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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Lanarkshire => Topic started by: greenweedz on Sunday 19 July 09 16:55 BST (UK)
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I wonder if anyone in this group can give me some hints. I found my great-grandparents' marriage record on the Scotlands People website. Daniel Sweeney and Mary Jane Gaff were married in "the Burgh of Airdrie in the County of Lanark". There are two things on this record that I can't quite make out. First, the bride's "usual residence" seems to be Black(something) Place, (illegible), Airdrie. The illegible word starts with Ra and ends with two tall letters. It's maybe 10 letters long. Second, the bride's profession, right after Her X Mark, is listed as (illegible) Maker. First letter could be an R or a B, and it seems to end in -head. To tell the truth, it looks like Redhead Maker! Any ideas about what this location and this profession might be? Any hints would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Barbara
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I can't work out her address, but I think her occupation was Pithead Hawker. The first letter of Hawker looks more like the H of "Her", than the M of "Mark" in the line above
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Thank you, alpinecottage! You're absolutely correct about the H. Now that I look, I can see that what I thought was an M is different from all the other Ms in the document. A pit head would be the opening to the coal mine shaft, correct? She must have sold food or other items to the miners. The groom was a coal miner; I wonder if that was how they met. Thanks again!
Barbara
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It also says Rawyards, Airdrie which still exists today
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Thank you Sancti!
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Address is Blacks Place, Rawyards :)
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Her occupation was Pithead Worker. Women were employed to pick through the coal, taking out stones, as it came up.
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Thank you, Capricorn, Alpinecottage, Sancti, and Lodger. So, not a hawker, but a worker. Yes, I can see that now. I never would have figured out any of this without this forum's help. Can't tell you how much I appreciate it.