Lilian's Tree

Born 11 August 1852, [1] his birth details state that he is ‘lawful son of Samuel Galbraith Merchant in Ayr and Margaret Kidstone Nicol his spouse.’ Arthur is baptised on 12 September 1852.  He is their second son, to be named Arthur, with the first one being born in January 1850 and dying, sometime before August 1852. This using of the same name was a common practice. I next find Arthur, aged eight on the 1861 Scottish Census [2] , living with his parents and six siblings at 15 Hillock Place Ayr. He is a scholar. The family also has a servant. How Arthur came to the Colony of Victoria, I do not know and this is something I hope to discover, one day. On 14 August 1883 [3] he marries Mary Ann Grant. Arthur is 30 and a Storeman, living a 3 Neill Street, Carlton, whilst Mary Ann is 23 and living at Douglas Terrace, Albert Park. A small announcement in The Age, (Melbourne, Vic 1854-1954) Monday 27 August 1881, Page 1, Family Notices, tells of this happy event. ...

Have you really, really looked at your family tree?   What do you see? Dates, names, places, yes but anything else????? I know that we only have 365 dates to play with,   have a good look at those dates? What do you see? On just my side we have four generations, with the same birth date.    Samuel Galbraith 22 October 1815.   His Great-granddaughter, Lilian Galbraith, in 1911. Then follows a great-great granddaughter and a great-great-great grandson. These last two are mother and son!  So this happens, so what! Well the 6th December has Mary Ann Grant my husband and my niece. We do have a few doubles as well. The biggest coincidence  is that of  Arthur Galbraith and Mary Ann Grant.   These are my great-grandparents, on my maternal side.   What is their coincidence?  BOTH Arthur and Mary Ann are the second child to have that name in their generation, in their respective families.  The first Arthur was born 18...