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Messages - RJ_Paton

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1
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 19:04 »
Quote from: Vendee on Yesterday at 17:26
Ah yes I see that under the illustration but at the bottom of page 104, continuing onto page 105 it says" James Smith Dixon gifted a site at the junction of Dixon avenue and Cathcart road for a burgh hall". I wonder which statement is correct?

Not on my copy - William Smith Dixon is mentioned on page 105 (not on 104) but as the feuer of the lands of Govanhill. The first mention of a gift of land for the Halls is on page 106.

2
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 17:13 »
the section on page 106 of the copy of the book I have referring to Dixon Halls states that William Smith Dixon donated the land.

3
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 16:49 »
Quote from: Vendee on Yesterday at 16:31
I understand what you are saying RJ. Most of the streets in that part of Govanhill have a connection to the Dixon family. Belleisle, Daisy, Gartuck and Annette streets are all consecutive to each other. Daisy and Annette must have some relevance to William S Dixon, I accept that. Its just that if Dixon did have a couple of daughters, there would surely be birth records. He married in 1851. There is an entry in the 1851 census that shows a William S Dixon aged 26 registered in the Gorbals district.

Pre 1851 birth records rely upon Church records and as the Dixons built a Methodist Church in Fireworks Village its possible that this may be the reason that no records exist in the Cof S records.
There is also the possibility of other family members having Children, Williams brother John had no interest in the family business and is reputed to have sold his shares to William.
Quote from: Vendee on Yesterday at 16:31
I remember reading a claim online somewhere that Daisy was the name of Dixon's dog. I thought that was ridiculous but now I wouldn't rule it out.   
;D  Having read quite a bit about the Dixons when I was researching Fireworks Village I wouldn't either.  ;D

4
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 14:21 »
I would be more inclined to trust Aileen Smart although I would seek other verification. The Book 100 Glasgow Men is a splendid example of Victorian whitewashing - not just in the case of William Dixon.

What it does show for William S. Dixon is that he comes across as what in modern terms would be described as a micromanager and control freak  and it is this aspect of his personality which may have lead to the abundance of Dixon connections in the street names of Govanhill after all he did retain ownership of all of the lands of Govanhill

5
Midlothian / Re: Details from marriage in Scotland?
« on: Yesterday at 12:51 »
Unfortunately the Church Records of the time in Scotland are often a hit & miss affair.

Have you tried the census returns which could help tie down a rough age and place of birth.

6
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 12:45 »
Quote from: AlanBoyd on Yesterday at 12:00
How likely is it, do you think, that the builders were allowed to name some of the streets?

Given the preponderance of Dixon connections it's difficult to separate and establish what was freely named and what element of tugging the proverbial forelock was involved. In addition to this Glasgow by annexing the surrounding areas found itself with many duplicated street names and set about a major renaming operation in the early 1900's. 

Added: Strangely in two books about the origins of Glasgow Street Names published in 1899 & 1902 respectively there are no listings of streets in the Govanhill area.

7
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 11:44 »
Quote from: AlanBoyd on Yesterday at 11:33
What is the evidence that the streets were built by Dixon?


The Dixons did not build the Houses but feued the land to the builders for the purpose of building the tenements. There is some anecdotal evidence that they had some element of control re the standard of the buildings but no definitive proof. Although the fact that these buildings are considered Classics of the genre may be some testament to the building quality.

The history of Govanhill is quite complex originally there was Fireworks Village - a small Colliery Village built by the Dixons but when the Coal started running out around the 1860's the area went downhill. Several reports referred to it as "No Mans Land" as it was too small to achieve Burgh Status unlike neighbouring Crosshill. The Dixons are credited with the explosion in growth of the area as the landowners they took the decison to feu out the land for building purposes - this helped it achieve Burgh Status in its own right but by 1891 Glasgow succeeded in annexing the areas.

8
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Streetname related question
« on: Yesterday at 11:33 »
According to the author Aileen Smart in her book Villages of Glasgow (South of the Clyde) a number of streets in the area were named after connections to the Dixon family. Daisy Street, Annette Street Calder Street Hickman Street and Morgan Street (now Morgan Mews). Not all of these were direct connections - Calder Street after the Dixon estates in Lanarkshire, Hickman & Morgan Street after a relation (Mrs Hickman Morgan).
Given that the Dixon family owned the land and were the feudal superiors to the builders this would be perfectly normal.

Dixon Halls were originally built on land gifted by William Dixon for the purpose of joint Burgh Halls between Govanhill and Crosshill - built straddling the boundary between Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire both Burghs had separate entrances in their respective Counties.

One of my main lines hailed from the "original Govanhill" - Fireworks Village - Colliery Houses built by the Dixons and strictly regulated by them - in favour of the Dixons not the Colliers.

9
Family History Beginners Board / Re: Eastwood Old Cemetery - Scotland
« on: Friday 25 April 25 16:19 BST (UK)  »
The Eastwood cemetery Records are part of those digitised records which are now held at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow - there would be a search fee involved for any request (it varies depending upon how involved the search is).

Once you have the lair details the Cemetery Staff are great at locating and identifying the location for you although there isn't always someone on duty there.

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