Sarah Jane (Campbell) Cormac (abt. 1871 - 1942)

Born about 1871 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Wife of Robert Cormac — married 31 Jan 1891 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Wife of Henry Thompson — married 12 Feb 1917 in Durban, Natal, Union of South Africa

Descendants

Died 21 Feb 1942 at about age 71 in Durban, Natal, South Africa

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Pam Cormac Smith [send private message] and Lauren Cormac [send private message]

This profile is part of the Campbell Name Study.

Biography

Death of Mother

Sarah's mom, Agnes Campbell (born Miller) died on 2 Aug 1878 at Drumgelloch, New Monkland aged 24, married to Neil Campbell. Her parents were John Miller (Tinsmith - journeyman) and Sarah Miller (born Mckenzie). She died from phthisis pulmonalis after suffering for 8 months. Her physician was surgeon Robert Munro. The informant was her widow, Neil Campbell, residing at Laighcoats, Coatbridge

Marriage

Marriage 30 January 1891, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire Mauze of St Thomas Wesleyan Church.^[1]

Groom: Robert Cormac, 28, widower, Railway guard. Father: George Cormac - deceased, Railway plate layer. Mother: Mary Fraser, previously Cormac, Born Stephens - deceased.

Bride: Sarah Jane Campbell, 19, spinster. Father: John Campbell, furnace keeper. Mother: Agnes Campbell, maiden name Miller, deceased.

Witnesses: Robert Watt and Sarah Muir. Both the groom and bride were residing at Browns Building, Gartsherrie road, Coatbridge. Signed: Matthew Ingle, minister of St Mauze.

1891 Census

1891 Scotland Census. COATBANK STREET , Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland ^[2].

Robert Cormac, Male, 30 Born: Midlothian Occ: RAILWAY SERFACEMAN

Sarah Cormac, Wife, Female, 20 Born: Lanarkshire

Arrival in South Africa

Sarah Jane (Campbell) Cormac migrated from Scotland to Colony of Natal (1843-1910).

The young couple arrived in South Africa on the "Trojan", ship master: E. Jones. Date: 17 July 1891. Occupation: platelayer. ^[3][4]

Life in South Africa

Robert and Sarah had 10 children and adopted 1. Baptisms can be found for the last six, all in Durban. On 28 Feb 1911 Robert and Sarah suffered a heart wrenching tragedy when their little 10 month old Alfred Collin Cormac died.The family was living at 44 Farrell Road, Durban at that time.^[5] Robert died 5 years later in Feb 1916.^[6] Sarah remarried in 1917 to Henry Thompson. No further mention is made of Henry Thompson.^[7]

Death

Sarah died on 21 Feb 1942 at Addington Hospital in Durban at age 69, after battling with breast cancer for many years.^[8]

Research Notes

Here is my Sarah's page on familysearch.org : Familysearch.org IDL521-TWP

Could this Sarah be a match/duplicate? : Familysearch.org ID937B-TQW. ^[9] I have purchased this birth registration document from scotlandspeople.org.uk and it states that this Sarah was born at Dykes Land, Whifflat on 28 Sep 1872 at 10am to Neil Campell (Iron Peddler) and Agnes (maiden surname Miller) who were married on 30 Sep 1871 at Airdrie. A search for this marriage on scotlandspeople results in only one likely match but the date is 1872 (I have not purchased this record yet, ref: 651/2 10)

Reasons why I haven't decided that these are the same Sarah:

• Marriage record: my Sarah's marriage record states that her father is John Campbell, but Sarah Mckenzie Campbell's father is Neil Campbell - as stated in her birth record, as well as in the marriage of her parents he is recorded as Neil.
• Sarah Jane Campbell vs Sarah Mckenzie Campbell - if the two Sarah's are the same why does she use a different second name when she gets older?

Reasons why I think they are a match:

• My Sarah has a son named John Neil - perhaps John and Neil are the same man and his name was John Neil Campbell
• Father occupations: in Sarah's 1891 marriage John is a furnace keeper, at Agnes Campbell (Miller)'s death in 1878 Neil's occupation is tinsmith (journeyman)
• Only one likely match when searching scotlandspeople when looking for Agnes Campbell (Miller)

If anyone can find a record with the name Sarah McKenzie Campbell I would love to know...if I can find a record that shows that Sarah McKenzie Campbell was alive and in a different place or married to a different person, or that her mother was still alive after 1891 - or anything that can confirm that they are not the same person I would be utterly grateful.

Familysearch tree

Interesting to read

• "The Rise And Progress Of Coatbridge And Surrounding Neighbourhood", Andrew Miller, Dundyvan Iron Works, Glasgow 1864Chapter XII
• https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//research/census-records/street-indexes/1881/1881-old-monkland.pdf

Acknowledgements

A giant big thank you to Noeleen Lassouw for breaking my first brickwall in this family by helping me discover when Robert and Sarah came to South Africa which led me to discovering many new records.

Sources

1. ↑ Purchased Scotlandspeople.gov.uk birth registration; copy attached as image; In the personal files of Pam Cormac Smith
2. ↑ Scotland Census, 1891," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSXP-FKH : 4 February 2020), Robert Cormac, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland; from "1891 England, Scotland & Wales census," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing p. 10, GRO6/275, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 220,355.
3. ↑ Digital Copy of original passenger list in possession of Pam Cormac who will happily email a copy on request.
4. ↑ "United Kingdom, Outgoing Passenger Lists, 1890-1960", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68SL-8PSN : 16 August 2021), Sarah Cormac, 1891.; Added by Pam Cormac Smith on 5 Sep 2021.
5. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Deaths, 1863-1955," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG6G-53X3 : 23 January 2019), Alfred Cormac, 28 Feb 1911; Death, Natal, South Africa, The National Archives of South Africa (NARS), Pretoria; FHL microfilm 2,099,352.
6. ↑ "South Africa, Pietermaritzburg Estate Files 1846-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLRL-ZVFY : 17 March 2018), Robert Cormac, 1916; citing Probate, Pietermaritzburg Archives (Formerly Natal State Archives), South Africa.
7. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDCR-KBQ : 10 March 2018), Henry Thompson and Sarah Jane Cormac, 12 Feb 1917; citing Greenwood Park, Durban, Natal, South Africa; 00601; National Archives and Records Service of South Africa, Pretoria; 1,795,576.
8. ↑ "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Deaths, 1863-1955," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZXVG-D3W2 : 21 May 2020), Sarah Jane Campbell, Cormac, 21 Feb 1942; Death, Durban, Ellisras, Transvaal, South Africa, The National Archives of South Africa (NARS), Pretoria; FHL microfilm .
9. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQHN-D8L : 12 February 2020), Sarah McKenzie Campbell, 1872. Scotland birth and baptisms Sarah McKenzie Campbell 1872