Census Records for Family of James and Helen Forsyth

Click on image to enlarge

Thomas Forsyth, son of James and Helen 1820-1872

The birth of Thomas Forsyth, the fourth and youngest son of James and Helen, has been submitted to the IGI as May 22, 1818, but census records make 1820 or 1821 a more likely year of birth. His baptism does not appear in the Dirleton Parish Registers. Oral family history provides only the information that he was a railway guard on the line between Berwick (on Tweed, Northumberland, England) and Edinburgh.

In 1841, Thomas apears in the census for Ardersier, Inverness in the North of Scotland. He is a twenty year old 'private' in the 92nd Regiment at Fort George. The highest ranking officer seems to be Captain George Edward Therold. (Click on the title of this article for a website on
Ardersier and Fort George.)

Click to enlarge: Location of Thomas Forsyth in 1841 Census - Fort George, Inverness

Thomas' marriage record of November 29th, 1845, states that he was still a Private in the 92nd Regiment of Foot but this time at Edinburgh Castle. He married 'Ann Cameron, of Beaties's Lodgings, Ruis Close, Canongate, Edinburgh, the daughter of the late John Cameron, labourer of Castlehill, Edinburgh.'

Click to enlarge: Marriage of Thomas Forsyth and Ann Cameron, 1845, Edinburgh, Scotland

Thomas and Ann remained in Edinburgh for a few years where their first son, James, was born in 1847. Sometime before 1851, they moved to Kelso, Roxburghshire. Perhaps it was at this time that he left the army and began working for the railway, as in the 1851 census, Thomas' occupation is shown as 'railway guard.' Kelso is about twenty -five miles from Berwick.

1851 Census - Scotland - Kelso, Roxboroughshire
Address: Oven Wynd
Forsyth, Thomas, Head, 31, railway guard, b. EL, Dirleton
Forsyth, Ann, wife, 26, b. Midlothian, Edinburgh
Forsyth, James, son, 4, scholar, b. Midlothian Edinburgh
White, Janet, servant, 16, b. Peebleshire, Peebles

A second son, named Thomas, was born in Kelso in about 1852. However, Ann Cameron died before the 1861 census. We find her two sons with her sixty-seven year old mother, Ann Cameron, in Edinburgh when the census was taken.

1861 Census - Scotland - St. Cuthbert's Parish, Edinburgh
Address: Canning House, Canning Place
Ann Cameron, 67, b. 1794, Glencoe, Argyllshire, Fundholder
Clementine Rutherford, 47, daughter, coachman's wife
Catherine Cameron, 29, daughter, housekeeper
Robert Cameron, son, cashier, stationer
James Forsyth, 14, b. abt 1847, Edinburgh, grandson
Thomas Forsyth, 9, b. about 1852, Kelso Roxborough, grandson

Thomas Forsyth, the father, remarried and in 1861, we find his new family in Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland, England. He is still a railway guard according to this census.

Click to enlarge: Map of south-east Scotland and north-east England (East Lothian, Northumberland and Durham)

1861 Census England - Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland

Address: St. Mary's, Tweed Street

Thomas Forsyth, head, 42, railway guard, born Scotland

Margaret Forsyth, 28, born Scotland

Robert Forsyth, 2, born abt 1859, Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland

John Forsyth, 4 months, born Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland

Sadly, on October 28th, 1866, James Forsyth, the eldest son of Thomas Forsyth and his deceased wife, Ann, died at 19 years of age at Lord Russell Place, in the district of Newington, Edinburgh. He was single and died of 'pulmonary consumption' from which he had suffered for twelve months. His father was present at his death.

Death record for James Forsyth, son of Thomas, 1866 Edinburgh

The second son of Thomas Forsyth and Ann Cameron died on March 19, 1870 at 19 years of age at 5 Keir Street, St. George District, Edinburgh. He was single and the sub-editor of a farmers' newspaper. He died of scarlatina in just five days. His death was reported by a Rutherford cousin of Tweeddale (?) Terrace.

Death Record of Thomas Forsyth, son of Thomas, 1870 Edinburgh

1871 Census - England, Northumberland, Berwick on Tweed
Address: Castlegate, "Free Trade Hotel"

(You can find photos of this pubic house on the internet)

Thomas Forsyth, b. 1821 Scotland

Margaret Forsyth, b. 1833, Scotland

Robert Forsyth, 12, b. 1859, Berwick, England

John Forsyth, 10., b. 1861, Berwick, England

Geoge Forsyth, 8, b. 1863, Berwick, England

Thomas Forsyth died in 1872 in Berwick. It is presumed that his wife either died before the 1881 census or remarried. The three sons appear in the 1881 census as follows:

1881 Census - EnglandGateshead, Durham County, 54 Cobden Terrace, St. Edmonds
Robert Forsyth, 25, b. Northumberland, Berwick on Tweed, night watchman
Susan Forsyth, 23, b. Northumberland, Scremerston Mary Forsyth, 1, b. Durham County, Gateshead Kate Forsyth, 3 months,