Genealogy mistakes to avoid #4 - Ignoring the occupation

When trying to match our family up with the records it can be a real challenge when they have common names and lots of cousins in the same parish also have the same names. It can be a real tangle. 

Sometimes we’re so focused on the names we forget about the occupation. Although people did sometimes change their occupation, it’s fairly unlikely that a married man would change occupation from a stone mason to a shoemaker. Both of these occupations would require an apprenticeship. Our ancestors would have served as an apprentice as a teenager and perhaps into their early 20s before they got married. How would a married man with children afford to be able to serve an apprenticeship and switch professions as we can today? 

Of course, some occupations are the same but described differently. A shoemaker in one record may be described as a cordiner in another. A shipwright may also be described as a joiner. Or you may find a grocer being described as a victualler. If you come across an occupation that is uncommon today, check out the Dictionaries of the Scots Language to discover what it was.

Robbie Collins - an Eccentric Vendor

Today we have another story from John B. Drylie’s book, “Worthies of Dumfriesshire”

"Poor Robbie Collins, who was known far and near as a vendor of stationery and smallwares, was buried in Troqueer Churchyard in March 1830. Although he had no secret hoard like Wull Steenie [I will tell you more about Wull in another post], his books and clothes, when turned into money after his death, sufficed to lay his head decently in the grave, even to leave a balance, which was handed to the treasurer of the Kirk session, so that in one respect he was on a par with miser Wull, and though a pauper himself, he left a legacy to the poor.

Robbie was a native of Ayrshire, and at one time in his varied and chequered career he taught a small school in some Highland island. He was short of stature, lame of a leg, blind of an eye, and decrepit in mind as well as in body, and it was said that he had a "spice of the knave in him as well as the fool." He migrated to Dumfries about the year 1813, at which time he was possessed of only a few shillings. Gradually acquiring credit, however, with booksellers and other tradespeople, he traded his way so successfully that he at last grew rich, at least comparatively for a man of his grade, and he was able to deposit in the parish bank a sum little short of £70. His "round" was travelled very cheaply. Although most extensive, he visited many thousands of people in the east as well as the south of Scotland, and there were few who grudged him a bed or a meal; indeed there were many who patronised Robbie when they could have purchased more cheaply elsewhere. Robbie had a fawning, winning manner, and as a "character" he was favoured by the rich as well as by the poor.

As times prospered the box slung behind his back was exchanged for a pair of panniers, which, when filled with smallware, were mounted on a donkey's back, and Robbie, who had limped many a weary mile, thenceforward made his rounds more at his ease, and indeed quite like "the gentleman." By some means or other he fastened a printed label in verse on the donkey's forehead, which served for a sign wherever he went, by intimating the owner's name and occupation, and enumerating the various articles he had for sale.

Robbie had many a sore contest with his cuddy, which he designated as "a dour, thrawn, contrary beast," and though he frequently tried to reason with it in set speeches by the wayside, his eloquence was entirely thrown away. Nothing, however, could disabuse Robbie's mind of the notion that the ass understood every word he said. and as he was an enemy to every form of corporal punishment, he endeavoured by gentle and lenient means to train it in the way that cuddies should go. But, like many other reformers, even of the present day, his plans were too Utopian, and in the end he procured a cudgel, and discovered that this argument was the only sort of logic fitted to make an impression on the long-eared tribe.

Robbie's success in some measure "turned his head." Tired of wandering, nothing would serve him but a little shop, and ultimately he secured one in Church Place, Dumfries. This he furnished with all sorts of small gear under the sun, and, as he had the capital to begin with, he obtained plenty of credit. His arrangements being completed, he sent for the cuddy, got it hoisted up the stair of the shop, and then desired the wondering beast to look round on all the grandeur and tell him "what it thought of Collins now?" The speculation, unfortunately, failed, and, but for the kindness of a benevolent gentleman who allowed him a pension of six shillings per week for many years, he would have been reduced to the greatest penury and distress. Thus secured, however, he made long sweeps east and north, and was as well known in Edinburgh as he was in Dumfries. At one time he contemplated visiting France, and talked of drawing his pension on the other side of the Channel, and spending his days tranquilly in some sequestered corner of the finer climates of the south, and where, as he said, provisions were cheap, and the taxes a trifle.

On another occasion he conceived the idea of making his fortune by marriage. He had set his fancy on two fair dames whose merits were on a par, and between whom he was as much divided as his cuddy would have been between two bundles of hay. To both of these ladies he wrote letters filled with all sorts of honeyed words, and determined to be the bearer of his own dispatches, and, as the ladies lived in the country (in the parish of Irongray to be exact), he commenced his wooing as the crow flies - that is, he called at the nearest house first, and delivered his epistle in due form. At first the family took the matter seriously, but speedily relaxing, they merely laughed at Robbie, and instructed the servants to regale him in the kitchen. Collins "took the bite and the bat with it,” and then wended his way a mile or so further. As luck would have it, it so happened that the lady Collins first addressed was invited to tea at his second house of call, and as she travelled faster than her suitor, she got there before him. Of this the "braw wooer" knew nothing, and great was the merriment when the young ladies compared notes (for the first letter had been carried to the home of Robbie's last hope as a curiosity), and found that the second letter was a facsimile of the first. The "Laird o' Cockpen" had only one string to his bow, but Robbie had two, and yet he was unsuccessful. Another meal was all the poor man got for his pains, and he departed as much crestfallen as his great prototype, and perhaps he said or sung, as he walked or rode through the glen, "they were daft tae refuse Robbie Collins.""

Lawrence Murphy — what a chancer!

‘Worthies of Dumfriesshire and Galloway’ was written by Jon Drylie and published in 1908. It is similar to other publications of the period, giving a biography of various characters in the area. Today’s story is that of Lawrence Murphy aka, ‘Tarry Larry’. The challenge for us as family historians is to separate fact from fiction.

Some research shows that Larry died in April 1902 in Dumfries Poorhouse. His age is recorded as 101; is this correct? I started doing some digging and on Findmypast I discovered Lawrence Murphy in the Merchant Seaman records. We’re told that he first went to sea as an apprentice in 1835 and that he was born on 10 March 1822. This is a long way off his date of birth being around 1800.

I checked Scotland's Criminal Database on Scottish Indexes and discovered that Lawrence was no stranger to the prison at Dumfries. In 1841 his age was recorded as 20, which was about right. Eight years later in 1849 he’s only 6 years of age. By 1857 he’s only 42 and by 1868 he was claiming to be born in 1811. This age massaging continues. By the census of 1891, when he was living in the poorhouse, his age was recorded as 88, giving him a birth year of 1803/4. Somehow by the time he died he had managed to increase his age again! 

Bear these facts in mind as you read the chapter, ‘Tarry Larry’ from ‘Worthies of Dumfriesshire and Galloway’, written by John Drylie.

“Lawrence Murphy, who lived till he was over 100 years of age, and who died only a few years ago, was a native of Dumfries, and in the twentieth century he could relate to the smallest detail his recollections of the French prisoners in Dumfries at the beginning of last century. With them he was on intimate terms, and acted as a sort of page boy. For them he made excursions to Lochar Moss and the Long Wood for puddocks, frogs, and hedgehogs, on which the French officers would dine. Larry, as he was familiarly called, took to a seafaring life in his early days, and for almost half-a-century he followed that vocation, during which time he saw a good deal of the surface of the globe. He sailed a lot between Canada and Britain, and he used to say that "the very dogs in Quebec knew him."

Once when sailing on the "John Wilson," which was bringing home timber from Quebec, and which belonged to Laird Thomson, commonly called "the Laird," the skipper of the bark refused to allow the sailors the usual allowance of "grog." The weather was bitterly cold at the time, and "Larry," who was generally the ringleader in any adventure, undertook to supply the crew with a share of the special brandy which was contained in a big jar enclosed in a wicker case for the Laird's delectation. Larry's "modus operandi" was as follows. Cute enough not to touch the seal he turned the jar up-side down, and boring a hole into it, he extracted the liquor, which was substituted by salt water, the hole plugged up, and the jar returned to its proper place. The Laird naturally was amazed at the transformation of his wine into salt water, and he thought that the agent at Quebec had played a practical joke upon him. It was a year after that before Larry found occasion to explain the real reason for the disappearance of the liquor. He was rafting timber on the Nith at the foot of Bank Street, and when the Laird unwarrantably "yoked on " Larry, the latter took the Laird off with the remark - "Hech, ye needna be sae bubbly; we did ye wi' the brandy last year."

During his seafaring career, Larry was an adept at smuggling tobacco. He had no faith in the stereotyped false-bottomed chests, or any her worked-out fakes, but like Myles Crow, he was original in his ideas, and fortunately or unfortunately as readers may think, Larry was more successful than that unfortunate whom we met in a previous chapter. Sometimes Larry would tie the tobacco into a tight bundle, climb to the truck of the mast, secure the bundle there with a cord, and remove it from its lofty resting-place on the quiet. Another plan was to put the weed into an old canvass bag, tie it round and round with ropes, and then besmear the whole with tar. It is needless to say that such an article got little investigation from the officers of excise.

Tired of the sea, Larry settled down in Dumfries, and was principally employed rafting on the river. He had a constitution of iron, and was devoid of all fear. About sixty years ago the scaffolding at the Martinton Railway Bridge, on the Castle Douglas Railway, which was then being built, was carried down the Nith by a flood, and a considerable quantity of it was stopped by the piers at the New Bridge, Larry was swung from the bridge by a waistband and a rope, and by this means he tied ropes to the planking and machinery swirling in the flood below, which were then drawn safely to the side. Larry might be said to have been a water-kelpie. On one occasion someone, by way of a joke, had nut an advertisement in the newspapers stating that on a certain day an American diver would dive into the Nith from the Old Bridge. A large crowd of people turned out to witness the exhibition, but the Yankee failed to appear, and Larry, always ready to please, said: "We'll no see folks cheated; I'll dae't mysel'." Thereupon, Larry, fully dressed, dived from the Bridge to the great amusement of the people. He was warmly received on swimming to the shore, and like Tam Broon, who had accomplished the same feat several times, he was trotted across to the "Grapes Inn," and royally treated for his pluck.

Larry was also instrumental in saving a good many lives. On one occasion when he was about sixty years of age, two boys got beyond their depth at the "gullet pool" near the Caul. A man named Glendinning, who was rafting wood below Bank Street, ran to the spot, dived in after them, and disappeared. Larry, who had been similarly employed, stripped off his jacket and waistcoat, plunged into the river, and succeeded in rescuing one of the boys, Bob Bennet, a celebrated Maxwelltown worthy. also lent a helping hand, but as Larry said with a grin - "He was nae use." After Larry had brought the first boy safely ashore, the cry went up- "There's another!" and again our worthy dived and brought up the second boy. "Where's Glendinning?" was the next cry, and Larry with his unconscious humour, asked if there was "mair yet," and then diving brought up Glendinning, who, however, had succumbed in his effort to rescue the boys.

Shortly after that a painter named M'Culloch got into difficulties while bathing at the same spot, and Larry was again instrumental in saving life. Subsequently Larry came across this same man in a public-house, and as a reward, Larry wanted him to "stand his hand"; but the painter in an ungenerous and uppish fashion ordered Larry off, whereupon the latter retorted - "Ye needna be sae big; yo wisna sayin' that when ye wis gruppin' at the chuckie stanes at the bottom o' the gullet pool."

When Larry became unable through advancing years to follow the employment of rafting, his principal source of income was from tarring fences and wooden sheds, etc. When tarring high buildings, his experience before the mast stood him in good stead, and like the baker, the sweep, and the coalman, he bore marks of his profession, both on his clothes and on his hands and face. It was then that the younger generation bestowed upon him the nickname of "Tarry Larry." After the death of his wife, the poor old man fell on evil times. He lived in a little barrow shed in the yard of the White Hart Hotel, the site of which is now occupied by a big drapery establishment in Buccleuch Street, This shed was more like a dog's kennel than the abode of a human being, and it was pitiful to see him crawl into this box at night, and pull an old rag down over the front, which was all the protection he had from the strongest gale and the keenest frost. On one occasion he was found lying outside his hut, with his hair frozen fast to the ground, and it was only after hot water had been applied to his locks, that he was released. No ordinary man could have endured a tithe of the privations that Larry survived and indeed seemed to thrive upon.

Even in his later years, Larry was renowned as a pugilist, and being possessed of abnormal strength, he generally came out of any broil unhurt. Even when his legs would scarcely keep his body in an upright position, he would support his back against a wall and continue the fight with vigour, and sometimes his friends would hold him up from behind, while Larry kept his fists going like battering rams. One winter he was found lying covered with snow, only one foot being visible above the white blanket. It was then that he entered the Poor-house for the first time at the age of 81. In the Poor-house he was well behaved, and he was the generally accepted chairman of the room in which he and a number of other old people dwelt. His fighting spirit remained with him to the last, as will be evident from the story that when Larry was 98 years of age, he quarrelled with James M'Inroe, a frisky emigrant from the Emerald Isle, who was 88 years of age. Larry, who always respected the rules of the house," went to the Governor, and said:-"Please, sir, may I ha'e five meenits o' Jimmy M'Inroe ootside?" Of course the request was not granted, but Larry stoutly maintained that he could have settled Jimmy in two meenits."

Larry had only been a month or six weeks in the Poorhouse when he began to make approaches to the governor with the intention of asking permission to go and get his whistle wet. For some reason or other Larry's heart failed him at the critical juncture, and he always left the governor's presence without stating his errand. Probably it was the fear of being refused that prevented him from expressing his wish, but at last he could stand it longer-for Larry, it must be explained, was a man who could get drunk and sober two or three times a day before he went into the Poor house and being granted permission he remained outside for three or four days in a perpetual state of intoxication. Subsequently an arrangement was come to between Larry and the inspector of poor, whereby Larry consented to go to the Poorhouse on condition that he got out for an afternoon every month. Regularly for many years after that, the poor old man was allowed out to see his friends once a month, and, as regularly, Larry got roarin' fou," the cab men having a standing order to convey him to the Poorhouse from wherever they found him lying about the town. Latterly, our aged worthy was unable to walk out of the house himself, his legs, which for many years had been his greatest, and, indeed, his only physical defect, having become completely useless; but, notwithstanding, he was enabled, through the goodness of the inspector, to pay his monthly calls as usual by means of a cab, which was provided for his use on one afternoon every month. A cab was hired for the afternoon, the driver taking his instructions from Larry, and in this way he continued his periodical visits at his ease and comfort, and in a style worthy of his venerable age. Larry at last passed away in Dumfries Poorhouse on the 11th of April, 1902, in the 102nd year of his age.”

What a story! How can we separate fact from fiction? We can compare what we’re told, whether in a family story or a printed book, with original sources. We can be fairly confident that Larry did not go foraging for frogs on Lochar Moss to feed the French officers! The story about saving lives in the river may well be true, but he was a lot younger than he said and I suspect the story is greatly exaggerated. 

One thing we do know, however, is that Larry was certainly a character. Even if some of the stories are tall tales, they are very entertaining and I would be very happy to have him in my family tree!

These volumes rarely had large print runs. Although they pop up on auction sites from time to time, a good place to hunt for them is in local libraries. Many libraries now have their catalogue online. Note that this will be separate to the archive catalogue, even if the library and archive are in the same building. If you live in the UK you may be able to access some volumes through ‘inter-library loans’. 

Follow our blog for more from ‘Worthies of Dumfriesshire and Galloway’.

Why did you start tracing your family tree and why would you encourage others to start?

Here are five 5 reasons I think people should ask about their family history this weekend; there are many more I am sure!

Want to make a start? Use our free guide to help you get started: https://www.scottishindexes.com/learningdetective.aspx 

One

It’s a great puzzle! Great fun. As you learn more it’s as if your jigsaw gets bigger and bigger. There are more pieces to find and more puzzles to solve. Some are easy; some are more challenging. If you love puzzles you will love family history! Is there a family mystery you want to uncover?

Two

It helps you understand your relatives. As you talk to your family about their life you learn more about them. More than that, though, you can learn more about the family you never met. Finding out about a great-grandmother could help you understand your parent’s childhood; the life experiences that shaped them. 

Three

It stimulates thinking and long-term memories. Sadly as we age our short term memories can suffer. This can make conversations difficult with older people. Asking them about their childhood can stimulate long-term memories and lead to an enjoyable conversation. Of course, some may not want to talk about it. Always be kind and considerate of other people's feelings. 

Four

It’s a great way to learn about history. We may know the basics of history but discovering your ancestor's place in the past gives you a whole new perspective. Were they some of the weavers who rioted due to low wages in the early 1800s? Did they leave Ireland during the great famine? Were they interviewed as part of a Royal Commission report into housing? Did they witness King George IV visit Edinburgh in 1822? Were they moved from their home as part of the Highland Clearances? Whatever part your ancestors played in the past they are part of history.

Five

Discover more about the place where you live. If you still live in the area your ancestors lived in, you may be surprised by what you discover. Did your children go to the same school as your great-great-grandmother? Is the house they live in still standing? If you are planning a trip to Scotland, knowing where your ancestors lived, even the house they lived in, can make the experience so much more enjoyable. 

Want to make a start? Use our free guide to help you get started: https://www.scottishindexes.com/learningdetective.aspx 

Scottish Marriage by Declaration - Irregular Marriage - Sheriff Court Records

While you are researching your Scottish family history you will come across different wordings in the civil marriage registers (marriage certificates) that begin in 1855. These are the ‘Statutory Registers’ which you can search on ScotlandsPeople.

You may have seen, “After Publication according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland/Free Church/United Presbyterian Church of Scotland/Roman Catholic Church”. 

You may also see, ‘By Declaration in the presence of [names of witnesses].” In these cases, you will also see, “Warrant of the Sheriff Substitute of the [name of Sheriff Court]”.

I am including an image from ScotlandsPeople, which shows both of these types of entry on the same page. What’s the difference? Why is there a difference? Will the Sheriff Court records tell me more?

Until the mid-twentieth century, you could marry in Scotland by declaration. What does this mean? Basically, you said in front of witnesses that you were married and that was it; you were married. This was also known as an ‘irregular marriage’ (sometimes also referred to as a clandestine marriage) as opposed to a ‘regular marriage’ when a minister (or clergyman) performed the service.

An irregular marriage was quicker to arrange as the banns were not read. Although used by people throughout Scotland, it was perhaps the convenience of the marriage, along with the lower age requirement for marrying in Scotland without parental consent, that made places like Gretna Green on the border with England so popular for ‘runaway weddings’.

Both of these types of marriage were legal. The Church did not approve of irregular marriages and for that reason these frequently appear in Kirk Session records, but that’s a subject for another day.

Before 1855, when civil registration began, couples could declare in front of witnesses that they were married and that was that. 

After 1855, this type of marriage by declaration continued, but how was it to be recorded? To have the marriage registered the couple went to the Sheriff Court to receive a warrant. That warrant authorised the registration of the marriage.

Looking back at the marriage register is helpful here. We often make a dash for the names and dates but always take time to look at the headings. In the case of an irregular marriage, we see under the heading ‘When, Where and How Married’, the words ‘By Declaration in the presence of [names of witnesses].’

Another column heading is ‘If a regular Marriage, Signature of officiating Minister and Witnesses. If irregular, Date of Conviction, Decree of Declarator, or Sheriff’s Warrant.” Again in the case of irregular marriage, we usually see it completed, ‘Warrant of the Sheriff Substitute of the [name of Sheriff Court]’.

Are there corresponding records kept by the Sheriff Court?

Yes. These can be helpful, but not usually. Surviving records are generally found in the ‘Diet Books’ or ‘Minute Books’ of the sheriff court and are usually quite brief. In the example shown here, we see that the only extra information we are given is a bit more detail about the witnesses. I would never say not to follow the paper trail, just don’t get your hopes up.

Of course, there are often surviving church marriage registers post-1855 too which are occasionally useful. In general though, the information in the marriage register you can easily access on ScotlandsPeople will tell you just as much, if not more, than the corresponding church records. If you are up against a brick wall and can visit the National Records of Scotland, look at everything you possibly can.

Were all irregular marriages after 1855 registered?

There is evidence that they were not. I would like to do further study into this but occurrences in the Kirk Session minutes of the parish of Canonbie have been noted where a couple were reproved by the Kirk for being irregularly married and no corresponding record can be found in the marriage registers on ScotlandsPeople. 

Keep learning about Scottish genealogy by attending our free Scottish Indexes Conferences. The next is scheduled for 23 October 2021.

Tips for finding our ancestors in the 1911 census

As many of you will know the 1911 census for Scotland is not available on Findmypast or Ancestry. The Orkney 1911 census has been transcribed and is available from the Orkney FHS.

This means that we have to use the census on ScotlandsPeople which is a pay-per-view website. If we are researching a common name in a densely populated area we may have to look at many entries before we find the right one. 

How can we save those credits?

I will be sharing some tips at our conference on 30 January 2021 but here is one for you today.

Use Street Indexes

Before the census was available to public access, street indexes were prepared for large towns and cities. These can be helpful as they tell you which streets are in each registration district and even which census enumeration book. 

For example, earlier today I was searching for someone who I knew had been living at 272 Buchanan Street Glasgow in 1909. I wanted to work out from the ScotlandsPeople index (without paying anything) if any of the possible results could relate to 272 Buchanan Street.

First I went to the census street index for Glasgow and I was told that 272 Buchanan Street was in registration district number 644/8 and the relevant enumeration book was number 29.

Sadly you can’t use these reference numbers to search on ScotlandsPeople so I needed to work out what the name of registration district number 644/8 was in 1911. For rural areas, this isn’t such a problem but there are loads of districts in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. It can all get a bit confusing. 

I now headed to the ‘Registration District guide - Glasgow’ which told me that in 1911 (very important to look at the date column) 644/8 was St. Rollox registration district.

I could now return to ScotlandsPeople and narrow down my search to St. Rollox. You can’t narrow it down to the enumeration book but we are looking for entries from 644/8 29. 

On ScotlandsPeople you will also see a page number as part of the reference number, for example we may see, ‘644/8 29/ 26’ This is registration district (RD) 644/8, enumeration book 29, page 26.

If I had originally thought that the entry with the reference 644/8 29/ 26 was 272 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, I would now know that it wasn’t and therefore I could save my credits for another search.

There are 1911 Census Street Indexes for the following places in Scotland:

Aberdeen

Ayr

Bonhill

Bothkennar, Grangemouth and Polmont

Bothwell, Holytown and Bellshill

Cambusnethan

Dalziel

Dumfries

Dunbarton

Dundee

Dunfermline

East and West Calder

Edinburgh

Falkirk

Glasgow

Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow

Hamilton

Hawick

Inverness

Kilmarnock

Kirkcaldy and Dysart

Lewis and Harris

Montrose

New Kilpatrick

New Monkland

Old Kilpatrick

Old Monkland - Western District, Coatbridge and Old Monkland - Eastern District

Paisley, Johnstone and Elderslie

Perth

Skye

St Ninians

Stirling

The Street Indexes are free from the National Records of Scotland here: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/census-records/1911-census#Street%20indexes

The ‘Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland by name’ guide (1.4 MB pdf) lists all parishes and districts in alphabetical order with the dates during which each was operative. There are also pages with further breakdowns of the cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. See: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/statutory-registers/registration-districts

I hope this helps you understand the referencing system a bit more and will hopefully save you some of those credits while you hunt for your ancestors. Hope you can join us at the next conference for more Scottish genealogy tips!

Breaking Down those Brickwalls: Scottish Sheriff Court Records

James Anderson - Crown copyright NRS SC5/8/434

An Amazing Discovery

We have found what may be one of our best discoveries ever! As evidence in an affiliation and aliment case (paternity case) there is an ambrotype (an early type of photograph) of the accused man dated pre-1860. It was bundled up in a box of court records.

The man pictured here is James Anderson, a wood carter who was living at Arbeadie Cottage, Banchory Ternan, Kincardineshire. (Click here to see the entry in our index - NRS, SC5/8/434). To make sure no damage comes to this amazing item the conservation branch at the National Records of Scotland have removed it from the bundle and work will now be undertaken to preserve this piece of history.

Example from another case NRS Ref: SC62/10/390

Court Records

For longer than we might expect, women have been taking the fathers of their children to court to compel them to pay maintenance for their children. In Victorian Scotland these cases were most often heard in the Sheriff Court. The most common type of case is ‘Affiliation and Aliment’, that is a case that proves ‘affiliation’ or paternity and decreed how much ‘aliment’ or maintenance should be paid by the father. If your ancestor was illegitimate their mother may well have taken the father to court.

Decree

At the end of most cases a decree would be made, this was legally binding. You could pay for an extract of the decree so that you could keep a copy. There were various reasons people might want an extract of a case but they were not always made.

From the 1830s most Scottish Sheriff Courts kept a volume of extracted decrees. So let’s say someone went to the court and asked for an extract, they would be given one and the court would write the extract into a book. We are indexing these books. See our coverage page here.

Processes

As well as the volumes of decrees the court would also keep the process, or paperwork, related to the case. These include witness statements and can include love letters. This week we found a case that included this ambrotype!

Birth Certificate

From 1855 all ‘affiliation’ cases which reached decree resulted in a correction being made to the register of births. This means that you usually know which court to start your search in. This particular case was settled, so it did not reach decree. This means that there is no note on the birth certificate naming the father of the child.

Indexing

With the help of a volunteer we are indexing the volumes of extracted decrees. Although these do not contain all cases, they do contain many of them. When a client orders a pre-1860 decree we let them know how many boxes we need to search to find the court process, or the more detailed paperwork. We charge £30 to search three boxes. As we search for the client’s case, we also note all other ‘paternity’ cases in the box and add them our index. If you would like us to search some records for you please get in touch.

This is what we were doing last Tuesday when we found the case that contained the ambrotype. The case can be seen here in our index. If you would like us to make a search for you just email me.

Brick Wall

Having an illegitimate ancestor is a major cause of family history brickwalls. We hope our indexing project will help break these down. If you would like us to search some boxes for you please just get in touch, I can’t promise to find a photograph for you but who knows what we will find!

Learn More

If you would like to learn more about Scottish Sheriff Court records or our indexing project, please see our Learning Zone.

Breaking Down those Brickwalls: Scottish Death Certificates

New Register House, Edinburgh

As is the case with birth and marriage certificates, 1855 is a great year from a genealogist's point of view.

In this first year of registration Scottish death certificates included the following information:

Date, time and place of death, usual residence, deceased's name, sex, marital status, age and occupation, the deceased's place of birth, spouse's name, both parents' names (including the mother’s maiden surname) and whether deceased, occupations and whether they were deceased, the names and ages of children (or age and year of death if the child pre-deceased the parent), cause of death, duration of last illness, doctor's name, when the doctor last saw the deceased alive, place of burial, the name of the undertaker and details of the informant.

Much of the bounty of information recorded in 1855 was sadly not continued after that year. From 1856-1860 you can expect to find the name, marital status, occupation, date, time and place of death and usual residence, full names of both parents and whether deceased, cause of death, duration of disease and doctor's name, place of burial and undertaker's name, and details of the informant.

Did you know?

By looking at your ancestor's death certificate between 1855 and 1860, or even that of a close relative such as a sibling, you may get a clue as to where the rest of the family were buried. If it was a family plot you may then be able to trace your ancestors using transcriptions of the gravestone, if it has survived. It’s not unusual to find three generations recorded on one gravestone!


Find out more about Scottish civil registration on our website: http://www.scottishindexes.com/learningcivil.aspx

Breaking Down those Brickwalls: Designations

To trace our Scottish family tree we begin by searching for birth, marriage and death certificates. Before 1855 we use church records but all too often we cannot find the records we need.

There are many reasons for ‘missing’ baptism records. It may be that the register was lost or damaged. By the mid 1800s, there were many different church denominations in Scotland, meaning you may need to look at many separate registers, not all of which are available online. To find out how to do this, visit our Learning Zone: Births, Marriages and Deaths in Scotland before 1855.

Even when you make a careful search, however, it may be that no baptism survives and you seem to have hit a brickwall in your research.

What we need to do now is be more imaginative, looking beyond the obvious records. In Scotland, a ‘designation’ is given in certain types of documents, particularly legal records. This designation was given to distinguish one person from another. At a time when many people did not know their date of birth and they certainly didn’t have a National Insurance (or Social Security number) or a postcode (or zip code), something was needed to identify the person mentioned in a document.

What is included in a Designation?

Generally, a designation will include the person’s name, residence and occupation. In the case of a child (and some adults) the father’s name may also be given along with his occupation and residence (it may also be stated that he is deceased). This information could help you get over a brick wall and continue on with your research.

Did you know?

A designation is the addition or description of a person. It is necessary in legal documents to design or identify the parties in such a manner as to distinguish them from all others; and in practice this was done by setting down the title of nobility, or the name and surname of the party, with his addition or description, by his estate, profession, trade, or place of residence. In certain instances it would also include the name of the party’s father.

The National Records of Scotland

Where do we find designations?

Legal records always give a designation. These may be criminal court records, wills and ordinary (civil) court records (such as ‘Actions of Affiliation and Aliment’) and sasine records (property records).

No matter what social class our ancestors were, there may be a legal record that survives and this could be the key we need to unlock our family tree.

Finding legal records

Wills are an easy place to start. Many Scottish wills are available on ScotlandsPeople and the index is free to search. You can search many sasine records (property records) in the National Records of Scotland.


We have indexed many Sheriff Court records and we update our index most weeks. You can search these for free (with no login or subscription) and just order the entry you need. Our index includes the designation. Click to see the entry for Agnew versus Carter in 1859, notice the pursuer is named as “Jane Agnew, daughter of and residing with John Agnew, Mason, Knockbrex, Penninghame”. We have also indexed some sasine records and deeds and we plan to add more.

Although prison registers do not generally give a ‘designation’ they do give an age and birthplace which can be helpful. The registers also tell us which court heard the case, and when the court records survive these give a designation. When you order a prison record from us we will tell you if there is (or may be) a corresponding court record. In fact generally, the person’s address is sufficient to identify which ‘John Smith’ we are talking about.

What to do next

Look over your family tree brick walls, which legal records might your family appear in? Did they own property, or were they more likely to end up in prison? Is there an illegitimate child in the family? Could there be a Sheriff Court record? Did your ancestor learn a trade? Then there may be an apprenticeship record.

Did you know?

Small words mean a lot!

‘Or’

Historically women were always recorded with their maiden surname in Scots legal documents. By the 19th century, it was the usual practice to record women with both maiden and married surnames in legal records. Let’s say our ancestor was born Margaret Scott and married James Thomson: we would expect to find her recorded as ‘Margaret Scott or Thomson’.

‘At’, ‘In’ and ‘Of’

The way the residence of a person is recorded is also important. The small words ‘at’ ‘in’, and ‘of’ all mean very specific things.

You can see the following example here on our website. “Aeneas McPherson of Flichity & Lachlan McIntosh in Nessendally” - Aeneas is described as ‘of Flichity’, the small word ‘of’ (instead of saying 'in' or 'at') shows that Aeneas McPherson had heritable possession of Flichity. This is a clue to more records. Lachlan, on the other hand, is described as “ Lachlan McIntosh in Nessendally” meaning Lachlan was a tenant of those lands.

In other records a person may be described as ‘at’ a place, this would indicate they were an occupier, not a tenant or owner.


Understanding these small, but significant words, can unlock your family tree. If you need more help just get in touch.

Brickwall Service

Our 2-hour brickwall service is proving very popular. Most people find that on one of their lines they hit a brick wall. It may be that our experience or the access we have to Scottish records is just what you need to break through the brick wall and continue with your journey. If you have a brick wall why not give it a try, you could open up a whole new chapter of your family history. Either email me (just reply to this email) or look at our website for more information.

Was Your Ancestor a Convict?

Every year the Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) hold a conference and family history fair. This year the theme is, "Was Your Ancestor a Fife Convict?"

The annual event will take place this year on 21 April 2018 at the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Fife. 

One of our genealogists, Emma Maxwell, will be giving the talk, “Finding Your Ancestors' Footprints” and all the talks will revolve around the theme of criminal records. 

As well as the four talks there will be a free ‘Ask the Expert’ area, hosted by the Scottish Genealogy Network. It will be a great opportunity to get some professional advice on how to trace your family history.

To find out more and book your ticket go to the SAFHS 2018 website. 

If you need help to find out what life in Scotland was like for your ancestors get in touch and see how we can help.

Free Scottish Genealogy Tutorials

We are creating free family history tutorials to help you trace your Scottish family tree.

Our first tutorial will show how to find your ancestors on historical maps, using our website.



Our second tutorial demonstrates how to use 'wildcards' to find those ancestors who never seem to spell their name the same way twice!



Subscribe to our YouTube channel so that you don't miss the next tutorial.

Glasgow Docklands 1956 - What was life like?

The National Library of Scotland's moving image archive has thousands of clips and full-length films from across Scotland. They are a great way to get a sense of what Scotland was like in the past and this can help you to research your Scottish family tree.

For example, we love this video showing everyday life in 1956. From the Docklands to the Kelvingrove Park this video shows wonderful footage of Scotland.

From tugs on the Clyde, warehouses on the wharf, coals for export, children playing in the slums, feeding the ducks in Kelvingrove park and children playing in the streets this 10-minute video will draw you back in time.

Hear a young girl reciting this children's rhyme that your ancestors likely sang while they played with their skipping rope.

Oh there she goes,

Oh there she goes,

Peerie heels and pointed toes.

Look at her feet, she thinks she's neat,

Black stockings and dirty feet

If you need help to find out what life in Scotland was like for your ancestors get in touch and see how we can help.

For the Love of Genealogy - One Client’s Story

A client came to us recently with a birth certificate form 1855. On the document there is a correction to say that the Sheriff Court had reached a decree and named the father. Our client would like to find more information on this case: who wouldn't?

The problem is that the case was heard in Aberdeen. Unfortunately, the volumes of extracted decrees for Aberdeen Sheriff Court are largely missing (we have indexed the few remaining volumes which are held by the National Records of Scotland). The processes, a type of court document, do survive and they can contain very interesting information, we have even found love letters. The problem is that it can take hours of work to find the entry you need.

The NRS catalogue states about the Aberdeen Processes, “Some processes have been filed under dates other than year of Interlocutor (sometimes through misreading of the figures), but most will be found in the two years before or after that date.”

Our client decided she wanted to search for the 1857 processes. We began our search some months ago. As you can imagine, even in the 1850s, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was busy so there are a lot of boxes (you can see a photo of a box of processes on our website).

There are 10 boxes for 1857, to search 2 years either side (as is suggested in the NRS catalogue) would mean searching 55 boxes!

We have now searched 15 boxes, all the 1857 boxes and some either side. We have found 167 cases… but none of them are the case we are looking for.

The good news is that by making this search we have noted all these other cases so that you can now search these entries on www.scottishindexes.com. We want to say a huge thank you to the client who has helped us add these cases, and let you know that if you had an illegitimate ancestor in Aberdeen it may be worth searching our website to see what you can find. If you do find a case which helps with your research, take a moment to think about our lovely client who can’t find her case.