Port Glasgow Family History

This site is currently under construction and will improve and expand over the coming weeks.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Welcome to my website.  You will find details of my ancestors and relatives with a family tree and photos which make up a Port Glasgow Family History.  For the most part my ancestors were Roman Catholics but with a few Protestant weddings in the mix just to make things a bit interesting. 

I have traced all of my family lines during their time in Port Glasgow and as far back as possible to when they came from  Ireland.  I have included links to sites offering information on the history of  Port Glasgow and other sites which I found valuable while doing research in Scotland and Ireland.

Surnames

This website covers the families and descendants of the following males:

• Francis Clark
• William McDonald
• James Quinn
• Arthur Quinn
• Alexander Stewart
• John Feeney
• Neil Murphy
• Charles Green
• John Roy
• John Gillies Blue (John Findlay)
• Samuel Doak
• Richard Carter
• William O'Neill
• William Adair

 Locations

Scotland

Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Scotland is were most of my recent ancestors are from, although all their roots lie in Ireland.  Port Glasgow was originally a fishing village called Newark but was developed as a Port for the City of Glasgow, 20 miles to the South.  It was also a centre for Shipbuilding and other supporting activities like Ropeworks and Linen weaving.  Please see the website PG4U listed on the links page for a more detailed history of the area.  My earliest ancestor in Scotland was Francis Clark who was present for the 1841 census and the newest arrival would be Thomas McDonald who arrived from Ireland for the 1901 census.

Port Glasgow, Scotland	Ireland - Tyrone in White

  Ireland

Researching in Ireland I have found quite difficult and expensive especially where they have not stated where in Ireland they originated.  Never the less I have managed to locate a few in Ireland in areas such as Aughamullen and Carnan in Tyrone, County Down, County Donegal and County Roscommon. 

Occupations

These men all worked and lived in Port Glasgow with their families having come from Ireland probably for work.  Although they held a variety of occupations their main occupations were around the Ship Building industry which thrived in Port Glasgow before the dredging of the river Clyde.  Rivetors, Holder On, Plater, Iron Caulker, Labourer and Riggers are examples of some of the occupations around shipyards.  The main occupation for the women was in the Weaving Mills or Ropeworks with jobs like Flax Winder, Mill Worker and Canvas Weaver.  There were also Mariners, Domestic Servants, Blacksmiths, Seaman and the occasional Farmer but mostly referring to a previous occupation back in Ireland.