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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: scottishlad on Tuesday 30 January 24 15:31 GMT (UK)

Title: Death Certificate
Post by: scottishlad on Tuesday 30 January 24 15:31 GMT (UK)
“On 1st March 1884 in the Forth and Clyde Canal opposite(?) the(?) __ foundry in Kintilloch in the parish of Kirkintilloch and county Dunbarton
Not forced(?)”

I did find that there was a foundry in kirkintilloch, perhaps that blank word is “Iron” though the handwriting looks like jar or something.
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: AlanBoyd on Tuesday 30 January 24 15:35 GMT (UK)
Not fixed?
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: AlanBoyd on Tuesday 30 January 24 15:44 GMT (UK)
I'm guessing that this is your man. It would fit 'No fixed' [abode]

Friday 07 March 1884: Galloway News and Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser

Quote
About 9 p.m. on Saturday, while a family of travelling tinkers named M'Kenzie, consisting of father, mother, and several grown-up children, were going westwards along the canal bank at Kirkintilloch, the father, named Isaac, fell into the canal. The family were so much intoxicated as to be powerless as to render help, and though the alarm was raised, before the man could be rescued he was unconcious, and died in the police-office.
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: scottishlad on Tuesday 30 January 24 15:53 GMT (UK)
I'm guessing that this is your man. It would fit 'No fixed' [abode]

Friday 07 March 1884: Galloway News and Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser

Quote
About 9 p.m. on Saturday, while a family of travelling tinkers named M'Kenzie, consisting of father, mother, and several grown-up children, were going westwards along the canal bank at Kirkintilloch, the father, named Isaac, fell into the canal. The family were so much intoxicated as to be powerless as to render help, and though the alarm was raised, before the man could be rescued he was unconcious, and died in the police-office.

Definitely him! (unfortunately). May I ask how you found that so quickly? haha I've looked at the british news archive before for other articles including this one (seeing as it was a drowning I figured there may be a newspaper blurb on it somewhere, but was never able to find anything). One of my ancestors died after being run over by a train. I figure there has to be an article somewhere about that, but I haven't had any luck yet. Anyway thank you very much for your help
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: AlanBoyd on Tuesday 30 January 24 15:58 GMT (UK)
It was indeed a search at BNA. I used ‘canal’ and ‘kirkintilloch’ and filtered for March 1884. Just lucky I think, although I do waste a lot of time doing these searches.

And yes, I agree, run over by a train, there must be something in the newspapers.
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: tonepad on Tuesday 30 January 24 16:46 GMT (UK)
"Star Foundry"

https://www.edlc.co.uk/heritage-arts/local-history/industrial-heritage/iron-founding



Tony
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: AlanBoyd on Tuesday 30 January 24 17:11 GMT (UK)
Tony's linked article explains that the Star Foundry became the South Bank Iron Works, but continued to be referred to by its old name locally. That explains why I couldn't see a good match by looking at maps. Here is a link to a map view showing the South Bank Iron Works on the 1899 OS map. My guess is that they were travelling along the north bank of the canal.

http://tinyurl.com/55xzusnd  (http://tinyurl.com/55xzusnd)
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: scottishlad on Tuesday 30 January 24 18:32 GMT (UK)
It was indeed a search at BNA. I used ‘canal’ and ‘kirkintilloch’ and filtered for March 1884. Just lucky I think, although I do waste a lot of time doing these searches.

And yes, I agree, run over by a train, there must be something in the newspapers.

I was able to find it myself now by using some new search terms. I had been searching for “McKenzie” in the past, however the article spells it “M’Kenzie”. I’ll have to search around using broader search terms in the future. Thank you!
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: MonicaL on Tuesday 30 January 24 20:16 GMT (UK)

...I had been searching for “McKenzie” in the past, however the article spells it “M’Kenzie”. I’ll have to search around using broader search terms in the future....


M'Kenzie is often used to cover spelling variations of Mac/Mc for a surname.

If you get the option to use wildcards (such as on Scotlands People) it will pick up on both formats. Often when you think it is Mc, you will find it was sometimes recorded as Mac or vice versa ::)

Monica
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: AlanBoyd on Wednesday 31 January 24 07:14 GMT (UK)
At BNA you are also up against the quality of the newsprint/OCR. There are two reports of this incident that I can see. In the one that I transcribed the OCR text has M'Kenzie while the other (has less detail so I didn't mention it) has "lil'Kenzie"

Saturday 08 March 1884 
Glasgow Weekly Herald
Quote
AT KIRLINTILLOCH.— (bout nine o'c)ock on Saturday night travelling tinker name Isaac lil`Kenzie fell into the canal at Kirkintilloch, and was drowned.

search:
M'Kenzie: not found
McKenzie: not found
Kenzie: found
M*Kenzie: not found


Friday 07 March 1884 
Galloway News and Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser
Quote
About 9 p.m. On Saturday, while a family of travelling tinkers named M'Kenzie, consisting of father, mother, and several grown-up children, were going westwards along the canal bank at Kirkintilloch, the father, named Isaac, fell into the canal. The family were mach intoxicated as to be powerless as to render help, and though the alarm was raised, before the man could be rescued he was unconcions, and died in the policeoffice.

search
M'Kenzie: found
McKenzie: not found
Kenzie: found
M*Kenzie: found

Obviously this is a small sample, but maybe it's always worth trying the name without any prefix if all else fails?
Title: Re: Death Certificate
Post by: scottishlad on Wednesday 31 January 24 11:17 GMT (UK)
At BNA you are also up against the quality of the newsprint/OCR. There are two reports of this incident that I can see. In the one that I transcribed the OCR text has M'Kenzie while the other (has less detail so I didn't mention it) has "lil'Kenzie"

Saturday 08 March 1884 
Glasgow Weekly Herald
Quote
AT KIRLINTILLOCH.— (bout nine o'c)ock on Saturday night travelling tinker name Isaac lil`Kenzie fell into the canal at Kirkintilloch, and was drowned.

search:
M'Kenzie: not found
McKenzie: not found
Kenzie: found
M*Kenzie: not found


Friday 07 March 1884 
Galloway News and Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser
Quote
About 9 p.m. On Saturday, while a family of travelling tinkers named M'Kenzie, consisting of father, mother, and several grown-up children, were going westwards along the canal bank at Kirkintilloch, the father, named Isaac, fell into the canal. The family were mach intoxicated as to be powerless as to render help, and though the alarm was raised, before the man could be rescued he was unconcions, and died in the policeoffice.

search
M'Kenzie: found
McKenzie: not found
Kenzie: found
M*Kenzie: found

Obviously this is a small sample, but maybe it's always worth trying the name without any prefix if all else fails?

Very interesting thank you! I plan on trying to track down that other ancestor of mine today using these strategies.