AITKEN

Helen Mitchell AITKEN was born in 1902 on the 3rd January at 66 Coburgh Street, Leith.

Births - 692/01 0016

Helen Mitchell AITKEN (1902-1996), the daughter of John Strachan AITKEN and Helen REID, was married to James QUINN in 1922 (see QUINN page).

Her parents were John Strachan AITKEN and Helen Mitchell REID. They married on 7 Jun 1895 in |North Leith.

From their marriage certificate, their years of birth can be determined by subtracting their age from the year of their marriage.  John Strachan AITKEN was born 1874 and his parents were James AITKEN and Jessie HAY.  Helen Mitchell REID was born abt. 1875 but only her mother's name appears on the marriage certificate, so it is likely she was the illegitimate daughter of Helen REID.

The birth certificate of John Strachan AITKEN confirms his parents' names as James AITKEN, coachman and Janet HAY.  (Janet was often known as Jessie).  They were married on 7 Jun 1872 in North Leith.

Helen REID's birth certificate was more difficult to source, as she was born in Redcar, Yorkshire, England in 1875 and the spelling of Helen was 'Hellen'. She died in Leith in 1934.  A year later, her widowed husband committed suicide and died in 1935.

On the 1911 census, John AITKEN and Helen (Nellie) REID are living at 66 Coburg Street in Leith with five children.  According to the information on the 1911 census, there were six children, but one died.

As noted on the birth and marriage certificates, John Strachan Aitken's parents were James AITKEN and Janet (Jessie) HAY.

They were married in 1872.

On the 1881 census, James and Jessie are living at 12 Bowling Green St, Leith South with three of their children:

John age 6; James age 3; Jane age 9 months.

On the 1891 census, James AITKEN and Jessie HAY were living with their four children at 19 Graham Street, Leith North.

Children: John age 16; Jane age 10; Robert age 6; David age 1.

James' parents' names are John AITKEN and Catherine NIDDERY.  Jessie HAY's parents are Alexander HAY and Jane MILLAR.

Working back from the ages noted on the marriage certificate, James was born abt. 1849 and Jessie was born abt. 1849.  As this pre-dates the 1855 mandatory registration, it is hoped the information will be available in the OPRs (Old Parish Records).

James AITKEN was born on 15 Jul 1848 and fortunately, the OPR also shows other siblings born to  John AITKEN and Catherine NIDDERY:

James' parents were married at Tulliallan in 1836:

James' death may have been on a service returns certificate, as he doesn't appear in the deaths in any Scottish records.

On the 1851 census, John ATKEN and Catherine NIDDRY were living with their five children at Guild Hall Street, Dunfermline.

Children: John and David (twins) age 14, b. 1837; Catherine age 8,b. 1843; James b.1848, age 2, b. 1848; Margaret age 1 month b.1851.

On the 1861 census, John ATKEN and Catherine NIDDRY were at Crossford, Dunfermline with three of the children:

David age 15;James age 12; Margaret, age 10

His father, John Strachan AITKEN was born 10 Feb 1815 in Dunfermline and died 11 Nov 1861.

John Strachan AITKEN's parents were John AITKEN and Catherine TOD who married on the 27th Jul 1807.

Ancestors of Janet QUINN

Generation 1

Janet QUINN, daughter of James QUINN and Helen Mitchell AITKEN, was born in 1931 in Edinburgh. She died in 2003 in Symington, Lanarkshire, Scotland. She married Hugh Gordon SMITH.

1.

Generation 2

James QUINN.  He married Helen Mitchell AITKEN on 28 Apr 1922.

2.

Helen Mitchell AITKEN, daughter of John AITKEN and Helen REID, was born on 03 Jan 1902. She died on 03 Jan 1996.

3.

Helen Mitchell AITKEN and James QUINN had the following child:

1.

i.

Janet QUINN was born in 1931 in Edinburgh. She died in 2003 in Symington, Lanarkshire, Scotland. She married Hugh Gordon SMITH.

Generation 3

Patrick QUINN.  He married Rachel MacLEOD.

4.

Rachel MacLEOD.

5.

Rachel MacLEOD and Patrick QUINN had the following child:

2.

i.

James QUINN.  He married Helen Mitchell AITKEN on 28 Apr 1922. She was born on 03 Jan 1902. She died on 03 Jan 1996.

John AITKEN, son of James AITKEN and Janet HAY, was born in 1874. He married Helen REID in 1895.

6.

Helen REID, daughter of John REID and Helen MITCHELL, was born in 1875 in Redcar. She died in 1934.

7.

Helen REID and John AITKEN had the following child:

3.

i.

Helen Mitchell AITKEN was born on 03 Jan 1902. She died on 03 Jan 1996. She married James QUINN on 28 Apr 1922.

Generation 4

James AITKEN, son of John AITKEN and Catherine NIDDERY, was born in 1849. He married Janet HAY in 1872.

12.

Janet HAY, daughter of Alexander HAY and Jessie MILLAR, was born in 1849.

13.

Janet HAY and James AITKEN had the following child:

6.

i.

John AITKEN was born in 1874. He married Helen REID in 1895. She was born in 1875 in Redcar. She died in 1934.

John REID, son of Alexander REID and Jane GEDDES, was born in 1849. He died in 1872 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He married Helen MITCHELL.

14.

Helen MITCHELL, daughter of John MITCHELL and Ann WILLOX, was born in 1849. She died in 1888 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

15.

Helen MITCHELL and John REID had the following child:

7.

i.

Helen REID was born in 1875 in Redcar. She died in 1934. She married John AITKEN in 1895. He was born in 1874.

Generation 5

John AITKEN.  He married Catherine NIDDERY.

24.

Catherine NIDDERY.

25.

Catherine NIDDERY and John AITKEN had the following child:

12.

i.

James AITKEN was born in 1849. He married Janet HAY in 1872. She was born in 1849.

Alexander HAY.  He married Jessie MILLAR.

26.

Jessie MILLAR.

27.

Jessie MILLAR and Alexander HAY had the following child:

13.

i.

Janet HAY was born in 1849. She married James AITKEN in 1872. He was born in 1849.

Alexander REID was born in 1827. He died in 1892. He married Jane GEDDES in 1846.

28.

Jane GEDDES, daughter of John GEDDES and Jane SHAW, was born in 1825.

29.

Jane GEDDES and Alexander REID had the following child:

14.

i.

John REID was born in 1849. He died in 1872 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He married Helen MITCHELL.  She was born in 1849. She died in 1888 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

John MITCHELL.  He married Ann WILLOX.

30.

Ann WILLOX, daughter of George WILLOX and Ann BRODIE, was born in 1813. She died in 1886 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

31.

Ann WILLOX and John MITCHELL had the following child:

15.

i.

Helen MITCHELL was born in 1849. She died in 1888 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She married John REID.  He was born in 1849. He died in 1872 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Generation 6

John GEDDES.  He married Jane SHAW.

58.

Jane SHAW.

59.

Jane SHAW and John GEDDES had the following child:

29.

i.

Jane GEDDES was born in 1825. She married Alexander REID in 1846. He was born in 1827. He died in 1892.

George WILLOX.  He married Ann BRODIE.

62.

Ann BRODIE.

63.

Ann BRODIE and George WILLOX had the following child:

31.

i.

Ann WILLOX was born in 1813. She died in 1886 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She married John MITCHELL.