Peter Walsh, a 19 year old mason, married Bridget McHugh on 25 August 1899 at the Sacred Heart Church, Lauriston Street, Edinburgh (Ref 1899 685-1 452 – an extract is copied at Annexe B) and it is understood that this couple were the parents of the Welsh/Walsh sisters. This family history tracing process has been undertaken on the basis of this understanding. The use of the names Walsh, Welch and Welsh has been encountered but all facts recorded have been checked to the available primary information source and the reference number recorded herein.

From the information contained in the marriage entry it would appear that Peter was aged 19 at the date of his marriage in late August 1899 and it can therefore be readily assumed that he was born sometime in late 1879 or early 1880. His parents were recorded on the marriage entry as Edward Walsh and Ann Walsh m/s Mullan and a couple named Edward and Annie Welsh had a child born on 22 November 1879 who was named Peter. The child was born at 1 Kings Stables, Edinburgh and the birth was registered by the child’s mother, Annie Welsh, on 12 December 1879. (Ref. Birth 1879 865-1 2103; an extract is copied at Annexe A) It can be reasonably assumed that this was the relevant birth.

The next traced reference to Peter is in the Census records for 1881. Under Ref 685-4 33/12 there are details of a family by the name of Welsh living at 8 Scott’s Close, 119 Cowgate, Edinburgh at the date of the Census in April 1881. The persons recorded as being in the house on the night of the census were as follows;

1. Ann Welsh – shown as wife of the "head" –aged 18 with an occupation of hawker
2. Peter Welsh – shown as son of the "head" – aged16 months
3. Catherine Mullan – sister – aged 14 with an occupation of Hawker
4. Mary Clark – boarder – aged 29 and recorded as an unmarried upholstress
5. Edward Clark – son of Mary – aged 7 months.

All the above persons were recorded as being born in Edinburgh. The recorded age of the child Peter is wholly consistent with that of a child born in late November 1879 and it is therefore assumed that this reference relates to the correct family grouping. The location of Peter’s father, Edward, on Census night is a mystery. Despite an extensive search in the indexes for Scotland his precise whereabouts have not been traced.

The next traced direct reference to Peter comes 10 years later in the 1891 Census records. In April 1891 Peter’s family appear to have been living at 9 Dunbar Street, Edinburgh as a family named Walsh were recorded at that address – 1891 Census 685/1 78/16 refers.

The family group comprised the following;

1. Edward Walsh - Head, aged 31, Mason’s Hewer, born St Giles, Edinburgh
2. Ann Walsh – Wife, aged 28, born Edinburgh
3. Peter Walsh – son, aged 11, scholar
4. Mary Walsh – daughter, aged 6, scholar
5. Edward Walsh – son, aged 0

It is understood that Peter had at least two sisters, Mary and Annie, and one brother. This would certainly appear to be the correct family. The child Edward was born at 9 Dunbar Street on 29 November 1890 and his parents were recorded as Edward Welsh, joiner, and Ann Welsh m/s Mullan. The birth was registered by Ann Welsh on 12 December and interestingly it is "signed" her x mark rather than a signature. At the time of the Registration of Peter’s birth, 11 years earlier, the signature is shown as Annie Welsh, mother.

Dunbar Street was situated on the west side of Earl Grey Street, which is in the Tollcross Area of Edinburgh. This is clearly outside the "Cowgate" area but less than a mile distant. Peter’s youngest sister, Ann, was born on 29 November 1895 at 44 Cowgate (McConnachie’s Close) and her birth was registered by her father, Edward, who is described as a Joiner. This child had the same birthday as her older brother, Edward.

Peter Walsh married Bridget McHugh on 25 August 1899 and the Marriage Entry (Ref 1899 685-1 452 copied at Annexe B) states that he was a bachelor, aged 19 and employed as a Mason. His address was shown as 16 West Port and both parents were still living. The witnesses were John Finlay and Mary J Meechan and no further information about these persons has been sought thus far.

Peter and his wife Bridget had their first child, Ann Welsh, born on 3 August 1900. Ann was born at 8 Waverley Buildings (275 Cowgate) and her birth registered by her mother on 15 August. Waverley Buildings were located on the south side of the Cowgate and towards the junction of St Mary’s Street and the Pleasance.

It is not clear why the name Welsh was used rather than Walsh. When Peter was born in November 1879 his name was registered as Welsh even although his parents had married under the name Walsh in July of the same year.

Bridget’s second child, Ellen Welsh, was born on 8^th November 1901 again at 8 Waverley Buildings. The birth was registered by Peter Welsh on 3 December and his occupation is recorded as Mason.

On 28^th September 1902 Bridget had twin boys born around 8pm at 1 MacConnochies Close, 44 Cowgate (1902 685/4 744 and 745). One of the twins died less than a week later and only the surname Welsh is shown on the Birth and Death entries. The cause of death is recorded as "Premature Birth and Atrophy". Peter registered the births of both children and the death of the unnamed child on 6^th October 1902.

The other twin’s fate was little better. The child was registered under the name Peter Welsh but died on 4 November 1902 – 35 days after his birth. The cause of death is recorded as Inanition from premature birth. Inanition is understood to be exhaustion from lack of nourishment.

It is possible that there were births during 1903 and 1904 but the next positively identified birth is that of Mary Walsh, born 5 March 1905 at 264 Cowgate. This address figures elsewhere in the story as Peter’s mother-in-law, Sarah McHugh nee Barry, died there in March 1902.

The family appears to have continued to live at that address for a number of years as the following births are registered as taking place there;

1. Peter John Walsh – born 12 April 1906
2. Teresa Walsh – born 18 February 1908
3. Catherine Walsh – born 23 January 1909
4. Hugh Welsh – born 16 May 1910
5. Sarah Welsh – born 16 May 1910
6. Henry Walsh – born 21 July 1912
7. Elizabeth Walsh – born 21 July 1912

Peter John Walsh’s life was short lived. The child died on 3 June 1906 – aged 7 weeks. The cause of death is recorded as malnutrition. One can only wonder at such a cause of death; Malnutrition is described as under-feeding but it could mean that either the mother was unable to provide or the child unable to receive an adequate level of feeding.

A daughter, Teresa, was born at 8.55am on18 February 1908 and a further daughter, Catherine, was born at 5.30am on 23 January 1909. Only 11 months separated these births. Both these girls survived the apparent dangers of infancy in Edwardian Edinburgh and lived into their 80’s.

Twins, Hugh and Sarah Welsh, born apparently prematurely on 16 May 1910, and presumably named after Bridget’s parents, were less fortunate. Sarah died at 264 Cowgate at 8.30am on 28 August 1910 at the age of three months. The cause of death is recorded as Premature Birth – Gastro Enteritis. The death register entry indicates that her death was certified by Harvey Pirie, MD – who inspected the body! The other twin, Hugh, only lasted another week. He died at 4.15 pm on 4 September 1910 and his cause of death is recorded as Premature Birth. Harvey Pirie, MD, certified the death.

Twins, Henry and Elizabeth, who were born on 21 July 1912 also had very short lives. Henry died on 15 August 1912 after 4 weeks of life and his sister, Elizabeth, two weeks later on 4 September. Both deaths were recorded as being certified by Fred Graham with the cause of death as Marasmus. This is apparently bodily atrophy.

The above events all took place at 264 Cowgate and Peter registered all the births and death. Although his surname varied between Walsh and Welsh his occupation was always shown as Mason

During the search for further Walsh/Welsh births in the early 1900s I came upon an interesting reference, which may be totally unrelated but nevertheless it made me stop and take note. At 6.35 am on 3 December 1907 a child registered as Thomas Welsh was born at 54C Grassmarket to Maggie McKernan, a bookfolder. The child is recorded as being illegitimate and the alleged father’s named is recorded as Peter Welsh, Mason. Both the father and mother are recorded as having attended to register their child’s birth on 19 December 1907. This is the only entry in the Statutory Index where I have encountered both parents recorded as being present at the registration.

It is possible that this is a "red herring" but the circumstances were sufficiently interesting to make it worthy of noting. The Grassmarket is adjacent to the Cowgate and it is thought likely that Peter could have frequented this area. However, there may also have been a completely different Peter Welsh working as a mason in the area at that time and further efforts will be made in due course to confirm whether there is any connection with the Walsh/Welsh family

However, back to firmly established facts – the family had moved to 18 Pleasance by the time Francis Walsh was born on 11 January 1915. His life lasted only 16 days. He died at 4.15 am on 27 January just 3 days after the death of his mother, Bridget. The cause of Francis’ death is recorded as cogenital debility.

Tragic times for the Walsh household. Peter’s wife, Bridget, had died on 24 January in the City Hospital, Edinburgh from Phthisis (Consumption or TB) and this was followed by the death of a clearly sickly child, Francis. It is known that Peter arranged for the child, Francis, to be buried with his mother in the family plot at Mount Vernon RC Cemetery. Four other children, Sarah, Hugh, Henry and Elizabeth had previously been buried there. Mary Walsh recollected that her father carried the child Francis’ white coffin downstairs from the house at 18 Pleasance and that it was placed in the horse drawn hearse on top of his mother’s coffin.

Peter was now a widow, aged 35, with five fairly young daughters to bring up and this in the early stages of the First World War. It is understood that Annie, his eldest daughter, ran the house for a short period but she eventually went into domestic service in Pendlebury, near Manchester. Peter joined the Royal Marines in 1915; the family home was broken up. The three youngest girls were put into a Convent home at Restalrig, Edinburgh. Ellen (Nellie) the second oldest went into domestic service.

A copy of a photograph of Peter during his Service in the Royal Marines is held. Nothing is known thus far about his military service but information will be sought in due course. After the war Peter briefly returned to Edinburgh but there is no indication that he tried to re-establish a family home.

It is known that Peter moved to work in the Newcastle Area and that he later married his landlady’s daughter, Bella. He is known to have visited Edinburgh on a number of occasions and he generally made contact with his daughter Mary on such visits. A photograph, understood to date from the 1930s, taken during one such visit to Edinburgh is also held and shows Peter and Bella walking along Princes Street. Also held is a further of a photograph of Peter taken around the late 1950s when his daughter Annie visited him in Newcastle with her son Andy.

Peter infrequently wrote to his daughter Mary and two such letters are held. Both letters are undated but the later one is understood to have been sent just after Christmas 1960. This was probably Peter’s last letter as he died in January 1961.

The letters are reproduced as Annexe C and D. The Annexe C letter gives a clear indication that Peter was very interested in how his family and their children were getting on. It also indicates that his wife may have resented him having too regular contact with his family.

Name and Surname	When and Where Born	Sex	Name and Profession of Father Name and MS of Mother Date and Place of Marriage	Signature and qualification of Informant and residence if out of the House in which birth occurred	When and Where R Registered and Signature of Registrar
Peter WELSH	1879	M	Edward Welsh	Annie Welsh	1879
	November		Joiner (Journeyman)		December 12th
	Twenty Second			Mother	At Edinburgh
	1h am		Annie Welsh		Angus Mathieson
	1 Kings Stables		M.S,. Mullan		Interim Registrar
	Edinburgh
			1879, July 25th Edinburgh