Sunday 31 January 2010

Paterson Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This afternoon, I am posting information on one John Paterson from information on a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis.

This records that John Paterson, Assay Master of the Goldsmiths Company of Glasgow, died on Jan 20th 1848 age 75.

This is clearly a very 0ld memorial dating back to the early days of the Necropolis as a burial ground.

Paterson is one of the top 20 common surnames in Scotland and means 'son of Patrick'.

Saturday 30 January 2010

Corse Ancestry, Paisley, Scotland

This morning I am posting information on Corse family history as sourced from a memorial plaque in historic Paisley Abbey, Scotland.

The inscription states that this is the burying place of John Corse, Corse Mill 1460. Property of Robert Corse, in Corse Mill and Elizabeth Airston, spouse, and their children Dec 23rd 1800.

Robert Corse Nov 21 1821 and his spouses:

  • Elizabeth Airston Dec 23rd 1800
  • Ocella Perston August 1841.
David Corse Airston, son of Robert Corse and Elizabeth Airston on Jan 4th 1849

Janet Corse, daughter, Sept 22nd 1855. Also, William Glen, her husband, Aug 5th 1864.

Friday 29 January 2010

Boer War Memorial, Paisley Abbey, Scotland


This afternoon, I am posting information on a memorial to 4th Bt. Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders, Royal Renfrew Militia, commemorating soldiers who lost their lives in South Africa 1900-1901:

J. Hogarth
W. Loughran
J. Connolly
A. Kidd
H. McKendrick
J. O' Neill
C. Reid
R. Watson
R. Robertson
J. Ball
T. Barbour
H. Campbell
J. Cowan
W. Faulds
J. Forrest
R. Kennedy
M. Kerr
J. Lennon
W. McDermott
J. McGuire
J. McKay
J. Quigley

This memorial plaque can be found at the entrance to Paisley Abbey.

Thursday 28 January 2010

Brodie Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Brodie family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • Robert Brodie, Coal Merchant, Glasgow on April 28th 1859 age 36 years.
  • Isabella Cadwell, wife, on Sept 21st 1875 age 73 years.
  • William M Brodie on .. August 1887 age 47. (Date is partly obscured.)
Brodie is a very ancient Scottish name linked to Brodie Castle in Moray. The name goes back in antiquity, possibly to Pictish times.


Wednesday 27 January 2010

Kincaid Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Kincaid family history as sourced from information at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the following deaths:

  • Thomas Kincaid, Merchant, died Dec 31st 1848 age 63 years.
  • Mary, died Feb 18th 1845 age 12 years.
  • Alexander, died April 23rd 1847 age 20 years.
  • Isobel Calender Balloch, wife, died Dec 1st 1869 age 77 years.


Tuesday 26 January 2010

Bamford Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Bamford family history based on information obtained from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • Hilda Alexandra Bamford on Nov 23rd 1933 age 60 years.
  • Frank Linwood Bamford on Feb 20th 1944 age 75 years.
  • Daughter, Doris Hildegarde Linwood on Feb 18th 1979 age 81 years.
Bamford is an English name originating from Derbyshire and Lancashire. It means 'ford with a footbridge'.

If this video clip fails to play it is because Google has ceased to support video on blogs.


Monday 25 January 2010

Anderson Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Anderson family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • Mary Warnock on June 15th 1873 age 36 years.
  • Robert Anderson on April 5th 1899 age 83 years.
  • Robert A Taylor, Born July 30th 1884, Died July 14th 1903.
NB: If this video clip does not play this is because Google has stopped supporting video functionality.

Sunday 24 January 2010

Russell Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Russell family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • Alexander W. Russell, Born Sept 14th 1882, Died .. May 1886
  • George Russell, Born Sept ... 1844, Died April 25th 1910.
  • Margaret Cowper, died ...17th 1919.
Due to erosion, the dates on this stone are not complete.

Russell ranks within the top 50 most common names in Scotland.


Saturday 23 January 2010

Somerville Family History, Glasgow, Scotland

This afternoon, I am posting information on Somerville ancestry as sourced from a memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis. The following deaths are recorded:

  • Rev. Thomas Somerville D.D. May 5th 1839-Sept 17th 1915. He was Minister of: St. Andrew's Victoria, B.C. 1865-1871; St. David's Kirkintilloch 1871-1873; Blackfriars Glasgow 1873-1915.
  • Agnes Towers Dawson, wife, March 27th 1841-Jan 28th 1926.
  • Agnes Naismyth, daughter, Jan 4th 1872-Feb 6th 1940


Friday 22 January 2010

Aitken Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This afternoon, I am posting information on Aitken family history a sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow Necropolis. This records the following deaths:

  • Lillias Smith, wife, died June 10th 1841.
  • Alexander Aitken, died Oct 16th 1846.
  • Eliza Aitken, wife of James Carrick, died Dec 6th 1896 age 72 years.
  • James Carrick, died Jan 12th 1898 age 76 years


Thursday 21 January 2010

King Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on King family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • Eliza Hill on Aug 4th 1840 age 30 years.
  • Matthew King on March 24th 1846 age 3 years.
  • Matthew King on March 15th 1851 age 5 months.
  • John King on Nov 15th 1857 age 3 years.
  • Margaret King on Aug 13th 1859 age 11 months.
  • Matthew King, Merchant, died Jan 31st 1862 age 52 years.
  • Margaret Mack, second wife, Died Oct 2nd 1872 age 53 years.
  • Mary Gray, daughter, died May 21st 1915 age 67 years.
  • Margaret Mack King, Daughter, died on July 13th 1950 age 90 years.


Wednesday 20 January 2010

Stewart Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Stewart family history as sourced from a memorial in Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • John Stewart: 1839-1909
  • Agnes Clark Russell: 1839-1926
  • Thomas Stewart: 1868-1869
  • Mary Stewart: 1872-1875
  • Ebenezer R. Stewart: 1874-1875
  • John Stewart: 1870-1933
  • George E Stewart: 1876-1939


Tuesday 19 January 2010

Lyall Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Lyall family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This was erected by Margaret McCallum and records the deaths of:

  • Husband, William Lyall, Merchant, on July 7th 1871 age 70 years.
Children:
  • Robert Kidd- 4 months
  • William Duncan-age 2 years
  • David Austine-age 4 yrs.
  • William Duncan-age 6 yrs.
  • Catherine Kidd-age 17 yrs.
  • Jane Austine-age 8 yrs.
Comment: This infant mortality for this family was high, even by the standards of Victorian Glasgow.

Monday 18 January 2010

Ewing Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

Today, I visited Glasgow's Necropolis where I obtained this photograph of a monument to James Ewing of Strathleven. This monument records the following deaths:

  • James Ewing LLD, FRS who was born Dec 7th 1775 and died Nov 29th 1853.
  • Janet Tucker Crawford, wife, died June 14th 1896.
James Ewing was the 5th child of Walter Ewing Maclae, 3rd of Cathkin and Margaret Fisher, daughter of Rev James Fisher and granddaughter of Rev. Ebenezer Erskine. These reverend gentlemen were two of the co-founders of the Secession Church in 1733. Walter Ewing was heavily involved assisting various distressed Glasgow tobacco merchants following the changes which occurred as a consequence of the American War of Independence.

Following business training under his father tutelage, James Ewing became a successful and wealthy businessman, in first instance as West Indian Merchant supplying sugar plantations in Jamaica and importing resultant products such as sugar and rum. Upon his death a substantial part of his huge fortune was left to charity.

The large, polished pink sarcophagus is of interest in its own right and forms part of the Glasgow Necropolis Heritage Trail. It was designed by John Baird I in 1857, sculpted by J. Mossman and made from Peterhead granite. The sarcophagus is located close the dominating John Knox Monument and hence is easy to locate.


Sunday 17 January 2010

Motion Ancestry, Port Glasgow, Scotland

This morning, I visited St. Andrews Church, Port Glasgow which is an interesting piece of architecture in its own right.

Many of the grave-markers are aged and badly worn. However, I did manage to obtain information from the stone shown in the clip below. This is dated 1852 and records the following family:

  • James Motion, Joiner.
  • Wife, Mary Bryson
  • Their children
Lack of supporting detail (dates, etc.) is not unusual for this era.

Saturday 16 January 2010

Wilson Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on one William Rae Wilson who, after his death, had a very unusual, domed octagonal Moorish kiosk built in the style of Palestinian Sepulchre monuments erected in Wilson's memory at Glasgow's Necropolis by his second wife.

As befitting a high status burial ground like Glasgow's Necropolis, Doctor William Rae Wilson L.L.D. was a man of substance. He was borne 1772 in nearby Paisley and named William Rae. The name Wilson was added after an inheritance from his uncle, John Wilson.

William Rae Wilson practised as a solicitor (attorney) but after the death of his wife just 18 months after his marriage he went on a journey to the Middle East and wrote travel books. Wilson eventually married an English lady.

The mausoleum is of architectural interest in its right. No wood, iron or lead was used in its construction with all joints expertly sealed. Inside can be found the family arms of Rae and Wilson depicted in white marble.

Friday 15 January 2010

Lawrence Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland.

This evening, I am posting information on Peter Lawrence based on information from a somewhat grand memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis.

In essence, Lawrence was a famous sculptor who died Jan 27th 1839 age 43 years.


Thursday 14 January 2010

Houldsworth Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This morning, I am posting information on Houldsworth family history as sourced from a mausoleum at Glasgow's Necropolis which is dedicated to John Houldsworth. This Graeco-Egyptian style monument was designed and sculpted by John Thomas in 1845.

Key facts on John Houldsworth:
  • Son of a Nottingham (England) cotton spinner who moved to Cranston Hill and worked in Kelvinbridge.
  • Educated in Glasgow, Geneva and Heidelberg.
  • Non-work interests were art and sailing.
  • Lived 1807-1859.
  • Married Eliza Muir in 1836.
  • Was last Provost (mayor) of Anderston before the district was subsumed into Glasgow.
There is a place named Houldsworth in Cheshire, N. England.

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Dunn Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This afternoon, I am posting information on Dunn family history as sourced from a grand memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis.

This memorial focuses on one William Dunn of Duntocher. Key information on this person as follows:
  • Born Kirkintilloch 1770 and died 1849.
  • A successful Glaswegian entrepreneur who started life as cotton spinner, then learned iron-turning and machine making. He became a major landowner and businessman owning various mills and iron works employing up to 2000 people at peak.
  • Resided in mansion in St. Vincent Place, Glasgow.
  • Upon William Dunn' s death his death in 1849, Dunn's brother Alex Dunn, inherited the business fortune and built the monument shown in the image below.
  • The monument was designed in severe classical style by John Thomas Rochead in 1848.

Tuesday 12 January 2010

McGavin Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland


This evening, I am posting information on William McGavin whose large, 35 ft. memorial monument at Glasgow Necropolis can be seen to the left of the image below (with statue on top).

Key facts:



  • Monument designed by John Bryce 1834 and sculpted by Robert Forrest.

  • McGavin born in Ayrshire and had a varied career including weaver, teacher. merchant, bank manager and publisher.

  • Died Aug 23rd 1832 age 59 years.

  • Renowned for publishing "The Protestant" an anti-Catholic journal.

  • McGavin was originally buried in the now demolished Wellington Street Chapel but his remains were re-interred in the Necropolis.

Monday 11 January 2010

Middleton Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Middleton family history as sourced from a memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis ( City of the Dead.) The following deaths are recorded:

  • John Middleton, Merchant, Glasgow 1827-1890.
  • Wife, Janet Raeburn 1834-1914.
Family of above:
  • John 1864-1875
  • William 1861-1911
  • Janet Hay 1854-1913
  • Marion Raeburn 1869-1928
  • Charles 1867-1932
  • Elizabeth Pollexfen 1857 -1932
  • George 1872-1933

Middleton is a common surname, particularly in England. Origin is Old English 'middle place/farm'.

Sunday 10 January 2010

Raeburn Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Raeburn family history as sourced from a memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis burial ground. This provides information on the following deaths:

  • James Raeburn on Oct 29th 1880 age 84 years.
  • Janet Hay, wife, on Nov 18th 1846 age 49 years.
  • Various children who died in infancy, Inscriptions illegible.
  • James Raeburn Jr died Sept 4th 1895 age 64 years.
  • Elisabeth, daughter, died June 9th 1906 age 47 years.
  • Marion, daughter, widow of Frank Maskew, March 18th 1918 age 49 years.
The name Raeburn appears to originate from the Scottish Borders and translates as:
  • Rae=Deer or Roebuck
  • Burn=Stream

Saturday 9 January 2010

Ferguson Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Ferguson family history from information on a memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis. The following death is recorded:

  • Robert Ferguson, died at Blantyre Lodge on June 10th 1849 (age 40 or 46).

This monument was erected by wife of the deceased, Mary Finlay Wood.

Ferguson is a common name in both Scotland and northern England.


Friday 8 January 2010

Clouston Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Clouston family history as sourced from a memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • Hannah Grant, wife of Peter Clouston, on Nov 8th 1867.
  • Daughter, Roberta Janet on Nov 24th 1853 age 5 years.
  • Aunt, Catherine Brown on Aug 24th 1864 age 74 years.
  • Sister, Janet, on Sept 3rd 1876 age 78 years.
  • Peter Clouston, Born Aug 10th 1807, died Aug 30th 1888.


Thursday 7 January 2010

Govan Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Govan family history as sourced from two adjacent memorial stones at Glasgow's Necropolis. These stones record the deaths of:

  • Sons of James Govan: James Archibald on Nov 12th 1866 age 5 yrs and George Henry Horsfall on Jan 7th 1867 age 3 yrs.
  • Wife, Eliza Jane Pratt on Jan 28th 1881 age 45 yrs.
  • James Govan on April 23rd 1896 age 65 yrs.
  • James Govan, builder, Glasgow on Sept 6th 1841.
  • Son, John on May 31st 1837.
  • Daughter, Agnes on Oct 9TH 1837
  • Daughter, Jane, wife of John Cowan, Accountant. on May 24th 1845.
  • Wife, Jane Watson on July 1st 1846.


Wednesday 6 January 2010

Bilsland Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Bilsland family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's historic Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • John Bilsland, Born July 11th 1857, died April 4th 1930.
  • Wife, Catherine Leckie Kingaid, born March 25th 1852, died Dec 27th 1935.


Tuesday 5 January 2010

Watson Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Watson family history as sourced from a memorial in Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • William Watson Jnr, Merchant, died at Partick Hill on July 22nd 1855 age 59 years.
  • Margaret Watson, wife, died at 'Airthrey Croft', Bridge of Allan on June 11th 1878 age 77 years.



Monday 4 January 2010

Merry Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Merry family history as sourced from a memorial in Glasgow's Necropolis.This records the deaths of:

  • James Merry on Sept 27th 1841
  • Wife, Janet Greelman on Sept 25th 1854
  • William Merry on June 17th 1870.




Sunday 3 January 2010

Taylor Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Taylor family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the deaths of:

  • John Taylor Jr., West Indian Merchant, on May 9th 1878.
  • Wife, Catherine Michie on Feb 12th 1880.
  • Daughter, Amelia Taylor on May 19th 1916.
  • Jessie Taylor on March 9th 1920.


Saturday 2 January 2010

Todd Ancestry, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Todd family history as sourced from a memorial stone at Glasgow's Necropolis. This records the following information on deaths:

  • Daniel Lockhart Todd, died at Trinidad on Nov 20th 1884 age 39 years.
  • Wife, Grace Davidson Wright, died June 3rd 1919 age 66 years.
  • Son, John Edward, died Sept 28th 1886 age 8 years.
  • Grace Wright Todd, died Nov 22nd 1915 age 1 year.
  • Helen Maclure Sclanders, wife of R.W. Todd, died Oct 27th 1937 age 60 years.
  • Robert Wright Todd, died June 15th 1953 age 77 years.


Friday 1 January 2010

Richardson Family History, Glasgow, Scotland

This evening, I am posting information on Richardson ancestry as sourced from a twin family memorial at Glasgow's Necropolis. This appears to cover the families of two brothers, viz:

Family of James Richardson

  • Catherine Wemyss, wife of James Richardson, Merchant of Glasgow, died Dec 17th 1839 age 47 years.
  • Margaret, daughter, died July 17th 1845 age 15 years.
  • James Richardson of Railston, died Jan 18th 1860 age 70 years.
Family of Thomas Richardson

  • Robert Young and Thomas, his children, died in infancy.
  • Thomas, died Feb 11th 1858 age 8 years.