Where did George live in Greenock?

[cookies4]

Hi Elaine

I only have the record from ScotlandsPeople and it's a little difficult to read.  Now that you mention it though, under 'Infirmary Greenock' it has @***** Baxter Street'.  I took that as being the address of the Infirmary but it actually might say 'formerly, Baxter Street'.

My daughter has started to call him 'Bad George' for deserting his family but who knows what makes people do things.  It would be quite sad to think that he was destitute on his return from Canada.

Kit

Normally on a death entry, if the person has died in hospital it gives the 'usual residence'  underneath the name of the hospital. So I would say that Baxter Street was where he lived.

It appears to have been bombed in the 40s

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98346459@N00/2771452866/

A look at it on google street view shows it looks like the houses were built up again.
The Watt should have voters rolls for the 1920s if you can decipher the number.

[sancti]

Is it possible he got the boat from Liverpool to Greenock and became unwell?

[elaine447]

Kit do you know George's parents names
I have had a look through the Inverclyde BMD's
the George Gray Watson that tressle found
this may be the parents of that George
Matthew Watson and Marion Gray married 1874 in Greenock
there are plenty of Watsons on this site but it doesn't go up to 1920
and there is no mention of Baxter Street although there are some in the same area

Elaine
http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/GetAsset.aspx?id=fAAxADEANgA0ADAAfAB8AEYAYQBsAHMAZQB8AHwAMAB8AA2

[KitCarson]

Thanks for all your advice.  Plenty to work on now.

Elaine - George's parents were William Watson and Isabella Forbes and for generations the family were based around Rothes and Banff.  I can only presume, as sancti suggests, that he took a boat from Liverpool to Greenock.  I wonder if his illness prevented him from continuing his journey to his brother in Elgin.

Kit

[tressle]

Hi Kit

Apologies for not answering your earlier question, only just re-read the thread and realised you had asked it.  Yes I did get the information re the shipping list from A.....y.

Tressle

[Grey Seagull]

Hi,

Is it possible that it is Baker Street rather than Baxter Street?  Don't know if this puts it in St Mary's Parish or not.

And is it possible that although the destination of the boat was Liverpool that it actually stopped at Greenock first?

Or maybe he had been to visit his family in Elgin and he was on his way back to Canada.

If you look at the cause of death, you might be able to get an idea of how long he had been ill for which might help work out why he was there.

You could also try local newspapers in Canada to see if there is an obit plus also ships lists for Canada in 1920 to see if his name is on the list but scored out as a no-show.

Finally, you could contact the medical archivist at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow to see if he holds any records which would help.  Could the cause of death pinpoint the infirmary in which he died?  ENT, Eye, Royal, Larkfield, Fever, private nursing home?  You would need to know this to ask the archivist for information.

[sancti]

Looking at the original post again, the date of death is Aug 1920 and the Ancestry record gives the journey from Canada as 1919. It is possible that he took unwell on the return journey after visiting his brother.

What was the cause of death?

[KitCarson]

GreySeagull and Sancti, to answer your questions:

Not a good image of the record but looks like Baxter, not even sure is its street, but road doesn't really fit with the amount of letters.

Looks like he died of 'Liber (liver?) P*****ia.  No timeframe offered.  I'll see if my daughter can help me post and image.  May just have to bite the bullet and buy the certificate.  Don't know if there is likely to be more than one Infirmary in Greenock at the time, but can make some enquiries.  The Mitchell Library sounds like a good option.  Maybe have a day out over in the West and do some rooting around.

I'll do as you suggest and look for any newspaper articles in Canada.

Isn't it funny how we become so involved in our 'ancestors' lives.  It looks as if GGW wasn't actually a relative anyway.  He appears to have deserted his wife around 1908 and then his wife had a child in 1910 who she gave up for adption.  Its the adopted child, Helen Edgar or Watson as she is recorded, who is the link.

Many thanks for your suggestions and please keep them coming.  Kit

[KitCarson]

My wiz of a daughter has helped me to attach an image of George's death record.  As you can see, portions of it are not too easy to read.  We now think the cause of death could be Lober Pneumonia?

Your thoughts are very welcome.  Kit