Hugh Houston Died 30 March 1915 France Service Number: 7780

[CraigM63]

There is a surviving Territorial Force attestation and associated service record dating from 15 April 1908 buried in the UK, British Army World War I Pension Records 1914-1920 collection on Ancestry for a Hugh Ralph Houston, born around 1885 based on his stated age of 23 at the time he attested, birth place given as Barony, Lanarkshire, father's name is Thomas. At the time of his attestation in 1908 he is working as what looks like a warehouseman, and living at an address in Partick that I can't decipher.

He enlisted as a territorial soldier with the 5th Battalion of the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) with service number 5297, attended annual camps from 1909 to 1913, was then embodied on 5 August 1914, before serving in France from 4 November 1914 to 8 April 1916, finally being discharged on 18 April 1916. His intended address on discharge was 10 India Street, Glasgow, which is the same address that his father Thomas is stated to be living at.

I'm not sure if any of this matches with your particular Hugh Ralph Houston's personal details that you know of, it was just the combination of the soldier's name and his father's name that caught my eye. I'd suggest having a look at the 1916 marriage registration that Annette7 found to see what the occupation of Hugh Houston was. If he was a serving soldier it should state that he was a soldier, and possibly also give you the regiment he was serving with. The Hugh Houston who was discharged on 18 April 1916 stated that his occupation was to be a commercial traveller. 

[CraigM63]

Just to add that Hugh Houston's father Thomas' occupation in the 1891 and 1901 Scotland censuses was given as bootmaker. in 1901 he and Sarah are living alone in Dunoon, Argyll. According to the Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857-1962 collection on Ancestry, the Thomas Houston living at 10 India Street, Glasgow in 1915 was also a bootmaker.

Hugh R Houston's occupation in the 1901 Scotland census was warehouseman which also matches the occupation of the Hugh R Houston who attested with the territorials in 1908, and the subsequent occupation of the Hugh R Houston who married Ethel McDonald in 1916. He and Ethel seem to have been resident in Glasgow until at least 1926, as they appear in the electoral rolls at 29 White Street, Partick, in 1918, 1919, 1923, 1924, and 1925, and then finally 101 Clarence Drive, Hillhead in 1926.

Edited to add that I missed that there is also a Hugh Ralph Houston living at 10 India Street, occupation warehouseman, in the 1915 electoral roll and in fact he appears at this address in the rolls for 1913 and 1914 as well.

[Annette7]

 Well found, CraigM63 - yes they all match exactly with Hugh Ralph Houston, born 14/9/1883.  Birth registered as plain Hugh but used mmn as second christian name from a young adult.

Annette

[bikermickau]

Thank you CraigM63,

I agree, they all match with Hugh Houston, born 14/9/1883.

I have checked my copy of his birth reg/cert and see it's the 14th, not the 13th, my mistake.

I've purchased Hugh Ralph Houston marriage reg/cert. His occupation is Drapery Warehouseman.

I will see how my budget goes so I can hopefully purchase the other mentioned ScotlandsPeople records

Thanks
Mick