Genealogy Chat

Thomas Orr b around 1878 is listed on the 1901 scottish census as being born S.S Singapore. Is this a ship i take it?



Name: Thomas Orr
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Relationship: Son
Mother's Name: Christina Orr
Gender: Male
Where born: S S, Singapore
Registration Number: 622/1
Registration district: Maryhill
Civil parish: Maryhill
County: Lanarkshire
Address: 33 Kelvinside Av
Occupation: Plumber
ED: 10
Household schedule number: 126
Line: 15
Roll: CSSCT1901_240
Household Members:
Name Age
Christina Orr 53
Agnes Orr 25
Thomas Orr 23
William Orr 21
Robert Orr 13
Christena Orr 10
Mary Paxton 84


Father John Orr 1843 - 1890

Just seen that his elder sister Agnes was born in Malta?! So the S.S Singapore must have been the ship they were travelling back on... why Malta??!

1881 Scotland Census
about Thomas Orr Name: Thomas Orr
Age: 3
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Relationship: Son
Father's Name: John Orr
Mother's Name: Christina Orr
Gender: Male
Where born: Strait Settl, Singapore <<<<<<<<<

I've vaguely heard of Straits Settlements Singapore(or something like it), maybe it's that?
Jan

Finally found out the father John Orr was a solider, so maybe this is why 2 of their children were born in Singapore and one in Malta but why would they possibly travel with them???
Why would they travel to and from Scotland at that time?



Name: John Orr
Age: 38
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1843
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Christina Orr
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland, Dunbar
Registration Number: 622/1
Registration district: Maryhill
Civil parish: Maryhill
County: Lanarkshire
Address: Lanarkshire
Occupation: Soldier
ED: Maryhill Barracks
Line: 19
Roll: cssct1881_200
Household Members:
Name Age
John Orr 38
Christina Orr 33
Thomas Orr 3
William Orr 1
Peter Bruce 34
John Finlayson 19
John Allan 34
William Boden 24
Andrew Brand 35
Edward Cawley 24
Joseph Colell 24
James Dorwood 31
James Dunlop 39
Patrick Havican 24
Francis Hagarty 24
William Hendry 29
Edward Johnstone 28
Peter Lafferty 25
William Larman 26
John McDonald 24
Peter McLusky 39
Duncan McPherson 32

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_in_the_Straits_Settlements

It was fairly standard practice for soldiers to take their families with them if they held a high rank. Families would sometimes come home for the hot summer months and go out for the winter.

Interesting Trivia: Ships going East had their Starboard (Right) side to the Sun and hence it was desirable to book a cabin on the cooler Port side for the outward leg. Correspondingly the Starboard side was cooler on the West bound run. This is the origin of the word POSH meaning Port Out Starboard Home, the abbreviation was written on the tickets. :-)

Thanks Malcolm.

British Army Service Records 1760-1915 Transcription

First name(s): John

Last name: ORR

Calculated year of birth: 1842

Parish of birth: Dunbar

Town of birth: Haddington

County of birth: Haddingtonshire (East Lothian)

Age at attestation: 18 years

Attestation date: 5 June 1860

Attestation corps: 74th Foot

Attestation soldier number: 643

Discharge rank:

Discharge corps:

Discharge soldier number:

The National Archives reference: WO97 / 3594 / 88


wife - Christina PAXTON

married in Malta on 18th March 1872




I can send the images if you don't have access to them.

GRO Regimental Birth Indices (1761 to 1924) (Find My Past)

Name: ORR, Thomas W
Mother's name: Not available before 1966
Regiment:74th Foot
Place : Singapore
Country: Singapore
Year: 1877
Volume : 1306
Page: 50
Record source: GRO Regimental Birth Indices (1761 to 1924)

Name: ORR, Agnes Scott
Mother's name: Not available before 1966
Station : Malta
Country: Malta
Year: 1875-1876
Page: 125
Record source: GRO Army Chaplains Birth Indices (1796 to

Name: ORR, John
Station : Malta
Country: Malta
Year: 1870-1872
Page: 1147
Spouse's last name: Not available for GRO Chaplains Returns Marriages (1796 to 1880)
Record source: GRO Chaplains Returns Marriages (1796 to 1880)

Chris :)

http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=583&p=localities.weurope.malta.general

(older query from somebody researching Orr)

Chris :)

If you could send images that would be amazing.

Thanks so much for this info! :)

PM sent with attachments

Thank you Choccy!

On one of the records it states on 29th May 1866 his is in arrest and awaiting trial then on 1st June 1866 the trial is reduced.

Would any one know how i could go about finding out what crime he committed?

Think you will find it says 'tried and reduced to Private'.

Sorry, can't help you with finding out his crime, but it looks as though it happened a few times throughout his service history!

Archives at Kew would have his Military records. One of the children's b/c or perhaps m/c as he wed in Malta, could very well give his Reg't. Unbelievable sometimes what is contained within service papers. You will definitely discover exactly when & where he joined, and where he was every step of of the way throughout his soldiering days. Also any charges, fines, punishments, reduction of rank etc.

My 2 x g-gf contained a wealth of info, including, date of birth, where born, plus parents' & siblings' names. Joined up at Devonport 1846 but was born in North Devon.

Not only officers could take their families abroad, especially if their postings were for 2y + years, which was the norm. NCOs could as well. You might find he was posted elsewhere (Singapore for instance) straight from Malta.

Good Luck ~ Trena