Completed: Robert Watson drowned in the Dee - 1864 - Borgue

[Piglet01]

Hello,

Can anyone help?

On the 'female' side in my wifes family I have a Robert Watson, married to a Margaret Bertram  (married  in St Cuthberts Church in the parish of Dolphinton on the 25 June in 1852.  There is the potential for confusion as to their marriage date, as both the OPR copy downloaded from SP and from the (IGI), both give the date of marriage as 13, June 1852.  This is probably due to a misreading of  posting of the banns).             
He was a lighthouse keeper.  They'd children born in Aharacle, Tyree and latterly Borgue.  He drowned in the river Dee on 05 April, 1864 - aged 35.  I've attached the entry from SP.

A few questions.

1.  Can anyone make out fully what is in the column 'When and Where died'.
2.  A drowning I'd have thought, involving a married man with 6 children would have made a paragraph in a local newspaper - any suggestions where I could get access online to such if it exists?
3.  Any suggestions where he might be buried?  Any help is appreciated.

As a matter of interest his widow died in 1919 in Lanark - not having remarried .

Thanks very much.  Regards,   Steve

[JoMC]

Hello Steve

It says after River Dee,  usual residence Little ?Cape  but it also says 'body not yet found in Col. 6.
I have the MIs for Borgue and the surrounding parishes and will look to see if there is anything.
I don't think there are any online newspapers. They are most likely at the Ewart in Dumfries or Kirkcudbright Museum/Archives.

[Callywoods]

The usual residence is Little Ross which is an island with a lighthouse in Kirkcudbright Bay. When I am next in Castle Douglas (probably Tues) I will see if there was anything in the local papers.  Best wishes Mary

[JoMC]

Hi

I have found an MI for Robert in Senwick Churchyard. It reads -

By Margt Watson in memory of husband Robt Watson, lighthouse keeper of Little Ross. Drowned 5.4.1864 35, son William R d. 11.6.1863 10months

[Piglet01]

JoMc

You're a star,

Thanks very much for your time and effort.  Much appreciated.  Shall close this query now.

Regards,   Steve  :O)

[Piglet01]

Oops too quick with the last reply - skipped to the last post by JoMc

Thanks for your interest Mary (Callywoods).  Any input would be very much much appreciated.  I like to put as much 'flesh' on to my/our anscestors as possible and am not happy with just dates.  :O)

Thanks again.  I look forward to your response.

Regards,   Steve

PS - A further request - is anyone able to make out the 'Name and maiden surname of ' of his mother - ? Margaret Small?

[Northerngirl]

Hi Piglet

I couldn't help but notice that your ancestor drowned in the River Dee in 1864.  Like you I had an interest in a possible drowning victim for my very, very, very elusive ggg grandfather who died in 1843.

Because of this I went to the Ewart Library in Dumfries in great anticipation that the poor fellow would be he - alas it was not but another poor soul.  However what is interesting is that the Ewart have indexed all their newspaper articles and categorized them by accidents.  The indexes go from the late 1700 up to modern day and so if your relative was reported then the article could be easily found.  I wonder if some kind person who has access to the Ewart could look at the index  as you have given the date and the cause of death.

Best of luck

J.A.

[Piglet01]

Thanks very much for that J.A

Another request for any poster that reads the thread.  I've had a closer look at his death entry (attached above), and have a few more queries on it - apart from mothers maiden name.

1.  Fathers occupation. 
2.  Can anyone make out what originally was scored out in the cause of death column. 
3.  If he was 35 in 1864 - that means he was born in abt 1829.  I've done a search on SP for all of Scotland (between 1820 - in case he was and come up with 21 Robert Watsons, born to a father who was John Watson.  Only 2 wives named Margaret.  A Robertson and a Murray.

Thanks very much.  Steve   :O)

[Piglet01]

An update.

From the NAS - by letter following a telephone query (shortened here).  A record of Robert Watson's service with the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses is contained in a register of lightkeepers.  He served in 3.  Ardnamurchan, Skerryvore, and transferred to Little Ross on 20 March 1864.

His death is noted in a  minute book of the Commissioners meeting of 18 May 1864. 
"The Secretary intimated that on 5th April the Assistant Light Keeper Little Ross had gone to Kirkcudbright to purchase Provisions, and when returning in the Afternoon with the Boatman and his Grandson, the boat had been upset and the whole party drowned.  That the body of the Boy had been found two days afterwards and Watson's (the Assistant) had not been found till 7th Current, while the body of the Boatman had not as yet been recovered....  The Secretary then submitted a Will by Watson in favour of his Widow and he was authorised to pay over the amount of his Insurance to her".

Apparently there was further communication regarding the suitability of the means of store provision by the boat from the Procurator Fiscal which was rebutted by the Commissioners.

Shall have to view the originals - one day........ Thanks for the help given.  So now have 2 dates to check for in old papers...

Regards,   Steve   :O)