Mary Liddell

Having recently written a sketch for Mary Liddell’s husband, Andrew Braidwood, I already knew much of her story. However, I had not made the connection to her parents nor determined her birthdate yet. So, before I could write her story, I needed to find those two critical pieces of information. 

Mary was 83 years old when she died, so was most likely born about 1788 or 1789. From the Scotland’s People website, I searched the “Church Registers—Old parish registers—Births and Baptisms” database and found two females born during that timeframe. One was born in Glasgow on January 7, 1788 to Robert Liddell and Ann Drew. The other was born in Glasgow on September 19, 1788 to John Liddell and Margaret McCaul. I next looked at Mary’s children to help me determine which of the two couples could possibly be Mary’s parents. Scots generally use a select set of naming patterns to name their children. According to the Family Search website, when naming a child, “the first son was named after the father’s father, the second son after the mother’s father, and the first daughter after the mother’s mother.” In this case, I compared the two sets of parents based on the children Mary and Andrew had together and believe that John and Margaret are the correct set of parents. Mary named her first son James, presumably after Andrew’s father James Braidwood. Her second son was John which tracks to her father, John Liddell. Her first daughter was named Margaret, which tracks to her mother, Margaret McCaul. None of their children were named Robert or Ann which is why I eliminated them. Now armed with what I believe to be her parents’ names, I looked at the birth record for the child Mary Liddell that listed John and Margaret as the parents and she was born in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland on September 19, 1788. Her birth was witnessed by John Liddell and Archibald McCaul. I feel good about this choice, but if you can prove otherwise, I would love to hear from you.

Mary Liddell 1788 Birth Register (click to enlarge)

Mary married Andrew Braidwood, son of James Braidwood and Margaret Moodie, in Newton Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland in July 1818. Both lived in Newton Parish at the time they made a proclamation to wed on June 20, 1818. 

Mary and Andrew had at least eight children together—James Braidwood, Margaret Braidwood, John Braidwood, Jane Braidwood, Janet Braidwood, Jessie Braidwood, Andrew Braidwood (twin), and Mary Erskine Stewart Braidwood (twin).

The Braidwood family lived in Newton, Edinburghshire, Scotland when son James was born in 1819. They had moved to Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland by 1821 when Margaret was born. Mary’s husband was working as a joiner (woodworker) at the time. They remained in Inveresk through 1825 where John (1823) and Jane (1825) were born. The family moved back to Newton Parish by December 1828 when Janet was born. Their daughter Jessie was born about 1830, location unknown. Mary gave birth to twins Andrew and Mary in September 1831. At that time, the family lived in Wright, North Leith, Midlothian, Scotland.

In 1841, the Braidwood family lived at Wood Hall in Cambusnethan, a village in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Mary’s husband Andrew worked as a house carpenter. Besides Mary and Andrew, the others in the home included daughters Margaret (20), Jean [Jane] (15), and Janet (12).

In 1851, the Braidwood family lived at 45 Brown Street in St. George’s Parish, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland. At age 51, Andrew worked as what is transcribed from the census as millionght, journeyman. I believe he was probably a millwright but could be wrong. Mary’s 29-year-old daughter Margaret and a niece Margaret Shiers, age 10, also lived in the home. I have been unable to determine who the parents of the niece are at this point in my research. During the period 1855 to 1856, the family lived on Stockwell Street, which had a yearly rent or value of $12.

Andrew died on January 29, 1858 of a paralytic stroke/palsy at the age of 59 in the Clyde District of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was buried on February 1 in Lair 4964 at Glasgow’s Eastern Necropolis Cemetery.

In 1861, Mary lived as a boarder in the home of a 58-year-old Irishwoman named Martha Johnston. The home was located on Dalmarnock Road in the Calton Parish of Glasgow. Mary was enumerated as a pauper, age 75. Martha worked as a cotton winder.

1861 Calton Parish, Glasgow, Scotland census (click to enlarge)

Mary should have been enumerated in the 1871 Scotland census; however, I have been unable to find her. She died on February 14, 1872 in the City Poorhouse located in the Central District of Glasgow. Her cause of death was senile decay, which she had suffered from for months. Unfortunately, the only name listed in the column for her parents was “Liddell.” I have also been unable to find the location of Mary’s final resting place. She is not listed in the burial records of Eastern Necropolis where her husband was buried. There are extensive records for that cemetery so I feel certain she would be listed if she had been buried there. 

Mary Liddell Braidwood Glasgow, Scotland Death Register

References

• Andrew Braidwood, Cemetery Records, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, 1858.
• Andrew Braidwood, Old Parish Registers Births 692/1 Leith North, National Records of Scotland, 1831.
• Andrew Braidwood, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/5 86, National Records of Scotland, 1858.
• James Braidwood, Old Parish Registers Births 696/Newton), page 142 of 152, 1819.
• Jane Braidwood, Old Parish Registers Births 689/Inveresk and Musselburgh, page 168 of 509, 1825.
• Jane Braidwood, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.
• Janet Braidwood, Old Parish Registers Births 696/Newton), page 97 of 363, 1829.
• John Braidwood, Old Parish Registers Births 689/Inveresk and Musselburgh, page 113 of 509, 1823.
• Margaret Braidwood, Old Parish Registers Births 689/Inveresk and Musselburgh, page 52 of 509, 1821.
• Mary Braidwood, Scotland Census 644/366/9, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Mary Braidwood, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 352, National Records of Scotland, 1872.
• Mary Liddell, John Liddell/Margaret McCaul, FR1471, Church registers, Old parish registers, Births and Baptisms, Scotland’s People, 1788; https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-results/125245770564b56f715a46d.
• Naming Patterns, Scotland Personal Names; https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Scotland_Personal_Names. 
• Scotland Census 628/6/7, page 7 of 33, National Records of Scotland, 1841.
• Scotland Census, 644/143/10, page 10 of 25, National Record of Scotland, 1851.