Person:William Black (21)

Youth

Birth Certificate

WILLIAM BLACK was born at 12:30 PM on 16 Oct 1868 at Partick, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was born to Matthew Black a Dock Laborer and Margaret Hagerty, in the Partick district of Glasgow Scotland. Partick is on the north bank of the Clyde just west of the center of Glasgow. His parents lived at 166 Castlebank Street when he was born and had lived at least since their marriage. Both of his parents came over from Ireland sometime before they were married. The Irish potato famine occurred from 1845 to 1852 when his parents were children, so it is possible they emigrated from Ireland to escape it. William's mother Margaret was 23 when he was born and had been married for four years.^S2 He was the oldest surviving child in his family. His parents lost two sons before him. There were eight children in all, five boys and three girls.

Tragically, William's father died when he was just 21^S10, leaving his mother to raise seven children from 5 to 18 years old. It wasn't until five years after his father's death before William married. Perhaps he took on the responsibility of helping out his mother in the meantime.

Marriage

Marriage Certificate

He married Agnes Cunningham, daughter of Charles Cunningham and Mary Milroy, on 18 Oct 1894 at Partick, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, at the age of 26. William and Agnes lived in Glasgow their entire lives, raising a family of eight children, 6 boys and two girls.

Life

Various records list William's occupation as a "Saw Doctor". A Saw Doctor made, repaired, maintained and sharpened a wide range of cutting tools and saw blades and also maintained and aligned mechanical parts of a range of production machines. This is still a living occupation today. William's father was a dock laborer when Glasgow was becoming a key center for the building of iron ships at the time in history when iron ships were beginning to replace wooden ones. William would spend his entire life in those same shipyards so his father most likely introduced him to the industry. Shipbuilding became a major industry on the Clyde, building many famous ships including the Cunard liners RMS Lusitania and RMS Aquitania. William may very well have worked on those ships. By the end of the 19th century the city was known as the "Second City of the Empire" and was producing most of the ships and locomotives in the world.

Grandson and namesake William "Bill" Black provides some notes on his grandfather in an interview concerning his 1954 visit.^S11

Death

Death Certificate

William died of Cardiovascular degeneration, Cerebral Thrombosis at 8:45 PM on 16 May 1958 at Partick, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, at age 89. William died a year to the day after his wife Agnes. He lived at 31 Thornwood Road, still living in Partick, Glasgow. Son William signed the death certificate.^S6 He lived a few blocks away at the time on 64 Laurel street. Dr J. Wright certified both William's and Agnes' death.

Census

William Black Census

Year	Source	Image
1871	1871 Scotland Population Census: Parish Govan, Town Govan, Scotland
1881	1881 Scotland Population Census: Govan, Lanark, Scotland
1891	1891 Scotland Population Census: Govan, Partick, Lanarkshire, Scotland
1901	1901 Scotland Population Census: Govan, Partick, Lanarkshire

With son William's Family

Composite

1. ↑ LDS International Genealogical Index: Black Hagerty IGI Records. (IGI Record, Family History Library (Salt Lake City, Utah), 2002).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} William Black Birth Certificate. (Birth Certificate).
   Birth Certificate
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Cheryl Ahner. Charles Cunningham Black Family History: Transcribed by Cheryl Ahner. (E-Mail, Fri Oct 4, 2002).
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 1871 Scotland Population Census: Parish Govan, Town Govan, Scotland.
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 1901 Scotland Population Census: Govan, Partick, Lanarkshire.
6. ↑ William Black Death Certificate. (Death Certificate).
   Death Certificate
7. ↑ William Black & Agnes Cunningham Marriage Certificate. (Marriage Certificate).
8. ↑ 1881 Scotland Population Census: Govan, Lanark, Scotland.
9. ↑ 1891 Scotland Population Census: Govan, Partick, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
10. ↑ William Black Death Certificate. (Death Certificate).
11.   William (Bill) Black. William (Bill) Black Interview. (Interviews, 1998-2002).
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} William Black Birth Certificate. (Birth Certificate).
13. ↑ Charles Black Birth Certificate. (Birth Certificate).
14. ↑ 12:30 PM
15. ↑ 8:45 PM || Cardiovascular degeneration, Cerebral Thrombosis