cemetery help

[blacksmithy]

Hi
This is a basic question however I have just found a number of family names in the Intimations from the Watt Library Index and have matched these up with some death certs and have now also been able to confirm family prior to 1855 on the OPR.  Can I assume (would prefer not to hence the posting) that if john Welch died 7th July 1867 at Cross Kilbarchan, then he would be resting in the Kilbarchan cemetery?  He death cert registration to in Kilbarchan.  How would I check this out?  His wife Mary (nee Caldwell) died 16 August 1877 in Greenock (were the death is registered) so they are probably not together although not sure what the custom would have been. 

In anticipation, thanks for your help
Blacksmithy

[RJ_Paton]

While in all likliehood the person concerned was buried in Kilbarchan it isn't always the case - it was the case that deaths were registered and recorded in the area they occurred.

Family connections will often dictate where a burial will occur rather than the residence at the time of death. e.g. The person may have been "new" to the Kilbarchan area and all the rest of the family came from Greenock in which case the funeral & Burial would be in the latter area.

[DonM]

Email p-c.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Provide his name, parents name and date of death and ask nicely if he lays there as well as his wife.

Don

[RJ_Paton]

Sorry, forgot to add that Religion, sadly, also plays a part in the final resting place.

[carolineasb]

Actually as he died in the village of Kilbarchan at the Cross, he may not be buried in the "Kilbarchan Cemetery" as that lies just outside the village and may be in one of the Church grave yards within the village if he was not Roman Catholic.

I do have a contact who I believe has an index of the East Church graveyard but it may be that the West Church graveyard closed to burials before that date.

I will check and get back to you asap.

Carolineasb

[blacksmithy]

Good evening
thank you all for you helpful comments and thoughts.  I have not been ignoring you but have been away (school holidays here!).

I am trying to come to terms with the local geography and due to the helpful postings now see that it is probably unlikely to be the Kilbarchan cemetery. If I have my places correct, then the Cross is on the corner of Church and Steeple Streets forward of the West Church. Please correct me if I am wrong!

John was born c1791 Newton Stewart Wigtownshire (to John Welch and Mary Ewing). John had a smith and farrier business in Townfoot (which I gather used to be at the end of Church Street but more opposite Merchants Close).  Thus he has an affinity with this area over most of his lifetime. 

Mary Caldwell was born in Kilbarchan 1793ish to William Caldwell (b 1760, farmer) and Janet Speir (1764).  Again Mary appears to have a greater affinity with Kilbarchan but moved to Greenock to be with family after John died.

I located the East Church graveyard list but could not find them entered there although note there are some unidentified plots.  However I have not been able to locate a West Church index. 
I have no information on religion apart from the next future generation appear to be Presbyterian (although are living in Canada).

I would be very grateful for any further assistance you may be able to provide me with in locating their final resting place. 

Kind regards
Blacksmithy

[carolineasb]

Hi there again,

I assume you found the list of lairs on the East Church website?

The Kilbarchan Cemetery did not open until about 1900 so it is too far ahead for your people. 

My contact who has been indexing the inscriptions from the East Church does not have anyone with the Welch name or anything close, however, it may be that he was buried in a lair owned by someone with a different name.  Do you have any other family names in the area?  Caldwell and Speir(s) are relatively common names in Kilbarchan.  Unfortunately, unless his name was added to the stone, that is if he was buried there and the grave has a stone, then we may not be able to find if he was indeed buried in Kilbarchan.  I will though try and find out more info for the West Church.

I believe that there was a farrier and garage business in the bottom end of Church Street/Merchants' Close area until well into the 20th Century.  The area is shown in one of the recent Scotrail adverts on TV!

Carolineasb

[blacksmithy]

Thanks so much for your help.
Yes I did find the list of lairs on the East Church website.

Mary and John did have a son Alexander Welch at Kilbarchan (also a blacksmith) who died 30th October 1867.  This was the same year but a few months after his father John.  So not sure if this could be an option for finding a child or Mary.

My deductions suggest Mary had the following siblings which would be Caldwell surnames James 1780, William 1785, John 1788.

John Welch I think had a sibling called William Welch born c 1800 and he married Elizabeth Wallace.

Again thanks for your time.  I think I am beginning to come to the end of a fascinating paper journey and would love to start planning a real life journey.   

Now that I have a better geographical understanding I will go back to the Scotsrail add.

Regards
Blacksmithy