McDEDD, Agnes ²

   Cause of her death was rodent ulcer and senile debility.

   Other names for Agnes were MACDEAD, Agnes,^{1 2} McDAD, Agnes,⁴ McDADE, Agnes,^{2 7 8 9 10 11 12} McDED, Agnes,² RANKEN, Agnes,¹ SHEARER, Agnes ^{3 5 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 16} and SHEARER, Agnes McDade.¹²

  General Notes:

In 1881 Agnes Shearer, a widow, was the head of a houshold in the Holytown district of Bothwell parish that consisted of herself and her two sons Alexander and Thomas Shearer. Alexander was a coal miner and Thomas was a "Coal Pit Bottomer".

In 1891 Agnes Shearer was living with her son Alexander and his wife Mary at 4 Antigua Place in the Blackfriars distrct of Glasgow. As in the 1881 census her place of birth was noted mistakenly as Lanarkshire, though there is no doubt she was baptised in Wigtownshire. Alex and Mary were both born in Chapelhall, and their daughter Joan had been born in Glasgow about 1886. Alex was a "Coffee Stall Keeper".

In 1901 Agnes Shearer, aged 85 years and born in "Stranraer Wightownshire", was living at 2 Clark Street Airdrie, Lanarkshire.

On 18th July 1902 Agnes McDade or Shearer was registered to claim relief in the Register of Other Parish Poor, with settlement by New Monkland parish, Lanarkshire, Poor Law authorities . She was granted two shillings per week. Her address was 53 Glasgow Road Wishaw (Mrs Brown). The application noted that she was a widow, aged 82 years, a housewife and a Protestant. She was wholly disabled, that is unable to work, on account of her age. Her parents, Thomas McDade, a furnaceman, and Elizabeth Rankin, were both dead. Her son Thomas, aged 45 years and married, resided in America. Her husband, mistakenly called Thomas Shearer, had died twenty two years earlier, aged 66 years, in Chapelhall. He had been born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. It was also stated, mistakenly again, that her husband was the son of John Shearer, a dancing master, and Isabella Rankin. These errors may have been on the part of the clerk recording the old lady's information, or confusion in the mind of Agnes herself over what she was being asked. On the 22 December 1902 the aliment provided for Agnes was increased to two shillings and sixpence per week. On 15 February 1904 it was increased to three shillings and sixpence. On 26 September 1904 the applicant removed to Old Monkland parish.

When Agnes McDedd died in 1905 her death certificate recorded her as "Widow of John Shearer Furnace Filler", and as 89 years old. Her parents were deceased. ^{7 12 13 14 15}

  Medical Notes:

Agnes Fraser, granddaughter of the deceased, was the informant. She had been present where her grandmother's death occurred. ⁷

Agnes married John SHEARER, son of William SHEARER and Margaret NICHELSON, on 29 September 1833 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland.¹ (John SHEARER was born on 23 March 1815 in Hamilton parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland ^{3 5 17}, baptised on 2 April 1815 in Hamilton parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland ¹⁷ and died about 1880 in Chapelhall, Holytown district, Bothwell parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland ^{7 12}.)