Henry Thomson was the older brother of my great great grandfather, Peter Thomson. Like his parents and brother, Henry lived in Chapelhall and worked locally.
The census returns record him as an “engine worker” in 1851, as an “engine Worker at a coal pit” in 1861 and, in 1871, he is the “engine worker at a brick works”. This type of employment was common in Chapelhall with coal pits, brick and iron works all in close proximity. Coal and ironstone were mined locally then processed at the nearby iron works. The nearby brick works supplied fireclay and firebricks for the furnaces.
Henry married Catherine Wotherspoon in 1858 and they went on to have 5 daughters. Tragically the 2 oldest daughters, Beatrice and Agnes, both died young, Beatrice from diphtheria in 1869 and Agnes of scarletina (scarlet fever) in 1870. In his diary of that year, my great great grandfather, Peter, wrote “My brother Henry is bereaved of another little daughter at 1 o’clock this morning. The Lord works in a mysterious way his wonders to perform. The wound has not been bound up that was made in that loving mother’s heart yet 12 months last month. God was pleased to take away their eldest and he has come once more and taken away the second.”
Peter later describes the day of 8 year old Agnes’s funeral saying “In passing the school on our way to the church yard, Mr Gibb the school master had all the children drawn out in line to pass a last compliment to one of their little playmates”. Agnes was buried next to her sister Elizabeth in Welwynd Churchyard in Airdrie.
The family’s fortunes did not turn with another tragedy just 6 years later when Henry himself was killed in an accident at work aged just 50. He left his wife and 3 young daughters, Beatrice, Catherine and Elizabeth, aged just 12, 9 and 5.
The newspaper report ends with the “conciliatory” note “The damage done will not amount to much more that £100”.
Craigachan 