3. NORWOOD FAMILY: 1840–1932
by Alan Craig Download the PDF for this page (14.9 MB)
Note: Throughout this text, all of my direct ancestors’ names are marked in purple. All blue text [inside brackets] represents additional information or corrections, and did not form part of the original documents. Copies of the original birth, death, marriage and census records are stored in the Cloud, and can be made available to interested parties upon request.
James [1] Norwood & Rebecca McBride
3g-grandparents
Of all the families in my direct line, the Norwood family seems to me to be the most tragic. James [1] and Rebecca were both born in or near Belfast, Ireland, but we only know this from the 1855 birth certificate of their son James [2].1Source: Norwood, James; 1855 Scotland Statutory Births; 644/1 884; Central District, Glasgow. That was the only year statutory birth certificates recorded the parents’ place of birth. In fact, almost everything we know of their earlier life in Ireland comes from Scottish records. We are not given a precise date and place for their marriage until their daughter Elizabeth’s 1861 birth certificate:2Source: Norwood, Elizabeth; 1861 Scotland Statutory Births; 644/1 1404; Central District, Glasgow. 21 August 1846, at Lisburn — a town about 13 km (8 miles) south-west of Belfast centre. The 1861 Scotland Census tells us that their first two children were born in Ireland (though Annie may actually have been born in Liverpool, England), and James [1] Norwood’s police service record informs us that he was born in the small village of Drumbo, County Down, which is 5 km (3 miles) due east of Lisburn. Apart from their parents’ names, which we get from their death certificates, this is all we know about their lives before they arrived in Glasgow somewhere around 1853.
When I was a child, my dad sometimes told the story that his ‘great-grandfather’ was “the first policeman in Glasgow.” — my granddad had a similar story. As it turns out, they were talking about James [1] Norwood, my dad’s great-great grandfather, and he wasn’t “the first” by any means! The City of Glasgow Police were established by an act of parliament on 30 June 1800, and James was recruited as a constable in ‘A Division’ (Glasgow Central) on 27 October 1853, after previously serving as a constable in Liverpool, England. His service record shows he was 6’2″ (1.88 m) tall, and aged 26 (so, born around 1827). James’ service record is a very revealing document, and more will be said about it as we read on.
Apart from James’ service record, the first we hear about this family is the 1855 Valuation Rolls for Glasgow. Here we find James as the tenant and occupier of a house at 75 High Street, Blackfriars, which is just up from Glasgow Cross (Tollcross) and, at that time, one of Glasgow’s worst slum areas. They were paying £4 a year (1/6 a week) to live in the squalor of Glasgow Central. It was at this same address that their 5th child, James [2], was born at on 24 July of that same year. Rebecca is recorded on that certificate as have “2 girls living” and “2 boys deceased” — the girls, we will soon find out, were Sarah and Anna, and the boys must have been born and died between 1846 and 1855 — either in Ireland, Liverpool or Glasgow.
The Central Police Station in those days was at 9 South Albion Street, less than 100 metres (109 yards) from where the Norwood family were living at that time. In February 1856, James’s service record shows that he was “admonished” (not for the last time) for “bringing a prisoner to the office without reason”; this first offence didn’t seem to worry his superiors, because, in February 1857, he was promoted to sergeant! However, the goodwill from his employer was about to fade when, in October of that year, he was “reprimanded” for being “found in a Public House during the hours of duty” — my goodness!
The family are next recorded in October 1857, when their 6th child, John,3Source: Norwood, John; 1857 Scotland Statutory Births; 644/1 1779; Central District, Glasgow. was born at 55 High Street, just a few paces closer to the Tollbooth on Trongate; the poor child died just six months later of hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain)4Source: Norwood, John; 1858 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/1 750; Central District, Glasgow. — James and Rebecca had lost their third child in 10 years. Worse was to come.
The family had moved from High Street to Stirling Square (close by the police station at South Albion Street) by the time their 7th child, Mary Jane, was born in March 1859.5Source: Norwood, Mary Jane; 1859 Scotland Statutory Births; 644/1 651; Central District, Glasgow. James, however, was still occasionally getting into trouble at work. In January 1860, he was given a black mark in his service record for “insubordination”, and a year later, another for “entering a Public House when on duty” — he obviously hadn’t learned from the previous disciplinary actions!
1861 Census – and tragedy
By April 1861, James and Rebecca and their four surviving children had moved once again — this time, just around the corner to what was then Stirling Street (now Blackfriars Street). This is the first census (below) in which we find the Norwood family — the 1851 record could be either in Ireland or Liverpool. Exact ages for James [1] and Rebecca have been difficult to calculate due to discrepancies recorded during their lives, but these ones in the 1861 census (35 and 36) must be close.
1861 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 13 Stirling Street, Blackfriars, Glasgow 6Source: NORWOOD, James; 1861 Scotland Census; 644/1 38/ 14; Central District, Glasgow.
James [1] Norwood; Head; Mar.; 35; Sergeant of Police; born Ireland
Rebeca Norwood [McBride]; Wife; Mar.; 37; born Ireland
Sarah Norwood; Daur.; Unm.; 13; ?; born Ireland
Anna Norwood; Daur.; Unm.; 9; [School]; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
James [2] Norwood; Son; 6; [School]; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Mary [Ann] Norwood; Daur.; 2; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
The record says there are two members of the household at school, but none of the children have that marked against their names — presumably the 6- and 9-year olds are at school, and Sarah’s occupation is given as a question mark. At 13, Sarah would almost certainly be working. Anna is given as being born in Glasgow — but a thorough trawl though Scotland’s old parish records (up to 1854) reveals no record — so it may be that she was born in either Ireland or Liverpool.
Three months after the census, and at the same address, the last child, Elizabeth, was born.7Source: Norwood, Elizabeth; 1861 Scotland Statutory Births; 644/1 1404; Central District, Glasgow. And, in November that year, James was once again in strife when he was demoted to second-class constable for, like an echo, “bringing a prisoner to the office without cause”; he was certainly a wayward copper! However, we can now start to appreciate how wretched his family life was, and perhaps understand why his work life was so chaotic. A week after his demotion, Anna (9) died from tuberculosis, which she had suffered from for 6 years.8Source: Norwood, Annie; 1861 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/01 1404; Glasgow Central. But more horrors were on their way. Less than three months after Anna’s death (February 1862), the youngest, Elizabeth (7 months),9Source: Norwood, Elizabeth; 1862 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/1 271; Glasgow Central. died of hooping cough — and, a week later, Mary Ann (3) succumbed to the same disease.10Source: Norwood, Mary; 1862 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/1 334; Central District, Glasgow. James and Rebecca had now lost six children in the 16 years they had been married. Only two, James [2] and Sarah, were to make it to adulthood, and only one of them to old age.
Blackfriars, Central District: 1863–1879
After the virtual decimation of his young family, James’ career continued on its downhill slope. In May 1863 he was fined 1/- (a week’s rent) for being “absent from a fire” (maybe he was in the pub!); two years later, he was yet again “admonished”, this time for “striking a woman” — oh, dear me! This was the same year (1865) that the Valuation Rolls showed the remnants of the family were still living at 13 Stirling Street, where four of the children had died. Interestingly, James Norwood was mentioned in a newspaper article (The Herald) on 17 October 1865: “… on the evening of Wednesday last, Constable James Norwood, an experienced officer, who was stationed in Dunlop Street, counted no fewer than 633 vehicles passing to the Theatre.” Glasgow’s Theatre Royal had been in Dunlop Street until it was demolished in 1869, after a new one had been built in Hope Street, Cowcaddens.
1870 SCOTLAND STATUTORY MARRIAGES: Central District, Glasgow 11Source: CRAIG, Thomas [3] & NORWOOD, Sarah; 1870 Scotland Statutory Marriages; 644/1 121; Glasgow Central.
married: 18th March, 1870 at: 115 High Street, Glasgow
After Banns, according to the Forms of the Free Church
—
Thomas [4] Craig, Brassfinisher (Bachelor) age: 20
of: 115 High Street, Glasgow
father: John Craig, Carter (dec’d)
mother: Rachel Craig M.S. Hannah
—
Sarah Norwood, Power Loom Weaver (Spinster) (X mark) age: 20
of: 115 High Street, Glasgow
father: James [1] Norwood, Police Constable
mother: Rebecca Norwood M.S. McBride
—
minister: William Barrow witnesses: John Craig; Elizabeth Fowler
In March 1866, James’ police service record shows he was promoted to “2nd Class” (on 21/- a week), and for the next three years, he had no more run-ins with his work. Rebecca would no doubt have appreciated the extra money over that time; however, three-and-a-half years later, James was back in the bad books: fined 1/- for, yet again, being “absent from a fire”. This was, it seems, to have been the last straw for the Glasgow Constabulary for, two months later, James [1] Norwood was “Superannuated” (i.e. sacked) from the police on 22 November 1869. He was about 45, had lost six children, was living in the slums, and without a job.
The only bright spot in his otherwise sorrowful life was that, in March 1870, his surviving daughter, Sarah, married my great-great grandfather, Thomas [4] Craig (see right). It would be one less mouth to feed.
However, by now, James Norwood had contracted phthisis (tuberculosis) himself, and was only to live for another 11 months. The family seems to have moved back to High Street by the time Sarah married, but James was to die in Nelson Street, a short lane extending south from South Albion Street — he had never lived far from the police station where he had such a turbulent career:
1871 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Central District, Glasgow 12Source: NORWOOD, James; 1871 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/1 390; Central District, Glasgow.
James [1] Norwood,
Police Constable, Married to Rebecca McBride
—
died: 14th February 1871 (5:15 pm) age: 39 years [~ 45]
at: 53 Nelson Street, Glasgow
—
father: Malcolm Norwood, Agricultural labourer (dec’d)
mother: Agnes Norwood M.S. Blakeley (dec’d)
—
cause: Phthisis – years doctor: A. Patterson
informant: Rebecca Norwood (X mark), Widow (present)
His death certificate (see left) infers that James [1] had TB for “years”, so perhaps that’s the reason he had been ‘superannuated’, rather than his bad conduct — we’ll never know whether he was a wayward fellow who was a bit brutish, or just a man who was depressed with his miserable circumstances, and lashing out at life in general. Many of the police recruited in Glasgow were from Ireland, and specifically hired for their bulk and strength; he may not have been much different from many of his colleagues.
Six weeks after James died, the 1871 census was taken (see below), and the remaining family were then living back in High Street — and it was a very different household. The newly widowed Rebecca (who was more likely to be 46) was living with her remaining children and her daughter’s family, which included two grandsons. Sarah, as we know, was actually born in Belfast, and was really 23; the one-week-old James Craig is my great-grandfather.
1871 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 115 High Street, Blackfriars, Glasgow 13Source: NORWOOD, Rebecca; 1871 Scotland Census; 644/1 36/ 25; Central District, Glasgow.
Rebecca Norwood [McBride]; Head; Widow; 41 [46]; born Ireland
James [2] Norwood; Son; Unm.; 16; Message Boy; born Glasgow
Sarah Craig [Norwood] ; Daur.; Mar.; 20 [23]; bornGlasgow[Belfast, Ireland]
Thomas [4] Craig Senr.; Son in Law; Mar.; 20; Brass Finisher; bornGlasgow[Rutherglen]
Thomas (i) Craig Junr.; Grandson; 14 mth; born Glasgow
James Craig; Grandson; 1 week; born Glasgow
Rebecca was still at 115 High Street for the 1875 Valuation Rolls, and was paying £4/15/- a year to do so (1/9d a week). Her only surviving son, James [2], had moved across the Clyde to the Gorbals, and was living in Hospital Street when he married Catherine Borthwick in April 1878. He was 22, and working as a soap manufacturer’s van driver, and his bride was a soap factory packer — it’s likely they both worked at the same place. Christina (an orphan) had said her age was 21; however, she was born at the Trongate on 3 July 1861, so she was really only 16! Fourteen months later, this couple had their only child, and named him James [3] — but things would soon go horribly wrong for this family too.
The Years 1881–1897
The April 1881 census showed that the young James and his wife and child had moved back over the Clyde, and were living in Stanhope Street (just north of Rottenrow).14Source: Norwood, James [2]; 1881 Scotland Census; 644/6 25/ 11. St Rollox, Glasgow. His widowed mother, however, was living by herself, though within walking distance, on a street running south from Rottenrow:
1881 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 6 Balmano Street, Blackfriars, Glasgow 15Source: NORWOOD, Rebecca (McBride); 1881 Scotland Census; 644/5 10/ 18; Blackfriars, Glasgow.
Mrs Rebecca Norwood [McBride]; Head; Widow; 61; born Ireland
Balmano Street was only 100 metres (109 yds) long, and ran down from Rottenrow to George Street (see the photo below right); however, this whole area has now disappeared under the buildings of Strathclyde University. The Glasgow Infirmary, the Maternity Hospital (where I was born), and Lock Hospital (for ‘fallen’ women) were all situated on Rottenrow.
1881 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 45 McNeil Street, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 16Source: CRAIG, Thomas; 1881 Scotland Census; 644/11 51/ 4 & 5; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Thomas [4] Craig; Head; Mar.; 31; Brass Finisher; born Rutherglen
Sarah Craig [Norwood]; Wife; Mar.; 30; born Ireland
James Craig; Son; 9; Scholar; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
John Craig; Son; 6; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Thomas [ii] Craig; Son; 4½; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; 2½; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Rebecca Craig; Daur.; 2 months; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
//
Rachel Craig [Hannah]; Head; Widow; 55; Cotton Mill Worker; born Glasgow
Archibald Craig; Son; Unm.; 27; General Labourer; born Glasgow
Catherine Craig; Daur; Unm.; 24; Cotton Mill Worker; born Glasgow
Margaret Craig; Daur; Unm.; 18; Cotton Mill Worker; born Glasgow
David Craig; Son; 14; Van Driver; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
William Devlin; Boarder; Unm.; 23; Shoemaker; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
James Tracey; Boarder; Unm.; 25; Engine Fitter; born Govan, Lanarkshire
Meanwhile, Sarah, Thomas [4] and their growing family had taken up residence in Hutchesontown. In 1881, we find them living at 45 McNeil Street (see left above), an address that was to become a focal point for the Craig family for at least the next 20 years or so. It lay south of the River Clyde, about 1 km (0.6 miles) from their old stamping grounds. Hutchesontown, now completely redeveloped, was part of the infamous and densely populated Gorbals district.
As we can see in this census, Thomas’ widowed mother, Rachel Hannah, was also living at the same address with four of her children and a couple of boarders. By this time, Thomas [4] Craig and Sarah Norwood had finished having children, but their first born, Thomas (i), had died of scarlet fever in 1874, while they were still living at 115 High Street.17Source: Craig, Thomas [Stewart]; 1874 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/1 2024; Central District, Glasgow. Rebecca, their last born was only to survive till April 1882, when she died at 16 months of a “brain concussion” from a fall.18Source: Craig, Rebecca; 1882 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/ 11 352; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
By September of 1881, James [2] and his wife Catherine were back living with the widowed Rebecca Norwood at 22 Stirling Street. It was then, tragically, that Catherine succumbed to tuberculosis, aged only 20 (though her death certificate showed her age as 24).19Source: Norwood, Christina (Borthwick); 1881 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/6 1134; St Rollox, Glasgow. James, 26, was now left a widower with a two-year-old child. Nothing else has been found for the family until the 1891 census.
1891 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 22 Stirling Street, Blackfriars, Glasgow 20Source: NORWOOD, Rebecca (McBride); 1891 Scotland Census; 644/5 26/ 12; Blackfriars, Glasgow.
Mrs Rebecca Norwood [McBride]; Head; Widow; 61; born Ireland
Jno Mitchell; Lodger;60; Navvy; born Forfar, Forfarshire
Joan Mitchell; Lodger’s wife; 29; born Dundee, Forfarshire
At the 1891 census (see right), Rebecca was still living at Stirling Street, but with a couple of lodgers — but there is no record for her then 12-year-old grandson, James [3]. Interestingly, the boy‘s father, James [2] Norwood, and my my great-grandfather James Craig were both residents at the Robert Burn’s Lodging House, which was only a 200-metre (220-yard) walk from the corner of High and Stirling Streets near where the Norwood family had lived on and off for 36 years:
1891 SCOTLAND CENSUS: Robert Burns Lodging House, 15–36 Watson Street, Blackfriars 21Source: CRAIG, James; 1891 Scotland Census; 644/5 71/ 11; Blackfriars, Glasgow.
— Multiple entries —
James Craig; Lodger; Unm.; 20; Window Cleaner (employed); born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
— Multiple entries —
James [2] Norward [Norwood]; Lodger; Widower; 36; Dock Labourer; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
— Multiple entries —
1891 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 420 Rutherglen Road, Hutchesontown, Glasgow 22Source: CRAIG, Thomas [4]; 1891 Scotland Census; 644/11 82/ 8; Hutchesontown, Glasgow.
Thomas [4] Craig; Head; Ma.r; 41; Brassfinisher; born Rutherglen, Lanarkshire
Sarah N. Craig [Norwood]; Wife; Mar; 46; born Ireland
John Craig; Son; Unm.; 18; Ship Yard Lab.; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Thomas [ii] Craig; Son; Unm.; 15; Message Boy; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
David Craig; Son; 13; Message Boy; born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Sarah Norwood was still in Hutchesontown with her husband and three working-age children (see left); however, they were no longer at McNeill Street where Thomas’s mother, Rachel Hannah, was still living with two of his sisters (see the previous story). Less than 10 months after this census, James [2] Norwood died a pauper at the city poorhouse from pneumonia. He was only 36, and left an orphaned 12-year-old son, who was probably living with his grandmother in Stirling Street. With his death, the only surviving members of the Norwood family were Rebecca, her daughter Sarah, and her young grandson, James [3].
1897 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: St Rollox, Glasgow 23Source: NORWOOD, Rebecca (McBride); 1897 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/6 975, St Rollex, Glasgow.
Rebecca Norwood
Pauper; Widow of James [1] Norwood, Police Constable
—
date: 14th July 1897 (9:45 pm) at: City Poorhouse, Glasgow
usual residence: 114 Trongate age: 77 [~72] years
—
father: John McBride, Farmer (deceased)
mother: Rebecca McBride M.S. Johnston (deceased)
—
cause: Cardiac Disease, Bronchitis doctor: Alex. Roberston MD
informant: Sarah Craig [Norwood], X mark, Daughter
of: 420 Rutherglen Road
Rebecca Norwood (née McBride) was still at 22 Stirling Street in 1895, but by 1896, the Electoral Register shows she had moved across the Clyde and was living at 114 Trongate — and this is where she was living when she was admitted to hospital on 14 May 1897. She died exactly two months later while still a patient at the City Poorhouse.
Rebecca was probably only about 72 years old, though the death certificate (see right) showed 77. She had been born and married in or near Belfast, Ireland, and had followed her husband to Liverpool, and then Glasgow, where he worked as a policeman. Rebecca had given birth to six children, and had outlived all but her eldest daughter, the rest dying young from disease. Her husband died from TB in 1871, and she had been a paupered widow for over 26 years. It’s hard to view her life as anything but tragic.
LEFT: The Trongate looking east towards Glasgow Cross. Rebecca Norwood lived just off the picture to the left before she died.
RIGHT: Glasgow City Poorhouse, Townhead. Rebecca was a patient here for the two months before she died.
1901 SCOTLAND CENSUS: 48 Duke Street, Blackfriars, Glasgow 24Source: Norwood, James [3]; 1901 Scotland Census; 644/5 48/ 1; Blackfriars, Glasgow.
Conner McGuire; Head; Widower; 57; Lodging House Proprietor; “Own Home”; born Ireland
James [3] Norwood; Officer (Warder); Single; 21; Warder in Lodging House; born Glasgow
==== Multiple entries ====
We will continue the story of the daughter Sarah in the next Chapter, but the last male carrying the ‘Norwood’ name in our line was working as a warder in the Blackfriars district that the family had lived in since 1853:
But it was less than three years before the hand of fate wiped out the last ‘Norwood’ but one:
1904 SCOTLAND STATUTORY DEATHS: Milton, Glasgow 25Source: Norwood, James [3]; 1904 Scotland Statutory Deaths; 644/8 68; Milton, Glasgow.
James [3] Norwood,
Hotel Porter, Single
—
died: 27th January 1904 (7:20 am) age: 24 years at: 105 Stirling Street, Glasgow
—
father: James [2] Norwood, Van Driver (deceased)
mother: Christina Norwood M.S. [Borthwick] (deceased)
—
cause: Phthisis Pulmonalis [Tuberculosis] doctor: Wm. Gladstone Cook R.A.C.P. Edin.
informant: James Craig,Second[1st] Cousin of: 7 South Wellington Place, Glasgow
So, now, the only survivor of the Norwood family that came to Glasgow in 1853 was my great-great grandmother Sarah; but she, at least, had a few more years left. My great-grandfather James Craig was the informant, and he was, in fact, James [3]’s first cousin.
APPENDIX
This is a facsimile of James Norwood’s Police Service Record for the time he was serving with the Glasgow Constabulary. This document was found in Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, and it provides us with very important information about his life: his birthplace; age; the places he lived; children; his work history (not all plain sailing); and his retirement and death. At 6’2”, he was a big man for his times!
See the relevant maps (maps open in new browser tabs):
-
- Glasgow City (relative street positions)
- Glasgow Hutchesontown & Gorbals
- Glasgow Blackfriars & Central District
- Glasgow Dennistoun & Camlachie
- Glasgow Bridgeton & Calton
- Craig Migrations within Scotland
The foreground in this 1900 photo shows the area behind the tenements on the west side of High Street, looking south past the junction with Duke Street towards Glasgow Cross. The Tolbooth Steeple can just be seen to the left in the background, while in the top right corner we can see the Ramshorn Kirk on Ingram Street. The thick smoke in High Street was probably from railway engines working at the High Street Goods Yard, on the south side of Duke Street.
Bell o’ the Brae, 1904 — this was the old name for the stretch of High Street leading up from the Duke Street intersection to Drygate. The name comes from a ‘deid bell’ that had been installed in a little turret at the top of the hill in medieval times, and which tolled at funerals.
Glasgow Cross, 1900 — looking west along the Trongate from the Tolbooth at the corner of High Street. The Tron Kirk Steeple is prominent at the centre.
A ‘close’ in High Street, Blackfriars, 1868. This would have been a scene quite familiar to the Norwood family.
References
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