Difficulty navigating around Scotland's People site

[Keith Sherwood]

...I was even getting a a bit twitchy about whether that 1912 death entry for Rose Ann was indeed the correct one before I downloaded it, as her maiden name had been flagged up as McMorrow.  However I was able to check on her  registered  in 1906 marriage cert (marriage actually took place on 29th Dec 1905), that although she had been born with the Kellegher surname, her own mother's maiden name had inadvertently been given by the informant at her death (caused by TB), her husband.  Who was almost certainly in a bit of a state at that moment, poor James William...

[Forfarian]

If we take that 1940 death certificate of James William McTaggart at face value I'm wondering where 2nd wife Helen McManus (?) fitted into his life.

I take it that you have checked https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ as well as SP?

Maybe Philip and Helen relied on the 'marriage by habit or repute' - in other words, they never got round to a wedding ceremony?

[Forfarian]

...I was even getting a a bit twitchy about whether that 1912 death entry for Rose Ann was indeed the correct one before I downloaded it, as her maiden name had been flagged up as McMorrow.  However I was able to check on her  registered  in 1906 marriage cert (marriage actually took place on 29th Dec 1905), that although she had been born with the Kellegher surname, her own mother's maiden name had inadvertently been given by the informant at her death (caused by TB), her husband.  Who was almost certainly in a bit of a state at that moment, poor James William...

It's not unusual to find an error of that sort in a death certificate, especially if the informant is unable to read and correct what the registrar has written.

Always best to go with what's on the marriage record if the death gives different information.

[Forfarian]

Has anyone found James William in the 1921 census? That might help to shed light on Helen McManus.

[softly softly]

Has anyone found James William in the 1921 census? That might help to shed light on Helen McManus.

This is possibly him in 1921, but I've used up my last 30 credits on this post

MCTAGGART
JAMES
1921
M
51
644/1 54/ 16
BRIDGETON
LANARK

SS

[Keith Sherwood]

I often feel I don't quite deserve all you good people who go the extra mile on here to search for quite obscure links and connections.  So many thanks for continuing to pursue things for me on this particular thread, Forfarian and Softly Softly.  I'll now try to download, if I can, that 1921 Census page to see who James William McT might have been sharing his household with at that snapshot in time.
And yes, if I'm not repeating myself, I always take whatever details are recorded for posterity on a death cert with a pinch of salt...
K
...no, that's not him, unfortunately.  A James McTaggart, aged 51, born locally, sharing the address with his two younger sisters aged 39 and 34.  A Robena and an indecipherable M something.  Couldn't bring up anyone with the full James William McTaggart forenames.
I'm beginning to wonder whether he returned to Ireland for a while and tied the knot a second time there...

[softly softly]

Has anyone found James William in the 1921 census? That might help to shed light on Helen McManus.

This is possibly him in 1921, but I've used up my last 30 credits on this post

MCTAGGART
JAMES
1921
M
51
644/1 54/ 16
BRIDGETON
LANARK

SS

This is not your James,

[Forfarian]

According to the census index in 1921, there were two households in Glasgow containing a James McTaggart aged between 40 and 50.

Hutchesontown ED23 p 24
James McT, 46
James McT, 17
Edward McT, 15
Helen McT, 10
These look like McTaggart mmn Scott children, so not 'your' James.

Pollokshields, ED 34 p 3
James McT, 44
Elizabeth McT, 43
William McT, 17
Elizabeth McT, 16
Janie McT, 14
John McT, 12
Helen McT, 10
Margaret McT, 5
Marion McT, 3
I think she is Elizabeth Grant, but as 'your' James wasn't married to an Elizabeth, this too looks unlikely.

There is also a James MacTaggart, aged 47, in Gorbals ED 59 p 17 but there is no other M(a)cTaggart in the same household. Age-wise he is an exact match to 'your' James McTaggart.

Also five more James McTaggarts aged 44 to 50, but not in Glasgow.

In Govanhill ED 8 p16 there are three McTaggerts
John McT, 15
Philip McT, 14
William McT, 11
These are the ones SS has already found, with uncle John Kellegher.

Helen McTaggart, wife of James McT, railway surfaceman. died on 3 May 1920 aged 34, parents James McManus and Ann Mitchell, informant James McTaggart, widower. Can't find a marriage.

[Keith Sherwood]

Wow, Forfarian!
That's very impressive and extensive research on my behalf.  And I very much think that with that death entry for Helen nee McManus in 1920 you've definitely hit the bullseye for me.  Everything matches there.  And as you say they might not have been formally married...
Keith
...and I very much suspect that the lone James McTaggart aged 47 in 1921 is our man too.  I wonder how short their liaison was and whether there were any offspring...