John Glasgw of Stirling

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Biography

John Glasgw was probably born about 1450 and was alive on 2 March 1479/80. His birth year is estimated from his appearance as an adult witness in Stirling in 1475; no birth or baptism record survives.

John belonged to Stirling's late-medieval burgh community. He witnessed two formal property and religious-endowment acts, first on 11 April 1475 and again on 2 March 1479/80. The repeated uncommon name, town and witnessing role make these appearances very likely to concern the same man. Neither act records his occupation, wife or parents.

The earlier Glasgow burgess known as John de Glasgu I may have been this John's father or another close relative. Treating them as the same man would require a birth before about 1426 and a civic career extending from 1447 to 1480, whereas the standalone Stirling evidence supports the more useful estimate of about 1450.

Life in Stirling, 1475–1479/80

11 April 1475

Robert Gelis, elder, and John Gelis, younger, sold Sir John Hastings, canon of Dunblane, an annual rent of 6s from a tenement on the north side of Stirling High Street. The property lay between the land of John Kyrkwoud on the west and that of the late Robert Haket on the east.

John Glasgw appears among the witnesses, together with burgesses, craftsmen, a chaplain and a notary public.^[1]

The record places him in a formal property transaction in Stirling's market centre. It does not state his occupation, residence, burgess status or relationship to another bearer of the name.

2 March 1479/80

Adam Cosour resigned annual rents totalling 40s for the support of the altars of St Anne and the Virgin Mary in the parish church of the Holy Cross of Stirling.

The rents came from several Stirling properties, including:

• a tenement between the lands of Gilbert Brady and the late William Murray of Tulchadam;
• Duncan Thomson's tenement near the Friars;
• and the Trone land on the west side of the High Street leading to the burgh port.

John Glasgw again appears as a witness, with Thomas Stewart, Andrew Morys and others.^[1]

The repeated name and role, only four years apart, make it highly likely that the records concern the same man.

Documentary setting

The 1479/80 act appears to survive in the protocol book of James Darow, chaplain and notary. Stirling Council Archives identifies Darow's 1469–1484 volume as the oldest surviving Scottish protocol book and gives the reference B66/1/1/1.^[2]

The published Stirling texts are English abstracts rather than full diplomatic transcriptions. The apparent absence of de cannot therefore be treated as proof that the surname had become fixed. Inspection of the original may reveal the unmodernised name form, status omitted from the abstract, the complete witness list or further appearances in neighbouring entries.

Possible origin in the Glasgow burgess family

A close relationship to the earlier Glasgow burgess is plausible because:

• Johannes de Glasgu and John Glasgw are compatible forms;
• the chronology is possible;
• both clusters involve formal burgh property transactions;
• and no contradictory office, relationship or date is known.

It is not proved because:

• no witness or associate currently appears in both cities;
• no shared property is known;
• no occupation, wife, child, parent or sibling is named;
• no seal or signature is known;
• and no intervening record has been found between 1455 and 1475.

The separate free-space biography is the best treatment. On the working dates, John of Stirling fits more naturally as a son, nephew or younger relative of John de Glasgu I than as the same man.

Possible son and descendants

The leading family hypothesis makes John Glasgow of Saltmarket the son of the Stirling witness. John of Stirling was already an adult in 1475, while the Saltmarket John is estimated born about 1480 and was active by 1506.

The hypothesis is strengthened by the uncommon surname, consecutive generations and both men's participation in burgh property networks. Gilbert Brady's property in the 1479/80 Stirling act and the later Brade association in William Glasgow's household provide an additional surname-network clue. If the reconstruction is right, the Stirling John was probably William's grandfather.

No surviving act names the Saltmarket John as his son, so the relationship remains a working pedigree rather than a documented descent.

5. Contemporary surname bearer: Alan Glasgw

A royal justice record dated 26 February 1494/95 refers to the slaughter of Alan Glasgw.^[3]

Alan was dead by that date. His shortened surname form resembles the Stirling abstracts, but no relationship to John is known. He should remain an unplaced possible contemporary or next-generation bearer.

6. Incorrect Robert relationship

The 1475 charter does not name a Robert Glasgow who could be John's brother.

The Roberts belonged to the Gelis family: Robert Gelis, elder, the grantor, and his deceased father, also Robert Gelis. No Robert Glasgw appears in the cited witness list.

Evidence assessment

The secure evidence establishes that:

• John Glasgw witnessed Stirling acts in 1475 and 1479/80;
• the two records very probably concern one man;
• he participated in formal property and religious-endowment business in the burgh;
• and no occupation, residence, family relationship or property ownership is stated.

The evidence does not establish that he was the Glasgow burgess of 1447–1455, father of Alias Smith or William Glasgow, related to Alan Glasgw, or ancestor of the later burgh family.

Timeline summary

• about 1450 — estimated birth based on adult witnessing in 1475
• 11 April 1475 — witnesses a Stirling High Street property transaction
• 2 March 1479/80 — witnesses a Stirling religious endowment involving several burgh rents
• 26 February 1494/95 — Alan Glasgw is recorded as slain; no relationship proved

Secure records assigned to John Glasgw of Stirling: 2.

For further research

• Inspect James Darow's protocol book, B66/1/1/1, for the full 1479/80 entry and neighbouring references.
• Identify and inspect the original 1475 charter.
• Search Stirling burgess rolls, court books and property records for Glasgu, Glasgw and variants.
• Reconstruct Gilbert Brady's property and family and test any relationship to the Glasgow Brade network.
• Search for explicit filius, heres, frater, nepos, relicta or succession clauses connecting John to later bearers.
• Keep the relationship to John de Glasgu I, Alias Smith and William Glasgow hypothetical until direct evidence appears.

See also

• John de Glasgu I, fl. 1447–1455
• John de Glasgow alias Smith / John Glasgow of Saltmarket, fl. 1506–1553
• Glasgow Origins Research (1170–1600)
• Other Medieval Glasgow Candidates

Resources

• James Darow protocol book