John Brawley was born on 12 June 1857 at Calderbraes, Old Monkland, Lanarkshire. He was my 2nd great uncle and the eldest child of my great, great grandparents, Sarah McLaughlin and James Brawley. His brother Daniel was my mother’s paternal grandfather.

For the first few years of his life the family moved around as James’ work dictated. The 1861 census shows the family in Newmains followed by periods in Old Monkland and Ayrshire. By the 1871 census the family are back in Newmains.

On 12 July 1877 John married Roseanne McGuinness. The couple had six children

• James Born 1881
• Julia Born 1883
• Sarah Born 1885
• Rose Ann Born 1887
• Daniel Born 1888
• John Born 1890

Like many others in my family, John lived in Furnace Row, Newmains. This photograph from North Lanarkshire Heritage shows the row with the Works in the background. A mineral railway runs immediately behind the row. (I would love to identify the people in the picture.)

John was employed as a furnace tube cleaner at Coltness Ironworks. The local newspapers would regularly report on accidents at the works and this article describes what happened to John.

There was indeed a fatal result. John died on 2 March 1892 as a result of his injuries. Surprisingly he did not die in hospital but at his own home. The cause of death is recorded as a fracture to the base of the skull. He was 34 years old.

Roseann remarried the following year. She and her second husband, James Farrell had a daughter, Margaret in 1894. Roseann died in 1932.