I first identified Isabella Brand through her son, David Purves Campbell's records, in particular his Marriage record. From there I was able to track Isabella's marriage to Daniel Campbell in 1843. From that I identified Isabella's father as being Alexander Brand, a Merchant. From Isabella's Death certificate I found that she must have been born in 1813 or 1814 and that her mother was called Catherine Ross. That information led me to search for Isabella's Birth record and I found it in 1814.

Having found this I started to look at Censuses to see if I could find any clues as to where she came from. The first Census I examined was 1851. I reckoned that, having been married in Leith and that at that stage I knew her son David had been born in 1844, they ought to be easy to identify. In fact they were - Isabella and Daniel lived there with their three children, including David (aged 7).

My next step was to try and find the birth records of their children, but no luck. This may be partly explained by their first child, Janet I think, having been born 5 years before they were married. Perhaps, they were initially no friends of the church. So, I thought I'd try to find them in the 1841 Census - no luck. However, I did find Isabella and her husband, Daniel, in the 1861 Census. By this time she was aged 46 and Daniel was 47. Isabella's birthplace was given as Edinburgh, South Leith. Four of their children were living with them. I found them again in the 1871 Census, now with a daughter, Georgina Campbell, aged 17.

KEY EVENTS AND DATES

Birth - 7th November 1814

Isabella Was born in South Leith to Alexander Brand and Catherine Ross (recorded as a spinster). The full record reads:

Brand -

Alex'r Brand, clothier and Catherine Ross Sp. a. d. n. Isabella, born 7 and b 24 Nov'r 1814. Wit the congregation.

(Sp. a. d. n. stands for 'Spinster a daughter named')

View the record.

Marriage - 7th February 1843

Isabella Brand married Daniel Campbell in South Leith Parish Church. The full record reads:

Campbell and Brand -

Daniel Campbell, Cooper, residing at No. 45 Giles Street, parish of South Leith, and Isabella Brand residing at 2 Coatfield Lane, Leith, same parish, daughter of the late Alex'r Brand, Merchant, Leith were three times proclaimed in order to Marriage in the parish church of South Leith on the 5th February 1843 & no objections offered, were married at Leith on the 7th February 1843 by the Rev. Jas. Lewis, of St. John's, Leith.

View the record.

1844

Isabella's son, David Purves Campbell, was born in this year. No actual record of this birth has been found yet, but details gleaned from Census and other records suggest that David was born in this year in Aberdour or Burntisland, Fife.

1851 Census

The Census records Isabella as living at 3 Wightman's Land, Duke Street, South Leith. Isabella was aged 36. Living with her were her husband, Daniel, a Cooper, aged 38 and their children Janet (13), David (7) and Isabella (2). Janet is a curious one as she would have been born around 5 years before Isabella and Daniel married. This record confirms that Isabella's son David, was also born in Aberdour.

View the record.

1861 Census

The Census records Isabella as living in Yardheads, Leith, in a close that looks like 'Sheridan's Close'. Isabella was aged 46. Living with her were her husband, Daniel aged 48 and recorded on a separate page of the Census record, four of their children - David, aged 17 and a Ship Builder's Labourer, Isabella, aged 12 and a Scholar, William (9) and Georgina (7).

View Page 1 of the record, which contains only Daniel and his wife.

View Page 2 of the record, which contains four of their children.

17th June 1864

Isabella's son, David, married Margaret Richmond at 2 Gilchrist Lane, Greenside Row, Edinburgh. He lived at 11 Easter Road, Leith and was employed as a labourer. His parents, who were still living, were recorded as Daniel Campbell and Isabella Brand.

1871 Census

The Census records that Isabella is living at 13 Coal Hill, Leith. She is aged 57 and was born in "Leith, Edinburghshire". Living with her is her husband , Daniel, aged 58 and one of their children, Georgina (17) is still living with them. Georgina was unmarried and working as a Dressmaker and described as having been born in "Leith, Edinburghshire".

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Death - 4th March 1875

Isabella died at 8 a.m. at 3 Primrose Place, Abbeyhill, Edinburgh. She was aged 61 and was described as married to Daniel Campbell. Her parents were recorded as Alexander Brand a clerk and Catherine Brand, M/S Ross (so presumably they got married). Isabella died from 'Disease of the Liver (about 6 months) and Dropsy'. Her death was not officially certified, there having been no qualified medical attendant. Her death was reported by her husband Daniel.

View the record.

11th June 1875

Isabella's husband, Daniel, died at 8.30 p.m. at Mary's Court, Yardheads, Leith. He was aged 61 and was described as a Cooper (Journeyman) and the widower of Isabella Brand.

16th February 1919

Isabella's son, David Purves Campbell, died in Anderson Place, Leith at 11.30 p.m. He was aged 75 and his occupation was given as a Labourer. The cause of his death was Bronchitis. His death was reported by his (step) grandson, David Porter of 64 Pitt Street. David's death certificate shows his parents' names as David Campbell and Mary Brand. However, once again we have an informant who may not have had good knowledge of Daniel's parents. Although the informant was his grandson, he was so as a result of David's second marriage and would never have known David's parents.