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Topic: Inverness-Shire Gravestone Photo Offer (Read 2169 times)
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akthompsn
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 4
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thank you, ghostwhisperer!!!! And you too, Lynn!! This had slipped my mind. Will be sending these photos along to the Harcombe relatives here in the States, and posting them to the Find_a_Grave database. At least over here, gravestones aren't really "monumental" any more; just a flat slab with name, DoB & DoD.
Again, thank you very much!
Kenneth Thompson
Moline Acres (north StLouis County) MO USA
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Ancestral families of Richard & Daniel Thompson: Paternal: Thompson,Westrick,Wilhelm,Krieger,Spross,Laubenthal,Cotton,Bauer,Siefert,Hammes et al. Nationalities: German, English.
Maternal: Fleming,Harcombe,Hammett,Saunders,Green,Coste,McKenna,Kane/Cain, et al. Nationalities: Scottish, Irish, English, Spanish, Dutch
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ghostwhisperer
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 51
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No problem. Hope they help.
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dhalaughlin
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 3
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Lynn!
Many thanks for your prompt reply. You really added to an already Happy Thanksgiving for me.
"Grandpa 'Gow?' of Inverness"
He was always referred to by my mother as "Gow", but late in here life I asked her if it might be her maternal grandmother's side which was "Scott". It confused her a bit, and it did lend some pause to her certainty. More likely it is Gow and I will elucidate at the end of this email.
Edited from my notes:
He is probably buried in Tomnahurich Cemetery in Inverness.
On June 3, 1999 I spoke with my mother about "Grandpa of Inverness." She & my father drove through Inverness on their honeymoon in the fall of 1936. They visited the cemetery and "quite easily" found what they believed was Grandpa Gow's grave. My mother said the graveyard was the "City of Inverness graveyard." It was the "old graveyard belonging to the city."
My mother's mother, nee Gow, was "very pleased" that she and my father had discovered the stone.
My mother felt that the cemetery was on the "left" as they approached the city, very close to the side of the road. The "gravesite is not far inside" (1936). "It was easy to find."
"Probably a modest stone. Maybe overgrown."
I think from my mother's descriptions that Tomnahurich is almost certainly the site of Grandpa Gow's burial. All of her descriptions fit the situation of Tomnahurich.
On September 16, 2003 I spoke to my mother again about this and mentioned the name "Tomnahurich." The name definitely rang a distinct bell in her mind. She had a clear recollection of how her aunt's Gow used to mention the name Tomnahurich.
Odds are 90% that Grandpa Gow is buried in Tomnahurich if his stone can still be found or read.
According to the government registrar's office in Inverness the name "Gow" is quite a rare name and is most familiar in Thurso, the northernmost part of mainland Scotland.
As of 5/13/04 the closest possibility for this James Gow is according to an OPR search for the birth of a son William for all Scottish parishes between 1818-1822. The only William born to a James for these dates was born in Latheron on the north coast above Inverness. There are other James' and William's of earlier dates also found around Latheron.
"James" Gow, husband of Margaret Kinnear was defintely the father of our William Gow (monument seen in Kettins) and this is evidenced on William's death certificate dd 1912.
So, if we are right Grandpa "Gow" of Inverness is a "James" though the referenced Grandpa could even be a g grandpa or gg grandpa bearing a different name. But I suspect it is just Grandpa and with the name "James". He probabaly would have been born circa 1790 or earlier. Died??
Now to throw a curve at you - If this Grandpa of Inverness is actually from my mother's mother's maternal side then he is a "Scott". His name would be "John Scott" and born circa 1819 or before as his wife Janet Spalding was born in 1819.
It is key to understand that my mother said the cemetery was just by the side of the road as you approach the city and she remembered that the stone was easy to find and not far inside. However, that was in 1936 and the road and new burials may have changed that perspective. You would need to begin looking from a 1936 perspective and from there "not far inside".
Are there any records for Tomnahurich archived anywhere? If so, it would seem an easy matter through the records to search for the whereabouts of Gow's & Scotts buried there. I am sure the Gow's would be few. I'm sure the Scott's would be many, but perhaps not so many "not far inside and close to the road". If there is cost involved in such a search I am happy to send the necessary funds.
That's a lot of nuanced information but I want you to have as full an arsenal as possible if you really do go by and take a look. If the stone is not covered up my guess is you might find it "quite easily", just as my mother did,.
Thanks so much for your kind and generous offer of help on this Lyn. I have no timeline expectations. Our extended family has been waiting decades to unravel the mystery of Grandpa of Inverness.
Cheers & All the Best to You & Yours!
David
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Maia261
RootsChat Member
Posts: 133
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.natio
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OK David,
I'll answer you piece by piece. Inverness has one or two graveyards, a couple of which could have been beside a main road into Inverness in 1936 (and still are actually).
Tomnahurich being one of them, Chapel Yard being another, both on the left as you approach the city, which, by the way, wasn't a city until 2000. As for being referenced as the "old graveyard belonging to the city", although Tomnahurich has a lot of old stones, the ones beside the main road through Tomnahurich are very imposing stones and tend to be from "important" families in Inverness. (Could well be your family though as we haven't checked yet).
Both cemeteries contain old stones and could both be referenced as the "old graveyard belonging to the city", although I feel this would more likely be the Chapel Yard than Tomnahurich. I could well be wrong though.
Nonetheless I will begin searching Tomnahurich as soon as I can find the time, in the next couple of weeks most probably, I will write down all the names you have given me and search for both couples. Chapel Yard will have to wait a wee while though as it is only open Monday to Friday, office hours, as I work full time this will have to wait until I have some time off, which isn't until January I'm afraid. 
The Cemetery Office at Kilvean may be able to help you, contact details below. Not sure if they can do much without a lair number or such like but always worth a try as they are very helpful. Let me know if they can provide extra detail as every little helps.
Cemeteries and Crematorium Section
Transport, Environmental and Community Services
Administration Office
Kilvean Road
Inverness
IV3 8JN
Tel: 01463-717849
Fax: 01463-717850
E-mail:fiona.morrison@highland.gov.uk
As an aside, we do have some "famous" Gow's here in Inverness, in the shape of Harry Gow, Baker. Harry started in Burnett's Bakery in the 1950's, started his own bakery in Smithton, Inverness in the late 70's and has several very successful shops dotted around Inverness, Ross & Cromarty and Sutherland now, with the main bakery still in Smithton. I grew up in Smithton and, boy, were we spoilt when Harry Gow's opened up. (They are actually in what we would class as Culloden but they obviously think Smithton was more upmarket so we''ll let them have that one, only because it's where I grew up mind).
Anyway, let me know how you get on with Kilvean and meanwhile I will start my search. No cost involved, I do it for fun (Oh dear that doesn't sound very good, does it). I have had so much help in my search for my ancestors that I really enjoy returning the favour for some-one else that needs help.
Happy Thanksgiving and also all the best to you and yours
Lynn 
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Mackay Inverness, Ross and Cromarty & Sutherland
Watson Inverness-Shire & Ross and Cromarty
Douglas Inverness-Shire & Moray
Sutherland Caithness
Kilroe Inverness & Ireland
Paterson - Banff
Clark Glasgow & Ireland
Thomson Caithness
Montgomery Ross and Cromarty
Allanach Moray & Glenbucket, Aberdeen
Smith Banff
McLellan - Glenmoriston & Islay
Harvey Glasgow & Ireland
Miller Edinburgh & Caithness
Shearer - Caithness
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Martin Briscoe
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 421
J W L BRISCOE 72nd Highlanders
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The distinctive feature about Tomnahurich which I would have expected to be in the description is that there is a large hill in the middle. Most of the burials are around the hill with the older and more imposing ones around the base of the hill and on the top. I would say that the side nearest to the gates by the A82 main road has the oldest ones on the level part of the cemetery.
There are a couple of aerial views on Scotland's Places - search for Tomnahurich. Also some pictures around the cemetery on the HER.
Also a few pictures of Chapel Yard on the HER. It is more conventional old cemetery with wall around it.
MB
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BRISCOE - Bolton, Heaton Norris, Rochdale, Oldham, Chadderton, Blackburn
POUNDER - Middleton Tyas, Kirkbymoorside, Stokesley, Lambeth, Bolton, Newcastle on Tyne, Leeds
HAMMOND - Quebec, Laverton, Masham, Grantley
SWALES - Laverton, Masham
O'Shea - Quebec
PARRY - Caerhun, Deiniolen, Clwt y Bont, Brynrefail, Tal y Sarn, Brynrefail, Bethesda
EVANS - Llanfihangel Bryn Pabuan, Maesmynis, Dowlais, Stockton on Tees, Hartlepool, Trealaw
HARVEY - Trentham, Sheriffhales, Llanfyllin, Llanferres, Minera
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