As mentioned in my blog about his father (W115 : James Anderson, a flax dresser), John was born in 1842 and was living with his parents on both the 1851 and 1861 census. He was 19 when he married 17 year old Mary Ann McKissock, on 4th October 1861 in Paradise Road, Dundee, at the United Presbetaryan Church. At the time, they were both living, possibly together, in St Clements Lane, also in Dundee.
Surprisingly, perhaps because it was on a Friday which was a working day, nether of John's parents or any other of his relatives acted as a witness to the marriage.
A lot of Paradise Road was demolished when the road around Dundee city centre was built.
Surprisingly, perhaps because it was on a Friday which was a working day, nether of John's parents or any other of his relatives acted as a witness to the marriage.
A lot of Paradise Road was demolished when the road around Dundee city centre was built.
John and Mary Ann had ten children who went on to have various occupations :
- James (1865) - first born named after his father - tailor's apprentice (1881) - did he die before 1888 as another child named James ?
- Margaret Ann (1867) - scholar (1881) - jute reeler (1891)
- David (1874) - scholar (1881) - lemonade factory worker (1901) - shop porter (1911)
- Mary (1875) - aged 6 (1881) - warp winder (1891)
- William (13th May 1877) - aged 3 (1881) - lemonade factory worker (1901) - kitchen porter (1911)
- Peter (1880) - aged 1 (1881) - part time worker (1891)
- Alexander (1883) - scholar (1891) - mill worker (1901)
- Albert (1886) - scholar (1891) - mill worker (1901) - assurance agent (1911)
- James (1888)
- Jane (1889) - aged 2 (1891) - scholar (1901)
The 1861 census gives John's occupation as a tailor, as do all the censuses up to and including 1911. Up until at least 1901, the couple lived in Dundee, at 21 Charles Street (1881) and 68 St James Street (1891 and 1901). At some point after then they moved to Edinburgh, with John living in Buccleuch Street with three of his children in 1911.
As a tailor, John would probably work sitting cross legged on his table by a window as in those days windows were quite small and, to get the best light, the table would be pushed up as close as possible to the window . His shop would be reasonably warm as his iron (the goose) was heated on an open fire or charcoal heater, ready for use. He would normally sit cross legged to keep his work clean, to have his material at hand, and to lay his pressing board (a donkey), used for doing seams and sleeves, across his knees.
As a tailor, John would probably work sitting cross legged on his table by a window as in those days windows were quite small and, to get the best light, the table would be pushed up as close as possible to the window . His shop would be reasonably warm as his iron (the goose) was heated on an open fire or charcoal heater, ready for use. He would normally sit cross legged to keep his work clean, to have his material at hand, and to lay his pressing board (a donkey), used for doing seams and sleeves, across his knees.
Sadly, I haven't found any trace of John's death or that of his wife, Mary Ann. I think she probably died sometime between the 1901 and 1911 census. As far as John is concerned, he is aged 68 on the 1911 census and I can't trace him after that. They are both shown as "deceased" in 1915 on their son William's marriage certificate. Looking forward to the 1921 census ...... in 2021 or 2022.