Mary Durie Athya

Mary Durie Athya was born on August 26, 1897, to James Wylie Athya and Jemima Durie in Mossend, Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Mary was one of 11 children, including siblings James Athya, Jane “Jeanie” Durie Athya, Margaret Wylie Athya, Elizabeth Durie Athya, James Athya, Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Robert Durie Athya, John Durie Athya, George Durie Athya, and David Durie Athya. Like six of her siblings, Mary was given her mother’s maiden name as her middle name, a common Scottish practice. Two other siblings were given the middle names Wylie and Gilchrist, also family names. Mary’s paternal grandmother was Jane Wylie, and her paternal great-grandmother was Margaret Gilchrist. This naming tradition honors ancestors and keeps these family names alive for future generations. Mary is my husband’s great-aunt, with their nearest common relatives being her parents and my husband’s great grandparents.

Mary’s parents, who married in the Gorbals District of Glasgow, Scotland in 1877, had been married for 20 years when she was born. Tragically, they lost four children before her birth: James, born in 1876, lived less than one month; Jane, born in 1878, died at age 10 in 1888; a second son named James, born in 1883, was three and a half months old when he died in 1884; and John, born in 1890, was just over one year of age when he died in 1891. Mary’s father worked as a journeyman joiner, a skilled craftsman who worked with wood.

Birth register

In 1901, the Athya family resided on Hope Street in the civil parish of Dalziel in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland. John and Rosina Beck lived in the home as boarders. Mary’s father, James, worked as a joiner. Her brothers, Robert, George, and David, attended school, while Mary, aged 3, stayed at home with her mother, Jemima. The home consisted of two rooms with one or more windows.

1901 Scotland census

On June 6, 1902, the Athya family gathered for the marriage of Mary’s sister, Margaret, to John Close in Springburn, Glasgow. Their sister, Elizabeth, was one of two witnesses for the nuptials. At the time, Margaret, a 22-year-old spinster, lived at 111 Campsie Street in Glasgow. Their father, James, was employed as a railway wagon builder journeyman.

This joyous time was followed by two tragic events in the Athya family. The first was the death of Mary’s sister, Isabella, on June 21, just 15 days after Margaret’s wedding. Isabella likely died suddenly from cardiac disease syncope, a condition where a person faints because their heart is not able to pump enough blood to their brain. This can happen due to heart problems like irregular heartbeats or blockages in the heart valves. Isabella’s death occurred at 135 Campsie Street.

The second tragic event took place just over two months later. Two days after her fifth birthday, Mary died on August 28, 1902, after suffering from tuberculosis meningitis for 10 days. Both Isabella and Mary’s deaths took place at 135 Campsie Street in Springburn, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, so it was likely their home. Given that Margaret lived at 111 Campsie Street when she married in June, it is unclear if she lived separately from the rest of the Athya family or if a move took place during the summer months. 

Death register

Mary was buried in Lair 859, owned by her great grandfather, Isaac Athya, at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland.

Register of interments, Southern Necropolis Cemetery

 References

• David Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 157, National Records of Scotland, 1894.
• Elizabeth Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/6 1019, National Records of Scotland, 1942.
• George Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 452, National Records of Scotland, 1892.
• Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Register of Interments, Southern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, 1902.
• Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Statutory Registers Births 628/302, National Records of Scotland, 1885.
• Isabella Gilchrist Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 1402, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/10 75, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 246, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/5 418, National Records of Scotland, 1913.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/7 538, National Records of Scotland, 1876.
• James Athya, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/12 176, National Records of Scotland, 1877.
• Jane Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 644/12 604, National Records of Scotland, 1878.
• Jeanie Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 628/294, National Records of Scotland, 1888.
• Jemima Athya, Census 639/9/11, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
• John Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 530, National Records of Scotland, 1890.
• John Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 625/1 309, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
• Margaret Wylie Athya, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/6 150, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• Mary D. Athya, Register of Interments, Southern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland, 1902.
• Mary Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 376, National Records of Scotland, 1897.
• Mary Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 1769, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
• Robert Durie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 628/557, National Records of Scotland, 1888.
• Syncope (Fainting), American Heart Association; https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/symptoms-diagnosis--monitoring-of-arrhythmia/syncope-fainting. 
• Syncope (Fainting), Brigham and Women's Hospital; https://www.brighamandwomens.org/heart-and-vascular-center/diseases-and-conditions/syncope-fainting.