March 16th

On this day - March 16th in 1894 - Margaret Jane West was born.  She is your 2nd great aunt - she is the daughter of your great great grandfather, Alexander West - but not of your great great grandmother.  Alexander West was married twice and Margaret is the child of his second marriage.  Our line descends from his first marriage.

The name WEST means Ferryden and grandma's maternal side of the family.

Margaret was born at 23 Southesk Place in Ferryden.  Her mam was Catherine Coull.  Dad Alexander was a fisherman.  She had half-siblings from Alexander's first marriage but they were all much older than her.  In her teens Margaret - or Maggie as she was known - worked as a power loom weaver in a linen factory.  The factory would have been in nearby Montrose and she would have been working at a time when Montrose was in an economic slump and many industries were closing down.  During the 1800's Montrose was a diverse and successful manufacturing town.

I reached out to the folks at the Ferryden Connections facebook group to ask about textile factories and the like in Montrose and am now currently engaged in messaging with my 5th cousin once removed Grant Coull of Pennsylvania!

Looking over to Montrose from Ferryden