McALPINE

My McAlpine branch of the family tree starts with Helen Gourlay McAlpine (1884-1966) (known as Nellie) who was married to Matthew Duncan. See also  DUNCAN pages. 

They were married on the 15th June 1904 (Writing is poor on certificate) at Haggs, Stirlingshire.  

Helen Gourlay McAlpine was born in 1884 to David McAlpine (b. abt.1854) and Christina White (1862-1926). 

Her birth record shows the date of her parents' marriage (15th July 1881) and confirms the parents' names David McALPINE and Christina WHITE.   Helen McAlpine's siblings appear to be as follows (and those have still to be checked and verified by obtaining actual certificates from Register House):- Christina, William (1889-1893), Harold or Henry - who emigrated to Australia, Kate, Anne, Mary, David.  

Harold (Henry/Harry) was a twin and he emigrated to Australia where there are McALPINEs - see the Australian McALPINE page.

The 1901 census has some other siblings listed (but Helen was elsewhere on census night; most probably working in service) :

David McAlpine is 49 on the 1901 census, confirming his birth abt. 1852.  He married Christina White in 1881.

488/2 11 Bannockburn (1881)

David McALPINE's parents were David McALPINE and Helen GOURLEY WELCH (hence why so many descendants have been given Gourley (Gourlay) as a middle name).  David's marriage certificate notes his age as 27, which would indicate that he had been born abt. 1854 on but the only OPR record of birth is one in 1837, which may in fact be another son who died in infancy.

The OPR marriage for David McALPINE and Helen WELCH was in 1837.  

Children born to David McAlpine and Helen Gourlay Welch were:

Clementina McALPINE 1833-1911

David McALPINE 1837 -

William McALPINE 1838 -

James McALPINE 1840 - 1904

Matthew Welsh McALPINE  1844 -

Helen Hay McALPINE 1846 - 

Matthew McALPINE 1851 -

David McALPINE 1853 - 1914

William McALPINE 1855 - 1856

Mary McALPINE 1859 -

The confirmation that Helen GOURLEY/WELCH is the same person is found in the OPR birth of Helen Gourlay WELCH on the 31st May, 1816.  

This 1871 census may be the family residing at Haggs.  David (Head) is showing a birth place of Lanark, Bothwell and his wife (Helen Gourlay Welch) is aged 55, birthplace Haggs.  Their son David is aged 18, suggesting he was born 1853 which is more consistent with the age calculated from his marriage certificate when he married Christina WHITE.

476/8  27 (1871 Census)

David McALPINE (married to Helen Gourlay WELCH) died in 1874.  His father is listed as William but no mother's name is recorded.

Helen Gourlay WELCH/WELSH, widow of David McALPINE died in 1883.

Thanks to a family member for providing this wonderful family photo (found in an attic where Helen McAlpine resided). By careful deduction, we reckon it is of the McAlpine family c 1900(David McAlpine and Christina White) and their children. The girl standing to the left is Helen McAlpine (Helen McAlpine who married Matthew Duncan) with  Mary McAlpine to her right. The little girl in the middle we reckon is Tina (Christina) and we think the two boys are George McAlpine (whom I have just found in the Scottish registers as he was registered with MAC instead of MC in the McAlpine name). George is the one who married Susie (Susan Stewart) - and the other boy to the right is William (the second William born in 1894 as the first William died in 1893). In total, the children born to David McAlpine and Christina White were: Mary Ann McAlpine (1882 - 1961); Helen Gourlay McAlpine (1884 - 1966); David McAlpine (1886 -1889); William McAlpine (1888 - 1893); George McAlpine (1893 - 1935); William Smith McAlpine ( 1895 - ? - the second William); Christina McAlpine (1897 - ??); David McAlpine (1900 -1901 - the second David);  Henry McAlpine b 1900 - ??) (David and Henry were twins) – Henry (Harry) went to Australia; Ann McAlpine (1905 - 1930); Catherine McAlpine (1907 - 1974 (Aunty Kate)