Janet Graham

Janet Graham, daughter of James Graham and Margaret Wilson, was born on February 2, 1797, in county Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland. Other than her parents, I have no knowledge of her ancestors at this point. But I’ve been making good progress with my Scotland research so hope to change that. Janet is my husband’s 3rd great grandmother with her son James Athya being their nearest common relative.

Janet married Isaac Athya, the son of John Athya and Ann Graham. He was born April 11, 1790 in Kirklinton, Cumberland, England. Together they had at least six children—twins Ann and Mary Athya, James Athya, Janet Athya, John Athya, and Isaac Athya. I’m curious to find out if Janet’s paternal Graham family were related to her mother-in-law’s (Ann Graham) family. 

In 1841, Janet (age 45) and her family lived on Surry Street in the Gorbals parish of county Lanarkshire in Glasgow, Scotland. Her husband Isaac (age 50) had the abbreviations P.L.D. in the occupation column of the census record. I believe this abbreviation stands for power loom dresser having found that P.L.W., which was listed for the twins Ann and Mary, stood for power loom weaver. Isaac’s death record recorded his occupation as cotton yarn dresser so I’m assuming the “D” stands for dresser. A dresser was someone “who operated a machine which prepared threads in the textile industry” according to the website World Through the Lens. Janet’s son James was an apprentice grocer. John and youngest son Isaac were too young for employment at this stage in their life. 

Scotland census, 1841

In 1851, Janet, Isaac, sons James and Isaac, and daughter Janet lived at 117 Hospital Street in the Hutchesontown District of the Gorbals parish of county Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland. Isaac worked as a power loom dresser, James (27), worked as a power loom tenter, Janet (20), a power loom weaver, and Isaac (15), a shop boy.

Janet’s husband died at the age of 70 from an ulceration of the stomach at their Hospital Street home in the Gorbals parish on August 3, 1860. Isaac was buried at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow. Perhaps distraught from the loss of her husband, six months later on January 24, 1861 Janet took her own life by cutting her throat at the same Hospital Street home at the age of 65. According to the death register, of which her son James was the informant, she was melancholic. Her death was recorded as instantaneous or nearly so. Janet too was buried at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow. 

Death register entry for Janet Graham Athya

References

• Census, Parish of Gorbals, county of Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1841, 1851.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229955327/janet-athya: accessed 12 March 2022), memorial page for Janet Graham Athya (2 Feb 1797–24 Jan 1861), Find a Grave Memorial ID 229955327, citing Southern Necropolis, Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland; maintained by Tricia (contributor 47204812).
• Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 876, National Records of Scotland.
• Isaac Athye, England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538–1975.
• James Athya, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564–1950.
• Janet Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 120, National Records of Scotland.
• Obscure Old English Census Occupations, World Through the Lens; http://worldthroughthelens.com/family-history/old-occupations.php.
• Talking Scot, 1841 Census of Scotland; http://www.talkingscot.com/censuses/census-1841.htm.