Donaldsons Glasgow late 1800's Early 1900's

[rexbart]

My wife and I are travelling to Glasgow, Scotland in September and are hopeful we can look up further information on her Grandfather Robert Warren Donaldson B, 7th April 1902 in Denniston, Glasgow. We know very little about him. His parents were George Fredrick Handel Donaldson & Henrietta Donaldson also of Glasgow and noted in the 1911 and 1921 census lived at 71 Walter Street Denniston Glasgow and it looks like North Fredrick Street? ( hard to read) with his large family. Robert in the 1921 census occupation was ...Army Royal Engineers ( again hard to read ). While his father is listed as a Sheriff Officer, Im presuming debt collector?

I noted somewhere that Georges family had a business selling music and I believe the family was involved in the business perhaps earlier on. Georges bothers all had composers names and I think they all worked in the shop. Think the shop was in Princes Square ???? I saw it written somewhere. George and family emigrated to New Zealand in the 1920's.

Anyway, due to Robert having lots of Brothers Im presuming there are a lot of family still around Glasgow and can help us out. Look forward to getting further clarity on Robert Warren Donaldson.

[eilthireach]

A Sheriff Officer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_officer) is an officer of the Sheriff Court. Nothing to do with debt collecting! (A sheriff in Scotland is a judge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff#Scotland)

[AndrewP]

Sheriffs Officers' work includes enforcement of debt repayment.

See the definition on this website:
https://www.thomashannah.co.uk/

All the best,

AndrewP

[ChipChip]

rexbart
In your post you say that you do not know very much about your wife's grandfather, Robert Warren Donaldson (RWD). This seems to contradict your online tree on Ancestry which suggests that you actually know quite a lot. I am assuming the 'ged file' tree under the name Rex Bartlett is yours.

You have his Scottish details in 1902, 1911, 1921 and his emigration to New Zealand (NZ) in 1923. In NZ you have his marriages, residences and death details. I therefore wonder what other information you need and why it would make sense to try and gain it during your visit to Scotland as opposed to your primary source in NZ.? I may be wrong but it looks like a cart before the horse process.
I have no connection to any Donaldson family but I can tell that parts of your RWD tree look very dodgy and parts are definitely wrong.

Princes Square was a residential street in the south side of Glasgow. RWDs father lived there at number 6 for a shortish time in 1881. It was renamed Marywood Square about 1935. The street still exists and the area today might be referred to as Strathbungo or Queen's Park.

Two final points -
(1) RWDs middle name was Warren on his Scottish birth record. In NZ it seems to have been transcribed as Warne which sound similar. Various NZ records on other trees refer to Warne.
(2) There is a 1962 birth record in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland for a Robert Warren Donaldson. It cannot be guaranteed but this could be a related family member if you want to pursue that route.

[rexbart]

Thanks for the reply post. Its wasn't so much official records of Robert, as you have seen I have done a a bit of research here in NZ and found his Birth certificate in Scotland, which is where I noticed his birth name Robert Warren Donaldson.

Its more about photos, why the family came out to NZ, the family history in Scotland and locating family still in Scotland. Thank you for the lead on Robert Warren Donaldson, 1962 birth record in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. Yes correct, it could be a relation, I will do some research.

Because my wife's Mother was a result of a romantic relationship with Robert, she knows nothing of him. He was well gone by the time she was born and never met him. Her mother never spoke of him and never encouraged contact, hence the mystery. He had already been married and divorced and remarried shortly after their brief romantic relationship. So lots of records, paper clippings of his time in NZ, but no personal memories, photos, etc.

We have nothing to do with Roberts 2nd marriage family, thats my mother in laws request. To be honest they may not know the history.

thanks again, looking forward to Visiting Scotland.

Rex Bartlett