James McLean Donald (1861-1903)

James McLean Donald , son of Robert and Agnes McLean Donald (details tbc) was born in 1861 in Hamilton.

James married Sarah Douglas on the 28th October 1886 at 1 Back Row Hamilton. At this point, James was working as a wagon builder. James and Mary had a daughter Mary Clelland Donald on 29th April 1890 who was later to marry George Russell Hart.

Prior to marrying, James lived at Craighead Rows in Blantyre. Craighead Rows was soon to become the location where William Baird & Co built housing for their pit workers in 1876. The Blantyre Mining Disaster occurred only a year later on 2nd October 1877 when a coal mine exploded due to methane gas, killing 207 miners (men and boys). This remains Scotland's worst mining accident.

James Donald passed away at the relatively premature age of 42 on 29th June 1903 with the cause of his death recorded as tuberculous pleurisy. This condition is generally recognised as an occupational lung disease. By this time, James was noted as being a cloth factory packer. The death was recorded by the brother of James - Robert Donald who lived at Bellevue Cottage, Jermiston Street in Motherwell.

His wife Sarah remarried to a William Devine and this name was later given to her grandson William Devine Hart (1918-1994).

	Blantyre Pit Miners in the 1870's		A Somewhat Bleak Scene at Blantyre Cross in the Late 19th Century

     Family Tree Summary

Forename	Surname	Born	Died	Cause of Death
James McLean	Donald	1861, Blantyre	29/06/1903, Hamilton	Tuberculous Pleurisy