James McCready Pilot of Port Glasgow about 1860

[johnhills]

I,m trying to trace a James McCready (McCreadie)b 1818/1819 and married a Sarah Robinson(I think they were married).He was a Pilot at Port Glasgow so I guess he was on a tug.I have two names of ships or boats (Banner and the Scottish Maid).I've traced him on the census up to 1861 ,all I can find out is he was lost at sea not sure when and how any help appreciated.

John Hills Australia

[SarahND]

Hello John and
On Scotlandspeople.gov.uk there is a death in 1863, in Port Glasgow, of a James Mccreadie age 45. Have you looked at this one?

If you have the death certificate but are looking for more details, then a search in the newspapers might be rewarding.

Also, given the number of children he had (I peeked at the 1861 census) and their young ages, I wonder if Sarah applied for poor relief after his death. If the application still exists, it could contain valuable information.

All the best,
Sarah

[AndrewP]

Hi John,

The online IGI shows the birth of a son to this couple implies that the parents were around for at least a short time after the 1861 census.

HUGH MCCREADIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 04 NOV 1863 Port Glasgow, Renfrew, Scotland

All the best,

AndrewP

[johnhills]

Yes Sarah I've seen that and it seems he might be my relative.he was my Great Great Grandfather on my mothers side.I have a James death 1867 too many James's

[SarahND]

Hi John,
Since you have the certificate, I have a few questions...

What does the certificate say about his death-- just "lost at sea"? Is there any extra information on an RCE associated with the certificate?
Is his occupation given as pilot?
Also, does the certificate say he was married to Sarah Robinson?
And finally who was the informant?

If all the information adds up, then this is surely your man.

Regards,
Sarah

[Currie]

I was struggling a bit with this until I remembered to check the excellent Newspaper BMD resource at the Watt Library. They now call it Intimations and there’s also Intimations II which has specialised categories of deaths and in the latter is where I found him, but under the spelling of McCredie. His drowning was reported in the Greenock Advertiser on 15 December, 1863.
http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/education- ... ntimations

It’s also in the Glasgow Herald, Monday, December 14, 1863.
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT AT PORT-GLASGOW.—On Friday night, as the Tug-Steamer Scottish Maid was approaching the harbour, Captain James M’Credie was observed standing on the paddle-wing, but just as the steamer reached the pier he suddenly disappeared. The engine was speedily stopped, and search made for him, but half an hour elapsed ere his body was recovered, when life was found to be extinct. Deceased, it is supposed, must either have stumbled from the paddle-box, or in his attempt to reach the quay, which was six feet above the steamer’s paddle, he had fallen into the river. Captain M’Credie leaves a widow and nine children. Deceased was upwards of forty years of age.

You can see the notice here, second column of page 7, just drag and zoom.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=G ... page&hl=en

All the best,
Alan

[SarahND]

Brilliant, Alan!
John will be pleased to see all that detail. After searching in vain all evening through one of those "browse only" collections at FamilySearch for my ggg grandfather's death, I'm beginning to wish I had some seafaring ancestors so you could find me an account of their demise...

All the best,
Sarah

[johnhills]

Thank you all for your help.Thanks Alan for that information it ties up one more mystery in my Family tree.I've been on that site before never found about the newspapers,it may help me searching others on both sides of the family.I thank you again everyone have a Merry Xmas and Happy Hogmanay.



John from Down Under