Mrs Nelly Clark 1894 – 1977

Continuing some Ancestry catchup. Kate Clark contacted me some time ago saying, “Hello Paul. I’m trying to find out anything about my grandmother, Mrs Nelly Clark, possibly also known as Ellen and possibly nee Heffernan. She lived at 27 Parkville Drive until her death in around 1977 and before that in Hunthill Road, I think. She had seven children, James, John, Martin, Kathleen, Helen, Margaret, May. She was born around 1896/7 and guessing married around 1915. Thank you.”

I was able to reply…….Hi Kate. This is likely something worth asking on the page in general, especially as there’s a possibility of relatives living nearby or still in Blantyre. They may have photos? I can help of course with early history.

Your Blantyre ancestry is actually on the Clark side, as the Heffron (not Heffernan) side arrived from Kilbirnie in Ayrshire. I’ve focused on your gran as requested. Nelly Heffron was born in 1894, the daughter of John Heffron a coal-miner and Margaret Tomlins. (your great grandparents). She may have been born in Ireland as I cannot find a UK birth certificate. A Catholic family, they were certainly living in Ayrshire during the first decade of the 20th Century. Nelly met and fell in love with Martin Clark, a coalminer from Blantyre. I’m unsure how and where they met.

Martin was four years older than Nelly and on 31st December, Hogmanay 1913 they married in St Josephs Church on Glasgow Road, Blantyre. Martin had been living at 12 Watson Street, its proximity to Dixons Pit 4 suggesting that may have been where he worked. (Martin was the son of James Clark and Catherine McGowan).

The couple settle down at 61 Hunthill Road, just a stone throw from Martin’s former home. It would have been near his work and in 1915 despite being 26 years old, it looks like he escaped the war draft, perhaps being more needed in the mines at that time. He was renting a home with an annual rent of £6 and 10 shillings that year.

The Clark family lived at 61 Hunthill Road for quite a long time. It would have been a tremendously special place for children to grow up. Right at the edge of the Calder Woodland, expansive fields and trees for them to play around. I’ve had a look at the Auchentibber School Register and can’t see the Clark children there. I suspect they were schooled at St Josephs School/Chapel on Glasgow Road.

In the late 1930’s just before WW2, the family moved to Parkville Drive at Springwells. This may have been due to work, following the closure of Dixon’s Pit 4. This was a spacious council house, rented from the local authority in 1940 for £17 and 10 shillings per year. Here’s how it looks today.

I hope this gives a little insight into their lives.