The great thing about a small town like Blantyre is that many people are related if you go far enough back in history. This photograph demonstrated just that. Pictured around 1900 is The Bowie family. On the back left is William Bowie, the great grandfather of Arlene Green. William is about 16 years old here. This is one family i have researched often, as there is a connection to my own family. William Bowie I believe is my second cousin 3 times removed, or put more simply, his uncle John Bowie was my great, great grandfather. This means that Arlene and I found out recently a little further back, we share the same ancestry!

William Bowie was born on 3rd January 1886 at Donalds Knowe, Wanlockhead, dumfrieshire, although by the time he was five, the family had moved to Blantyre. On 1st March 1907, at 21 years old, we wed Margaret Craig. They quickly started their family with George Bowie in 1907, Jean Lindsay Bowie in 1909, Williamson Bowie (Arlene’s line) in 1912 and William in 1919. However, fate was to play a part in this story when William passed away on 13th February 1921 at the very young age of just 35.