For years I held off researching my mother’s Brown family, figuring the name would be as hard to find as a Smith. O ye of little faith, because once I began it wasn’t so hard. I decided to see what I could find out about my mother’s great-great grandfather Andrew Brown (1816-1882) further to what Lanark lister Jim Bundy found for me a few years ago. On a hunch I contacted the Mitchell library, Glasgow, and bingo! Poor soul as Andrew Brown is yet another weaver who ended up in the City Poorhouse, Glasgow. The archivist at the Mitchell could not have been more helpful, and responded to my latest correspondence by return. There is no charge for search but there is a charge of £11 for copies of documents. I’m including the information from the archivist as it could encourage others on the list to follow up on a “hard” name, such as Brown. As for confidentiality re the names: My mother, siblings and others are now dead and so they would not be “annoyed” that I found out that their forebears ended up in the poorhouse! As an aside, some of my mother’s siblings thought they were “it,” especially the one who attended the University of Glasgow and would be somewhat critical of the Glesga patter, or speech pattern! I wonder if she ever knew that her forebears were “clients” in the poorhouse. No oral stories passed down on this part of the family history. Maisie ::: Mitchell Library archivist notes: “The good news is that I have found an application made by Andrew Brown in 1882 before he entered the poorhouse. The bad news is that it isn't very detailed as it refers to an earlier application which sadly has not survived. It does confirm his age, occupation and parents' and first and second wives' names, as well as that he later died in the poorhouse. Glasgow at that time had a number of different districts each dealing with poor relief within their area. Andrew Brown had applied for relief to one of the 'City' districts, but as he was born in another district (the 'Barony') he'd applied to that district too. The later application to the City survives but not the one to the Barony. As he was born in the Barony it was actually that district that was responsible for his case, which is why the application for the City isn't particularly detailed. Unfortunately the poor relief applications for the Barony only survive from 1885. If you'd still like a copy of the application the charge would be £11.00. To go ahead please sign, complete and return the attached order form. To pay you may forward payment to me at the address below, either by cheque (payable to Culture and Sport Glasgow) or by credit/debit card by completing the attached form. Please note that we do not currently have a secure online payment system, but the form can be printed and returned as a hardcopy to the address below . Although I haven't been able to identify any possible applications for Agnes Devine or Maggie Warnock, we do hold an application made by a Thomas Brown who was born in 1797 in Anderston, and applied aged 65 in 1865. Please let me know if you'd like more details about this application also. The application does mention that he and his father were both weavers both from Anderston . We also hold records from the Anderston Society of Weavers and I'll have a search through the membership records for these and let you know if I find anything in these too. Kind regards Nerys Nerys Tunnicliffe Archivist Glasgow Life Glasgow City Archives Mitchell Library North Street Glasgow G3 7DN Tel: 0141 287 2913 Fax: 0141 226 8452 Email: [email protected] Website: www.glasgowlife.org.uk/archives

Maisie-- I have lots of relatives who either applied for relief or entry to the Poorhouse. It wouldn't occur to me to be ashamed of them. In fact, I'm rather proud of one auntie, Flora Orr. The inspector's report on her reads in part: Husband Thomas Adams aged 33 years born 1/4/46? in North Shields, England, a Circular Sawyer. She left him in May 1875 on account of his bad treatment, for which she put him in prison and has not been with him since. Son of Robert Adams, a Policeman now a Labourer and Sarah Ann Smith, housewife, both residing at 3 Broomhall? St. Greenock. Good for you, girl! What other records would give you that bit of information? I have another auntie, who seems to have been an addled bag lady. I'm not ashamed of her, but I do have my doubts about her nice catholic family. ----------------- Application for Relief No. 1995 Mary Kinney 72 Stewart Street no. 1995 Date of Application 9/1//87 Date of Visit 11/11/87 Born at Rumford St Bridgeton Age 67 single, hawker, Religion RC Wholly Disabled. Disablement age debility Parentage: Henry Kenny, a labourer, and Elizabeth McKenzie, both dead See Record Off. 9116 Sister Mrs Fraser and her niece Mrs Patrick McMahon were stated to be living at 72 Stewart Street, Cowcaddens ["23 Muse Lane 1/2 w/o" inserted interlinearly] I have searched nearly every street in the District but can find no trace of them. First Application Parish of Settlement: Barony Particulars on Settlement So far as I have been able to gather from the old woman she has been going about the country hawking soft foods by which she earned her living and only remaining for a night or two in any one place at a time. She was very stupid from debility and was quite unable to give a statement of her residences. Since entering the Poorhouse she has got worse and is quite unable to give any account of herself. Decision She was removed in the House Van to Poorhouse 87 Dec 19, Poorhouse ---------------- She died there two years later. She wasn't the only one of my relatives to die in the poorhouse. Most people then were only one bad break away from dire poverty. Of course, even today there are places where a serious medical problem can put you into bankruptcy and even homelessness. Jim Polson Vancouver My mother, siblings and others are now dead and so they would not be "annoyed" that I found out that their forebears ended up in the poorhouse! As an aside, some of my motherŽs siblings thought they were "it," especially the one who attended the University of Glasgow and would be somewhat critical of the Glesga patter, or speech pattern! I wonder if she ever knew that her forebears were oeclientsin the oorhouse. No oral stories passed down on this part of the family history. >