Belfast Barman Missing in Canada

John Riddell was born on 8 August 1893 in Coatbridge, Scotland, to Oswald Dykes Riddell and Annie Cowie. He was their only son. At the time of his birth, his father worked as a coachman. In 1901 the entire family was missing from the census except a sister who was in service in Derberyshire, England, and another sister, who was a patient at the local fever hospital.

By 1911 his father, Oswald, had started a restaurant and all his children worked there as wait staff.

John married Mary Lothin Forsyth on 22 February 1916 in Dunfermline. At the time of his marriage, John served as a private in the 2/6 battalion of the Highland Light Infantry. He also sold spirits in Dunfermline. They had two sons, Oswald Dykes in 1916 and David Forsyth Riddell in 1921.

But then something odd happened to John's marriage and to that of his parents. In 1921 his mother, Annie, lived in Belfast, Ireland. Two years later, John immigrated to Canada. However, the passenger manifest listed his residence as 10 Parkend Street, Belfast, the home of his mother, and he was a bar tender. So some time soon after his youngest son was born, John abandoned his family.

At the time Annie and John lived in Belfast it was a rapidly growing city which offered lots of jobs. Social and cultural life in the city was a diverse as could be imagined. Many people still spent Sundays attending religious services but for many others, it was just another day to drink. Public drunkenness was a common sight on Belfast streets and the local pub was a focal point of working class communities. One local clergyman noted Belfast was a city "soaked in liquor."

John boarded the S/S Marburn on 7 April 1923 in Belfast and arrived in Quebec on 13 April. According to the same passenger manifest, he was headed to his sister's house at 746 De L'epee Avenue in Montreal. The next year, John's mother also immigrated to Canada. I have been unable to find a trace of either John or his mother after they arrived Canada.

John Riddell's Ocean Arrivals Form; courtesy of Ancestry.com

His father, Oswald Dykes, died in 1935 in Scotland and his death registration said he was a widower at the time of this death. John's wife, Mary, died in 1970 in Scotland and never remarried.

What happened to these family groups is a mystery I keep picking at from time to time. How I wish the 1921 UK census were available!

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Another Riddell Conundrum

The Clydebank Blitz

In March 1941 the German Luftwaffe made Clydebank their target. During two devastating blitzes, much of the town was destroyed. Amateur historian, Les Taylor, called the blitzes the "most cataclysmic event" in war-time Scotland. The Germans sent well over 400 bombers over Clydebank and dropped over 1,000 bombs, including incendiary, during the nights of 13-14 March. Major German targets were the John Brown & Company Shipyard, ROF Dalmuir, and the Singer Corporation factory. 528 people were killed and 628 seriously injured. There were about 12,000 houses in Clydebank. Only 7 escaped damage or destruction.

Clydebank after the blitz; photograph courtesy of Education Scotland

Glasgow Herald on 18 Mar 1941: "The cool unwavering courage of the people is evident, and when the full story of their heroism in the face of the Luftwaffe is told, they will take their place alongside the citizens of London and Coventry."

Thomas Riddell, my first cousin three times removed, and his extended family lived through this awful destruction. What terrible memories they must have had.

Mystery Behind the Documents

Documents are certainly important to a genealogist or family historian as they provide the skeleton compiled of facts and dates about our ancestors. And sometimes a skeleton is all we are lucky enough to get. For some of our ancestors we never can find letters, or diaries or recollections of others about them and we have to settle for the skeleton.

I recently built the skeleton of one of my ancestors, using ScotlandsPeople to acquire vital records and census information. Agnes Riddell McCormick is actually the step-daughter, or possibly the daughter, of my first cousin twice removed, Robert Riddell (1861-1944). Every public family tree on Ancestry.com that includes children lists Agnes as Robert's daughter and oldest child. But for some strange reason I couldn't find her birth registration using Riddell as her surname.

Then I noticed that her year of birth based on the age listed on several census records would have been 1884. Robert Riddell married Catherine McCormick on 19 December 1884. What if Agnes was born before the marriage, which seemed likely and not all that unusual in Scotland I've discovered. One of my Scottish research instructors at a genealogy conference called it "try before you buy!"

After a lot of search variations, I found Agnes. Her name when her birth was registered was Agnes Riddell McCormick and she was born on 21 February 1884, ten months prior to her mother's marriage to Robert. No father was included on the birth registration and Agnes was identified as illegitimate.

Snippet from Agnes Riddell McCormick's birth registration;
personal collection

Agnes lived with Robert and her mother, Catherine, until she married on 1 January 1903. On her marriage registration her name is listed as Agnes McCormick and only her mother was listed as her parent.  Even on her death registration no father was listed. Yet the birth registrations of her seven children tell a different tale.

The surname Agnes used when she registered the births of her three oldest children -- John, Jean, and Agnes -- was McCormick the same name listed on Agnes' birth registration in 1884. Even when her husband, John, registered the birth of their fourth child, Ann, he listed his wife's maiden name as McCormick. And then things changed. Child number five, born in 1907, was named Robert Riddell Douglas, after his mother's step-father/father. When John Douglas registered his son, Robert's birth, he listed his wife's maiden name as Riddell. The use of Riddell as Agnes' maiden name continued for the birth of her youngest two children, Catherine McCormick Douglas and Charles Douglas.

Snippet from Robert Riddell Douglas' birth registration;
personal collection

What happened in 1907 when Robert Riddell Douglas was born that caused the change in maiden names? Did Robert Riddell finally acknowledge Agnes was his child? Was he such a softie that naming a grandchild after him caused the acknowledgement? Did he no longer care that Agnes may have been someone else's child? Or am I reading way too much into the documents? It's times like these I wish someone would have left a diary!

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Agnes Riddell McCormick was born on 21 February 1884 at Hamilton, Scotland. She was the illegitimate daughter of Catherine McCormick, who subsequently married Robert Riddell on 19 December in New Monkland. Agnes McCormick married John Douglas, a railway carter, on 1 January 1903. They lived in Glasgow the entirety of their married life and had seven children from 1901 to 1911. (Yes, another illegitimate child!) Agnes Riddell (McCormick) Douglas died on 15 June 1929 of pulmonary tuberculosis. Her husband, John, died the following year on 29 Nov 1930 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Barnhill Poorhouse

Margaret Brownlee, or Brownlie, was illegitimate daughter of Esther Brownlee and was born in the Barnhill Poorhouse on 13 Jun 1871. She was adopted by Robert and Margaret (Melrose) Smith family and listed them as her parents when she married my first cousin three times removed, Thomas Riddell, on 4 September 1891.

The Barnhill poorhouse opened in 1853 and was described in 1882 as "a very capacious asylum for the children of poverty and well adapted by its cleanliness, ventilation and position to mitigate the ills of their condition." The inmates were fed "Class C" meals, which were comprised of meal and milk for breakfast and supper and bread and meat broth for dinner.

By 1904 conditions were much different. A report found staffing to care for the infirm was inadequate, the administration of the stores department was incompetent and the steward and his assistant should be dismissed, the day hall was unfit for its purpose, and staff did not work together in a harmonious fashion.

There is a wonderful website -- http://www.workhouses.org.uk -- which provides a wealth of information about the laws creating and regulating poorhouses and what life was like for inmates, as they were called.

Barnoy Parish Poorhouse at Barnhill; courtesy of Healtherbank
Museum of Social Work

I was surprised to learn there were no laws related to formal adoption in the United Kingdom, including Scotland, until 1926. Adoptions or wardships were informal affairs.

52 Ancestors #29 -- He Died on a Flanders Field

Ancestor Name: Oswald Dykes Riddell DICK

Sometime after the start of the First World War, Oswald was called up for military duty and served as a Lance Corporal with the 5th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. He was killed in action on 21 July 1918. His battalion was attached to the 152nd Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division, which at the time of his death, was under the command of French general Foch, as the Allies counter attacked to repel the advances made by the German during their summer offensive. The Allied victory during the Second Battle of the Marne was considered the turning point of the war on the western front.

I have no photograph of Oswald, but do have a description from his 1906-1908 military service record when he was 18 years old. He was 5' 3" tall, weighed 101 pounds, with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes, and brown hair.

I downloaded a book on Internet Archive, The History of the 51st (Highland) Division, 1914-1918, by Major F. W. Bewsher, DSO, MC, which described the action that took place the day Oswald was killed.

"It was arranged that the 152nd Infantry Brigade should take over the 153rd Brigade front and carry out a second attack. The general plan was that the brigade should advance on a one-battalion front, the 5th Seaforth Highlanders leading, the 6th Gordon Highlanders next, and the 6th Seaforth Highlanders in the rear. Three objectives were selected for the attack, the first being the northwest edge of the Bois de Coutron, the second the southern slopes of the Bois des Eclisses, and third the northern slopes. 

The 153rd brigade were to form such defensive flanks as became necessary during the progress of the attack, the 7th Gordon Highlanders on the right and the 7th Black Watch on the left. On the right of the Highland division the 62nd division were to attack with a view to encircling the Marfaux locality from the north while the 9th French Division were attacking on the left, the village of Paradis being the particular stumbling block in their path which they hoped to remove.

The artillery barrage fell, as had been planned, south of the Les Haies-La Neuville road; but as the enemy had closely followed our troops during their last withdrawal, he had been able to establish many machine gun posts close to the jumping off line. The result was that the barrage fell behind the enemy's foremost troops, and the machine gun outposts were untouched.

In consequence the 6th Gordon Highlanders met with the stoutest opposition from the outset of the attack, a storm of bullets greeting them as soon as their advance began. Nevertheless, the troops on the right, with fine determination, brushed back all resistance until they had reached a point which was estimated to be about 200 yards from the northwest edge of the Bois de Crouton. Here the enemy were found to be holding a carefully prepared line of resistance supported by numerous and well sited machine guns and trench mortars.

German dead during the Second Battle of the Marne; photograph courtesy of
Doughboy Center

In spite of the gallant attempts made by the battalion to carry this line, it held firm, the Germans defending themselves skillfully and courageously with rifles and hand grenades. For an hour the 6th Gordon Highlanders tried to come to close grips with them, and drive them from their position, but without results. 

Meanwhile the enemy displayed on his part the greatest initiative, making repeated attempts to filter through gaps in our front line and on the right flank, and ultimately became so threatening on the right rear of the 6th Gordon Highlanders that they were compelled to fall back on that flank to a position some 200 yards in advance of their jumping off line.

On the left the advance was held up after the wood had been cleared for some 500 yards. Paradis had successfully withstood the repeated attempts of the French to storm it, so that the left flank of the Division's attack was again in the air. In consequence, the leading troops in this part of the battlefield also fell back onto the same line as the right flank had done, the 7th Black Watch forming a defensive flank to connect the left of the 6th Gordon Highlanders with the right of the French.

A company of 5th Seaforth Highlanders was also sent forward to fill gaps which had occurred in the center of the 6th Gordon Highlanders' line.

As had been the case on the previous day, the difficulties of the operation where greatly increased by the blindness of the country, it being almost impossible to locate exactly the positions and flanks of advance parties in the wood.

However, by noon, a continuous line had been formed joining the left of the 154th Brigade to the right of the French.

The troops closely engaged throughout the day, and it became necessary to move forward companies from all three battalions of the 152nd Brigade to strengthen the line in places where it was becoming weakened. On the left the successful resistance of the Germans in Paradis had made it necessary to occupy a line which curved around the eastern side of that village some 300 yards from it, while on the right flank the 6th Seaforth Highlanders, after some fighting with enemy machine guns, established themselves on a line facing north some 700 yards south of Espilly.

On the 154th Brigade front no particular incidents occurred. Strong patrols attempted to advance and make ground towards the enemy, but they found him everywhere in strength, and were unable to get forward. For a time the high ground on the extreme right was harassed by machine guns. However, a Stokes mortar from the 154th Trench Mortar Battery was brought into action against them, and after firing forty rounds silenced them. A patrol subsequently found twelve dead Germans in one machine gun nest that had thus been dealt with.

So ended another day of severe fighting."

A postcard showing the school and Belleau Woods after the Second Battle of the Marne;
image courtesy of the George Eastman House Collection

Oswald Dick was 29 years old and was buried at the Terlincthun British Cemetery in Wimville, France.

Terlincthun British Cemetery, photograph courtesy of the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge.

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Oswald Dykes Riddell Dick was born on 7 October 1888 in Maryhill, Glasgow, to James Dick and Helen Cowie. His parents were not married at the time of his birth. He was named for his uncle, Oswald Dykes Riddell, Helen's Cowie's sister's husband. On 26 Feb 1906 he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps, Glasgow Battalion, for a period of 6 years. He attended annual training in 1906, 1907, and 1908. On 27 Jun 1908 he was granted a free discharge. On 31 August 1906 he married Elizabeth Scott in Glasgow. They had four children before Elizabeth's death in 1914: Janet Wilson Dick (born 1906), James Dick (born 1908),  John Scott Dick (born 1910), and Oswald Dick (born 1912). On 17 February 1917 he married Henrietta Riddell, in Glasgow. She was his first cousin and a daughter of his namesake, Oswald Dykes Riddell. Sometime during World War One, Oswald was called up to serve his country and served with the 5th Seaforth Highlanders. The unit was attached to the 152nd Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division. Oswald was killed in action on 21 July 1918 during the Second Battle of the Marne, considering the turning point of the war in the western front. His wife, Henrietta (Riddell) Dick married John Rennie in 1919. They adopted a son, Samuel Dunn (born about 1921) and immigrated to Montreal, Canada in 1927, joining Henrietta's mother and several siblings and their families. I have been unable to find any trace of Oswald's children by his first marriage to date.

I have begun adding to Oswald's profile on the Lives of the First World War website, which, though still in its infancy, should be a site anyone researching soldiers in World War I, should add to their toolbox.

My previous posts about World War I may be found on the World War I Challenge page.

Another Riddell Conundrum

Robert Riddell was born on 5 April 1859 in the Village of Kirkton, East Kilbride, Scotland, to John and Martha (Muir) Riddell. On 15 May 1859 his name was altered to Oswald Dykes Riddell. Oswald married Ann "Annie" Cowie, daughter of William and Mary (Adams) Cowie, on 26 Jan 1883 in Airdrie, Scotland. Over the next 14 years they had seven children -- six daughters and one son. Oswald had an upwardly mobile work career. He began as a farm servant, became a coachman, restauranteur, and by 1915 owned property in Lanarkshire.

Oswald died on 11 February 1935 in Airdrie at the age of 75 of chronic bronchitis and heart failure. The official registration of his death indicated he was a widower, which meant his wife, Annie, predeceased him. And that's where my second Riddell conundrum[1] began.

Oswald Dykes Riddell's death registration from ScotlandsPeople

There is absolutely no record of Annie's death -- at least that I can find.

It happens (though it drives me crazy) so I moved on and began researching Oswald and Annie's children. When I got to son, John, things got interesting...and initially confusing.

John was born on 8 August 1893 in Coatbridge, Scotland. In 1911, he was a waiter at his family's restaurant. Since the 1911 census is the most recent that has been made public, I started looking for a marriage record. No luck. When that happens, I think perhaps the person emigrated and search passenger lists and other related records.

A John Riddell, departed Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 7 April 1923 aboard the S/S Marburn and arrived in Quebec on 13 April. The passenger list said he worked as a barman and his last address was 10 Parkend Street, Belfast. I thought this likely wasn't my John Riddell. But thank goodness for the Canada, Ocean Arrival (Form 30A) record set. It confirmed it was "my" John. His father was listed on the form and I discovered John's sister, Annie, had already immigrated to Canada and was living in Montreal on 746 De L'epee Avenue.

Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924 for John Riddell

When did Annie immigrate to Canada?

Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924 for Annie Riddell

Annie first immigrated to Canada in 1913 and returned to Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1920 for a holiday. The form also provided further confirmation that I had the correct John Riddell (same Belfast address) and another layer of mystery to my second Riddell conundrum. What was Annie (Cowie) Riddell, their mother, doing in Belfast? Was her husband Oswald there as well? If so, why wasn't he listed as the nearest relative? And, most importantly, did Annie (Cowie) Riddell die in Ireland?

Another snippet of Annie Riddell's Ocean Arrivals Form

With so many questions I kept looking. I learned Annie paid for two of her grand daughters to immigrate to Canada in 1926. Annie's address was listed as 2762 St. Catherine Street, Montreal, on their Ocean Arrivals forms. Further searching revealed Annie arrived in Canada on 18 May 1924 aboard the S/S Regina. Her point of contact in Canada was her daughter, Mrs. Lindsay, who lived at 84 Terrace View in Montreal. I do not yet know which daughter married Mr. Lindsay. So the hunt for Annie (Cowie) Riddell's death date continues. Annie (Cowie) Riddell's Oceans Arrival form is so interesting, I'm going to provide a partial transcription:

Name: Mrs. Riddell (Annie Cowie)
Age 67
Are you married, single, widowed or divorced? M
If married, are you accompanied by husband or wife? No
Object in going to Canada: To settle
Do you intend to remain permanently in Canada? Yes

I now believe Annie left her husband, Oswald Dykes Riddell, and died in Canada. What do you think?

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[1] My first Riddell conundrum involved Oswald Dykes Riddell and his brother, Robert. It took some time to sort out they were two different people: Riddell Conundrum.

52 Ancestors #9: Riddell Conundrum

Ancestor Name: Robert Riddell or Oswald Dykes Riddell?

I have a conundrum I cannot figure out to solve. Robert Riddell was born on 5 April 1859 at Kirkton, East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to John and Martha (Muir) Riddell.

Robert Riddell's Birth Registration courtesy of ScotlandsPeople

His birth registration includes a notation that his name was altered to Oswald Dykes on 15 May 1859.

Robert/Oswald appeared on the 1861 census as "Oswald D" and the 1871 and 1881 census as "Robert." The names Oswald and Robert never appeared on the same census record, which I would have expected in 1871 if they were different people. In 1881 an Oswald D Riddell, 21, is living in East Kilbride and working as a farm servant for John Crawford. A Robert Riddell, 20, is living with his widowed father in East Kilbride.

On 26 January 1883 Oswald D. Riddell married Annie Cowie. He was 23 years old and a bachelor; his usual place of residence was New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and he was a railway lorry man (or railway quarryman).

Oswald D Riddell's Marriage (to Annie Cowie) Registration courtesy of ScotlandsPeople

On 19 December 1884 Robert Riddell married Catherine McCormick at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was 22 years old and a bachelor; his usual place of residence was Cambuslang, and he was a mason's laborer. It's been my experience that he would have been listed as a widower if Annie had died. I'm not sure how he would have been listed if he and Annie divorced. I have been unable to find a death registration for Annie. If Oswald and Robert are two separate people, then all is well.

Robert Riddell's Marriage (to Catherine McCormick) Registration courtesy of ScotlandsPeople

Robert and Catherine appeared in the 1891 census and lived at Hamilton. In 1891 his occupation was quarry engine keeper. In 1901 the family lived in Blantyre and his occupation was steam craneman. By this time Robert and Catherine have 6 children living at home. The children's father is listed as Robert on each of their birth registrations. There is one child, Agnes, for which I can find no record of birth, marriage, or death. I do not know if she is Annie's child or Catherine's. (If Oswald and Robert are the same person.) She appeared on the 1891 census but not in 1901.

In 1911 Robert Riddell is living with his sons in Burnbank, Hamilton. His was listed as married but his wife, Catherine, did not appear on the census. His occupation is crane driver at a quarry.

1915 was a tragic year for Robert. His wife, Catherine, died on 9 July 1915 of chronic nephritis at the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow. Robert's occupation was listed as steam crane driver. Four months later, son, Francis, drowned at a quarry in Blantyre. When Robert registered his son's death, he listed his occupation as confectioner.

I next find Oswald Dykes Riddell's 1935 death registration. He was 75 years old, a widower of Annie Cowie, and a retired restauranteur.

Oswald Dykes Riddell's death registration courtesy of ScotlandsPeople

So are Robert Riddell and Oswald Dykes Riddell the same person?

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge.

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Robert/Oswald Dykes Riddell was my first cousin three times removed. His parents were John Riddell (1826-1888) and Martha Muir (1830-1876). Martha Muir was an older sister to my great great grandfather, James Muir (1844-1926). John and Martha Riddell lived their entire lives in East Kilbride parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland.