James Boyd was listed as aged 30 (or possibly 36, the figure is ambiguous for lack of clarity, an unwelcome complication) in the 1841 census, implying that he was born c. 1810. He was also entered as having been born in the county, i.e. Angus, otherwise known as Forfarshire. Since no definite record of his birth can be found and in the light of his early demise, his parentage has yet to be determined.

One important piece of evidence which must not however be overlooked is that James’s eldest daughter and second son were named Janet and George. These are the Christian names of their maternal grandparents, in accordance with the traditional Scottish naming pattern. The first son of the family was named William and the second daughter was Mary. It is therefore very probable that James’s father was William Boyd and his mother was Mary, maiden surname yet to be established.

James Boyd’s marriage to Elizabeth Jack was recorded at Errol, Perthshire on 18^th March 1832. The Parish Register entry states that James belonged to the Parish of Mains and Strathmartine, Angus, to the north of Dundee.

The records relating to the births of James and Elizabeth’s children - Janet in 1835; William in 1837; George in 1839 and Mary in 1841 - tend to indicate that they lived in Dundee during this period.

At the time of the 1841 census, James was a mechanic, residing with his wife, Elizabeth, aged 25, and their two children Jannet, 6, and George, 2, at what appears to be Crols Croft, Dundee. James was consistently designated as a ‘mechanick’ in the Parish Register entries for the births of his various children whilst in Dundee.

At some point between 1841 and 1843, the family removed to St Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh, and were still living there on 1^st January 1847. The birth entry for daughter Ann Jack Boyd in 1843 gives the address of the family home as 11, Romilly Place, Edinburgh; that of son James Alexander Boyd in 1846 gives it as 2, Atholl Lane.

Thereafter, the family removed to Springburn, Glasgow. A further son, John, was born there on 1^st July 1849.

James Boyd died on 1^st August 1850 at Cowlairs Railway Station, Springburn, Glasgow.

His wife, Elizabeth, was entered in the 1851 census as a widow.

James Boyd was recalled as an engine keeper (deceased) at the time of his daughter Janet’s marriage in 1862; as an engineer (deceased) when his son John married Elizabeth Latta Pinkerton in 1875 and again as an ‘engine keeper’ on his wife Elizabeth’s 1898 death certificate.

Inventory

James Boyd’s 1850 inventory (Wills and testaments Reference SC36/48/37, Glasgow Sheriff Court Inventories) designed him;

the deceased James Boyd Engineman in the employment of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company who died at Cowlairs Station of said Railway upon the 1st day of August 1850 years.

His personal estate and effects were inventoried as follows:

1.	Amount contained in Policy of Afsurance on the life of the deceased held by him with the life Afsociation of Scotland	£100
2.	Sum at deceased’s credit with the National Security Savings Bank of Edinburgh per pafs Book including Interest	22  15  3
3.	Household furniture and other effects valued at	20
4.	Deceased’s Watch and Wearing Apparel valued at	6
	Amount of Inventory	£148  15  3

On 11^th September 1850, the Commissory Depute of the Commissariot of Lanark decerned Elizabeth Jack or Boyd to him as ‘Executrix Dative qua relict’.

On the 16^th, Andrew S. Ogle, Writer, Glasgow, compeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court and gave in the Inventory to be recorded and gave it up for Confirmation. On the same occasion Elizabeth Jack or Boyd also compeared and was solemnly sworn and examined.

Confirmation was duly granted on the 18^th.

A note in the top left corner records that £3 duty was paid.