Bingo at the GWSFHS!

Now for a little bit of genealogy.

My connection with Glasgow City itself is somewhat vague at this point:  my great great grandmother, Mary MacFarlane, declared on a couple of censuses that she had been born here - that would have been around the year 1800.  After years of researching, I still have found no record of her birth.  But looking for a Mary McFarlane in this part of Scotland is like looking for the proverbial needle - particularly in the era before civil records.  (Civil registration began in 1855).

A better documented connection with Glasgow is through a 2nd great uncle Duncan Campbell (brother of my great grandmother Lily Campbell - daughter of Mary MacFarlane).  Duncan was appointed a position with the British Post Office and worked in the main post office in George Square in Glasgow.  He married and he and his wife, Catherine Kilgour, raised a family in the city.

Old Building in George Square - originally the Glasgow Post Office

The George Square Post Office building (a grand building like many of Britain's post offices of old) still stands but is no longer a post office - it's offices now - and has had a glass penthouse added.

But despite few leads for my own family history in the city, Glasgow is home to the magnificent Mitchell Library.  Also here is the research centre and library of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society are here.  And I visited both of these places last week.

More on the Mitchell library later.  For now let me tell you about the Family History Society.  The walk to their research centre was an interesting one - taking us down the small-shop-and-cafe-heavy Great West Road, through the area of the ancient Glasgow University (founded 1451 and at its current site since 1870) and Kelvingrove Park.

There were a quite a few folks at the centre - volunteers and visitors.  As I signed in, I noticed the name Myko Clelland above mine.  He was my favourite presenter at Rootstech in Salt Lake City earlier this year!  He works for Findmypast in London and seemed to be working with an FHS member on place names.  So, that was kinda cool - to see him working on the ground as it were.

Happily, very happily, I had a "bingo" moment in the centre!  They had a copy of a 1969 publication of pre-1855 monumenal inscriptions (what's written on gravestones) in various cemeteries in Dunbartonshire

-- Dunbartonshire being the historical county north of Glasgow where some of my ancestors lived including the above mentioned Mary McFarlane after her marriage to Allan Campbell ---

I was on the hunt for the burial place of 2xgreat grandfather Allan Campbell - and BINGO - found it! In the Tarbet cemetery at Ballyhennan.

But it was double bingo for me as the grave where GGGrandad Campbell was, also held his wife Mary Macfarlane and his parents (my 3Xgreat grandparent).  Also his son Duncan (the postal worker mentioned above).  A little odd that he's buried in his childhood home with his parents rather in Glasgow with his wife.

Finding great great grandma Mary Macfarlane in the grave was particularly sweet.  I couldn't understand why I hadn't been able to find a death certificate or why, in the article in the paper about her husband's death, there was no mention of her - or their children.

The information on the gravestone also gives me something to work on in regards to the earlier generation which thrills me no end of course.  To learn that my 3x great grandfather was a vintner opens up a nice line of enquiry for sure!

 It also gives me a good reason to visit the graveyard.  The stone may not be as readable as it was 60 years ago when it was transcribed.  It may not even be still standing.  But I must go and see for myself.

"Watch this space" 😊