Thomas Dinning was born c. 1827 and there is evidence that he was born in Ireland.

He was designated as a ‘fireman in sea vessel’ on his daughter Frances’s birth certificate in 1859, as an ‘engine keeper (deceased)’ in her marriage certificate in 1883 and as a ‘marine fireman (deceased)’ on her death certificate in 1925. According to the birth certificate of his son James in 1861 he was a ‘Stoker in Steamboat’. On his own death certificate in 1881, he appears as a ‘steamship fireman’. This goes a long way to explaining why he is so hard to track down in the census records.

Thomas Dinning married Frances Newal as evidenced by an entry in the St Quivox and Newton, Ayr, Parish Register, dated 13^th December 1851:

Dinning & Newal

Thomas Dinning and Francis (sic) Newal in Newton being regularly proclaimed were married on (blank) Decr by the Revd (blank)

Thomas Dinning died on 22^nd January 1881 at 6^h 20^m am, at 4, Elliot Street, Glasgow. Cause of death was certified as bronchitis, from which he had been suffering for one month and seven days. His age was entered as ‘about 54 years’. The informant was James Dinning, his son, who had been present.

Brothers and Sisters

Thomas Dinning, on the evidence of his father Bernard Dinning’s 1855 death certificate, had two brothers and a sister, Hugh, Peter and Ann. Of these only Ann was still alive at the time of Bernard’s death.

Half-Brothers and Sisters

Thomas also had various half-siblings from Bernard’s second marriage: Margaret, 20, ergo born c. 1835; Isabella, 18, ergo born c. 1837; John, 16, ergo born c. 1839; Elizabeth, deceased by 1855; Barney, 12, ergo born c. 1843; Catherine; Charles, 6½, ergo born c. 1848; Henry, 4½, ergo born late 1850 or early 1851; and Sally Jane, 8 months, ergo born at the end of 1854.

Margaret gave birth to an illegitimate son, Robert, on 14^th September 1861 at 3^h 30^m pm at Clunes Vennal, Newton Ayr. Margaret, a sewer, acted as informant, signing with her X mark. The identity of Robert’s father was not recorded. Margaret gave birth to a further illegitimate son, Charles, c. January 1864. Robert Dinning, single, illegitimate, died on 5^th June 1864 at six in the morning, at Peebles Street, Newton Ayr. The cause(s) of death was certified as phthisis pulmonalis anasarca. The informant was Catherine Dinning, the child’s grandmother, who signed the Register with her X mark and had been present in the house at the time of death. The child’s mother was designated as a sewer (deceased). Margaret herself had therefore died at some time during the first half of 1864, although the event appears not to have been registered. The following week, Charles followed his (half-)brother Robert to the grave. He died on 12^th June 1864 at nine in the morning, at Peebles Street, Newton Ayr. He was five months old. The cause of death was certified as hydrocephalus. Details relating to the child’s mother and informant are as previously.

Andrew McLellan married Isabella McLellan or Dinning, on 14^th October 1878 at James Street, Tarbolton, After Banns according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland. The Register was signed by David Ritchie, Minister of Tarbolton, and by witnesses Thomas Crawford and James Orr.

Andrew was a miner (bachelor), aged 33. His parents were Andrew McClelland (note spelling variation), coal-miner (deceased) and Jane McClelland MS Short.

Isabella was a widow, aged 38. Both parties signed with their X marks and were usually resident in Tarbolton.

Bernard, presumably the same individual previously identified as Barney, acted as informant on his mother’s 1895 death certificate.

Henry married Elizabeth Hughes on 10^th February 1874 at Girvan, Ayrshire, After Banns acording to the Forms of the Roman Catholic Church. Henry was a stone mason (bachelor) aged 22, usually residing at Greenwell. Elizabeth, a domestic servant (spinster) aged 21 and usually residing in Ayr, was illiterate and signed the Register with an X mark.

Henry Dinning, a mason (journeyman), married to Elizabeth Hughes and aged 56, died on 13^th January 1911 at nine in the morning, at 126, High Street, Ayr. He was 58 years of age. The cause of death was left blank in the first instance but a subsequent entry in the Register of Corrected Entries recorded that a precognition had been received estabishing that the deceased had died of natural causes, as certified by P. Fraser MacKenna, Procurator Fiscal, dated 19^th January 1911. The amended entry stated that he had died ‘about 8.50 a.m.’ and that 126, High Street, Ayr, was his usual residence. The informant was John Dinning, Henry’s nephew, of 6, Queen Street, Ayr.