Military Chat

I am searching for information that shows my GGF Alexander Robertson, dob 1879 served in the Boer War, 1899 - 1901.
Apparently he served in the 2nd Battallion, Gordon Highlanders under the command of Lt. Col. William Dick-Cunyngham V.C. and H.W.D. Dennie who died in this battle. He fought in the battle of ELANDSLAAGTE on October 21, 1899.
Alexander born New Pitsligo, Scotland 1879

Unfortunately the records don't give year or place of birth and there isn't an image to look at to see if there is further information.

Need to look for one with Queens South African Medal with clasp shortened to E

these 2 come up for A Robertson with the Gordons, but both are 1st Battalion

Anglo-Boer War records 1899-1902 Transcription

First name(s) A
Last name Robertson
Service number 3452
Rank Private
Regiment 1 Battalion The Gordon Highlanders
Other regiments/units Unit: 1 Battalion The Gordon Highlanders, Rank: Private, Number: 3452
Rolls WO100/203

-------------------------
First name(s) A
Last name Robertson
Service number 2067
Rank Corporal
Regiment 1 Battalion The Gordon Highlanders
Other regiments/units Unit: 1 Battalion The Gordon Highlanders, Rank: Corporal, Number: 2067
Rolls WO100/203
Biography -
Country

------------------------------
If he had a second initial -

Anglo-Boer War records 1899-1902 Transcription

First name(s) A H
Last name Robertson
Service number 8385
Rank Lance-Corporal
Regiment 2 Battalion The Gordon Highlanders
Other regiments/units Unit: 2 Battalion The Gordon Highlanders, Rank: Lance-Corporal, Number: 8385
Rolls WO100/203

--------------------------

First name(s) A M
Last name Robertson
Service number -
Rank Lieutenant
Regiment 2 Volunteer Service Company The Gordon Highlanders
Rolls WO100/203
Biography -
Country Great Britain
Record set Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902

---------------------------------
First name(s) A W
Last name Robertson
Service number -
Rank Lieutenant
Regiment 2 Volunteer Service Company The Gordon Highlanders
Rolls WO100/203
Biography -


There may be more information via the National Archives under the Roll Reference

Just checked births index on Scotland's People for Pitsligo -

Alexander Robertson 1878 New Pitsligo and

Alexander John Robertson 1880 Pitsligo (could be a registration for a late 1879 birth)

Thanks for your help. Information on him is confusing as he was an illegitimate child.

I have his birth register from National Records of Scotland. His name at birth was Alexander Robertson Rollo, Oct 23, 1870. His mother was Margaret Hutcheson Rollo. His father was not listed on the birth notice but he was listed on Alex's marriage record to Elizabeth Shand Mackie, 1903. His father is listed as Alexander Murray Robertson. On his marriage register he is listed as Alexander Robertson.
I've done so much research on all names and am really coming up dry.

Not sure if this will be of any help to you.

I know you'll have all this, Sue - but just for our reference - I was hoping some clue might jump out, but I can't find him between birth and marriage -

ROLLO
ALEXANDER ROBER. . . . . .
M
1879
227/B 113
New Pitsligo

Was he adopted? He's not with his mother on censuses.

ROLLO
MARGARET HUTCHE.....
F
1860
227/B 24
New Pitsligo


Margaret Rollo
in the 1881 Scotland Census
Name: Margaret Rollo
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1860
Relationship: Daughter
Father's name: John Rollo
Mother's name: Margaret Rollo
Gender: Female
Where born: Aberdour, Aberdeensh
Registration Number: 227B
Registration district: New Pitsligo
Civil Parish: Aberdour
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: Middlemurr
Occupation: General Serv
ED: 6
Household schedule number: 1
LINE: 4
Roll: cssct1881_65
Household Members:
Name Age
John Rollo 70
Margaret Rollo 60
Isabella Rollo 30
Margaret Rollo 21
Margaret Rollo 16
Margaret Findlay 11
George Fraser 10
Ann Chalmers 8
Barbra Rollo 7
John Watson 4
Margaret T Gibson 3
James Miller 10 Mo
George Dick 13


I don't see her marriage on SP, but I assume this is her in 1891:

Margaret Gray
in the 1891 Scotland Census
Name: Margaret Gray
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1860
Relationship: Wife
Spouse's name : James Gray
Gender: Female
Where born: New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire
Registration Number: 227B
Registration district: New Pitsligo
Civil Parish: Tyrie
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: 1 Low Street
Occupation: Mason's Wife
ED: 1
Household schedule number: 112
LINE: 19
Roll: CSSCT1891_69
Household Members:
Name Age
James Gray 30
Margaret Gray 31
Jeannie Rollo 8 - step-daughter
John Rollo 4 - stepson
Jeannie Gray 1 - daughter


Margaret H R Gray
in the 1901 Scotland Census
Name: Margaret H R Gray
Age: 41
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1860
Relationship: Wife
Spouse's name : James Gray
Gender: Female
Where born: Aberdour, Aberdeen
Registration Number: 168/3
Registration district: Woodside
Civil Parish: Aberdeen Woodside
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: 24 Western Rd
ED: 4
Household schedule number: 139
LINE: 4
Roll: CSSCT1901_62
Household Members:
Name Age
James Gray 40
Margaret H R Gray 41
Jessie Ann Gray 18
John R Gray 13
Barbara J Gray 8
James A Gray 3
James N Gray 10 - nephew
(not transcribed) 1 Mo - son

His marriage is under all three surnames:

MACKIE
ELIZABETH SHAND
GRAY
ALEXANDER
1903
168/1 595
St Nicholas


MACKIE
ELIZABETH SHAND
ROBERTSON
ALEXANDER
1903
168/1 595
St Nicholas


MACKIE
ELIZABETH SHAND
ROLLO
ALEXANDER
1903
168/1 595
St Nicholas


What's his occupation on the marriage cert?

Another sibling ??

Joseph Rollo
in the Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
Name: Joseph Rollo
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 28 Apr 1881
Birth Place: New Pitsligo, Aberdeen, Scotland
Mother: Maggie Rollo
FHL Film Number: 232634
Reference ID: v 227-B p 11


Death:

ROLLO
JOSEPH
0
1881
227/B 41
New Pitsligo

Alexander's apparent father scarpered to Canada about the time of Alexander junior's birth:

Alexander Murray Robertson
in the Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
Name: Alexander Murray Robertson
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 26 Jul 1860
Birth Place: Pitsligo,Aberdeen,Scotland
Father: George Robertson
Mother: Christian Murray
FHL Film Number: 6035516


Alexander Murray Robertson
in the Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1826-1936
Name: Alexander Murray Robertson
Age: 24
Birth Year: abt 1860
Birth Place: Scotland
Marriage Date: 16 Sep 1884
Marriage Place: York, Ontario, Canada
Father: George Robertson
Mother: Christina Robertson
Spouse: Agnes Patterson

I do have most of this information, thank you so very much.

I found a copy of the Statutory Registers Marriages from the National Records of Scotland. It shows he was a Barley Miller. Under signature of Parties it has (signed) Alexander Robertson

It also shows his address as 11 Kintore Place, Aberdeen.

It's interesting that you found a list of all three surnames for his marriage.

He was not adopted, however I have this note from research his grandson, John did.

"I believe that when Alex's mother married James Gray, Alex went to live with the Smith family who ran a butcher shop, James Smith & sons. Alec's second son John's middle name was Smith, believed to be named after this Smith family.

In a conversation I had with Alex's grandson, Robert Robertson, Xmas of 1999, Bob said he heard that Alec (aka for Alexander) was heard to have had a brother who went out to the gold rush. "

I have searched 'Smith' census in Aberdeen and cannot find Alex's name on any of them.

No idea on below, for Address...

Chris :)

22 March 1919 - Aberdeen Press and Journal - Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire

Death
Robertson - At Rosemount Hospital, Aberdeen, on the 19th inst., Annie Clyne, beloved wife of John Robertson, 11 Kintore Place, aged 55 years. Funeral from 123 Skene Street (Mrs Walker), on Saturday, at 2 p.m., to St Peter's Cemetery.


(or below!)

1901 (Find My Past)
Joseph Rollo Head Married Male 48 1853 Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Carter (Fireday)
Jane Rollo Wife Married Female 49 1852 Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland -
Mary Ann Rollo Daughter Single Female 25 1876 Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Fish Worker
Jessie S Rollo Daughter Single Female 24 1877 Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Fish Worker
Maggie Rollo Daughter Single Female 22 1879 Rathen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Provision Worker
James Rollo Son Single Male 20 1881 Aberdeenshire, Scotland Slater's Appce
John Rollo Son Single Male 19 1882 Aberdeenshire, Scotland Mason's Appce
Alexander Rollo Son - Male 14 1887 Aberdeenshire, Scotland Message Boy
William Rollo Son - Male 9 1892 Aberdeenshire, Scotland Scholar
Henry L Rollo Grandson - Male 5 1896 Aberdeenshire, Scotland Scholar
Kintore Place, 12, Aberdeen, St Machar, Aberdeenshire


1901 (if that 1919 Death, Annie)
John H Robertson Head Married Male 35 1866 Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Tailor
Annie Robertson Wife Married Female 31 1870 Aberdeenshire, Scotland -
William Robertson Son - Male 6 1895 Aberdeenshire, Scotland Schola
Harris Robertson Son - Male 3 1898 Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Kintore Place, 34, Aberdeen, St Machar, Aberdeenshire,

No sign of 11 Kintore Place in 1901 census.

There's a family of Rollos at 12 Kintore Plce, if that's relevant at all:


Joseph Rollo
in the 1901 Scotland Census
Name: Joseph Rollo
Age: 48
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1853
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Jane Rollo
Gender: Male
Where born: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
Registration Number: 168/2
Registration district: St Machar
Civil Parish: Aberdeen Gilcomston
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: 12 Kintore Place
Occupation: Carter (frielay)
ED: 8A
Household schedule number: 302
LINE: 8
Roll: CSSCT1901_55
Household Members:
Name Age
Joseph Rollo 48
Jane Rollo 49
Mary Ann Rollo 25
Jessie S Rollo 24
Maggie Rollo 27
James Rollo 20
John Rollo 19
Alexander Rollo 14
William Rollo 9
Henry L Rollo 5


Kintore Place seems to have been a street of tenements and lodging houses - multiple families at one address. Not an upmarket area.

wow this is really interesting information on Joseph Rollo at 12 Kintore Place.

From my records is appears that Joseph is the brother of Alex's mother, Margaret. It's is very possible that Alex was living with or right next door to them when he got married. The marriage record definitely shows 11 Kintore.

Unfortunately I don't see on any census that Alex lived with them prior to that.

Thanks so much....one step closer.

I don't see number 11 on the valuation rolls.

These Rollos in Kintore Place 1905

ROLLO JAMES
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE NO 17 KINTORE PLACE
ABERDEEN
1905

ROLLO JESSIE
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE NO 8 KINTORE PLACE
ABERDEEN
1905

ROLLO JOSEPH
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE NO 12 KINTORE PLACE
ABERDEEN
1905
-------------------------------

Gray:-

GRAY JAMES
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE NO 14 KINTORE PLACE
ABERDEEN
1905
---------------------------------------

There are several Robertsons living in Kintore Place in 1905- I won't list all of them. Wondered if this was your Alexander?

ROBERTSON ALEXANDER
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE NO 5 KINTORE PLACE
ABERDEEN
1905

This is very possible my Alexander. He was married at this time with one child. HIs wife was Elizabeth and his daughter was Alice. Are they shown?

James Gray was his stepfather. Does it show his mother Margaret?

Joseph Rollo was his uncle. He did have kids Jessie and James. They would have been old enough at this time to be in their own place.

On the Valuation Rolls only the official tenant or owner of an address is shown - no family members.

The 1901 census record for James, Margaret, and family was posted earlier in this thread.. Address in 1901: 24 Western Road.

thank you. I do have the 1901 Census.