McCORMICK, John ²

   Cause of his death was arterio sclerotic heart disease, right hemiplegia, broncho pneumonia over 20 days and infected bed sores over 12 months.

  General Notes:

When John was born in 1884, it was his father, also John, a journeyman tobacco spinner, who was the informant of his birth. He gave notice of the birth before the registrar at Glasgow on 4 February 1882.

The British Army Pension Records includes a enlistment document, for what looks like 1899, for a John McCormick who was making an attestation to join the Highland Light Infantry corps. At first glance it does not seem to be this John McCormick: the age is one year out and he states he is a clerk. When compared with a later document, however, where John McCormick makes an attestation to join the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1914, one can see a distinct connection. We know from later evidence that this man was an Army pensioner and had served in the KOSB. More research does need to be carried out on this to be sure these documents apply to this John McCormick.

1911 Census
John McCormick was head of a household living at 75 Cumberland Street Glasgow. He was a single man, 29 years old and was a general labourer in a locomotive works. His birthplace was Glasgow. There were just two people in the household, John himself and his widowed mother, Ellen McCormick. Ellen was 62 years old and had been born in Provanhaugh Lanarkshire. She stated that she had been married for 38 years, had had five children, of whom four were living. No occupation was noted for her.

In 1912 Catherine Ashcroft McCormick's birth certificate recorded her father John as a general labourer.

British Army WW1 pension records show a John McCormick aged 32 years and 8 months enlisting with the King's Own Scottish Borderers in July 1914. he had already completed thirteen years with the HLI. Two difficulties arise in fully identifying this man with this particular John McCormick. The first is he states he is not married. The second is he is recorded as being a clerk by occupation. Another copy of the Attestation, fainter in some respects, show the date of signing as 1 July 1914.

When his son John was born in 1915, the birth certificate recorded John senior as 'Corporal 2nd Battalion KOSB'. Consequently it was his wife Margaret who was the informant of the child's birth, whereas over the years it was normally John who registered the children's births. These same details were true when little John died in 1916.

John McCormick was demobbed in December 1918. The Index card from the Medal Rolls records details of his rank (Private), where he served, his regimental number, and what he received for his service. His name was at first written as John McCormack, and this was subsequently changed on the card to McCormick.

In the birth certificate of his twins in 1918 John McCormick was recorded as a 'foundry labourer (army pensioner)'.

John McCormick was recorded in his son's birth certificate of 1922 as a night watchman.

Ellen McCormick's son, John McCormick, of 65 Bishop Street, Port Dundas, Glasgow, gave notice of his mother's death before the registrar at Glasgow on 10 April 1923.

In his daughter Catherine's marriage certificate of 1942, and in that of his daughter, Helen, in 1945, John's occupation was noted as spirit salesman.

John McCormick died in 1963. His death certificate recorded him as a retired spirit salesman, and the widower of Margaret Kane. While his death took place at Edgefauld Road, his usual residence was 38 Hamiltonhill Road Glasgow. His recorded age at death was 81 years. His parents were deceased. ^{2 3 4}

  Research Notes:

WORLD WAR 1
1914 and the run up to it

When considering John McCormick's enlistment details, it should be remembered that only 18 year olds could enlist to fight, and as a result many young men claimed to be 18 years of age just to answer Kitchener's call. To serve abroad you had to be 19 years, and that became an added incentive if you did not want to be a stay-at-home.

Birth certificate were often not called for even when the recruit was noticeably younger than 18 years. Some recruits lied about other aspects of the information they gave, including their names, in order to divert attention from who they really were in case parents or another authority attempted to track them down. In the mass hypnosis that prevailed at that time, the rule seemed to be 'if he's fit and he wants to fight, why stop him?'

  Medical Notes:

R. K. Goswami MD BS certified the cause of John's death.

Thomas McCormick, John's son, who lived at 4 Ash Road Baillieston, gave notice of his father's death before the registrar at Glasgow on 10 October 1863.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Military Service: Army Reserve (Special Reservists) KOSB, 1 July 1914, Glasgow Scotland. John McCormick stated he was aged 32 years and 5 months, and of Barony parish, Glasgow, Lanarkshire. He was a British subject and worked as a clerk. he had not resided out of his father's house continuously in the same place for five years.

He was warned that for wilfully false replies to the ensuing questions he was liable after enlistment to imprisonment with hard labour. He stated he had not been and was not an apprentice, he was not married, he had never served penal servitude, and that he had never been found unfit for military service. He was free, after having served 13 years in the Highland Light Infantry.

Finally he answered 'yes' to the several questions about his understanding of the conditions he was signing up to in the Service.

John married Margaret KANE, daughter of Thomas KANE and Mary Jane BOTHWELL, on 12 August 1913 in St Mirren's RC Church, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.¹ (Margaret KANE was born 14 January 1887 at 9.00 am in 114 Drumfrochar Road, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland ⁵ and died 6 January 1948 at 4.20 pm in Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland ⁶.). The cause of her death was carcinoma of the large bowel: obstruction;ethyl chloride gas oxygen ether failure.

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage was celebrated after banns according to the rites and forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The priest was Reverend Young. The witnesses were James Welsh, and Mary Christie.

The bridegroom was an unmarried man of 31 years of age who was a labourer by occupation. He lived at 24 New Smithhills, Paisley. His father was deceased.

The bride was unmarried and aged 25 years. She was a domestic servant who lived at the same address as the bridegroom. Her father was deceased.

The marriage was registered on 15 August 1913 at Paisley.
¹