Paisley and WW1 and Crawford family descendants

[ewontner]

Hello, I wonder if someone with access to Scottish records can help trace any potential living descendants from Paisley in Scotland.

I am researching the names of 305 men who died in WW1 and who are named on the Board of Trade War Memorial (located at 3 Whitehall Place in London). So far I've managed to track down 114 photos of all the men named (and do updated blog posts about a handful of the men.
For more info see: https://boardoftradewarmemorial.wordpress.com

One of the men named on the memorial is Robert Crawford who was born on 20 May 1892 in Paisley, Scotland. He served in the Kings Liverpool Regiment and died on 17 June 1916.
(see Ancestry family tree entry which I have created: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/116702037/person/390176989701/facts)

He also had another brother William Montgomery Crawford who died of his wounds on 5 September 1916 in Oxford.

Both brothers are named on the Paisley Grammar School War Memorial and the Paisley town memorial.

A photo of William Montgomery Crawford is published in the Glasgow Evening Times (but unfortunately not one of Robert Crawford). Could someone kindly get hold of the photo of William Montgomery Crawford?

I'd now like to try and trace what happened to the other siblings in the family if possible.

What I know so far is that William and Robert's parents were William Montgomery Crawford (1858 - 1935) and Jessie Marshall (1854 - 1913). I can find the family in Paisley in 1891 and 1901 Scottish censuses. I think William Montgomery Crawford was a Provost in Paisley. They lived at this address:
"Alma, Potterhill Avenue, Paisley"

They had two other children - John Crawford (born abt 1891) and Isabella Crawford (born abt 1896) but I can't find much more about them after the 1901 census. 

I am still hoping to find a photo of Robert Crawford by trying to identify some living descendants with help from Rootschat members

Thanks in advance for any help.

Ed

[ev]

Hi ,

Death Isabella McMichael(nee Crawford) , age 90 , 1986 . Paisley Renfrew , mother's maiden surname Marshall.

Marriage George McMichael / Isabella Crawford , 1922 , Paisley Renfrew.

Scottish Records - https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
You can search the indexes for free but credits are needed to view certificates , restrictions apply to recent certificates.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191446313/william-crawford

1911 Census Paisley Renfrew(573/1 105/2)
William Crawford 53
Jessie Crawford 56
William M Crawford 22


ev

[dowdstree]

You could try contacting the present Provost of Paisley to see if she can help you -

Lorraine Cameron  -  Cllr.lorraine.cameron@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Hope this helps

Dorrie

[carolineasb]

I note that a book on Google "Highland Light Infantry Chronicle" states that Second Lieutenant Wm M Crawford was educated in the John Neilson Institution and not PGS, have you a photo of the War Memorial in the Assembly Hall at PGS that shows his name?

Have you looked at the Evening Times in the Google Newspaper Archive as it's free although I don't know how far back the copies go?

[ewontner]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I haven't been able to view the Evening Times photo of William Montgomery Crawford as I don't live in Glasgow. If anyone is going to the library in Glasgow and has time to scan a copy of the photo from the newspaper archives and email the war.memorial @ trade.gov.uk that would be great!

[Graham C]

I believe I can help. After World War 1 William Crawford's wife died, I believe in the flu pandemic. Major John Crawford MC was shipped to the USA for treatment for his injuries, married his American Nurse and moved back to London. William stayed with his daughter Isa. When Isa got engaged William then remarried a much younger lady Janet Falconer. This caused a major falling out with John who never spoke to his father again. Isa and Janet were actually best friends and remained so throughout their lives.
William and Janet had two sons, Ronald and Alistair. Ronald became an RAF pilot but was still training with bomber command in South Africa when the war ended. he went back to civilian life briefly before re-enlisting and was an instructor on the Vulcan bomber towards the end of his RAF career before joining the Queen's flight and then eventually being a test pilot for the CAA. He was the pilot who tested the Tristar before it was allowed to operate commercially in the UK.He married Sheila and they had two sons, Logan and Stuart. Ronald, Sheila and Stuart are now deceased and are buried in Kirriemuir.
Alistair became a CA and married the daughter of their minister, Rev. Dr. Thomas Macnab. If you ever get hold of newspaper cuttings from William's time as provost you will always read that he is accompanied by his Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Macnab. Indeed I believe William chaired the vacancy committee that called Rev. Dr. Macnab to St. Andrew's (Now Stow Brae) Church. Alistair and Catriona had three children, Colin, Fiona and Graham. Alistair died in January 2011 and being a keen sailor his ashes were scattered off Lismore Light in the sound of Mull. They were scattered from Colin's boat and as I am a Church of Scotland minister, I officiated!
Logan has two children, Hamish and Gabriella. Stuart never married
Colin has two children and 5 grandchildren
Fiona has three children and one grandchild
Graham has two children and one step grandchild.

I am Graham and if you are a descendent of John I would love to hear from you!

[Graham C]

I should also add that Stow Brae church has a book about members who died in WW1 and there are pictures of both the Crawford men. I have copies. Robert is scarily like my own son James!