Nothing But Bad Times: Chapter Three, Part One
After the union of Mary Ann Owens and Francis McDonald, 41 Richard Street must have been quite a busy place. Not only was it home to the newlyweds but it also played host to Catherine and her husband Charles McMillan. They had had two more children also in the years since Bernard’s death, so the place would have been anything but quiet and peaceful. With mum Eliza just on their doorstep, the family had a matriarch.
The next part of the story begins three months after Mary Ann and Francis got married. It is January 1886, and Francis has some worrying news for his new wife. Due to his job, he had been called away to work at Greenock for thirteen months. He would still be back, but not often at all, probably once every two months.
Meanwhile, at number 45 Richard Street, Eliza, now in her 45th year was struggling to provide for her two youngest, Ellen and Joseph. With no husband to support her now for nearly two years, and no support from her eldest kids due to their own financial strains, she took the last option on her list. She made an application for poor relief. The application was made at 1pm on February 9. An inspector came to see her the next day, and after seeing the state of the family and their well being, he recommended that they should not receive help, but should simply “go back home” to Ireland. Eliza refused to do this, and made a point of applying for relief again the very next day. Again, she was refused.
This is where things get really tough. The years 1886-89 were extremely busy for the Owens children. So much happened, I will try and get through it as best I can...
In March 1887, Mary Ann received a shock knock at the door, and found a man in a cap standing there in front of her, who told her that Francis was being brought home due to a condition he had come down with whilst at Greenock. He explained to her that he had phthisis, the old term given to what we now know as tuberculosis, and was a degenerative condition that would slowly kill him. For a woman of 24 who had been married barely five minutes to a man now suddenly registered as wholly disabled, this must have been crushing. It is crushing to think about. This was another obstacle in her path.
After thirteen months out of work, like his mother- in- law, Francis too had to apply for relief. Perhaps another reason he decided it was time to take the last resort, was that Mary Ann had dropped a bombshell on him. She was pregnant! For a man who is listed as wholly disabled he seemed quite fit to make babies! Nevertheless, with a little one on the way, money was needed, and quickly. This money was granted, the inspector saw for himself that Francis was in delicate health and approved relief. He was given medical relief from June 21, until July 31, although it is not stated how much. By this time, Eliza, Ellen and Joseph had been evicted on account of not having the money to pay rent, and were forced to stay at number 41, with Catherine, Mary Ann, and their growing families. Number 45 Richard Street was now home to twelve people spanning three generations.
As I mentioned, everything was happening at this point in time. But not everything was doom and gloom. There was a light relief in September 1888, when John Owens found love. In keeping with an Owens tradition, he married a spouse of Irish descent. She was Rose Ann McCann, and although born in Lanarkshire, he father was an Irish farmer. They married in a place now very familiar to the family, in St Patrick’s Chapel, Anderston, on September 22.
With her own struggle to feed Ellen and Joseph, on top of Mary Ann and Francis’ uncertain future, and her son’s wedding, Eliza was constantly thinking about what lay ahead for her kids. On top of this, news broke that her 18 year old son Bernard Jnr had also found himself a girl, named Elizabeth Carey, and had got her pregnant. To avoid scandal of an illegitimate birth, they quickly arranged to be married in April 1889. After all, they were a pious Roman Catholic family. But Ellen and Joseph were becoming poorer by the week, and Eliza needed to act. She decided to apply for relief, for a third time in as many years. By this time, Eliza, Ellen and Joseph, had moved out Catherine’s house, and was taking residence in 32 Cheapside Street, with her newly wed son John just down the road at number 70.
Ellen and Joseph were a priority. The other children were doing well (enough) at this time. Bernard Jnr was about to marry, and was being trained for the Navy at Hamilton, and Elizabeth was a servant for the O’Connor family, at 61 Clyde Street. Eliza, this time, afraid of being rejected again, put her and her two youngest up for poorhouse entry. Eliza was accepted, whilst Ellen and Joseph were refused. Eliza was entered into the poorhouse on February 13. However, her experience there was short-lived. Just eleven days into her working there, the news came that Mary Ann had given birth to a healthy baby boy. Francis, although an extremely ill man, unable to hold his son, was now a father, and Eliza was a grandmother for the sixth time. Sadly, at this time also, her youngest daughter Ellen was ill, suffering from severe rheumatisms, and needed caring for. Therefore, Eliza put forth her nine year old son Joseph to go into the workhouse, alone, in her stead. This he did from March 1-12 …
Copyright © Matthew Reay, 2008
