Mary Durie

After being out of town for three weeks, followed by a computer crash the weekend after I got home (thank goodness for backing up before my trip!), I sat down to write the story of an Athya infant for my next blog post. Instead, I went down a rabbit hole after noticing the informant on the death register was an aunt named Mary Wark. Who was she? I had never seen the name before so of course had to investigate. That opened up a full weekend of research and downloading of records from ScotlandsPeople. Turns out, she was my husband’s 2nd great aunt, sister of his great grandmother, Jemima Durie. Mary was one of those female ancestors who I hadn’t figured out yet, but now I know a lot about her. This also led to being able to take the Durie line back another generation (early 1800s) after finding the name of a different aunt on the death register for Jane Durie, Mary and Jemima’s sister. It was an exciting weekend of research!

Mary Durie, daughter of James Durie and Jane Liddell Braidwood, was born in Anderston, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland on September 14, 1849. She was the oldest child of nine—Mary Durie, Agnes Durie, Elizabeth Durie, George Durie, Jemima Durie, Andrewina Durie, John Durie, Robert Durie, and Jane Durie. As mentioned above, Mary is the 2nd great aunt of my husband. Their nearest common relatives are Mary’s parents, James and Jane (Braidwood) Durie.

In 1851, the Durie family lived at 67 and 69 Carrick Street in the St. George Civil Parish of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Mary’s father, age 27, worked as an engineer. Mary’s aunt, Jessie Braidwood, age 21, was living in the home. The transcription is hard to read but I believe Jessie worked as a boy’s clothing maker. Jessie was a new family member so I’m curious to find out more about her.

In 1861, the Durie family lived at 62 Brown Street in the Clyde District of the St. George Civil Parish of Glasgow. Mary’s father (age 36) worked as an engine smith, a person who “made parts for and repaired engines using the tools of a Smith—similar work to that of a Blacksmith” according to the Hall Genealogy Website of Old Occupation Names. On May 26, 1861, Mary’s two-year-old sister Andrewina died at home of dothinenteritis, also known as typhoid fever. She had been sick for six weeks at the time of her death. The death register recorded her father’s occupation as engine fitter/journeyman. 

Register for Andrewina Durie's death (click to enlarge)

Five years later the family suffered another loss when Mary’s one-year-old sister Jane died of croup on November 6, 1866 at 22 Pitt Street in Blythswood, Glasgow, Scotland. Jane had been sick for two days. Mary and Jane’s father still worked as an engine fitter/journeyman. An aunt, Elizabeth Morris, was listed as the informant on the death register. Elizabeth lived at 53 Cadogan Street in Glasgow. This was another new family member and the aunt that led to taking the Durie line back another generation. 

Register for Jane Durie's death (click to enlarge)

Of course, I had to figure out which line she belonged to—James Durie or Jane Braidwood. The 1856 marriage register of Elizabeth Durie and John Morris made the connection. The Elizabeth on the marriage register lived at 53 Cadogan Street in Glasgow so I knew it was the same person. The register listed her parents as George Durie and Elizabeth (Taylor) Durie. 

Register for Elizabeth Durie and John Morris' marriage (click to enlarge)

Once I found George and Elizabeth, I was able to find a baptism record for James Durie on ancestry.com showing that his baptism took place on May 30, 1824 in Inveresk With Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. I had his birth as about 1825. 

Baptism record for James Durie on ancestry.com

George and Elizabeth were married on January 16, 1820 in Inveresk With Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. The puzzle pieces were coming together.

Marriage record for George Dury and Elizabeth Tailer on ancestry.com

Wedding bells rang in Tradeston, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland on December 27, 1872, when Mary married Robert Wark, son of Robert Wark and Margaret Murphy. The marriage took place at 5 Abbotsford Place in the Gorbals District of Glasgow, Scotland “after Banns, according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland.” The marriage was performed by Andrew Leiper, minister of the Gorbals Parish. Their witnesses were Charles Brown and Elizabeth Durie. At age 22, Mary was a spinster who worked as a muslin darner who lived at 22 Pitt Street in Glasgow. Robert, age 22, was a bachelor who worked as a cloth lapper (journeyman). According to the Hall Genealogy Website of Old Occupation Names, a cloth lapper “moved the yarn from the carding machine to the next process in weaving.” Robert lived at 24 Pitt Street in Glasgow. They obviously lived in the same neighborhood and possibly worked together which tells us how they probably met. Robert’s parents were both deceased. 

Marriage register for Mary Durie and Robert Wark (click to enlarge)

Mary and Robert had four children together—Jane Wark (born 1873 in Clyde, Glasgow), Robert Wark (1874), Georgina Wark (1878), and Mary Wark (1881). Robert, Georgina, and Mary were all born in Anderston, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

In 1881, the Wark family lived at 8 Canning Street in the Civil Parish of Barony in Anderston, Glasgow. I found it interesting that this census tracked the rooms with one or more windows. In this case, they had two. Robert still worked as a cloth lapper. Daughter Jane and son Robert were both scholars. Mary’s nephew James Athya died on April 12, 1884 in Anderston of congestion of the lungs. James was the three-month-old son of Jemina, Mary’s sister. Mary was the informant and still lived at 8 Canning Street. This was the record where I first discovered the aunt named Mary Wark that led to lots of new information. Four months later, Mary’s husband Robert (age 32) died on August 12, 1884 from pleurisy in Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland. Wikipedia describes pleurisy as an “inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity” which can “result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache. Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, cough, fever or weight loss, depending on the underlying cause.” Robert had been ill for 14 days. According to the death register, the illness was accompanied by diarrhea and abscess for three days.

Register for Robert Wark's death (click to enlarge)

In 1891, Mary (age 39), Jane (age 18), Robert (age 16), and Georgina (age 12) still lived at 8 Canning Street in Anderston. Mary worked as a church cleaner. Jane worked as a turkey red cloth folder. According to Wikipedia, “Turkey red is a color that was widely used to dye cotton in the 18th and 19th century.” It “used the root of the rubia plant as the colorant, but the process was long and complicated, involving multiple soaking of the fabrics in lye, olive oil, sheep’s dung, and other ingredients. The fabric was more expensive but resulted in a fine bright and lasting red, similar to carmine, perfectly suited to cotton.” Robert worked as an apprentice tinsmith and Georgina was a scholar.

In 1901, Mary, Jane, Robert, and Georgina lived at 3 Piccadilly Street in the Barony St. Mark Parish of Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland. Mary (age 39) was no longer working, Jane and Georgina both worked as a sewer of furniture hangings, and Robert as a housepainter. This house had two rooms with windows. Mary’s father, James Durie (age 74), died at 33 McIntyre Street in Anderston, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland on December 13, 1902. Cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage. His parents, George Durie and Mary (Elizabeth) Taylor Durie were both deceased. George’s occupation was recorded as handloom weaver. Mary’s brother, John Durie, was the informant on the death register. Mary’s mother Jane Braidwood Durie (age 77) died on October 28, 1908 at Stobhill Hospital in Springburn, Lanark, Glasgow, Scotland. Cause of death was senile cardiac arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.  

In 1911, Mary (age 61), Jane (age 38), and Georgina (age 32) lived at 35 Overnewton Square in the Kelvinhaugh Parish of Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland. Mary was unemployed, Jane worked at home as a dressmaker, and Georgina worked as a sewer (upholster).

Mary died at home at the age of 72 on October 18, 1922 in Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland. Cause of death was recorded as chronic bronchitis and tumour [sic] of left breast, nature unknown. Mary’s daughter, Jane Wark, was the informant on the death register. 

Death register for Mary Durie Wark

The register listed Mary’s mother’s full name as Jane “Liddell” Braidwood Durie. Jane Braidwood’s mother was Mary Liddell so it was important to me to discover that. More research is needed to find Mary’s burial location but I feel I learned a lot in two days of research.

References

• Athya, James, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 246, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• Barony Parish, St. Mark, Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland census, 1901.
• Dothinenteritis, the English Dictionary; https://www.lexico.com/definition/dothinenteritis. 
• Durie, Andrina, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/5 442, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Durie, James, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 735, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• Durie, Jane, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/6 504, National Records of Scotland, 1866.
• Durie, Jane, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/6 881, National Records of Scotland, 1908.
• Durie, Mary, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/9 656, National Records of Scotland, 1872.
• George Dury and Elizabeth Tailer, Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910.
• Glasgow, Barony Civil parish, Anderston, County Lanarkshire, Scotland census, 1891.
• Glasgow, Barony Civil parish, County Lanarkshire, Scotland census, 1871, 1881.
• Glasgow, St. George Civil parish, County Lanarkshire, Scotland census, 1851, 1861.
• Hall Genealogy Website, Old Occupation Names; https://rmhh.co.uk/occup/e.html.
• James Durie, Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.
• Kelvinhaugh Parish, Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland census, 1911.
• Morris, John, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/6 28, National Records of Scotland, 1856.
• Turkey red; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_red. 
• Wark, Mary, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/11 917, National Records of Scotland, 1922.
• Wark, Robert, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 569, National Records of Scotland, 1884.