Eleanor Clark messaged me in February on the request page at Blantyre Project website saying, “Hi. My Granny Catherine Paterson lived in 16 Cemetery Road, High Blantyre along with my dad Robert, brothers John, Gavin, and Wallace and my aunt Christine. The building was still standing the day she was buried. She was married to John Paterson.”
Although Eleanor did not mention a date, she has provided good information about family structure, which itself was enough to get me started on investigating. Here are my collected notes:
Catherine Taylor was born in 1880 in Cambuslang, the second child to Gavin Taylor (b1845) and his wife Mary (b1843). Gavin was originally from Biggar and Mary from Cambusnethan but following their marriage they opted to settle in Cambuslang.
In 1878 the couple had first child, Jane. Then Catherine followed in 1880. In 1881, they lived at 1 Greenbank Terrace, Cambuslang along with 2 adult boarders. Younger brothers Gavin and John Taylor were born in 1882 and following this, the family chose to move to Blantyre between 1882 and 1883. Gavin Taylor was a joiner and the attraction of construction projects in Blantyre following the discovery of coal, is the probable reason the family came here. It is the Taylor’s who lived at Cemetery Road, (or Cemetery Walk as it was known in the 19th Century), rather than the Patersons, initially.
Catherine’s household was very busy as a child. Even more so when a SECOND set of male twins, Robert and James were born in 1886 and another sister Mary born in 1888. In the 1891 census Gavin and Mary were living at Cemetery Walk with 7 children all under the age of 13. Eldest daughter Jane had left School at 13, and was an unemployed domestic servant.
Catherine was destined to live a long life. Upon leaving home, she married John Paterson. John was born on 14th November 1881 the son of Robert Paterson, a miner and Janet Jaap. From the early 1900’s until 1925, John Paterson was living at 52 Main Street, High Blantyre.
In 1925, John Paterson was renting a house at 12 Cemetery Road. By 1930, John and Catherine were renting larger 16 Cemetery Road from Janet Gray, who lived in Prestwick. A growing family may have created a requirement for a larger home. John’s rent was £12 per year. Nearby at 20 Cemetery Road was George Paterson, who may have been a relation.
John was a colliery oncostman. On 9th April 1931, John Paterson passed away young, with bronchitis aged 49 at home at 16 Cemetery Road.
The couple would go on to have a family. Catherine Paterson (nee Taylor) passed away on 27th March 1969, aged 89 and was buried in High Blantyre Cemetery in the same lair alongside her husband John, not far from her previous home. Incredibly, she outlived her husband by 38 years.
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