Thanks Allan.
Jessie is a derivation of Janet and commonly interchangeable in Scotland. It is also used as the pet name for Janet and it is quite likely the mother was known as Jessie by friends and family. I think this is another tick
I haven’t done a lot of research in Canada but have mainly used Familysearch and cemetery sites such as findagrave.com, which is where I found Malcolm and his second wife. Some towns/cities have their own searchable cemetery databases and occasionally by Googling a name and year you may find an old newspaper record such as a death notice. Ancestry also covers Canada.
I can’t say for sure why the family were emigrating but, from what I can gather, living conditions in Paisley were quite harsh at that time, with overcrowding, poor sanitation and outbreaks of illnesses like cholera and influenza following rapid industrialisation, and it could have just been for the usual reasons of looking for a better life and prospects but, given the family’s business as shawl manufacturers it is also possible that Malcolm was hoping to develop a market for the family’s line in shawls. While financial collapse and unemployment were common in Paisley at this time the family business appears to have survived quite well. In the 1851 census three of the brothers between them were employing 368 workers. In 1861 one brother John was employing 300. When the father died in 1866 he left a reasonable sized estate and the business was still operating in the name of son John.
Malcolm who immigrated to Quebec also seems to have done quite well. Canadian records describe him as a Merchant and an 1892 Business and Farmers Directory describes him in the business of “dry goods, groceries and crockery”. Two sons are also listed, both working for him as clerks, so a wholesaling business of some kind.
I think the shawl weaving industry went into decline in the 1870’s, so maybe Malcolm made the right move.
Unfortunately none of the McKechnie business flare has trickled down to me
Good luck with your project Allan and thank you again for posting those girl’s names, who appear to have been my gt grandmother’s cousins. She immigrated to NZ in 1860 at age 16, just her and another girl, brave souls.
Best wishes,
Bob
