RUSSELL family - Glasgow

[kiwi7]

I am searching for ALEXANDER RUSSELL  b.1880, died 1936?  [this date was given to me with the question mark].  Alexander was my grandfather and his death has always been a mystery - no-one ever used to talk about him, the scuttlebut was that he was taken into the Glasgow Asylum but I am not sure whether this is fact or fiction.  His wife's [my grandmother] name was ISABELLA HOLMS RUSSELL  b.15/3/1887, Lanarkshire, Glasgow - died 30/7/1977, Palmerston North, New Zealand.  They were married on 12 April 1911 at Govan, Lanarkshire, Glasgow.

My brother and I were brought to New Zealand by our parents in 1954, my father's name was also Alexander, ALEXANDER HOLMS RUSSELL, b. 24/6/1919 at Glasgow, died July 1968, Palmerston North, NZ - and my mother's name was MARGARET SILLARS BAIRD RUSSELL b. 19/3/1919, Glasgow, died 25/4/73 Palmerston North, NZ.

I am pretty new at genealogy but I have managed to get this information from various places, if anyone has heard of my family I would be very excited to hear.

Thank you
Sheila

[alicook]

Hi Shelia,

Did have a quick look for the death in 1936 but not the right one.

If you PM me your email I will send you a copy of there Marriage certificate of Alexander & Isabella which will give you a bit more information on there parents.

Alison

[hume]

Hi Sheila,

I believe I have found your grandfather's death. It appears that he may have suffered from dementia at quite a young age. The details are below:

Alexander Russell, 66, formerly a soft goods agent (married to Isabel [sic] Rossini Holms)
d. February 28th 1946 at 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow
parents - Peter Russell, soft goods agent (dec.) and Margaret Roy Russell m.s. [maiden surname] Sommerville (also dec.)
death registered by A. H. Russell of 44 Airlie Street, Glasgow

Quite happy to pass on a copy of this for your own records.

I have also attached a death notice which appeared in the 2nd March 1946 issue of the Glasgow Herald, page 1. It gives a bit of info should you wish to find a grave for your grandfather.

RUSSELL - On 28th February, 1946, Alexander Russell, husband of Isa R. Russell, 5 Dorchester Avenue, Glasgow, W2 - Funeral to-day (Saturday); friends desiring to attend please meet carriage? at main entrace to Hillfoot Cemetery. 12 o'clock; no flowers.

Hope this helps.

hume

[hume]

Hi.

1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow appears to be the Gartnavel Royal Hospital. I had a look and it does look like it started as an asylum, but someone else may be able to elaborate more.

hume

[RJ_Paton]

Gartnavel Royal was an asylum ... The modern hospital is Gartnavel General

The asylum was used to serve the north side of Glasgow but from the 1930's onward it was also a general infirmary on the same site ( different buildings). Despite this use as a general hospital there was quite a stigma attached to being a patient of gartnavel due to the history and association of the name with the asylum

[kiwi7]

Thank you all for your input.  This is my first post and I am really excited at how well this works.

[JulesT]

I read the death notice as "please meet cortege at main entrance" - just thought I'd throw that into the mix even though it doesn't alter any of the important details.

[HeatherLynne]

Just a little note to add about researching the Russell name, if they're ever proving elusive then try searching for Rassell instead   

I've searched many different sources for my Rassell family members and often find that the original documents actually relate to Russells - 'u' is often mistranscribed or read as 'a'.

Good luck with your research
Heather 

[hume]

I read the death notice as "please meet cortege at main entrance" - just thought I'd throw that into the mix even though it doesn't alter any of the important details.

Hi,

I think you're probably right with that. I wasn't sure at all.

hume