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Hello,
I wonder if anyone could help by narrowing down the date and also age of the person in the attached photograph that I've just been shown by a distant relative. I've had a look at the Glasgow Victorian photo studio website and this company seems to have been at their George's Cross address between 1891 and 1912. And their other two addresses may have only appeared on their photos between 1896 and 1905. Would anyone have an idea how old the person is? And also can anything be told from the clothes, furniture, etc? I have an idea that this is my great-grandfather's brother Edward Gillan born in 1887 in Garscadden, New Kilpatrick parish, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, but unsure if that fits with these dates. Any assistance would be gratefully received.
Many thanks.

Hello,
I have the same problem as many other people researching their Scottish-Irish family history as I have hit a brick wall (several times) in trying to trace my Irish ancestors who came to Scotland in the 1840s. The first record I have of my great x3 grandfather Patrick Gillan (also written as Gillon and Gillen) is in the 1851 census for Duntocher, Dunbartonshire, Scotland where he is stated as being born in Ireland - there is no further information given in any subsequent censuses - or any other official documents - as to town/county/province of origin. He was born around 1833 and died in 1877. He and nearly all of his male family members were involved in ironstone and coal mining in Garscadden, a purpose built mining village in Dunbartonshire, although when he first moved to Scotland he was an agricultural labourer. His parents were Thomas Gillan and Catherine Duffy, both born in Ireland. I know this surname is most common in counties Antrim, Derry, Donegal and Sligo but apart from that I don't really have much more to go on. I have a bit of an idea in my head that he came over from County Antrim but I am unsure now whether someone told me that or whether it was just an original assumption of my own. I realise that this is a familiar problem due to the loss of many Irish records but I was just wondering if anyone may have any ideas on where I could go from here as I'm really stuck on where to go now. I would love to find out where my Gillans originated from. Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Griogair

I wonder if anyone would be willing to have a go at adding a little colour to this photograph of my great-grandfather. I'm a bit of a photoshop novice but am able to repair rips and splodges etc, however adding colour has so far defeated me. Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Griogair

I've got a few Duntocher pictures here that I'd like to share. I'll try this one first and make sure that it works before I continue with the rest.

This first pic features who I’m 99% certain is my grandfather, John Thomson, in the back row and far left of the picture, and my grandfather’s brother, Alexander Thomson, fifth from the left in the back row. My granda was born in Duntocher in 1907 and his brother Alex was born in 1904 in Duntocher, and from the picture I’d say that they’re roughly in their mid 20s. So, using my (probably incorrect) logic the picture was taken sometime in the early 1930s. I presume the picture was taken in Duntocher or Hardgate and perhaps some eagle-eyed viewer may have an idea of which back garden it was taken in! I’m not sure at all what the occasion is; perhaps the accordion gives some sort of clue, I just don’t know, but it does look as if they’re dressed for a leisurely day out, perhaps the Duntocher Gala, or something similar. I’d be delighted to hear if anyone recognises someone from the picture.

More to come.....