1915 Valuation Roll, Scotland

ScotlandsPeople has put the Scotland 1915 Property Valuation Roll on line. This is a useful Census substitute for the period of the First World War, though it appears to be only the heads of households who are listed. I entered McIlhag* in the search box and received five responses, all related to houses, as follows:

1. Clark MacIlhagga, 97 George Street, Govan, Glasgow. Ref: VR102/1097/101;

2. Marion MacIlhagga, 31 Lyle Street, Greenock. Ref: VR36/71/41;

3. James MacIlhaggie, 22 Blackburn Street, Govan, Glasgow. Ref: VR102/1091/147;

4. John MacIlhaggie, 10 White Street, Partick, Govan, Glasgow. Ref: VR102/1095/109;

5. George MacIlhago, 40 Murano Street, Glasgow. Ref: VR102/1089/260.

You will note that all the names are spelled Mac, rather than Mc. All these references were for people who were Tenant Occupiers. For a small amount (£3.50) I could view the actual documents, which I have printed and which reveal a little more information, as follows:

1. Clark was living in a house owned by The Shepherds' Society Investment Committee, per John Marr & Sons, 16 Merkland Street, Partick, Glasgow. He was one of 11 tenants in that property, mostly craftsmen, though Clark's occupation is left blank. It could be that he was unemployed in 1915. By 1919 he was a Coal Dealer. The annual rents varied from £7/10/- per annum to £11/15/- per annum. Clark was paying £7/15/-.

2. Marion was a tenant of the Executors of the late William Sinclair, Steamboat Agent, per James Kinnaird, 19 Bogle Street. She was listed as a 'Spinster' among 11 tenants. They were paying rents of between £10/9/- and £14/11/-. Marion was paying £11/18/- per annum.

3. James was a tenant of the Trustees of John Smillie, per James Wilson & Son, 777 Govan Road, Glasgow. James was listed as a Seaman, one of 15 tenants in the house paying between £6/-/- and £9/19/- per annum rent. James was paying £8/10/-. Interestingly James was living next to John Young, Carpenter who was paying £9/19/- per annum. John Young was James' father-in-law. It was clearly good that when James was away at sea that his wife and two children had her parents next door.

4. John was a tenant of Marion Aitken, c/o Allan C. Miller, 1130W (Y.O.U.) San Francisco, California, per D.C. Fletcher & Co, 187/189 Byers road, Partick, Glasgow. He was one of 11 tenants in the house, paying between £17/10/- and £21/5/- per annum. John was paying £20/-/- per annum. Unfortunately no occupation is given for John, so again it may be that he was unemployed, though of course it may be that he was serving in the War. I cannot positively identify this John, though I think he was the 18 year old son of William and Agnes, who four years later was to marry Jeannie Anderson Hay. It is possible that she was living in the property while John was serving in the forces, and waiting for him to return, but this is conjecture.

5. George was a tenant of Mrs. Isabella Tolmie, Kelburn, Richmond Drive, Cambuslang, per Murdo Tolmie, Kelburn, Richmond Drive, Cambuslang. He was one of 13 tenants in the house paying between £9/9/- and £17/15/- per annum. George, who was a railwayman, was paying £9/17/- per annum. He had a wife, Isabella and three children.