Robert was born about 1817 in Wrekenton, Gateshead, Durham, England.[1][2]
Marriage to Elizabeth Botcherby
In Jul-Sep 1848 Robert married widow Elizabeth (Botcherby) Burdiss (aka Burdes) in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England.[3]
Children of Robert and Elizabeth (nee Botcherby) include:
Robert was widowed by the death of Elizabeth (nee Botcherby) in Sep 1853.[4]
Marriage to Elizabeth Seaman
On 1 Oct 1854 Robert married Elizabeth Seaman at the Parish Church in Crook, Durham, England. At the time his residence was Roddymoor, Durham, and his occupation was Joiner.[5]
Children of Robert and Elizabeth (nee Seaman) include:
On 29 Sep 1859 Robert and Elizabeth were living in Sacriston, Witton Gilbert, Durham, and Robert's occupation was Colliery Joiner.[6]
On 7 Apr 1861 Robert and Elizabeth were living in Chilton, Durham, England. Robert's occupation was Sawyer.[2]
On 2 Apr 1871 Elizabeth and children were living in a Beer House on Main Street in Cornforth, Durham, England. Elizabeth's occupation was Publican's wife. Note: unable to locate Robert in the 1871 census.[7]
Robert's death was registered in Jan-Mar 1884 in Durham (Reg. Dist.), Durham, England.[1]
The spellings "Layard" and "Laard" used on children's birth certificates are probably errors. These variations do not appear in any other records (in fact, Marshall's birth is the only occurence of "Laard" that appears in General Register Office records to date, and William's birth is the only occurence of "Layard" in Durham in >100 years). His father Robert I's name sometimes appeared as "Lard."
Some family trees record William Wilson Laird as the child of Robert Laird and Elizabeth Botcherby, because his christening record lists his mother's name as "Elizabeth." However, the GRO Online Birth Index confirms that his mother's maiden name was "Teaman" [sic]. It seems that William was illegitimate at birth and his parents were married following the death of Robert's first wife Elizabeth in 1853.
So far unable to locate Robert in census records for 1841 (located parents and sister), 1851 (located son Thompson but not wife Elizabeth B.), 1871 (located wife Elizabeth S. and children) or 1881.
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