I started off not having not much success with this George Sutter. I found his marriage to Robina Kerr very early on and I knew where he was on the night of the 1861 Census, and that was pretty much it. However, I have since found him in the 1841 and 1851 Censuses. The 1861 Census says he was born in Strathavon, Lanarkshire, but no birth record has been found. My cousin, Carol, told me she believed that George's parents were George Souter and Ann Scott and there is evidence supporting that this George named his first daughter 'Ann Scott Sutter'. I have since found records for George Sutter (6) and Ann Scott, which seems to support this.

It appears that George (5) was still alive in 1871, as in Robina's 1871 Census entry her condition is recorded as "married". However, George is not recorded as being at the same address as Robina that night; so, presumably he was elsewhere, but I cannot find an entry for him. It looks as though he was dead by 1881 because Robina's Census entry shows her to be a widow by then, but no Death record has been found either..

KEY EVENTS AND DATES

1828

Given the age attributed to him in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 Census, George must have been born in this year. Also the Census tells us that he was born in Strathavon, Lanarkshire. At least we think it's Strathavon - the entry actually looks like "Straithavoa", but there is no such place in Lanarkshire and the nearest place name is Strathavon.

1841 Census

This may or not be our George Sutter, but there is a Census record of a George Souter, aged 13, living in an indistinct place in Blantyre. The age is approximately right and Blantyre is not too far from Strathaven, but he is living with a John Souter, (potentially an uncle?). The different spelling of 'Sutter/Souter', should not distract as George's father was spelt as 'Souter' and in later life this George spells it as 'Sutter'. Anyway, 'the jury's out'.

1851 Census

Again, it is not certain that this is our George Sutter, but the age is right (22), the approximate place of birth is right (Lanarkshire), the occupation (Journeyman Shoemaker) fits with how George is described in later life and he is 'unmarried'. If this is the correct George, then he had moved as he is living in 11 Gowkhall in the Parish of Inverkeithing, Fife. There is no other record showing any part of this family as living in Fife, so that places some doubt on this, but I feel this is probably the him.

Marriage - 25th November 1853

George married Robina Lindsay Kerr  in the Parish of Dalkeith. There are no details of either of their parents, but their witnesses were John Innes and Alexander Kerr, the latter perhaps Robina's Father? Robina did have a brother named Alexander but it is unlikely to have been him as he would only have been 10 at the time.

View the record.

26th November 1854

George's first daughter Ann Scott Sutter was born in High Street, Dalkeith. At that time George was employed as a Grocer. In the 1851 Census Robina's aunt was described as Grocer and her father as a Grocer's Porter, so perhaps George was working in the 'family business' and perhaps that was how he first met Robina(?). George is described as a journeyman shoemaker in other records, so it may be that this was a temporary occupation and he returned to being a shoemaker later on.

It is also interesting to note that George's daughter, Ann, may have been named after George's mother as we have a strong indication that George's father was called George Souter and was married to an Ann Scott.

28/06/1857

George's son George (4) was born in Howden Panns, in the district of Wallsend, County of Northumberland, England. George Senior (this George) was recorded as being a Journeyman Shoemaker. Sutter of course is an old Scots name for a shoemaker.

8th October 1859

This is a curious one. There is a record that George and Robina had a second daughter, Hannah, born on this date, at 10 Stirmont Street, Glasgow. The curiosity is that in the 1861 Census there is no mention of Hannah, but another daughter called Margaret is recorded - aged 1. There is no record of Hannah dying, but there are later records of Margaret that all indicate she must have been born in 1859. I can only conclude that Hannah and Margaret are one and the same and that either the Registrar recorded the name incorrectly or the family decided they didn't like the name Hannah??? Anyway, at the time of Hannah/Margaret's birth, George was a Shoemaker Journeyman.

1861 Census

The Census records that George now aged 34, lives at 12 Stirmont Street in the Parish of St. Enoch Glasgow. The house had only one room with one or more windows and living there with him were his wife Robina and their children Annie (7), George (3) and Margaret (1). George is described as a Leather Shoemaker. Interestingly there are a further three Shoemakers at the same address.

5th July 1862

George's second son, Alexander Kerr Sutter, was born at 01.30 am at Roberton's Close, Dalkeith. George was apparently still alive and still a Shoemaker, (although Robina was the informant).

And that's all we know about George at this stage. Searches for his birth and death have been unsuccessful and we can't find an 1871 Census entry ....................... we'll keep trying though.