Henderson/Wallace from Bo'Ness.....

[donna petrie]

Does anyone have more information on John Henderson and Margaret Smith; probably born Fife and moved to Bo'ness . Margaret and son John (12) are in 1841 census and she is a widow. I can trace John but would like to know if anyone has links to this family

Also James Wallace ( parents James Wallace and Annie( Agnes Stevenson) born Old Kilpatrick, moved to Glasgow married Mary Buchanan, 1851, moved to Bo'ness and son James married Mary Henderson from above family. In 1861 census both families lived on North Street, Bo'ness. I am stumped on the Henderson/ Smith and Stevenson/Wallace couples and would like to know more. thanks...Donna

[Ted]

Donna

Try this link for rent searches in Bo'ness - there is a John Henderson shown there in 1880's - may be the son shown on the 1841 census - one Wallace shown as well.

http://www.scottish-genealogy.co.uk/fam ... boness.cfm

You may get more info from the West Lothian Family History Centre (part of the local authority library service) at Blackburn - they hold the archive records and valuation rolls etc for Bo'ness.

Best regards
Ted

[donna petrie]

Hi Ted: I have tried that and it is the son of that John Henderson. Also I have posted in so many places and yet very few replies. the best reply was for my Dicksons who sent me back to 1642( that was great). I am amazed that for the small places Bo'ness and Irvine were I get few hits. Perhaps my relatives are apathetic about family research. I am the only one ( aside from my brother-in - law) who actively searches.

Others are interested but don't search. It's getting rather expensive with less and less information, but I love a challenge. Anyway.. thanks again for your reply. Donna

[Ted]

Donna

No problem and good luck with your searches - although I do not live there now I was brought up in Bo'ness and know the area and its history well - if there is any info I can help with just ask.

Best regards

Ted

[donna petrie]

Well I do have a question. Those Wallace and Henderson were potters and I know there was or is a pottery concern in Bo'ness? They lived on North and South Streets and I was wondering if there is any significance in this. Some of my Glasgow relatives lived in the Gorbals and that use to be a mean place so therefor I guess they were poor. What about those two streets? Were they considered a poor neighbourhood or what?

I am writing the family history book and just want a mental picture of their lives. I do know they had a lot of baby deaths but so did everyone else. Thanks for your help. Donna

[Ted]

Hi Donna

As far as I remember from previous research there was a pottery in Main Street, Bo'ness - it made commercial china (dishes etc) - and another was built on the foreshore on the banks of the river Forth - at the Bridgeness Harbour area of Bo'ness - about 2 miles east of the town centre. The Bridgeness one closed in the 1920's and the Main St one around 1900. Both premises are gone long ago. I remember as a child collecting broken pieces of china from the shale beach at Bridgeness and playing in the old ruins of the buildings.

I would think - taking account of the dates - that your John Henderson would have worked at the Pottrey in Main St. That street and North and South Streets still exist today - as you travel west from Bridegness into Grangepans and the into Main St the town centre splits into two streets - North St and South St. Main St will have changed a fair bit since those times but N & S Streets are pretty much as they were for the past 100 years or more - give of take some cosmetic changes. It would not have been a particularily posh district - but on the other hand as a town centre location not the poorest either - most of the houses are / were tenements (3 stories high) above shops etc. Certainly (I would think) a more desirable place to live than the Gorbals in those times.

If you have the house numbers of where your ancestors lived I'll try to find out if the original buildings still stand - if so I might be able to get some photos of them.

Hope this helps

Best regards

Ted

[Martin63]

Bo'ness pottery was quite famous. Pretty cheap and cheerful in its style. A Google search will reveal more I'm sure.

Good luck with your research.

Martin

[donna petrie]

Hi ted: The addresses were 165 North Street, and 18 South Street. Other address were 9 East Main Street, Gibson Wynd, Young Close, and Dock Street. In 1861 the Hendersons and Wallaces both lived on the same street. Thanks.

Martin: yes I have googled Bo'ness pottery, and I also found an image of a group of med identified as potters sitting outside the building, circa 1890. they all had long beards- although not as long as ZZ-Top. I just put in in my book and pretended it was some of my guys; to tell the truth even if I knew what they looked like I couldn't tell with the beards. Thanks

Donna

[Ted]

Hi Donna

I'll check those addresses next time I am in Bo'ness - might take a wee while but I'll keep it in mind.

Regards

Ted

[deby]

hi donna
this really might be a long shot but i just bought a marriage cert off scotlands people this week for my GEORGE IRVINE and JESSIE IRVINE ms:LYNN the parents for GEORGE are WILLIAM IRVINE and CHARLOTTE IRVINE ms: SMITH
the usual residence for them was 63 Fullarton Street, Irvine. they were married at Galston which i understand is a part of Irvine or just outside the town.
as i said its a long shot and im about to start looking into my CHARLOTTE SMITH and if i happen to find a MARGARET smith i will let you know

deby in australia