John, Catherine and their son have posed many questions over the years.  We hope someone who reads this will have some knowledge of the family.

On 6th July 1869, four days after her 16th birthday, Catherine McCready married John Jontin at Kirby Lonsdale, Westmorland.  John, the son of James Jontin, was a 33 year old umbrella maker.  Jane McCready ( we assume Catherine's mother) was one of the witnesses.

On 25th March 1870, at Huntly, Aberdeenshire, was born William James Jontin, son of Catherine and John.  The birth was registered by Jane McCready.

On the 1871 census, Catherine Jontin and her son William are living with her parents at Triangle Place, Scoonie, Fife.  John is not there.  In the same street, live Catherine's brother James and his family. 

On 8th April 1876, Catherine marries James France in the Register Office in Carlisle, Cumberland.  She is recorded as a spinster named McCready.

On the 1881 census, William Jontin is recorded as William France; the same is true of the 1891 census.  (That in itself is not unusual as we have other ancestors who adopt the name of a stepfather.) The index to the 1901 census does not show a William Jontin or a William France of the correct age.  It does, however, show a William McCready living in Ashington, Northumberland, which happens to be the place where his half-brothers will settle years later.  That William looks suspiciously like the man we are looking for.

Oral family history only knew of William as the illegitimate son of Catherine.  The family knew of Bill McCready, but knew little of his descendants. There were three girls, we were told; Janet McCready who married John Gilchrist and may have gone to Australia, Kate McCready who married Bob Muscrop and Joan McCready about whom nothing was known.  We could only assume that Catherine never told her son the truth about his father.

However, we have now found William's death certificate.  He died in 1941 in Lockerbie, Scotland, and was registered as William James McCready, formerly Jontin.  So he did know his real name!  But why the change of name?  Why did Catherine claim to be a spinster when she remarried?  Why did other members of the family not know?  Whatever became of John Jontin?  And, it may be just coincidence, but why have we also lost Catherine's brother, another umbrella maker, after the 1871 census?

 

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