a scouser whose ald fella wont talk. looking 4 Davidsons

[bluebirdonthewing]

Hello ,
I am researching the historical implications of the McGifford [ McGiffert ] names and their origins.
There is a piece within the plantation of Down county where the McGifford names shows. There were also many McGiffords at Hillsborough Down. Somewhere in the mid 1800 era the family emigrated to Scotland [ Govan area where all are to be located ] probably as a result of the potatoe famine.
The name I an researching was one James McGifford who married one Mary Carson in Scotland. They had many children and I fear that most passed on as I am only able to locate three with a 23 year difference in age. James became a ploughman on a Scot estate where he died as a domestic servant. He had two sons and a daughter that I have been able to prove who immigrated to Govan Scotland. Hugh McGifford who married Martha Clarke probably in S Ireland and Later married Mary Adam and worked as porter in the Helen Street fever hospital which later became the Sheildhall fever hospital.
Arthur who married one Margaret O,Hara in Belfast in 1874 and later married Jane Barclay in 1883 and have nine children. One of the sone...Hugh McGifford ...born in 1889 was my grandfather. He worked on the tramway and in 1935 he immigrated to Canada where he farmed and had a further 10 children. Any info on this family or their corresponding lines would be much appreciated. The historical reasons would also be much appreciated. Thankyou in advance,
Bluebirdonthewing

[Anna_M]

Hi Bluebird,
I read what you posted and can confirm I am related to you.
I am also doing research on my family tree on my father's side.
James McGifford is your great-great grandfather, and my great-great-great grandfather. He married Mary Carson. His son (your great-grandfather,Arthur McGifford) had a sister called Martha Ann McGifford. She was my great-great grandmother. She married Hugh Murnin in Downpatrick, Co. Down and they had a daughter, Margaret Ann Murnin (Maggie) before moving to Baillieston which is a village South-East of Glasgow (in Lanarkshire). Hugh and Martha had further children: Martha (my great-grandmother), Sarah, Peter, James and John.
Tragically, Sarah Murnin (my great-great Aunt) drowned in a reservoir in 1910 aged 19 whilst she was working as a farm servant on Townhead Farm near Helensburgh. John died of meningitis as a baby. Martha (an unmarried farm servant)died aged 21 giving birth to my grandfather in 1907. Nothing is known of my grandfather's father. Peter and James got married and (I believe) lived long lives.
James McGifford's daughter Martha Ann (your great aunt) died of septaecemia in her forties. Her husband Hugh was an ex-military man and died in his 80s of heart disease.
My grandfather, Matthew Murnin, moved back to Northern Ireland in 1910 where he changed his name to Matthew Murray. His son, my father, Brian Murray, moved over to Scotland with my Irish mother in 1979. I was born in 1983 and still live in Scotland.
I wanted to find out more about my Dad's family tree because I have always grown up being the only Scottish person in the family (all the rest are Northern Irish). I was therefore interested to find out that there were some Scottish links and so decided to research the "Scottish bit" of my family.
I can give you more precise dates etc if you want. I have a lot of birth and death, and marriage certificates of the people I have just mentioned with exact dates. I just don't have them on me at the moment! But let me know if you are interested and I can tell you more. I would also be keen for you to provide me with any information about your grandfather Hugh that could help me in my research. My email address is anna_f_murray@yahoo.com

Best Wishes, Anna

[Edited by Anna_M on 24th February 2005 at 19:42]

[Scottish_Republican]

Originally posted by Marhar
In the 1881 census for Scotland I found just 4 families with that surname.

Davidson?

Sorry as someone who has worked on censuses of that time, that it is not true. Davidson is, and was, a fairly common name.