McGOWAN

[mgillick]

Good Morning.
My friend is trying to locate information about her grandfather, Francis McGowan. He was a ships engineer and he died c1920 in Greenoch. His wife was Janet, last name unknown. She survived him. One of his children, Janet, was born in 1917. Other children were Francis, Patrick, Hugh, Michael, Ellen, Sally, Mary and perhaps others. The origin of McGOWANs may have been Irish. Not much to go on, but maybe a census would reveal him. Thanks if you can help out.
M Gillick

[LesleyB]

Hi
Has your friend tried a search for his death on Scotlands People?

The marriage (or death) information of his/her parents should shed some light on the grandfather - where and when did your freind's parents marry? Greenock area too? It is always better to start from information that you know for certain and then work backwards. The date you have given for one of the births is too late to view the full details as it is after the cut-off date. Were the other children you listed older or younger? (please do not list names and dates if after 1909 as some may still be living) Were any of them likely to have been born before 1901?

I expect there may be a few Francis McGowans...

Best wishes
Lesley

[nelmit]

This is the most obvious couple at Shaw Street, Greenock in 1901-

Francis Mcgowan 19 born Moville, Ireland - Marine Stoker
Janet Mcgowan 18 born Greenock

There are 27 Mcgowans born at Greenock between 1901 and 1909.

There is a marriage entry at Scotlands People for a Frank McGowan to a Janet at Greenock in 1901. Like Lesley said you'd need a wee bit more info to confirm if this is the right couple or not.

Regards,
Annette

[mgillick]

Thank you Lesley and Annette. The name CAMERON has come up as a possibility as a last name for "Janet". (Someone in the family was named CAMERON.) Would you mind checking for a Janet CAMERON, born perhaps/possibly in Greenock in 1882/3/4. She might be the Janet who was married to Francis (Frank?) in 1901.
The offspring have all died so it is safe to write their names. Offspring Janet, my friend's mother, was born in 1917 and she was the youngest or second youngest. It is thought that Francis or Patrick was the oldest, and also that two of the males were twins.
Francis, the father, died around 1920, probably in Greenoch. After that, Janet, the mother, moved to Walton-On-Thames.
If you feel like pursuing this I would appreciate it.
M Gillick

[LesleyB]

Hi

Would you mind checking for a Janet CAMERON, born perhaps/possibly in Greenock in 1882/3/4. She might be the Janet who was married to Francis (Frank?) in 1901.

As this is after 1875, (when the IGI info peters out) there is no free way to check - you can search for free but you would need to pay for credits at the Scotlands People site to ensure you had the correct Janet - the way to check this would be first to view the marriage entry which Annette suggested. Janet's age will also be given (not always accurate!) at the time of marriage whch will enable you to work out an approx. birth year. The 1901 census suggested above will tell you where that Janet was born too (assuming they are the correct couple) and armed with this you can search for a birth. I'm sure a bit of a rummage around on Scotlands People would produce some answers for this family.

I'm sure it is just a typo, but the placename is Greenock, with a k.

Best wishes
Lesley

[AndrewP]

Hi mgillick,

The following are available for you on ScotlandsPeople for you to download on a pay per view basis.

Frank McGowan married Janet Cameron (1901, Greenock)
Births to that couple:
Hugh, Francis, Patrick and Michael (all Greenock, 1901 to 1908, so birth certificates available online).
None of these were subsequent registrations so were not twins.
There may be more children since 1909 whose birth certificates are not available online (less than 100 years ago), but will appear on the index.

Francis's death can be found if you search for Francis McGowan, born 1882 ± 5 years, died after 1908. This produces a short list of deaths. He died in hospital away from Greenock, in the year in that list closest to the 1920 that you were expecting.

The details above fit so closely to the results that you were expecting, I would be very surprised if this was not the right family group.

There is no sign of Janet's death as McGowan, other surname Cameron in Scotland, so that goes along with the information you have that she went to England following the death of Francis / Frank. If you check on Ancestry, you will find a probable death for her in Surrey, England.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Montrose Budie]

Hi mgillick,

As ADP advises search on that basis and you'll readily find his death in Hillhead in Glasgow which is the registration district where he died, being the location of the Western Infirmary. His Usual Residence is shown as 31 I???????? Street, Greenock. He's shown as married to Janet CAMERON. The informant was his brother Hugh.

Janet CAMERON's birth in Greenock is straightforward to find.

Her mother very sadly died at the age of 38.

Her father was a seaman, away from home in 1881, this being the census entry -

Dwelling: 2 Ropework St
Census Place: West Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Janet CAMERON M 20 F Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Boatman's Wife
William CAMERON 6m Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Son
Mary Ann KERR M 30 Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Visitor
Mary KERR 14 Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Visitors Daur
Occ: Scholar
Robert KERR 2 Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland
Rel: Visitors Son

mb

[Currie]

Hello Mgillick,

For anyone with family in Greenock the Watt Library BMD Index may be worth a look. http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/community- ... aths-index

“The Watt Library Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths is compiled from the announcements made in local newspapers from the early nineteenth century to around 1913”

Alan