Canal Boatmen & the Census

[malki]

Hi all - trying, unsuccessfully as yet, to pin down my GGfather and his family who were on the Monkland Canal during the 1840's & 50's. Census searches have not yeilded anything - is there any other source of information which will identify them? The names are William & Mary BIGGART and first son William. I assumed they lived on board - is that likely?
Thanks - Malcolm

[nelmit]

Hi all - trying, unsuccessfully as yet, to pin down my GGfather and his family who were on the Monkland Canal during the 1840's & 50's. Census searches have not yeilded anything - is there any other source of information which will identify them? The names are William & Mary BIGGART and first son William. I assumed they lived on board - is that likely?
Thanks - Malcolm

Hi Malki,

I don't think it's likely they lived on board (but stand to be correted) they were usually working boats. Was William's father a canal boatman?

When was William junior born and do you know his mother's maiden name?

Regards,
Annette

[Russell]

Hi Malki
Like Annette I doubt whether any of the boatmen lived on board. Most canals were created to ship coal and mineral ores fairly short distances although the original intention of the Forth and Clyde canal was to permit sea-going ships a quick, safe East West coast crossing. It never quite panned out that way.
The only potential source of information I could find is:
Minutes of the Management Committee, 1838/46 BR/FCN/1/93 National Archives for Scotland.

Even that source would probably not be involved with the actual employees - unless they has stepped out of line and were called to task by the bosses.

Wish you luck with the search.

Russell

[garibaldired]

Hi Malki,

Have you seen this site?

http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/collectio ... istory.htm.

Looks like it might have some useful links.

Best wishes,
Meg

[malki]

Thanks for yout input - firstly for Annette my first piece of information is the marriage of William Biggart on 13 July 1866. His occupation is given as Boatman, Monkland Canal and address as 10 Saracens Lane, Glasgow. His parents are William Snr, Boatman Dec'd and Mary Ann Bradshaw Dec'd. I have found his parents marriage on 19 March 1841 on LDS but not on SP but can find no birth for Wm Jnr nor Census returns for 1851 or 61. And for Meg, thanks for the link - there must be something there that might lead me in the right directon, or any direction!!!!
Malcolm

[speleobat2]

Hi Malki,

William Biggart Sr.'s marriage to Mary Bradshaw is on SP. Search: Biggart William Spouse's name: Mary Bradshaw Date: 1841 to 1841

Lanark and it should come up. I didn't look at the OPR.

Who did William Jr. marry in 1866 and how old were they each on the marriage certificate? The only William Biggart marriage that I found on the IGI was for a bricklayer who married Mary Ann Simpson. Could be that the registrar got the occupation wrong.

No luck finding any of them in 1851 and 1861 on Ancestry!

Carol

[malki]

Hi Carol - yep, that's William marrying Mary Simpson. On the actual marriage register his occupation is given as Boatman, Monkland Canal but we do know that he did in fact leave the waterways and became a brickie! Thanks for the clue as to finding his father's marriage.
Malcolm

[nelmit]

Hi Carol,

There is a Mary Simpson living at 10 Saracen Lane (the address given on the marriage entry) in 1861. Coincidence?
A Mary Simpson/Biggart died at Glasgow in 1917 - married to William a bricklayer. Her death entry was signed by daughter Jeanie Watson and parents given as John Simpson and Susan Kinnon.

So I think this may be that family in 1901 at Partick -

William Biggar 55 born Glasgow Bricklayer
Mary Biggar 55 born Glasgow
William Biggar 23 born England
Agnes Biggar 21born England
Alfred J Biggar 18 born England
Annie Biggar 16 born Glasgow
Jeanie Biggar 14 born Glasgow

So Malki was your William married to Mary Simpson?

Regards,
Annette

Later........see that he was so this most likely them in 1901.1891 they are at Glasgow, 1881 at Cumberland. So am I right in assuming you have him on all census records except 1851 and 1861?

[nelmit]

This couple look most likely for William's parents who married in March 1841 from FREECEN -

Piece: SCT1841/622 Place: Barony -Lanarkshire Enumeration District: 22
Civil Parish: Barony Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Martyrs
Folio: 235 Page: 3
Address: Parliamentary Road

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
BIGGART William M 20 Agricultural Labourer Ireland
BIGGART Maryann F 20 Ireland
DICKIE David M 20 Agricultural Labourer Ireland

Regards,
Annette

[speleobat2]

Hi Malcolm and Annette,

The funny thing is that the William Biggart and Mary Simpson marriage I was looking at on the IGI took place 01 May 1867 and the ones I found were living in Calton at 35 James Street in 1871 with Maryann Biggart 3 years old and Mary's brother James Simpson. William was a bricklayer! Too many of these people out there!

I found the 1841 entry too, but nothing for 1851 and 1861, but if you have the right family in 1901 and William Jr's first three children were born in England, then maybe William's parents also had connections outside of Scotland and were living elsewhere in 1851 and 1861?

Carol