Ellen Tomlinson messaged me saying, “I would love to find out more about my great grandparents who lived in Blantyre. James Paterson and Annie Paterson (née Doyle). I know Annie was from Uddingston and James was a miner and musician but can’t find anything about their parents. One of my mum’s cousins from that side of the family still lives in the area and her bother was in a local band called The Kimbles, I think. My Grandma was Elizabeth Paterson and had a number of sisters. I also remember visiting my Great Grandmother, an Uncle Owen and Uncle Jim looked after her.”
I was able to reply with:
Hi Ellen – I have been able to trace this line with some success. The parents of James PATERSON were George PATERSON (b1853) and Helen HADDOW. The Paterson family lived at Glasgow East End in Carmyle at this time and George was brought up there. On 22nd November 1872, at the age of 19, he married 20 year old bleacher, Janet SPEIRS at the Church of Scotland, Sandyhills, Shettleston, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Daughter Margaret followed shortly after on 22nd Sept 1874.
This was a time when Blantyre was opening up their Coalfields and between 1875 and 1878, the small family moved to Blantyre’s Springwell area, confirmed by the birth of son George PATERSON in February 1878, just a few months after Blantyre’s Pit Disaster.
They first lived at Springwell Place, but had moved adjacent to this to former building, “McDougalls Land’, Springwells by 1884. The Speirs family ended up owning McDougalls land, but I think this was a brother of Janets. You can read in detail about McDougalls Land, the difficult living conditions and the link to the Spiers family here. https://blantyreproject.com/glasgow-rd-s2-burnbank-to-auchinraith/
Sadly, on 21st March 1886, George and Janet’s daughter Mary died just before her 2nd birthday and the family moved for a short time to Greenfield, in Burnbank, Hamilton. This was made even more difficult for the family, as Janet was pregnant at the time with your great grandfather, James PATERSON, who arrived shortly after on 22 September 1886. To lose an infant child knowing you’re carrying another must have been most tragic and she would have felt very protective to your great grandfather even prior to his birth.
Throughout the rest of the 1880’s George and Janet would continue to live in Blantyre, with George as a miner living at Blantyre Works, then later at Larkfield near High Blantyre, indicating he was probably employed by Dixon’s Collieries.
Moving on to your Great Grandparents:
When James PATERSON was born on 22 September 1886, his father, George PATERSON, was 33 and his mother, Janet SPEIRS was 34. Born at 7 Victoria Place, Greenfield, Hamilton. When the family moved to Blantyre, James would have spent some time as a child growing up at the Clyde around Blantyre Works before the family moved to Larkfield. At the age of 15 in 1901, he was living at 38 Larkfield Street, which in later years may have become Watson Street.
James PATERSON (19) married Annie DOYLE (18) on 24 August 1906 in Blantyre, Lanarkshire. They had eight children in 21 years (6 of whom were female). He had two brothers and four sisters, mapped out here in this ancestry tree. At the time of the marriage, James was a coalminer and Annie was an outdoor worker.
Sometime after his marriage, he transferred workplace from Dixons Pit 4 at Larkfield to High Blantyre Pits 1 -3, and chose a nearby residence at 17 School Lane to settle with his new bride and growing family.
A daughter Agnes was born in 1907, then Janet in 1910, then Margaret in 1912 and Barbara in 1914.
Whilst your grandmother Elizabeth was born in 1916 during the midst of the war, it is likely she was conceived whilst James was on leave as he served in WW1, as this short service record shows. However, before that joyous occasion, the family suffered deep tragedy when daughter Agnes died in 1916, aged only 9. I can only imagine what this would have felt like for Annie if her man was at war and her child passed away. How did she get the news to him? Did she wait until he came home? Another daughter Jeannie was born in 1918 then sons John in 1925 and James in 1928.
James did survive the war and when he returned moved home to 24 Hunthill Road, High Blantyre, not far from his previous address. In the 1921 census he is there with his wife Annie and 5 daughters and 1 son, between the ages of 1 and 11.
James Paterson passed away from a failing heart on 9th December 1960 at 26 Auchinraith Terrace, having been a miner all his life. He was 74 years old. His wife Annie outlived him. This was a big family with firm roots in Blantyre throughout the 20th Century , so there is a high probability of descendants and others alive today who will be interested in this story.
On Social Media, the following comments were received on Facebook:
Lorna Hughes I love it that people are able to find their kin through this Facebook page, you are truly wonderful.
Tracey McDougall Interesting! Never knew there was McDougalls land here! Did you Jim McDougall
Jim McDougall Tracey McDougall yeah Tracey there was so many McDougall’s in Blantyre that I remember back in the 40s 50s some related some not, But I never knew about Mc Dougall’s land before.
Margaret Stewart I remember a family who lived accross the road from us in Devondale Ave . They were called Patterson. I remember the man called Owen, he was disabled and walked with a distinctive limp . He was a pleasant man who always had a smile on his face . I remember the Kimboes too . A few doors down from the Paterson were the Semples ( I am sure they were related) and there son Andy was in the band . He then went on to another band that was very popular.
Ellen Tomlinson Margaret Stewart yes that is our Uncle Owen. Andy and Jean were my Mums cousins, I think another brother Jim. Andy went on to play with The Fortunes in the 60s. My Mum is regularly on the phone to Jean for a blether. I havexa photo somewhere of Jean as the bridesmaid at my Mums sister Betty’s wedding.
Margaret Stewart Ellen Tomlinson that’s great to hear Ellen . If you’re speaking to Jean please tell her Margaret Rita and Ian Stewart were asking for her. My mum and her mum were friends .
Lee Keenan Ellen, how interesting this is amazing reading it all to my mum
Lee Keenan Margaret Stewart That was my mum Jean Semple, & her brother’s Andy & Jim, Uncle Owen was just the best. Thank you for sharing your memories.x Thanks Ellen mum loves a wee blether with her big cousin.
Karen Morrison Hi I’m also looking for my ancestry, my father was from Blantyre, John Morrison his father was James Morrison, and his mother was Annie ( McGinlay or Ferguson) they lived at 121 Main Street, they came to New Zealand in 1924 and settled in Invercargill, only his mum and dad, brothers and sisters came, I know I do have relative there but it’s just finding them, any help would be great,
Mary Wood Davy i was at school with Elizabeth thomson and we were some kind of cousin.
Elizabeth Grieve I’m related to Patersons from the Borders
Davy Thomson My mothers maiden name was Paterson, wonder if they are connected doon the line.
William Morley Would you be able find out any information on a Albert and Christina Dawes not sure where they lived before my gran stayed at 287 Main Street high Blantyre tried family tree but became a blank my gran had 2 sisters Margaret and Annie , Annie lived down the Village not sure of the address any information would be appreciated thanks cheers
Mary Wood I’m on holiday just now. but …. I have information that my great great grand parents paterson and Haddow and Janet spears ….. McDougals come in some where as well… something in one of Wilma Boltons book ….. if its the same one