5th Great Grandmother

9th Generation

Born - 9th August 1787 - Glasgow

Helen was born to George White and Ellison Simpson on 9 August 1787 in Glasgow, She was baptised in the Barony. She married James Reid, then a Carter, on 28th February 1808 also in the Barony, Glasgow.

Helen’s father was a Coalier, another word for a coalminer. Until the end of the 18th century the Scottish collier was a serf, bound in servitude to his master, the coal owner, almost as tightly as any slave on the cotton plantations of the Americas!

The Colliers (Scotland) Act 1799

Those already under servitude could seek freedom after serving seven or ten years depending on age, but being indebted to their employers often prevented them from doing this. The Colliers (Scotland) Act 1799 finally freed those still labouring in bondage. Both these acts contained provisions against organised labour.

Helen would have been 12 when the act was passed, I would imagine life change a lot for her around this time.

Helen’s own children were not born in the Barony and her husband is documented as being a house painter by his children as the years passed. The family moved around for work I have no other records of them other than when they registered their children’s births, 8 in total between 1811 and 1826. This would have been a great freedom to Helen to live where they wanted, however I doubt they would have lived much above the poverty line.

Husband – James Reid

Daughter – Mary Ann Reid