James Devine WW1 Medal - trying to return it to the family!

[tigger_lass]

Hi

My late step-father found a WW1 medal and we would like to find the family to return it to them - he found it metal-detecting but we don't know where or when

It was for 3396 Private James Devine, Scots Rifles. He died 2nd/3rd August 1916 in France. Ancestry shows his father received his effects as James was single when he died.

From looking at the 1911 Census they were living in Ferguson Street, Motherwell and James was an apprentice baker.

1911 DEVINE, JAMES (Census 639/ 22/ 17) Page 17 of 29

William       52 b Carluke
Jane L        52 b Lanark (initial is possibly Lang)
Daniel        21 b Glasgow
James        17 b Glasgow
Janet          15 b Glasgow
Jeanie         13 b Glasgow

Can anyone help us track down any relatives for this soldier so that we can pass the medal back to the family?

A newspaper article said he was killed on his 23rd birthday so he would have been born August 1893. The article (my brother saw this) stated the family lived in Dellburn Street, Motherwell.
His birth was 3/8/1893 in Mathieson St, Glasgow and his parents marriage was 3/9/1884 in Hamilton.

All help greatly accepted!

Tracey

[Lodger]

According to my 1925 street directory the family were still in Dellburn St, number 18b. William Devine, engineman, was the householder. Looks like James was an only son?
It could be difficult to find any family now, after 100 years. The "evens" side of Dellburn Street doesn't have any houses now, it is taken up by the Fire Station. It was 2-story tenement buildings all along that side, until the 1960s.
Perhaps the Heritage Centre in Motherwell would take the medal? Or, how about the Cameronian Museum in Hamilton?  (The Cameronians were the Scottish riffles).

[idmmdi]

Jane Lang Devine 1859-Oct 1928, and William Devine 1859-Jul 1940 are buried in Airbles Road cemetery, Motherwell. Findagrave.com has them listed but no headstone photo.

Jenny Devine (age 25) of 18 Dellburn St Motherwell left for Montreal & Quebec on 3/11/1921.

Janet Devine (age 29) of 11 Dellburn St, a domestic, returned from Toronto on 26/6/1926.

[scotmum]

1940 death notice for William only mentions late wife, Jane Lang. No other relatives listed. Died at 29 Dellburn Street (not seeing a number 29 on the 1935 valuation rolls, although there was a William Devina at  house 11).

A Thomas Devine, brother, was living with William and family at 1901.

[scotmum]

Janet Devine (age 29) of 11 Dellburn St, a domestic, returned from Toronto on 26/6/1926.

Janet seems to have gone back and forth. Latest I can see so far, was her heading back to Canada in November 1935 having come from there in July 1935. Still single at time.

Previous address in Toronto noted as 137 Howland Avenue. She was returning there to her employer, a Mrs Stafford, of same address.

[scotmum]

There also seems to have been another sister, Marion,  in 1901 census. Can see record of her heading to Canada in 1922 aged 30.

Other records indicate she was Marion Robb Devine b 5/7/1891.

Possibly on an Ancestry tree titled Les&Mags Family Tree. Maybe someone with a current subscription could contact the owner to check if they have any knowledge of descendants for the Devine family group.

[Poppy62]

Hi Tracey

Unfortunately I can't help, however hope you find the family as I'm sure they would be proud of their ancestors bravery.

Good Luck
Poppy

[tigger_lass]

Thanks Everyone for your help so far!

I've managed to trace a marriage for Daniel Devine (James' brother) to Agnes Struthers in 1918. It's not the clearest and I've asked Scotlandspeople for a rescan. Daniel's middle name appears to be Montgomery and there is a death record for a Daniel Montgomery Devine in Troon in 1971.

I've paid to look at William's death record and it was Daniel who registered his father William's death in Jul 1940 and his address was given as Troon so its likely the right one!

I guess I need to get to my local Scotlandspeople access point in Alloa to see the death record for Daniel to find out who registered it. Would it be worthwhile posting on the Ayrshire page in case anyone linked to the Devines is active there?

Tracey

[q98]

The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald 15 Nov 1968 edition contained an Intimation indicating Daniel M Devine and Agnes Struthers celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary in November 1968 at Lanark!  Source: http://www.ayrshire-roots.co.uk/vSignup/herald8.php