Cousins Reunited
Gillian and Lin at The Crown, Stamford
In April I met my second cousin Lin for lunch in Stamford. We had a wonderful time sharing photos and postcards from our grandmothers (sisters Lizzie Clark Millar and Maggie Ritchie Millar). Lin remembers visiting us when we lived in Corby when we were children. Her dad, Dick Mason, and my dad were first cousins and spent many summer holidays together.
Lin and I reconnected through Ancestry.com two years ago and we’ve had so much fun learning about our family from each other.
Maggie’s postcard album
LIn’s grandmother Maggie kept an album of postcards and there are several from Lizzie and many from Maggie’s husband William Mason as well as some from her brother William Clark Millar. We’ve been able to track where the sisters were living after their parents died in 1901 by looking at the addresses and dates.
When their parents died in 1901 the family lived in Kings Lynn, Norfolk in England. Maggie was 18 and a baker/confectioner. Lizzie (15) was a corset maker. Their brother William (13) was still in school. We know that from the 1901 Census.
In the 1911 census all three siblings were living in Stamford. Maggie was married to William Mason, an auctioneer, and Lizzie was living at the home of his business partner where she was a housekeeper. Brother William was living with Maggie.
Between 1901 and 1911 we don’t know their permanent addresses but from the postcards we can tell that Lizzie seems to have moved to Scotland and Maggie moved around a lot, staying in various popular holiday places in Scotland and England which suggests she may have been a nanny or housekeeper. We only have Maggie’s addresses as the postcards were written to her.
Postcard from Lizzie to Maggie sent from Edinburgh in August 1904
“was here yesterday and at the theatre at night The Cherry Girl and going to the Forth Bridge today and the theatre at night again The Silver King. Having a lively time. Write here if you have not written. Leave here on Tuesday I think for Newburgh but not quite sure. Don’t say anything to Aunt as they don’t know I’m here. Love L C M”
The Millar Tree (March 2022)
This is the tree I made for Lin showing the Millars, Clarks, Ritchies, and Wedderburns. Watch this space for an extended tree for the Wedderburns going back to 1450!