The Balfours

The Picture above is of the Old Alban's Home on 81 Rottenrow in Glasgow (now part of the University of Strathclyde)

More frustration and dead ends. Robert Corbett, my grandfather, was raised by his Aunt Meg (one of my mother's favorite relatives - who taught her to make Seville orange marmalade). She raised him because his mother, Agnes Balfour, died shortly after his birth. His father seems to have remarried and started a new family and left Robert with his mother and sisters. Seems harsh. Anyway Agnes (1864-1894) was the daughter of a John Balfour (183? to 1914). I am having trouble finding John's birth date and in one of the census it indicates he was born in Clackmannan. There is another John Balfour born in the 1830's who is a John Blair Balfour 1837 - 1905, born in Clackmannan, son of Peter Balfour & Jane Blair, 1st Baron Kinross of Glascune, Lord Advocate of Scotland and Liberal M.P. for Clackmannan & Kinross. Not mine I think. Mine died in Old Alban's Home for Destitute Men. To top this off in my John's death certificate he has his parents listed as Alexander Balfour and Elizabeth Gilchrist. Now the only Alexander Balfour and Elizabeth I can track down is Alexander and Elizabeth Gardner (there is one semi-unreadble marriage certificate that looks a bit like that). Having a baron as a relative may be a bit easier to track than a calender in a bleach works. I have sort of stopped at John and Alexander and will take it up later if I get to the Library. Right now I'm annoyed that my relatives weren't more orderly.