23 Jan 1834 - Louisa Blake was born at Bothwell to Robert Blake and Mary Bowden. (1)

17 Nov 1835 - Baptised at Bothwell. (1)

1 Jan 1848 - Counted on the census living at [1-23] Alexander St, Bothwell.
Robert Blake (owner, occupier), brick house, completed, inhabited.
Male (Robert Blake), aged between 21 and under 45, married, free person, Wesleyan Methodist, mechanic & artificer.
Female (Mary Blake), aged between 21 and under 45, married, arrived free, Wesleyan Methodist.
Female (Louisa Blake), aged between 7 and under 14, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Female (Maria Blake), aged between 7 and under 14, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Female (Mary Blake), aged between 7 and under 14, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Male (Isaac Blake), aged between 7 and under 14, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Male (Charles Blake), aged between 2 and under 7, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Male (Joseph Blake), aged between 2 and under 7, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Female (Eleanor Blake), aged between 2 and under 7, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist.
Male (Robert Blake), aged under 2, born in colony, Wesleyan Methodist, other class. (11)

21 Feb 1853 - Witness at the marriage of Charles Lacey and Maria Street at St Luke's Church, Bothwell. (12)

15 Aug 1859 - Louisa married Benjamin Smith at the residence of her father Robert Blake, [1-30] Patrick St, Bothwell according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Scotland by Licence; witnessed by Robert Blake and Mary Blake. Benjamin was aged 24 and a shoemaker; Louisa was aged 24 and a spinster. (6)

SMITH-BLAKE - On 15th of August, 1859, at Bothwell, by the Rev J Robertson, Mr Benjamin Smith, to Louisa, eldest daughter of Mr Blake of Bothwell. (13)

24 Jul 1860 - Birth of her son Benjamin Robert Smith at Bothwell. (9)

26 Jul 1860 - Louisa died from influenza and childbirth at the age of 26 years at Bothwell. (2)

Aft 26 Jul 1860 - Buried at the Wesleyan Chapel Cemetery at Bothwell. (3)

Extract from the life story of Louisa’s husband Benjamin Smith about their short time together…

Now comes a change in my life. I was married to Miss Louisa Blake on the 15th of August 1859, and although our married life was short, it was very happy.

During the first year of my married life I bought a piece of land from my father-in-law for ₤20 intending to build, for I made up my mind I would not pay rent all my life. But all my hopes were dashed to the ground. The influenza came and laid a hand on both of us as well as others. Mr Cartwright, a good old Methodist, came to try to cure our chimney from smoking. He was poorly at the time. After he had finished his work he said he had often thought of coming round to see us and also remarked, ‘but I suppose you young people don’t care for the company of old people but would rather have the society of the young and gay’. I made the remark, ‘You are much mistaken, for I do prefer the company of the aged’ and a verse of our old hymn came very vividly to mind: 

          No room for mirth or trifling here,
          For worldly hope or worldly fear,
          If life so soon is gone.

In less than one week, two of the three had passed away. My wife took ill with childbirth and, being weak from influenza, she went into convulsion fits. I called in help and sent for a doctor to Hamilton, 18 miles. In the meantime I called in her mother and another nurse, I also went for Mrs Cartwright but her husband could not be left so I stayed with him while she came to my wife. She was a very good nurse. The baby was born shortly after her arrival but my wife still kept in convulsions. The doctor at Hamilton was bad in bed with influenza and could not come. I sent my wife’s uncle, Edward Bowden, who rode to Green Ponds, 18 miles, in one hour. The doctor was out attending his patients and when he came home he could not leave till he had made up medicine. He arrived at my house at 20 past ten at night, 13 hours after the first attack. He gave me no hope. She continued in those fits from 9 in the morning of Tuesday until Thursday evening and then passed away. Mr Cartwright died the next day. My baby boy only lived five months and went to join his mother, a happy release, for the dear little pet was a great sufferer being crippled in his birth. The English language fails for words to describe my feelings at this time.

1.       O pity me all crushed beneath the blow,
          Thus weeping o'er this sad mysterious blight,
          My gardens richest, fairest plant laid low,
          Gem'd with its dewy blossoms sparkling bright,
          Just when its roseate blossoms were set for fruit,
          Stricken and shattered at the very root.

2.       There are none like it left, and earth appears,
          So stripped, so desolate, without its charms,
          A barren waste, a mournful vale of tears,
          That were I not supported by Thy arms,
          My pitying Saviour, this poor heart would break,
          O shield, O comfort for thy mercies sake.

3.       My lovely gourd is withered in an hour,
          I droop, I faint beneath the scorching sun,
          My Shepherd lead me to some sheltering bower,
          There where Thy little flock, lie down at noon,
          Though of my dearest earthly joy bereft,
          Thou art my portion still, Thou then, my God art left.

I came across these lines at the time and they brought comfort but it was a sad time. I will not dwell upon the sad theme only to say that her mother failed from that time and died just 12 months after to the day.