington, which was the residence of his daughter, Dr. Christina Grant FINDLATER. James Chalmers wife, Christina FINDLATER, also dies in New Zealand in 1939 at the age of 78.

    Note that the family tree for James Chalmers FINDLATER Snr has not yet been completed nor uploaded to the webtrees software.

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