THE McTEARS

Although it was quite simple to find the parents of Elizabeth McTear (my GGrandmother) and from that the names of her grandparents it really has been difficult to establish more substantial information about the family. I had very little to go on. One story my mother told me was about her Orange granny who never seemed to smile. My mother told me she had to go messages almost every day for this granny (errands in Mancunian) and that she hated this as the granny used to call her a wee Fenian and was never pleasant to her. In fact my mother told me she was a scary old woman.

My mother was born December 1913 and the only granny she could possibly have remembered was Elizabeth McTear who died in 1923. Her other Granny, Catherine Kelly had died in 1914. As I discovered the names of Elizabeth McTears’ parents and grandparents such as Ross and Whitelaw it was not too difficult to guess that this was not an Irish Catholic family and much more likely to be what is now called Ulster Scots. These were mainly Scottish Protestant families who were given land in Ulster in the late 1600’s, a period called The Plantations. Virtually all of the problems in what is now Northern Ireland, stem from this period. The main point for the moment was that my mothers’ story about having a Protestant Granny seemed true. However whether the family were Orange or not, as my mother described them, I have not established, as not all Protestants were also Orange or members of the Orange Lodge.

The other story I had to go on was one my Aunt Elsie told me of one of her grannies, but she did not know which, who had arrived in Saltcoats in Ayrshire, from Ireland, with her parents, when she was about 2 years old. My Aunt Elsie could only have been told this story as she was too young to remember even Elizabeth McTear. Anyway my Aunt Elsie told me that there the family sold fish from barrows. Aunt Elsie also said that the part of Ireland the family came from was Holywood, County Down. If there was any truth in this story again the only family it could have been was the McTears, and this I set out to prove.

What did strike me at the time when Aunt Elsie told me the story was Holywood. It is a place virtually unknown in Scotland and therefore I felt there might just be some truth in the story. This was similar to the situation when I asked my mother where in Ireland her family came from. She always maintained the only place she heard mentioned was Roscommon. Again I am sure if you asked a thousand Scots to name a county in Ireland, not many would say Roscommon, if any at all. I tend to believe then that our family have connections with both Roscommon and Holywood, County Down.

I have established beyond doubt the Hacketts were from County Fermanagh. According to census information Susan Kean, Francis Hacketts’wife, came from Derry. I have then associated the Boyles with Roscommon although I cannot prove it and the McTears with Holywood near Belfast. The only other option is Catherine Kelly, James Boyles’ wife, who according to most censuses was born in Glasgow but on the 1901 census she gave her birthplace as Girvan in Ayrshire but it could also have been her family who originated in Roscommon. I was not too surprised by either the Saltcoats or Girvan connections as my mother seemed to have connections in both places and I remember going to Saltcoats often as a boy on holiday and I also went to Girvan on holiday to a house where my mother had some sort of connection to the owners, but what exactly I don’t know. However it seemed as though virtually everyone in Bridgeton went to Saltcoats on holiday when I was a boy. (Saltcoats of TV fame when billed as the roughest town in Britain, and yes its rough.)
Although I am mindful that I could be accused of trying to make Aunt Elsies’ story fit the facts, all of the information I have found so far tends to substantiate what she told me. However it is by no means conclusive. Below is the information I have so far.

When Elizabeth McTear married Martin Hackett on 13th July 1877 at Sacred Hearts R.C. Church in Bridgeton her address was given as 35,Dale St. and her parents as James McTear and Sarah McTear (nee Siman.). Siman proved to be wrong but as Elizabeth could not read that is not unusual at all. Her age was given as 21, which would mean she was born in 1856.

When James McTear (Coal Dealer) of 42, Dale St. died on 7th July 1895 with a given age of 63 his wife was shown as Sarah Lamont. (again wrong I feel) and his parents were given as William McTear labourer deceased and Mary McTear (nee Whitelaw ) also deceased. It is only that the informant is M.Hackett, son in law that makes it certain that this is the father of Elizabeth McTear. I have to take for the moment that William McTear and Mary Whitelaw are the correct names of his parents. If I take the age given at face value then it means James McTear was born in 1823.

When Sarah McTear (but spelt as McAteer) died on 19th March 1907 her age was given as 69 and her address as 20 Franklin Street. Her parents were given as James Lemon (Road Surfaceman, deceased) and Elizabeth Lemon (nee Ross, deceased.) The Informant was Elizabeth Hackett daughter of 42 Dale Street. Again I am certain this is the mother of Elizabeth McTear and tend to think Lemon is the correct surname for her mother. However Sarah could not read and signed with an X. However if again I take the age at face value Sarah McTear was born in 1836. I have also found Sarah McTear on the 1901 census living with son in law Martin Hackett and family and here she shows as being 63, which would mean she was born in 1838 and again is close to other figures shown. They are living at 42 Dale St in Bridgeton. It is clear then that Sarah McTear was no longer living with the Hackett family when she died.

When Elizabeth Hackett widow of Martin Hackett died on 26th March 1923 her age was given as 66. Her address was given as 63 Reid Street and her parents as James McTear (coal merchant, deceased, and Sarah Lemon, deceased.) The informant was Francis Hackett, son of 11, Adelphi Street, Bridgeton. (yes there was an Adelphi Street in Bridgeton at that time.) So again I have the right person. If the age is correct then Elizabeth was born in 1857 and concurs with the age given when she married in 1877.

I found James and Sarah McTear on the 1881 census living at 17 Bell Street. He shows as being 56 and born Ireland. This would mean born in 1825, which is not too far from the 1823 date on his death certificate. Sarah shows as being 48 and born Ireland, which would indicate being born in 1833 compared to the 1836 her death certificate would suggest. Overall the ages given are reasonably close enough to suggest they are probably in the correct range. They had boarders living with them called Scott, which suggests that they were Protestant. I have so far been unable to find James and Sarah on earlier censuses, either in Glasgow or in Saltcoats and because of that I am unable to establish if they had any other children other than Elizabeth to help me confirm parentage etc.

I did find another Irish McTear family who did have Saltcoats connections, and not only that they were also carters and later coal dealers like my McTears. They also lived in 43,Dale Street in 1891 when my Elizabeth Hackett (nee McTear) lived at 42, Dale Street. The naming patterns are also similar in many respects although this family had around 12 children. The head of that family was a William McTear, whom I fully expect to turn out to be the brother of my James McTear. I know this William died between 1881 and 1891 but as yet cannot find his death certificate. As a matter of interest this William McTear arrived in Saltcoats from Ireland between the years 1853-1856.

1881 Census Barony 644-1-39-10 17,Bell St. Glasgow
James McTear @ 56 born Ireland General Lab.
Sarah McTear @ 48 born Ireland
Mary Scott Boarder @ 19 Cotton weaver Born Ireland
SarAH Scott @ 2 Born Greenock

death SCOTTISH REGISTRAR in 1895 @63 Bridgeton 749

Possible Brother 1881 census 644-1- 11-12 Barony 30,Howard st.
William McTear @50 born Ireland Master carter
Agnes @40 born Ireland
James @16 born Saltcoats, Ayrshire carter
Robert @ 15 "" " " "" ""
John @ 13 " " " scholar
Samuel @ 11" " " "
Agnes @ 8 " " " "
George @ 6 Glasgow
Andrew @ 4 "
David @ 2 "

IGI James McTear born Oct 1830 Cty Down Seapatrick, Balavelly

Poss parents William McAteer= Mary White m 6/10/1832
Presbyterian Down Kircubbin
1786 William McTear=Mary child Charolette 22/6/1786 in Down Moira.

1881 Census ref. 644-1-39-5 2,Bell Street, Barony.
Martin Hackett (head) 28years Coal Merchant born Glasgow
Elizabeth Hackett (Wife) 22 years born Ireland
Francis Hackett (Son) 3 years born Glasgow
James Hackett (Son) 1 year born Glasgow

John Reid (Boarder) 14 years General Servant.

1891 Census 12 Bell St Parish of Newhall (Bridgeton)

Martin Hackett (h) @ 39 coal dealer b Glasgow
Elizabeth Hackett (w) @ 34
Francis (s) scholar @ 13 b Glasgow
James (s) scholar @ 11 b Glasgow
Susan (d) scholar @ 5 b Glasgow
Isabell (d) @ 3 b Glasgow
Sarah (d) @ 10 months b. Glasgow
also Francis Hackett @ 68 Born at sea British Subject (father of Martin)
also in house William Thompson (Boarder) @24 born Glasgow.