Alexander Gray Watt

[JanetFyfe]

I am looking for advice what local records might be available to help me search for Alexander Gray Watt (my Great Grandfather). He was a shipbuilders labourer and then became a Holder-on (Assisted a skilled rivetter, usually in the ship-building industry). He presumably moved to Liverpool to find work.
I know that he was born in Scotland 27 May 1868 and married Margaret Campbell in 1892. The family appear in the Scottish Census of 1901 living in Grangemouth and the last child (Mary) was born in Glasgow in 1902. The family appear on the 1911 Census in England but Alexander is missing as Margaret is a Widow. They were living at 3 School Place, Threlfal Street, Dingle, Liverpool. I have found Threlfall Street on Google Maps so wonder if this is the location they were living at.
I can't find Alexander's death. He doesn't appear in the Scottish records so I am assuming he died in England. By 1920, the family have returned to Scotland.
I have found 2 possible death records - 1904 in Lancashire, West Derby and the other is 1910 Lancashire, Preston. I've no idea if either of these might be the Alexander I'm looking for so wondering if there are burial records, death notices that might help me narrow down my search. I am planning to visit Liverpool when on holiday in Lancaster and wondering what resources might be available to help me find Alexander.
I'd be grateful for any advice on this as I don't have much experience of researching English records as I am based in Scotland and most of my research so far has been using Scottish records.

[Blue70]

Hi Janet,

Welcome to the forum. It's a tricky one as I noticed there is another Alexander Watt born in Scotland in about 1868 who was also married to a Margaret who was born in Scotland but who was living in the Liverpool area from a much earlier date. That 1904 death registration could well be this other Alexander Watt. If that 1904 death was your Alexander with the family living in the Toxteth area you would expect the district to be Toxteth Park not West Derby and for the burial to be at Toxteth Park Cemetery. There is no sign of the burial at Toxteth Park Cemetery. No sign at Walton Park either. It's likely that 1904 burial was at Anfield, Everton or Kirkdale Cemeteries. There are some records for Anfield online but the transcription process has not yet reached the 1900s. I don't think that 1904 record is going to be your Alexander. Here are links for Anfield and Toxteth Park online burial records:-

Anfield

http://www.toxtethparkcemetery.co.uk/An ... Index.html


Toxteth Park

http://www.toxtethparkcemetery.co.uk/



Blue

[dickiesam]

Is it possible Alexander had returned to Scotland for work, without the family, and died there?
From Scotland's People:
1904 WATT, ALEXANDER - 37 - GLASS /ABERDEEN - SGRO ref: 199/00 0003
1908 WATT, ALEXANDER - 38 - DENNISTOUN/GLASGOW CITY/LANARK - SGRO ref: 644/04 0917

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. You may find information in the records of St Andrews, the Scottish Church, which was on Renshaw Street, and the records would be in the Liverpool Record Office.

If you are able to be in Liverpool on a Tuesday the Society hosts a Help Desk at the Record Office between 1.30 and 4.00 pm and we'd give you as much help as we can.

[JanetFyfe]

Thanks for the info.
I had wondered about the Toxteth record and did get confused when I spotted Margaret so thought this might not be the correct family.
Janet

Hi Janet,

Welcome to the forum. It's a tricky one as I noticed there is another Alexander Watt born in Scotland in about 1868 who was also married to a Margaret who was born in Scotland but who was living in the Liverpool area from a much earlier date. That 1904 death registration could well be this other Alexander Watt. If that 1904 death was your Alexander with the family living in the Toxteth area you would expect the district to be Toxteth Park not West Derby and for the burial to be at Toxteth Park Cemetery. There is no sign of the burial at Toxteth Park Cemetery. No sign at Walton Park either. It's likely that 1904 burial was at Anfield, Everton or Kirkdale Cemeteries. There are some records for Anfield online but the transcription process has not yet reached the 1900s. I don't think that 1904 record is going to be your Alexander. Here are links for Anfield and Toxteth Park online burial records:-

Anfield

http://www.toxtethparkcemetery.co.uk/An ... Index.html


Toxteth Park

http://www.toxtethparkcemetery.co.uk/



Blue

[JanetFyfe]

Good idea re possibility of Alexander returning to Scotland. I have already got the 1908 death certificate and its not my Alexander. I haven't looked at the Aberdeen one though and will check this out.
Janet

Is it possible Alexander had returned to Scotland for work, without the family, and died there?
From Scotland's People:
1904 WATT, ALEXANDER - 37 - GLASS /ABERDEEN - SGRO ref: 199/00 0003
1908 WATT, ALEXANDER - 38 - DENNISTOUN/GLASGOW CITY/LANARK - SGRO ref: 644/04 0917

[JanetFyfe]

Thank you for the source for the Scottish Church - I will follow this up.
Do you know what the title of the local paper was at that time as I am wonder if perhaps there might be a funeral announcement to check?
Janet

Hi and welcome to the forum. You may find information in the records of St Andrews, the Scottish Church, which was on Renshaw Street, and the records would be in the Liverpool Record Office.

If you are able to be in Liverpool on a Tuesday the Society hosts a Help Desk at the Record Office between 1.30 and 4.00 pm and we'd give you as much help as we can.

[MaryA]

Yes you could try either the Liverpool Mercury but also by that date the Liverpool Echo may have become more popular.

Unfortunately the dates you are interested in are too recent for the Old Newspapers online that you can gain access to via a Lancashire Library subscription, but if you have one for Findmypast that might help you.

[dickiesam]

Hi Janet,
You should also consider the possibility that Alexander may have deserted his wife and family by 1911 and was actually still alive. It was not uncommon for a deserted spouse to describe herself as a widow.