Glasgow Scotland

My wife's father's father - Andrew Brock was born at 556 New Keppoch Hill Road, Glasgow, Scotland - 2 October, 1888. Glasgow is now Scotland's biggest city, with a population of almost 612,000. On the west coast of Scotland, at the Firth of Clyde, it has been a ship-building city for centuries. Founded by a Christian missionary, St. Mungo, Glasgow's history stretches back almost two thousand years when it was orginally a small salmon-fishing village at a crossing on the River Clyde.

Andrew Brock's parents - John Brock and Jane Ridell were married in 1871 at the North or High Church, Glasgow. Jane was christened at High Church and John was christened at Barony, Glasgow (23 December, 1845), as was his father, Alexander, 18th December, 1822, and several earlier generations.

Jones Directory of 1787 shows the following with the name Riddell:

John Riddell, Esq., Lord Provost of Town Council

Riddel Henry, merchant, west side Queen-street, No. 3; member of West India Club

Riddel John, surgeon, lodges with his mother, Prince's Street

Riddel Andrew, teller to the Glasgow Arms Bank, lodges with his mother, Prince's Street (bank on east side of Miller Street)

Riddel William, pastry-cook, south side, Prince's Street

Henry Riddel, member of the Management of the Merchants House (Wm. Coats, Dean of Guild, President); Management Comm. of Chamber of Commerce

An earlier connection is the marriage of Richard Riddell and Rachel Sinclair, 28 August, 1855, which took place at Calton, Glasgow. Calton was an area of Glasgow best known for its weaving work shops. In 1787, weavers had been on strike for twelve weeks as a protest against a cut in wages. On previous occasions strikes had been resolved by settlement but on 3rd September of that year the army was sent in and six weavers were killed. 6000 people attended the funerals.

Jane Riddell, daughter of Richard Riddell and Rachel Sinclair, married John Brock (see above).

Report of Parish of Barony

written about 1791-1798, published 1799 - Transcribed by Linda Nisbet, New Zealand

Villages, Rents of Houses, and New Houses.

As manufactures are carried to a great extent in the city of Glasgow, their influence is felt on all the country round; and a number of very populous and thriving villages have been built in this parish. These are Calton and Bridgeton, Grahamston, Anderston, Finnieston, Clayflap, North-Woodside, Cowcaddens, Parkhouse, Camlachie, Parkhead, Westmuir, Shettleston, Lightburn, Callendar and Dennistoun. In these, the general rent of the houses is from 2l. to 5l, a-year, though there are many much higher, and some as low as 15s. Within the last ten years, 486 new dwelling-houses or tenements, have been built: and of these the greater part have been erected within the last 4 or 5 years. It is to be observed, that many of these houses are made to accommodate 2, 3, or 5 or 6 families. None of the houses erected in the New Town of Glasgow are included in the enumeration, though the greatest part of it is situated within the Barony parish.

Ecclesiastical State of the Parish, School, Poor, &c.

The parish church is a part of that venerable building, the cathedral of Glasgow, and has been occupied by the Barony since the year 1595. Being of an arched roof, which is low, and supported by a great number of massy pillars, it is exceedingly dark, dirty, and incommodious; of this the heritors are so sensible, that a visitation of the presbytery has been called upon it this year; and there is some probability of another church being built for the accommodation of the inhabitants. At Shettleston, in the east end of the parish, a Chapel of Ease was erected about 50 years ago; and there is another, as mentioned above, at North Woodside, supported at the sole expense of Mr. William Gillespie. Another chapel is much needed in the village of Calton, and, it is to be hoped, will be provided. At Anderston, there is a Relief Church, built about 20 years ago: one Cameronian meeting in the Calton, and another at Sandyhills, in the east end of the parish. Though there are many dissenters of different denominations in the parish, these are the only places of worship, because a great number of the inhabitants are accommodated in the city of Glasgow. The numbers connected with each of the different denominations of Christians in the parish, including their children, is as follows:

Souls Connected with the Established Church - 12369

Relief 2793
Burghers 1564
Antiburghers 1054
Reformed Presbytery, or Cameronians 220
Episcopalians 171
Independents, or Congregationalists 162
Methodists 64
Baptists 25
Roman Catholics 20
Quakers 4
Bereans 3
Glassites 2
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Total souls 18451

Of these 6082 are dissenters*