Thomas Galbraith, Marine Engineer

prufrockster · Post by **prufrockster** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:30 am

I am trying to find out more about the life and marine career of Thomas Galbraith. I believe he was born in Ireland about 1846, but lived in Renfrewshire and the Glasgow area, and died in West Greenock in 1897 from Malaria. He married his wife, Mary Smith, in Glasgow in 1868. Two of his 4 children were born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, no doubt when he was working there. The other 2 children, including my great-grandmother, were born in Partick. I know that Thomas worked for the Netherland India Steam Navigation Co, and resided in places such as Singapore, Java, and Kuala Lumpur. He is listed as a ship plater in Partick in the 1871 Scottish Census. Any other leads or information, particularly with regards to what ports he would have worked in at these exotic locations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Drew, Melbourne, Australia

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:02 am

Hello Drew,

I couldn’t find anything else specific to Thomas Galbraith but here are a few sites that may be useful.

Marine Engineer records are held by the National Archives as detailed on this page.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... tID=131#10

The National Maritime Museum has information about the British/Netherlands India Steam Navigation Co. and about the extensive archives held.
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/archiv ... cfm?ID=BIS

There’s a Google Book “Engines of Empire” about Steamshipping in Indonesia which appears to be there in its entirety but isn’t downloadable http://books.google.com.au/books?id=q8Z ... frontcover

There may be something useful here http://www.biship.com/

The second Argentine Census (1895) is available here http://labs.familysearch.org/ and does have a few Galbraith’s. The first census was in 1869 so maybe too early and too late. LDS Church has a variety of Argentine and other records available on order at their Family History Centres. http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... umns=*,0,0

A bit off the subject but entertaining reading here http://www.archive.org/details/acrossla ... 00wilsiala

Hope that helps,
Alan

Post by **SarahND** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:37 pm

Hi Drew,
On his death certificate, what are the parents' names and the father's profession?

Regards,
Sarah

prufrockster · Post by **prufrockster** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:32 am

Hi Sarah,

Thomas' parents were:

William Galbraith, b. 12 July 1828, Lisburn, Down, Northern Ireland. Variably listed as a Labourer and Blacksmith in Glasgow. Died before 1868, most likely in GLasgow.

Mary Carnighan (variety of spellings of the last name), b. 1827, Banbridge, Down, Northern Ireland. Died 23 February 1862 at 22 Wallace Place, Partick, Glasgow.

Interestingly, I have the marriage certificate, they were married on 13 July 1855 at The College, Glasgow - 9 years AFTER Thomas' birth. They then had 2 girls, both called Agnes who died in infancy.

That's about all I know about my Galbraith family. I am connected through my mother, June Galbraith Hayes nee Richmond. Jane (Jeanie) Galbraith (Thomas' daughter) was her paternal grandmother.

Thanks, Drew

Post by **SarahND** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:45 am

Hi Drew,
In case you don't already have this, it gives enough information for you to find the original on SP.

All the names are rather interestingly transcribed on Ancestry, but believable, in this 1861 entry... is this the family? I suspect the first digit of Mary's age is mis-transcribed as well.

1861
22 Wallace Place, Govan, Partick, Lanarkshire
William Gabbard, 35, Head, born Irealnd, Labourer To Ship Builders
Mary Gabbard, 44, Wife, born Ireland, Labourer's wife
Thomas Gabbard, 15, Son, born Ireland, Labourer At Chemical Work
Mary E B Cavins, 6, Niece, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Margaret Cavins, 70, Mother-in-Law, born Ireland, Domestic Servant

All the best,
Sarah

prufrockster · Post by **prufrockster** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:02 am

Sarah, the 1861 Scottish Census record is very strange. I knew of this record some time ago, but could not relocate it. The names seem to have been changed from Galbraith to Gabbard. Also, the name Cavins used to read on this record as Cairns. Somehow this record has been altered ! No wonder I could not relocate it. All of the people on it make sense. I have a probate document for Thomas Galbraith (that is hard to decipher from the hand-writing and does not seem to shed too much light on his life) where he mentions a house keeper called Mary Cairns. Drew