Gowans, Andrew St John's NF

[Gillian Mauchan]

  I am trying to find out when my Gr Grandfather Andrew McCurdy Gowans arrived in St John's. It must have been some time between 1894 and 1900. His youngest child was born in Greenock Scotland in 1894. I have found newspaper and directory records that indicate the family lived at 35 Springdale st where the daughter Prudence married a Harold Bishop in 1904. Andrew died in Canada on 18/3/1916 and his wife must have returned to Scotland sometime afterwards she died there in 1931 (Margaret Gowans nee Martin )
The children that appeared to have gone with them to Canada were Andrew who married an Ethel Florence and died in Boston, Prudence, Archibald, Mary, Thomas and Margaret my Gr grandfather Andrew remained in Greenock.
Cant find any record on findmypast or Ancestry
Any ideas?
Gillian

[Treetotal]

Blimey...my Dad lived at No. 62 Springdale Street ..I have a couple of photos taken there when I visited ten years ago...what a small world...

They were living in Hamilton Street by 1935...but you probably know that already!

And Here he is in 1904

http://ngb.chebucto.org/M1904/04-sjc-g.shtml

Carol

[Gillian Mauchan]

Thanks I found that , I have just checked my database and it looks as though Andrew snr must have been in St John's on hi own in 1901 as his wife and children are still at Greenock on the 1901 census.  So they must have folled between 1901 and 1904. It was Thomas who was living in Hamilton St in 1935.

[cosmac]

Haven't found them on passenger lists as yet but there is a public family tree on ancestry with George Wilkie Gowans, son of Andrew and Ethel, born 1907 Harbour Grace and died 1999 Mississippi.  There is also a private family tree with George born 1908 Newfoundland on it.

Debbie

[Gillian Mauchan]

Thanks for looking - the Private tree is probably mine and I think I copied some of the details from that public tree
Have found some of the older children of this couple in South Africa
Cheers
Gillian

[Jacquie in Canada]

Newfoundland didn't join Canada until 1949 so you won't find information from the early 1900s in the usual Canadian resources (ie Canadian passenger lists or census).

Here is a link to the Newfoundland & Labrador resource thread in the Canada Resources forum:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,219420.0.html

Here's a link to the Newfoundland & Labrador GenWeb site which might give you some ideas on where to search as well:
http://nl.canadagenweb.org/
When I searched that site I did find a transcription of a newspaper article dated 28 Jun 1904 regarding the marriage of Prudence Gowans to Harold Bishop with Maggie Gowans was a bridesmaid. Here's a link (it's about halfway down the page):
http://nl.canadagenweb.org/freepress1904.htm
There was also a mention in another transcription dated 27 Jun 1937 to a Martha Gowans, 16, daughter of a Thomas Gowans drowing. Here's the link:
http://nl.canadagenweb.org/dailynews_1937.htm

There were a few other references to Andrew as well on the main site. I didn't search the regional pages.

Jacquie

[Treetotal]

Hi Gillian,
I don't know if you've tried this one but it's worth a look:

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/passenger/001045-130-e.html#c

Here is a photo of Springdale Street, St. John's Nfld.

Carol

[Gillian Mauchan]

Carol

Thanks for the photo - I hadn't found that! Will add it to my growing family collection!

Jaquie,
Thanks for the links - I had found those they were quite useful - my family seem to be very successful at hiding their shipping records. I think I have found Margaret's return to Scotland in 1919 on ancestry.com but no sign of their sailing to NF. My father and his family went to South Africa in the 1930's and I haven't found those records either! And my Gr Grandparents on my Mom's side moved from Aus to SA in 1890's and again no hope of finding the recrds
Still I live in Hope!

Gillian

[Treetotal]

Hi Gillian...You wouldn't...It's one in my collection..I took that photo when I went there for family research in 1999...If you want the larger one for printing you are welcome if you want to P.m me your email address.

This is the site I use and there are photos here too..I have found Craig Peterman to be very helpful:

http://ngb.chebucto.org/SJWest/index-sjw.shtml

Good Luck
Carol