McGUNNIGAL, James ²

   Cause of his death was chronic interstitial nephritis over 6 months and uraemia for 13 days.

   Another name for James was McGONEGAL, James.⁴

   User ID: L133.

  General Notes:

The birth of James McGunnigal into the world was a sad one, in that very soon after his birth his mother died. His father gave notice of both his son's birth and his wife's death, with only a few days' space between. Since he notified the registrar of his wife's death before he notified him of his son's birth, the birth certificate for James reads
Parents: Patrick McGunnigal labourer at iron works and Mary Ann McGunnigal MS Fox deceased.

In 1881, James was living with his father and his stepmother, Catherine, in Biggar Road, Chapelhall, and next door to his grandparents. He was a scholar.

The 1891 census recorded James McGunnigal as the eldest of the three children living with Patrick and Cathrine Welsh, his father's second wife, at Paddock Street, Coatbridge. James was recorded as 16 years of age and his birthplace was Bothwell parish. He worked as an Iron Works labourer. His younger siblings recorded then were Mary, aged 7 years and Patrick, aged 2 years.

In 1913 James' son, Michael was born. James notified the registrar at Holytown of his son's birth, and signed the register, stating that he had been present where the birth took place. He gave 'coal miner' as his occupation. James was the informant when Michael died in February 1914. Michael had been a premature baby, and had contracted meningitis.

In 1917, aged just one month, another premature baby son, Thomas, died. His father, James, was the informant at Holytown, on 20 January 1917.

In 1920 James notified the registrar at Holytown of the death of his son, Joseph, born prematurely. James was a coal miner according to the certificate.

When James died he was aged 56 years, and was survived by his wife Ellen Donnelly. He was a coal miner. His widow, Helen or Ellen, died six years later. In her death certificate she was described as 'widow of James McGunnigal coal miner (hewer)'. ^{3 4 5}

  Medical Notes:

J. McFarlane MB ChB certified the cause of death.

P. McGunnigal, son of the deceased man, of 3 Coronation Buildings, Carfin, notified the registrar, Gil Hamilton, at Holytown on the day of his father's death.

James married Ellen DONNELLY on 15 November 1900 in Chapelhall, Holytown district, Bothwell parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland.¹ (Ellen DONNELLY was born in 1876 in Holytown district, Bothwell parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland ⁶ and died 27 November 1936 at 7.55 am in 72/C Lauchope Street, Chapelhall, Lanarkshire, Scotland.). The cause of her death was influenza on 1 day; cardiac failure over 15 minutes.

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage was celebrated, after banns, according to the rites and forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The priest who married James and Ellen was Father William Carmichael. The witnesses were Charles Sweeney and Agnes Shields.

James McGunnigal was a blastfurnaceman, a bachelor, aged 26 years, of 15 Front Row, Clyde Iron Works, Old Monkland. His mother was deceased.

Ellen Donnelly was 24 years old, and unmarried. She lived at Co-operative Buildings, Chapelhall. No occupation was noted for her. Her father, John Donnelly, was living, but her mother, Maria McLean, was deceased.

The marriage was registered at Holytown on 19 November 1900, William Richard being registrar.

Note:

Charles Sweeney was probably a cousin of James, the son of his father's sister Sarah Ann. ¹