In the Bones

William Bone was born on 31 January 1890 at Larkhall, Lanarkshire to James Bone and Margaret McLean. His parents had married in the previous June, and he already had an elder brother born in 1887. At birth, his elder brother James was described as illegitimate, but as their parents subsequently married, he was legitimised. Scottish illegitimacy laws were different to the English ones at this time.

William's birth registration.

Just days before William's third birthday his father, James, passed away. James had fractured his spinal column in about September 1890. I can only presume that he incurred the injury down the pit, perhaps a fall of stone, but I can't find any evidence of such. 

On 30 April 1909, William married Jeanie McQuade at Larkhall, and they went on to have two children together. It was around this time that William joined Larkhall United Football Club, and went on to play for them for seven years. He later played for Bellshill Athletic as centre half-back. 

In late March 1916, William contracted a "chill" while at work down the pit. This later turned into a combination of pleurisy and pneumonia, which he sadly died from on 2 April 1916. William was a very popular young man, and was deeply mourned by his family, friends and local footballing circles.  

William's obituary.
Published in the Hamilton Advertiser, 8 April 1916.

"A fine, manly fellow, a player who put his whole heart into his play, and possessed, as he was, of considerable ability, it was not surprising that he should be a favourite with Lanarkshire's football enthusiasts. His demise will be regretted by a wide circle of friends." 

It should be noted that William's first cousin, William McLean, was the grandfather of the three footballing brothers; Willie, Jim and Tommy McLean. So football is clearly in the McLean blood. 

Edward's Curse

The Leslie family were another of my families who fled Ireland to escape the potato famine, arriving in Glasgow in the early 1850s. They were three brothers and a sister; Edward along with his wife and children, Patrick (sometimes known as Peter), Margaret and James. 

Civil registration only came about in Scotland in 1855. Patrick had already married a woman named Margaret Galligan in 1853, and James married Ellen Mellon in 1855. 

On the three brothers' death certificates their father was listed as Edward Leslie (1), a labourer. On Peter and James' deaths their mother is listed as Catherine Brady. However on their brother Edward's (2) death certificate his mother is recorded as Mary Docherty. It is unknown whether Edward Leslie (1) was really married twice, or simply whether the informant of Edward's (2) death was mistaken. 

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In late 1855, Edward (2) and his wife Bridget Leckie welcomed a son into the world. The couple already had three children who had all been born in Ireland. They named their new baby Edward (3), obviously after his father and grandfather. 

Sadly in February 1856, aged only three months, baby Edward (3) died of diarrhoea. Incredibly tragic, this is only a small reflection of how high the infant mortality was at the time. Edward Leslie (2) died in 1886 at the age of 66.

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Peter and Margaret Leslie had three children; Catherine, John and Charles. Unfortunately Catherine died aged only 21 of phthisis, or tuberculosis. 

In 1884 Charles married Agnes Carroll and together they had seven children. Their first child was a son named Patrick. In 1907 he married Margaret Wood at Larkhall. Together Patrick and Margaret had many children including one son named Edward. In the late spring of 1915, little Edward grew ill. Sadly he died of diphtheria only just 1 year old.

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Charles and Agnes' second son was named Edward. In 1910, aged 20 he married Catherine McTaggart in the local Roman Catholic church at Larkhall. Only three months into the marriage, Edward was taken to the Royal Infirmary Glasgow as he was suffering with an abscess in the appendix. There he died on 8 March 1911. 

When Catherine married Edward she was already heavily pregnant. Only one month after Edward's death, Catherine gave birth to a little girl and in honour of the baby's late father, she was named Edwardina. However, tragedy struck yet again and aged only three weeks old, baby Edwardina died of congestion of the lungs. Only 19 years of age, Catherine had lost her husband and infant daughter.

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Charles and Agnes' penultimate son was also named Charles. He married Jane McComb McLean in 1920. From Larkhall he moved to Buckhaven, Fife with his young family. On a return visit to Larkhall, their youngest son fell ill. His name was Edward Carroll Leslie. Aged 11 months, Edward died of acute broncho pneumonia.

The Edward Leslies who died young,
spanning the generations
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