Wednesday, 6 April 2011

Grandparents on the 1911 Scottish Census

Hugh Ward and his wife Jane living in Quarry Street, Hamilton with their 2 childre, Hugh and Catherine. Hugh is my husband Colin's grandfather

Emma Hamilton





Saturday, 6 March 2010

Look how she's grown











This is Emma Hamilton, daughter of Carole and David Hamilton (grand-daughter of Graham Ward)




Sunday, 19 April 2009

A new baby in the 'Ward' family






On 31st March 2009, Emma Jane Hamilton was born weighing in at 8lb 6oz....
Mummy - Carole (Ward) Hamilton
Daddy - David Hamilton
Emma is the grand-daughter of Graham & Janie Ward
Graham is the son of Graham & Annie Ward.






Saturday, 18 April 2009

It's a small world



In April 2008, after a visit to Mississippi USA, our friends asked us to help trace their Kelly family in Ireland. This got me started in the genealogy trail and after helping them trace ancestors I decided to start tracing the following families :
Ward in Hamilton – my husand’s father
Murray in Hamilton – my Dad’s father
Batton in Ayrshire/Ireland – my Mum’s father

Tracing the Ward family was easy as they remained in and around the Castle Street area of Hamilton. Known to most as the ‘Auld Toon’. My husband’s father was Graham Ward, son of Hugh and Jane Ward. Jane Ward died in May 1951 aged 70 years and I knew she was buried in the West Cemetery, Wellhall Road, Hamilton.
Tracing the Murray family was a little more difficult as this is a very common surname. I was able to trace my great grandparents. They arrived in Hamilton from Ireland and remained in/around Hamilton area. My great grandfather was James Murray and my great grandmother was Margaret McHaffie. The McHaffie family also arrived in Hamilton from Ireland.
On Saturday 18th April I decided to take my camera and go to the West Cemetery to see if I could locate the grave of Jane Ward. I knew she was buried in H section of this cemetery thanks to some documents I received from Richard Conway (a relative of Colin’s). I drove around for a while then found a map showing the different sections. I parked the car and walked around section H until I found Jane’s grave. Buried alongside Jane is her son Hugh who died in August 1955 aged 46 years.
I looked to the right at a gravestone which was lying at an angle ..... I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the names on the stone MURRAY and MCHAFFIE. I had just found the grave of my great grandparents. James Murray died in June 1942 aged 77 years and Margaret McHaffie died in December 1962 aged 95 years. How ironic that Colin’s grandmother and my great-grandmother are buried almost side by side.
Colin and I have lived in Hamilton for almost 49 and 46 years respectively. This is the first time I have visited West Cemetery and neither of us ever met any of these ancestors. They had all passed away before we were born.
It certainly goes to prove – it’s a small world!


Tuesday, 11 November 2008

1855 Death of Agnes Mullen, wife of Bernard Ward




I found another generation's information by finding Colin's great great grandmother Agnes (Mullen) Ward's death certificate....

Death certificate of Agnes Mullen, wife of Bernard Ward shows that she was 60 years old when she died on 11th October 1855 at Castle Street, Hamilton.
Burial place is listed as Parish Church yard, Hamilton.
Lists that Agnes had lived in the District of Hamilton for 35 years. This ties in with the Marriage Proclamation of November 1826.....
Agnes was born in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland circa 1795.
Father was James Mullen, Farmer (deceased in 1855)
Mother was Margaret Mullen, maiden name McLaren.
Death registered by Edward Small, Nephew.

Edward Ward (Colin's great grandfather) was 18 years old when his mother passed away.

Monday, 10 November 2008

Bernard Ward and Agnes (Nancy) Mullen 1801...


Bernard Ward and Agnes Mullen
Proclamation of Marriage
Earliest document found linking the couple to Hamilton Lanarkshire