Alexander McGowan

[Alan Blyth]

Hello all,
I’ve recently learned of a previously unknown side of the family on my maternal grandfather’s side, and looking for help in the career of my great grandfather.

Alexander McGowan, born 20 January 1860, in North Milmain, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire in Scotland, died 30 March 1926 at Prestwick. Documents show various trades in his lifetime, including journeyman joiner, labourer, porter and traction engine driver. In amongst those he is also recorded as being a ship joiner in 1890 and 1892, a ship carpenter in 1894, 1896 and on his death certificate in 1926.

I’m interested to know whether this would have been a shipbuilding, shore based job (some or all of which might have been in the Govan area) or whether he might have had a seagoing career as ship joiner or ship carpenter, with MN records that might be explored.

Any suggestions on where to go next with this gratefully received.
Thanks all
Alan

[Keith at Tregenna]

Any suggestions on where to go next with this gratefully received.

Thanks all

Alan

Will look at all tonight.

Keith.

[Doc Vernon]

As said by Marian there seems to be no Records for him in the Merchant Navy, i have looked and nothing!
Even the RN there is no listing, tried the Apprentices in that era as well but Zilc! So seems he was just Shore based Employee!
Cheers

[j.sabourn]

#1.. Don’t know if anyone mentioned to you but the term ship joiner probably refers to shipwright which most. ships carpenters were of old. See by your place of abode you are in Kingston on Thames I lived there from 1940 until 1946 in Richmond Park Road with various relations living in parallel street Acre Road . Do they still exist ? The road names that is ? Cheers JS

[Alan Blyth]

Many thanks for that reply, fascinating stuff. I do want to delve into the Clyde shipbuilding industry properly one day. I gather that for some decades something like 90% of the worlds ships were built there.
I suspect he was employed in the shipyards, as he dissuaded his son (my grandfather) from becoming an engineer in the MN for reasons unknown.

[Alan Blyth]

re#4, Zilch on the trade union front, was a bit of a longshot but worth a try.


On the 1871 Census he is listed as grandson to the head of house, in the Parish of Sorbie. Would you like a copy of that?

Many thanks for looking. My sister has found lots of census entries but I don’t remember if 1871 is one of them so yes, a copy would be wonderful.

- - - Updated - - -

Many thanks. Interested in all that (new) side of the family so yes, everything MN or otherwise might give clues.

[Alan Blyth]

#1.. Don’t know if anyone mentioned to you but the term ship joiner probably refers to shipwright which most. ships carpenters were of old. See by your place of abode you are in Kingston on Thames I lived there from 1940 until 1946 in Richmond Park Road with various relations living in parallel street Acre Road . Do they still exist ? The road names that is ? Cheers JS

Yes, both roads are still named that way. Funnily enough, VE Day last summer when people put bunting and photos up I stopped to talk to a stranger in his front garden near the corner of Richmond Park Road and Acre Road, because he had a large red Ensign draped over the upstairs window. I thought we’d share stories of MN ancestors or casualties but it turned out he had picked up the flag from a beach somewhere abroad after a storm. He didn’t know it was MN, so I left him and hopefully his kids too, slightly better educated on the importance of the MN in two world wars (and beyond of course).

[j.sabourn]

If the same area as used to be there, used to be a pub there called I think the Old Oak. That as on the corner of Richmond Park Road. That’s about par for the course as regards the general public and their knowledge of shipping , for an island nation they most have an education sadly lacking in their own nautical past. Cheers JS.
PS Thinking back the pub May of been the British Oak and getting mixed up with the old Oak rum of Trinidad .JS

[j.sabourn]

#9. One of the engineers on site may clarify. But if he was a time served shipwright he would of been able to get permission from the BOT MOT DOT DTI of our day to proceed to sea as a junior engineer. A person I knew was second mate with a 1 mates certificate and an exships chippy , ex shipwright , his ambition after his masters certificate was to start again and go for engineers certificates. Whether he succeeded or not I never heard. Cheers JS. Tom Smith from Wallsend if you ever look in on this site would be good to get an answer. Ex Warkworth , R.S. Dalgliesh. Cheers JS.

PS I also sailed with a 3 engineer who served his time as a Blacksmith, he claimed whether joking or not it was shoeing horses , he was old enough to have done so . JS.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Originally shipbuilders were known as shipwrights
and their skills were in woodworking.

https://www.shipwrights.co.uk/shipwrights-history

K.