I am often asked how to get started. Often people have heard they are related to someone well known. There are no short cuts to family history. Here are my two top tips:-
1 Start with what you know and work backwards in time. Ask your oldest relations what they know.
You may need to get some certificates to get started eg
Your grandparents' marriage certificates. If they married in Scotland, both sets of parents will or should be on it and fathers' occupations. If they married in England you will just get the fathers' names and occupations.
Once you get back to people born before 1911 (UK) you will find them in the censuses.
2 Keep an open mind, especially re the spelling of names. Before about 1900 there was a lot of illiteracy. People signed their marriage certificates with a X mark. So their surname was open to interpretation by the registrar. If the person (being married) was not a local, which happened more than you might imagine, the registrar may have struggled with the unfamiliar name in an unfamiliar accent. Generally the consonants would be the same eg mcmeekin was recorded as mcmeikan, mcmackine, mcmeeking and countless variations. In some search engines it is possible to search with "wildcards", so I would search Mcm*k* which would return all of these. Strangely nowaways McMeekin is often mispelt as McMeechan but not once on historical records have I seen CH instead of K.
Ages are often misrecorded for various reasons but usually in my experience from not knowing their birthdate or being able to do the subtraction. Sometimes they made themselves younger. On s death certificate of an older person, the age is much older than the actual age, an estimate by perhaps their grandchild who thought they were much older!
More tips next time!
Friday, 28 February 2014
Monday, 27 January 2014
World War One Soldiers - part 4
Some Cumnock families had the heartbreak of losing more than one son.
The family of James and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick of Sykeside near Cumnock, Ayrshire suffered two losses in the war.
In 1901 the family was at Hillhead, Lugar
Son John Kirkpatrick who was with the Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds in France on 15 Oct 1916.
Son William Kirkpatrick who was with the Seaforth Highlanders was killed in action on the Somme on 25 March 1918.
The sons-in-law happily fared better.
Agnes Kirkpatrick married Alexander Caughie who was a driver in 280 Company and served in France. He survived the war and his address on discharge was 33 Greenside, Maybole.
Jessie Kirkpatrick married John Priest of Ayr in 1915. he enlisted in Ayr on 29 sep 1914. He was a ploughman. He served as a saddler in the RHA in France. He had a spell in convalescent hospital in 1916.
His address on discharge in July 1919 was Sykeside, Cumnock.
Montgomery Davidson of 78 Skares lost three sons. This information came from an in Memoriam Announcement in the Cumnock Chronicle in 1918 by the men's sister Jessie, wife of Matthew Shirkie.
First, oldest son David Davidson, a Lance Corporal in the Royal Scots Fusiliers was killed in the Battle of Loos on 26 Sep 1915. He was married to Martha Keirs in 1901.
Thomas Davidson was a private with the RFA and was killed at Gallipoli on the 30th December 1915. Thomas had married Margaret Reid in 1912.
The youngest son Robert Davidson also a private with the RFA died in France on 27 Sep 1918.
Their mother Janet McMurray had passed away in 1901 so was spared the grief of losing three sons.
Here's the family in 1901 census
Bargany Cottages, Dailly
The family of James and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick of Sykeside near Cumnock, Ayrshire suffered two losses in the war.
In 1901 the family was at Hillhead, Lugar
James Kirkpatrick 37
railway surfaceman b Dryfesdale, Dumfriesshire
Elizabeth Kirkpatrick 35
Agnes Kirkpatrick 12
Mary Kirkpatrick 11
Jessie Kirkpatrick 7
William Kirkpatrick 5
John Kirkpatrick 3
Marion Kirkpatrick 1
Andrew Kirkpatrick 30
brother
Son John Kirkpatrick who was with the Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds in France on 15 Oct 1916.
Son William Kirkpatrick who was with the Seaforth Highlanders was killed in action on the Somme on 25 March 1918.
The sons-in-law happily fared better.
Agnes Kirkpatrick married Alexander Caughie who was a driver in 280 Company and served in France. He survived the war and his address on discharge was 33 Greenside, Maybole.
Jessie Kirkpatrick married John Priest of Ayr in 1915. he enlisted in Ayr on 29 sep 1914. He was a ploughman. He served as a saddler in the RHA in France. He had a spell in convalescent hospital in 1916.
His address on discharge in July 1919 was Sykeside, Cumnock.
Montgomery Davidson of 78 Skares lost three sons. This information came from an in Memoriam Announcement in the Cumnock Chronicle in 1918 by the men's sister Jessie, wife of Matthew Shirkie.
First, oldest son David Davidson, a Lance Corporal in the Royal Scots Fusiliers was killed in the Battle of Loos on 26 Sep 1915. He was married to Martha Keirs in 1901.
Thomas Davidson was a private with the RFA and was killed at Gallipoli on the 30th December 1915. Thomas had married Margaret Reid in 1912.
The youngest son Robert Davidson also a private with the RFA died in France on 27 Sep 1918.
Their mother Janet McMurray had passed away in 1901 so was spared the grief of losing three sons.
Here's the family in 1901 census
Bargany Cottages, Dailly
Montgomery Davidson 46 coal miner b Kirkoswald
Janet Davidson 42
David B Davidson 23
Elizabeth J Davidson 16
John Davidson 15
Jessie Davidson 13
Thomas Davidson 11
Montgomery Davidson 9
James Davidson 8
Andrew Davidson 6
William Davidson 4
Robert Davidson 3
Martha Keier 24 (future wife of David)
Cumnock soldiers now here http://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.co.uk/
Cumnock soldiers now here http://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.co.uk/
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
World War 1 Soldiers - part 3
There are three soldiers on Cumnock War Memorial in Ayrshire, Scotland who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces.
Mitchell Taylor was born in Cumnock in 1885 and left for a new life in Canada, arriving on the Ionian on 15 March 1912. He returned to Scotland in 1914 but went back to Canada in September on the Scandanavian.
He signed on in Dec 1914 in Winnipeg. He had previously served 3 years in the Ayrshire Yeomanry. He was 5 ft 6 with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and fair hair. He was a plasterer like his father.
His parents were Mitchell Taylor and his wife Annie Watt of 51 Ayr Road.
He was killed on 8 Oct 1916 aged 32 and is remembered at Vimy Ridge in France.
Robert McLelland Munn, "Bertie" was born in 1894 in Cumnock. In 1901 he was living with his parents Robert and Beatrice Munn at the Dumfries Arms Hotel. He left Glasgow for Montreal on the Grampian on 3 Aug 1912 as Bertie Munn age 18 occupation "F.L." which I think is farm labourer, since on the Canadian passenger list his intended career is farming in Ontario. He enlisted at Valcartier, Canada on 24 Sep 1914 when he was 20 but gave his date of birth as 14 May 1891 making himself 3 years older than he actually was.
His occupation was "horseman" and he had previously served 5 years in the Yeomanry. He was 6ft tall with blue eyes and light hair. He was a Gunner with the Canadian Field Artillery and he died on 26 Apr 1915 aged 20. He is buried at Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery in France.
Richard Davidson "Dick" was born about 1896 in Cumnock to Archibald Boswell Davidson, a tailor, and his wife Margaret Douglas Lorimer. In 1901 they were living at Strand Street, Cumnock. Dick and his mother and sisters went out on the Hesperian in June 1912. His father had gone ahead the year before. In 1916 the family was living at 413 Simcoe St, Winnipeg. Richard enlisted on 24 Sep 1914 at Valcartier. He was an 18 year old clerk. He had fair hair and blue eyes and a scar on the bridge of his nose. He was 5 ft 5 1/2in. He was a private in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. He died on 31 Oct 1917 aged 20. He is buried at Potijze Chateau Grounds Cemetery in Belgium.
While looking through the Cumnock Chronicle on microfilm, I found another Canadian soldier who had lived in Cumnock. He is not on the Cumnock War Memorial. His grandmother Mrs David Fraser was living in Common in 1918.
He was born David Chalmers Fraser in Kilmarnock on 2 Oct 1894 to James Fraser and his wife Maggie Miller. In 1901 they were living at Ayr Road, Cumnock. The Chronicle has them living at Bank Avenue. They emigrated to Calgary about 1906 and David enlisted at Valcartier in 1914. In the 1916 census of Canada they are in Calgary. Brother James Miller Fraser enlisted at Calgary in 1915. He had previously been 3 years in the Calgary Militia. He was with the Canadian Army Medical Corps. He died on 19 May 1918 in an air raid on the hospital. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery near Boulogne in France.
Database of WW1 soldiers in Canada
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
I am not related to any of these families. It would be great to hear from any living relatives. Add a comment or email me at kmcmeekin at me.com
Cumnock soldiers have a blog of their own
https://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.com
Mitchell Taylor was born in Cumnock in 1885 and left for a new life in Canada, arriving on the Ionian on 15 March 1912. He returned to Scotland in 1914 but went back to Canada in September on the Scandanavian.
He signed on in Dec 1914 in Winnipeg. He had previously served 3 years in the Ayrshire Yeomanry. He was 5 ft 6 with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and fair hair. He was a plasterer like his father.
His parents were Mitchell Taylor and his wife Annie Watt of 51 Ayr Road.
He was killed on 8 Oct 1916 aged 32 and is remembered at Vimy Ridge in France.
Robert McLelland Munn, "Bertie" was born in 1894 in Cumnock. In 1901 he was living with his parents Robert and Beatrice Munn at the Dumfries Arms Hotel. He left Glasgow for Montreal on the Grampian on 3 Aug 1912 as Bertie Munn age 18 occupation "F.L." which I think is farm labourer, since on the Canadian passenger list his intended career is farming in Ontario. He enlisted at Valcartier, Canada on 24 Sep 1914 when he was 20 but gave his date of birth as 14 May 1891 making himself 3 years older than he actually was.
His occupation was "horseman" and he had previously served 5 years in the Yeomanry. He was 6ft tall with blue eyes and light hair. He was a Gunner with the Canadian Field Artillery and he died on 26 Apr 1915 aged 20. He is buried at Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery in France.
Richard Davidson "Dick" was born about 1896 in Cumnock to Archibald Boswell Davidson, a tailor, and his wife Margaret Douglas Lorimer. In 1901 they were living at Strand Street, Cumnock. Dick and his mother and sisters went out on the Hesperian in June 1912. His father had gone ahead the year before. In 1916 the family was living at 413 Simcoe St, Winnipeg. Richard enlisted on 24 Sep 1914 at Valcartier. He was an 18 year old clerk. He had fair hair and blue eyes and a scar on the bridge of his nose. He was 5 ft 5 1/2in. He was a private in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. He died on 31 Oct 1917 aged 20. He is buried at Potijze Chateau Grounds Cemetery in Belgium.
While looking through the Cumnock Chronicle on microfilm, I found another Canadian soldier who had lived in Cumnock. He is not on the Cumnock War Memorial. His grandmother Mrs David Fraser was living in Common in 1918.
1916 census
Calgary
James Fraser 47 can't decipher his occupation, but working on his own account.
Margaret Fraser 45
David Fraser 21 soldier
James Fraser 20 soldier
Jane Fraser 19 stenographer
William Fraser 18
Margaret Fraser 16
John Fraser 13
Robert Fraser 11
Hugh Fraser 7
Thomas Fraser 1
Database of WW1 soldiers in Canada
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
I am not related to any of these families. It would be great to hear from any living relatives. Add a comment or email me at kmcmeekin at me.com
Cumnock soldiers have a blog of their own
https://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.com
Monday, 20 January 2014
Fleming Descendants - the Biggers in Australia
Dave McCartney and Isabella Fleming (previous post) moved with their 10 year old daughter Marion to Cessnock, Sydney in 1910. Marion was musical and played violin in the Sydney Philharmonic,
She married Frederick C Biggers who was a clerk, a mine worker, a journalist and a writer. In 1929 he was on the staff of the Burwood Courier. He also wrote and performed in musical plays eg the Matrimonial Tangle which was staged in 1933.
They lived in Cessnock, New South Wales and had one daughter Joan Isobel. She was a ballerina (I was told) but tried tragically young aged 19.
Photos kindly sent by Kathy Wright, a friend of the family in Australia.
She married Frederick C Biggers who was a clerk, a mine worker, a journalist and a writer. In 1929 he was on the staff of the Burwood Courier. He also wrote and performed in musical plays eg the Matrimonial Tangle which was staged in 1933.
They lived in Cessnock, New South Wales and had one daughter Joan Isobel. She was a ballerina (I was told) but tried tragically young aged 19.
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| Fred and Marion | |
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| The Biggers' house in Cessnock, New South Wales | |
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| Joan Biggers 1934-1953 | |
 Friday 26 November 1948 The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder |
Thursday, 16 January 2014
World War One part 2
My father-in-law David McMeekin, 1892-1973 was a miner, son of John McMeekin and Annie Gibson Murdoch of Glengyron Row. We know he was in the Royal Scots Fusiliers and served in Palestine; he was fond of talking at length about Palestine. Unfortunately his son did not pay much attention to his tales. His service records did not survive, but he did.
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| David McMeekin aged about 22 |
His younger brother Jimmy 1895-1978 also a miner, enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers and his records survive. He enlisted at Cumnock on the 28th August 1914. He was recruited by recruiter John Sykes. He gave his age as 20 years and 160 days but he was only 19. This was probably a mistake and not an attempt to enlist when too young. You could enlist at age 18 but you weren't sent abroad till you were 19. He was 5 ft 5 and a half inches, blue eyes, fair hair, teeth defective, but nutrition good. Pulse 70 (underlined, is this good?). This noted by Dr McQueen in Cumnock. He was discharged at Aldershot after 25 days, as he was "physically unfit for active service due to chronic rheumatism and valvular heart disease". Nevertheless, he continued to work as a miner and died age 83!
Although none of the family died in the war, the family did not escape unscathed. A third brother Andrew died in 1916 in a rock fall in Garallan colliery. He was only 19. I wrote about his death here. On his death certificate his father John is listed as a miner and a private in the Royal Defence Corps (the Home Guard).
Cumnock soldiers have a blog of their own
https://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
A Footballer in the Family
Isabella Fleming, the sister of my husband's grandfather Hugh, married David Thompson McCartney (1875-1950) of Auchinleck in 1899 and they had one daughter Marion McFedries McCartney. Mother-in-law used to talk about the McCartneys, although she could barely have known them.
David was the son of Irish parents Charles McCartney and Susanna Thompson, born 1875 in Cronberry, near Cumnock, and as Dave McCartney, he was a professional footballer for 20 years and played briefly for Celtic and for Glossop, Watford and Northampton with one season for Chelsea. His brother William played 2 seasons for Barnsley.
When he retired, the family emigrated to Australia on the Samaris arriving November 1910. He went back to mining at Aberdare South Colliery.
Their only daughter Marion, born about 1900, was musical and played violin in the Sydney Philharmonic.
Watford FC Archives - look under M for Dave's football career
Chelsea player profile
1948 newspaper article interview with Dave in the Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, 22 June 1948. His brother William was over from Scotland at the time.
Obituary in the The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder 10 Jan 1950.
Thanks to Rhonda in Dumfries for information.
David was the son of Irish parents Charles McCartney and Susanna Thompson, born 1875 in Cronberry, near Cumnock, and as Dave McCartney, he was a professional footballer for 20 years and played briefly for Celtic and for Glossop, Watford and Northampton with one season for Chelsea. His brother William played 2 seasons for Barnsley.
When he retired, the family emigrated to Australia on the Samaris arriving November 1910. He went back to mining at Aberdare South Colliery.
Their only daughter Marion, born about 1900, was musical and played violin in the Sydney Philharmonic.
Watford FC Archives - look under M for Dave's football career
Chelsea player profile
1948 newspaper article interview with Dave in the Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, 22 June 1948. His brother William was over from Scotland at the time.
Obituary in the The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder 10 Jan 1950.
Thanks to Rhonda in Dumfries for information.
Friday, 3 January 2014
World War One Soldiers part 1
In this anniversary year of the start of World War One, I am turning my research to local soldiers who served in this horrible conflict. I have joined Cumnock History Group. I am looking at names on the Cumnock War Memorial in Cumnock New Cemetery and trying to find out a bit about them using my ancestry subscription and Commonwealth War Graves Commission. (Links to these sites at the bottom of post)
Neighbours James Bruce Johnstone and Michael Shirkie of 101 and 113 Skares Row respectively enlisted together at Glasgow on 14 Sep 1914 within 2 weeks of war breaking out. (I know this because their service records survived and are on the ancestry website and elsewhere. Not all service records survived.) Both were miners, and single. They enlisted in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and both set sail for France on 8 July 1915. Neither came home.
James Bruce Johnstone, a miner, was born in Patna in 1891. He was the son of Charles J Johnstone and his wife Mary McDerment. He had blue eyes and reddish hair and was 5ft 8 and a half inches tall. He was a Sergeant in the 7th Battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He was killed in action in France/Flanders on the 27th February 1916. He was 25. His father received his medals on the 6th July 1921.
His great nephew, also James Bruce Johnstone, a cousin of my husband, has provided the photograph.
Michael Shirkie, a miner, was born in Catrine in 1889. He was the eldest child of Edward Shirkie and his wife Isabella Montgomery. He had fair hair and blue eyes and was 5ft 7in. He was a Private 7th Battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He was reported missing presumed dead after the Battle of Loos on the 25th September 1915. Michael was a distant relation by marriage of my husband. He was 26. Michael was batman to Captain Wm H Kirkland who was also killed in the Battle of Loos and the story goes Michael went to his aid on the field and perished too. Michael's sister got a letter addressed to any living relative of Michael Shirkie, Skares. It was from Captain Kirkland's sister and the postman delivered it to Liz's grandmother Nellie, Michael's sister in the photo.
(Thanks to Liz Ferguson, Michael's great niece for info and photo)
Both men are commemorated on the Cumnock War Memorial and on the Loos Memorial in France.
Links
Cumnock History Group
Cumnock War Memorial
Cumnock WW1 soldiers
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry UK site
Cumnock soldiers have a blog of their own
https://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.com
Neighbours James Bruce Johnstone and Michael Shirkie of 101 and 113 Skares Row respectively enlisted together at Glasgow on 14 Sep 1914 within 2 weeks of war breaking out. (I know this because their service records survived and are on the ancestry website and elsewhere. Not all service records survived.) Both were miners, and single. They enlisted in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and both set sail for France on 8 July 1915. Neither came home.
James Bruce Johnstone, a miner, was born in Patna in 1891. He was the son of Charles J Johnstone and his wife Mary McDerment. He had blue eyes and reddish hair and was 5ft 8 and a half inches tall. He was a Sergeant in the 7th Battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He was killed in action in France/Flanders on the 27th February 1916. He was 25. His father received his medals on the 6th July 1921.
His great nephew, also James Bruce Johnstone, a cousin of my husband, has provided the photograph.
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| Sgt Jimmy B Johnstone |
Michael Shirkie, a miner, was born in Catrine in 1889. He was the eldest child of Edward Shirkie and his wife Isabella Montgomery. He had fair hair and blue eyes and was 5ft 7in. He was a Private 7th Battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He was reported missing presumed dead after the Battle of Loos on the 25th September 1915. Michael was a distant relation by marriage of my husband. He was 26. Michael was batman to Captain Wm H Kirkland who was also killed in the Battle of Loos and the story goes Michael went to his aid on the field and perished too. Michael's sister got a letter addressed to any living relative of Michael Shirkie, Skares. It was from Captain Kirkland's sister and the postman delivered it to Liz's grandmother Nellie, Michael's sister in the photo.
(Thanks to Liz Ferguson, Michael's great niece for info and photo)
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| Michael Shirkie with brother Johnnie and sister Nellie |
Both men are commemorated on the Cumnock War Memorial and on the Loos Memorial in France.
Links
Cumnock History Group
Cumnock War Memorial
Cumnock WW1 soldiers
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry UK site
Cumnock soldiers have a blog of their own
https://cumnocksoldiers.blogspot.com
Saturday, 2 November 2013
Mum and dad's wedding in 1942
We got a box of dad's memorabilia down from the loft one wet afternoon recently. They had kept all their wedding souvenirs; cards, telegrams, invitations, compliments cards. Lovely!
My parents Lena and Cliff were married during the war. No elaborate outfits as there was rationing on clothes. The ceremony and reception took place in the Gordon Restaurant, at 19 Gordon Street, Glasgow near Central Station on 27 August 1942. My father was stationed at Fort George at the time and they had a brief honeymoon in Nairn. I expect mum returned to Glasgow alone. They lived with my grandparents until 1949.
I think my mother was in lilac from what I can remember her telling me.
Her bridesmaid was her cousin Ethel Sievwright so I presume that is her seated on the left. I didn't know her very well as she was living in Kent when I was growing up. The lady in the photo looks very like Ethel's sister Amelia (Millie) but I think it must be Ethel. Dad's uniform is far from smart. He should have worn his kilt!
My parents Lena and Cliff were married during the war. No elaborate outfits as there was rationing on clothes. The ceremony and reception took place in the Gordon Restaurant, at 19 Gordon Street, Glasgow near Central Station on 27 August 1942. My father was stationed at Fort George at the time and they had a brief honeymoon in Nairn. I expect mum returned to Glasgow alone. They lived with my grandparents until 1949.
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| Bridesmaid was Ethel Sievwright and best man was David F Graham, a neighbour |
Her bridesmaid was her cousin Ethel Sievwright so I presume that is her seated on the left. I didn't know her very well as she was living in Kent when I was growing up. The lady in the photo looks very like Ethel's sister Amelia (Millie) but I think it must be Ethel. Dad's uniform is far from smart. He should have worn his kilt!
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| in Lovat Scouts, taken in Inverness ca 1942 |
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| telegram from Colin Clark, mum's uncle |
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| from mum's aunt Aggie Walker |
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| Hymns were "O God of Bethel" and "O Perfect Love, All Human Thought Transcending" |
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Industrial Accidents
Having lots of miners among both my and my husband's ancestors it was no great surprise to find a few had perished in mining accidents. Other occupations were equally hazardous. This is in memory of those whose struggle to earn a living cost them their lives.
To find out the cause of death you need to get the death certificate. All of those included in this post are from Scotland since it is inexpensive to get death certificates from the Scottish national records at scotlandspeople.gov.uk
Andrew McMeekin, uncle of my husband, was killed by a fall of stone in Garallan Colliery in Cumnock in 1916. He was only 18. I found a report of his funeral in the Cumnock Chronicle, on microfilm in the Burns Centre, Kilmarnock. His brother kept this memoriam card.
2 generations further back, his namesake and great uncle, Andrew McMeekin, was killed in a mine accident in 1864 in Cumnock, also from a fall of stone. He was 26 and had a wife. Their infant daughter had died the previous month.
(This next para added 14 Dec 2013)
Robert Fleming my husband's great uncle was a mine roadsman and was still working at the age of 73 when he was killed by a runaway hutch in 1954. He lived in Ochiltree.
In 1959 2 distant cousins of mine, Aaron Price, 50, and his brother Robert Price, 47, of Kirkintilloch, were among the 47 miners who perished in the Auchengeich pit disater in Lanarkshire.
Blair Dunsmuir married to my second cousin Margaret Price of Ayr Road, Cumnock died of injuries sustained in Whitehill Colliery in 1927.
Andrew Rae, father-in-law of second cousin Ellen Yates, was injured in a fall of of coal in Lanemark no 1 in New Cumnock in 1873. His leg was amputated but he succumbed 9 days later.
Thomas Woods, a distant cousin via the Prices again, lost both his legs in an accident in Barony Colliery in 1930. He was caught in coal cutting machine. He at least survived.
Not only miners had a dangerous job. Harry Clark was a rivetter's heater in a shipyard in Aberdeen. He fell 19 feet through an open hatch on deck and fractured his skull. He was 14 when he died in 1904. He was my granny's younger brother.
Farm work was not free of danger. Janet McCartney, 47, fell off a grass cart and broke her neck in Auchinleck one afternoon in August, 1867. She was the mother of John Ross who married Agnes McMeekin, my husband's great grand aunt.
A cousin of my husband, Andrew Cook Fleming, died when a tractor overturned on him in 1956. He was 15.
(This para added on 7 Nov. 2013)
Matthew Hislop, a wood sawyer, died instantly when caught in a sawing machine. He was 39 when he died in 1870 and left a wife and several children. In the 1881 census I found his wife in prison. I don't know what happened to her after that. His nephew also Matthew Hislop was married to Augusta Wilson. It was his death I was looking for when I found the uncle's.
I haven't included those who died serving their country as they already have a post of their own.
The Scottish Mining website records mining accidents and will accept submissions. I have added the two Andrew McMeekins. You can look up your ancestors here on the same site if you know the date of death.
We moan about health and safety regulations, but as a consequence the workplace is a lot safer nowadays.
To find out the cause of death you need to get the death certificate. All of those included in this post are from Scotland since it is inexpensive to get death certificates from the Scottish national records at scotlandspeople.gov.uk
Andrew McMeekin, uncle of my husband, was killed by a fall of stone in Garallan Colliery in Cumnock in 1916. He was only 18. I found a report of his funeral in the Cumnock Chronicle, on microfilm in the Burns Centre, Kilmarnock. His brother kept this memoriam card.
2 generations further back, his namesake and great uncle, Andrew McMeekin, was killed in a mine accident in 1864 in Cumnock, also from a fall of stone. He was 26 and had a wife. Their infant daughter had died the previous month.
(This next para added 14 Dec 2013)
Robert Fleming my husband's great uncle was a mine roadsman and was still working at the age of 73 when he was killed by a runaway hutch in 1954. He lived in Ochiltree.
In 1959 2 distant cousins of mine, Aaron Price, 50, and his brother Robert Price, 47, of Kirkintilloch, were among the 47 miners who perished in the Auchengeich pit disater in Lanarkshire.
Blair Dunsmuir married to my second cousin Margaret Price of Ayr Road, Cumnock died of injuries sustained in Whitehill Colliery in 1927.
Andrew Rae, father-in-law of second cousin Ellen Yates, was injured in a fall of of coal in Lanemark no 1 in New Cumnock in 1873. His leg was amputated but he succumbed 9 days later.
Thomas Woods, a distant cousin via the Prices again, lost both his legs in an accident in Barony Colliery in 1930. He was caught in coal cutting machine. He at least survived.
Not only miners had a dangerous job. Harry Clark was a rivetter's heater in a shipyard in Aberdeen. He fell 19 feet through an open hatch on deck and fractured his skull. He was 14 when he died in 1904. He was my granny's younger brother.
Farm work was not free of danger. Janet McCartney, 47, fell off a grass cart and broke her neck in Auchinleck one afternoon in August, 1867. She was the mother of John Ross who married Agnes McMeekin, my husband's great grand aunt.
A cousin of my husband, Andrew Cook Fleming, died when a tractor overturned on him in 1956. He was 15.
(This para added on 7 Nov. 2013)
Matthew Hislop, a wood sawyer, died instantly when caught in a sawing machine. He was 39 when he died in 1870 and left a wife and several children. In the 1881 census I found his wife in prison. I don't know what happened to her after that. His nephew also Matthew Hislop was married to Augusta Wilson. It was his death I was looking for when I found the uncle's.
I haven't included those who died serving their country as they already have a post of their own.
The Scottish Mining website records mining accidents and will accept submissions. I have added the two Andrew McMeekins. You can look up your ancestors here on the same site if you know the date of death.
We moan about health and safety regulations, but as a consequence the workplace is a lot safer nowadays.
Friday, 18 October 2013
Heirloom
Two "leopardskin ottomans" were left to Helen Sievwright in the 1874 will of Marjory Sievwright of Brechin, her maiden aunt. I wrote about the will here.
Helen married Henry Speid in Quebec in 1880 and had one son Arthur Speid (read about the Speids here) who had 3 daughters.
The last surviving daughter Janet Speid Motyer who died last year, aged 93, gifted one of them to Lennoxville-Ascot Historical and Museum Society in Sherbrooke.
I have been corresponding with Janice Fraser the Collections and Exhibitions Coordinator at the museum which is in the former Speid home of Uplands. She has kindly taken photos of the stool and a close up of the bullet hole which killed the poor leopard. Someone, probably Janet, had recovered the stool in plain fabric. Janice understands the leopard was shot by a family member. She doesn't know what became of the other stool.
The stool has on the underside "Gavin Patrie 1844" which I believe to be Gavin Petrie of 6 Raeburn Place, Edinburgh a cabinet maker. (Gray's Almanac 1837- 8 and the1841 census) His son, also Gavin, was an upholsterer.
Many thanks to Janice at the museum for sending the photos. I am thrilled to see them.
Link to my family tree
Helen married Henry Speid in Quebec in 1880 and had one son Arthur Speid (read about the Speids here) who had 3 daughters.
The last surviving daughter Janet Speid Motyer who died last year, aged 93, gifted one of them to Lennoxville-Ascot Historical and Museum Society in Sherbrooke.
I have been corresponding with Janice Fraser the Collections and Exhibitions Coordinator at the museum which is in the former Speid home of Uplands. She has kindly taken photos of the stool and a close up of the bullet hole which killed the poor leopard. Someone, probably Janet, had recovered the stool in plain fabric. Janice understands the leopard was shot by a family member. She doesn't know what became of the other stool.
The stool has on the underside "Gavin Patrie 1844" which I believe to be Gavin Petrie of 6 Raeburn Place, Edinburgh a cabinet maker. (Gray's Almanac 1837- 8 and the1841 census) His son, also Gavin, was an upholsterer.
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| close up of the bullet hole |
Many thanks to Janice at the museum for sending the photos. I am thrilled to see them.
Link to my family tree
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