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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Lanarkshire => Topic started by: sage on Saturday 30 July 11 06:32 BST (UK)
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Hi All,
I was wondering if there is anyone out there might have some local historic knowledge of the Wishaw/Cambusnethan area and can help me, firstly with a location of Kirk Knowe House...I know it was round about the old parish church at Cambusnethan but is it still there and does anyone have a photo of it? When Wm Watson (a well known local spirit merchant) passed away in 1910 he was resident there.
Janet Watson (previously Gibb and nee Jack) died at Watson's Land. From what I can determine based on census data this was located in the enumeration district 18 in 1881 which also comprised Braes Court, Brick Work Houses, Clelland Rd, Distillery Court, Distillery House, Glagow Rd, Low Main St, North End Cross and West End Cross. I know roughly where this area must be on a recent map but can anyone be a bit more specific? Would it be a large parcel of land or just a few houses?
With thanks, Sage.
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hi Sage :)
many times i have found that xxxxxx's land turns out to be a tenement type of
building
don't know if you have seen this ?
http://gordonhighlanders.carolynmorrisey.com/CasualtylistApril1917.htm
"lieut. john lawrence craig watson , son of the late mr and mrs william watson ,
of kirk-knowe house , wishaw lanarkshire"
and -
http://www.misterwhat.co.uk/company/1327026-kirkknowe-house-assessment-unit-wishaw
ev
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Hi Sage,
I can't find any mention of Watson's Land in the area you specify, there was a Watson's Land in Cambusnethan and one in Waterloo, neither of which is in the Low Main St area. There was also a Watsonsmid and a Watsonfoot but don't know which part of the town they were in. Are you sure you have the right area? According to the burial records she died in Cambusnethan, not Wishaw.
A "Land" was a "land o' houses" a tenement building or a row of 1 or 2 roomed cottages.
As for Kirk Knowe House, I don't think it has survived but leave that with me. It was in Cambusnethan Street, round about the numbers 209 - 219. It was still there in 1925 when it was occupied by Mrs A. Watson. (Is there a connection to Newmachar in Aberdeenshire with these Watsons?).
Cemetery records for the Private walled burial ground, between the old churchyard and the municipal cemetery at Cam'nethan.
Plot 446 & 447.
JANET WATSON. Housewife, Cambusnethan, aged 57 years, married.
Parents - George Jack and Jane Hill.
Interred in 447 on 12th November 1872.
AGNES WATSON. Cambusnethan, aged 2 weeks.
Parents - William Watson and Agnes Craig.
Interred in 446 on 5th February 1887.
WILLIAM WATSON. Spirit merchant, Cambusnethan, aged 79 years, married.
Parents - William Watson and Janet Lindsay.
Interred in 446 on 25th October 1910.
Lodger
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Hi Ev and Lodger,
Thanks both for your input. Lodger you were correct...the death cert for Janet Watson definitely says Watson's Land, Cambusnethan not Wishaw and that was in 1872. Quite possibly Wishaw had a Watson's Land also. I have found some reference to Kirk Knowe House on scotek.net site which suggests that it is somewhere up near the Horse and Anchor but on the other side of the road.
The Kirk Knowe House Assessment Unit is at 239 Cambusnethan St...I think it's known as the Cambusnethan Residential Children's House. However, I don't know if it's the original Kirk Knowe House.
The Mrs A. Watson you refer to Lodger is Agnes (Wm's second wife) nee Craig and yes, there was a connection to Aberdeenshire...Wm purchased an estate there called Rainnieshill. I've located the 1881 census for Wm and he was living at 220 Cambusnethan St (1st Floor). He was described as a general merchant with 33 acres of land. In 1891 he was still at this address and then in 1901 he was resident at Kirk Knowe. So it appears that the family were always at Cambusnethan!
Ev, the John Watson you refer to who died in the First World War was the son of Wm and Agnes Watson...thanks for that. There has been quite a bit of information put on the internet regarding this family. The two sons of Wm Watson and his first wife Janet Jack settled in Australia and a good deal of research has been done by families over there.
Thanks again for the help,
Sage.
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Sage,
There is an entry in the 1925 street directory for Wishaw that reads - "W.J. Watson, (beneficiary, Cambusnethan Street) Gancyhillock, Newmachar, Aberdeenshire".
Lodger
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There is also a modern residential complex
http://www.carehome.co.uk/carehome.cfm/searchazref/20006044KIRB
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1901 census
William Watson 69
William Currie 30
Andrew Currie 3
William Currie Juner 2
Bella Currie 28
Fanny Keliebar 24
Address: Kirk Knowe Cambusnethan
If you view the entry before and after on SP it may establish the actual location
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There is also a modern residential complex
http://www.carehome.co.uk/carehome.cfm/searchazref/20006044KIRB
This is no where near Kirk Knowe House.
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The Kirk Knowe House Assessment Unit is at 239 Cambusnethan St...I think it's known as the Cambusnethan Residential Children's House. However, I don't know if it's the original Kirk Knowe House.
Sage, I went along there today and the C/nethan childrens House is directly opposite the Horse & Anchor. It is a modern building, quite large and spread out over a fair-sized area, enclosed within what looks like the original garden wall of Kirk Knowe, complete with Victorian gateposts.
I've driven past there thousands of times and used to have a friend who lived just a few hundred yards along the street but I've never paid attention to that place before. The strange thing is, there is a small dead-end lane next to it with a "Land of houses" going down the right-hand side. If you go into this website and click the map to enlarge,
http://www.housepricespy.com/scotland/wishaw/cambusnethan-street/flat-1-194-ML2-8PW.html
The Horse & Anchor is to the left of Moss Rd, the Childrens House is right accross the street and then the little lane, which is part of Cam'nethan St, runs down the right side. I bet you anything that this building is Watson's Land, it's old enough.
Also went in to the cemetery and found a HUGE obelisk for the Watsons, it must be the tallest monument in the entire cemetery. I took some pictures, so if you send me your email address by pm I'll let you have them.
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Just for the sake of clarification...most of the census searches I do are off ancestry but I got the 1901 census return for Wm Watson off S/P and it reads down the page (29) starting at 228 Cambusnethan then 226, 224 & 222 and then Kirk Knowe.
Thanks very much for your input Lodger...very much appreciated.
Sage.
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Hello,
I know this is an old post but the location of the modern children's home (opposite the 'Horse and Anchor' pub) was until approximately 15 years ago the location of a large Victorian house which was also used as a children's home. My better half (who is a local) said it was known to the local children only as 'The big house'...
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Thanks CliffM,
That information supports Lodger's theory on the position of Kirk Knowe. I haven't investigated further but perhaps I could seek out an old photograph if it was still there just as recently as that. Thank you :)
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I lived in Cambusnethan in the 70's and back then it was as cliffm says a large victorian house.
I remember it being known as "the children's home" but don't know if there were still children in it during this time. There was a large front garden and the house sat quite far back from the front entrance...at least that's what I remember! For me it held an air of mystery. Such a shame that they demolish these buildings.
Jules
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Maybe late in the day but I remember The House you are referring to. It was opposite the pub now known as the Horse and Anchor (or Arse and honker depending on how much you had to drink) In my time it was called the Kirke Knowe Vaults and it was rumoured that there was a tunnel connecting the house and the pub. probably a good idea to prevent robbery after closing tinme
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Hi Patrick and welcome to Rootschat,
Thanks for your thoughts on Kirk Knowe House. Wm Watson was a spirit merchant but I don't know if he ever owned the Horse and Anchor (or whatever it might have been called back then) but the idea that it was possible to slip out of the premises via a secret tunnel is intriguing. It would save you being skittled by a horse and cart while you staggered home across the road too! ;D
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Hi Sage, are you still around? I've lost your email address!
Are you still interested in the Watson family? i have just discovered that my great-grandfather was related to William's second wife Agnes Craig, through her mother Agnes Gilchrist.
what is even more interesting is that when William died in 1910 he left £74,663 which in today's money is £8,541,695.
I just hope he spelled my name right in his will ;D ;D ;D
Are you still chasing Arnotts' ?
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Hi Lodger,
Yes, I'm still around...not doing as much research as I'd like to but keeping my hand in. I'll endeavour to unearth your email address, if not will send you a PM. Yes, I still dabble in 'ARMIT' research...in the case of Wm Watson, his first wife Janet Jack had been formerly married to John Gibb and that is another line I research. I have researched the two sons that Janet Jack had when married to Wm Watson and have some records pertaining to the children of Wm Watson and Agnes Craig. Quite a bit has been done online in respect to this family.
Wm Watson must have been an astute businessman as his Will suggests...his two sons to Janet Jack secured enough funds to get them to Australia!
Sage.