A Pauper's Life - A Look at Scottish Poor Law Records

At this time of year, my mind turned to the poem "T'was Christmas Day in the Workhouse"  and this prompted me  to take another look at Scottish Poor Law Records. 

The poem was written in 1879 by George Robert Sims (1847-1922), a campaigning journalist  concerned  with social issues.  In 21 verses it tells  the anguish of an elderly inmate, not celebrating Christmas but recalling this first anniversary of his wife's death in terrible poverty-stricken circumstances.  His bitterness and anger is directed at the patronizing visit by the local gentry dispensing food.  

It is Christmas Day in the Workhouse,and the cold bare walls are bright
With garlands of green and holly and the place is a pleasant sight:
For with clean-washed hands and faces in a long and hungry line
The paupers sit at the tables, for this is the hour they dine.
 
And the guardians and their ladies, although the wind is east,
Have come in their furs and wrappers, to watch their charges feast;
To smile and be condescending, put pudding on pauper plates,
To be hosts at the workhouse banquet they've paid for - with their rates

You will find the full twenty-one verses HERE. 

The poem had a huge impact in its day and became a popular choice for  dramatic monologue performances - but was also the subject of many a parody..  

Seeing an ancestor described as a "pauper" in a census return conjures up images of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" and a time when the word "poorhouse" (or  "workhouse" in England) struck fear in people living close to destitution.  But for family historians searching for a story beyond the simple names and dates, such a discovery is an  immediate prompt to turn to poor law records - not generally available online.

They are one of the most popular types of offline tools at my local archive centre, the Heritage Hub, Hawick in the Scottish Borders,  and, although they have not been a source for my own family,  I find it fascinating to browse through them. 

Poorhouses were set up in Scotland as a result of the Poor Law (Scotland) Act of 1845 Between 1845 and 1930 over 70 poorhouses were constructed in Scotland  with an additional 90 smaller almshouses in operation. In the Scottish Borders, poorhouses were set up  in five towns serving not only the immediate town but surrounding parishes - hence their name of Combination Poorhouse or Union Poorhouse.  My own village of Earlston in Berwickshire was one of twenty-three parishes  served by Kelso Poorhouse in Roxburghshire - a lesson in research  not to get  too restricted by county boundaries. 

The Victorians  were great bureaucrats and the Heritage Hub holds a large collection of local Poor Law Registers, Poor Relief Applications and Parochial Board Minute Books, many of which can give a mini-biography of an ancestor, in often tragic circumstances, with details of name, address, aged, birthplace, marital status,  occupation, whether disabled and if so how, financial circumstances, and dependents.  Here are some examples which caught my attention:

• Robert Leck, once a well known clockmaker of Jedburgh, admitted to the poorhouse aged 67, with a pattern of admissions and discharges until the time came when he was "wholly disabled, nearly blind and wholly destitute".  Interestingly when I did a Google search, I found  an illustration of a Robert Leck grandfather clock about to be auctioned in London.
• The story of Janet Scott had a more positive outcome.  Her admission record in 1877 gives us a glimpse of the desperate situation in which many applicants for poor relief found themselves.  A single mother with  two children and a baby, working as an agricultural  labourer, she  was "wholly disabled by a cart falling on her".  She was on parish relief for three years.  However she also demonstrated her resilience, as  in the 1881 census she was back earning a living, as an Ag. Lab, along with her two eldest daughters.  

Janet Scott's entry in the Jedburgh Union Poorhouse Register, 1877.  
In the collection of  the Heritage Hub, Hawick

Being a "pauper" did not always mean being admitted to the poorhouse,  as those on "out relief" lived in the  community and received support such as clothing, fuel or food, as illustrated in these records from Duns, Berwickshire:

•  15 year old James Robertson is described as "delicate and deformed by spine curvature and will never be able to do much.  He needs a suit of clothes, 2 pairs of stockings and 2 handkerchiefs.  Allowed. 
• Mary Burns, also in need of clothing , was granted " 1 frock, 2 yards flannel, 2 yards drugget, 2 pinafores and a  pair of boots."
• At Melrose, Rosburghshire, a mother and young children were "footsore and weary"  and given help as they made their way from Newcastle to Glasgow to rejoin family  - a distance of 114 miles.
• Mary Phllips was admitted to the Poorhouse as "this woman's husband deserted her, having absconded to America.  She has 2 children and is about to be confined.  Her parents very poor."

• The Inspector was not always the hard face of the law.  At Melrose two young children whose mother had run away with another man,  were given a penny to buy a roll and told to return home and send their father.   The record showed six  young children in the family aged from 13 to 3 years old.
• Rebecca Ballantyne, however, "burdened with 2 illegitimate children" was refused poor relief on the grounds she was able bodied and earning a good wage - 15 shillings a week as a mill worker.
• In Hawick "Robert Campbell, a weaver, almost disabled by rheumatism applied for relief and was offered admission to the Poorhouse, but declined the offer."
• "George Wilson, a labourer, wholly disabled by bronchitis,  as certified  by Doctor McLeod, was sent to the Poorhouse on 26th March but left the same on 2nd April."

Most of these records are not available online, so my tip of the day is to contact the appropriate local archives centre, with most offering  a remote research service.  You never know what might be unearthed to throw light on your ancestors' lives.

Take a look  too, at the definitive website  http://www.workhouses.org.uk that covers  England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland - a compressive, invaluable site, full of information including  transcripts of the 1881 census of staff and inmates. 

***********

I am delighted to continue my involvement  in WorldWide Genealogy Collaboration and welcome  other bloggers joining the community, with thanks to Julie at Anglers Rest  for all her work in coordinating the project. 

My 2014 posts were: 

Greetings from Scotland

Identifying Isabella Wallace - A Local Benefactor

Seeking Sarah - A Research Tale

The Fascination of Old Newspapers

Everyday Life of Our Victorian  Ancestors - Book Review  

Tracing Scottish Ancestors - A Personal View 

Transported - Edinburgh's Political Martyrs

The "Why's" of Family History

The Day George Died, Sept. 1916

Bringing  Betty out of the Shadows  - A Research Review

A Transatlantic Collaboration on a Yosemite Traveller

Stagecoaches - Romance v. Reality 

My personal blog is at Family HIstory Fun 

Preserving the News from Home

I married a first generation American.  He is the only member of his family to live here in the United States, everyone else lives in Spain or Puerto Rico.  I remember years ago we used to write to family members because a long distance phone call to Spain was so expensive.  Later, the prices of the phone calls dropped and we could call more often.  In the 1990s we started emailing, and in the last few years we've used messaging and Facebook.  For the past year or two we have used Skype to make a video call to my mother-in-law.  Skype is free so we are able to do this almost every morning before my husband goes to work.  What changes I've seen in the past thirty years of our marriage!

While researching my family tree, I've seen many changes in correspondence over the centuries.  My background is almost all English, and most of my ancestors arrived in New England with the Great Migration, before 1640 with the Puritans.  I have no surviving letters, but there is evidence of correspondence in court records and town histories.  Some of these ancestors even traveled back and forth from England to Massachusetts many times.  At least one died on a voyage back to England when the ship disappeared (Reverend Thomas Mayhew (about 1620 – November 1657)).    How did the family, on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, learn about this loss? 

I’m sure that many immigrants never heard from their families again once they arrived in America.  But we can’t be sure of that, can we?  My ancestor, Peter Hoogerzeil (1803 – 1889), stowed away on a Rotterdam, Netherlands ship to come to America in the 1820s.  He married the ship captain’s daughter.  How do I know this? Because of letters he wrote home to his family in the Netherlands.  Since he was a mariner, he traveled back and forth to the Netherlands very often, and his letters survived into the 20^th century.  

My uncle served in occupied Europe after World War II.  When he was in the Netherlands he dropped in to visit his Hogerzeil cousins in Dordrect.  They welcomed him with open arms, over 100 years after Peter Hoogerzeil left Dordrect, because of the family correspondence that went on over all those years. 

2nd from left, Uncle "Buddy" Joseph Gilman Allen, 

in Dordrect, Netherlands with Hogerzeil cousins

In the 1824 in Boston, Massachusetts my 4^th great grand aunt, Mary Lambert Jones (1803 – 1889) married Captain John Dominis, a ship captain.  They decided to remove from Boston and from Schenectady, New York to Honolulu, Hawaii in the 1830s.  The correspondence between Mary and her sisters and family in Boston was carefully preserved in the Hawaii State Archives.  Most of this correspondence is spread out over the last forty years of her life, after the death of her husband in 1846, at sea.

Can you imagine how long it took for letters to arrive from Hawaii to Boston in the 1840s and 1850s?  There was no formal postal system, and letters were given to ships sailing to New England on an honor system.  Even so, I’m not sure when the first news of the death of Captain Dominis reached the family.  I did find this newspaper clipping dated 24 May 1847 from the Salem Register.    The ship had disappeared four or five months earlier.  

I wonder if letters from home were accepted joyfully?  Or were they dreaded because such rare and infrequent correspondence probably carried news from home of who had died since the last letter, or who was ill, or who had disappeared at sea (it was a family of mariners).   Some of the letters to Mary Dominis were from her sisters asking her to return to Boston, but she only came home once after she was widowed, and she died in Hawaii in 1889.  Here is one from her niece in Boston written in 1848, shortly after she was widowed. 

                                          Dorchester  Aug. 13^th 1848

Dear Cousin

I found looking over my letters the other day

that I am in debt to you for two.  I thought that I must

do my best to pay you by writing to you this opportunity

I am at Aunt Agnes’ visiting they have a very pleasant

place near Granite Bridge the house is old fashioned

but very good the fireplaces about two yard long wide

and a yard and a half long the panes of glass in the

windows about as large as a sheet of note paper.

I suppose that you have almost set up business for your

self.  How do you like the house  I should like to see it

very much as I understand it is the handsomest on

the Island.  Sarah Ann is in Boston visiting I suppose

she will write to you this opportunity  we miss her

and the children very much she has two very pretty

little girls  I know that you long to see them.

Aunt Lee has left Charter St. at last and gone to

Bridgewater to live they have quite a farm I believe

keep cows hens etc.  Uncle William and Aunt Agnes send

love to your mother and she will write if she has

time but she has such a family that if the vessel

sails tomorrow she will not be able to. Do you… 

Later in the 1800s letters were carried to Hawaii (the Sandwich Islands) with more frequency, and they tended to be light hearted and chatty, such as this one below from San Francisco in 1865 to Mary Dominis from her eight year old niece:

                  San Francisco, Jan. 22th, 1865

Dear Auntie,

I have got your letter,

you told me to tell you what I got on

Christmas, I got a doll, it was dressed like

redriding hood, a little wash tub and board,

a pair of gloves, a basket, and a pair of

gold sleeve buttons.  Mama has had a fire

ever since she has been here.  Mama has

a blue silk, with tails way down to the

bottom of her dress.  Mrs. Chase sent us

some pictures of our house.  On Saturday

I went to the circus.  We go to ride almost

every day.  I go to school.  I love some

friends boarding here.  Give my love

to Lydia, Jhon, Tom and Willie.

            Good bye from Annie B. Aldrich

Do you have letters from your immigrant ancestors? Or from your ancestors who removed from one city to another, perhaps moving West across the United States?

With the advent of the telephone, internet and video calling, how do we preserve these conversations now?

Why the Genealogy Do-Over is not for me

As Julie Goucher wrote in her post New Year - New Opportunity, many people have joined the Genealogy Do-Over, where you commit to starting your genealogy all over again and apply all the knowledge that you've gained over the years.

This challenge is not for me. Let me explain what my reasons are for not joining the Genealogy Do-Over.

Reason 1 - Starting over is inefficient

I think starting from scratch is very time-consuming. My biggest 'tree' is almost 60,000 people large and contains not just my own ancestors, but also my one-region-study for the area of the Achterhoek in the Netherlands, including the 6,000 emigrants from that area who emigrated to the United States of whom I've found 4,000 in US records. A conservative estimate is that I've spent over 15,000 hours of original research compiling that information. It's not something I can just 'do over.' Besides, if I had to do it all again, for the most part I would use exactly the same sources and come to the exact same conclusions.

Redoing everything is not the best use of my time, I would much rather focus on the parts that I know need work.

Reason 2 - I would end up with multiple trees

If I start over, I would end up with two trees: one with my old research and one with my 'new and improved' research. If a DNA match contacts me, I would have to consult both trees, especially if I haven't gotten far yet with the re-researching. Again, not very efficient. 

But what would I do with these two trees after I have re-researched a large part of my ancestors? Integrate them? Would that not miss the point and add a whole other layer of work? Or should I toss the old tree? But what if there are branches in there that I haven't gotten around to re-researching yet? Will I put my new, far more incomplete tree online and miss out on all the potential cousins who could have found the tree and connected with me? That seems very impractical to me. Or would I put both trees online, even though the old one may have information that I now know to be incorrect?

And what if in ten years time, after I've done more research and educated myself even more, I feel my current work is less than it could be? Would I start over again and end up with tree trees? Four? A whole forest?

Reason 3 - My tree isn't that bad

On one of my first trips to the archives, when I was 15, I met an experienced genealogist who advised me to always cite my sources, because there would come a day that I wouldn't recall where I had found everything. My early citations are far from perfect, but I have never had any problems relocating the source based on them. They may not always be understandable to an outsider though, so there is definitely room for improvement.

Almost all of the information in my database is based on original research which I've done myself. I have never just copied information from other people's trees without assessing the quality of the underlying research and verifying the underlying sources. Even as a teenager, I enjoyed doing the research myself so much that I never just accepted what someone else had written.

So although my database is far from perfect, it's not garbage either and does not deserve to be discarded. And I do not have the illusion that it would be perfect if I redid it today, my skills haven't grown *that* much :-)

My need: A process that embraces my growing skills

Instead of starting over when I arbitrarily feel that my skills have grown enough to warrant a do-over, I want to do genealogy in a way that will embrace my growing skills over time. I need a process that will allow me to revisit previous research periodically, not just once, to use my newly developed skills and experience to keep improving the quality of my conclusions.

Research reports to the rescue

The way I use my growing skills to revisit and improve previous research is by creating a research report for my ancestors, one per couple. I use the following format, which I also use for my professional clients:

• Background information
  Here I will lay out what I know about the couple based on the research into their child(ren). For example, if I have found a birth, marriage and death record of their child that lists its parents, I will include the information about the parents that I found in these records.
• Research questions I will state my research questions, which will include:
  • When and where were [husband] and [wife] born, baptized, married, died, buried?  
  • What children did [husband] and [wife] have? When and where were they born, baptized, married, died, buried?  Whom did they marry?
  • Who were the parents of [husband] and [wife]?
  • Did [husband] or [wife] marry more than once? If so, when and where did they marry and who was their spouse?
  Other questions might ask about the property they owned, addresses where they lived, occupations or military service of the husband, etc.
• Limitations on research
  Any limitations on the research, such as missing records or privacy laws restricting access. Since this is my own research, there generally aren't any time limits, except in special cases where I want to share it with a relative during a family gathering. 
• Summary
  Narrative summary of the findings of the research. 
• List of sources
  A biography of the sources I consulted during the research.
• Research notes
  Notes about my research, starting with an analysis of the background information. I will then create a research plan (put in the 'suggestions for further research') and start the research. For each source that I consult, I will write down any abstracts or transcripts as necessary, analyze the information and correlate it with information from other sources.
  When there is conflicting evidence, I will analyze the information and explain if and how the conflict can be resolved. If the evidence is sufficient to prove a relationship or event, I will write a proof statement or a proof argument (depending on the circumstances). 
• Suggestions for further research
  List of other sources I intend to consult. I actually fill in this part as I'm doing the analysis of the background information and throughout the research process. Every time I think of a source I need to consult, I will add it to the list. Then when I do consult it, I will cut and paste it into the research notes and describe what I've found there.
• Appendix
  In the appendix, I will include digital images of the original sources I consulted and longer transcripts. 

Until I've answered all of the research questions, this report is a living document where I'll add to the research notes when I work on it; updating the suggestions for further research, summary and source list as I finish each research stint.

Since my starting point for each research report is very basic, it's like a miniature do-over, for one family only. That keeps it very tidy and doable. I can often do a one-family "do-over" in one evening. See my column (Re)searcher to read how creating research reports has helped me with my research.

If I come to new conclusions or find additional information, I will then add it to my database. I will also update any source citations that weren't clear yet.

Best of both worlds

For me, creating a research report for my ancestors gives me all of the advantages of a genealogy do-over without any of the drawbacks. It allows me to analyze the information with fresh eyes, utilizing my growing skills. At any point in time, I have one database that shows my current understanding of my family, which I can share with the world.

Why do a do-over?

To the people who are doing a do-over, I would like to ask the following questions:

• What do you hope to achieve by doing a do-over that you couldn't achieve with a less drastic and time-consuming process, like creating research reports?  
• How do you intend to handle the multiple trees that will result from the do-over? Are you going to toss your old tree, take it offline but keep it for reference or integrate it with the new tree? 
• Do you intend to repeat this every couple of years if your skills improve again? 
• How will you handle the period when you've only re-researched a part of your tree? Will you not use your old tree? How will you deal with requests from (DNA) cousins?

I know that my point of view is probably not a popular one so I look forward to reading your comments and exchanging our views. In the end, I think we all want to improve the quality of our work; there are just different ways to go about it. Discussing the various ways will be interesting!

My 2015 Goal - I Intend To Be Real

Life Lessons courtesy of one of my favorite characters!

As a child one of my favorite books was The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Originally written as a serial between 1881-1883, Pinocchio tells the story of the wood carver who wanted a son and the marionette who wanted to be a human boy. I was fascinated with the idea that a marionette could become real and I rooted for Pinocchio to get out of the various scrapes he got himself into (that underdog mentality was strong in my second generation American family). Like so many children’s stories, Pinocchio offers life lessons; sometimes we didn't even know we were learning them at the time.

In the new year and while we are all busy figuring out if we are going to do a Genealogy Do-Over or Go-Over, or if we are independently thinking about our 2015 goals, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on what we can learn from Pinocchio and apply those lessons to our genealogy and real lives. [And please find the original story rather than rely on the Disney version - although I did enjoy Disney's Jiminy Cricket.] 

• Tell the truth – ah the nose that grows. Every time Pinocchio lied his nose grew. How I wish this happened in real life; we could tell who the liars were and what lies were being told. Sometimes we allow people to lie to us (we have that gut feeling, we know better, or we can’t believe the person would lie to us) and sometimes people are really good liars because they have no moral compass. In either case, when the liar is caught out trust is lost. Whether that trust can ever be regained depends on the nature and quality of the lie. The easiest thing is simply to tell the truth. 

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10031579

•  Be brave, honest and generous - there is always a good fairy in these stories (that magical creature who provides the lesson and watches over the protagonist). In Pinocchio the turquoise-haired Fairy explains just what Pinocchio has to do if he wants to be a real boy. If you want to be the best person you can be, pay attention to your actions rather than just saying the words – you need to be brave, honest and generous.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100260549

• Be dependable and considerate – Pinocchio got into scrapes because he was lazy, irresponsible, did not want to be told what to do, was looking for the quick and easy way, and was greedy. At any given moment that could be each of us, at least in little ways. He thought he made friends only to find out they were in it for themselves and using him (do you know any foxes, cats or donkeys?). Pinocchio survived his scrapes and found out what and who were important, and he became a responsible and considerate son. He stepped up to the plate when Geppetto was ill and took care of him. Remind yourself what and who is important in your life and act accordingly. 

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10029983

•  Be the best you – Pinocchio become a real boy when he was kind, unselfish and thought about others (Geppetto and the turquoise-haired Fairy). Being real (or authentic) means knowing who you are and striving to be the best person you can be. This often means putting others’ needs ahead of your own desires, showing compassion and being kind. We can all get ahead in this life, but we don’t need to do it by stepping on others or using them. Do you know who you are and is that someone you are proud of? Take those necessary steps to be the best you each and every day.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100221658

Bottom line Pinocchio is all about the difficulties of growing up, accepting responsibility for our behavior, understanding the necessity of being honest, and the importance of making things right when we have been at fault or harmed someone. Since 2015 is going to be my best year ever, I intend to be real – how about you?

A Glorious GeneaYear

Over on my GeniAus blog at the end of each Geneayear I have asked my Genimates to reflect on their Geneactivities over the past year and respond to the Accentuate the Positive Geneameme. 

I usually post a compilation of links to the responses at the GeniAus blog but this year I will do something different. I am posting them here because the responses so far have come from all corners of the globe, they demonstrate that ours is truly a Worldwide Community. 

In a world where there is so much doom and gloom and in which people bellyache about not realising unreachable goals it is uplifting to read of the Geneatriumphs of our geneablogging friends. An added bonus for me is that I always get a response or two from geneabloggers who are new to me and so, with these new additions, my RSS feed becomes more bloated but my geneaworld expands.

It is not too late to add your post to this list of links so, if you have the time, please join in this activity and notify me of your post.

Here are the responses to date:

Pam Carter from the US: http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/01/2014-accentuate-positive.html

Pauleen Cass from the Northern Territory: https://cassmob.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/accentuate-the-positive-2014/

Shelley from ACT: http://twigsofyore.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/2014-quality-over-quantity.html

Alex Daw from Queensland: http://familytreefrog.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2014.html

Sue Donaldson from Scotland: http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2014.html

Dara from Ireland: http://blackravengenealogy.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/2014-in-review-accentuate-positive.html

Fran Ellsworth: http://branchingoutthroughtheyears.blogspot.com/2015/01/response-to-geniaus-accentuate-positive.html

Janet Few from England:  http://thehistoryinterpreter.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/accentuate-the-positive-geneameme-2014/ 

Jo Ann Fitzgerald from Australia: http://ofmyfleshandblood.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme.html

GeniAus from Sydney: http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/time-for-reflection-accentuate-positive.html

Kirsty Gray from England: http://family-wise.co.uk/atp-2015/
Kirsty Gray - Part 2: http://family-wise.co.uk/atp-part2/

Victoria Green from Victoria: ; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">http://campaspegenealogy.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2014.html

Rebel Hand from England : http://rebelhand.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/accentuate-the-positive-2014-2/

Shauna Hicks from Queensland: http://www.shaunahicks.com.au/accentuate-the-positive-geneameme-2014/

Iwikiwi from England: http://blog.iwikiwi.com/2015/01/my-genealogy-year-2014-accentuate-the-positive/

Tessa Keough from the US: http://keoughcorner.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-2014-edition.html

Fran Kitto from Australia: http://travelgenee.com/accentuate-positive-2014-geneameme/

Elizabeth Lapointe from Canada: http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/accentuate-positive.html

NikiMarie from the US: http://mypeopleinhistory.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/2014-in-review/

Shannon Thomas from the US: http://shannonmthomas.blogspot.com/2015/01/accentuate-positive-2014-geneameme.html

New Year - New Opportunity?

The New Year is always full of optimism and a chance for a change. For those of you who journal it has for me that same fuzzy feeling when you start a new journal. Always in the clearest and nicest of handwriting only to become a mess within a few days.


There has been much debate and excitement in the blogging world of the Genealogy Do Over planned by Thomas McEntee.

I have spent time reflecting on will I start from scratch or simply tweak the opportunity to suit me?

I turned to my journals. My very first note about my family history was made in July 1986. Yes, almost 30 years ago. I started early, what can I say!

Do I want to really start again? I therefore spent the Christmas period reflecting and re-evaluating what material I already had. My system is not perfect, but then neither am I! but Genealogy Do-Over is an opportunity to assess your genealogical state of play.

Three out of four of my maternal Great Grandparents were born in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire. In particular that small area where the three Counties meet. So it was probably no surprise that I eventually discovered that my maternal Grandparents were sixth cousins. My family history in these three Counties spans the best part of 300 years, with some surnames appearing twice.

My genealogical program of choice is Roots Magic, although suitably inspired by +Tessa Keough I have started to dabble with Legacy and in particular hone in on the knowledge of the Legacy Virtual Users Group on Google+. My Genealogy file is called Main File and as you might expect it starts with me, expands to include my husband and his family which is more problematic than mine for several reasons. The file then goes back through my maternal line and includes collateral lines because that can give information that on it's own appears unconnected, yet when pieced together provides other clues and angles for research. I also have a set of folders called Main File. In those folders are copies of the documents, that relate to the details in the electronic version and I have a set of electronic folders containing the same.

My Genealogy Do-Over is going to be a chance to reassess what information I have, starting with me. Checking everything is referenced and cited.  As I leave no descendants could a descendant of a collateral line take my research and follow my documentation? As I explore what I already have I will of course identify what I do not have. That is an opportunity to explore my family peers, my late Mum's Cousins and so forth. Building my Genealogical to do list.

Over the course of the last year or so I have added biographical information on various ancestors to my website and I plan to wove that into the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks program.

This blog continues to go from strength to strength. We see a slight change in the structure with the writer's & author's from 2014 in the main moving to every other month. We say cheerio to several writer's who want to get on with various domestic things, but who may join us in the future and some of our writer's are in for the long haul and writing every month. We also have some really great writer's joining.

Would you though like to join us? The only stipulations are

1. You write on your scheduled day (or make arrangements to swap!)
2. The post must be related in some way to local or family history or history in general.

To see the available slots and current authors please CLICK HERE and if you are interested then please do leave a comment.

That's it from me until next month.

Happy New Year!
Julie

Genealogy 2014 - 2015: Successes and Goals

Mary Peacock (nee Hugill)

After today, someone else is taking over my '31st-of-the-month' time-slot. My previous posts were about sources and strategies for family history worldwide. Today I want to reflect upon the highlights of 2014 and my goals for 2015.

In 2014, unforeseen events (ranging from a back injury to moving house) meant that there were many disruptions to my usual genealogical activities. A health scare reminded me that spending quality time with family and friends is more important than being an educator, a genealogy professional or a blogger!

Genealogical highlights of 2014:   (links open in a new window)

1. Collaboration via CuriousFox.  I have been swapping information with a distant relative who contacted me via CuriousFox. She sent me certificates and other information for our PEACOCK and HUGILL ancestors from Yorkshire, and confirmed that my Mary PEACOCK (nee HUGILL) died 17 Feb 1900 at Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, England.


2. New data via National Probate Calendar.  I found many relevant entries in the National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations, England and Wales 1858-1966). For some, I've already ordered copies of the wills. Others are on my wish list, but in the meantime they gave me locations, death dates, occupations and relationship details that helped with research in other sources.


3. New data via FindMyPast.  Many record sets released on FindMyPast during 2014 revealed new information for my family history. For example:
   
   • 'British in India' collection has 5 pension fund documents for Mary PORTER (a widow in England) with names and exact birth dates (between 1811 and 1821) for her five children.
   
   
   • Yorkshire collection has records such as parish registers and Bishop's Transcripts for my many family lines in that county.
   
   
   • Trade Union records refer to my John William CORDUEX in registers of two different railway unions.
   
   
   • New South Wales will books 1800-1952 in which I have already found 13 records for my family (including some people who lived outside NSW). I expect to find more when I do a systematic search for all names in my family tree.


4. Newspaper notices.  In the York Herald, Yorkshire Gazette and Sheffield Daily Telegraph (digitised and available via FindMyPast and the British Newspaper Archive) I found obituaries and other items for some of my families including HUDSON of Barton-le-Willows and BATTY of Bolton-upon-Dearne.


5. HUDSON family at Crows Nest.  I added another generation to the family tree after finding clues in Queensland funeral records and cemetery burial registers.

My genealogy goals for 2015:

• Change my priorities.  Spend more time on my own research and less time on answering emails from people who expect everything to be free!


• Share my knowledge more efficiently.  (1) Write more mini-guides.  (2) Use my Twitter page more often (because it is a quick way to share genealogy tips and links).


• Organise my records.  Before scanning or taking digital photos of all my family history material, I need to write down a 'style guide' for naming and filing the images. I will use a modification of the system described by Nancy Loe (a.k.a. 'Sassy Jane') in Cataloging Digital Family Photographs and Records and Organizing Genealogy Research Using Archival Principles. My paper filing system has always been source-based, so Louis Kessler's idea of a source-based incremental fix will suit me perfectly.


• Use DNA for genealogy.  I need to become more familiar with various tools for analysing DNA results, and to persuade more of my distant cousins to do the FamilyTreeDNA Family Finder test for autosomal DNA and the X-chromosome.


• Plan my genealogy cruise presentations.  Prepare my talks well in advance of Unlock the Past's 'Barrier Reef' cruise in March 2016. (You can get AUD$40 discount by quoting the code UTPC-WEB06 when you book any Unlock the Past cruise.)


• Research the HUGILL family.  My top priority is to find parents' names for Mary HUGILL (born c.1813, Hull, Yorkshire) and confirm that George HUGILL (born Hull, later of Stockton-on-Tees) was her brother. (Perhaps the wills and probate documents that I've ordered will help.)


• Write about my ancestors.  Many of those posts (which I will put in Jottings, Journeys and Genealogy) will be quite brief initially, but I'll update them as my research progresses. Hopefully people who read them will contact me and help fill the gaps in my knowledge.

Someone else is now taking over my '31st-of-the-month' time-slot, but watch for additions to my own blogs, which include UK / Australia Genealogy;  Genealogy Leftovers;  Queensland Genealogy;  and Jottings, Journeys and Genealogy.
~ ~
You might also like:

• Use FreeBMD postems to find new relatives


• CuriousFox: a gazetteer and message system


• Widen the Search: a Genealogy Success Story


• Finding Genealogy Data in an Unexpected Country


• A Genealogy Indexing Addict in Australia

(This post first appeared on http://worldwidegenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/12/genealogy-2014-2015-successes-and-goals.html.)

Genealogy new year resolutions

A lot of ideas are coming through for reinvigorating our genealogy research in 2015.

Thomas MacEntee has proposed a genealogy do-over starting 2 January. There is a schedule of topics taking us up to the end of March. There is a FaceBook community with 836 members already excitedly exchanging ideas. Many experienced genealogists have come on board and it will be interesting to learn from them.

It is hard to start again but I think it is definitely an opportunity to put into practice all we have learned and apply it to our own family. All of us know more about genealogy research than when we started and do not often revisit the very core of our family tree. There is no question we will make new discoveries. We will probably also be more organised. It is a great opportunity to follow up on Pauleen Cass's post on her three Rs of Genealogy Research : Revisit, Record and Revise.

Some of the ideas that are being shared on organisation:

• Jenny Lanctot on consistency in file naming: http://aremyrootsshowing.jenny-ology.com/2014/12/28/genealogy-do-over-prep-time/
• Miriam Robbins has an elegant way of naming files at http://ancestories1.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/tuesdays-tip-organizing-your-digital.html
• Russ Worthington will not be doing a complete do-over but will be participating. He has already been doing a lot of work with citation templates http://ftmuser.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/genealogy-do-over-and-my-ftm2014.html

I have found blogging to be a great way to revisit and record my family history. A couple of prompts I use to help me find inspiration are:

• Trove Tuesday, started by Amy Lehmann in 2012
• The Sepia Saturday prompts are a lot of fun and it is a very nice community of fellow bloggers (several of whom contribute to this blog)
• Last year I participated in the A to Z blogging challenge. It was a lot of work to produce 26 blog posts in the month of April but I am really pleased with the results. It was very important to prepare so as to be able to complete the schedule.
• Randy Seaver has enjoyable and thought provoking prompts at Saturday Night Genealogy Fun (SNGF)
• Thomas MacEntee has lots of prompts and ideas at http://www.geneabloggers.com/

This year I plan to join in the 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow.

My own family history blog reached 150 posts late last month. I can't quite remember what the prompt was but I decided to print my blog. I used blog2print. It works on various platforms. There are several other providers who also print from blogs. I found blog2print very easy. There are limited options to tweak though you can choose to print only part of your blog using tags or a date range. You can vary the size of the photographs, whether you have a page break between each post ... I am really pleased to have a print copy of my blog. Some of the formatting has not translated perfectly from the screen to the printed page but overall it is a marvellous souvenir and back-up. I look forward to printing volume 2 towards the end of 2015.

Happy researching in 2015

Regards
Anne

Christmas Tree Traditions from Around the World

Imagine my surprise when I realized my day to contribute a monthly post fell on Christmas! I knew just what to write about this month. My dear mother-in-law started giving me the Lenox "Christmas Trees from Around the World" plates in 1991 and continued each year until the day she died in 2008. I would like to share with you some of them and the tree traditions from each country where our families originated as written on the back of each plate.

Austria

Austria celebrates a month-long tradition at Christmas, from the arrival of Saint Nicholas and his companion Krampus on December 5th until Epiphany on January 6th when the Wise Men appear. The Advent wreath is the first sign of the season as a candle is lighted with great festivity on the first Sunday of Advent. In Austrian homes the Nativity creche is also an important tradition often an heirloom carved in wood centuries ago. New figures may be carved over the years to include not only the Holy Family but any number of other figures. From Austria the world has received the beautiful hymn "Silent Night," composed in 1818 by Franz Gruber, a young organist, with lyrics by Joseph Mohr. In Austria the tree is the bright jewel of the home during the Christmas season. After the Christmas Eve supper, the tree is lighted in a blaze of flory as family members gather to sing Christmas songs, and peasant or classical carols.

1995 Lenox Austria plate

The 1995 Lenox plate tree is decorated with gold and silver garlands and candles, with presents arranged beneath the tree.

Canada

Canada celebrates the Christmas season based upon culturally diverse traditions. It is a holiday that shares a mix of old and new. The French, for instance, brought their tradition or displaying the creche, while the Germans introduced the fir tree as part of the celebratory process. They are also credited with the introduction of blown glass ornaments to tree decoration. The English had an old tradition of hanging a "Kissing Ball" or setting the table with Christmas crackers. Earlier decorations were highly influenced by the native Indian crafts, including the use of feathers.

2003 Lenox Canada plate

The 2003 Lenox plate shows the rich, balsam adorned with pine cones, kissing balls and feathered jeweled ornaments. Kugels and Neapolitan-style angles are represented. The Canadian maple leaf is featured throughout the design and garlands of cranberry wrap around the tree.

England

According to English myth, the custom of decorating trees for Christmas began in their country with Prince Albert. After the birth of their first son in 1841, he present Queen Victoria with a candlelit tree laden with sweets of the most expensive kind. Victorians, who were given to imitate the Royal Family, quickly adopted the custom after a picture of one of the Windsor trees appeared in an 1848 edition of the Illustrated London News. Charles Dickens delighted readers with his magazine account of the glittering Christmas trees decorated with miniature dolls, fiddles, drums, and figurines that had become the new fashion for the elated season in Victorian England.

1993 Lenox England plate

The 1993 Lenox plate is festive with delectable English confections and a garland of cranberries. A gilded angel with outstretched wings crowns the candlelit tree, around which are the traditional plum pudding, toys, figurines and Christmas gifts are placed in celebration of the merriest of English holidays.

Germany

Germany is truly the land of the Christmas tree. . .in no other country is the day so fully and heartily observed. "Weihnachtsbaum" (Christmas tree) is the symbol of the German yuletide. In 1531 the first Christmas trees were sold in the Strasbourg market. The four-foot trees were set up undecorated for the holiday on small tables. The oldest known Christmas tree to be decorated as we know the tradition today, was found in Strasbourg in the early 17th century. Decorations included only apples and nuts, with the addition of flat wafers, gilded candies and many different colored paper roses following later. By the 18th century, Christmas trees were decorated with many kins of sweet confections as well as gold leaf covered apples and other gilded fruits and nuts.

1991 Lenox Germany plate; the first plate of the series

The 1991 Lenox plate displays a typical German Christmas tree of the early 1600s. Simple apples and nuts adorn the tree just as they did when the world's first Christmas tree was decorated in Germany.

Hungary

Christmas arrives in Hungary not once, but twice! The first celebration takes place on December 6th, which is Saint Nicholas (also known as "Mikols") Day. Children place boots in their window hoping to be rewarded for good behavior by Saint Nicholas who ill fill them with chocolate, fruit, walnuts and other goodies. The second celebration is December 25th, which actually begins the night before. Songs and good cheer arise as friends and family come together to share fits and a traditional meal that often includes fish, lentils and a special poppy pastry known as "beigli."

The 2005 Lenox plate depicts the legend that a tree was brought by angels to surprise the children. Hence, families wait until Holy night, December 24th, to decorate their tree. A bell is rung, signaling that the angels have brought the tree and the Baby Jesus has arrived with gifts. The tree, lit with candles and sparklers, is then unveiled to the delighted children.

2005 Lenox Hungary plate

Special holiday candies called "szalon cukon," wrapped in bright red and gold foil, are also used to decorate the tree. "Matyo" felt ornaments, decorated with the colorful embroidery that Hungary for which is renowned, make unique and festive tree decorations. Hungary's rich tradition of beautiful handcrafted work and wonderful culinary delights give special meaning to the phrase "Yokarar Csony," Merry Christmas!

Russia

The Christmas celebration in Old Russia began with the appearance of the first evening star on Christmas Eve. Children eagerly awaited the wheat cakes placed for them on the window sill by St. Nicholas, the kind and generous bishop chosen as the patron saint of Russia almost one thousand years ago. At supper, the table was set with a layer of straw beneath the cloth to symbolize the bed in the manger. After a meal of fish and special cakes, family members, dressed in costumes, paraded through the neighborhood singing Christmas songs known as "Kolyada." Russian children waited in anticipation, not for Santa Claus, but for the old woman Babouschka, who brings each little child a present as she searches every house on her long journey to find the Christ Child.

1996 Lenox Russia plate

The 1996 Lenox plate is decorated with jeweled eggs, ornately detailed balls, and sparkling crystals inspired by Imperial Russia. A bear, gilded-domed palace and Russian dolls are gathered under the star-topped tree.

United States of America

Along with its own original celebrations, Christmas in America combines a unique blend of customs and traditions from around the world. All contribute to the holiday season, making Christmas in America a very special time of year. Although the Christmas tree originated in Germany, large cities to small towns throughout the United States display a "Community Tree" -- a custom which began in Pasadena, California, in 1909. Typically, trees are decorated with a variety of ornaments, old and new, that are rich in sentiments.

1998 Lenox America plate

The 1998 Lenox America tree is decorated with jolly Santa Claus figurines and old fashioned candles. The boughs are adorned with garland and strings of popcorn. Antique toys and brightly colored fruit evoke the feelings of a colonial Christmas while delicate snowflakes, icicles and baubles shimmer. A star glistens from the tree top and shines upon the colorful array of packages and toys beneath the tree.

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season!

_______________
To learn about the Christmas tree traditions in Ireland and Poland, I hope you'll click over to my Tangled Roots and Trees Christmas post.

The surnames of my husband and my grandparents were: Adametz (Austria), Dagutis (Lithuania), Fishtahler (Hungary), Jennings (England), Klimsansluski (Lithuania), Lange (Russia), Muir (Scotland), and Schalin (Russia). The Fishtahler, Lange, and Schalin families considered themselves German, though they immigrated extensively in Europe (Hungary, Poland, Russia, and Serbia) before coming to the new world (Canada and the United States).

Telling Tales - The Shoemaker's Son and the One-legged Marquis

It is the season to tell tales. Following the tradition, here is a story that mixes a little of my family history with some well-known fairy tales. The real people featured in a post on my personal blog, The Housekeeper, the Valet and Grand Connections.

The Shoemaker's Son and the One-legged Marquis

Walter Crane [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Once upon a time there was an old shoemaker, or cordwainer, who though he was highly skilled at making very fine boots, had fallen on hard times. He lived with his wife, a wise woman, and young son, Robert, who was just old enough to be apprenticed. The old shoemaker despaired that the young lad would ever learn his trade because he did not listen.

One dark and stormy night there was a loud knock at the door.On opening it the shoemaker found a imposing man who had a wooden leg.The one-legged man, who was well dressed but wet and muddy, introduced himself as the Marquis and explained that his horse was lame having lost a shoe. The shoemaker arranged a room at the inn and stabled the horse while his wife took the Marquis' cloak to wash and dry, and young Robert cleaned the Marquis' boot. Curious about the wooden leg Robert asked why the Marquis only wore one boot. "I left the other boot with my leg on the battle field at Waterloo", said the Marquis, "And have never found another boot to fit". Even though the one boot was old and very worn, Robert had polished it until it shone. The Marquis was pleased and tossed Robert a silver shilling. Robert handed the coin to his mother for safe keeping.

Robert asked his father if he could make a new pair of boots for the Marquis. The shoemaker pondered awhile and took out the leather he had. "There is only enough for one pair of boots", he said "And if they do not fit, we will be ruined". So saying, the shoemaker went to bed.

Two elves who lived under the floorboards had heard and seen all. In those days, shoemakers learned their trade from elves who whispered instructions while apprentices slept. The elves whispered in the shoemaker's ear all night for making the Marquis' boots needed great skill. The following morning the shoemaker was inspired and set to work. When his horse had recovered from its lameness and the Marquis came to collect his cloak, the boots were ready. He was so pleased that he paid handsomely and was so impressed that Robert persuaded the shoemaker to make them that he said, "There is plenty of work in my great London house for such a thoughtful young man. Send him there if you please." Robert was very excited by the prospect as everyone knew the streets of London were paved with gold, the shoemaker thought it an excellent idea, but his wife said nothing. She had been born within the sound of Bow bells, so knew otherwise.

Late at night after everyone else had gone to bed the shoemaker's wife tapped the floor for she wished to receive council from the elves. After listening to her concerns they agreed to help in return for new clothes. They blessed the silver shilling Robert had earned and made a tiny pair of boots from the scraps of leather left over from the Marquis' pair. "He who spends a blessed shilling wisely will prosper if he keeps the boots clean", said the elves. The following morning the shoemaker's wife gave Robert the coin and miniature boots telling him to always keep them clean and to spend the shilling only if he were in dire need.

So prepared, Robert went to London. The butler of the Marquis' great house set Robert to work and all should have been well. But young Robert did not listen to the butler's instructions, so was frequently chastised for not doing his work properly. To make things worse, Robert's attic room was infested with rats and mice, so he could not sleep a wink. That made Robert sleepy and forgetful, which made his work even more sloppy. The other servants did not like such a poor worker, so when they were not telling him off, they shunned him. Poor Robert was very lonely and unhappy!

One day he resolved to run away, so packed his meagre belongings and was creeping past the kitchen when he heard a sweet voice singing. For the first time he truly listened and was enchanted. Instead of running away Robert entered the kitchen and introduced himself to the maid whose voice he had heard. The maid, Mary, had just arrived in London so was pleased to make a friend. When she heard of Robert's woes, she suggested he spend his shilling on a cat and knew that kittens had recently been born at a nearby mill.

Robert brought home a kitten that day. Some say that miller's cats are special, others say anything bought with a blessed shilling is magical. From that day on, rats and mice no longer kept Robert awake. Once he was well rested, Robert paid attention to the butler and other servants, so did his work well. Soon he worked so well and quickly that he had time to see Mary. Both Robert and Mary worked hard and learned everything about running a big house.After some years, Robert became the Marquis' personal valet and Mary became the housekeeper.

When the old Marquis died, Robert and Mary set up a luxurious hotel in Mayfair. We do not know how they raised the money, but some fanciful people say the cat dressed up in boots had something to do with it.