Headstone pictures CAMBUSNETHAN CHURCHYARD WISHAW

[Lodger]

If you check the original marriage certificate of Robert Douglas & Janet Marchbank it will state his status at the time of marriage, either single or a widower. I've already added the only Douglas - Marchbank entry I could find, it's on page 36 of this topic.
Couldn't find anything for a Douglas - Anderson combination, sorry. I have checked through all the other information you sent and this is everything I could find - -

All of the following were interred in the old churchyard and, all dates are of course, of interment.

MARY MUIR, 121 Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow. Aged 77 years, widow.
parents - John Douglas & Christina Douglas.
19th November 1908.

JESSIE M. DOUGLAS, Wishaw, aged 8 months.
Parents - Robert Douglas & Jane Dougall.
18th February 1863.

ELIZABETH T. MUIRHEAD, Wishaw, aged 25 years.
Parents - William Hamilton & Elizabeth Douglas.
11th February 1878.

STILLBORN MALE HARRISON, Wemyss Bank Orchard.
Parents - John Harrison & Agnes Douglas.
12th June 1872.

MARY HARRISON, Wishaw, aged 11 months.
Parents - John Harrison & Agnes Douglas.
16th May 1879.

If I come across anything else I'll get back to you.

[Teya]

I don't believe Mary Muir belongs to me but the rest of your list are my clan!
Thanks.

[Lodger]

Teya, it looks as though your theory about Robert Douglas and Charlotte Brunt is correct.
I found the following entries in the Wishawtown Relief Church Baptism Register. (1831 - 1864).

CHRISTINA, 1st child of Robert Douglas, baker and Charlotte Brant, Low Wishaw.
Born 28th January 1849. Baptised by Rev Peter Brown 29th July 1849.

JOHN, 2nd child of Robert Douglas, baker and Charlotte Brunt, Low Wishaw.
Born 10th April and baptised 27th April 1851 by Rev P. Brown.
Note in margin - Child died 9th May 1851.

MARY MUIR, 4th child of Robert Douglas, baker and Janet Marchbank, 124 Main Street.
Born 30th October and baptised by Rev P. Brown 5th December 1858.

This can hardly be Janet Marchbank's 4th child if she only married Robert in 1857.

There are lots more of your family in this baptism book, I presume you have the details but, if you don't, just let me know.

[Teya]

Mary Muir is a mystery. Could she be from a previous marriage?
Unfortunately I have only one Robert Douglas without a wife.
Could Christina Brunt be married to Robert Douglas b.1816, s/o Thomas Douglas and Sarah Nesbit? What years does the Baptismal Record Book record? I'm sure it might be helpful to fill in more of my blanks.
Thanks.

[Lodger]

The baptism register only begins at 1832 unfortunately.

We already know, from the burial records, that Robert Douglas the baker was the son of John Douglas and Elizabeth Young. His age at death was given as 35 years and his status was "married". This would make him born around 1826. I found another child for him -

ELIZABETH, 5th child of Robert Douglas, baker and Janet Marchbank, Marshall Street.
Born 25th April and baptised by Rev Peter Brown 2nd June 1861.

[Lodger]

More extracts from the Wishawtown Relief Congregation baptism book.
(Remember, it only begins at 1833).

JAMES, 4th child of John Douglas, weaver and Elizabeth Young, Low Wishaw.
Born 5th and baptised 26th May 1833 by Rev Peter Brown.

HELEN, 5th child of John Douglas, weaver and Elizabeth young, Low Wishaw.
Born 13th and baptised 26th July 1835 by Rev Peter Brown.

JOHN, 2nd child of William Hamilton, miner and Elizabeth Douglas, Marshall's Row.
Born 13th October and Baptised 4th November 1849 by Rev. P. Brown.

ISABELLA TELFORD, 3rd child of William Hamilton, miner and Elizabeth Douglas, Kirk Road.
Born 27th July and baptised 22nd August 1852, by Rev. P. Brown.

JANET DOUGLAS, 5th child of William Hamilton, cloth merchant and Elizabeth Douglas, Kirk Road.
Born 18th December 1857 and baptised by Rev. Peter Brown 7th February 1858.


ELIZABETH YOUNG, 1st child of Thomas Sommerville, carter and Elizabeth Douglas, distillery.
Born 22nd December 1853 and baptised by Rev P. Brown 15th January 1854.

JAMES, 2nd child of Thomas Sommerville, carter and Elizabeth Douglas, Low Wishaw.
Born 16th and baptised 30th March 1856 by Rev. Peter Brown.

JOHN DOUGLAS, 3rd child of Thomas Sommerville, carter and Elizabeth Douglas, 194 Main Street.
Born 8th September and baptised 3rd October 1858 by Rev P. Brown.


AGNES TENNANT, 5th child of Robert Douglas, clerk and Jane Dougal, 141 Main Street.
Born 19th May and baptised by Rev. Peter Brown 1st July 1860.

JANET MUIRHEAD, (6th?) child of Robert Douglas, clerk and Jane Dougal, 141 Main Street.
Born 23rd June and baptised 6th July 1862 by Rev. P. Brown.

ELISA JANE, (7th?) child of Robert Douglas, clerk and Jean Dougal, 141 Main Street.
Born 4th (December?) 1863 and baptised by Rev. James Scott 3rd January 1864.

[Lodger]

Here is the man himself! The Reverend Peter Brown, he was minister at the Relief Church from 22nd December 1831 and remained there until 15th November 1863, he then went, with his wife and children, to take up a new appointment with the United Presbyterian Church in Melbourne, Australia.

[Teya]

The photo of Rev. Peter Brown is a great find. He would have seen this whole Douglas family. He would have likely married the younger Douglas/Brownlee family members if not other extended family members. Unfortunately my direct relatives, Janet Douglas Douglas was b. 1805 and married James Douglas abt. 1827, Cambusnethan. But they attended his church and half their children were baptized by him. When the news of the family's death while emigrating to Canada in 1857, he would be consoling daughter Elizabeth Douglas and William Hamilton and possibly son Robert Douglas who had recently moved and married in Leith.

I had much of the material for the baptisms sent but the entries also included father's occupation and where they lived which is interesting to have. Can you expand on what might have been happening in Scotland to the Home Weaving industry. So many of my relatives before they emigrated were all weavers for over a century!!! I've assumed that industrialization was taking over the industry and families didn't see how they would survive without this cottage craft.

[Lodger]

Yes, you're exactly right, weaving, as a cottage industry, had almost died out by the middle of the 19th century. There were a few exceptions, weavers of silk still plied their trade on hand-looms but, as far as I know, most of the silk weavers were in Hamilton, a few miles away from Wishaw. Power loom mills took over, the most famous one in this area was the mill at New Lanark, a mile outside the town of Lanark. Coal and ironstone mining was being introduced at the same time as the weaving trade was coming to an end, it must have been a real blow and a culture shock for the poor men who had to leave their looms to go down into the mines.

And yes once again, the Rev Brown would, as you say, have been closely involved with your family during his 30-year ministry at the Relief Church. The church was founded about 1822, before that date, the only church in the area was the parish church of Cambusnethan.