7 July 1905 - Peebles Hydropathic Burned to the Ground

Peebles Hydropathic before the fire

To us researching your family tree is more than just gathering names, dates and places. Tracing your genealogy should be a journey of discovery, getting to know the people along the way, in effect having your own ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ experience!

Edinburgh Evening News
08 July 1905
Copyright British Newspaper Archive

Newspapers and old photographs are a great way to add to the knowledge you have gleaned from certificates and census returns. Sometimes newspapers name our ancestors but at other times we will need to think a little more laterally, searching for stories about the places they lived and worked.

On this day 110 years ago the Peebles Hydropathic hotel was burned to the ground. As you can see from the photographs that accompany this blog the destruction was devastating and complete. For those visiting the Hydropathic, those staying there and those living in the town it must have been one of the most, if not the most, traumatic events in their lives.

Peebles Hydropathic after the fire

The newspaper accounts don’t mention many people but you may have found from the census that your ancestors worked at the Hydropathic, if they did they were likely involved in the incident. The lesson is to think laterally when searching the newspapers and you may discover an incident that would have impacted on your family greatly even though they are not mentioned as individuals.

The British Newspaper Archive is a wonderful resource if you are searching for UK ancestors. They are steadily increasing their holdings and you can also request certain newspapers. The BNA collection is also part of some Findmypast subscriptions. If you live in Scotland you can access many Scottish newspapers through the National Library of Scotland’s ‘Licensed digital collections’ (free): all you have to do is register. The NLS also has a large collection of newspapers on microfilm that are free to view in person.

Many local libraries and archives hold newspapers for the local area and libraries such as the Ewart in Dumfries allow digital photography. There are also many newspapers on Google which are free to use.

The New Peebles Hydropathic

Into the archives - McVitie's

One of the exciting things about a trip to the National Records of Scotland is that you never quite know what you’ll discover. The other day we were delving into court records from the mid-1800s, many of which exist as small brittle bundles of notes and relevant documents tied up with string. One such bundle, pertaining to a case of land ownership, yielded a few pages from an old newspaper – the relevant information outlined in pen.

General Register House © Ceris Aston

Our eyes were drawn, however, to the advertisements – one Mrs Carstairs, Fruiterer and Florist, announcing her upcoming move to ‘those Central and Commodious Premises in the ROYAL EMPORIUM’. Another: James Carstairs, Poulterer & Game Dealer, respectfully intimating that his new premises open ‘THIS DAY… with a complete Stock of the very best POULTRY, GAME, &c.’

We delighted in the formality and archaic language of the adverts – even in the capitalisation of the nouns. These 19^th-century shopkeepers were savvy though, with Mrs Carstairs being quick to address the announcement to ‘her numerous Customers’, and James Carmichael invoking loyalty and respect for tradition as the ‘Grandson and Successor to the late Mrs Janet Young’. Modern advertising still uses some of the same techniques – just not in quite such a polite manner!

Delving into the records © Maxwell Ancestry

Then we glimpsed a familiar name.

ROBERT MCVITIE, BAKER, 5, CHARLOTTE PLACE,

begs gratefully to acknowledge the very flattering amount of patronage which he has received since he entered the above Premises; and at the same time respectfully intimates, that having had his accommodation increased, he has commenced the CONFECTIONARY in connection with his LOAF-BREAD BUSINESS, and assures his Friends and Patrons that they may rely on everything produced being of the very best quality. (North British Advertiser, Jan. 1^st, 1853).

We looked it up – how could we not? And it was he. One Mr Robert McVitie, born 1809, taking his first steps towards a future which would give the world the McVitie’s digestive biscuit. The baking dynasty which he founded still flourishes today and digestives are arguably the nation’s favourite biscuit. As we sit with a cuppa and a nice dunkable digestive, we reflect that McVitie’s 1853 decision to expand into confectionary was, all things considered, a good move.

It’s fascinating to find records of such moments, especially when we are familiar with the stories or legacies from long ago events. We’re looking forward to our next find – see you next #throwbackthursday!

Weekly Report By Our Own Policeman

Whilst researching in the National Library of Scotland I was distracted by this report in the Angus and Mearns Register form the 26th of August 1864.

Weekly Report By Our Own Policeman:- I hae often explained that the Bye-Laws is made just till let my ornamental friends ken the things that they needna gie themsells ony trouble till take notice o’. I see the board o’ Bye-Laws that hings at Dummie Ha’s Wynd has had the Laws torn aff, and a lithy graffer’s bill, that’s been made to fit it, battered on in their place. I’m gey concerned aboot this, for fear that, for want o’ the notice till guide them, my friends may aiblins fa’ intil the mistak’ o’ gien themsells trouble about something or ither they micht pass bye gin they ken’t it was in the Bye-Laws. The robbin’ o’ gardens and apple-trees has begun for the season. Ae man that complained was tell’d that he bade in an oot-o’-the-wye place and it couldna be helpit; but I’ wat there’s me difficulty in findin’ out his dwallin’ when the Pollus rate’s to be colleckit, f’r’a’t. There was a baker’s riot the ither nicht in Dummie Ha’s Wynd, an’ they faucht and mischieved ane an’ ither sair; but when there was a seek for some o’ my ornamental friends nane could be gotten, sae the rioters wan aff. The taties at the Townhead was ta’en up yesterday, an’ they look gey an’ gude; but Gordon says he can beat them yet, for as cheap’s they’re raised, - Your Own Pollusman.

A Midnight Adventure

Whilst researching in the National Library of Scotland today I came across this interesting tale:

A Midnight Adventure – A lady and a gentleman were disturbed in their slumbers one night last week by the very unpleasant noise of a slight move under the bed. The lady expressed alarm, but her somewhat sleepy caro sposo said, “Oh it is only one of the dogs,” and, putting his hand down by the side of the bed, his hand being licked, after a moment the pair were satisfied and they soon slumbered again peacefully. In the morning, however, they found that all their money and jewellery had disappeared, and it was clear that the lick had been the dernier ressort of an ingenious biped concealed under the bed – Court Journal.

Source: in the Montrose Standard and Angus And Mearns register, August 26^th 1864, Page 3

1832 was a leap year!

If you have been on your toes this week you may have noticed that Friday's Chambers' Edinburgh Journal was dated the 3rd of March not the 4th as 1832 was a leap year.

I still like the idea of reading it each week on the correct date so from now on it will be uploaded on a Thursday.

If you have not already read this week's visit our website to either read online or save the images to your computer to keep forever.

www.maxwellancestry.com

Continue reading the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal

I have now uploaded “today’s” issue of the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal. So you can take a few minutes and transport yourself to earlier days. This weeks issues contains the following articles:

Fallacies of the Young, Formation of the Scottish Society.

Skryme, The Russian court, Major Weir.

Sketches in Topography (Edinburghshire), The Runaway (an English Tale, By Miss Mitford)

Emigration.

Iron Bridges, Biographic Sketches (Dr. Alexander Murray).

Wourall poison.

Bear Hunting, Turkey, The Vatican, Two useful receipts, Hymn of the British peasant, American musquitoes, Effect of light on plants, Wolves, Number of Stars.

Column for the boys, Use of Cat’s whiskers, Vegetables, Cheese-Hoppers, Astronomy and celestial mechanics, Amsterdam.

Click to read the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal

Read the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal week by week

Starting today you will be able to experience a little of 1832 from your own home. We had started, some time ago now, uploading the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal to our free resources section of the website. From today though I will upload it once a week, on the date it was originally published, so you can read it as it would have been read in 1832.

Published weekly it’s only 8 pages in length and easy to speed-read the less interesting parts. I hope though it will prove and interesting, informative and lets face it a fun read for those of you who have the time. Most of the questions we are asked arise from a misunderstanding of Scotland in the past and this is another thing which can help us to understand our ancestor’s lives.

The images are very large; they may take longer to download however it will make these historic articles easier to read.

I hope you enjoy this new feature: www.maxwellancestry.com