Hi folks, I just joined this list, in the hope that someone might be able to help me with my research problem! My gt.grandfather was James SPEED, b. abt 1834/5. He worked all his life in glassmaking, ending up a glassworks manager in Birmingham, England, by 1901. I am writing a book about him because in 1879 to abt 1884 he was in Japan, responsible for helping the Meiji government set up western- style glass manufacturing. But when I look back to his early life, I cannot find him or most of his family in 1851. In 1841 he and his family are living in Barony, Glasgow. By 1859 we know he is living in Edinburgh because he marries there at age 24, and in 1861 he is living in Edinburgh, and in 1871 in Bathgate. But 1851 is a problem. The places given for his birth in the censuses are: 1841, same county, ie Lanark 1851.... not located at all. Only 2 of his sisters have been found on the census. 1861, "Dumbartonshire, Erskineburgh" 1871, "Renfrewshire, Erskine" 1881 (abroad) 1891 (not present) 1901, "Scotland, Dumbarton" or "Dunbarton" (this is when he is living in England) (His father was David Speed, b. 1804 in Glasgow, and his mother was Margaret Riddell, b. 1804 Carmunnock.) We do not have a birth certificate for him and do not know why he always gave some birth link to Dumbartonshire or Erskine. None of his 4 sisters gave any birth location that was outside central Glasgow, although I have yet to find and check their census entries in later years. By 1859 he has already served his apprenticeship as a glassmaker. I wonder if he was an apprentice in Erskine? I have done a brief search into glassmaking in that area around 1850 and only found the glassmaking in Dunbarton but that seems to have closed before he would have been ready for an apprenticeship. His mother worked in service and it is possible this is the explanation - that she gave birth while away from home working in Erskine. An aunt who has since died told me that there's a strong story in the family about illegitimacy to a titled line, possibly Buccleuch, but I know no more. Were there any Buccleuch households in the area? Can anyone explain why he would say (in the census of 1861) that he was born in "Dumbartonshire, Erskineburgh"? Was Erskine ever included in that county? His mother was born in Carmunnock in 1804, and her parents married in Abbey, Paisley in 1795. Maybe she had some roots in Erskine or Dunbarton. We do not know. His father was born in Glasgow of parents who married in Angus. I would much appreciate any help or thoughts on this! Many thanks Sally