**CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Hi everyone!
I am desperately trying to trace back my family in Scotland - the Croan family.
I am Francesca the Grandaughter of Veronica O'Reilly. Veronica's Mother was NORAH CROAN (Born 1897 approx). Norah married James O'Reilly from Schull in Northern Ireland, Norah and James met in Edinburugh when James was working on the tramline,
Norah is one of, I believe, 11 children (Elizabeth,David, James, Agnes, Annie, Maggie, Alice, Ada, Thomas, and Isabella) who were all born in the Edinburgh area. Their parents were Ann[ie] Croan (Maiden Name: Whorton Aitchison which I believe was also sometimes used by their children), and James Croan (born 1854 approx) who married in 1874 in Edinburgh. I believe David possible moved to America and I understood was involved in horse racing/trading, I also understand Annie moved to Canada where she lived with her husband George Stoker and her Children George (born 1911) and Violet (born 1914). Annie is registered as dying in Vancover 31/08/1948. Her daughter Violet married Robert Gordon Mackay and moved from her birthplace of Winniepeg to Toronto where she passed away, there is some confusion over her date of death as records show she died in 1976 but my family received notification of her passing in the early 1990's. Although I cannot find records of them Violet and Robert (known to our family by his middle name of Gordon) may have had two sons, possibly called John and Hugh.
James Croan was the brother, I believe, of Robert Croan who started Croan Seafood/ R Croan Fisheries in Edinburugh in the late 1800's. James was one of 12 children who were (Patrick, Mary, Robert, Thomas, Margaret, Agnes, Alice, Mary Ann, Mary, Alex/Alexander, and Elizabeth) and who were all born in Edinburgh between 1855 and 1879. James was registered as being born at the King's Stables at Edinburgh Castle he and his family (siblings and parents) were then registered at the following addresses:
1861 Census: Hunters Close 1871 Census: 45 Carrubbers Close (Occupation: Fish Salesman) 1891 Census: 5 Victoria Street (Occupation: House Dealer)
James Croan was then finally registered during the 1901 Census with his marital family and children at 6 Keir Street with his occupation as Horse Trader. James and his siblings parent's were Agnes Croan (Maiden name Malcolm) and Patrick Croan (Born 1834) who were married in 1851. Patrick Croan was registered in the 1861 Census as a Grocer and then in the 1871 Census as a Fish Salesman. Agnes Malcolm's parents were Catherine Malcolm (Maiden name Key) and James Malcolm (born 1801) who were both born in Angus - they married in 1822.
Other information I have from the family is that Norah Croan possibly had a total of three brothers who were killed in WW1. One of Norah's sisters married someone with the Surname Brown and I understand they lived in Australia for a short time before returning to the UK (possibly the London area). I understand Norah's sister and Mr Brown had two children - Eileen who served in WW2 stationed in Egypt ( I believe she lost a leg), and William (known as Bill). Bill served as a Spy for England in WW2 as he was fluent in French and I believe lived in Bow London - I understood he also became a Catholic Priest training in Rome. I know the family was heavily involved with fish/fishing and horse racing/trading.
I know there is a lot of information but it doesn't connect me with any family today which I'd love to do! It would be great to know if there's anyone else out there connected to my families story .... whethere you're an O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton, Aitchison, Malcolm, or Key .... or know anything/are connected in anyway please don't hesitate to get in contact!!!!
Many thanks,
Francesca Wells (Great Great Great Grandaughter of Patrick Croan)
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Hi Francesca,
Re.... "is that Norah Croan possibly had a total of three brothers who were killed in WW1. One of Norah's sisters married someone with the Surname Brown and I understand they lived in Australia for a short time before returning to the UK (possibly the London area). "
Here are two possible marriages, in New South Wales, Australia. One in 1899 and the other in 1913.
2543/1899 (Groom) BROWN WILLIAM H (Bride) CROAN JESSIE L H (District) SYDNEY
10536/1913 (Groom) BROWN WALTER (Bride) CROAN AGNES (District) GLEBE
Mary
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Hi Francesca,
Re... "was NORAH CROAN (Born 1897 approx). "
1901 Scotland Census.
Registration district: St George Civil Parish: Edinburgh St Aidan Town: Edinburgh County: Midlothian Address: 6 Keir Street
Household Members: Name Age James Croan 47 Ann Croan 45 Elizabeth Croan 24 David Croan 21 James Croan 20 Agnes Croan 18 Annie Croan 16 Maggie Croan 14 Alice Croan 12 Ada Croan 10 Thomas Croan 8 Isabella Croan 6 Norah Croan 4 Mary
ADDED.
From UK Passengers to Australia, on findmypast:
AGNES CROAN (Year of Birth) 1886 LONDON (Travel Year) 1912 SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Hi Mary,
That's amazing - Agnes is definitely the one thank you so much!
I'll use the information to try and track down their children now :)
Thank you!!
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
*A quick update*
With that information I've found both Agnes (Maiden name Croan) and Walter Browns children registered in Indiana.
Ellen [Eileen] Brown born 1929 and William born 1928 - both were born in Scotland. It looks like they had a younger sibling too Maureen Brown born 1931 also in Scotland.
Thanks again Mary - this part of the family is very interesting based on Eileen and William's involvement in WW2. My Dad has a copy of an Egyptian paper from D-Day that Eileen sent home. That newspaper is pretty much the only thing I've had as a concrete fact until now! However I'm just going to do a little further digging because their years of birth wouldn't match up with the family stories unless they were very young possibly lied about their age) and only served right at the end of WW2.
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Hi Francesca,
This WW2 record, might be for your Eileen??
Name: BROWN, EILEEN Service: Australian Army Service Number: NF409920 Date of Birth: 15 Jan 1924 Place of Birth: PADDINGTON, NSW Date of Enlistment: Unknown Locality on Enlistment: HAMMONDVILLE, NSW Place of Enlistment: PADDINGTON, NSW Next of Kin: BROWN, A Date of Discharge: 12 Sep 1946 Rank: Corporal Posting at Discharge: Australian Womens Army Service WW2 Honours and Gallantry: None for display Prisoner of War: No
Mary
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Hi, The Eileen that Mary listed for WW2 doesn't match the details you are giving about your family. The Eileen that Mary listed was born 1924 in Australia and enlisted in Australia.
Kellie
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Re: **CALLING ALL CROAN DESCENDANTS** - EDINBURGH - CROAN SEAFOOD - O'Reilly, Croan, Stoker, Mackay, Whorton-Aitchison, Malcolm
Some Free Birth and Marriage data for Scotland is available at the LDS Familysearch site https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list?page=1&c.... Some free census data is available at FreeCEN. Transcriptions of the Scottish census data are available on Ancestry or FindmyPast for 1841-1901. Full census images for 1841-1911 are ONLY available on Scotlands People www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. Scotlands People also hold the statutory BMD registers (post 1855) , the Catholic Registers and the Church of Scotland Registers as well as all Wills for Scotland. Deaths in WW1 are available free from the Commonwealth War Graves site www.cwgc.org The index to English BMD records are available on Ancestry/FMP and FreeBMD . English Wills can be searched for at https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills. Ancestry and FMP have sveral sets of English church records (botrh C of E, Non-conformist and RC) UK Newspapers can be searched at the Britsih Newspaper Archive http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ or the mirror site on FMP www.findmypast.co.uk.
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