Purse family of Cambuslang

[blacksmithy]

Hi
I am currently researching the Purse family and so far am making really steady progress for once!!
Annie MS Welsh 1845-1916 
James Cameron Purse 1844-1926  - Colliery Blacksmith
 children - 7, although Matthew appears to have died aged 0 and Agnes 29years.

My query concerns their residences in the Cambuslang area which they moved to and are noted in the census records. 1881 - Flemington Row, 1881- Landward Dalton Hamlet, 1901 Lightburn Road.
- Would these rental houses been owned specifically by a particular mine company?
- Could workers stay on when they no longer worked for the mines?
- Also Annie left a Will amounting to £385 of bank deposits.  The Will was in her name not her husbands although she appeared to have no 'paid' occupation - was this the norm??  And would this have been a comfortable sum of money at the time?

in anticipation thank you for your time and thoughts
Blacksmithy

[EdBoyle]

Photo of Flemington Rows

http://www.edwardboyle.com/EB/Cambuslang/view%20from%20the%20bing%201.JPG

[Forfarian]

Annie left a Will amounting to £385 of bank deposits.  The Will was in her name not her husbands although she appeared to have no 'paid' occupation - was this the norm??

Yes. This is well after the time when married women were regarded as their husband's property, and in any case there was nothing to debar married women having property of their own.

And would this have been a comfortable sum of money at the time?

According to one web site, £385 in 1916 would be the equivalent of about £38,000 today. Not a huge amount if you consider the cost of a care home, but several years' worth of the current basic state pension of about £8,500 in 2018.

[MonicaL]

Just as background in case you have not yet come across this site www.scottishmining.co.uk/235.html

Monica

[Rosinish]

"James Cameron Purse 1844-1926  - Colliery Blacksmith

My query concerns their residences in the Cambuslang area which they moved to and are noted in the census records.
1881 - Flemington Row,
1881- Landward Dalton Hamlet,
1901 Lightburn Road

Could workers stay on when they no longer worked for the mines?"

Some additions;

1885 - Flemington Row
1895 - Lightburn

Not sure if this is the same person or father & son?

1905 - Springwell, Halfway, Cambuslang
1905 - Shop, 111 Hallside, Cambuslang

1915 - There's a 'Proprietor' Mrs Annie Purse, of many addresses in Cambuslang, I don't see anything for James?

Then...

1920 - PURSE JAMES CAMERON
Proprietor Occupier
HOUSE BRUNTSHIELS 19 LIGHTBURN ROAD CAMBUSLANG
DRAINAGE LIGHTING AND SCAVENGING
VR010700343-

It's possible James was still working for the Colliery as 'Scavenging' seems to have had a different meaning to what we know it?

Annie

[MonicaL]

Annie, given the reference you found to 'DRAINAGE LIGHTING AND SCAVENGING', the word scavenging closer to this meaning here www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scavenge

I have often seen the word pop up re housing on the Scottish Mining site, such as here www.scottishmining.co.uk/237.html

Scavenged at owners' expense

Scavenged weekly

No scavenging done by owners

Monica

[MonicaL]

Blacksmithy, just realised that you made your post last year.

Hopefully you have managed to make much progress!

Monica

[Rosinish]

Annie, given the reference you found to 'DRAINAGE LIGHTING AND SCAVENGING', the word scavenging closer to this meaning here www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scavenge

Yes Monica, I was thinking it was possibly to do with 'Chemicals' or along those lines & of course 'Drainage' being a must underground?

Do you think this was the case & working for the Colliery hence living at what I assume to be a Colliery address?

Annie

[MonicaL]

From what you found Annie from 1920, James Cameron Purse looks to own the property he showed at doesn't he. Maybe he offered this service to maintain not just miners' households. At this time, likely a vital service to household...

Monica