The O’Neills had settled in Kinning Park by at least 1894—Mary, the oldest, as well as the twins, were born there. Located just a mile west of Glasgow on the south bank of the River Clyde, Kinning Park was an active industrial neighborhood, with soap factories, engineering shops, and biscuit manufacturers.
Eliza’s father, Matthew, worked as a soapworks laborer, which meant long days doing tough, hands-on jobs in soap production. He probably mixed raw ingredients, cut and packed soap bars, and worked in hot, steamy conditions.
Before Eliza was born, the family went through a heartbreaking time: both twins passed away as infants. Matthew died on November 2, 1898, at just one year old, from diarrhea and convulsions. Less than a year later, Ellen died on August 18, 1899, at 22 months, after suffering from measles that led to fatal convulsions. Both children died in Bridgeton, a district in Glasgow, and while records confirm their deaths, the burial site for the twins has not been found.
By 1901, the O’Neills had moved to 20 Greenhead Court in the Calton neighborhood of Glasgow. Records show they lived in a single-room home—small, but with at least one window, which was noted as a sign of basic living standards at the time. Eliza’s father, Matthew, was still working as a soapworks laborer, and six-year-old Mary had started school.
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1901 Scotland census |
The O’Neill family was still living at their Greenhead Court home in 1902 when James was born. By 1904, they had moved to 42 Green Street, still within the Calton area of Glasgow, where Rose was born. They remained at that address when Ambrose arrived in 1907.
By 1911, the family had returned to Kinning Park, settling at 22 Keyden Street.
That year’s census recorded Eliza as “Elizabeth,” a common name variation. Her mother, Bridget, was listed as having had seven children, with only four still living. Eliza’s father, Matthew, was still working in soap production, now serving as an assistant soap boiler, a skilled job which likely involved managing the boiling process during soapmaking.
Meanwhile, Mary had started work as a trunk liner, helping build or finish the interiors of large travel trunks that people used for long-distance journeys by train or sea. Eliza and Rose were still in school at the time.
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1911 Scotland census |
On December 15, 1915, Eliza lost her younger sister Rose, who died at just 11 years old in Pollokshields, Glasgow. The cause was listed as cardiac vascular disease and lung congestion. Rose was laid to rest on December 17 in Lair 96 at St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery in Lambhill, about six miles north of Kinning Park. At the time, Eliza was 15 years old, and the family had settled into what would become their permanent home at 35 Keyden Street.
By 1921, the O’Neills were still living on Keyden Street. Eliza was 21 and still at home with her parents, her younger brother Ambrose, and her older sister Mary. Their living space was likely a typical Glasgow tenement—multi-story stone buildings with shared stairwells and outdoor toilets. Their two-room flat probably included a main room used for both living and sleeping, plus a separate kitchen. (If you watch period dramas like I do, you have probably seen this style of home.)
Eliza’s parents, Matthew and Bridget, were both working as scrapwork laborers for Thomas Reid and Son, a company known for boilermaking and metal founding. Ambrose, age 14, was still in school. Mary, age 26, had a job as a trunk hirer for the Saratoga Trunk Company, which meant she likely handled the renting, upkeep, and preparation of large travel trunks used for long journeys.
Eliza herself worked as a syphon labeler, apparently for someone or a company named J. B. Barrie. From what I can gather, this job involved applying printed labels to heavy glass siphon bottles used for carbonated water—making sure each bottle was clean, properly labeled, and ready for delivery to shops, hotels, or pubs.
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1921 Scotland census |
Eliza’s father passed away at the age of 52 on November 24, 1924. He died at home, though by then the area was known as Pollokshields. His cause of death was listed as post-influenza encephalitis, which he battled for 10 days, along with cardiac failure. He was buried on November 27 in Lair 96 at St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery in Lambhill, the same resting place as Rose.
On October 5, 1928, Eliza married James Athya, son of John D. Athya and Helen Dempster, at Calton Parish Church in Glasgow. The marriage took place “after banns” under the rites of the Church of Scotland—a traditional notice of intention to marry. Eliza was listed as a spinster, and while the marriage record shows she was employed, the exact occupation is not legible (at least to me). At the time, she was still living at the Keyden Street home with her mother, Bridget.
James was working as a machineman in tubework, which likely involved operating machines used to shape, cut, or refine metal tubing—perhaps in shipbuilding or heavy industry, both common in Glasgow at the time.
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Marriage register for Eliza and James |
Eliza and James welcomed two sons into their family: John Athya, born in 1933 in Calton, and Ambrose O’Neill Athya, born in July 1938 in Camlachie.
In 1942, Eliza experienced a major loss when her mother Bridget passed away at age 70 on December 26, at their longtime home on Keyden Street—now part of Tradeston, Glasgow. Bridget’s death was caused by arteriosclerosis, myocarditis, and heart failure. Eliza, then living at 270 Tobago Street, was listed as the informant on the death register. Bridget was laid to rest on December 28 in Lair 96 at St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery in Lambhill, joining Matthew and Rose.
Just six months later, Eliza lost her sister Mary, who died at age 48 on June 6, 1943, in Govan, Glasgow. Mary’s cause of death was also myocarditis, with complications from a uterine myoma. She passed away at 1301 Govan Road, but had still been living at the family home on Keyden Street. Eliza was again listed as the informant, and Mary was buried with her family on June 8 at St. Kentigern’s.
Despite these personal losses, life moved forward. In 1958, both of Eliza’s sons were married: Ambrose to Jean Rice Rattray in Pollok, Renfrewshire, and John to Mary Carlin in Provan.
Eliza’s husband, James Athya, passed away on August 11, 1962, at Belvedere Hospital in Glasgow’s Bridgeton District. He died from chronic bronchitis, having lived with emphysema for 20 years, and cor pulmonale—a form of heart failure caused by high blood pressure in the lungs—for two years. These conditions were the result of long-term lung disease, which would have greatly affected his quality of life.
At the time of his passing, Eliza and James were still living at the Keyden Street home in Kinning Park. James was working as a tram car cleaner.
Their son John was the informant listed on the death record. He was living at 12 Middlesex Street, about three miles from his parents, and no doubt remained closely connected to them. The location of James’ burial is unknown.
On the first anniversary of James’ passing, Eliza and her family placed a memoriam in the Evening Times, honoring his life and memory.
IN MEMORIAM ATHYA—In loving memory of my dear husband and our father, JAMES ATHYA, died 11th August 1962. Oh for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still. —Inserted by his Wife, 35 Keyden Street. Not just today, but every day. In silence we remember. —Inserted by sons John and Ambrose, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren.
The first line (Oh for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still) is from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem Break, Break, Break, written in the 1830s and published in 1842. Tennyson, Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1850 to 1892, composed it as an elegy for his friend Arthur Hallam. It may have held special significance for Eliza.
Eliza herself passed away just a few years later, on May 22, 1966, at Victoria Infirmary in Langside, southeast Glasgow. She was 66 years old and had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer; the immediate cause of death was a pulmonary embolism. Her passing was announced in the Evening Times the following day.
DEATHS—ATHYA—At an infirmary, Glasgow, on 22nd May, 1966, ELIZABETH O’NEILL (late of 35 Keyden Street, Glasgow, C.5), wife of the late James Athya. Funeral tomorrow (Tuesday) from 12 Middlesex Street, C 5 (at the residence of her son), to St. Kentigern’s Cemetery; friends desirous of attending please meet cortege at cemetery gate at 3:15 p.m.
Eliza was laid to rest on May 24 in Lair 394, Section 12 at St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery in Lambhill.
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Burial register for Eliza, her mother Bridget, and sister Mary at St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery |
In the cemetery’s Register of Interments, her name was recorded as “Elizabeth”—one of only two instances where her name appeared that way. In every other record I found, she was known as Eliza.
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Eliza listed as ‘Elizabeth’ in the register of interments |
References
- Bridget O’Neill, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/16 454, National Records of Scotland, 1942.
- Bridget ONeill, Census 644/18 33/11, National Records of Scotland, 1911.
- Burial register, St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery, Lambhill, 1966.
- Deaths, ATHYA, Evening Times, August 13, 1962.
- Deaths, Athya, Evening Times, Glasgow, Scotland, May 23, 1966.
- Eliza Jane Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 645/2 522, National Records of Scotland, 1966.
- Eliza Jane O’Neil, Statutory Registers Births 644/14 66, National Records of Scotland, 1900.
- Eliza Jane O’Neill, Census 644/18 35/27, National Records of Scotland, 1921.
- Eliza Jane O’Neill, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/3 570, National Records of Scotland, 1928.
- Eliza Jane ONeil, Census 644/452/4, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
- Ellen O’Neil, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 880, National Records of Scotland, 1899.
- In Memoriam, ATHYA, Evening Times, August 12, 1963.
- James Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/2 492, National Records of Scotland, 1962.
- James O’Neil, Statutory Registers Births 644/4 477, National Records of Scotland, 1902.
- Mary O’Neill, Statutory Registers Births 644/14 986, National Records of Scotland, 1894.
- Mary O’Neill, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/17/575, National Records of Scotland, 1943.
- Matthew O’Neil, Statutory Registers Births 644/14 895, National Records of Scotland, 1897.
- Matthew O’Neil, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/1 1262, National Records of Scotland, 1898.
- Matthew O’Neill, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/18 402, National Records of Scotland, 1924.
- Register of Interments in Lairs and Vaults, St. Kentigern’s Catholic Cemetery, Lambhill, Glasgow, Scotland, 1966.
- Rose O’Neill, Statutory Registers Births 644/4 1069, National Records of Scotland, 1904.
- Scotland’s People, Birth Index.
- St Kentigern’s, Glasgow, Scotland, Grave Registers 1937–1990, image 188, FamilySearch.
- Thomas Reid and Sons, Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History; https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thomas_Reid_and_Sons.
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