I identified Margaret Cranstoune as being Marion Andrew's mother through Marion's birth record. That record also identified Marion's father as being James Andrew. From that I was able to find James and Margaret's marriage record which, incidentally, took place only two months before Marion's birth; (phew, just made it).

I then found a birth record for a Margaret Crenstoune which took place in Peebles. It is not certain that this is our Margaret, but with her being the only Margaret with a surname anywhere close to 'Cranstoune' born in Peeblesshire in a likely period, I am satisfied that this is almost certainly the correct one. As we know, back then literacy was not high and the 'e' instead of an 'a' might have been, her father, Alexander Crenstoune's error or the person who wrote the entry got it wrong, or the person in the Register's office who translated it was unable to determine whether an 'e' or an 'a', due to the poor condition of the record.

Margaret and he husband James were fecund, in that there are records of five children being born to them, including Margaret. Four of these children were born between 1679 and 1684, with the fifth in 1695. I wonder if this is a genuine gap, or if others of their children's births were not recorded.

There is a suggestion that there may have been a bit of money in this line. Margaret's death record indicates that the family paid £2 for a 'mortclath', whilst her daughter Marion's death record states that £5 was collected for a horse and 'mortclath'.

KEY EVENTS AND DATES

24th March 1658

Margaret was born in Peebles on this date. The parish entry records her father as being Alexander Crenstoune. Unfortunately her mother's name is not recorded. The entry itself is very difficult to read and to be frank, I could not swear to what it says, but both ScotlandsPeople and FindMyPast assert that it is Margaret Crenstoune and that her father is Alexander Crenstoune. So, that's good enough for me.

View record.

View record extract.

3rd July 1679

Margaret married James Andrew in West Linton, Peeblesshire. Unusually for a parish record, there appears to be quite a lot of detail in the entry. However, the writing is practically indecipherable and some really good information may not be available to us. I'll leave it for you to have a look at the record and see if you have more luck than me. I will return to it and see what I can make of it at a later date.

View record.

View record extract.

14th September 1679

Margaret's daughter, Marion Andrew, was born on this day in West Linton. Her parents were recorded as James Andrew and Margaret Cranstoune.

View record.

View record extract.

22nd August 1680

Margaret's daughter, Margaret, was born in West Linton, Peeblesshire. At this stage I have not acquired the actual record, but have this information from ScotlandsPeople.

10th November 1682

Margaret's son, John, was born in West Linton, Peeblesshire. At this stage I have not acquired the actual record, but have this information from ScotlandsPeople.

20th December 1684

Margaret's son, William, was born in West Linton, Peeblesshire. At this stage I have not acquired the actual record, but have this information from ScotlandsPeople.

29th September 1695

Margaret's son, James, was born in West Linton, Peeblesshire. At this stage I have not acquired the actual record, but have this information from ScotlandsPeople.

15th November 1716

Margaret's daughter, Marion Andrew, married James Broun (sic) in West Linton, Peeblesshire. The entry itself is quite difficult to decipher. It appears to record that proclamation to intend to marriage took place on 21st July 2016, but that the actual marriage took place on 15th November 1716. See for yourself by reading the actual record.

View record.

View record extract.

23rd January 1724

Margaret's daughter, Marion Andrew, died where she lived her life, in West Linton, Peeblesshire. There is very little detail in the entry, but it does note that there was a charge of £5.00.00 for a horse and what looks like a "mortclath",which, from referring to a Scots dictionary, I think means 'a pall covering a coffin'. See for yourself and see what you think.

View record.

View record extract.

30th January 1727

Margaret Cranston died in West Linton. The parish record states that they collected £2 - 0 - 0 for a 'mortclath'.

View record.

View record extract.