Alexander Braidwood

Alexander Braidwood was born in 1854 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, to James Braidwood and Christina Martin. He was baptized in Sheffield on November 12, 1854, suggesting a birth date in late October or early November. Alexander had three sisters: Mary (born 1857), Christina (born 1861), and Martha (born 1863). He is the 1st cousin 3x removed of my husband, with their nearest common relatives being Andrew Braidwood and Mary Liddell, my husband’s 3rd great-grandparents and Alexander’s grandparents.

By the time Mary was born on April 22, 1857, the family had moved to Hutchesontown, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. When Christina was born on January 13, 1861, they lived at 394 Springburn Road in the Flemington community of Springburn, Lanarkshire. At six years old, Alexander was attending school, while his younger sister Mary was four, and baby sister Christina was just three months old. Their father worked as a file cutter/journeyman, a skilled occupation involving the shaping and cutting of files—tools used for smoothing or shaping metal and other materials. File cutters manually cut the teeth into files using chisels and hammers. The family’s home had at least one room with one or more windows.

1861 Scotland census

When Martha was born on October 8, 1863, the family resided on Coburg Place in Springburn. James, Alexander’s father, now worked as a file maker. Less than four years later, James passed away at home at 441 Springburn Road on February 27, 1867, in Springburn, due to paralysis. At the time, Alexander was 13, Mary was 9, Christina was 6, and Martha was 3.

1863 death register for Alexander’s father, James Braidwood

James was buried on March 2 in Lair 4964 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow, a plot owned by Alexander’s grandfather, Andrew Braidwood.

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery register for James Braidwood

On October 13, 1868, Alexander’s mother married her second husband, Thomas Spencer Freer, at 394 Springburn Road. Thomas, a bachelor, worked as an engine fitter.

1868 marriage register for Christina Martin Braidwood’s marriage to
Thomas Freer

In 1871, Alexander continued to live at 441 Springburn Road with his mother, stepfather Thomas Freer, and sisters Mary (12), Christina (10), and Martha (6). Like his father, Alexander was employed as a file cutter, while his sisters were scholars. His stepfather Thomas worked as a file manufacturer.

1871 Scotland census

Mary, aged 17, married Joseph Bowman, aged 21, son of Joseph Bowman and Jane Clark, on September 1, 1876, at her residence at 102 Foundry Place in Glasgow, St. Rollox, Lanark, Scotland. Mary was employed as a milliner and recorded as a spinster. Alexander and his sister Christina were witnesses at the ceremony.

1876 marriage register for Mary Braidwood’s marriage to Joseph Bowman

In 1881, Alexander boarded with David and Rebecca Davis at 66 Vulcan Street in the civil parish of Garston, Lancashire, England. David and Rebecca had a seven-year-old son named Thomas Daniel Davis. Alexander worked as a grinder.

1881 England census

On December 29, 1883, Alexander married Annie McCabe at Parish Church in Liverpool, Lancashire, England. He was a 27-year-old bachelor, and she was a 23-year-old spinster. Alexander worked as a file grinder, shaping and smoothing file blanks using grinding stones. This job involved wet grinding to reduce dust and heat, but it was dangerous. Grinders often developed respiratory diseases from inhaling metal and stone dust or could be injured when the spinning wheel shattered. Despite the risks, skilled grinders earned a decent wage, producing high-quality tools essential for various industries.

Although recorded as a spinster with no occupation, Annie had previously worked as a domestic servant. In 1881, at the age of 20, she lived and worked at the Palatine Hotel located at 1 Island Road in Garston, Liverpool. The head of the household was Susannah Hitchmough, a licensed victualler. In 1881, a licensed victualler was someone who held a license to sell alcoholic beverages, typically operating establishments such as inns, taverns, or alehouses. The Palatine Hotel was likely a pub. The 1881 census also recorded a 16-year-old female domestic servant and a 30-year-old male coachman living in the household. Alexander’s father, James, was a file cutter, and Annie’s father, James McCabe, was a bricklayer. The marriage record did not note that Alexander’s father was deceased. It is likely that Alexander and Annie met in Garston since both lived there. Perhaps he met her while stopping by the Palatine Hotel pub for a drink after a hard day’s work.

1883 marriage register for Alexander Braidwood’s marriage to Annie McCabe

Alexander and Annie were blessed with two children: Christina Braidwood, born in December 1884, and Alexander Braidwood, born in September 1886, both in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Sometime after Christina’s birth, the family relocated back to Scotland.

At the age of 30, Alexander died suddenly on June 20, 1888, from a ruptured blood vessel in Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The death register records his death as taking place at 2 Newhall Street in Glasgow. At the time of his burial, Alexander’s children were just four and one years old.

1888 death register for Alexander Braidwood

The Glasgow Herald published a death notice on June 22, 1888. It is unclear why Australian papers would need to copy Alexander’s death notice:

Deaths.

Braidwood.—Suddenly, on the 20th inst., Alexander Braidwood, son of the late James Braidwood, file manufacturer.—Australian papers, please copy.

Alexander’s death notice, Glasgow Herald, Glasgow, Scotland, June 22, 1888

Alexander was laid to rest in Lair 4964 at Eastern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow on June 23. 

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery register for Alexander Braidwood

Lair 4964 was owned by Alexander’s grandfather, Andrew Braidwood, who also held Lair 4963. Between these two lairs, 13 other family members are interred.

Eastern Necropolis Cemetery lairholder register, lairs 4963 and 4964

I believe the Newhall address recorded on both the death and burial registers was the home of Alexander’s sister Christina, the recorded informant on the death register, which also listed that as the location of Alexander’s death. Christina and the Newhall address were also recorded on the burial register. The sheet listing Alexander on the burial register did not have any column headings, but further examination revealed it was “Relation to Deceased and Residence at Death.” The 1886 Glasgow electoral register of female municipal voters shows that a “Mrs. Christina Braidwood” resided at 2 Newhall Street. Given that Alexander’s mother had remarried and was now Christina Freer, I believe that Alexander’s sister Christina was incorrectly given the title “Mrs.” on the electoral register and that Alexander’s death occurred at her home. Unfortunately, it is unclear who was the actual head of the household, Alexander or his sister. She was still residing there in 1890. Of course, my assumptions could be wrong, and this could have been his mother recorded as Mrs. Braidwood. It has gotten confusing with so many named Alexander and Christina Braidwood. If you are researching this family, be warned!

It is intriguing that Alexander’s wife, Annie, was not the informant on his death and burial registers, which might suggest they were separated at the time of his death. Annie did remarry in 1896 to a man named Allan McLean, and they had a son together, also named Allan McLean. Annie passed away in Govanhill, Glasgow, Scotland, in 1928. She was recorded as the widow of her first husband, Alexander Braidwood, a file cutter, and her second husband, Allan McLean, a tube work laborer. The informant on Annie’s death register was Alexander and Annie’s daughter, Christina Braidwood McKean.

1928 death register for Annie (McCabe) Braidwood McLean

References

• Alex Braidwood, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Daily interment books, December 1885-December 1897, image 219, 1888; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-N3ZK-1V32?cat=1323530&i=218. 
• Alexander Braidwood, Liverpool, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935, 1883.
• Alexander Braidwood, Register of Parliamentary Voters, Burgh of Glasgow, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857-1962.
• Alexander Braidwood, Statutory registers Deaths 644/1 610, National Records of Scotland, 1888.
• Alexander Braidwood, Statutory registers Deaths 644/6 116, National Records of Scotland, 1934.
• Alexander Bredwood, England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538–1975.
• Andrew Braidwood lair, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, Burial Records 1800–1970; https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJ9-KXP4?view=explore&groupId=M9HH-5FG. 
• Annie Mc Cabe, Lancashire, Garston, District 16, England census, 1881.
• Christina Braidwood, Census 622/29/20, National Records of Scotland, 1871.
• Christina Braidwood, Statutory registers Births 622/2 21, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• Christina Braidwood, Statutory registers Marriages 622/2 49, National Records of Scotland, 1868.
• Civil parish Garston, County Lancashire, England census, 1881.
• Deaths, Glasgow Herald, Glasgow, Scotland, June 22, 1888.
• James Braidwood, Census 622/25/2, National Records of Scotland, 1861.
• James Braidwood, Eastern Necropolis Cemetery, Daily interment books, 1861-January 1874, image 314, 1867; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRF-K88R?cat=1323530&i=313. 
• James Braidwood, Statutory registers Deaths 622/2 104, National Records of Scotland, 1867.
• Martha Braidwood, Statutory registers Births 622/2 333, National Records of Scotland, 1863.
• Mrs. Christina Braidwood (1886, 1890), List of Female Municipal Voters, Burgh of Glasgow, 1889–1890, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857–1962.
• St. Peter’s Church (1883), Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Marriage Records Sep 19, 1883–Jun 9, 1884, image 60; https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G965-9WMJ?view=explore&groupId=M932-FY3. 
• Starmans, Barbara J., Occupations: File Grinders of Sheffield, May 31, 2015; https://www.thesocialhistorian.com/file-grinders-of-sheffield/. 
• Tracing your ancestors who worked in pubs, Pub History Society (PHS); https://www.pubhistorysociety.co.uk/PDF-Dowloads/ancestors.pdf.