My great grandfather James Murray Smithson according to the 1881 census was born c 1835 in Edinburgh and was a cabinet maker by trade. By 1851 census he was in Manchester where he died in 1882. He was married four times and witness to three of his marriages was his father William Smithson, a Commission Agent.

Family legend has it that he came from Portobello but I have no proof of this. Searches in Scotland i.e. National Archives, Censuses, Church of Scotland records have yielded no trace of James or his father William. I have tried almost every avenue but hope to find him some day!


Janet Rigby