William Hannah was born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire on the 4th September 1856. The sixth child of William and Agnes, his siblings were Robert (1844), Margaret (1847), Janet (1849), Agnes (1852), Jane (1854), Mary (1859), Isabella (1861), Thomas Baird (1863) and John Cooper (1867). He is listed on the 1861 census as living with his family at Douglas Street, Kilmarnock.
He moved with his family to Glasgow at about the age of six, where his brother Thomas was born. After school, he became a wood sawyer, probably around Paisley, west of Glasgow.
His mother Agnes died in December 1873, and father William in August the following year
Several years after the deaths of his parents, William married Agnes Wilson on the 21st December 1875, at 78 High Street, Paisley “after banns according to according to the forms of the Church of Scotland”. He was aged 20 at the time, able to sign his name, and living at 5 Glen St, Paisley. His bride Agnes was 19. She gave her occupation as a threadmill worker and address as 24 Great Hamilton St, Paisley.
At that time, the cloth industry was at it’s peak in the area renown for the famous Paisley pattern style.
A son, William, appears to have been born to the couple around 1877, however it has not been possible to find a birth entry for him to date. He does appear in the 1901 census. Charles was born in October 1878.
An immigration deposit was paid on his behalf in New South Wales in October 1879 by his brother-in-law Charles Burns, already in the Colony. Apparently he planned to emigrate together with his sister Margaret, and then sponsor his family to join him after he had arrived. However for some reason he choose not to make the voyage, and the deposit was refunded in July 1880, after Margaret and children had arrived aboard the Samuel Plimsoll.
Another son, Alexander Wilson was born in July 1884 and a daughter Agnes Baird in February 1887
At the time of the 1901 census, there were also a son Robert aged 8 and daughter Maggie aged 6. Their address was 47 Love Street, Paisley. It is not known at present whether there were any further children.
By the time of the census, William was recorded as a “timber merchant” and employer. It would appear that sons William and Charles worked in the family business as sawyer and clerk respectively, Alexander had gained an engineering apprenticeship, and daughter Agnes was an apprentice dressmaker.
According to family legend, William became a Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge, presumably in Paisley.
On the 13th of March, 1908, William’s wife Agnes died at Falside Cottage, Paisley. By November of the same year, William had remarried to Margaret Johnston, a divorcee of three days. The marriage took place at Falside Cottage, and was witnessed by the “sheriff substitute of Renfrew and Bute”. This marriage was not to last long however, as Margaret died of toxemia in June 1910, possibly as a result of a pregnancy.
Early in 1911 William remarried again, this time to Janet Jackson Millar in West Calder.
Son Robert Duncan married Sarah Gilfillan Stewart on the 2nd of May, 1916. At the time he was on active service with the 31st Canadian Battalion in Belgium, so perhaps had moved to Canada prior to 1916. Robert and Sarah are believed to have moved to Canada around 1919.
Daughter Margaret (Maggie) married John McKenzie in Glasgow on the 6th of April, 1920. Their last known address was 31 Blackburn Drive, Ayr. John claimed the occupation of civic engineer on the marriage registration.
Daughter Agnes and perhaps some other brothers emigrated to Canada during the early 1900’s. Agnes married Robert Russell, a customs officer, in Toronto. They had a son, also Robert, who became a Presbyterian minister in Nova Scotia.
Contact from any descendants of the Canadian connections would be most welcome.
William died of cerebral thrombosis (stroke) on the 23rd of October, 1920 aged 62 years. His address was given as “Eddlewood”, Falside, Paisley. His wife Janet was present and witnessed the certificate.
William was interred at Paisley Hawkhead Cemetery along with Janet Jackson Millar who died in 1949, and their son Douglas and his wife.
