George Bodle started us on our journey several years ago with his 1882 Certificate of Discharge for Seamen from the brigantine the 'Laura'. This fragile piece of paper had been kept safe in the Bates family for 120 years when in 1999 it passed to my wife from her mother Mary Bates, the baby in the picture.  I am the website author, Ray McLean, hence the name of our website.

George Bodle came from Ringmer in Sussex where his ancestors had worked the land for decades. We have traced them back to circa 1680s. But why did he go to sea and leave the land? The industrial Revolution? His sailing career took him to Sunderland where he met and married Isabella McNeil. We have even been able to find them together at an early meeting.

The earliest related Bates we can find came from Oxford about 1820s. The McLean's, however, settled in Glasgow about 1887. Previously, they had lived for several generations in Greenock having left the parish of Inverchaolain in Argyle, Scotland about the late 1830s where they can be traced back to 1710.


We hope you that you find the content interesting, and even better, we are related.
Dip in and out of the site through the links above and below.

If you know of any errors or have additional information please contact me at  

 

ray_mon5@hotmail.com

© 2007 BATES and McLEAN Family Tree 

 

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