Abbey District, Paisley Cemetaries

[Russell]

Hello Agnes

Elderslie does have a cemetery - Auchenlodment. In those days it would have been between Elderslie and Johnstone although now it is surrounded by housing. I think it is run by Renfrewshire council and a quick Google was not very informative. Elderslie is just up the hill from the town of Johnstone itself and if your relative was connected to one of the Johnstone churches it is possible that she could have been buried in the Johnstone cemetery. Equally Paisley is not too far in the opposite direction(3 or 4 miles walk was not considered far in those days) Woodside cemeterey is also a possibility. With a name like McRedden was she possibly Roman Catholic which would suggest Woodside as a likely candidate as it was a privately owned ground rather than being attached to a particular church.
Some of my wife's McCrudden/McRudden/McRuden/McCredden ancestors were from the Elderslie side of Ferguslie(now part of Paisley) but I couldn't see any link.

Russell

[Agnes]

Hi Russell

Many thanks I am coming back for a short holiday and will visit woodside and Johnstone when I get there.

Interesting your wife has Mccrudden ancestors that is my maiden name .

all Mine came from Inkerman and moved to Elderslie my granny went to Paisley.

cheers Agnes

[Agnes]

Hi Russell

found Bridget McCrudden she was buried in Woodside in an unmarked grave they have know idea where she could be another person who I am in touch with found out this after I told him Woodside was a possibility, she is on their records, still looking for Owen her spouse.

thanks for the help

Agnes

[Russell]

Hi Agnes

That's great. Another piece in the jigsaw.

Just a thought which might be relevant. Inkerman was close to Linwood (Linwood was part of Kilbarchan parish until quite late on) which was an ironstone mining community with around 80% Irish folk living there. Have you looked at Kilbarchan records just in case there was a tie-in with the Kilbarchan community.
I have the Kilbarchan East Church Lair records but there was no sign of any McRudden/Reddin ..etc names there. It was a Free church then so it makes me think there was most likely Catholic families mainly in Linwood.
Russell

P.S. Just as I posted this a query came in relating to soldier injured at the battle of Inkerman. The date of the battle probably ties in with when the hamlet of Inkerman was established.

[Agnes]

Hi can any one tell me why there would have been a mass grave Woodside cemetery 1870 My GGG mother may have been buried there I am still checking
thank you Agnes

[LesleyB]

Hi Agnes

Many cemeteries have a section which may be described as a "mass grave". Often if people were too poor to pay for their own family plot or lair, they would be buried in a communal area, called "common ground", put aside for paupers' graves. Several of my family are in such areas, which means, of course that there is no actual marker or stone to indicate the exact spot. Is this maybe the sort of area you have come across?

Best wishes
Lesley

[Agnes]

Thank you Lesley, yes, unmarked was mentioned. I had wondered if maybe there had been some kind of disaster. I now have to find out where her husband has been buried? Owen McCrudden he is not so easy to find.
Agnes