Reader, Denis Wade shared this touching story of helping his mother see a family grave for the first time:
“My dad passed away November 2020. During a time of reflection with my mum aged 83, she commented how she has never seen her mum & dad’s grave. This got me thinking how good it would be if I could find the grave and take my mum back to her birth place of Blantyre.
My mum Elizabeth Wade (nee Kane) was born 1938 in Bellshill and was brought up at Viewfield Ave Blantyre, with Siblings Thomas who sadly passed away aged 14 years old, John, Dennis and Ann, mum does not know if any of her siblings are still alive.
My granddad Dennis Kane died 1962 aged 61 at his home at Viewfield Ave. My mum had left Blantyre by this time to find work and settled in Fleetwood Lancashire working and living at Fleetwood Hospital up to the point of meeting my dad Fred Wade and getting married (1957).
They settled in Fleetwood and went on to have 5 sons, Stephen, John, Brian who passed away aged 10 years old of heart failure. (1975), Michael and me Denis the baby of the family even though I’m 52.
Mum received a telegram informing her of her father’s passing (1962), mum was unable to get back to Blantyre for the funeral two babies at home my dad working away made it impossible. Mum wanted to name me after my granddad Dennis but my father registered my name as Denis I believe mum hit the roof Blantyre style.
My Grandmother Mary Kane (nee Cosgrove) moved out of the family home after Dennis passed away and she settled I believe at Stonefield Rd Blantyre. My grandmother was only 56 when she lost Dennis and passed away herself some eight years later 1970 aged 64 from congestive cardiac failure.
My mother made it back to Blantyre for the funeral at St Joseph’s my dad was working away so mum went with young kids in tow but she was not able to go to the cemetery with the children being so young.
This brings me to my quest to reunite my mum with her parents resting place for the first time. I used the find a grave web-site to locate the grave and found some accommodation in Hamilton we travelled to Hamilton on Friday 4th June 2021, on the Saturday morning we drove to High Blantyre Cemetery.
Mum waited in the car and I set about looking for the grave, I was wondering around for around 40 minutes when I spotted a couple visiting a loved ones grave, I asked them just to double check I was in the correct cemetery, I was of course and after showing them the picture I had, they shouted to me 5 minutes later, they had found my grandparents grave it was across the way from the one they’d come to visit.
I was speechless I was stood by my grandparents graveside, I was about to go and get mum from the car she was about to see the resting place of her parents for the first time. I regret not getting the names of the couple who helped me that day so I could thank them properly, hopefully this will get published and the couple might see it and make contact.
The was another name on the headstone Michael Kane passed away 1995 aged 38 we can only think this would have been Dennis Kane (Mums brother) and Marion Kane (nee Cummiskey), again I hope this gets published and someone can help us fill in some of the blanks.
I booked our accommodation in Hamilton with the intention of staying four nights so we could locate the grave and then I could visit the local council office to try and find out more info but we had to leave the accommodation after the second night due to the property being in such a bad state. This is another story one that I will have to pursue, I am annoyed at the lost opportunity I spent a lot of money to try and make sure the accommodation was fit for our needs.
Mum is very frail and we are unlikely going to get another opportunity to come back to Blantyre as a family, It was a special day and one that I am honoured to have helped come true for a very special person Elizabeth Wade (nee Kane) thank you mum for everything, I love you, Denis Wade.
P.S The two pictures attached are one with mum and my wife Deborah at the graveside and the other is of me, Denis Wade, taken 5thJune 2021″
