Searching for cemeteries in West Calder, West Lothian

Churchyards and Monumental Inscriptions, Burial and headstone information

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AMcK_in_VA
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Searching for cemeteries in West Calder, West Lothian

Post by AMcK_in_VA » Mon Apr 03, 2017 4:19 pm

Hello - I know that my 2G grandparents Andrew McKnight and Sarah (Milliken) moved to West Calder (I've seen listed in both West Lothian and Midlothian) in the 1880s sometime, and she died there in 1901 and he in 1915. I know they have Death Certificates of some sort for each of them indexed at Scotland's People, but no idea if the burial information would be included. I'd love to figure out where they are buried somehow.

I've never been to Scotland but that will change soon and it would be nice to find their graves if possible. Any advice/help is most welcome and deeply appreciated!

With warm regards from northern Virginia's Blue Ridge,
Andrew
--
Andrew McKnight
Singer Writer Guitarist - Lincoln VA
http://andrewmcknight.net

AndrewP
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Re: Searching for cemeteries in West Calder, West Lothian

Post by AndrewP » Mon Apr 03, 2017 7:17 pm

Hi Andrew,

[TS_welcome]

Only death certificates from 1855 to 1860 have the burial place information, so that won't be on the ones you are seeking. For that, you may need to find archive newspapers for a funeral announcement, or MI (monumental inscription) information.

As for the geography question, the parishes (and registration districts) of West Calder, Midcalder, and Kirknewton & East Calder were in Midlothian until local government reorganisation in 1975, when they transferred into West Lothian District (part of Lothian Region). Further local government reorganisation in 1996 got rid of the regions and districts, replacing them with unitary authorities - West Lothian in this case. However, different indexes of records have different ways of considering the appropriate county. Some indexes will put these parishes in both counties, others will select one, but in truth, that should depend on the year.

West Lothian Family History Society has published MI indexes available on CD that include West Calder - both the churchyard and the cemetery.
See http://www.wlfhs.org.uk/index.php/publications-2

All the best,

AndrewP

jgmills
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Re: Searching for cemeteries in West Calder, West Lothian

Post by jgmills » Tue Apr 04, 2017 11:04 pm

Hi,

They are both buried in West Calder Cemetery, in Section F Lair 70.

Andrew Died of Chronic Bronchitis, Dilated Heart and Heart Failure, Sarah's cause of death is unrecorded in the Burial records.

This was found in the West Lothian Burial Records Volume 3 - There are other family members in the Lair and the lair next to it. Sadly a stillborn child, and another son who died in an accident in 1891 aged 19 called John McKnight

No mention if a stone exists, but from the section and lair number you should be able to find the grave.

Cheers
John

AMcK_in_VA
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Re: Searching for cemeteries in West Calder, West Lothian

Post by AMcK_in_VA » Sun Apr 16, 2017 4:58 am

Thank you very much - I didn't get a notification about these very helpful replies! Best to tweak my settings somehow, I'm a newbie here. William McKnight, his wife Agnes, and at least three daughters Annie (b. 1895), Sarah (b. 1896) and Agnes (b. 1898) would all be of keen interest to me. I'm a member at Ancestry World here in America, but I can't search Scotland's People with that. Any advice on what Forum might be best to post a quick "looking for info" note would be welcome. William apparently was in charge of funeral arrangements for his father. He would be my grandfather's cousin, and I've had little luck tracking any of those descendants though I am sure some of them are in our DNA matches.

Now I have a chance of actually visiting Andrew and Sarah's graves in West Calder when we make our first trip to Scotland next month - thanks again!

AndrewP
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Re: Searching for cemeteries in West Calder, West Lothian

Post by AndrewP » Sun Apr 16, 2017 8:13 am

Hi Andrew,

By the 1911 census William (son of Andrew and Sarah) and Agnes have 7 children (all surviving), living in Blackburn, West Lothian. William's older brother George is also seen in the censuses raising a family in West Calder (10 children by 1911, 9 surviving).

The censuses up to 1901 can be seen transcribed on Ancestry. The original census pages, up to 1911 can be downloaded from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk on a pay per view basis. I can see some birth, marriage and death certificates there too, which I would bet fairly safe money as belonging to these family groups.

All the best,

AndrewP

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