The Necropolis

Today was the day I'd set aside for exploration of the Glasow Necropolis. It's a wonderful place to walk but today I had a particular aim. I wanted to find the grave of my great, great grandparents Isabella Munn and William Martin. My son and grandson joined me which was lovely in itself  and turned out to be very helpful. 

The Necropolis is huge but thanks to Glasgow City Archives and the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis I knew that I was looking for Lair 50 in Gamma Section. The lairs aren't marked and the sections aren't signposted but I had a map. It hardly took any time before my sharp-eyed son spotted this gravestone.  And it's the right one.  Both William and Isabella are buried here as are William's parents James (also a confectioner) and Euphemia. 

My great grandmother, Euphemia Smith Martin was born on 06.10.1865 at 12 Dalhousie Street Glasgow. Her parents were William Martin, a confectioner, and Isabella Charlotte Munn. 


Tragically Euphemia’s parents both died in 1867. Isabella died on 13.01.1867 at home, 353 Bath Crescent Glasgow. Her cause of death was pulmonary arthritis (I think). On 04.10.1867 Euphemia’s father died  at the same address. He was 29 years old. His was an unexplained death and there was a post mortem examination. This report was countersigned by the Procurator Fiscal so I assume that no suspicious circumstances were found. William was discovered to have congested lungs.

Upon the death of her father Euphemia was adopted by her aunt and uncle, Dr John and Elizabeth Munn Borland. By the 1871 census 5 year old Euphemia was living with the Borland family in Kilmarnock. I assume that Elizabeth was Isabella’s sister. 

Euphemia, my great grandmother, lived a longer life than her parents.  When she married my great grandfather Robert Taylor Paterson they started their  life together in Kilmarnock then moved to Uddingston, Lenzie and finally  Edinburgh where she died in 1930. 

I can't believe how easy it was to find this gravestone. It's still clearly readable which a good number aren't. It isn't overgrown and hasn't fallen over. It's at a slight angle but in great condition.  For my grandson it was a chance to connect with 4 and 5 x great grandparents though he was far more interested in walking along walls and looking at the much fancier monuments and mausoleums. Fair enough! 

The three of us, plus Flora of course, had lunch then went our separate ways. It's been a most satisfactory day.