Matthew's age is (correctly) given as four in the 1861 census, at which time he was residing with his parents Thomas Paton and Lilias Haddow, together with a number of brothers and sisters in Polwarth Street, Galston.

Matthew lost his father in January 1870, while he was still a few months short of his 14th birthday. At the time of the 1871 census, Matthew was living with his mother and numerous siblings at 3, Polwarth Street, and had already taken up work as a mason.

Matthew married Isabella Yeudall on the 29th of June 1877, at Barr St., Galston, after banns according to the forms of the Established Church of Scotland. His residence was given on the marriage certificate as 256, Scotland Street, Glasgow. The witnesses were Thomas Paton and Elizabeth Yeudall, almost certainly a brother of the groom and sister of the bride respectively. Matthew was designated as a 'stone-mason (journeyman)'. (He appears as a 'mason (journeyman)' on his son Thomas's birth certificate later that same year and again on Abram's in 1879. He was recalled as a 'Mason (Journeyman (Deceased)' at the time of his daughter Isabella's marriage in 1920 and as a general labourer (deceased) on Abram's death certificate in 1952. He was also entered as a mason in the 1901 census returns.)

It will be noted that while Matthew and Isabella were both born in Galston, only their youngest daughter, Isabella, was born there. Their extensive movements can be charted by the birthplaces given for those of their children surviving at this time.

Thomas's birth certificate dated 15th August 1877 suggests that 10, Gilbert Place, Carfin Street, Govan, was the first marital home. A number of years in England followed, from at least 1881 until 1884.

At the time of the 1881 census, Matthew and his family were resident in what was apparently flatted accomodation 38, Hethpool Street, Paddington, London. The full entry reads:

Matthew Paton, head, married, 24, draper, born 'Ayrshire, Galston, Scotland'
Isabella, wife, 25, born 'Ayrshire, Galston, Scotland'
Thomas, son, 3, born Glasgow
Abram, son, 1, born Glasgow

At some time between 1884 and 1888, the family returned to Scotland. When his daughter Jeanie was born in 1888, Matthew was resident at 189, Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow, and his occupation was given as 'green grocer'. When his daughter Lilias arrived in 1890, his residence was 587, Dalmarnock Road, and a change of occupation was indicated on the birth certificate which indicated that he had revert to the calling which he had followed in London and was now a draper (master). He was similarly designated on the birth certificate of his daughter Isabella in 1893.

Matthew's frequent changes in career may seem surprising. However, the artistic skills needed as a stone mason would have been broadly similar to those of a tailor, so there is a thread of coherence here. His aptitude was inherited by his daughter Isabella, who was skilled as a seamstress, and also by his grandaughter, Mary Reid Wilson Cunningham.

At the time of the 1891 census, Matthew Haddow Paton was to be found in the Dunoon Convalescent Sea Side Homes, in Manse Road, Dunoon. He was one of 165 residents in all, 147 of whom, Matthew included, were listed as 'inmates'. He was stated to be married and a native of Galston. He was designated as a draper, 'neither employer nor employed, but working on own account'. His age is obscured, having been scored out in the customary manner, but appears to be 32. (His actual age was 34.)

Matthew had developed rheumatoid arthritis around the time of his return from London. According to anecdotal evidence, provided by Mary Reid Wilson MS Cunningham, he caught a chill on the train coming home, or else on his arrival, and this either caused or aggravated an existing condition. This was presumably the reason why he was now in a convalescent home. He ended his days in a wheel chair. His susceptability to this illness was inherited by his daughter Isabella, who towards the end of her life was almost crippled by it.

His family had meanwhile returned to Galston, and were living at 17, Wallace Street, in a dwelling with one room having one or more windows. The full entry runs as follows:

Isabella Paton, Head, Mar, 36, b. Galston.
Thomas, Son, 13, Assistant at Sawmill, Employed, b. Galston.
Abram, Son, 11, Scholar, b. England.
Matthew, Son, 9, Scholar, b. England.
William, Son, 7, b. England.
Jeanie, Daur, 2, b. Glasgow.
Lilias, Daur, age illegible, b. Glasgow.

Presumably Matthew had savings to rely upon. The wages of Thomas, aged 13, as an assistant at a sawmill, presumably in the business established by his great-grandfather William Yeudall, could scarcely have kept a household of seven.

It may be noted that while Abram is stated here and again in 1911 to have been born in England, his actual place of birth in 1879 was Tradeston, in Glasgow, as acknowledged in 1881 and 1901.

A further daughter, Isabella, was born in 1893, underlining the family's permanent return to Galston.

By the time of the 1901 census, Matthew Paton was reunited with the rest of the family, and was residing at 10, Henrietta Street, Galston, in a flatted property with two rooms having one or more windows. Five families were resident at this address. It may be noticed that Matthew had now reverted to his original calling of mason.

The full entry is:

Matthew H. Paton, head, married, 44, mason, born Galston.
Isabella, wife, 46, also born Galston.
Thomas, son, 23, coalminer, born Govan.
Abram Y., son, 21, coalminer, born Tradeston.
William Y., son, 17, mason, born England.
Jeanie D., daur, single, 12, scholar, born Glasgow.
Lilias, daur, single, 10, scholar, born Glasgow.
Isabella, daur, single, 8 , scholar, born Galston.

No mention, of course, is made of Matthew jnr, who had deceased in 1896.

It should be noted that Jeanie's middle initial 'D.' is mysterious. Her name appears on her birth certificate as Jeanie Forsyth Paton. This middle name was given to her in honour of her maternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Jean Forsyth.

At the time of the 1911 census, the family was living at 24, Polwarth Street, in a property having three rooms with one or more windows. Matthew and Isabella were entered as having been married for 35 years. Nine children of the marriage had been born, of whom six were still alive. The fact of Matthew's poor state of health is underlined by the fact that, at the age of 54, he is aleady retired. The full entry runs as follows:

Matthew Paton, head, 54, married, Mason (Retired), born Galston
Isabella, wife, 56, born Galston
Jeanie, daur, 22, single, lina weaver, worker, born Glasgow
Lily, daur, 20, single, lina weaver, worker, born Glasgow
Isabella, daur, 18, single, housemaid (domestic), born Galston
Matthew, grandson, 5, born Galston

Matthew Haddow Paton died on the 27th of April 1917 at ten in the morning, at 24, Polwarth Street, Galston. He was 60 years of age and he was designated as a 'Retired Mason (Journeyman) married to Isabella Yeudall'. The causes of death were certified as 'Abscess of Hip', from which he had been suffering for two months, and rheumatism. The informant was Isabella S. Paton, his daughter, who had been present at the time of death.

This photograph of an unidentified couple has been passed down. It can be conclusively stated that it is NOT Robert Cunningham and Mary Reid, so by a process of elimination it might well be the present Robert Cunningham's other set of grandparents, Matthew Haddow Paton and Isabella Yeudall, though this will probably never be definitively established.

Brothers and Sisters

Matthew had a brother, three years his senior, called Alexander, who was the informant on their father Thomas Paton's death certificate. He also had a brother called John, who was the informant on their mother's death certificate.

In all, he had six brothers at the time of the 1861 census. These were Robert, born 6th June 1847; Alexander, born 28th April 1853; Thomas, born 22nd March 1855, at 2.00 a.m., at Henrietta Street, Galston; and John and Adam, twins, born 26th November 1858. He also had four sisters; Lilias, born 9th March 1846; Margaret, 25th April 1849; and Agnes, born 12th March 1851 (described as being under one month on the 1851 census return); and Mary Haddow, born 12th March 1868. Lilias re-appears visiting her sister Agnes in Kilmarnock in 1881 but her whereabouts in 1871 are unknown.

Something of a puzzle concerns his brother John. John was two at the time of the 1861 census, but ten years later he is only seven. The explanation is that the first John died and his name was conferred upon a later son, born in 1863.

At p. 67 of The Eye Who Never Slept - Allan Pinkerton, James Mackay refers to 'The ghoulish Scottish custom of naming a child after a recently deceased brother or sister'. Here we are presented with an instance of the same phenomenon.

John Lyon Paton and Adam Haddow Paton were born on the 26th November 1858 at Polwarth Street, Galston. John was born at 3.15 a.m. and Adam was born 20 minutes later at 3.35. John Lyon Paton died on the 25th of May 1861 at 3.40 p.m. also at Polwarth Street, Galston, aged two and a half years. The cause of death was hydrocephalus, from which he had been suffering for 12 days. His appearance in the 1861 census record came very close to the end of his life.

It may be noted that the OPR for Loudoun discloses that there was a surgeon in Newmilns called John Lyon, who had been married to Jean Wallace in Galston in October 1818. (Jean Wallace was buried at Newmilns on the 12th of October 1829.) John Lyon Paton may well have been named after this gentleman but no blood relationship can be established. It may be that a tribute for some debt of gratitude was intended.

The second John was born on the 20th of July 1863, at 5 a.m., again at Polwarth Street.

Matthew's brothers and sisters listed in the 1871 census as residing in the family home at 3, Polwarth Street, Galston, are:

Alexander, 17, now working beside his mother in the family butcher's shop; Thomas, 16, a tailor, Adam, 12, and John, 7, are still scholars. A further child, Mary, is three. There is no entry at the family home for Lilias, Robert, Margaret, or Agnes, the four eldest siblings.

A further child, Jean Wilson Paton, was born on the 10th of August 1865, at 2.30 pm at Polworth Street, Galston, but she is not entered at the family home in the 1871 census. Jim Paton of Ontario has located a probable death match for her in Galston in 1880, but this does not check out with the index at New Register House.

A full listing of the (twelve) children of the family therefore appears to be:

Lilias (born 1846), Robert (born 1847), Margaret McLean (born 1849), Agnes (born 1851), Alexander (born 1853), Thomas (born 1855), Matthew (born 1857), John Lyon & Adam Haddow (twins, born 1858), John (born 1863), Jean Wilson (born 1865), and Mary Haddow (born 1868).

It may be noted that the list is certainly complete at least up until Thomas, as the first six children are recorded as being the first to sixth children of Thomas and Lilias respectively. On Thomas's birth certificate, it was recorded that there were two boys and three girls living.

Something of the later lives of Matthew Haddow Paton's siblings can be reconstructed from the records.

Margaret McLean Paton, spinster, aged 20, was married on the 30th of July 1869 at Polworth Street, Galston, to John Emery, stone mason journeyman, bachelor, aged 27, resident Gorbals Parish, Glasgow, son of Alexander Emery and Mary Walker.

Agnes Paton, dressmaker, spinster, aged 20, was married on the 3rd of June 1870 at Polworth Street, Galston, to Alex Gibson, master tailor, bachelor, aged 30, resident Low Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock, son of Andrew Gibson, carter and Elizabeth Rodman, deceased.

Agnes appears in the 1881 census as Agnes Gibson, 30, wife of Alexander Gibson, living at Witch Road, Kilmarnock. Her sister Lilias was visiting her.

In the 1891 census Agnes Paton Gibson, aged 40, appears living at Kay Park Crescent, Kilmarnock, in a house with eight rooms having eight or more windows, with her husband Alexander Gibson, a clothier, employer, born in Mauchline. With them were son Andrew, unm, 19, a clothier's assistant, employed, ; Lily, daur, unm, 15, clothier's machinist, employed; sons Alexander, 13, Robert, 11, and William, 10, all scholars; daughters Elizabeth, 5, Agnes, 3 and Jeanie, 2; and son Adam, 10 months. All of the chidren were entered as born in Kilmarnock. There was a general domestic servant, Mary Richmond, aged 18, born in Riccarton. Agnes's brother John and sister Mary were listed as 'visitors'. Both were entered as unmarried and born in Galston. He was aged 27, a bookkeeper/cashier. Mary appears as aged 23, a tailoress, born in Galston.

Alexander Paton, a master flesher (bachelor) aged 32, then residing in Denny, was married to Isabella Stirling, spinster, on the 30th of October 1884 at Bankside Cottage, Bonnybridge, after Banns according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland. Isabella was a spinster aged 34, usually resident in Bonnybridge. Her parents were entered as William Stirling, a canal boatman (deceased) and Jean Stirling MS Shanks. The certificate was signed by the Rev. James Steel, the Minister of Bonnybridge, and by witnesses Adam Haddow Paton and Jane Shanks Stirling.

Alexander appears in the 1891 census, residing in what was apparently a tenement property, having three rooms with one or more windows, at 193, Reidvale Street, in the Dennistoun district of Glasgow. The full entry reads:

Alexander Paton, head, married, 39, butcher, employer, born Ayrshire, Galston
Isabella, wife, 41, born Stirlingshire, Bonnybridge
William S., son, 3, born Stirlingshire, Denny

Isabella Paton, 'married to Alexander Paton Butcher (Master)' died on the 29th of May 1905 at 3.20 a.m., at 193, Reidvale Street, Glasgow. Her age was entered as 55. On this occasion, both of her parents were entered as deceased. The cause of death was certified as apoplexy, from which she had been suffering for two days. The informant, on the 30th, was A. Paton, the widower, who had been present.

Alexander Haddow Paton, Butcher (Master) (Widower), aged 54, still resident at 193, Reidvale Street, Glasgow, married Anne Thomson or Angus on the 30th of April 1905, at 145, Whitehill Street, Glasgow, After Banns According to the Forms of the United Free Church. Anne, then aged 49, was a widow and her usual residence was given as 453, Keppochhill Road, Glasgow. Her parents were entered as George Thomson, a chemical manufacturer (deceased) and Agnes Thomson, MS Stewart (deceased). The certificate was signed by William Hood of Lyon Street United Free Church and by Robert and Annie Craig as witnesses.

Alexander Haddow Paton died on the 2nd of March 1916 at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, at 6.15 p.m., his age entered as 64. His usual residence was 53, Ingleby Drive. The cause of death was given as 'carcinoma tongue operation excision - cardiac failure'. It therefore seems that he suffered a heart attack while undergoing an operation to have a cancerous tongue cut out.

His occupation was given as 'butcher salesman'. He was married first to Isabella Stirling, and second to Anne Thomson or Angus. The informant on his death certificate was John Angus, a stepson, of 25, Lennox Street, Glasgow.

By the time of the 1881 census, Thomas Paton was living at 7, North Hamilton Street, Kilmarnock with his wife Augusta and two children, in a property with one having one or more windows. The full record runs:

Thomas Paton, head, mar, 26, tailor, born Ayrshire, Galston.
Augusta, wife, 23, house wife, born England, Bodway
Lillius (actually Lilias), daur, 3, born England, Cornwall
William, son, 1, Burtonholm Ayrshire

It is surmised that the clear but mysterious reference to 'Bodway' is intended to refer to Bodmin.

He was still living in Kilmarnock with his wife and children ten years later, at 22, Braeside Street, in an apartment with two rooms having two or more windows:

Thomas Paton, head, married, 36, tailor, employer, born Ayrshire, Galston
Augusta, wife, 33, born England, Devonport
Lily, daug., unmarried, 13, employed, born Renfrewshire, Pollokshaws
William, son, 11, scholar, born Ayrshire, Irvine
Maria, daug., 9, scholar, born Ayrshire, Kilmarnock
Thomas, son, 7, scholar, born Ayrshire, Irvine
Charlotte, daug., 2, born Lanarkshire, Glasgow

It may be noticed that thee are a few discrepancies concerning places of birth, particularly with regard to Lilias, who now appears as Lily. 'Burtonholm' in the 1881 census appears to refer to Bartonholm in the Parish of Irvine.

Augusta Paton, the widow of Thomas Paton, a tailor, (journeyman), died on the 4th of December 1930, at 338, Lawmoor Street, Glasgow. She was seventy-three years of age. The cause of death was certified as bronchitis. Her parents were William Haughton, a coal miner, and Maria Haughton MS Hobbs, both deceased. The informant was Thomas Paton, of 23, Binnie Street, Gourock, the son of the deceased.

Adam Haddow Paton was listed in 1881 census as living at Hill Street, Kilmarnock with his widowed mother. He was unmarried, 22, a draper's assistant, born in Galston.

At the time of the 1881 census, John, aged 17, and Mary, aged 13, were living with the Craig family in Glasgow. John was listed as a boarder, unmarried, employed as a clerk. Mary was listed as a visitor, and a scholar.