Govan Options

[*John Howell*]

Some of my family came from Tradeston/Plantation and from Govan areas and I'm hoping that someone may be able to help. I'm trying to find out what happened to my Grandfather's uncle and only very recently found out he had a son. Its a long shot but hopefully someone will be able to tell me if I have the right family.
I have Thomas Donachie living @ 812 Govan Rd marrying Sarah McGilvary of 122 Blackburn St on 13/1/1902 in St Margarets RC Church Kinning Park. Thomas was working as a iron rivetter and Sarah as a bolt screwer, so I'm assuming they both worked and probably met in 1 of the many shipyards of the times. They had a son named Alexander McGilvary Donachie, born 1902, and in 1926 he was living @ 96 Queen St? ( which would possably be Neptune St today). On the 30/7/1926 Alexander married Agnes Prentice (675 Govan Rd) @ St Saviours RC Church. Again both probably worked in the shipyards being a rivet heater and a wire winder. By 1933 Alexander and Agnes were possibly living @ 90 George St, off George Square. Both Thomas and Sarah are deceased by the time Alexander gets married. Thomas is listed as being a gold miner on Alexanders marriage certificate but as I can't find any record of their deaths I'm assuming they have left Scotland at some point. Thomas was born the the Trongate/Gallowgate area of Glasgow and had a sister Elizabeth (Lizzie) who lived in Main St Bridgeton and a brother Francis who joined the Argyll & Sutherlands.
Does any of this ring a bell with anyone. Mary

Call me on ###########

Edited by GG: please provide an email address, not a phone number.

[Doug1]

Just finished reading a fascinating book called "A Time in Govan" The book is split into two parts. The second part deals with football clubs and competition results and other info for Govan and the wider areas of Glasgow, this part of the book was far too detailed for me to even start on. However the first part of the book was much more interesting. Basically it takes family life in Govan from the early 1950's to the very early 1960's from the standpoint of a couple families and individuals living in Govan and Drumoyne (where I was brought up). It details the post war hardships and deals with the great shipyards from the boom years to their decline. Politics too is well discussed, both local and national, as is the violence which was prevalent in the area and how it was dealt with by the police and courts. The book also tells of the period of the great migration of people, especially those with engineering skills, to foreign lands and nearer to home England, where they hoped to better their lives

The first part of the book is 279 pages (of quite small print) so it's a fair old read but most enjoyable to those who know the area and can recognise street name and local places

I'm just about to start a new book on the history of the Gorbals, hope it's as interesting.

[mlconnelly]

Call me on ###########

Edited by GG: please provide an email address, not a phone number.

Hi John Howell. I was staying with friends, missing your reply to my post and have only just caught up with this thread. Please could you get back in touch again if you see this. Mary

[*Marie McIntosh*]

To Al, Wine Alley is gone.

New houses now, I don't think there are any old streets left.

[*Tally Rand*]

To Al, Wine Alley is gone.

New houses now, I don't think there are any old streets left.

Us yins frae the waterside o' Guvin road, aeyways viewed the "Wine Alley" wi fear an' trepidation. An' as us wis cumin frae doon Wanlock st. n' Harmony row, yon says a lot fur the Wine Alley's reputation.

[*Alex Marshall*]

I'm sorry I haven't visited the site for a while. The picture would have been 1962/3 The teacher is miss Underwood who was also my Dad's teacher.

I was wondering if their was a Mona Maltman in your family, their was a girl of that name in my class at Lambhill street school around 1949.

[mlconnelly]

Some of my family came from Tradeston/Plantation and from Govan areas and I'm hoping that someone may be able to help. I'm trying to find out what happened to my Grandfather's uncle and only very recently found out he had a son. Its a long shot but hopefully someone will be able to tell me if I have the right family.
I have Thomas Donachie living @ 812 Govan Rd marrying Sarah McGilvary of 122 Blackburn St on 13/1/1902 in St Margarets RC Church Kinning Park. Thomas was working as a iron rivetter and Sarah as a bolt screwer, so I'm assuming they both worked and probably met in 1 of the many shipyards of the times. They had a son named Alexander McGilvary Donachie, born 1902, and in 1926 he was living @ 96 Queen St? ( which would possably be Neptune St today). On the 30/7/1926 Alexander married Agnes Prentice (675 Govan Rd) @ St Saviours RC Church. Again both probably worked in the shipyards being a rivet heater and a wire winder. By 1933 Alexander and Agnes were possibly living @ 90 George St, off George Square. Both Thomas and Sarah are deceased by the time Alexander gets married. Thomas is listed as being a gold miner on Alexanders marriage certificate but as I can't find any record of their deaths I'm assuming they have left Scotland at some point. Thomas was born the the Trongate/Gallowgate area of Glasgow and had a sister Elizabeth (Lizzie) who lived in Main St Bridgeton and a brother Francis who joined the Argyll & Sutherlands.
Does any of this ring a bell with anyone. Mary

I have an update to this post.
Alexander McGilvary Donachie was born 14/11/1902 @ 54 Eaglesham St., Plantation District, Govan. It appears he had a daughter, Agnes McGilvary Donachie, born the same year as his marriage to Agnes Prentice, 1926. Young Agnes may have married Norman St John Montgomery, who was 24 older than her. Agnes passed away in 1998, while her husband died in 1976. I found this snippet of info on familysearch.org, posted by user subscription in the name of Fraser Hamilton. If anyone recognises any of these names, could you contact me via this site. Mary 😉

[mlconnelly]

Another wee update. In 1934 Alexander has remarried a Violet Jane Booth and has changed the spelling of his surname to Donaghy. He has also moved to Fairbairn St Dalmarnock. Mary

[*Kathy long*]

Hi my names Michelle Hollywood. My mum and dad where both brought up in the Govan Area in the 50s and 60s. My mum Veronica Scanlan was from the Whyne Alley and my dad Brian Hollywood was from Neptune St. Did anyone know them by any chance? Id like to find out a wee bit about them.

Also i dont know if this is the right site to come on. Does anyone know which is best?

[**Kathy**]

I remember the Hollywoods the guy was a good fitba player and i think you will find it was the wine alley, although whyne sounds just as good as you could hear a lot of that goin on any Sat night

[*Anne carmichael*]

Hi my names Michelle Hollywood. My mum and dad where both brought up in the Govan Area in the 50s and 60s. My mum Veronica Scanlan was from the Whyne Alley and my dad Brian Hollywood was from Neptune St. Did anyone know them by any chance? Id like to find out a wee bit about them.

Also i dont know if this is the right site to come on. Does anyone know which is best?

My great aunt was Katie Hollywood married to Owen Hollywood moved to knighthood I believe.

[Doug1]

Just got a request on Facebook from an old school friend from way back. I cant answer his request but just wondered if there are any old Govanites out there who might be able to.

He wants to know when Wooolworths in Govan opened and what did it replace. He thinks there was a church there before the store was built...was there?

If my memory serves me right alongside Woolies was the Modern Bookshop and Hudson Verity the opticians and Dands ladies outfitters, I think there was also a fruiterers shop there as well

Any comments appreciated

Cheers

[**rita**]

my name is rita mcskimming maden name swan I was born abbortsford place govan Glasgow doing family search looking for ratations of john murray swan married rita McLaren whiteford they had 3 kids rita john and alice kids were in a home ran by nuns think it might have been Maryhill east field hospital 1960s.

[*Billy Boil*]

Just got a request on Facebook from an old school friend from way back. I cant answer his request but just wondered if there are any old Govanites out there who might be able to.

He wants to know when Wooolworths in Govan opened and what did it replace. He thinks there was a church there before the store was built...was there?

If my memory serves me right alongside Woolies was the Modern Bookshop and Hudson Verity the opticians and Dands ladies outfitters, I think there was also a fruiterers shop there as well

Any comments appreciated

Cheers

I remember the building of it. I was about 6 or 7 at the time and that would make it 1952/53.

Too young then and too old now to remember what it replaced but it replaced a Govan sand stone construction that would not have had historical significance.

[*Billy Boil*]

Just got a request on Facebook from an old school friend from way back. I cant answer his request but just wondered if there are any old Govanites out there who might be able to.

He wants to know when Wooolworths in Govan opened and what did it replace. He thinks there was a church there before the store was built...was there?

If my memory serves me right alongside Woolies was the Modern Bookshop and Hudson Verity the opticians and Dands ladies outfitters, I think there was also a fruiterers shop there as well

Any comments appreciated

Cheers

Right also for the modern book shop. Swapping comics and American mags; couldn't stop reading and still can't.