Jessie McGregor 1879-1951, born Alexandria

[MonicaL]

All needs to be confirmed via marriage cert for Elizabeth to John Fleming and then her birth cert...but this may be the link to the McGregor family being discussed for Jessie and Elizabeth/Bessie.

In 1881, at Bridge Street, an address which features strongly with this McGregor family line:

Alexander McGregor 68 gen lab. b. Drymen, Stirlingshire
Janet McGregor 64 b. Kilmarnock, Dumbartonshire
Alexander McGregor 38 son
Jessie McGregor 36 daughter
Robert McGregor 27 son
Elizabeth McGregor 5 granddaughter

Address: 130 Bridge St, Bonhill

Marriage discussed earlier for Elizabeth and Jessie's parents:

john mc gregor married margaret mcgowan, 20/11/1875 bonhill, dunbarton

Confirming details from this cert would let you verify Elizabeth's parents' details.

[MonicaL]

Travelling to Canada and arriving on the 'Sicilian', the Flemings arrived in Montreal on 16 Aug 1902 from Glasgow.

John Fleming, 28 grocer
Mrs Fleming 26
William 5
John 3
David 2

1921 in Tarentorus Township, Algoma West, Ontario:

John Fleming 47
Elizabeth Fleming 45
David Fleming 20
Robert Fleming 18
Alexandra Fleming 13
Jessie Fleming 11
Agnes Fleming 7
Andrew Fleming 6

Monica

[mamad]

I have just had a look at the marriage cert.
1896 Marriages  GROS: 493/00 0031
18 March 1896 at 120 Bridge Street, Alexandria.

Bessie McGregor was living at 120 Bridge Street, Alexandria. She was 19. Her parents are, wait for it, John McGregor, Printfield Hand, and Margaret McGowan. Witnesses were William Fleming and Jessie McGregor.

So you were in the right family. Seems they had a Bessie and Jessie!
Mags

[mamad]

Monica,

Just looked at your 1881 census info. Bessie's age at marriage matches Elizabeth on the census. The info I found on Jessie gave her address as 130 Bridge Street too.

Mags

[MonicaL]

Mags, that is great to hear confirmation 

Looks like Elizabeth showed with grandparents both in 1881/1891. By 1901, we have her married and living at 2 North St. with her young family. However, given that in 1891 the address for both grandparents and parents is 130 Bridge Street, hardly a stone throw away!

Monica

[pathfinder35]

Thanks for all the info.  "Besie" (most likely a nickname) in my family records was actually "Elizabeth"  in the census records.  I just got confused with Jessie and Bessie.  All the info and the records make sense now.  I just had the wrong family member.  Thank you

[mamad]

Hello Pathfinder35,

Glad you have it sorted. If you click on the link, you'll be able to see two of John Munnoch's paintings of Jessie. Perhaps you'll see a family likeness!

http://www.stirling-lhs.org/uploads/5/0/2/4/5024620/the_girl_2.pdf

Mags

[MonicaL]

Mags, thanks for adding that link. What a wonderful story and how interesting to read the effort to research John Munnoch's short life and the lucky breaks in finding out who his sweetheart was, Jessie McGregor.

Monica 

[mamad]

Hello Monica,

For information, John Munnoch is remembered on his family's gravestone in Uphall Cemetery, West Lothian.

Interestingly, his brother Peter, who was executor of his will, was appointed the Governor of Allan-Fraser Art College, Hospitalfield, Arbroath in 1909. In fact, John painted a picture of his brother Peter sitting at his desk and also Hospitalfield itself. Today, Hospitalfield is a residential art centre, music and conference venue. A few of John's paintings are still at Hospitalfield.

pathfinder35 - I have newspaper cuttings including a photograph of John Munnoch. Willing to email them to you.

Mags