Ellen Union
| Born | . | 1875 | at | Greenock East | Certificate | |
| Full Name | Ellen or Helen Union | . |
| Father | William Union | Mother | Ellen Union (ms Kerr) | ||||
| Children | 1899 | William | d. 1947 |
| . | 1900 | Elizabeth McPhail | d. 1900 |
| Married | . | 1901 | to | Duncan Brown | at | Greenock | Certificate |
| Died | . | 1903 | at | Greenock | Phthisis and bedsores | Certificate |
Ellen was born in about 1877 in Greenock, to William and Ellen Union. When she was about 8, her father was reported drowned, and soon afterwards her mother remarried. In 1891 at the age of 14, she was employed as a housemaid at 13 Crosshore Street by Larena Neeson, a widow with a son and several boarders [2]. In 1899 she worked in a flax mill and produced a son William [7]. In the following year she had a daughter Elizabeth, who died in infancy [5]. At this time, Ellen was only able to sign her name with a cross [7].
In 1901, Ellen married Duncan Brown. However her happiness was not to last long, for on 20th August 1903 at her mother's home, 8 Cathcart Street, Ellen died aged 26 of Tuberculosis [6].
Her son William survived her, and worked as a docker in Greenock until 1947 when he died unmarried on 9th November of heart disease. His death was reported by his cousin John Kerr, son of Ellen's brother William [6].
Sources: Census [1]1881, [2]1891, [3]1901; [4]IGI; [5]GRO index; [6]GRO death register; [7]GRO birth register;
Page last updated 09 February 2004