Edinburgh Genealogy Fair

We have arrived and set up, it was an early start but the customers are flooding in now so I thought I would take the opportunity to post a photo before things get too busy. We're at the 22nd Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) Conference in Edinburgh.

Our neighbors are "Recording Angels" who are working very hard in Midlothian and we're in the same room as FIBIS.

If you an make it along to Adam house in Edinburgh we're on the second floor, back left. We're giving away free genealogy research help all day so come along and say hello.

Sir John Pringle

One of the reasons I have been so slow to produce the first volume of the Kelso Dispensary records is that I keep getting distracted. The diseases are so interesting, not to mention the people in the registers and my constant amazement that so many ordinary people were given treatment.

Today I have been looking at Sir John Pringle who is one of the “Recommenders”, a quick Google search revealed that there is actually a monument to Sir John Pringle in Westminster Abbey!

By the time the dispensary opened its doors Sir John was about 70, but that doesn’t seem to have held him back.

So you never know perhaps you are alive today because the dispensary saved your GGGGgrandfather!

Roxburghshire is mapped

We have great news! We have now uploaded all the map links for the Roxburghshire census! This brings the total number of individuals linked to maps to 219,112. We have now completed three counties: Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire. We have also mapped parts of Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Berwickshire and Dumfriesshire.

If you haven't used it yet it’s very simple:

Search the census for free at www.maxwellancestry.com/census

Find the household: http://www.maxwellancestry.com/census/51transcript.aspx?houseid=63003027 and click ‘Display Map.’

It’s that easy!

If you’re looking for a house we haven't mapped yet please just email me and we can map it for you: info@maxwellancestry.com

Google has updated it's satellite imaging!

We have noticed there are now more detailed images from Google for a swathe of the southern Scottish Borders and northern Dumfriesshire, so we can make more accurate links to your ancestors’ homes. So far we have updated the mapping for previous parishes covered to take account of the more accurate imaging, and have also added new data for Cavers (including Denholm village). We will continue adding new mapped areas over the next few months.

This latest update to the database has also added various household links and notes. This is generally information we come across whilst searching, for example if we’ve untangled a complicated family we add notes and links to make it easier for anybody who follows in the future.

Search for free -  www.maxwellancestry.com/census

Wigtown Sheriff court books

I have now started work on my newest project; indexing the Wigtown Sheriff court books. The cases obviously vary in gory detail however here’s one to whet your appetite!

At Wigtown and within the Court House thereof the thirtieth day of June Eighteen hundred and forty seven years

Sederunt Adam Urquhart Esquire Sheriff of the County of Wigtown.

Intran Patrick Hannay labourer Indicted and accused into the instance of Alexander McNeil Caird

Writer in Stranraer PF of Court for the Crime of Assault to effusion of blood and danger of life, in manner particularly mentioned in the Criminal Libel raised against him thereanent.

For the public prosecutor } For the Pannel
Alex McNeil Caird PF } Thomas F Smith Writer Wigtown

The libel being read over to the pannel in open Court, he pleads not Guilty.

The sheriff finds the libel relevant to infer the pains of law, but allows the pannel a proof in qualification and alteration, and remits him with the libel as found relevant to the knowledge of an Assize. Adam Urquhart

The following Gentlemen were there ballotted to pass upon the assize of the pannel Patrick Hannay vizt.

Special Jurors

John McGill farmer Barsalloch

Thomas Murray banker Wigtown

Colin Christison factor Barglass

William Brown tanner Whithorn

William McQween farmer Newmilns

Common Jurors

William Hunter farmer Causewayend

John Fraser farmer Isle farm

John McConnell farmer Grennan

Peter Kevan farmer Airies Knows

William Broadshaw farmer Backbraes

John McCandlish farmer Clauchrie

John McGuffie grieve Barnbarroch

Matthew Martin shoemaker Kirkcowan

John McCulloch farmer Skaith

Robert Kelly farmer Glenruther

At this stage of the proceedings the pannel pleaded Guilty as libelled. In witness whereof his Agent has subscribed this Plea in respect he declares he cannot write. Thomas S Smith p pannel.
The Pannel adduced the following Witness in alleviation vizt.

Samuel Shearman or Shearn labourer in Portlogan being No. 8 of the List of Witnesses appended to the Libel.

The Jury without retiring returned a Verdict unanimously finding the pannel Guilty as libelled in terms of his own confession, but by a majority recommending him to the leniency of the court.

The sheriff in respect of the foregoing Verdict Decerns and adjudges the pannel Patrick Hannay to be taken from the bar and imprisoned in the prison of Stranraer, subject to the rules of that Establishment, for the period of two calender months from this date; and warrant is hereby granted to the Keeper of said prison to receive, detain and liberate the pannel accordingly.

Adam Urquhart


© National Archives of Scotland - reference SC/19/51/1
Transcription © Graham Maxwell, April 2011

22nd SAFHS Conference

We have just received confirmation for our stall at the 22nd Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) Conference in Edinburgh on Saturday 25th June 2011, 09.30-16.30. The  the Conference will be Adam House, 3 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1HR so if your able to attend pop in and see us. We’ll be giving free help and advice all day and we’ll have some of our books for you to look through.

Many other people will be there too: various family history societies, Families in British India Society,  Scotsman Archives, Tay Roots and many others.

For more information visit  the Scottish Genealogy Society’s website: http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/Conference.aspx

Hope to see you all there!

William Richardson, Kirkcudbright 1787

As promised I have uploaded the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal today, issue No. 6. The first article is very interesting - it is entitled “Discovery and Punishment of Murder by Circumstantial Evidence.”

It tells us about the case of William Richardson who murdered a woman in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in the autumn of 1786. William Richardson was found guilty on evidence and circumstance not on the testimony of witnesses. It’s a fascinating account although all very sad for the poor girl that was murdered.

I have ordered the appropriate high court minute book and will look at it when I’m in Edinburgh next week. I’ll let you know if it gives any further information.

I find these cases fascinating. If your family tree is anything like mine there will be a lots of “Ag. Labs” and very few people recorded in sasines or wills, so it’s nice to find documents outside of the OPR’s and census. As one customer said this week prison records add some “spice” to a family tree. Court papers can be a wonderful addition if your ancestor was tried, in fact we hope to have some exciting news about that later in the year!

If you’ve not already looked have a search in our prison registers and see if there are any black sheep in your family!