3 Bricks in the Wall ~ Thomas Thomson (Stonemason, Brick House, Genealogical Brick Wall)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 14 (Brick Wall)

#8 Clifford Road, backyard,  retrieved from Google Maps Streetview April 1, 2019

My great grandfather Thomas Thomson (jr) was a stonemason. He lived in the brick houses pictured below. He is also my brick wall for researching. I think he nicely covers this week's prompt of BRICK WALL

The reason he is my genealogical brick wall is that he belongs to a family full of Thomas Thomsons from Scotland. His hometown of North Berwick is full of Thomsons, and his grandmother's married and maiden name were both Thomson. Further complicating online searching is that he shares a name with a famous Canadian artist. Searching for a connection between my family and the artists family is for another time.  

Back at the beginning of my searching journey I found a 2nd cousin X1 removed in New Zealand who had paid for genealogy researching in the relevant areas of Scotland. His research and details assisted me greatly in my confidence of my tree searching. When I first met Murray I expressed my disappointment that his ancestor had a very cool unique name (James Devlin Glass Thomson) whereas mine was boring (Thomas Thomson). It didn't take me long to realize both carried family history that we both could be proud of.

In the modern day of Family searches for Family Tree (Genealogy) Google Street View is amazing. I think Google Street View is a fabulous tool for reference as noted in the scenario below – this time mine, but it could be anyone’s family. I was able to input the address of the old family home in Scotland where my Grandmother was born, and see it standing today as it was when my grandmother was a baby.The second photo had the house name CRAIGIELEA on the back with Great Auntie Maisie standing in front of it, and the note on the back said that it was down the street. My dad and I sat at my computer in Canada, and 'walked' the street looking at each house while holding the photo until we found the correct house and noted that the address was #20 Clifford Road. Online searching found a listing for Craigielea at #20 Clifford Road. Those brick houses were built to last. 

Both houses on Clifford Road in the photos were designed and built by James Glass who was Thomas's uncle. James was the brother of Isabella Glass married to Thomas Thomson (sr). Thomas & Isabella (nee Glass) Thomson were parents of Thomas Thomson( (jr.) married to Elizabeth Young Slicer. Elizabeth's brother, Peter Slicer, assisted in building Craigielea. 


My great grandfather's British Army WW1 Service Record records the family's residence as #8 Clifford Road, North Berwick in 1915. My grandmother was born in December 1915. She was born at #8 Clifford Road. I believe her older sister Marion (known as Maisie) was born at their grandparents home, Craigielea #20 Clifford Road. Their grandparents were Peter & Marion (nee Jack) Slicer. Both the Thomson & Slicer families were residing at Clifford Road in North Berwick by 1901 according to the census records. Thomas Thomson (jr.) & Elizabeth Young Slicer were married the 31st of December 1908 when he was 28 and she 26. They had been neighbours for a minimum of 7 years prior to their marriage.  

Clifford Road, #8 on the left, #6 on the right, retrieved from Google Maps April 1, 2019

  Craigielea, #20 Clifford Road, North Berwick, Scotland, retrieved from Google Maps April 1, 2019

Recorded on back as Craigielea, Marion (nee Jack) Slicer & one of her daughters

I haven't yet found the records of when Thomas (jr.) & family originally arrived in Canada, and built their house in Calgary. My grandmother told me that her parents had difficulty conceiving and carrying children so when Elizabeth got pregnant in 1913 the couple decided to return to Scotland for family assistance for the impending birth. They rented their house in Calgary out to a young couple, and went home to Scotland by ship to await their first child. The first daughter was born in Scotland in May 1914, and before they could head back to Calgary World War 1 broke out in July of 1914, and they were trapped in The United Kingdom (Scotland) until after the war. Their second daughter (my grandmother) was born in December 1915. 

Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson with daughter Marion & Mary
note on back: "Dad had this picture in France during WW1" as recorded by daughter Marion

After the war the family returned to Canada via ship in 1920, and returned to their home in Calgary where the couple who was still caring for their home moved out, and grandma and her family moved back into the house. She resided in the home her father built (Thomas Thomson jr. - the Stonemason) in Calgary until she married my Grandfather in 1942. 

While growing up in Canada my grandmother and her family traveled to the United States where her father's mason skills were sought. There are buildings in several places in the United States that feature his stone gargoyles & others. He also carved and created in many places in Canada and Scotland. Sadly I have not seen any of his public work, and don't know exactly where his pieces are located. I have only seen two small stone carvings he did for his two daughters.

Many of the old census records list the residence address which makes looking the address up fairly easy. Many of the old residences are no longer as they were, but some are still - as I found in North Berwick for my ancestors.

Take a walk down memory lane with Google Street view.

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Sources:

Robertson, Mary Elizabeth (nee Thomson), as recorded by her granddaughter, the writer of this blog. 

Craigielea listing retrieved April 1, 2019 fromhttp://www.192.com/address/details/north+berwick/eh39+4pw/craigielea+20/

Google Street View, #6/8 Clifford Road, North Berwick, Scotland, retrieved April 1, 2019 from
https://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode&q=6+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick%2C+UK&aq=0&oq=6+cl&sll=49.137236%2C-121.949857&sspn=0.308625%2C0.610428&vpsrc=0&t=h&ie=UTF8&hq&hnear=6+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick+EH39+4PW%2C+United+Kingdom&ll=56.054534%2C-2.719738&spn=0.008232%2C0.019076&z=16&layer=c&cbll=56.055216%2C-2.721033&panoid=s3F-gj79mqOdtLZaQXTvpA&cbp=12%2C6.82%2C%2C0%2C0

Google Street View, Craigielea, #20 Clifford Road, North Berwick, Scotland, retrieved April 1, 2019 from
https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=22+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick%2C+UK&hl=en&ll=56.055277%2C-2.722678&spn=0.008232%2C0.019076&sll=56.055277%2C-2.720318&sspn=0.008279%2C0.019076&t=h&hnear=22+Clifford+Rd%2C+North+Berwick+EH39+4PW%2C+United+Kingdom&z=16&layer=c&cbll=56.055266%2C-2.722477&panoid=3HiDS3eXH6W0h-tP2D-Q8g&cbp=12%2C12.28%2C%2C0%2C0

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