On the evening of Thursday 13 November 1930 Robert Rae, my 11 year old first cousin (3 times removed), was playing with some friends in a local contractor's yard. What happened next was quite horrific as this newspaper report shows. Reading the report, the story doesn't quite ring true. An eleven year old boy worried … Continue reading “Unusual Occurrence” – Robert Rae 1919-1977
Stories From the Poorhouse (Part 5) – The Keenan Orphans
In the 19th century for the poor life could change in an instant. Families who were managing fairly well to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies could, in an instant, find themselves at the mercy of the parish. An illness, injury or other change of circumstances could leave a family … Continue reading Stories From the Poorhouse (Part 5) – The Keenan Orphans
Grace Russell 1922-1926
There are some family members that I have discovered quite by chance. Looking through cemetery records, for example, I have stumbled on names I had never seen before. Searching the newspapers is another way to find people and stories I would otherwise miss. Grace Russell is one such person. I found her searching the name … Continue reading Grace Russell 1922-1926
Clayton Rennie Calderhead 1874-1882 & David Dalziel 1874-1875
Clayton Rennie Calderhead was the eldest son of my great great grandparents, James Calderhead and Margaret Dalziel. His mother was just 17 years old when he was born. In fact, she and her mother were both pregnant at the same time. Mary Allen Lockie and her husband, David Dalziel already had nine children when in … Continue reading Clayton Rennie Calderhead 1874-1882 & David Dalziel 1874-1875
Some Scottish Hospitality
In 1926 my maternal grandfather's sister Sarah left Scotland for a new life in Canada. She set sail from Greenock in July 1926 on the White Star Line ship "Doric". She had married Matthew Sanford in Newmains in 1916. The couple had four children. Times were hard in Scotland after the Great War and there … Continue reading Some Scottish Hospitality
Raise A Glass To Patrick Keenan
My great great grandfather Patrick Keenan was born in Clonallon, County Down in 1833. I know that he came to Scotland where he married Agnes Haughey in 1856. The couple had ten children. While I’ve found a lot of information from various records I don’t think any of them could give me more of an … Continue reading Raise A Glass To Patrick Keenan
Shaking The Branches 