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For the remainder of 2020 the monthly auctions at Railton’s saleroom in Wooler are set to be ‘double headers’ held over 2 days. The forthcoming sale on 18th & 19th of July is once again packed full of historical treasures, each with a unique story to tell. From beautifully delicate 18th century glasses with air twisted stems, to pewter tea sets that serve as reminders of a bygone occupation at its zenith in the late 17th century. Early Inventories for inheritance and tax purposes invariably mention pewter plates and utensils too, so keep an eye open the next time you are delving into the records.  Lot 365. An eighteenth century wine glass, the funnel shaped bowl engraved with vine frieze above a mercury multiple twist stem, raised on conical foot with rough pontil mark. For two centuries from 1474 pewter was unrivalled as a material for plates, dishes, drinking vessels and similar ware. From the 16th century the indispensable preliminary for a Freeman setting up as a Master Pewterer and opening his own shop was to record his 'touch' or trade mark on large pewter sheets retained by the Company in the Hall. The early touch plates were lost in the Great Fire; the five that survive today record the marks of Master Pewterers from then until the beginning of the 19th century when the Company no longer exercised the power to enforce this regulation. These plates provide a unique record of pewterers of the period containing over 1,000 individual marks and are of great historical value.[1]  Lot 51. Six pieces of art nouveau hand-beaten pewter - teapot, jugs, stand, sucre etc. If you had a Pewterer Ancestor in the family is their individual mark amongst them? The Worshipful Company of Pewterers dates from the medieval period, with the earliest documented reference dating from 1348. The Guild ranks No 16 in the pecking order of over 100 City of London Livery Companies. The Company’s website provides some fascinating historical background as well as the role of the Company today. The Fifteen Minute ChallengeAs the current issue (August) of Family Tree Magazine features an interesting article on maps and where to find them it seems particularly fitting to focus on an item in the sale that is also cartographical in nature. Lot No 160, a nineteenth century hand-coloured map of Brainshaugh fits the bill perfectly! It is also possible to pinpoint the date of the map even further from one or two of its distinguishing features.  Lot 16. Nineteenth century handcoloured map of part of Guyzance Township, showing Brainshaugh
 Lot 160 Close up of Land Use Schedule. Taking the above information into account the map can now be more accurately dated to between 1854 and the mid-1880s with a good degree of certainty, possibly favouring the earlier rather than later period due to presence of handcolouring. With this in hand I set myself a challenge – how much history could I actually unearth about Brainshaugh and its people in just 15 minutes?  Lot 160. A nineteenth century handcoloured map of Guyzance showing Brainshaugh Farm & Chapel 1. Field names of High and Low Chapel Close and the remains of an ancient Chapel and burial ground betray a former religious connection. A quick look on the Historic England Website confirms it is indeed a scheduled monument, entry number 1006579, first listed in 1932. It also contains the following information. Guyzance chapel was originally part of Guyzance, or Brainshaugh, Priory of St Wilfrid, which was founded between 1147-1152 by Richard Tison for Premonstratensian Canonesses. It is thought to have been abandoned at the time of the Black Death and later became a cell for the Premonstratensian Abbey at Alnwick. It was dissolved in 1539. So, although it had previously fallen into disuse, the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’ likely provided the final nail in the coffin. Not a bad starting date for the challenge of 1147! Historic England also contains a record for Brainshaugh House, list no 1153504 first registered in 1969. House. Late C16 or early C17; south front remodelled in second quarter of C18; enlarged and given new west front 1805 for Thomas Cook. Squared stone, of near-ashlar quality in 1805 parts, except for rubble of east elevation and roughly-squared stone of east part of north elevation; cut dressings. Lakeland slate roof to main block; kitchen wing with pantiles except for asbestos sheets on east end; stacks rebuilt in brick on old bases. Main block formerly L-plan, enlarged to a square in 1805; kitchen wing to south- east. 2. The North East Inheritance Database was the next port of call and provided a mighty haul of inhabitants for Brainshaugh covering several centuries. 1597 Gray, Henrye Brainshaugh yeoman will, inventory 1597 Gray, Annes Brainshaugh 1672 Thompson, Arthure Brainshaugh inventory 1678 Osmonderley, Mary Brainshaugh will, inventory, bond 1706 Barker, Edward Brainshaugh will, wrapper, will bond 1736 Davison, Thomas Brainshaugh yeoman will, will bond 1748 Cook, William Brainshaugh gentleman will 1769 Beall, Ralph Brainshaugh yeoman will 1775 Cook, Edward Brainshaugh esquire will 1786 Tomling, Henry Brainshaugh yeoman administration bond 1792 Cook, Thomas Brainshaugh gentleman administration bond 1792 Tate, Margaret Brainshaugh administration bond 1814, 1815 Graham, Richard Brainshaugh farmer will, will bond 1786, 1824 Tomlin, Henry Brainshaugh yeoman court docs/admin bond 1826 Robson, George Brainshaugh farmer will 1832 Tate, John Brainshaugh esquire will 1834 Garrett, Benjamin Brainshaugh husbandman will 1835 Grey, John Brainshaugh husbandman will, codicil 1837 Tate, Maria Brainshaugh will 1841 Bell, William Brainshaugh farmer will, affidavit 1843 Tate, John Brainshaugh esquire administration bond 1856 Bolam, Robert Brainshaugh farmer will, wrapper The earliest entry of 1597 looks most interesting: Henrye GRAY, husband of Annes Gray, yeoman, of Gisons (Guysone, Gyasings) within the parishe of Brainshaughe within the countye of Northumberlande [Brainshaugh, Northumberland]; also spelt Graye Date of probate: 1597 The inventory includes the debts of Gray's wife, and was apprised upon her death: among the debts is a fee Gray's widow charged for cleansing the house after the plague, and with which disease it is likely Henrye Gray was infected when he died.
So it is now known the plague visited Brainshaugh on at least two occasions.  Wiki Commons: Lisa Jarvis / Brainshaugh Chapel In terms of will makers, Brainshaugh and its immediate environs appears to have been dominated by three families, that of Grey, Cook and Tate. No doubt the Wills of these and other individuals will shed more light on fortunes of Brainshaugh through the ages. 3. Moving into the later 19th century and heading towards the present day, a search of the census using search terms ‘Brainshaugh, Northumberland’ produced a staggering number of results. Due to the 15 minute time constraint the search was refined using exact location and only the 1861 census was viewed. It returned 23 individuals. The Farm extended to 300 acres and was occupied by a Thomas Crossly from Berwick upon Tweed, Ann his Scottish born wife and 10 other members of their family, largely born in Berwick or Scotland with only youngest daughter aged 2 born at Brainshaugh suggesting the move there to have been relatively recent. There were two further households at Brainshaugh, one, very possibly Brainshaugh House, consisting of three individuals, two named Mitcheson, a retired Merchant and his wife, and the third occupant their nephew by the name of Carss. The second household contained Thomas Dickson an Agricultural Labourer and eight members of his family, the youngest of which was likewise the only child to have been born at Guyzance. Like the Farm House, the occupants of the two other properties were born in Scotland, Berwick upon Tweed or other parishes in north Northumberland, which may indicate they all came to Brainshaugh as a ‘job lot’. Further research may even reveal a degree of relatedness perhaps? 4. For Trade Directories a quick search of Kelly’s Directory for Northumberland for the year 1914 returned the following:  Extract from Kelly's Directory for Northumberland, 1914: Guyzance and Brainshaugh  This entry suggests the farm had not changed in size from the time of the 1861 census, but is slightly more that the hand written schedule on the map up for sale which totals 290.686 acres. (Note to self – a church service under a thorn tree sounds decidedly parky in winter. It is hoped the vicar kept the sermon brief for the comfort of his congregation!) 5. Moving forward to 1939 and the outbreak of WW2. Sadly an exact search of the 1939 Register returned a nil result and returns for within a 5 mile radius were too numerous to search in the allotted time. 6. An exact search of parish records using the term ‘Brainshaugh, Northumberland’ returned 47 results; 44 marriages, 2 death duty entries, including Maria Tate nee Bell whose Will is listed above, and one notice of a Death at Sea from Typhoid in WW2 for 17 year old Morris Gordon Robertson. A quick Google returned the following for 1945, when 10 18 year old soldiers were tragically swept to their deaths in the River Coquet whilst on exercise. https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/2016/09/13/a-tragedy/
[1] The Worshipful Company of Pewterers
https://www.pewterers.org.uk/history-of-the-company-and-hall [2] National Library of Scotland. The Ordnance Survey Books of Reference (‘Area Books’, or ‘Parish Area Books’) published between 1855-1882 to accompany the Ordnance Survey’s 25 inch to the mile maps. Free download available here: https://data.nls.uk/data/digitised-collections/os-books-of-reference/
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To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history. (Cicero) The popularity of television shows such as The Antiques Roadshow and Flog It! demonstrate the public’s continued fascination with objects from bygone eras. The shocked amazement on owners faces when they are told the piece of ‘tat’ or ugly china that has been kept hidden from public view is worth a small fortune, will undoubtedly have sent many folk scurrying for stepladders and torch in order to examine the contents of the attic. ‘Dust down your Granny and send her to auction if she is worth a bob or two’ has I am sure, crossed many a mind!  Railton's Saleroom in Wooler, Northumberland, preparing for the 27th June 2020 antiques sale. Although these shows include snippets about the object’s history, their primary focus tends to be the material worth rather than historical value. The connection between objects being appraised or sold and our individual or collective past is rarely more than briefly considered. Often the very items being offered for sale are those that a family historian would love to find and would never dream of parting with come hell or high water! eBay has long been the online auction site of choice to hunt down family memorabilia, most usually in the form of old documents. However, large numbers of the documents and manuscripts that find their way on to eBay have passed through a saleroom room beforehand. They are often bought by the box-load at auction, sorted by the purchaser into individual lots and resold at a hefty premium. Furthermore, online browsing is a rather uninspiring experience! It is incapable of recreating the atmosphere of a saleroom brimming with all manner of historical riches, each holding subtle clues to our past. There is a special magic found at every auction where a cross section of pre-loved objects patiently waits to be re-homed at the fall of the gavel.  Hilts of pre-1850 Berwick County Constabulary Swords or 'Hangers' for sale at Railtons Saleroom, Wooler. Hence, as Covid19 restrictions eased, my first venture back into the post-lockdown ‘world’ was to Railton’s saleroom at Wooler in Northumberland. For me, a quick hop over the Border, where, in the splendid isolation of ‘viewing by appointment’, I had the luxury of previewing lots for both the forthcoming June & July sales as well as items yet to be catalogued. A couple of hours flew past in what seemed like minutes.  Lot 176, a small boxed flintlock pistol by Thomas. Amongst the array of antique furnishings on offer are; two pairs of 19th century Swords or ‘Hangers’ for Northumberland and Berwick County Constabularies, a set of five nicely framed, photographic copies of Mackenzie family portraits, a wonderful cased ‘muff’ or travelling flintlock pistol small enough to fit snuggly in the palm of a hand, a couple of flintlock blunderbuss pistols, an old estate map of ‘Milne Graden’ dated September 1845, a simply huge framed map of Northumberland, which at approximately 5ft x 6ft 6 inches would cover a very large section of anyone’s wall, a nineteenth century medicine cabinet, and a simple wooden ballot box from Ashington Colliery. Such is the diversity of treasures on offer it is almost impossible to highlight just a couple! Whilst I could have written at length on the historical merits of many of the lots on offer, the two that feature below have been selected for their links to specific families, in the hope they may be reunited with long-lost relatives for whom their value is more than monetary. Sale of land at Moat Farm, Elsdon in 1686 Extract from the sale and leasback agreement for land at Elsdon, Northumberland dated 1686. On arrival, a framed document was thrust into my hands for me to transcribe. (Transcription is my specialism after all!) The document is dated 1686 during the short and troubled 3 year reign of James II, & VII, just 2 years before being deposed and replaced by his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange during the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688. It concerns the sale of ‘The Moot’ [Moat, Mote] at Elsdon, Northumberland, which may well relate to land on, or near, the site of ‘Elsdon Castle’. The document details the names of vendors; Michael Elsden, John Clennell and Martyn Hall of Elsdon, and the purchaser Thomas Pattinson of Newcastle upon Tyne. The total purchase price for the land was £220 to be paid in instalments on named quarter days when historically it was customary to settle debts. The document also contains conditions relating to the conveyance in the form of a leaseback to Michael Elsden and his wife Mary for the term of one year, together with the names and signatures of the witnesses to the agreement. Extract of transcription relating to the 1686 sale of land at ElsdonArticles of agreem[en]t Indented concluded & agreed upon the Twenty first day of May in the Second year of the reigne of our sov[er]aigne Lord kinge James the second over England Annoq[u]e d[om]ini 1686 Between Michaell Elsden of Elsden in the County of Northumberland yeoman of the one par[t] and Thomas Pattinson of the Towne of Newcastle upon Tyne gen[tleman] of the other part are as followeth Imp[rimis] Hee the said Michael Elsden for him & Mary his wife doth Coven[an]t to and with the said Thomas Pattinson that he the said Michael Elsden sha and Mary his wife shall upon demand well Curious as to whether the couple had family and possible descendants a quick check of the Elsdon parish registers for the period, the couple baptised two sons, Thomas in 1675 and William in 1678 whilst living at The Moat. Thomas Pattinson first appeared in the parish accounts in August 1687. Such a document is a true gem for descendants of the Elsden, Clennell, Hall and Storey families synonymous with the area, or the Pattinsons from Tyneside, or indeed the current owners of Moat Farm at Elsdon. This item will be sold in Railtons July Sale as Lot No 139, and a full transcription of the document is available on request. The 'Ogg' family of Aberdeenshire & Oldtown Farm AboyneAnother lot that caught the eye, this time in the June sale is Lot No 395. It is a pair of framed, silhouette style, watercolour portraits, named as George & Elizabeth Ogg of Oldtown Farm, Aboyne. The pictures are unusual as the only colour to feature in addition to the traditional monochromatic greys is a vibrant blue. Whilst rustically naïve on the one hand, there is also a high level of intricate detail, particularly to Elizabeth’s cap, cuffs, face and hankie, but what is their story?
With more than one couple in Aboyne that could fit the bill, a bit of detective work was required. After a brainstorming session and a deal of deliberation over intricate details of their dress with colleague and fellow Scottish professional genealogist Lorna Kinnard, it was finally decided that the pictures dated from circa 1851 when a George Ogg, born in Monymusk, Aberdeenshire circa 1824, married Elizabeth Morrison at Old Machar. George Ogg died at Bridgend, Aboyne in November 1900 and it appears his marriage with Elizabeth was childless. Conflicting information in the records made this pedigree tricky to trace, but a bequest in his Will to niece Maggie Ogg, of Kembeck Street, Dundee, proved to be the key to unlocking the wider family. George’s record at death names his father as having also been called George Ogg, a farmer and his mother as Jane Ogg, maiden surname also Ogg. This information, which had been recorded by a Morrison nephew created a bit of a wild goose-chase at the start, particularly as there appears to have been intermarriages between members of the Ogg family in Aboyne. Fortunately, George’s niece and beneficiary, Maggie Ogg was still resident in Kembeck Street in 1901, where, aged 29, she was working as a dressmaker and living with her widowed mother and younger brother James. Tracing her line established her as the youngest daughter of John Ogg, a Railway Agent and his wife Margaret McIntyre. John Ogg died in March 1877 at Dundee Street, Carnoustie. His death record names his father as George Ogg, occupation Carter, and his mother as Isabella Ogg, maiden name Herd. At first glance not a match with ‘brother’ George at all!  1851 census for the Ogg Family of 259 Barron Street, Woodside The informant of John’s death was yet another brother James Ogg, of Woodside, Old Aberdeen. Following his trail and death record of 1896 confirmed his parents as George Ogg, Carter and Isabella Herd. James, whose occupation had been a ‘Paper Mill Worker’ was the widower of Margaret Daniel and had been living at Woodside, Aberdeen at the time of his death. His married daughter Isabella Kemp is recorded as the informant. This still did not provide any hard evidence that George was indeed the brother of John and James, if anything it was straying further from the subject. Consulting the parish baptism register for Monymusk was also drawing a blank. Attention then switched to potential parents George Ogg and Isabella Herd for clues. In 1851 the couple were living at 259 Barron St, Old Machar, with sons George aged 26, Robert aged 10 and daughter Betsy aged 18. This record provided the proof required as it matched the address given by George junior at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Morrison in 1851, when his own occupation was that of Carter.  Marriage of George Ogg, of 259 Old Barron Street, Woodside to Elizabeth Morrison at Old Machar, Abeerdeenshire in 1851 A second marriage for George Senior, and therefore a different mother for George was also ruled out. George Ogg senior died at, 5 Bridge St, Woodside in 1877 when he was described as the widower of Isabella Herd. His occupation is recorded as Master Carter and his parents listed as John Ogg, Farmer at Monymusk and Jane Ogg nee Blair. He had married Isabella Herd at Monymusk in 1816, however, his name was recorded as Hogg rather than Ogg in the register. Indeed, when the baptism register at Monymusk was consulted again using the name Hogg, baptisms of children John and James appeared but still no sign of George circa 1823/24. Isabella died in September 1876 the thus ruling out the possibility of a different mother for George. It is clear from other records that George junior is not the only child whose baptism was not recorded in the parish register. Therefore, it is likely there are more children than have been accounted for in the outline pedigree below. This snippet of research demonstrates only too well the dangers of taking information recorded in the records too literally and that surnames, even well into the 19th century, may have alternative spellings to those expected! If drawing a blank in searches of indexes, adding a wild card or two might help flush out alternatives.  Outline of the Pedigree for George Ogg of Oldtown Farm, Aboyne. Portraits all too often enter the saleroom without any means to identify the sitter and are sold for their decorative furnishing value, rather than their personal history. However, a bit of time has been taken in this case to reach out to researchers of the Ogg family. Only time will tell if the portraits have been reunited with their bygone relatives! If you know descendants of the Ogg family of Aberdeenshire be sure to point them in the direction of Railton’s Saleroom in Wooler. As I write the world is still a long way from being in control of Covid19 and the temptation is to turn to Amazon for everything we want and need over and above our daily requirements. However, there are a lot of businesses out there, Auction Houses and Salerooms amongst them who have adapted their businesses to meet the needs of the new world and need our custom. Viewings are now being organised to ensure social distancing is maintained and many are now offering live links to the auction room on sale day and facilitate live online bidding as the auction action takes place. Why not find your nearest auction and see what facilities they are offering to keep viewing and bidding for lots on offer safe and secure during these difficult times. If you fancy joining dropping in to Railton’s auction ‘live’ on Saturday 27th June just follow this link through ‘The Saleroom’ If you would rather just browse the treasures on offer and perhaps leave a bid this can be done directly through Railton’s website at https://www.railtons.co.uk/
When faced with an information ‘void’ it is understandable how and why researchers sometimes jump on ‘facts’ pertaining to familial connections freely available on the internet or published elsewhere. There are many reasons why these ‘blackholes’ may arise; nonconformity, a lack of heritable property or Wills, lost or damaged records to name but a few. Whichever way, if our ancestors were ‘ordinary’ law abiding folks they can often become tricky, if not impossible, to trace with any degree of certainty in the period before the Census and Statutory Registration. There are, however, other measures that can be tried before resorting solely to the research of others! Broadening the net to catch as many potential relatives as possible and investigating their connections is just one way to ‘ring fence’ your own ancestors. I think of this as gaining access to the required information through the ‘side door’. Then, as now, family connections and the principle of ‘who’ rather than ‘what you know’ often played a pivotal role. Taking a closer look at fellow passengers, communicants of a specific church, or trades, occupations and residents in particular community may just pay dividends.  Sprouston Kirk with Rev Ninian Trotter's Obelisk in the Foreground. © Copyright JThomas and licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 Johnston Case StudyThe case in question is the search for the parentage of Andrew Johnston allegedly born at Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1766 for whom no baptism information has been identified, most probably due to the family’s nonconformity and gaps in the records. Returning to the other families who emigrated to Australia alongside the Johnstons aboard the Coromandel in 1802, the researcher is quickly bombarded by a surfeit of conflicting information from a variety of sources. For example:
Using DNA for early ancestor searchesFor this latter dilemma, science can play a determining role if lucky enough to have a direct male Johnston descendant to test and a bank of well documented Y-DNA to compare it to. Broadening the search can help identify possible family groups with suitable male descendants to potentially approach regarding Y-DNA testing. It will likely involve a bit of detective work tracing family lines but might just pay dividends if the trail leads back to a known parish, community, or geographical area. When searching for suitable descendants it is important to watch for breaks in the male line of inheritance. There are many reasons male lines can be broken but one that is often overlooked relates to inheritance. If a title or inheritance for some reason passes through a daughter or female line and surnames are changed to accommodate it, the historic line of Y-DNA has been broken and will no longer reflect the original blood line. If looking for a potential connection to a ‘landed’ family this is worth investigating to ensure the Y-DNA carried is in fact that of the surname expected! It is a big ask for autosomal DNA (atDNA) to provide definitive answers at extremes of generational distance. Remember, due to the way autosomal DNA is transmitted, (and lost) with each generation that passes there is no guarantee we will have inherited any from our ancestors beyond 3rd great grandparent level. Any matches that do exist are going to be small, if indeed they exist at all. Furthermore, if a search focus is narrowed to only one ancestor it is easy to lose sight of the fact that, if our line is free of cousin marriages, we have 64, 4th great grandparents and 128, 5th great grandparents. That is a lot of individuals from whom we might, or might not, have inherited autosomal DNA! Extreme care should be exercised when attributing DNA matches at this historic distance, particularly if a large amount of DNA is shared between testers or if several different ancestor families lived in the same geographical area. For example, Sprouston in Roxburghshire is synonymous with a branch of my paternal line ancestors, yet the first 5 atDNA matches that come up under the place name search are on my maternal, rather than paternal line. Broaden the ancestral searchIt is all too easy to fixate on a single ‘troublesome’ individual when perhaps the net should be cast wider to encompass siblings, cousins and other more distant family members. This unfurling of the family tree is essential if looking for clues amongst DNA matches.  The Mrs Johnston referred to in this extract from Rev Alexander Waugh's Memoirs cannot be his Grandmother, is not his only sister, and yet appears to be well acquainted with Alexander’s plans for study etc. Therefore, it is concluded that the lady to whom Mr Graham refers is a ‘relation’ of the Rev Alexander and quite possibly the mother of Andrew Johnston born at Berwick in 1766. Whilst the ‘devil’ is often in the detail, more general patterns, particularly those of movement and relocation, can often hold vital clues and can be found in traditional paper-trail sources. When combined with DNA results, the armoury in a genealogist’s toolbox is significantly strengthened. Possible Connections between Johnston, Mein & Turnbull FamiliesWith a broader search in mind, looking at the pedigrees of fellow travellers aboard the Coromandel may yet yield some further clues. It is known that many of the individuals hailed from the same geographical area of the Scottish Border and North Northumberland and were united by their strong Presbyterian beliefs. It is therefore not unreasonable to speculate that some familial connection may also have existed. A generally held belief amongst researchers of the Hawksbury Settlers is that John Turnbull was not only related to fellow Coromandel passengers, James and Andrew Mein but also the Johnston family. The theoretical relationships between the Turnbull, Mein and Johnston families is discussed by Albert Turnbull in his 2018 book ‘The Turnbull Pedigree’. This potential connection is certainly plausible and has been evidenced to a degree by an old family Bible bearing what is believed to be John Turnbull’s signature as a child, alongside that of his mother Margaret Mein. There is, however, a lack of clarity to the evidence as presented in the book that makes the theoretical paper-trail somewhat challenging to follow or replicate. It appears the Bible may be the only source of baptismal information for several of the children of William Turnbull and Mary/Margaret Mein. which again raises the possibility of nonconformity. A possibility that has not been explored by the book’s author. It would be interesting to test Turnbull’s relationship theory against the information pertaining to the inheritance of James Mein’s estate. A nephew, John Stuart Mein, travelled from Scotland in 1834 to claim his inheritance on the death of his aunt in 1833. Clearly if Margaret Mein was a relative of James, her Turnbull offspring in Australia (John) appear to have been passed over in favour of those who had remained in Scotland. Once again there appears to be a degree of conflicting information to wade through from various sources, not least the year of James Mein’s birth recorded as both 1741 (which would have made him of an age with John Turnbull himself, and aged 61 when he left for Australia) and 1761 some 20 years later!  Notice from the Sydney Herald in 1834 regarding the Estate of James Mein deceased Turnbull’s same hypothesis refers to Janet Johnstone the wife of Nicholl Turnbull having been born at Earlston in 1677. As the Earlston records have not survived from this date knowing the source of this information would also be most helpful. It may eventually prove to be the case that she was the Janet Johnston baptised at Gordon in August the same year to a William Johnston farmer at Hexpath. Although William Johnston of Hexpath has yet to be firmly placed within the Johnston family tree, it is thought likely that a familial relationship existed between him and Margaret Johnston, mother of the Rev Alexander Waugh and her known connections at East Gordon.  The Cauld (Weir) on the River Tweed near Banff Mill cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Walter Baxter - geograph.org.uk/p/2140219 As the Turnbull Pedigree also claims that the young John Turnbull spent time at Banff Mill, Sprouston, it put me in mind of my own, again sadly neglected, Turnbull connections. A paternal 5th great grandmother, Christian Turnbull, was born in 1717 at Easter Softlaw Farm, Sprouston, where her father John Turnbull was tenant. It did not take me long to remind myself why I give this early branch of the family a wide berth! There were simply so many of them in Sprouston parish; John and George Turnbull tenants at Easter Softlaw, James Turnbull tenant in Nottylees, Robert Turnbull tenant in Lurdenlaw and another James Turnbull tenant in Lempitlaw Eastfield. Some 85 years later from the Militia Lists of 1801 some of these Turnbull families were still resident at Lurdenlaw, Lempitlaw and Lempitlaw Eastfield. In my brief revisiting of this branch of Turnbulls and indeed the other entries in the Sprouston register, no connection between a Turnbull and Banff Mill was apparent. Indeed, a re-reading of this chapter of the Turnbull Pedigree left me somewhat cold. ‘Banff Mill is a tiny village on the river Teviot, opposite Kelso/Sprouston, but in the parish of Berwickshire which is renowned for its poor or missing records’[1] The efficacy of the Berwickshire records and record keepers aside, the number of errors packed into this single sentence must be a record!
Sadly, this has rather left me questioning the credibility of other conclusions that have been drawn within the relevant chapters of this book. By the time of a potential sibling’s baptism in 1752 the putative parents were living at Overmains, close to Kennetsideheads in Eccles Parish, not as the author would suggest close to Banff Mill. This surely makes any ‘memory’ or link John may have had to Banff Mill from birth to the age of 4 rather tenuous? With time at a premium the Turnbull connection has been left in abeyance for now. Johnston Baptisms at Wells St Church 1775-1826 It is also my experience that delving deeper into available records in areas to which a family has relocated often provides evidence of siblings or other connections. With this in mind the records of Wells St Church in London between 1775 – 1826 were trawled for further clues pertaining to the Johnston family. (It should be noted that as a nonconformist church it was unable to host weddings under the Marriage Act of 1753. Nonconformist couples wishing to marry in England had to do so in an Anglican Church until the introduction of Civil Registration in 1837.)  John Broadwood and Son taken from https://interlude.hk/the-keys-to-success-burkat-shudi-and-john-broadwood/ In 1782 Wells Street Church passed into the pastoral care of Rev Alexander Waugh, a known and established relative of Andrew Johnston. This was also the first year the number of baptisms at Wells Street achieved double figures at a total of 12. By the year 1784 the number of baptisms had more than doubled to 27. From this point forward the numbers steadied in the mid- 30s with a few years rising above 40; the highest number of baptisms recorded was 48 in 1815, and the lowest just 19 in 1808. Thus, it can be concluded there were, very approximately, 50/60 couples of child-bearing age amongst the congregation during this period. The occupational and other information provided by the entries also makes interesting reading.
NB. Only baptisms which took place at Wells St are listed. 1. Andrew Johnston and Hamilton Bruce Name Baptism Date Parents Names Parish of Abode Occupation John 6th Oct 1811 Andrew & Hamilton Johnston St Marys Hornsey Carpenter Hamilton 17th Mar 1814 Andrew & Hamilton Johnston Hornsey Implement Maker Janet 26th Sep 1816 Andrew & Hamilton Johnston Hornsey Ag Implem. Maker Andrew 9th Aug 1818 Andrew & Hamilton Johnston Hornsey Ag Implem. Maker This Andrew and his wife Hamilton Bruce have been traced back to Berwickshire. Their two eldest children Mary 1806 and Margaret 1809 were baptised at Chirnside. From the 1851 census Andrew’s date of birth was circa 1780/81 and the place is recorded as ‘Berwick, Scotland’. Berwick is often mistakenly referred to as Scotland in the southern census records, but equally, Berwick may also mean Berwickshire. Andrew died in 1852 and left a Will. 2. Andrew Johnston and Elizabeth Fairbairn Name Baptism Date Parents Names Parish of Abode Occupation Andrew 25th Feb 1812 Andrew & Elizabeth Johnston Marylebone Carpenter Elizabeth 1st Feb 1814 Andrew & Elizabeth Johnston St John Westminster Carpenter Janet 29th Feb 1816 Andrew & Elizabeth Johnston St Johns Westminster Builder James 20th Nov 1818 Andrew & Elizabeth Johnston All Saints, Isleworth Architect Margaret 20th Nov 1818 Andrew & Elizabeth Johnston All Saints, Isleworth Architect This Andrew rose quickly from Carpenter to Builder then Architect. He and Elizabeth were not the easiest to trace but his line has been validated back to Roxburghshire and parents Patrick/Peter Johnston and Janet Dods who were married at Stichill 25th May 1771. Compeared Patrick Johnston And Janet Dods both in this Parish & craved proclamation in Order to Marriage They produced Patrick Jeffrey Cautioner for the man & Nicol Dods for the woman [2] The family became dispersed when Andrew died circa 1833 and is of particular interest due to the name ‘Waugh’ being adopted by daughter Margaret in later life. It is also believed there are living male descendants on this line with whom we would be particularly keen to make contact. Whilst it is very early days, it is hoped this second line of enquiry into Johnston births at Wells St. may tighten the ring fence around Andrew Johnston’s potential parentage still further. If you believe you are connected, to either of the Andrew Johnstons mentioned above or indeed the Andrew Johnston who emigrated to Australia aboard the Coromandel in 1802 we would love to hear from you. [1] Albert Turnbull, The Turnbull Pedigree,
https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Turnbull_Pedigree.html?id=orpUDwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y p.32 [2] Scotlands People, Marriage Patrick Johnston & Janet Dodds 1771 ScotlandsPeople_OPR808_000_0020_0235Z When a case crosses my desk that also contains a significant element of local history it really piques my interest. When it concerns a family that skirts the perimeters of my own this interest is somewhat exacerbated. So, when approached to look into the Johnston family that formed part of a small group, mainly made up of folks from the Scottish Border Country and Northumberland, who after a period living in London, sailed to Australia in 1802 aboard the ship the ‘Coromandel’ I knew I was in for both an interesting and challenging journey. Particularly as this little party were followers of the Presbyterian Secession Church, so therefore ‘Dissenters’ or ‘Nonconformists’ in both Scotland and England making them more difficult to trace. Furthermore, the surname Johnston just happens to have ranked 6th in occurrence per 100,000 of the population in Berwickshire in 1841, so there was a lot of them about!  Trove, Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW: 1888 - 1961) Fri 29 Jul 1927 Page 1 EBENEZER PIONEERS OF THE HAWKESBURY. (Extract) There are several branches of Johnstons who touch the perimeter of my own family tree. In this particular case it is the Johnstons linked to the Waugh family that farmed at East Gordon for many generations. If you know or even suspect your family of Johnstons hailed from Gordon in the 18th century we would love to hear from you. Chances are that you, like my clients are faced with a black hole of information necessary to join the dots! It like a polo mint of family information but nothing to join them in the middle! Other Johnston Families of Berwickshire Back in July 2014 I recounted the sad affair of Johnston descendants in Ballarat during the gold rush, where 4 members of one family lost their lives. The last of which, it could be argued rather insensitively, met his end courtesy of a hangman’s knot. These were descendants of Peter Johnston and his wife Margaret Thomson through their son Lt Col James Johnston and his wife Matthew Jane Trotter. Amongst Peter and Margaret’s numerous other children was Dr George Johnston MD of Berwick upon Tweed. For anyone familiar with the history of the town, Dr Johnston will be a well-known name, not least for being a founder member and the first president of the Berwickshire Naturalists Club and Mayor of the town no less than three times.  Dr George Johnston of Berwick upon Tweed, (1797–1855), physician and naturalist. National Galleries, Public Domain
The Johnston family of Swinton and Simprim was closely linked to the Johnston family of Whitsome, which is the ‘branch line’ above the Youngs of New Ladykirk. Their joint family pedigree is outlined in just one table stone in Eccles Kirkyard, albeit with a misleading transcription of the inscription in Cargill’s book for the Border Parishes of Berwickshire: William Johnston, tenant in Ednam Mains 3.11.1699 50 yrs, spouse Betty Morton 26.1.1721 77 yrs also Janet Dickson 28.10.1737 43 yrs spouse to Patrick Johnston, tenant in Little Swinton who d. 29.1. 1732 69 yrs. Peter 30.6.1751 1 yr. Helen 1.5.1752 3 yrs. Thomas 1.3.1760 2 yrs. George 6.1.71 16 yrs children of William Johnston tenant in Simprim 12.5.1796 82 yrs. Margaret Fairbairn his spouse 14.3.1800 82 yrs. James 12.1.1788 son of Peter Johnston tenant in Simprim his son Matthew 14.3.1802 4 months above mentioned father late tenant in Ilderton 11.12.1803 51 yrs his 2 inf. Children James 12.4.1788 11 months. Matthew Trotter 5.11.1802 4 months. Margaret 13.9.1811 26 yrs. Margaret Thomson relict of Peter Johnston 18.1810 [sic] 78 yrs. James who d. 12.?.1788 1 yr. Peter Johnston of Ilderton’s 1st cousin, Patrick Johnston and his wife Margaret Johnston, farmed at Kimmerghame Mains with its links to the families of Hogarth and Clay. Their son George took the tenancy of West Newton before moving to Stichill where their own son also named George married into the Johnston family of Rumbleton Law, Gordon.  Headstones in Gordon Kirkyard for the Johnston family of Rumbleton Law, Gordon. Taken Oct 2019. Putting the Rumbleton Law family line to one side for the present it is another Johnston family of Gordon that is of particular interest to this current line of research, especially those with historic connections to the farm of East Gordon and its numerous inter-marriages with the Waugh family, historically of the same place. Johnston Family & the Coromandel Much has been written about the intrepid voyagers aboard the Coromandel in 1802, not least what has been written by R M Arndell in his book ‘Pioneers of Portland Head: Builders of Ebenezer Church and School, Early Settlers of the Hawkesbury and Hunter Rivers, and Squatters of the North-West New South Wales and Southern Queensland, including Family Genealogies.’ The general consensus would appear to be that there were between eight and ten original emigrant families. These included: 1. Zachariah Clarke, his daughter Ann. Zachariah Clarke died 5 December 1804. Ann Selby and Isabella Suddis [Perhaps not on this voyage] 2. Andrew Johnston and his wife Mary Beard Johnston and children, Thomas aged 10 years, William aged 8 years, John aged 5 years, Alexander aged 3 years and Abraham aged 8 months. 3. George Hall and his wife Mary and children, Elizabeth aged 9 years, George aged 7 years, William aged 5 years, John aged 6 months 4. John Johnston and wife Elizabeth Lewins Johnstone. Find out more about the John Johnston - Windsor and Richmond Gazette 2 April 1926 [This obituary is not the correct John Johnston! The gentleman referred to in this instance is in fact the son of Andrew Johnston and Mary Beard. It is thought the John Johnston aboard the Coromandel travelled as a single man.] 5. John Howe and his wife Frances and child Mary aged 3 years 6. James Davison and his wife Jane Johnston Davison and children John 3 and a half years, James20 months. Select here to find out more about the family of James Davison who settled at Portland Head. [He called his holding Alnwick!] 7. James Mein and his wife Susannah Skein Mein [From Melrose, Scottish Borders, source Australian National Biography]. 8. Andrew Mein, brother of James Mein 9. William Stubbs and his wife Sarah and children William aged 5 years, Sarah aged 3 years, Elizabeth aged 1 year. 10. John Turnbull and his wife Ann Warr [Waugh?] Turnbull and children, Ralph aged 10 years Mary aged 5 years, James aged 4 years and Jessica aged 19 months. [Allegedly from Annandale][1] The Coromandel was a convict transportation ship captained by William Stirling, who is alleged to have been the uncle of George Hall, one of the free settler passengers named above. It would seem, however, the reality is that very little is really known about the genealogy of the Johnston family before they landed on Australian soil and ‘definitive works’ such as that referred to above contain inaccuracies, which when combined with family legends begin to bear little resemblance to actual ancestral fact. The head of the Johnston family which is the subject of the latest research was Andrew Johnston whose birth date and place was recorded in a letter from his wife Mary Beard to their daughter Jane Suttor dated 1 December 1856: My dear Jane you wish to know birthday.. your dear father was born at Berwick-on-Tweed on 17 March 1766. Myself was born at Highgate, Middlesex 17 October 1768, we were married on the 18 September 1789 in the same church, and by the same minister, that married my mother and father 34 years before us. We have had eight sons and two daughters, was married 60 years wanting 17 days and your dear father has been dead seven years this day[2] A longstanding and widespread family legend persists that Andrew was the illegitimate son of George Johnston 3rd Marquis of Annandale, a ‘fact’ strongly refuted by the Annandale family in an article which appeared in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette Friday (Aus) on July 23rd 1926. It would appear they were right to do so as Y-DNA testing on Johnston male lines to date would suggest two entirely different, unrelated haplogroups. Therefore any possible link to the Johnston family of Annandale, legitimate or otherwise, can be ruled out – or can it?  Taken from A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 2 Whilst digging about into the Johnston family groups at Whitsome, an old pedigree of ‘Johnston of Hilton in the Merse’ came to light. Just what was the fate of the ‘other’ children of Patrick Johnston Merchant Burgess in Edinburgh? Is it conceivable there was an historic connection between this family and the Johnstons who returned as tenants to Kimmerghame & Whitsome or this a random twist of fate? And, is the marriage of Merchant Patrick’s cousin Sophia, just another tempting red herring? In truth I have not a clue, and all I can do is deal with the facts of the case as they stand, but the pedigree does make an interesting aside if nothing else. A connection through a female line would, however, potentially explain a difference in male Haplogroups. No record of Andrew Johntson’s baptism has survived, if it ever existed, within the Berwick and surrounding area’s Presbyterian record collection. Nor are there any ‘obvious’ marriage or burial records observed to date that may pertain to this family. Berwick also had its own branches of Johnston/Johnson families, which from Guild Records, show that some date back to the early 17th century. A lengthy trawl of the Berwick records at this stage was unlikely to bear fruit. It is believed that a record of stamp duty paid on an apprenticeship in 1785 does relates to Andrew. At 19 years of age he was quite old to have commenced an apprenticeship. He was apprenticed to John Home, Carpenter of Norham in 1784. The entry is dated 13th September 1785 and his apprenticeship ran for four years from 1 Dec 1784 giving a completion date of Dec 1788. The duty paid was £4 and 2 shillings. Sadly, no actual copy of the indenture agreement, which would undoubtedly held crucial information, appears to have survived.  Baptism of Andrew Johnston and Mary Beard's eldest son Thomas at Wells St Scotch Church Marylebone in 1791. By 1789 Andrew had moved to London where he married Mary Beard at St Johns Hampstead on 18th September. Witness to his marriage was a John Johnston, again about whom little is yet known. He may have been a relative of Andrew, his fellow passenger in 1802 or even perhaps both. Andrew and Mary’s first 6 children, all sons, were born in London and baptised at Wells St, Scotch Church, Marylebone. The officiating Minister was one Rev Alexander Waugh DD, born at East Gordon to Thomas Waugh and his wife Margaret Johnston in 1754.  National Galleries of Scotland. Rev. Alexander Waugh, 1754 – 1827, Minister of the Secession Church, 1894, James Tassie, Creative Commons. An extract from a Waugh Association newsletter, provided at the outset, holds some vital clues. It contains a transcribed copy of a letter written by Thomas Waugh, a son of the Rev Alexander, living at 8 Park Buildings, Camberwell Grove Surrey, dated Sunday Night 22nd Nov 1840, and addressed to Andrew Johnston snr in Australia. It concerned a work placement in Australia and introductions there for his own son Thomas Scott Waugh b. circa 1821. The letter firstly refers to a niece of Andrew’s: ‘It is now 3 years since at my mother's request I and your niece Ellen wrote to you …’ It is believed that Ellen may be the letter writer’s daughter thus inferring more than just a friendship existed between the two families. Such a relationship is further suggested in his closing paragraph: Now my dear friend farewell. The shades of evening are closing in on us both don't let the night set in without at least one communication from you, as my Father's eldest relative and friend in a distant country…full of intelligence on subjects (your own and your family comforts) and dear to his kind and affectionate heart. Ebenezer Church 1809  By Peter Gaylard from Australia - Ebenezer Uniting Church Uploaded by berichard, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12786198 Andrew Johnston was also instrumental in the design and construction of Ebenezer Church, which is the oldest church in Australia. A Waugh newsletter also contained the following information: Ebenezer Church is not of Northumberland design, as stated. The church was designed by Andrew Johnston, whose family descended from generations of Johnston/ Waugh connections in the Gordon area of Berwickshire. The renown Rev. Alexander Waugh of Wells St. Scotch Church in London was Andrew Johnston’s cousin. [Whoever penned this response was not exaggerating the potential family connections.] [Whoever penned this response was not exaggerating the potential family connections!] For this first cousin relationship to have existed Andrews parents must have been siblings of the Rev Alexander’s parents. The Rev Alexander Waugh’s parentage of Thomas Waugh and Margaret Johnston of East Gordon is left for posterity by his own hand in his memoirs. It can therefore be deemed to be reliable. A Waugh Society member proposed to two relationship trails to Andrew, unfortunately only one, the most obvious stemming from an unknown sibling of his mother Margaret Johnston was published. It would be interesting to have sight of the second theory, as ‘cousin’ in Scotland may refer to a more distant relationship than first thought.  Notes written by Alexander Waugh’s great great Grandson Evelyn Waugh also pointed to the family’s occupation of land at East Gordon as being of some longevity: Extract from 'A Little Learning' by Evelyn Waugh Alexander's father, Thomas, joined the Secession. He held the rather bleak upland farm of East Gordon, near Greenlaw in Berwickshire, as had his forebears for four generations certainly, probably longer. But he was the last to do so. His elder son, also Thomas, on his succession sold up and bought a larger farm in the far more clement district on the banks of the Tweed, and his son emigrated to Australia... [Thomas Waugh junior’s son Alexander married Margaret Middleton in 1830, and from this point forward the Waugh’s become my own distant, but nevertheless blood relatives as 2c 3r cousins] It was at this ‘known’ point of familial relationships for Margaret Johnston that the research into Andrew’s Johnston’s line commenced. Evelyn Waugh was certainly not wrong about the duration of his ancestor’s occupation and bears out the earlier reference to numerous Waugh/Johnston connections. The Gordon Parish records are tricky to interpret as there were several fathers with the same Christian name, no mother’s name is given in any of the baptisms and burial records are non-existent. It has been possible, however, to sketch Margaret’s immediate family as follows:  Draft outline of immediate relatives of Margaret Johnston, wife of Thomas Waugh. Is it possible that Andrew Johnston b. 1766 descends from Alexander's 1st Marriage to Marian Young? Then all goes blank – not because the families moved, but rather, as indicated in Evelyn Waugh’s extract, the family left the Established Church in favour of the emerging dissenting Secession Church. These records are not available online and with the current Covid19 restrictions on movement and work, the records that may hold some clues to fill the current void of vital information have yet to be consulted.
Paul Brough and his team at Hawick Archives have the request in their ‘to do pile’, but given the current environment, it is somewhat larger than usual and with only a skeleton staff on hand there may be an understandable delay. Whilst we are waiting to hear back from them, we would love to hear from you, if you know or even suspect your family of Johnstons hailed from Gordon in the 18th century. Chances are that you, like my clients, are faced with a black hole of information necessary to join the dots! If you would prefer to contact me privately rather than leaving a public message you can email me here References[1] Free Settler or Felon, Convict Ship Coromandel 1802 https://www.jenwilletts.com/convict_ship_coromandel_1802.htm [2] Extract from R M Arndell, ‘Pioneers of Portland Head: Builders of Ebenezer Church and School, Early Settlers of the Hawkesbury and Hunter Rivers, and Squatters of the North-West New South Wales and Southern Queensland, including Family Genealogies’ Sydney, 1984. Other Useful LinksHistoric Ebeneezer Church since 1809
http://www.ebenezerchurch.org.au/heritage.htm Memoir of the Rev. Alexander Waugh, D.D., with selections from his epistolary correspondence by Hay, James, 1770-1849; Belfrage, Henry, 1774-1835, joint author https://archive.org/details/memoirofrevalexa00hayj/page/n8/mode/2up A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 2 https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/A_Genealogical_and_Heraldic_Dictionary_o.html?id=Ni4BAAAAQAAJ Trove, Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW: 1888 - 1961) Fri 29 Jul 1927 Page 1 EBENEZER PIONEERS OF THE HAWKESBURY. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/85951031 All of the images of Manorial documents are the copyright of Berwick Record Office and by their kind permission were incorporated in examples to be used at Family Tree Live. They are not to be copied or reproduced in any way without express permission from Berwick Record Office . The transcriptions are my own and likewise may not to be copied or reproduced without my express permission. Many of my regular readers will have seen me refer to Manorial Records, but before now I haven’t taken the time to explain exactly what they are and the types of useful information they may contain. I had prepared some information sheets with examples on this subject for the Family Tree Live event in April, which sadly like all other events has been forced to cancel for this year. Now is perhaps an opportune moment to share a small part of that information .  Extract from a map of the Manor of Longhoughton First, consider all the different types of records we use for family and local history research. With only a few exceptions, these resources served an administrative function and were created as a result of ever evolving administrative systems. Simply put; at the top there is central Government or prior to this the Crown; then devolved government, so within the United Kingdom the governments of Scotland, Ireland and Wales; then county or local government such as County Councils right down to a specific village Parish Council. The various systems, and who was responsible for their administration changed over time. A prime example is modern day ‘unemployment benefit’ which is controlled by central government, but its origins lie at Parish level with ‘Poor Relief’. Understanding how administrative systems have evolved throughout history will help enormously when searching for records in archive repositories. In addition to the above, another tier in the various systems of administration included the Manor. It is unclear exactly when the Manorial system came into existence, but it is thought to have been well established by the time of William I in 1066. At this time and throughout the Medieval period ALL land was owned by the Monarch, who made grants of land, which became Manors, to his followers making them Lords of the Manor. The land farmed ‘in hand’ by the Lord of the Manor was known as the ‘Demesne’ with other lands within the Manor rented out to tenants of which there were two types: free and unfree. Freehold. The freeholders or 'free tenants' of a manor held their land in perpetuity, frequently just paying a rent instead of providing a service to the Lord. Freeholders were largely unencumbered by the Manor but were still obliged to attend the Manor Court. Unfree Tenants. The unfree tenants of the Manor were known as Bondsmen or Villeins, and often provided a service such as a certain number of days labour to the Manor Lord in addition to a monetary payment. By the 16th century, payment by service had largely died out. This class of tenant became known as a ‘customary tenant’ and leases based on the ‘customs of the Manor’ were introduced. These comprised:
Unfree or Customary tenants were subject to the rules of Manor governing the maintenance of their properties. Failure to comply could result in a fine or even eviction. All tenants whether free, unfree or customary were obliged to appear in Court and absence without leave to be so resulted in a fine known as an ‘amercement’. Those with a valid reason for non-attendance were charged a nominal fee known as an ‘essoin’. The tenants' names appeared in the Court ‘Call Books’ which were often annotated with either ‘amerc’ or ‘ess’, or in later documents 'app' or 'ab' to indicate whether they were present or absent at the meeting of the Court. It is worth remembering that ‘The Manor’ differed from an ‘Estate’ as it had the right to hold a Court, and that an ‘Estate’ may have contained several different Manors. Whilst the Manor was predominantly a rural entity it was not exclusively so, nor was one village or town included in a single Manor. For example, Norham had two Manors: Norham Town and Norham Castle. Below is an extract from the Call Book for Norham Town in 1835
In this later example from 1835 (where the names are easy to read) the abbreviations used are: app = appeared ab = absent All matters relating to the transfer of property within the Manor were heard at the Manor Court and entered in the Court Rolls. There were two types of Court which dealt with matters concerning land; The Court Baron dealt with freeholders and the Court Customary which dealt with land matters for other tenants. In practice these two courts were regularly merged, and business was conducted collectively by the Court Baron and often include admittance to land and its surrender. These courts met frequently, in some cases every fortnight, although their regularity started to dwindle in the late 18th early nineteenth centuries. Admittances and surrenders were usually accompanied by a ‘fine’ or fee payment. Where they have survived these documents contain valuable sources of information for the family historian.  To this Court came John Nealson (present Bayliffe of this Mannor) who nowe occupyeth a Horse Milne Situate near the Bridge end in Tweedmouth within this Mannor Late in the tenure of John Nealson his Father deceased (who held the same by Copy of Court Roll of the Lord of this Mannor), Containing in Length and in Breadth And in the same Court the said John Nealson surrendered into the hand[es] of the Lord[es] by their Steward All his estate & title in the premises with that intention that it would please the Lord[es] A graunt thereof into him the said John Nealson to make. And in the same Court the said John Nealson came & tooke out of the hand[es] of the Lord[es] by their Steward the said Horse-Milne or Tenement with the app[ur]tan[en]ces To have and to hold the said Tenement and appurtenances to the said John Nealson his heirs and assigns for ever according to the Customs of the Mannor aforesaid By the rents Customs & services therefrom heretofore due and of right accustomed And for such estate and entrance so thereof to be had the aforesaid John Nealson Gives the Lord[es] for fine two shillings And so is admitted tennant. Other payments that may be unfamiliar were; the ‘Heriot’, a fee that was payable on the death of a tenant, and the ‘Merchet‘ a fee payable for the permission for a tenant’s daughter to marry. In addition to land matters some manors could hear minor criminal cases such as affray, nuisance, failure to maintain property, trespass and debt at a ‘Court Leet’. The Court Leet was often combined with the View of Frankpledge, whereby tenants swore to uphold the Kings Peace. One particularly bloody affray was heard at the Tweedmouth Manor Court in May 1661  Presentments of the Jury upon their Oathes George Scott a blood & affray upon Bartho[lomew] Potts his wife 00:08:00 Henry Morise for being Drunke 00:02:06 Henry Morise for a blood & affray upon Patrick Forriste wife 00:02:06 Henry Morise a blood & affray upon his own wife 00:02:06 William Shirnside an affray upon George Moore 00:01:08 William Shernside an affray upon Rich[ard] Given 00:01:08 George Moore an affray upon William Shernside 00:01:08 George Moore an affray upon W[ilia]m Dunken 00:01:08 George Moore an affray upon Isabell Dunken 00:01:08 An example of the typical matters heard at the Manor Court of Norham Town in 1706  W[illia]m Marshall is presented by Rees Strother for delving in a part of the Grounds he Farms of Alexander Stuart Gent[leman] at a place Called Easter Countriggs 1s viij d John Stewart Pinder presents Roger Abernethy for his beasts Trespassing frequently on the Corn belonging to the Town of Norham 1s viij d Alice Abernethy is presented by the Pinder for Cutting of Grasse belonging To Thomas Tynlin and throwing to her Sons beasts 1s viij d George Purvis is presented by John Pawlin Constable for Sowing a piece of Ground w[i]th lyes at a place Called the Wax Law and reaping Corn of it tho’ it belongs to W[ilia]m Marshall 1s viij d David Hume Ba[il[i]e of the Mannor presents Isabel Henderson for Entertaining an Inmate in her house that Bore a Bastard Child and amerced xxxix s xj d Thomas Tynlin is presented by James Fullerton and Rob[er]t Marshall Constables for his Fences being out of repair adjoining the Towns Loaning 1s Ordained that the Sev[era]ll Inhabitants within this Town doe repair the Causeys on their Sev[era]ll Forefronts of the Houses at or before Christmas next or be Amerced each xx s The Ba[i]ll[ie]s to See it done NB. Pinder = kept the manorial pound/pinfold, Inmate= a lodger or subtenant which was severely fined at 39 shillings and 11 old pence, just under £2, approximately £214 as at 2017. From the Tudor period onwards much of the Manor’s administration was absorbed in the new systems of local administration and powers transferred to the Justices of the Peace, parish and town officials. Common and statutory law began to replace customary law rendering the judicial role of the Court Baron obsolete. Therefore, by the 17th century, the main responsibility of the court was to deal with the transfer of land and minor cases of debt under 40 shillings. This function and the holding of the Court Baron continued right up to the 1920s when copyhold tenure was abolished. (It was this transfer of Copyhold to Freehold that George Aynsley Smith undertook in his capacity as Clerk to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in Durham at the Halmote Court.) In addition to their value to family historians, Manorial Records are a mine of information for local historians too. Just a small example is some of the field names I remember as a child, such as The Riggs, [High] Mill Lands and Eels Pools appear on an old map for the Manor of Longhoughton at the top of this blog. The records for Longhoughton Manor date back to 1474. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F282364 The surname Elder that appeared on the Alnwick Muster Roll of 1514 is still associated within living memory of the Village today. https://www.flodden1513ecomuseum.org/project/the-campaign/31-the-alnwick-muster-roll (If you would like a transcription of any part just let me know!) How to find a Manor in the Manorial Documents RegisterTo find the archive repository that holds the Manorial records which may be of use to you, they can be found in the Manorial Documents Register online at The National Archives. Here is the link to the page containing the surviving records for Manors in Northumberland. ttps://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/c?sf=textstman&_ocn=Northumberland&_naet=M&_st=mdrc Clicking on the records of the individual Manor will give the name of the repository that holds the records. Many of Northumberland’s records are held at Alnwick Castle, which as it is a privately funded archive is neither straightforward (but not impossible) nor at £55 per day, cheap to visit. https://www.alnwickcastle.com/_assets/media/editor/Archives_doc/2017-03-09-guide-to-searchers.pdf The records for Durham have not yet made it to the online register, but as a work in progress will be coming soon. Other Useful LinksAside from the records mentioned above, and rather than list them all here, Lancaster University has an excellent website which although its focus is the Manors of Cumbria, it contains a wealth of information covered in far more detail than I have here. https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/fass/projects/manorialrecords/manors/classes.htm An extensive Glossary of unfamiliar terms and phrases in Latin, can be found at the University of Nottingham https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/researchguidance/manorial/glossary.aspx
 Sadly, this is a question that is not asked enough! All too often circumstantial evidence is added to family trees and suddenly square pegs are sitting uncomfortably in round holes. Most of these errors are largely avoidable and have crept in unwittingly. There are many reasons why ancestors can’t be located, or the wrong ones appropriated, very briefly here are just a few:
Of course, there are other reasons too, but it would be impossible to cover such a huge topic in one short blog! In many cases, however, basic errors stem from a lack of understanding of the records that were kept and the laws that governed them. Often, the errors start to appear in the period prior to Civil Registration; 1837 in England, 1855 in Scotland, when evidence of familial relationships is sought in Church records. After all, birth marriage and death form the backbone of genealogy. Even after the introduction of Civil Registration in England, problems can still occur. Quick Note re Civil RegistrationWhen Civil Registration was introduced in England in July 1837 the onus for collecting records was initially placed on the Registrar of the Registration District in which the birth took place. This resulted in omissions, sometimes due to parental objection to the registration of births, which distorted both regional and national data. To rectify this, the Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1874 was passed which placed the onus on the parents, rather than the Registrar, and the parents could now be fined for non-compliance or late registration. This may be just one reason why a birth certificate is proving elusive during the early years of Civil Registration, particularly if the issue of illegitimacy has been ruled out. In Scotland when Civil Registration was introduced in January 1855, it was a statutory requirement to be performed by the parents or person in charge of the child from the outset. There is also the ‘Register of Neglected Entries’ which holds records of vital events dating from between 1800 and the enactment of the new law in 1855, but not registered elsewhere else i.e. a church register. Although they are very few in number those that do exist can be accessed through the Scotland’s People Website. This NRS Guide contains some helpful information. Tracing Ancestors in the Border Region Tracing ancestors in the Border regions can be particularly tricky. This is due to the different laws of each country and movement of people across the border. Although England and Scotland are part of the Kingdom of Great Britain, and have been since 1707, many of the laws in the two countries were different and continue to be so today. It might seem crazy after blogging for so many years to be writing about something quite so basic, but as it is something I regularly need to explain I thought it might be of use to a wider audience. Another important fact that needs a bit of clarification is what Old Parish Registers actually are and what they cover. Simply put they are the records of the Established Church of each Country.
 Extract from the 1538 Mandate
‘On 17 August 1560, the Parliament agreed to a Reformed Confession of Faith, a fundamental step away from the Roman Church, and on 24 August it passed a series of Acts that entirely destroyed the Roman Church in Scotland. The celebration of mass was made punishable by a series of penalties up to and including death, and all Papal jurisdiction in Scotland was repudiated.’ All religions other than the Established Church in both countries were known as non-conformists or dissenters, with Roman Catholics referred to as ‘recusants’. Because the Parish Records are the records of the established churches in each country, they do not as a rule of thumb, include the baptism records for other religions. Where they do, particularly in the late 18th and early 19th century they may be marked ‘Diss’ or noted as Dissenters. The registers will, however, contain some marriages and nearly all burials until the introduction of Civic Cemeteries. Some notable exceptions to this rule were Jews and Quakers. Presbyterian Records in England |
 NRO 1955A 140 Burial Expenses from 1780 page 1 |  NRO 1955A 140 Burial Expenses from 1780 page 2 |
(If you would like a large image to work with please email me & I shall send you a copy)
For those of you of a mind to have a go and would like some feedback on the conclusions you have drawn you can post them in the comment sections below. Alternatively, if you would rather do this privately you can email them to me by following this link.
If you are at all interested in how to go about describing the hand and other features of an old document, I am happy to supply a copy of my analysis of Jane Austen’s Will as an example. Please just ask. It scored reasonably highly in my university studies at A3, the main criticism being I hadn’t compared to other documents written in her hand at earlier dates. The original will (along with a transcription) is available online at The National Archives. Although it is only 12 lines long, it contains a mixture of formulaic and personal language and some interesting points worthy of note to any family history researcher.
[1] Heather MacNeil, ‘Trusting Records: Legal, Historical and Diplomatic Perspectives’, London: Kluwer, Academic, 2000.
[2] Inside History, https://www.history.com/news/historys-most-famous-literary-hoaxes
[3] Joan Philipson, ‘A Note on the Paper’, C M Fraser ‘The Accounts of the Chamberlains of Newcastle upon Tyne Chamberlains 1508 -1511’ Newcastle, 1987.
[4] National Records of Scotland, GD350, Borthwick of Borthwick.
[2] Inside History, https://www.history.com/news/historys-most-famous-literary-hoaxes
[3] Joan Philipson, ‘A Note on the Paper’, C M Fraser ‘The Accounts of the Chamberlains of Newcastle upon Tyne Chamberlains 1508 -1511’ Newcastle, 1987.
[4] National Records of Scotland, GD350, Borthwick of Borthwick.
Further Reading and Useful Links
The Will of Jane Austen, 27 April 1817.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/museum/item.asp?item_id=33
Caroline Williams, ‘Diplomatic Attitudes, From Mabon to Metadata’ Journal of the Society of Archivists, Vol 26, 2005, Issue 1. Available through Taylor & Francis Online. ££
Society of American Archivists https://www2.archivists.org/glossary/terms/d/diplomatics
Heather MacNeil ‘Trusting Records in a Post Modern World’. Association of Canadian Archivists
https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/12793/13991
MacNeil, Heather. ‘Trusting Records: Legal, Historical and Diplomatic Perspectives’, London: KluwerAcademic, 2000.
The University of Warwick, Paper and Watermarks,
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/archive-research-old/lima/paper/
Peter Goldsborough, Gordon Donaldson ‘Formulary of old Scots Legal Documents’, Edinburgh, 1985 published by The Stair Society. Its like ‘hens teeth’ to find a copy to purchase but ‘WorldCat’ lists the libraries where it as available to view.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/museum/item.asp?item_id=33
Caroline Williams, ‘Diplomatic Attitudes, From Mabon to Metadata’ Journal of the Society of Archivists, Vol 26, 2005, Issue 1. Available through Taylor & Francis Online. ££
Society of American Archivists https://www2.archivists.org/glossary/terms/d/diplomatics
Heather MacNeil ‘Trusting Records in a Post Modern World’. Association of Canadian Archivists
https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/12793/13991
MacNeil, Heather. ‘Trusting Records: Legal, Historical and Diplomatic Perspectives’, London: KluwerAcademic, 2000.
The University of Warwick, Paper and Watermarks,
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/archive-research-old/lima/paper/
Peter Goldsborough, Gordon Donaldson ‘Formulary of old Scots Legal Documents’, Edinburgh, 1985 published by The Stair Society. Its like ‘hens teeth’ to find a copy to purchase but ‘WorldCat’ lists the libraries where it as available to view.
With not only a new year but a new decade on the doorstep many folks will be turning their thoughts to outlining goals and aims for their research in the coming months. Some will be considering taking a course to learn a new skill. For the researcher who is serious about digging into the past the one vital weapon to have in the armoury is the ability to read, transcribe and interpret old documents.
The ‘art’ of palaeography can open many doors to the past in all fields of historical enquiry not least that of family and local history research. Too often the interpretations and findings of reputable authors and scholars who have gone before are relied upon, but dig a little deeper and it often becomes apparent that evidence is based on the same old documents regurgitated time and again. Even worse are the opinions based on evidence extracted from a summary or abstract of a document’s contents rather than the document itself. This became glaringly apparent to me during the research phase of my Master’s dissertation – so much vital evidence had been overlooked as the document that formed the basis of my thesis had clearly not been read or analysed before.
It may seem daunting when first presented with a page of seemingly illegible scrawl, but do not be put off by it. You do not need any specialist skills, equipment or an intellect the size of a planet to be able to decipher old handwriting, just practice, a pencil, a magnifying glass and more often than not, a good deal of patience. There are or course a few simple rules:
Firstly, get to know your document – Familiarising yourself with the type of document you are transcribing will enable you to:
- Recognise the different hands and letters forms
- Recognise the different clauses and the language and phrases they are likely to contain. These can act as a key and enable you to focus on the sections most relevant to your research. Many formal documents were highly formulaic and contained set phrases – recognising these can be of huge benefit.
Different Hands and Letter Forms
Although English and Scots were the spoken word, the language of written documents before the advent of the early modern period at the beginning of 16th century was Latin. From this point forward English and Scots gradually crept into common usage in written records. Different hands (styles of writing) were used for specific purposes and those most likely to be encountered and prove the most problematic, date from the 16th, 17th & 18th centuries. They are:
The above is taken from ‘English Handwriting 1500 – 1700’ an online course provided by Cambridge University. https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/index.html. It is an image after Martin Billingsley, circa 1618.
- The easiest to read and easiest to teach
- Most commonly used in personal correspondence and by women
- Evolved into the hand we know today
- In early periods not usually found elsewhere but creeps into all manner of documents over time
- Beware the minims – i u v m n and sometimes w can be hard to determine
The above is taken from ‘English Handwriting 1500 – 1700’ an online course provided by Cambridge University. https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/index.html. It is an image after Martin Billingsley, circa 1618.
- Used for acts of law and often where a document was drafted by a Lawyer
- Deeds for the sale, purchase, and leases of land
- Apprentice indentures and marriage settlements
- Charters (Town or Burgh etc) and Commissions issued by Government
- Continued to be used in Acts of Parliament until 1836
- At first glance it looks horrendous, but actually letter forms varied very little and once it is familiar to you, it is relatively straightforward.
- Capital letters can be particularly tricky and again beware the minims!
The above is taken from ‘English Handwriting 1500 – 1700’ an online course provided by Cambridge University. https://www.english.cam.ac.uk. /ceres/ehoc/index.html An image after Jean de Beauchesne
- As the name implies it was used by clerks and scribes
- In its more cursive forms it was much faster to write (and often more difficult to read!)
- It appears in a wide variety of documents from government documents and accounts to personal correspondence
- The hand varied enormously in quality, style and letter forms
- It is the hand most commonly encountered by genealogists and local historians
A few basic transcription Hints & Tips
1. The document, whatever and whenever it may be, is ALWAYS your key!!!
It is important to remember that, then as now, people’s hands had their own personal style – but these were still based on standard letter forms and conventions which evolved over time. Start by writing out the words you DO recognise and build a ‘lexicon’ of different letter forms that appear in the document as you go. (You may also find it useful to number the lines on a COPY of the document so as not lose your place or inadvertently miss a line entirely – its easily done!)
Inventory of John Smith of West Rainton 1660 DPRI 1 1660 S4
The scribe here has an unusual flourish above the letter 'c' (highlighted). His lowercase 'g's are also unusual and a particular characteristic of his hand. You will inevitably encounter words that are no longer in common usage, such as 'prized' for appraised, 'kie' for cows and 'stagard' meaning either stackyard or a temporary roof capable of elevation, and designed to protect a stack or rick of hay or grain (here I think meaning the former). Compiling a glossary of unfamiliar words and phrases as you go can prove invaluable.
Extract from E 36_254, p 112 Horses given out after the Battle of Flodden in 1513
2. Secretary Hand – Common letter forms, variants and conventions
3. Common Contractions, Abbreviations and Suspensions
4. Numbers, Dates and Spellings
Although these do not usually cause too much difficulty there are a few points that are worth remembering.
Numbers
Numbers are almost always written in roman numerals in earlier documents and almost always in financial accounts. As these are easy to look up if not already familiar they are not covered in detail here.
One point that does sometimes catch folks out are the numbers 1 - 4. Whilst it is perfectly normal to expect them to appear as ‘ii’ iii’ ‘iv’ etc - in written documents the terminal digit ‘j’ is used - so ‘j’ = 1, ‘ij’ =2, iij =3 and instead of ‘iv’ for 4, it appears as ‘iiij’. In the same way 14 is ‘xiiij’, 23 ‘xxiij’ & 29 ‘xxviiij’ etc. Another point of note is the use of superscript xx to mean ‘score’ or twenty, so that iij xx is common for sixty i.e 3 x 20 = 60
One point that does sometimes catch folks out are the numbers 1 - 4. Whilst it is perfectly normal to expect them to appear as ‘ii’ iii’ ‘iv’ etc - in written documents the terminal digit ‘j’ is used - so ‘j’ = 1, ‘ij’ =2, iij =3 and instead of ‘iv’ for 4, it appears as ‘iiij’. In the same way 14 is ‘xiiij’, 23 ‘xxiij’ & 29 ‘xxviiij’ etc. Another point of note is the use of superscript xx to mean ‘score’ or twenty, so that iij xx is common for sixty i.e 3 x 20 = 60
Dates
Calendar years
In England until 1752 the new year began on Lady Day or 25th March, thus the 24th March 1750 was followed by 25th March 1751. In 1752 England and America finally caught up with the rest of the world and the new year was set where it is now as 1st January. (Eleven days were also wiped from the calendar in the same year - Wednesday 2nd September 1752 was followed by Thursday 14th September 1752).
In Scotland, however, the new calendar year was adopted by an act of Privy Council in 1599, so that in Scotland 31 December 1599 was followed by 1 January 1600 which conforms to modern convention.
In Scotland, however, the new calendar year was adopted by an act of Privy Council in 1599, so that in Scotland 31 December 1599 was followed by 1 January 1600 which conforms to modern convention.
Regnal Years
In the course of your forays into old documents it is likely that at some point you will encounter ‘Regnal Years’. These are measured in years from the date the Monarch ascended the throne. For Henry VIII his reign began on 22 April 1509, therefore the 5th year of his reign began on April 22 April 1513 and ended 21 April 1514.
'from the xij day Julye Ao Vto Re nunc' Henr viij (not shown) - Note the superscript ‘o’ from Latin ‘Anno’ and the ‘to’ above the V from the Latin ‘Quinto’ meaning fifth. This is also expressed as ‘th’. Reges nunc is Latin for ‘now King’. Extended it reads xij Julij A[nn]o Vto R[eg][es] nunc Henr[ey] Viii/ and translates as ‘12 July in the 5th year of the reign of Henry VIII now king’. This document was written in English but it is not uncommon to find many such documents ‘topped and tailed’ in Latin.
C R Cheney (ed.), Handbook of Dates for Students of British History is extremely handy for the regnal years of Kings of England but no use for the Scottish Kings whatsoever. They can be found in Archibald H Dunbar, Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. The book is rare but a copy can be accessed online through archive.org at
https://archive.org/stream/scottishkingsrev00dunbuoft/scottishkingsrev00dunbuoft_djvu.txt
C R Cheney (ed.), Handbook of Dates for Students of British History is extremely handy for the regnal years of Kings of England but no use for the Scottish Kings whatsoever. They can be found in Archibald H Dunbar, Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. The book is rare but a copy can be accessed online through archive.org at
https://archive.org/stream/scottishkingsrev00dunbuoft/scottishkingsrev00dunbuoft_djvu.txt
Dates in Latin
It was also quite common for the dates in documents written in both English and Scots to appear in Latin e.g. 24 May 1567 would be ‘vicesimo quarto die Maij mvclxvij’
Also be aware of abbreviations for months ending ‘ber’ - so September to December. ‘9ber’ is taken from the Latin for nine or ‘novem’ and relates to November not September as the 9th month! Fortunately this little quirk is rare and more common in Scots than English
Also be aware of abbreviations for months ending ‘ber’ - so September to December. ‘9ber’ is taken from the Latin for nine or ‘novem’ and relates to November not September as the 9th month! Fortunately this little quirk is rare and more common in Scots than English
Scottish ‘jaj’ Dates
If transcribing Scottish documents this is one form of dating you will encounter a lot! It is much easier to think of it as what it actually is – a corrupt form of 1m or 1,000 with year numbers added with a ‘C’ at end so the year 1600 would be written jajvj C. (the jaj = 1,000 the vj C 600) or 1652 as ‘jajvj C & lij’ – note the ‘&’ after the C.
Spellings
It is helpful to remember there was no such thing as a dictionary of ‘all words’ much before the definitive work of Dr Johnson in 1755. Spelling was largely phonetic, and words were written as they were spoken which means a great deal of regional variation occurred. You may find it helpful to say the word out loud in your best attempt at a regional accent. Nonetheless, it is particularly important to check words in your transcription which make no sense at all - as this probably means that your solution will be wrong and you should think again! It may be that just one or two letters have been mis-transcribed even though the word is misspelled according to modern convention! As rule of thumb if it does not appear in dictionaries of old words it was not a word at all. Although the Oxford English Dictionary Online requires a subscription it is an invaluable aid to transcribers.
Scots had its own peculiarities – most commonly ‘sch’ for sh and ‘quh’ for wh. In addition ‘and’ was the usual Scots termination for verb forms now ending in –ing – e.g. ‘teland’ for tilling (as in land). Words ending ‘ed’ were often replaced by –it, –yt or –at – e.g. ‘clothit’ for clothed. An ‘is’ at the end of a word indicates a plural e.g. ‘debtis’ for debts. Often if preceded by an adjective this too will be in the plural e.g. ‘the saidis debtis’ meaning ‘the said debts’ etc.
Punctuation
Punctuation was virtually non-existent in the form we know it today, which can make the interpretation of documents tricky too. Again reading out load may well help you make sense of what has been written and help you spot any inadvertent omissions!
Conclusion
Clearly it is impossible to cover every aspect of palaeography in one short blog, but I hope the brief overview and hints and tips above have inspired you to have go at tackling some older documents. If you are still feeling unsure of how and where to get started, keep an eye open for opportunities to learn through practical projects run by local archives or history societies. Alternatively, I shall again be running two workshops at Family Tree Live the 17th and 18th April 2020 at Alexandra Palace. The workshops are included in the price of admission to the show but must be reserved in advance. Workshop places and admission tickets can be booked online at the same time you purchase a ticket at
https://www.family-tree.co.uk/information/family-tree-live-workshops
If you would prefer some ‘one to one’ personal tuition, perhaps using documents that relate to your own personal research project then please do get in touch. Then again, if you would like to me transcribe the documents for you I would be delighted to do so too!
https://www.family-tree.co.uk/information/family-tree-live-workshops
If you would prefer some ‘one to one’ personal tuition, perhaps using documents that relate to your own personal research project then please do get in touch. Then again, if you would like to me transcribe the documents for you I would be delighted to do so too!
Useful Resources for Transcription
Online Dictionaries
Dictionary of Scots Language http://www.dsl.ac.uk/
Oxford English Dictionary http://www.oed.com/ (requires a Subscription or is available for free through many public libraries)
Latin Dictionary https://www.latinitium.com/latin-dictionaries This brilliant new site also has the benefit of English to Latin
Books
Hilary Marshall ‘Palaeography for Family and Local Historians’ Philmore, 2010.
Bruce Durie ‘Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History’, Stroud, 2013
For Scots
Grant G Simpson ‘Scottish Handwriting 1150 – 1650’ Edinburgh, 1998.
Websites
Pit your palaeography skills against the ducking stool with The National Archives
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/
Some further guidance and practice available at
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/researchguidance/medievaldocuments/introduction.aspx
An online course in conjunction with Cambridge University https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/
Online Dictionaries
Dictionary of Scots Language http://www.dsl.ac.uk/
Oxford English Dictionary http://www.oed.com/ (requires a Subscription or is available for free through many public libraries)
Latin Dictionary https://www.latinitium.com/latin-dictionaries This brilliant new site also has the benefit of English to Latin
Books
Hilary Marshall ‘Palaeography for Family and Local Historians’ Philmore, 2010.
Bruce Durie ‘Understanding Documents for Genealogy & Local History’, Stroud, 2013
For Scots
Grant G Simpson ‘Scottish Handwriting 1150 – 1650’ Edinburgh, 1998.
Websites
Pit your palaeography skills against the ducking stool with The National Archives
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/
Some further guidance and practice available at
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/researchguidance/medievaldocuments/introduction.aspx
An online course in conjunction with Cambridge University https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/
The Strickland Family of Yarm - Records of Chemists, Druggists & Pharmacists for the Family Historian
From the Sketch Book of Mary Ogilvy Davison. No doubt all manner of ailments and 'beasties' found their way into the Chemist & Druggist's shop!
It can be the smallest thing that sparks a thought (or indeed evokes a memory) and so it was that whilst chatting to my brother the idea came to mind for the topic of this month’s blog. Middleton St George near Darlington cropped up in our conversation to which I mentioned we had relatives who had lived there in times past. ‘Who was that’ he asked. ‘The Middletons’ I said. ‘Never heard of them’ came the reply, as sure and certain as any direct admission could be that he has never read any of my blogs! If he had then perhaps he would have remembered the post of December 2014 and the four Middleton brothers of Strathmiglo who were all lost to war, and other connections that have cropped up in many others.
Not that I blame him - family history is not for everyone and very often the preoccupation with pedigrees rather than the lives of the people within them can be pretty dull, two dimensional and boring. Nevertheless, 'Every generation should produce at least one person who is prepared to preserve and enhance the [family] records' wrote Anthony Christopher Middleton of his inability to ‘identify or isolate’ one suitable candidate in the UK in a letter to Philip Aynsley-Smith dated 1992. Philip had been assisting Anthony with his history of the Middleton family, or as he referred to it his ‘Magnus Opus’, by drawing and building on research first assembled by his father George. In the current generation of Smith family and its broader connections I guess that ‘one person’ would be me.
As it is some time since I have ventured into ‘Middleton’ territory it is perhaps the time to revisit them and look at some other members of the family who, rather than be farmers, were ‘Chemists & Druggists’. It is also a good opportunity to share some of the interesting and freely accessible record sources that are available for folks with ancestors who followed a similar occupational path.
By the mid-1800s, the English chemist and druggist were well-established professionals, defined by their work in a wholesale and retail capacity, and catering to a population before, instead of, or in addition to, the intervention of a GP. Their services were wide ranging and competitive; they sold a variety of items, from toiletries and food to ointments and pills, and were appealing to a paying customer who (at least in the cities) had a choice of establishments to patronise. Despite this, many succeeded in making an excellent living, and had a high standing within their communities. Broadly, they functioned as a medical “first-port-of-call” for many different social classes.[1]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_patient_suffering_from_the_adverse_effects_of_strychnine_tr_Wellcome_L0034507.jpg
Background to the Middletons
Whilst the Middleton family pedigree stretches back well into the sixteenth century it was during the mid eighteenth century that they first ventured north from the area around Darlington to Norhamshire. The couple making the move circa 1756 was Jonathan Middleton baptised at Haughton-le-Skerne Dec 1726 and his wife Mary Hodgson the daughter of William and Jane Hodgson of Sellaby, Gainsford. For a time they farmed at Norham Mains but connections with home must have been maintained as not only were their children baptised at Haughton-le Skerne but the couple were buried there in 1799 and 1803 respectively. In her letters to GAS, Sarah Nicholson of Horncliffe (1842 – 1932), great granddaughter of Jonathan and Mary states that the Middleton family owned Denton but whether this is actually true has not been determined. It does make an interesting point of discussion, however, as the Culley brothers, the famous agriculturalists who likewise moved to Northumberland, also hailed from Denton. Matthew and George Culley born 1730 ad 1734 would have been contemporaries of Jonathan Middleton and undoubtedly known the family before taking the tenancy of Fenton near Wooler in 1767.[2]
The Middleton pedigree is a complicated network of interwoven relationships which is difficult to follow at times. The number of cousin marriages that occurred throughout the generations rivals and possibly even outstrips, that of the Nicholsons with whom along with other families they intermarried several times. For the purposes of this post these complex twists and turns will be kept to an absolute minimum, but I do have the information here should anyone be interested in learning more.
Jonathan Middleton and Mary Hodgson had 10 known children, of which their third son Hodgson married ‘the beautiful Phyllis’ daughter of George Smith of Horncliffe and Norham East Mains. Hodgson and Phyllis themselves had seven children, the youngest of which their daughter Phyllis married Robert Strickland, a schoolmaster at Middleton St George, at Darlington in 1841.
Robert and Phyllis had four sons, Robert b.1841, Oliver b.1844, Henry b.1846 and George Hodgson Strikland b. 1949. Robert the eldest died aged 11 in 1853. The three remaining brothers joined an emerging group of people, including a few of their cousins who became ‘Chemists and Druggists’. In 1871 the brothers are living together above the retail premises on the east side of the High Street in Yarm.
Copyright The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 4898; Folio: 56; Page: 4; GSU roll: 848008
Oliver and Henry are listed as Grocers and Chemists but youngest brother George is listed as a Pharmaceutical Chemist – a notable difference. Also living with them are two apprentices, two servants and another visiting chemist by the name of Sanderson. The ‘Chemist and Druggist’ was an occupation which truly emerged at the beginning of the 19th century in distinction to more the traditional Apothecary. Chemists and Druggists ‘dispensed compounded medicines made to published recipes and pre-packaged ‘patent’ medicines whose contents were secret… Chemist and druggists’ shops sprang up in cities and country towns. Some were scientifically competent, many were not’.[3] In addition to medicines they also sold a variety of other ‘useful’ items including poisons. The following evocative extract, written by Chris Chapman is taken from the Chemist and Druggist website by Chris Chapman who looks at the life of an apprentice in 1859.[4] (More on the website!)
t’s a typical store: large shelves are occupied by gleaming jars containing the ingredients of the druggist’s trade. Whale oil is nestled against containers filled with calomel and camphor, while jars hiding lavender, coriander seeds and balsam of Peru occupy the shelf above. The colour of each glass container hints at the contents: a ruddy cobalt hue suggests a syrup, while a mysterious green indicates a poison.
In a secluded counter, out of reach of patrons, is an ornate, sealed jar containing medicinal leeches, in case a patient needs bleeding.
The polished mahogany of the main shop is scrupulously clean from hours of attentive burnishing and all available surfaces are occupied by items for sale. Lemonade, marking ink, tobacco and bullets – sold as ‘sporting ammunition’ – are displayed, while some items are tucked behind the counter for security. The air is thick with the rich smell of ingredients drifting from the dispensary; although patent medicines are sold, these are mostly for lower class customers who cannot afford the druggist to prepare their treatment himself. There is no National Health Service, and no such thing as a free prescription.
The first customers arrive and are greeted by a smartly dressed young man, hair slicked with pomade. It’s a typical day, so the druggist’s apprentice has been at work since 7am. He won’t finish until at least 10pm, when he’ll get his week’s wages – 20 shillings, about £75 in today’s money.
Retreating to the dispensary, the apprentice presents the first prescription to his master, who studies it intently. There is no formal way of writing a prescription, and patients are often defined as “Mr Smith’s wife” or “Italian baby” rather than by name.
The first request is written, as usual, in the spidery hand of the local physician: “Tincturae jalaep, 3ss.; Magnesiae sulpatis, 3ij.; Infusi sennae, 2/3 iss.; misce fiat haustus cras manae sumendus.” The prescription is for a laxative, and relatively simple to decipher – ingredients and instructions are always written in Latin. Laxatives, or ‘purgatives’, are some of the most popular remedies sold in the shop as everyone knows they must be taken regularly to regulate the bowels. That said, everyone also ‘knows’ that diseases are caused by the foul-smelling miasma, or ‘bad air’ (Louis Pasteur will not publish his germ theory for another two years).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_patient_suffering_adverse_effects_of_arsenic_treatment._Wellcome_L0034505.jpg
The apothecaries on the other hand had moved their focus away from retailing such medicines towards the treating of patients in the role of a general medical practitioner. During the mid 19th century a certain rivalry began to develop between apothecaries, the high street ‘chemist and druggists’ and the newly emerging pharmaceutical chemist which would lead to the establishment and regulation of distinct, yet complementary professions.
Between the 1815 Apothecaries Act and the 1858 Medical Act, the practice of medicine became regulated in Britain. Apothecaries became subject to rules regarding training, licensing, and practice. Chemists and druggists were excluded from this licensing, but defined as a distinct profession with their own jurisdiction. Towards the middle of the century, they began pushing for their own regulatory body in order to prevent charges of quackery, and reinforce their medical status. This culminated in the founding of the Pharmaceutical Society in 1841. Schools were then set up to teach pharmacy, and the Pharmacy Acts of 1852 and 1868 helped to regulate the sale of pharmaceuticals, and create uniform standards of training and examination. However, not all chemists and druggists educated themselves in this way, and many continued to learn the ropes via apprenticeship until late in the nineteenth century.[5]
The new legislation for Chemist Druggists and Pharmaceutical Chemists introduced both examinations and registration. These new regulations created a paper trail which may be extremely useful to the family historian and many of the records are freely available online.
1. ‘The Chemist and Druggist’ magazine has digitised its collection from the first edition in 1859 through to the discontinuation of the print edition in 2016 and is available through Archive.org.[6] It is a veritable cornucopia of advertisements, business listings as well as the latest ‘medical’ innovations. Only delve in here when you have a few hours to spare!
2. Several editions of ‘The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemists and Druggists’ are also available online through Archive.org. They list details as to the type and date of any examinations passed along with the number of their certificate.[7] The extract below shows George Hodgson Strickland in the 1885 edition
2. Several editions of ‘The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemists and Druggists’ are also available online through Archive.org. They list details as to the type and date of any examinations passed along with the number of their certificate.[7] The extract below shows George Hodgson Strickland in the 1885 edition
Extract from 'The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemists and Druggists' 1885
and John Holt from the 1919 edition of the Register
Extract from 'The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemists and Druggists' 1919.
The Strickland Family & the ‘Strickland & Holt’ Legacy
In June 1872 Oliver Strickland married his cousin Eliza Jane Waugh, the daughter of Margaret Middleton and Alexander Waugh, at York. The couple went on to have three children Phyllis, Robert and Isabella Waugh Strickland in 1874, 1875, and 1878 respectively. Oliver’s brother Henry Strickland married Hannah Margaret Hauxwell at Worsal Village in 1874. Henry died just a few months later and the couple’s only child, Henrietta Margaret was born posthumously on 8th January 1875. George Hodgson Middleton has not been located in either the 1891 or 1901 census, but in 1911 he was living at 29 Percy Street Middlesbrough where he died on 12th June 1913. He is listed as unmarried and a ‘smallware salesman’. To date nothing is known about his life after 1881.
At some point in time as yet undetermined, Oliver Strickland went into partnership with John Holt and the business became known as ‘Strickland & Holt’. Oliver died on 19th April 1884, it is ‘said’ from a bout of pneumonia he developed as result of rescuing livestock from the River Tees which had burst its banks. (Rather topical given the devastating floods experienced in parts of Yorkshire recently.) His wife Eliza and their daughters Phyllis and Isabella stayed on in Yarm and can be found living in the High Street in the 1891 census together with her widowed father-in-law Robert. Eliza was listed as a Grocer and Chemist so it would seem that she continued to be involved in the business for sometime after her husband's death. The official notification of the dissolution of the partnership appeared in the press in July 1896.
Photograph of the original shopfront by kind permission of 'Strickland & Holt', Yarm.
However, 'Strickland & Holt' is still operating today from the original premises in Yarm where it is now run by John Holt’s descendants. Their website notes that ‘Today, his [Oliver’s] descendants live in Canada, but the connections and friendship between the two families is kept alive through correspondence and occasional visits.’ They, along with many other families descended from Hodgson Middleton and Phyllis Smith live on today with a goodly dose of Smith and Middleton genes between them! Many are overseas, but there are the others who did not emigrate still living much closer to home.
[1] Centre for the History of Medicine, Boston. Apothecaries from the Eighteenth Century Onward: England.
https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/exhibits/show/apothecary-jars/eighteenth-century-england
[2] Rowe, D. J. 'The Culleys, Northumberland Farmers, 1767-1813.' The Agricultural History Review, vol. 19, no. 2, 1971, pp. 156–174.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/40273786?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents.
[3] Science Museum
http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/chemists
[4] Chemist and Druggist Website https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/content/day-life-victorian-pharmacist
[5] Centre for the History of Medicine, Boston. Apothecaries from the Eighteenth Century Onward: England. https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/exhibits/show/apothecary-jars/eighteenth-century-england
[6] Chemist and Druggist Magazine online
https://archive.org/details/chemistanddruggist
[7] The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemists and Druggists
https://archive.org/details/registersofpharm00pharuoft/page/n4
https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/exhibits/show/apothecary-jars/eighteenth-century-england
[2] Rowe, D. J. 'The Culleys, Northumberland Farmers, 1767-1813.' The Agricultural History Review, vol. 19, no. 2, 1971, pp. 156–174.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/40273786?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents.
[3] Science Museum
http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/chemists
[4] Chemist and Druggist Website https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/content/day-life-victorian-pharmacist
[5] Centre for the History of Medicine, Boston. Apothecaries from the Eighteenth Century Onward: England. https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/exhibits/show/apothecary-jars/eighteenth-century-england
[6] Chemist and Druggist Magazine online
https://archive.org/details/chemistanddruggist
[7] The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemist and Chemists and Druggists
https://archive.org/details/registersofpharm00pharuoft/page/n4
Are you are a McDougall (and all variant spellings!) with ancestors from the Border counties of Berwickshire, Roxburghshire or North Northumberland? If so, the chances are your research will have ground to halt in the mid-eighteenth century. If not, rightly or wrongly it is likely you have tapped into the pedigree of the McDougall families of Stodrig and Makerstoun and at some point along the way. But are you correct? Both myself and the McDougall Surname DNA Project are now on hand to help you discover more about your McDougall ancestors from the Borders than ever before.
 2nd Lieutenant ‘Jack’ McDougall 1911-1981 at enlistment in the uniform of the Canadian Black Watch. A documentary film maker in civilian life for Associated Screen News, Lieutenant Jack McDougall led the Canadian Film and Photo Unit (CFPU) in WW2. It is reported ‘they filmed 1.5-million feet of footage and over sixty thousand still photos’ which included the D-Day Landings on Juno Beach. He retired with the rank of Major. | As some of my readers will know, in the summer I became the voluntary co-administrator of the ‘McDougall Surname DNA Project’ and whilst the project aims to help descendants of McDougall families from throughout Scotland, there are a few testers within the project who are particularly interested in their heritage in the Scottish Borders – and rightly so say I – as the Borders occupies a unique space in Scottish history! There are over 10,000 group projects such as this hosted by Family Tree DNA and led by volunteers who are there to help and advise their members explore their ancestral heritage both within a traceable genealogical timeframe and beyond. Whilst most surname or clan projects focus on Y-DNA (fatherline) or mtDNA (motherline), many also accept members who have test their atDNA only, so it is always worth asking the question! All Group DNA projects are completely free, but to be eligible to join a project a tester must have a bone-fide interest in the project’s subject and aims which can be found on their homepage. In addition the tester must have either tested their DNA with Family Tree DNA or transferred in their results from another DNA testing company. Transferring results is easy to do and is also free of charge – if unsure how to go about this, drop me a line and I shall talk you through it. Even if you are not interested in joining a project, transferring your DNA results to FTDNA can often provide a whole new set of matches and is undoubtedly a worthwhile exercise! |
There are other benefits to joining FTDNA or a surname project too – a small fee of $19 unlocks the many additional tools such as a chromosome browser – an essential piece of kit for those serious about cousin matching. Membership of a project also usually attracts significant discounts against all types of future testing.
My interest in the project was sparked in March this year when I was contacted by Mike McDougall in California and his paternal aunt Marty. Mike was busy planning a trip to his ancestral homeland and wanted to ‘pick my brains’ for places to visit and information that would add context and colour to the extensive family tree that had been researched by his late Grandfather, John (Jack) Errol Malcolm McDougall back in the 1960’s. From the point of emigration in 1833, Jack’s research into his family history is some of the best I have ever seen, and Mike and Marty have very generously made it available for members of the McDougall surname project to consult.
Mike and Marty’s ancestor was John McDougall, who together with his wife Margaret Purves and four young children emigrated from the Scottish Borders to Quebec, Canada in 1833. John was born on 25th July 1805 to parents John McDougall senior and Janet Wilson at Donaldson’s Lodge in the Parish of Cornhill on the English side of the border. Sadly, Mike and Marty’s earliest known ancestor John McDougall senior had been aligned to a baptism in 1782 at Coldstream to parents Alexander McDougall and Isabel Foster. This was an easy mistake to make - right geographical area and right time frame - nor were they alone in arriving at this conclusion. This circumstantial evidence has been incorrectly replicated in many other family trees not just those associated with the family!
Three key pieces of information came to light very quickly during the research process that would prove beyond doubt that this connection was misplaced:
Image courtesy of Scotland's People, 1841 Census for Foulden Berwickshire, 741/1/5.
The 1841 Census, the death record for John McDougall senior and his monumental headstone in Foulden Churchyard all point to a birth year of 1771, some seven years before Alexander McDougall and Isabel Foster were married on 22 November 1778. So just who were John’s parents if not Alexander and Isabel?
Whilst living at Donaldson’s Lodge John and Janet baptised a total of 9 children at Coldstream:
- John McDougal: was born on 25th July and baptised at Coldstream 25th August 1805.[1]
- Isobel McDougal: was born on the 6th May and baptised at Coldstream on 7th June 1807.[2]
- William McDougal: was born on 13th February and baptised at Coldstream on 19th February 1809.[3]
- Robert McDougal: was born on 15th May and baptised at Coldstream 18th July 1811.[4]
- David & Isobel McDougal, Twins: were born on 9th February and baptised at Coldstream 8th March 1813.[5]
- James McDougal: was born 19th November and baptised 25th November 1816.[6]
- Elizabeth McDougal: was born 21st March and baptised at Coldstream on 5th April 1819.[7]
- George McDougal: was born 25th March and baptised at Coldstream on 21st April 1822.[8]
Typically for this region no marriage has yet been found for the couple, however, John’s occupation of labourer was a red alert to the possibility that there may have been other children and to date two have been found. The earliest baptism to be identified was for a son named James McDougall baptised at Yetholm on 14th June 1800 where John was recorded as ‘Hind at Mindrum’ the second was for a William McDougall baptised at Sprouston on 1st May 1803 where father John was recorded as a ‘Hind at Pots Close’. Clearly these two boys and a sister Isobel had died young, as children born to the couple at later dates were given the same names. Although no death records survive for Sprouston beyond a couple of pages for 1633-37 and the headstone itself is long gone, a record of the memorial inscription remains which provides some vital information.
In memory of John McDougels son William who died 21.7.1804 aged 1 year 4 months, also his daughter Isabel who died 21.4.1808 aged 11 months, also his son James who died 27.3.1814 aged 14 years. Reverse: In memory of William M__ who died ?4.1805 aged 80 years.
Whilst further research produced several options for potential parents of John McDougall born in 1771, the registers and other available sources of information were unable to provide conclusive evidence. What has become clear in the course of the research is that whilst John McDougall’s occupation acted as a ‘red alert’, it may also have been a bit of a ‘red herring’.
By the mid 1820s John senior had sufficient capital to take the tenancy of the Mill at Foulden and establish himself as the Miller. Before he emigrated his son John was a clerk at the Gunsgreen Distillery and had sufficient capital not only to fund his family’s move to Canada, but to set himself up in business. Firstly as the keeper of a general store and ‘steamboat agent’, then becoming President of the ‘Three Rivers Gas Company’, acquiring several plots of land and being elected Mayor of Three Rivers in 1855 before purchasing the St Maurice and L’Islet Ironworks in 1862. His brothers also enjoyed a high degree of success, mostly as Millers or Merchant Millers in both Quebec and Ontario. They may have been workers and labourers in Scotland but in Canada they were very much the business owners and employers of men.
Advertisement in the Three Rivers Press. The 'General Store' remained in the family for at least two generations.
Families were large, with often upwards of 8 children. A record for Gordon parish suggests at least two families in the eighteenth century had families that were even larger still. One farmer had 15 children by one wife and another, a meal maker, had 20 children by two. It is worth remembering that under the Scottish Law of primogeniture, the eldest son inherited his father’s interests in freehold property or land (immoveable estate), therefore younger sons would need to find, and quite often fund, their own path. Whilst some remained in the immediate area, others often moved away to areas that afforded better opportunities.
To help track down his correct ancestral line Mike has tested both his autosomal and Y DNA. He also joined the McDougall surname project which has provided some interesting results. There is most definitely more than one McDougall line who have been resident in the Scottish Borders for some considerable time!
McDougall’s Flour and other connections with Coldstream
There is a distinct family line which is descended from James McDougall, believed to be eldest son of Alexander and Isobel of Coldstream. After a varied career as a Shoemaker, School Master then Pharmacist he invented self-raising agent and founded McDougall’s Flour. As their pedigree was drafted by the ‘College of Arms’ it is almost certainly the line of the McDougalls of Stodrig and thus is believed to be linked to the family who had owned the Makerstoun Estate from the mid-fourteenth century. Although this line is not a DNA match with Mike, theirs is also a fascinating story and like ‘sheep dip’ which was invented by George Wilson, a druggist in Coldstream in 1830 (a relative of Janet perhaps???) is another innovation linked with the Town albeit rather loosely.
Another McDougall family not yet connected to the project but also associated with Coldstream are the McDougalls who were saddlers and leather merchants. John S McDougall saddler appears on the Town Map of Coldstream in 1862 with premises on the High Street which was, until very recently Coldstream Post Office. Later the business moved from the High Street to the Market Square.
Image courtesy of Coldstream History Society, https://www.coldstreamhistorysociety.co.uk/gallery/buildings/
Other Border McDougall families.
A family descended from a William McDougall b. 1782 at Ednam left Roxburghshire for Dalkeith and subsequently emigrated to Ohio. Initial test results would indicate that this is potentially a close match to Mike but to date a connection on paper has not been found.
Aside from those known to have tested their DNA, another John McDougall born at Kelso, Roxburghshire in 1802 emigrated to Ontario in the 1850s - their family home is now open to the public. But perhaps most intriguing of all is yet another John McDougall born in Berwickshire circa 1826 who also emigrated to Quebec and who was the owner of the Caledonia Ironworks. To date researchers have been unable to determine if the two families of Iron Foundry fame, who were clearly in close contact, were in fact related.
Aside from those known to have tested their DNA, another John McDougall born at Kelso, Roxburghshire in 1802 emigrated to Ontario in the 1850s - their family home is now open to the public. But perhaps most intriguing of all is yet another John McDougall born in Berwickshire circa 1826 who also emigrated to Quebec and who was the owner of the Caledonia Ironworks. To date researchers have been unable to determine if the two families of Iron Foundry fame, who were clearly in close contact, were in fact related.
Of course there are also the families who did not stray at all such as the McDougal farmers of Gordon, who are still faming the same land as their ancestors some 300 years ago. The numerous memorials in the Churchyard at Gordon stand as testimony to the many generations of McDougals that went before.
Headstone of James McDougall of West Gordon and his wife Margaret McDougall. Just one of the many family memorial stones in Gordon Churchyard.
McDougalls in North Northumberland
Hopping over the Border to Cornhill in Northumberland, there is evidence of McDougall families living in close proximity to John and Janet McDougall whilst at Donaldson’s Lodge. A Robert McDougall recorded as a Husbandman at Melkington may well prove to be a relative of Mike – was John McDougall senior possibly working for a relative? – for an agricultural labourer to stay in one place for approximately 17 years is somewhat unusual. There was also a William McDougall a tailor and a James McDougal and his wife Jane Sutherland baptising children there at the same time as John and Janet.
Perhaps 21st century technology and the ability to trace family heritage through our genes will finally reveal if and how these families were connected, possibly many centuries ago. If you are related or descend from any of the families outlined above, or more importantly the many others that have NOT been mentioned, do please get in touch. There is a free Y-DNA test awaiting one potential tester who can prove their McDougall ancestry from either Berwickshire, Roxburghshire or indeed North Northumberland. Even if you would rather not test your DNA the information you hold may very well prove to be the key to unlocking these complex relationships, so please do contact us
My personal interest in where the McDougalls sit the region’s history has kicked in and I have been busy mapping the McDougalls of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire into family groups. A not inconsiderable task but hopefully not impossible! So just how many of them were there?
McDougall Families in Berwickshire
Note re Scottish Parish Registers
It is important to remember that for various reasons Scottish Parish Registers were also often incomplete - there may be valid reasons why you can't find your ancestor in the parish you expect.
“The parish minister or the session clerk usually assumed responsibility for maintaining the registers, but since there was no standard format employed, record keeping varied enormously from parish to parish and also from year to year. As a result, the information may be sparse, unreliable and difficult to read. The oldest register dates from 1553 (baptisms and banns from Errol, Perthshire), but although there was a requirement from 1552 that parishes record baptisms and marriages, many did not commence until much later, and some more remote areas only have registers from the early 19th century. Some registers have been lost or destroyed and the condition of the surviving 3500 is variable.”[1]
A detailed list of the Parish Registers and notes regarding their coverage can be downloaded as a PDF from the National Records of Scotland - do you use it! Also bear in mind that Baptisms and marriages outside of the Established Church of Scotland will not appear in the Parish Registers - double check records for non-conformists too.
“The parish minister or the session clerk usually assumed responsibility for maintaining the registers, but since there was no standard format employed, record keeping varied enormously from parish to parish and also from year to year. As a result, the information may be sparse, unreliable and difficult to read. The oldest register dates from 1553 (baptisms and banns from Errol, Perthshire), but although there was a requirement from 1552 that parishes record baptisms and marriages, many did not commence until much later, and some more remote areas only have registers from the early 19th century. Some registers have been lost or destroyed and the condition of the surviving 3500 is variable.”[1]
A detailed list of the Parish Registers and notes regarding their coverage can be downloaded as a PDF from the National Records of Scotland - do you use it! Also bear in mind that Baptisms and marriages outside of the Established Church of Scotland will not appear in the Parish Registers - double check records for non-conformists too.
McDougalls in the 1841 Census for Berwickshire
In the 1841 census for Berwickshire there were 138 Individuals living in 45 Households across 15 Parishes. 14 were living on their own or with other families as servants or otherwise.
Parish |
Number of Inhabitants & Households |
Ayton |
2 Individuals in 2 separate households, both aged women. |
Coldingham |
10 Individuals in 2 Households – 1 ‘Male Servant’ living apart from their family. |
Coldstream |
16 Individuals in 7 Households, 3 ‘Females Servants’ living apart. |
Duns |
4 Individuals in 1 Household. |
Eccles |
26 Individuals in 7 Households, 1 (Blacksmith) living apart. |
Foulden |
4 Individuals in 1 Household = The McDougalls of Trois Rivieres |
Gordon |
51 Individuals in 13 Households, 2 living separately. |
Hutton |
2 Individuals in 1 household, David McDougall a Miller and his wife. |
Lauder |
6 Individuals in 2 Households, 1 living apart |
Nenthorn |
10 Individuals in 2 Households |
Polwarth |
3 Individuals – A widow and 2 small children. |
There were four parishes with a single McDougall occupant; Channelkirk, Cranshaws, Hume and Ledgerwood.
Of the 76 females - 9 were born in Scotland but not in Berwickshire and 2 were born in England.
Of the 62 males – 4 were born in Scotland but not in Berwickshire and 4 were born in England.
Of the 76 females - 9 were born in Scotland but not in Berwickshire and 2 were born in England.
Of the 62 males – 4 were born in Scotland but not in Berwickshire and 4 were born in England.
McDougall Occupations in Berwickshire where stated
- 16 Agricultural Labourers
- 3 Farmers: 2 at Gordon, 1 at Lauder
- 3 Shoemakers
- 2 Millers: 1 at Hutton, 1 at Foulden (Trois Rivieres family)
- 1 Wright/Joiner
- 1 Saddler
- 1 Tailor
- 1 Hand Loom Weaver
McDougall Families in Roxburghshire
McDougalls families in the 1841 Census for Roxburghshire
In the 1841 census for Roxburghshire there were 94 Individuals living in 32 Households across 12 parishes. 13 were living on their own or with other families as servants or otherwise.
Parish |
Number of Inhabitants and Households |
Ancrum |
Value |
Eckford |
19 individuals in 5 households, 1 ‘Female Servant’ living apart from her family. |
Ednam |
4 individuals living in 1 Household. |
Kelso |
36 individuals living in 11 Households 3 living apart. |
Makerstoun |
4 individuals living in 1 Household. (The McDougall Brisbane family of Makerstoun House have not been included.) |
Melrose |
8 individuals living in 3 Households 2 living apart. |
Smailholme |
6 individuals living in 2 Households, 1 not born in County living separately |
Sprouston |
3 individuals living in 3 different households. |
There were four parishes in Roxburghshire with a single McDougall occupant: Jedburgh, Oxnam, St Boswells and Wilton.
Of the 50 Females 11 were born in Scotland but not in Roxburghshire and 1 was born in England
Of the 44 Males 4 were born in Scotland but not in Roxburghshire and the birth place of 1 was ‘Not Known’.
Of the 44 Males 4 were born in Scotland but not in Roxburghshire and the birth place of 1 was ‘Not Known’.
McDougall Occupations where stated
- 9 Agricultural Labourers
- 3 Farmers, 2 at Eckford, 1 at Ancrum
- 2 Shoemakers
- 5 Cabinet Makers inc 1 Turner & 1 Joiner
- 2 Saddlers
- 1 Surgeon (Melrose)
- 1 Tailor
- 1 Hand Loom Weaver
- 1 Pauper (Eckford)
The above are just a few of the facts and figures I have gleaned to date. There is a whole lot more including the outline trees illustrating the various family groups which have been researched to date. This research into the McDougall families of the Borders will also be made available to members of the McDougall DNA Surname Project, alongside that generously provided by Mike and Marty. If interested in the project or the free Y DNA test that is up for grabs, or have any information you think might be useful do please get in touch. We are here to help.
[1] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 733/ 30 90.
[2] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 733/ 30 103.
[3] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 111.
[4] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 129.
[5] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 132.
[6] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 149.
[7] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream, OPR 733/ 30 160.
[8] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream, OPR 733/ 40 13.
[10] Scotlands People https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/guides/church-registers
[2] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 733/ 30 103.
[3] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 111.
[4] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 129.
[5] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 132.
[6] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream OPR 73/ 30 149.
[7] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream, OPR 733/ 30 160.
[8] Scotland’s People, Baptisms, Coldstream, OPR 733/ 40 13.
[10] Scotlands People https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/guides/church-registers
