Starting in reverse order I have my oldest known ancestor Robert Whitelaw who would have been born in the 1770's. He lived in Barony (which is now about the centre of Glasgow) and married Mary Campbell. I have only been able to trace one child and that is my ggg grandfather John Whitelaw who was born around 1796. The only reference to Robert and Mary is in John's death certificate and as his death was reported by his second wife's brother in 1884 I have never been entirely sure about the accuracy of this information.....I would love to have been able to find a parish record to complete the evidence.

John Whitelaw (1) married Jean Carlisle in 1817 and they had two sons James (b around 1826) and my gg grandfather John (2) who was born about 1837. At some point John (1) moved across the river Clyde to Pollokshaws and lived at Kirk Lane until his death in 1884. I have never been able to find a death record for his first wife, but he married Elsbeth Henderson in 1844. His older son James also crossed the river and lived in what came to be known as the Gorbals part of Glasgow. James married Elizabeth Haddow in 1851 and they had the following children:-

William (b1855)
Jane (b1857)
Elizabeth (b1859)
Ann (b1861)
James (b1863) [he married Mary Crichton in 1887 and they had Alexander, Archibald and Thomas)
Margaret (b1865)
Alexander (b1870)

John (1) second son John (2) my gg grandfather, (1837 - 1855) married Elizabeth Kennedy in 1858. They moved to Thornliebank (a couple of miles down the road from Pollokshaws) and had the following children:-

Mary Gray (b1859) [she married John Marshall in 1883 and they had Elizabeth Emily (b1890) and Walter (B1887), I supect they emigrated in the 1890's)
John (3) (My g grandfather b1861) [I will return to him]
William Rae (b1865-1930) [he married Elizabeth Beattie and they had John (b1888)
Jane aka Jeannie (b1867)
James (b1870-1951) [he married Janet Anderson inn1904]
Robert Mcgregor (b1873-1951) [married Jeannie Courtney Smith in 1907)

John (2) died in 1885 at the age of 48 from TB his father John (1) died in 1884 aged 86.

John (3) married Elizabeth Duncan Reid in 1887 and died in 1929 they had the following children:-

John (B1888-1888) [survived 2 days]
Robert (b1890-1890)
James (b1891-1958) [my grandfather]
Jessie (b1895)

My grandfather James married Elizabeth Murray in 1913 and they had the following children:-

Jessie [married George McLaughlin and had Ann]
Elizabeth [Never married]
John (Jack) (b1918-1957) [my father]
Jennifer [Married Walter Gray and had Jack]
Irene (Reenie) [married George Hooper and had Janice]

Up until may father all of my direct ancestors back to and including Robert, were in the weaving industry and the move into Pollokshaws and then to Thornliebank brought them close to weaving mills. My father died when I was 3 and we lost contact with the Whitelaws, so I know more about the ancestors than I do about aunties, uncles and cousins.

I would like to hear from anyone who has a connection.

Regards

Brian Whitelaw