Genealogy Chat

One of our ancestors (an agricultural labourer) is shown in the 1841 census living, with many others, at "Shoemakers Land, Old Sneddon, Middle Parish of Paisley".

I have found old photos of a Shoemakers Land (or Bible Land) Tenement Building in Edinburgh, but nothing for Old Sneddon Paisley - these can't be one and the same can they?

Any help would be very much appreciated! :-)

Paisley and Edinburgh are about 60 miles apart in different Counties

Googling turns up an Old Sneddon Street, Paisley, as a current location

Paisley is on the other side, nearer Glasgow.

From FMP

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Shoemakers Land, Old Sneddon Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland

The national library of Scotland (Nls) have a lot of maps but I am having trouble accessing them.

There is still an Old Sneddon Road in Paisley.

Thanks, I haven't been able to find any mention of it in the Paisley records. Odd that there's a photo of a tenement building of the same name in Edinburgh.

Old Sneddon Street is part of the A726, the main road which runs through the middle of Paisley. It is a short section in the middle and has the back entrance of Gilmour Street Station on it.

My guess is that Shoemakers Yard is now somewhere beneath the railway lines.

Interesting, thanks. Anyone have any idea why it was called "Land" ? Could it have been some sort of shanty town?

"Land" is an old Scots word meaning a tenement building - 17th century and thereabouts - and later.

I have just been looking at an 1850's Ordnance Survey map of Paisley, but nothing smaller than Old Sneddon Street is named.

My guess about the railway is wrong, as the station was opened in 1840!!

"Land" is an old Scots word meaning a tenement building


Thank you! - I didn't know that - it makes more sense to me now :-)

thanks everyone for all your help

Shoemaker's Land won't show up on a map unless extremely detailed - it's only one building of many in the street.

ok, thanks :-)