Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - scottishmartin

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 ... 6
1
Angus (Forfarshire) / Re: Jute Mills & Iron Works Dundee
« on: Monday 29 December 14 17:46 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Martin

Seems I was barking up the wrong tree with my ancestors! It wasn't David Leighton that was in Jute, but his father-in-law Michael Ferrier. He was Mill manager at Law Mill Dundee. I also think he was based in Calcutta and Candahar (sp?). I am downloading a lot of newspaper articles about him whilst the free weekend is on, so need to piece them together. Struggling to find Law Mill online, have you heard of it?
Mel

Hi Mel,

Apologies for the delayed response, I've not been on here for a bit.

I've just researched "Law Mill" for your - my first instinct knowing parts of Dundee reasonably well was that it must be near Dundee Law (This is an extinct volcano formed around 400 million years ago, the 572-foot peak is the city's most distinctive landmark).

With that idea in mind I set about researching the area local to the Law Hill and found Lawside Works which sits just north east of the Law Hill. Looking back the maps I found it was called Lawside Works from the early 1900's all the way through into the last map available for the 1940's. It is now a housing development located on the corner of Paterson Street and Milton Street in Dundee. I found the planning application for the new houses which was early 2000's.

I then proceeded to look more into the Mill and found it was called Law Mill on the map dated 1885.

From looking up on the RCAHMS website I found the following which suggests it was built in the 1830's. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/68115/details/dundee+milton+street+lawside+jute+spinning+and+dye+works/

Links to maps are as follows:

1885 - http://maps.nls.uk/view/74478924
1903 - http://maps.nls.uk/view/82884861
1922 - http://maps.nls.uk/view/82884864
1941 - http://maps.nls.uk/view/82884867

It isn't marked on the 1865 map (http://maps.nls.uk/view/74426931) but Lawmill Cottages seems to suggest it existed.

This map of 1857 shows in good detail the different parts of the mill. http://maps.nls.uk/view/74415299

Hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,
Martin

2
Angus (Forfarshire) / Re: Jute Mills & Iron Works Dundee
« on: Monday 29 September 14 22:31 BST (UK)  »
Hi Duncan,

You certainly have the hang of this site, very quick reply.

Where are you living these days? We are just up the road from Jean in  Kennoway, Fife.

My mum Susan Laing (nee Dryburgh) says her memories are of her mum Isobel talking about you when she was young. I have quite a few photos if you from when you were in India and you are mentioned in letters.

Best Wishes,

Martin

3
Angus (Forfarshire) / Re: Jute Mills & Iron Works Dundee
« on: Monday 29 September 14 21:46 BST (UK)  »
Hi Martin

It might be worth listing the various ancestors with dates, etc.,  so that members can focus in on the ones that are relevant  :)

From the last thread, the Goodalls were origianlly from Fife (Auchtermuchty/Kirkaldy) and the Stewarts were from Dundee.


Gadget

Ofcourse, sorry I've listed a few below to get started - also looking for general sources of information as well though. I'm willing to put the effort in to research any leads, I don't expect everyone else to have to do all the work.

With regards to Iron Turners I have a William Nicoll Stewart born 2 November 1897 and lived at 10 Annfield Street, Dundee. He went to Chicago in the early 1920's to visit a friend by the name of Samuel Hall. Not sure on his return journey, however he married Isabella Forsyth in 17 September 1930 at Elmslea, Scoonie, Fife - therein they lived in Fife until William died in 1959 and Isabella in 1983. I know William also worked at the Balfour Iron Works in Leven at some point (probably later on in his life).

Slightly more generic on the Jute workers in Dundee - otherwise this post will go on for ever!

From the Stewarts I have -
 William Reid Kennedy (Husband of William Nicoll Stewarts sister Jeanie) - Worked as a clerk first of all then a Mill Manager for A. Yule & Co in Calcutta, India.
 James Stewart (William Stewarts Father) - Power Loom Tenter (Lived at 244 Blackness Road, Dundee) James was born 1864.
 Jeanie Stewart (Nee Nicoll) (James Wife) - Jute Weaver Born 1864.
 James's father John Stewart - Factory Overseer (Born 1841)
 John's son Peter Stewart - Mill Mechanic (Born 1892)
 Jeanie Nicoll's father James Nicoll - Yarn Dresser (Born 1838)

That's probably enough to get started with, any information greatly appreciated.

Let me know if you need anything clarified or more information.

Best Regards,

Martin

I'm very new to this so please forgive!  (also rather late as I only just stumbled upon this thread.)

I'm Duncan Kennedy, son of William Reid Kenned and Jean Nicol Stewart.  My mother and I lived at 244 Blackness Road with my mother's sisters while my father worked in India - my mother joined him every 18 months.  I was born in  Calcutta and lived in Budge Budge until 1944.

One of the two sisters was Jessie (Jan) Hall (nee Stewart)  wife of Sam Hall also mentioned above.  Sam was a fitter turner with brass turners in Dundee - I have the name somewhere because I have their wedding present to Sam and Jan, a still largely wrapped canteen of cutlery with a letter of best wishes.  Sam left for the US immediately after the wedding to make enough for Jan to join him.  On is way back to collect her he died on board ship from pneumonia,

Just noticed - William Nicol Stewart was my Uncle Will, mother's older brother and Sam Hall's brother-in-law and, of course, Isabella Forsyth was my Auntie Bella.  They lived in Leven and had two daughters, Isobel and Jean.  Jean is still alive, I believe.

Hi Duncan,

Thank you so much for getting in touch! You probably won't know me, but I am grandson of Isobel Stewart - William Nicoll Stewart is my great grandfather.

You are indeed correct in thinking Jean is still alive, my gran Isobel died in 2003 - she left a bunch of old photographs and letters from your mum, which led me to finding out about the mill and India. There's too many to post it all here but I'd be glad to share it with you.

Look forward to catching up.

Best Wishes,

Martin

4
Stirlingshire / Re: Mary Ward/Stewart - Stirling
« on: Saturday 22 March 14 17:10 GMT (UK)  »
I may be wrong but I don't think any records were kept of passengers travelling within the British Isles.  At the time it would have been all within the UK
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/archive/faq.aspx

Ah, ofcourse - I was forgetting for a minute that Ireland used to be part of the UK.

Apologies for the delayed response, I've not had a chance to do any research for a few months - at present i'm looking to see if I can find a MI for Mary Ward m.d Stewart - I know she died in the Stirling Combination Poorhouse in Nov 1904, so would expect a burial nearby (however given it was the poorhouse she may have a paupers grave - therefore no stone!). I know nothing about James and can't find a definite link to him in a census.

Any help tracing Mary's burial might help, alternatively any help tracing Jame's death/burial would be helpful (He was still living in 1912 when his son Thomas married in Stirling and was recorded as deceased when Thomas died in 1959 in Scoonie, Fife).

Best Regards,

Martin

5
Angus (Forfarshire) / Re: Jute Mills & Iron Works Dundee
« on: Saturday 22 March 14 16:53 GMT (UK)  »
Martin,

Have you seen the article on Iron Workers in Discover My Past magazine? It appeared in an edition several years ago. If not, PM me and I can look for details of the month/year it was published. From memory it contained details of sources that might be useful in tracing ironworkers.

Ikas

Hi Ikas,

Apologies for the delayed response, not been on for a couple of months. That article sounds fascinating - if you can find out the reference to the issue, please pass it on and i'll look it up!

Thanks again.

Martin

6
Stirlingshire / Re: Mary Ward/Stewart - Stirling
« on: Monday 13 January 14 19:45 GMT (UK)  »
After contacting the archives at Stirling council today, they searched the parish records for poor relief and couldn't find any record of Mary. The archivist also informed me that the hospital records don't exist.  :(

I did spot that they have (Combination Infectious Diseases Hospital minutes & ledger 1900 - 1948) on their website, so i've just sent back another email to see if that might contain anything - not holding out much hope for it though!

I guess the next step would be to trace the Irish passenger lists to see if they came across or went back at any point.

7
Angus (Forfarshire) / Re: Jute Mills & Iron Works Dundee
« on: Monday 13 January 14 12:52 GMT (UK)  »
Not a problem, do you have an age for him when he died and also a place? I did a quick search on ancestry using both west and leighton and had a few hits, but can't confirm them without a approx birth year.

I am reasonably local to Dundee so if you need any local research let me know. I intend to send a quick email to the University and Museum about my own ancestors connections, so will let you know if I get anything.

Best Regards,

Martin

8
Stirlingshire / Re: Mary Ward/Stewart - Stirling
« on: Sunday 12 January 14 16:36 GMT (UK)  »
The Stirling Workhouse records are held by the Stirling Archives according to the workhouse site, but looking through the Stirling Archives site I can't see a specific reference to these records on their site.
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Stirling/

Kay

Thanks Kay, I have sent off an email to the Stirling archives, so hopefully get some information on Mary's admittance etc... in a wee bit.

Presumably you have death record for Mary. Was death notified by a family member and does record give their details?

From some of the suggestions above, family may all have come from Ireland and possibly was not all together at times of censuses. Also there may well have been a number of relocations  - several new pits opened in the Stirling area in the 1890's / 1900's and in my own family a number of mineworkers later moved to Fife from Stirling.

Possible family (mother not listed) in 1901 census (Ancestry) in Hamilton has father James Ward (aged 45) Colliery Stocker, and son Thomas (15) Colliery Labourer (both born in Ireland). There are 2 other children, Essie (Jessie?) aged 17 and James aged 12 - again listed as born in Ireland. Mother could have been back in Ireland or in hospital if already poorly? There are a couple of Mary Wards who might be candidates but ages / birthplaces not entirely consistent.

Regards

Sandy

Thanks Sandy, On Mary's death cert it shows Donald MacMillan (Poorhouse Governor) as the informant, no family is mentioned. I looked up the poorhouse in the census for 1901 and couldn't find Mary. Hopefully if I can get my hands on Mary's admission records for the poorhouse, it may outline family details etc...

9
Angus (Forfarshire) / Re: Jute Mills & Iron Works Dundee
« on: Sunday 12 January 14 12:18 GMT (UK)  »
I emailed the Jute museum in Dundee to get an idea of where to go to get employment information and still have no reply. I know David West Leighton worked in Jute I think on the ships and haven't got a clue where to confirm.

Hi British Kiwi,

If he worked on the ships there may be records for him at the national archives. One of my ancestors (not related to the jute industry in Dundee) was a ships master and merchant seaman before that and I managed to get his voyage records and masters certificate through that route. Ancestry has the masters and mates certificates collection.

Do you have anymore info relating to David which I might be able to use to search for him (birth date/place etc..) ? Was West a middle name or surname?

With regards to the jute museum, you might also want to try the University of Dundee, I believe they hold some records to do with the Jute Mills. Let me know how you get on though, as I'd love to get to know more about this also.

Also as Susan mentions try looking at the passenger records on ancestry, I too had ancestors working in India originating from Dundee. I also have ancestors working the fife mills too, but not coming from Dundee.

Best Regards,

Martin

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 ... 6