2.3.7. Thomas Riddell (1868-1957)

Thomas Riddell was born on 15 August 1868 in the village of Kirkton to John and Martha (Muir) Riddell. He was their seventh and youngest child who lived. His father was a cement miner. When the 1871 census was enumerated the family had moved to Main Street in the village of East Kilbride. Thomas' mother died five years later leaving her husband with several children.

The family remained in East Kilbride in 1881 and Thomas attended school. His father died in 1888 and he lived with his sister, Elizabeth, and her husband, Robert Forsyth at 165 Brook Street in Glasgow by 1891. He worked as a van man.

On 4 September 1891 Thomas married Margaret Brownlee Smith at his sister's home according to the forms of the Church of Scotland. He was 23 years old, still lived with his sister and her family, and continued to work as a van man. During the course of their marriage, the couple had 13 known children of which 10 are thought to have lived to adulthood.

Thomas and Margaret lived in Glasgow and Shotts before settling in Old Kilpatrick parish in Dunbarton by 1901. There they lived on 102 Glasgow Road and Thomas worked as a coach man. In 1905 he rented a home on Barnes Street where the family lived when the 1911 census was enumerated.

Clydebank c 1864, map courtesy of ScotlandsPlaces

By 1915 the family had moved to 12 First Terrace in the town of Clydebank and Thomas worked as a carter, an occupation he continued for the remainder of his working life. He lost his wife in 1943.

At the time of his death he lived with his son Thomas Riddell on 12 Bevin Avenue in Clydebank. He died on 15 November 1957 at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow. The cause of death was found to be senile degeneration, and senile pemphgoid, which is a rare autoimmune disorder that results in skin rashes and legions. A contributing factor in his death was a fracture of the femur. He was 89 years old.

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"Clydebank c1864," ScotlandsPlaces
1871 Scotland Census, 02/04/1871 Riddell, John (Census 1871 643/00 001/00 016)
1871 Scotland Census, Parish: East Kilbride; ED: 1; Page: 16; Line: 7; Roll: CSSCT1871_122
1881 Scotland Census, 03/04/1881 Riddell, Henrietta (Census 1881 643/00 001/00 019)
1881 Scotland Census, Parish: East Kilbirde; ED: 1; Page: 19; Line: 10; Roll: CSSCT1881_213
1891 Scotland Census, Parish: Glasgow Camlachie; ED: 45; Page: 21; Line: 1; Roll: CSSCT1981_245
1901 Scotland Census, 31/03/1901 Riddell, Thomas (Census 1901 501/00 017/00 014)
1901 Scotland Census, Parish: Old Kilpatrick; ED: 17; Page: 14; Line: 1; Roll: CSSCT1901_173
1905 Scotland Valuation Rolls, 1905 Riddell, Thomas (Valuation Roll VR96 / 51 / 328)
1911 Scotland Census, 02/04/1911 Riddell, Thomas (Census 1911 501/00 020/00 012)
1915 Scotland Valuation Rolls, 1915 Riddell, Thomas (Valuation Roll VR96 / 61 / 484)
1920 Scotland Valuation Rolls, 1920 Riddell, Thomas (Valuation Roll VR96 / 66 / 504)
1925 Scotland Valuation Rolls, 1925 Riddell, Thomas (Valuation Roll VR96 / 71 / 526)
Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, 1868 Riddell, Thomas
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1868 Riddell, Thomas (Statutory Births 643/00 0100)
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1891 Riddell, Thomas - Smith, Margaret Brownl (Statutory Marriages 644/02 0178)
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1957 Riddell, Thomas (Statutory Deaths 644/08 0945)
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1957 Riddell, Thomas (Statutory Deaths 644/08 0945) (RCE)