Alan Reardon of Allers Farm contacted me back in December 2014 with this request (sorry Alan, its taken so long to get round to looking at this!). He said, ” I have been sent some letters and pictures from Colorado USA about a Family called Jardine. Thomas Jardine died 1930 stayed at 345 Main street in the early 1900’s and was known locally as a coach of sports men in the area working with footballers at Blantyre Vics. In one of the letters the Charles Greenhorn endorses his skills the Greenhorn Family still resident in Blantyre have confirmed that this is one of there relatives. Thomas Jardines son John lived in 27 Hunthill Road and his father also Thomas died 1912 a miner stayed in 22 Glasgow Road. His youngest son James went to America in the 20’s and was killed in a pit explosion in Utah in 1936″
I initially replied with “Hi Alan, Thomas Jardine was born 5th March 1871 and married Margaret Fraser in Blantyre on 26th August 1892, when he was just 21. Margaret was just 17. In 1891 Margaret’s father was a blacksmith at Larkfield and the family lived at Larkfield Rows. I’m unsure if he worked in Templeton’s smiddy which was very nearby to their address. Thomas and Margaret’s first child came along 4 years after they married. Their son James has a recorded death on ancestry at Sunnyside, Carbon , Utah on 9th May 1945, which differs from the 1936 date you mentioned below. John who lived at Hunthill Road was just 36 when he died.“
Pictured is Thomas Jardine around 1920. The family photo shows Thomas earlier around 1900 with his wife Margaret and their children.
Interestingly, one of the blacksmiths pictured here outside Dixons colliery buildings at Priestfield is suspected to be Margaret Fraser’s father. I wondered also if the name Jardine was connected to the well known Quoiting player in Blantyre at the time.
During a period of ill health in 1922, Thomas was forced to leave work at Blantyre Vics, where he worked as a trainer, by his own accord. Later that year, Thomas sought letters of recommendation from his various previous employments and trusted references to get him working again. Despite no shortage of people willing to recommend him, it is clear he found difficulty in becoming employed again, with recommendations lasting not just in 1922, but in 1923, 1924 and 1925.
James’s youngest son had gone to America to work, but was sadly killed. A couple of reports document the event.
Finally, i asked Alan what this connection was to his own family, to which he replied, “I’ve been researching my family and in the 20’s My Great Grandfather John Swinburne immigrated to Lackawana Pennsylvania USA with his family he also died out there . James Jardine had been in love with my Great Aunt Margaret his daughter and left a month after her to marry her. James was a farm labourer here and my Great Aunt worked at Snabe Farm and this is where they met. While I was doing the family tree I came across Heather Tatton who is my second cousin the Granddaughter of James and Margaret known to the family as Meg. I am going to America in April to meet her and 3 other cousins and she is coming here in August. I have told her about the work you do with the Blantyre Project and I am sure when she is here she would like to meet you and see what you have on her Blantyre connections. There is quite a story about what happened to the Swinburne’s too but they came from Udston a mining village that was just across from Auchintibbber the wee school house is still there and there are pics of the Swinburne’s and Reardon’s in Wilma Bolton’s Books both families worked at Udston Pit”
I hope Alan’s guests have a great holiday when they arrive and I hope to be able to provide some additional information to this story nearer that time.
James Jardine is pictured here.
The family photo with Thomas and Margaret Jardine, stopped me in my tracks! Thomas is the spitting image of my late Uncle, Donald Jardine. I have not yet made the connection, but it must be there.
My Jardine roots are mainly in Paisley.
Hi ,I have just started to explore my family history (plenty of time thanks to Covid). My father was Luke Fraser Jardine, he was brought up in Blantyre.He was born in 1921 and married my mother Elsie Winifred Mahoney in 1942. They moved to London during the war. Both are deceased and I have very few sources of information to try and piece this alltogether. I am getting stuck with grandparents,who actually I never met. Any help would be welcomed.
Hi Ray,
My Gran, Jane Wallace Burnett, nee Jardine, was sister to Luke. I met your father, who was my Great Uncle in the mid-1970s when he visited my Gran, I was about 14 years old. My Mother was Margaret Jardine Love, need Burnett. I remember being told about you Raymond and how you had become an architect.
My name is Jim Love, email address is jimlove1961@gmail.com if you want to contact me. My Uncle John Burnett left a message on the site in October 2018. My previous post was also left in October 2018, how time flies.
Maggie Jardine, was my grannie I was born at 345 main street in
1932. my mother was Jane w. Jardine . The picture of the lady is
my grannie.
Mr Burnett, I am researching my family history. As a young child visiting Blantyre with my parents,I met a number of people with your surname and was told that they were related to us. My parents were Luke (sonny) Jardine and Elsie Jardine nee Mahoney. We lived in London. My Father’s sister and her husband, the Muirs lived very close to Blantyre Cross. If you have any useful information or can direct me to a good source of info,I would appreciate it.
Thomas Jardine is my great grandfather, his daughter Jane Wallace Jardine was my maternal grandmother born 1906. I’m amazed to also see pictures of my great grandmother whom my mother was named after. As a youngster my Gran told me the story of how her brother James survived the mines in Scotland only to emigrate to America and tragically loose his life in a mine in Utah.
Hi Paul just found out that you have a picture of jock fraser working in prestfield mines he is my gt grandfather x4 just wondering how you found out that he worked at that place for so many years.
kind regards
maureen
John Fraser was my gt gt grandfather. His son Thomas, my gt grandfather, was Margaret Jardine ( nee Fraser) ‘s brother
Hi Robert,
John Fraser was my gt x3 grandfather his son alexander was Thomas and Margaret brother. I was wondering if you would have a photo of Thomas that I could have in exchange for a photo of Alexander his brother, and by any chance do you have any photos on mary Germery John Fraser wife I cant find one any where.
kind regards
maureen
Hi Robert ,Thomas was the brother to my gt x2 grandfather Alexander Fraser who married Janet Nielson and margaret Nee Fraser was his sister. I was wandering if you have a photo of thomas fraser and his wife that you could share with me.
Kind regards
Maureen Fraser
Hi Margaret Fraser who married Thomas Jardine was my gt grandfather
sister Alexander Fraser. I was wondering if you have a photo of their grave, and any photos of her parents John Fraser and her mother Mary, that you could share with me.
Kind regards
maureen
sorry Maureen, i dont think i have any, but i will keep my eye out, as I’m adding almost a dozen photos to this site every day. All the best.
Thankyou for replying back, if I come across any photos of them I will gladly send them to you.
kind regards
maureen