Looking for a death

[lydiaann]

The facts I have are these:

James Walker, b. 1865 (+/-1) Ingleston, Dumfries, son of William Walker and Isabella Paterson.  Married Helen Crouther (more commonly known as Carruthers) in Glasgow, 4 Oct, 1887.  Had issue: William, b. 1889; Jessie Carruthers, 1891-1918; James, b. 1896; Annie Carruthers,, 1897-1960.  All censuses are available up to and including 1911.  He was still alive at the time of his wife's death in 1930 (I have the registration info) and was a Brigade Fireman in Glasgow.  A family member (his niece) reported some 10 years ago - when I started researching the family line - that he had "died in a fire in Glasgow and was buried in Riddrie Cemetery".  That family member is now 95 and has total dementia.  At the time of reporting, her memory was 'iffy' (it was early in her Alzheimer's history) but most of her memories of him have proved correct.  However, she could not remember when he died (she was born in 1922) but remembered knowing him. 

Even though I have searched SP I cannot find him (having wasted 30 credits already); there is also no record of him among the records available on-line for Riddrie Cemetery.  Any idea where I should go from here, please?

[Milliepede]

Have you checked newspapers for his death in a fire? 

[RJ_Paton]

Have you tried contacting the Scottish Fire Service - they have their own archives and may be able to provide further information especially if the claim about dying in a fire turns out to be accurate.

http://www.firescotland.gov.uk  has contact details for the museum in Greenock which covers the West of Scotland

[MonicaL]

lydiaann, not what you are looking for but just for your records. James looks to have been born in 1863 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYBM-TMN

Monica 

[MonicaL]

Thinking of your mention of Riddrie, have you looked at and discounted this death?

James WALKER, 71 died 1934 in Dennistoun - ref 644/4 721
   
Monica

[lydiaann]

Thank you so much for all the swift replies.

MonicaL:  That's a totally different James Walker (one of the 'wasted' SP certificates!), but thanks for looking anyway.
Milliepede:  Until I get the actual year of his death, it will be difficult to check newspapers.  I'm thinking that he would not have been a fireman after the age of 65-70?  After the war, he would have been too old, and the relative gave the impression that he died prior to the war.
MonicaL:  Can't think how I missed that one!  Thanks so much - I think I have become so immersed in the minutiae of this particular family that I automatically assumed I'd completed that step
Falkyrn:  I'll try them, thanks for the heads up on that one.  Watch this space!

[MonicaL]

It was the right death? If it was, does the cause of death confirm any of the details your were told?

Also, with a specific death date, you can check the Glasgow Herald for a possible death notice  http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC

Too early really for scanned online issue of the Evening Times. This gets more complete in later years https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2mus-XyGPC0C&hl=en

Monica 

[Rockford]

Hi

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website has a Heritage Guide on their website which has details of incidents in Glasgow where firefighters were lost.  It doesn't state that it includes every incident, but covers a wide time period and James is not one of those listed.

The link to the relevant page is http://www.firescotland.gov.uk/the-firefighters-heritage-trail.aspx

Coming at it from a slightly different angle, what was the address at which his wife died in 1930?  The Mitchell Library in Glasgow has copies of voters' rolls which, I think, are arranged by address in the time period covered.  I might be in the library this week or next and would be happy to have a look to see if James is listed at the address for a period after 1930 - might help you narrow down the timeframe for searches on SP.  I believe the voters' rolls are on Ancestry and also searchable electronically in the library itself - see here https://www.glasgowfamilyhistory.org.uk/ExploreRecords/Pages/Voters-Rolls.aspx

Best wishes

Rockford

[lydiaann]

Monica:  It was the 'wrong' death...I checked the certificate but the parents and missus were all wrong.  Thank goodness Scottish registrations mean we can check the parents of a decedent!  I will try the Glasgow Herald link though.
Rockford:  The Voters Rolls looks an interesting site, it may help to confirm some other facts in both Scottish families I am researching - thanks, I'll try that.

When I started this, I didn't really know what questions to ask that were most important and, as far as the relative is concerned (the last one of the family in her generation), it's now too late sadly. 

Thank you everyone for all this.  I shall poke around all of these links and if I come up with anything, I'll be sure and let you know!  Thanks again.