Cambuslang families

The Claudians  is a fictionalised biography of two cousins who were born to poor families in Cambuslang. One was the son of a gardener; the other was the son of teacher in the parish school. Their maternal grandfather, a weaver, was baptised Claude Somers and his elder grandson was baptised Claud Buchanan. When famous as the Reverend Claudius Buchanan he spoke of his grandfather as "Claudius" Somers. Their family trees can be found here. Though fictionalised, to fill in gaps in the historical record, The Claudians is closely based on facts and many of them are detailed in this set of 300+ Companion Pages.

The dates of their births need to be corrected. Buchanan left Cambuslang at the age of seven, in 1782. John Claudius Loudon left Kerse Hall at the age of 14, in 1796. The characters of both cousins were deeply influenced by the world-famous Cambuslang Awakening of 1742. It is also known as the Cambuslang Revival, Cambuslang Wark and Cambuslang Work.

The cousins are described by their biographer as having been born 'in Cambuslang'. This may well refer to the Parish rather than to a fermtoun in the Parish. In The Claudians  it is assumed that the Somers weaving business began in a fermtoun and this is taken to be the group of cottages shown on the Roy Map as 'Cambuslang Farm'. Since Claudius Buchanan's father was a teacher we can guess that he lived and taught in a small building near what is now called Cambuslang Old Kirk.  This example is represents the way in which historical facts are treated in The Claudians: available facts are used and gaps are filled with guesswork. 

Two sons of Cambuslang and an image of George Whitefield on the Preaching Braes below Cambuslang Kirk in 1742

See also:-

John Claudius Loudon: an Appreciation -

Reverend Dr. Claudius Buchanan: an Appreciation -

Corrections to the birth dates of John Loudon, Claudius Buchanan and Jane Webb -