George Thomson McQueen

A search on Ancestry finds a transcript of a baptism record for George Thomson McQueen, born on 17 September 1837 and baptised on 26 September 1837 at Fetteresso, Kincardine. This is close to Stonehaven. His parents are named as William McQueen and Grace Kinnear. It would appear that George Thomson is named after a colleague of his father's, George Thomson, who is a witness at the baptism. The entry record is quoted on a family tree on Ancestry: William McQueen of the Coastguard Stranathra had a son by his wife Grace Kinnear born 17 Sept 1837 and baptised 26th of same month named George Thomson. Witness George Thomson and Alexander Joss [sic] both there.

The 1851 census finds him aged 13, a visitor to the home of Hellen Barclay (45), a teacher, at a house called Back Wynd, in Stonehaven (this record confirming that he was born in Fetteresso).

In September 1855 a George T McQueen (17) appears on a document [original viewed online via Ancestry] showing Apprentices Indentured in the Merchant Navy. The party to whom he is bound is William Fisher and the ship is called the Tam O'Shanter, in Liverpool.

Ten years later, in the 1861 census, a George McQueen (24), born in Kincardine, is found in a long list of men in a parish called Vessels (this might mean they are on board vessels, since that place name can't be found) in Ayrshire, where he is a seaman.

A document dated 8 February 1864 is a Certificate for Competency as Master (in the Merchant Service) in the name of George Thomson McQueen. On the back of the certificate it gives the address of the bearer as 65 Park Street, Aberdeen, and states he was born in Muchalls, Kincardine. It also bears his signature.

Ten years after that, in the 1871 census, a George McQueen (32) who was born in Kincardine, is a boarder at 58 Main Street, Govan, Lanarkshire. He is a seaman. This is the household of James Deas (29), who is a ship's carpenter. James and his wife Christina have five children, the youngest aged just 2 weeks old.