The McKennas – the family of Mary McKenna

I know that William was born in Glasgow from the 1911 Census but I have not found the family at the 1891 Census and at the 1901 Census (when he would have been around 21) he was not living with his parents. I next found him at his marriage to  Agnes Miller in 1882

Marriage of William McKenna and Agnes Miller 8 Dec 1899

William McKenna at the 1901 Census – 34 Stevenson Square, Calton, Glasgow,

Find My Past 1901 Census Return for 34 Stevenson Square, Calton, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Archive Reference RG13 Schedule 30 GBC/1901/0037057603

Here we find William living at 34 Stevenson Square, Calton, Glasgow. He is a twenty-year-old kitchen chair maker. He lives with his wife, Margaret (Maggie) and their  first child, Isabella aged 0. Other children were born to the couple in the period before the next census in 1911; Agnes (1901), William J (1903), James (1907) and Reginald (1909). There was almost certainly a child born between 1903 – 1907 and that child  presumably died because at the 1911 Census Maggie says that she has had six children, five of which have survived. We find all five of these children in William and Maggie’s household at the 1911 Census where the family are living at but also in the household are William’s sisters Mary and Sarah Jane.

William McKenna at the 1911 Census – 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow

1911 Census Return for 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Scotland’s People 1911 MCKENNA, WILLIAM (Census 644/3 41/ 17) Page 17 and 18

William McKenna is now aged 30 and is a Cabinetmaker. He lives with his wife, Maggie also 30, and their children Isabella (10), Agnes (9), William J (7), James (3) and Reginald (1). The older children are at school but James and Reginald are too young for school. Also in the household are William’s two sisters, Mary (22) and Sarah Jane (19) both of whom are “fancy box makers – paper” and neither of whom are married. As mentioned above, I assume that they live with their brother because their parents have died.

I continued to look for William at the 1921 Census and found him living at 198 Main Street, Calton. There were further additions to his family.

William McKenna at the 1921 Census –  198 Main Street, Calton, Glasgow

1921 Census Return for 198 Main Street, Calton, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Scotland’s People 1921 MCKENNA, WILLIAM (Census 644/37 4/ 1) Page 1 of 26

This census return shows William and Maggie (Margaret) with their new additions. Of the children we saw at the 1911 Census, Isabella has married but is still in the household. She married David Jennings Taylor in 1920 and they had the child that also appears in this census return as granddaughter Julia Taylor who was born between March and April of 1921. I found an entry for the death of a David Jennings Taylor in the RD of Dennistoun 644/4/734. He was aged 24 and died 1921. Since Isabella is recorded as a widow in the census return, this seems like it is him. This might also explain why she is back in the family and the number of dependent children William and Maggie have is recorded as  five (with two under 1 year old) and Isabella is recorded as having no dependent children.

Of the other children, Agnes would have been aged 19 but is not in the household. William J is still at home, now aged 17 years and four months and he is a message boy for the Lindsay Box Company, Fancy Paper Box Makers. Reginald is now 11 years and five months and is a scholar. The next child on the census return is James who is seven years and three months old which rather suggests that the original James (born 1907) had died. He is not the only new child since the last census as there is also Edward aged 5 years and 2 months, and Margaret aged 11 months. All these children apart from Margaret are also at school.

William McKenna is now aged 40 years and nine months and is a cabinetmaker working (OW) for T Reid & Co Cabinetmakers. Maggie is aged 40 years and four months. I have not pursued William and Maggie any further yet.

We know from Agnes McKenna’s baptismal registration that she was born 28 February 1883 at 30 Marshall Street, Calton, Glasgow and was baptised on 3rd March 1883 at St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow.

Birth and Baptism of Agnes McKenna  28 Feb 1883

Agnes’s life was very short and she only lived for three weeks.

Death of Agnes McKenna  24 Mar 1883 at 30 Marshall Street, Calton, Glasgow

The next child born to James and Agnes did not fare much better.

Birth of Jane Miller McKenna 1884 in Glasgow

We know from Jane Miller McKenna’s death registration that she was aged 6 months when she died on 10 Mar 1885; this would give her a birth of Oct 1884. I have found a statutory births index entry for her:

I looked at church baptisms in Glasgow and there is a Jane McKenna born 8 Sep 1884 and baptised 18 Sep 1884 at St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral but the mother is Jane Miller not agnes Miller. This could simply be a clerical error but if it is it is reflected in the civil registration.

What is clear, however, is that she lived only six months:

Death of Jane Miller McKenna 10 Mar 1885 at 114 Trongate, Glasgow

“1885 DEATHS in the District of Blytheswood in the Burgh of Glasgow Page 46 Item 136
Jane Miller McKenna (Single] [died] 1885 March 10 [at] 114 Trongate, Glasgow [at] 6h 45m A.M.[aged] mths [cause of death] Water on the Head 2 weeks [as cert by] A Connor Surgeon, [daughter of] James McKenna Cab Driver [and] Agnes McKenna MS Miller [informant] Agnes Miller, Mother Present Registered 10 Mar 1885 at Glasgow [by] James Southern, Registrar

Death of Jane Miller McKenna 10 March 1885. Scotland’s People. 11885 MCKENNA, JANE MILLER (Statutory registers Deaths 644/7) Page 46 Item 136

source

Birth and Baptism of John McKenna b 30 Jan 1886 at 259 Canongate, Glasgow

It is not at all clear why this birth takes place in Edinburgh. At this point I seemed to lose the family; I could not find John’s family at the 1891 Census. Neither could I find their eldest son William, in 1891. His sisters Agnes and Jane Miller McKenna had both died and this left John and Mary but I did find him, aged four, and his sister, Mary aged two), living with their father’s brother, John McKenna. John had married Margaret Quin or Queen on 23 October 1882 and they already had four of their own children as well as having John and Mary – nephew and niece – in the household

John McKenna at the 1891 Census –  14 Main Street, Calton, Glasgow

1891 Census return for 14 Main Street Calton, Glasgow. Find My Past England, Wales & Scotland Census 1891. Reference GBC/1891/0033117647

John McKenna is a 38-year-old cabinet maker and his wife is aged 28. Their children are; John (7 a scholar), James (5 a scholar), Francis (5) and Bridget (1). John McKenna (nephew) is 4 and his sister, Mary (Niece) is 2. All were born in Glasgow with the exception of John McKenna (nephew) who was, as we have seen, born in Edinburgh.

I do not have any further information about John McKenna. Although I have found his parents at the 1901 Census, when he would have been about 14 years-old, he is not with them even though his little sisters, Mary and Sarah Jane are. He may have died as that seemed to be a common fate for the young children of this family but I have not pursued this any further.

The next child to be born to James McKenna and Agnes Miller was Mary who was to marry John Neil, the son of John Neil and Mary Anne Chrystal.

Birth of Mary McKenna 29 Dec 1889 at 23 Marshall Street, Glasgow

I also found her baptism recorded at St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow

Baptism of Mary McKenna 14 Jan 1889 –  St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow

St Mary of the Assumption, Glasgow, Calton
[born] 29 DEC 1888  [address] 23 Marshall Street [baptised] 14 JAN 1889 [name] Mary McKenna [father] James McKenna [mother] Agnes Millour [witness] Mary McGee

Baptism of Mary McKenna 14 Jan 1889 St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow Find My Past Scotland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms Archive Ref (MP/66/1/2/3 Record ID SSCOT/RC/BAP2/0711224)

As mentioned above, when looking at Mary’s brother John, I could not find their parents at the 1891 Census. Neither could I find their eldest son William, in 1891. Her sisters Agnes and Jane Miller McKenna had both died and this left John and Mary but I did find her, aged two, and her brother, John aged four), living with their father’s brother, John McKenna. John had married Margaret Quin or Queen on 23 October 1882 and they already had four of their own children as well as having John and Mary – nephew and niece – in the household

Mary McKenna at the 1891 Census –  14 Main Street, Calton, Glasgow

1891 Census return for 14 Main Street Calton, Glasgow. Find My Past England, Wales & Scotland Census 1891. Reference GBC/1891/0033117647

John McKenna is a 38-year-old cabinet maker and his wife is aged 28. Their children are; John (7 a scholar), James (5 a scholar), Francis (5) and Bridget (1). John McKenna (nephew) is 4 and his sister, Mary (Niece) is 2. All were born in Glasgow with the exception of John McKenna (nephew) who was, as we have seen, born in Edinburgh.

We next find Mary at the 1901 Census when she is living with her parents again and the household also includes her younger sister, Sara Jane.

Mary McKenna at the 1901 Census – 20 East Rose Street, Camlachie, Glasgow.

1901 Census Return for 20 East Rose Street, Camlachie, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Scotland’s People 1901 MCKENNA, MARY (Census 644/4 3/ 9 ) Page 9 of 30 Item 34

Here we find Mary living with her father, a 50 year old chairmaker born Ireland and his wife, Agnes, now aged 42 and born in Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Mary is now aged 12 and she has a younger sister, Sara Jane, aged 9. They live at 20 East Rose Street, Camlachie, Glasgow. Regarding Mary’s brother, John,  who was living with her in the household of their uncle John at the taking of the 1891 Census, I do not have any further information about him. He would have been about 14 years-old at this census; he may have died but I have not pursued this any further.

I do not know if Mary and Sarah Jane’s parents died between the censuses but at the 1911 Census both of the sisters are to be found living with their brother William in his house at 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow. We saw earlier that William McKenna had married Maggie Sheppard in 1899 and at the 1901 Census they lived with their baby at 34 Stevenson Square, Calton at the taking of the 1901 Census. By the 1911 Census their family had grown.

Mary McKenna at the 1911 Census – 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow

1911 Census Return for 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Scotland’s People 1911 MCKENNA, WILLIAM (Census 644/3 41/ 17) Page 17 and 18

Mary’s brother, William McKenna, is aged 30 and is a Cabinetmaker. He lives with his wife, Maggie also 30, and their children Isabella (10), Agnes (9), William J (7), James (3) and Reginald (1). The older children are at school but James and Reginald are too young for school. Also in the household are William’s two sisters, Mary (22) and Sarah Jane (19) both of whom are “fancy box makers – paper” and neither of whom are married. As mentioned above, I assume that they live with their brother because their parents have died.

A couple of years after this census was taken, on 24 March 1913 Mary McKenna married John Neil at St John the Evangelist, Portugal Street, Glasgow. She was still a fancy box maker and by then aged 22. I tell her story from this point on in the main narrative of the Neil generations.

Birth of Sarah Jane McKenna 9 Feb 1892 3 Armour Street, Dennistoun, Glasgow

I also found her baptism recorded at St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow

Baptism of Sarah Jane McKenna 23 Feb 1892-  St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow

Baptismal Register for St Mary of the Assumption, Calton Glasgow
[born] The 9th February 1892 [baptised] 23 February 1892 Sara Joanna [child of] Jacobi McKenna [and] Agnetis McKenna [alim] Miller. [Baptised by me] Phillippo McColl [Matrina fuit] Margarita Tennant

Baptism of Sarah Jane McKenna 23 February 1892 at St Mary of the Assumption, Calton, Glasgow. Find My Past Scotland Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms. Archive Ref MP66/1/2/4 Record ID SCOT/RC/BAP2/0752261

Much of what follows is a repeating of the material above regarding Mary McKenna but I duplicate it here in order to give a fuller feel for Sarah Jane’s life. Because she was born in 1892, the first census she could appear in was the 1901 Census when she was aged nine.

Sarah Jane McKenna at the 1901 Census – 20 East Rose Street, Camlachie, Glasgow.

1901 Census Return for 20 East Rose Street, Camlachie, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Scotland’s People 1901 MCKENNA, MARY (Census 644/4 3/ 9 ) Page 9 of 30 Item 34

Here we find Sarah Jane living with her father, a 50 year old chairmaker born Ireland and his wife, Agnes, now aged 42 and born in Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Sarah Jane is now aged nine and like her 12 year old sister, Mary, is a scholar. Mother, father and the two daughters live at 20 East Rose Street, Camlachie, Glasgow. Regarding Sarah and Mary’s brother, John, I could not find him at this census. He would have been about 14 years-old at this census but may have died between the censuses, I have not pursued this any further since the obvious options did not turn up anything about him..

I do not know if Mary and Sarah Jane’s parents died between the censuses but at the 1911 Census both of the sisters are to be found living with their brother William in his house at 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow. We saw earlier that William McKenna had married Maggie Sheppard in 1899 and at the 1901 Census they lived with their baby at 34 Stevenson Square, Calton at the taking of the 1901 Census. By the 1911 Census their family had grown.I do not know if Mary and Sarah Jane’s parents died between the censuses but at the 1911 Census both of the sisters are to be found living with their brother William in his house at 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow. We saw earlier that William McKenna had married Maggie Sheppard in 1899 and at the 1901 Census they lived with their baby at 34 Stevenson Square, Calton at the taking of the 1901 Census. By the 1911 Census their family had grown.I do not know if Mary and Sarah Jane’s parents died between the censuses but at the 1911 Census both of the sisters are to be found living with their brother William in his house at 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow. We saw earlier that William McKenna had married Maggie Sheppard in 1899 and at the 1901 Census they lived with their baby at 34 Stevenson Square, Calton at the taking of the 1901 Census. By the 1911 Census their family had grown.

Sarah Jane McKenna at the 1911 Census – 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow

1911 Census Return for 52 Tobago Street, Calton, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Scotland’s People 1911 MCKENNA, WILLIAM (Census 644/3 41/ 17) Page 17 and 18

Sarah Jane’s brother, William McKenna, is aged 30 and is a Cabinetmaker. He lives with his wife, Maggie also 30, and their children Isabella (10), Agnes (9), William J (7), James (3) and Reginald (1). The older children are at school but James and Reginald are too young for school. Also in the household are William’s two sisters, Mary (22) and Sarah Jane (19) both of whom are “fancy box makers – paper” and neither of whom are married. As mentioned above, I assume that they live with their brother because their parents have died.

I do not know any more about Sarah Jane; I looked for marriages or a death but couldn’t find anything very convincing. As this is the last of the know children of James McKenna and Agmes Miller, I stop here. Mary McKenna’s story continues in the page concerning the histories of the children of John Neil and Mary Anne Chrystal, one of whom – John – she marrried two years after the 1911 Census.