Trying to find a Mary Smiths death before 1909

[IssyM]

I am trying to find my Great Grandmothers death certificate in Glasgow. I have searched Scotlands People, Family Search, Ancestry.com and nothing seems to come up. I know that my Great Grandfather Peter Smith was a School Janitor. They were married at 28 Abbotsford Place, on 14 Nov. 1873. I would like to find out what school he was Janitor of, but I am guessing that would be very hard. At some point a census states that they are in Rottenrow Street. Marys maiden name was McCallum and she was born on the Isle of Mull and from what I can gather I think she was illegitimate. The other issue I am wondering about is - could an illegitimate person marry in a Church at that time? I know that my Great Grandfather was a Doorman at the Glasgow Cathedral as was my Grandfather Peter Smith. On my Grandparents marriage certificate dated 1909, Mary is deceased. Hoping someone has some ideas of where I can search now.

[WilmaM]

Welcome to TS IssyM

Could you give us any more details about the lady in question?

Her approx year of birth for instance or what ages she and hubby gave on the census information you have.

Do you not have their marriage cert? that will give an age for them both too.

Mary Smith is a very common name to look for, but on SP you can search using both maiden and married names.
A quick search for a Mary McCallum Smith dying in Scotland between 1873 and 1909 gives 3 hits - have you checked these to see if the ages fit.

Don't confine yourself to 1 geographical area - my Glasgow Grandmother died while on holiday in Girvan so has an Ayrshire DC.

Often school janitors lived on the premises or very close by so check out a map of any addresses from census and children's births and you may find a school nearby.

[IssyM]

Thank you for your suggestions.
I have just looked again in Scotlands People and nearly gave up but then I ticked a couple more boxes and up came two names, finally I have found my Great Grandmothers death certificate. Thank you very much for your help, I am very happy. I see where my Great Grandfather is registered as a Public School Janitor, so he must have done this for most of his life as it was on their marriage certificate also.
Thank you again
IssyM

[IssyM]

Just wondering where I can look up old maps of Glasgow City?

Sorry I am very new at taking things a step further, such as maps.

I have found out from a census record that there possibly could be a Public School at Townhead he was Janitor of? So I have two options now, Rottenrow and Townhead, or are they the same? My ignorance is terrible and I need to improve my knowledge of the city I was born in but left at a very young age to travel 12,000 miles away.

IssyM

[WilmaM]

You only have to ask Issy and we'll be delighted to help.

Can you give us the exact address details that you have from the census and other certificates?
In by gone days school seemed to be much larger and more plentiful in the city than now [the same is probably true country-wide]
so there may be quite a few in any one district.

My favourite 'toy' for old maps is here: http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=5& ... 0&layers=1
where old maps are laid over modern ones.

The National Library of Scotland has many map resources to choose from: http://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Looking at a late Victorian Town plan of the Townhead area show:
Martyr's School on Barony St, St Mungo's had 2 - Boys Glebe St & Girls Stanhope St, Townhead School on Collins Street/ Rottenrow, Freeland School on Garden St,
A St David's on North John St and of course Allan Glen's on Cathedral St.
None of these survive today apart from the more famous Martyrs School [ by Rennie MacIntosh] and it hasn't been a school in a longtime.

The whole Townhead area has altered beyond recognition, even for those of us who only left 20 years ago!

[IssyM]

Hi Wilma M,

Thank you that helps alot.
The address of my Great Grandfather was 14 Rottenrow from 1873 onwards for a quite a long number of years.

I will take a look at those maps tomorrow.
Thanks again,
IssyM

[nelmit]

The address of Townhead Primary School was 12 Rottenrow and Peter's address in 1901 was 14 Rottenrow so almost certainly he was the janitor of that school in 1901.

http://www.mitchelllibrary.org/virtualm ... iOw==&pg=1

You can see on this map that the school was just around the corner from the cathedral.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/74416904

Regards,
Annette

[WilmaM]

I had looked at images of Townhead school that google threw up and maps too but couldn't see any obvious Janitor's house.
Then I googled Townhead School Janitor and found this:
Hopeless But Not Serious: The Autobiography of the Urban Voltaire
By Jack McLean

The move to the Townhead school janitor's house in Rottenrow was long and torturous ...
In place of the little pre-fab ... we had this dark high-ceilinged basement flat

I don't know when it was written, but the reference to a prefab puts it after 1945.

But it settles the whereabouts of number 14 - the smaller windows on the downward slope of the street
in this photo: http://www.mitchelllibrary.org/virtualm ... Ijt9&pg=24

[IssyM]

Hi Annette and WilmaM,

What a lovely surprise thismorning to find you ladies had helped me so much.
The information is just great, and I will enjoy looking it all up. It all helps me to put a picture together of family I never knew much about but as I grow older the urge to know more is so much stronger.

Three years ago we visited Scotland, but our trip wasn't long enough for us to do all the things I wanted to do. Next visit hopefully in two years I will be more aware of what to visit, but it is amazing what you can learn online.

Thank you very much.
IssyM
New Zealand

[IssyM]

Actually while I am on here, I was wondering can you recommend any books for me to read about Glasgow?

IssyM