In September 2014, Claire Milne sent me an email, saying , “Hi Paul, fantastic site. My maiden name is Devlin. I have been trying to find out info about the Devlin family in Blantyre in early 1900s esp about my grandfather hugh Devlin. Just wondered if you had come across anything, Thank you, Claire milne.”
After a search of some ancestry records, I was able to form this reply, “Claire – Thanks for your email. I do have some information about a Hugh Devlin of Blantyre. The info is very fractured though and leaves a lot of questions.
In 1881, there is a Hugh Devlin, aged 7 living at 10 Dixons Rows, with the McGinnes family. I found that strange in itself that such a young boy was staying with another family. Dixons Rows were just built and housed coal miners. Jumping to the 1891 census, Hugh is 17 and is a coal miner. He was then lodging with the McCallum family at Turners Buildings, Blantyre.
There is another Hugh Devlin in the census information. A different person born in 1881, whom by the 1901 census at aged 20 was lodging at Auchentibber, 6 Clyde Row with the Brown family. I wondered if any of this feels right as your ancestor?
The only other mention of Devlin I remember was the Care home “Devlin Care” that opened in 1983, but i think this was named after an external business man, of more modern times. Hope this is helpful and interesting.”
If anybody can add to the Devlin ancestry of Blantyre or knows more about this story, please feel free to get in touch. Thanks.
This is so awesome!
My mom (Fanny) was so overjoyed to hear of this encounter, we had thought her grandmother Fanny’s maiden name might be Brown, but we couldn’t be certain. She remembers getting letters from a William and a Margaret (don’t know if either of those names are from your side).
We were stuck in our search until I came across this post! Looking forward to an email, we are so curious 🙂
hi
The Hugh Devlin living at 6 Clyde Row with the Brown family – was the husband of my 2nd great aunt Fanny (Brown). He was living there as a boarder with his sister in law Catherine. Hughs wife and Catherine (Brown) being sisters.
as far as I know he and fanny had three children, 2 daughters and son (Hugh). Hugh son emigrated to Canada where he married a canadian and died in Saskachewan
I was so incredibly excited to come across this post while searching my family history.
I am the grandson of the Hugh Devlin that emigrated to Canada with his sister Elizabeth McCauley Brown Devlin, would this information similar to yours? Hugh died young when my mother was only 3 and she does not have much information about her family.
I see this post was a couple of years ago Sharon, so I hope it reaches you. If possible I would very much like to get in contact with you and hopefully get some more family history.
Hi yes I’ve got your email.
Elizabeth McCauley is fanny Brown (Hugh devlin wife) mother.
I have so much information
Sharon brown
Fanny was my great great aunt and Elizabeth McCauley my great great grandmother. From info you have given me it sounds like we share the same great great grandparents :).
Sharon brown