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Newsletter 16th March 2012

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  • Newsletter 16th March 2012

    CONTENTS
    --------
    Electric Scotland News
    Electric Canadian
    The Flag in the Wind
    The Working Life of Christina McKelvie MSP
    Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language
    Scottish Poets in America
    Calendar Of Documents Relating to Scotland
    Northern Notes and Queries
    Songs of Robert Burns
    The Bards of Bon Accord 1375 - 1860
    Between the Ochils and the Forth
    Biggar and the House of Fleming
    Lairds and Lands of Loch Tayside
    History of the Barrhead Co-operative Society Ltd. (New Book)
    Songs from John Henderson
    Clan Wallace
    Gillies Hill
    FamilyTreeDNA


    Electric Scotland News
    ----------------------
    Not a lot of news this week other than we think we have sorted the bandwidth problem but we're still monitoring it just in case. Our stats visitor numbers have shown a marked increase so that's a good indication that it's fixed.

    -----

    If you sent me an email asking me to change your email address and it didn't happen then please email me again. I have a gut feeling that I did indeed receive an email in but i have a funny feeling that I didn't make the change but now can't find the origional email.

    In the event you do want me to change your email address it would be helpgul is you stated in your email to me...

    Old Email address:
    New Email address:

    and that will make it easier for me to change it for you.

    -----

    We have moved out Scotcards program over to Electric Scotland but we forgot about the key codes which we need to authenticate it. Ours were obviously registered to scotcards.org so we need new key codes issued for ElectricScotland.com which we've now applied for.


    Electric Canadian
    -----------------
    Major Thomas Campbell CB throughout his 63 years was a well respected military officer, a politician and a developer of the Seigneury in the county of Rouville, Quebec and most of all a much loved husband and father.

    You can read about this person at http://www.electriccanadian.com/make...ell_thomas.htm


    ABOUT THE STORIES
    -----------------
    Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the link in our "What's New" section in our site menu and at http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm and also http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm


    THE FLAG IN THE WIND
    --------------------
    This weeks issue has been Compiled by Jim Lynch with his usual interesting range of article including a gaelic column and Scots language column. Also, to use his words, a bumper edition of the Synopsis this week.

    You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org


    The Working Life of Christina McKelvie MSP
    ------------------------------------------
    Christina has sent us in a diary entry for 15th March 2012 which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/120315.htm


    Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language
    ----------------------------------------------
    We've added more to this dictionary...

    Scottish Language Letter S

    You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...eson/index.htm


    Scottish Poets in America
    -------------------------
    With Biographical and Critical Notices by John D, Ross (1889)

    Now added...

    Taylor, Malcolm, Jr.

    This is a new entry for this week and can be found at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet.../chapter19.htm

    The other entries can be found at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...rica/index.htm


    Calendar Of Documents Relating to Scotland
    ------------------------------------------
    By Joseph Bain

    Our thanks to John Henderson for compiling this for us. This week we've added...

    Volume 4
    1407 to 1426

    I noted in this issue the tremendous numbers of safe passages being issued to Scots to both travel to England and from England.

    You can get to this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...bain/index.htm


    Northern Notes and Queries
    --------------------------
    Edited by Rev. R. W. Cornelious Hallen (1886)

    We now have up the next entry of this publication. "September Edition 1888", which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...hern/index.htm

    There is actually some excellent genealogy information in these issues. This current issue has good information on the family of Younger and also Nicolson. Well worth a read!


    Songs of Robert Burns
    ---------------------
    We added "Miscellaneous" to this book.

    You can get to this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/burns/songs/index.htm


    The Bards of Bon Accord 1375 - 1860
    -----------------------------------
    By William Walker

    Added the chapter on "The Jacobite Movement and the Poetry or the 1715".

    You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...cord/index.htm


    Between the Ochils and the Forth
    --------------------------------
    We now have up the entire "Vale of the Devon" section which now completes this book.

    You can read the chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...hils/index.htm


    Biggar and the House of Fleming
    -------------------------------
    An Account of the Biggar District, Archaeological, Historical and Biographical by William Hunter (1862)

    We have now added...

    Chapter X.
    The Presbytery of Biggar
    Chapter XI
    The Covenanters of the Biggar District
    Chapter XII
    The North and Sooth United Presbyterian Churches
    Chapter XIII
    Biggar Schools and Libraries

    Chapter X starts...

    THE Presbytery of Lanark was originally composed of twenty-one parishes. About the year 1640 an agitation was set on foot to constitute a new Presbytery, the seat of which should be at Biggar, and which should consist of eight parishes in the Upper Ward connected with the Presbytery of Lanark, and four in Tweeddale connected with the Presbytery of Peebles.

    At the General Assembly in 1641, John Lord Fleming, who was the representative elder for Biggar parish, presented a petition in favour of this scheme, which was referred to the visitation of the bounds. The agitation was still kept up; and at the General Assembly which met at Edinburgh in August 1643 the subject was amply discussed; and after due trial, and the hearing of all parties, it was resolved to erect the new Presbytery, and to grant to it full power of jurisdiction, the exercise of discipline, and all the liberties and privileges belonging to any other Presbytery.

    At the same time, it was agreed that the formal establishment, or, as it was called, the entry and possession, of the new Presbytery, should be suspended during the pleasure of the General Assembly. Principal Baillie says that this was done 'because of my Lord Fleming’s small affection to the common cause.’ The meaning of this most likely is, that by this time his Lordship had deserted the cause of Presbytery, and gone over to the side of the King and Episcopacy.

    The ministers and elders of the parishes embraced in the new Presbytery presented a petition to the General Assembly which met at Edinburgh in June 1644, craving that the reverend court should without further delay constitute the Presbytery. This supplicatioun being read in audience of the General Assembly, and thereafter the Commissioners from the Presbyteries of Lanark and Peebles personally present being at length heard, in what they could say or allege therein ; And the said supplicatioun and desire thereof with the alledgiances and objections made against the samine being taken into consideration by the Assembly, and they therewith being fully and ripely advised, the Assembly, after removing of the parties, and after consideration of the premisses and voycing of the foresaid desire, Ordaines the entrie and possessione of the foresaid Presbyterie of Biggar, consisting of the particular kirks above mentioned, to begin now presently; And appoints and ordaines all the ministers and ruling elders of the forsaid kirks above specified, whereof the said Presbytery consists, to meet and convene with all conveniencie at the said Kirk of Biggar, which is the place and seat of the samine Presbyterie; And the Assembly refers to the Commissioners, to be appointed by them for the public affairs of the Kirk, to determine to what Synod this the said new erected Presbyterie shall be subordinate, as also to prescribe the order and solemnities that shall be necessar for entering and possessing the ministers and elders in the said Presbyterie.’

    You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter10.htm

    The other chapters can be readt at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ggar/index.htm


    Lairds and Lands of Loch Tayside
    --------------------------------
    By John Christie (1892)

    This week we've added...

    Easter Kenknock
    Killin
    Craignavie
    Lix
    Macnab Lands
    Auchmore
    Cloichran
    Ardeonaig

    Here is how the account starts for MacNab Lands...

    TO the east of Lix lies a portion of the old patrimony of the Macnabs, of Macnab.

    It is now over seventy years since Archibald Macnab, the last undoubted chief and laird of that Ilk, quitted Glendochart, with a number of his clan, to seek his fortune in another land. His inheritance consisted mostly of his uncle’s debts; and having been offered a considerable tract of country in Canada, on condition of his peopling it within a given period, he was induced to sever his connection with the glen where his ancestors had held sway for so many generations.

    His predecessor, Francis Macnab, the well-known laird, had impoverished the estates beyond hope of recovery. A list of his debts made up in 1812, four years previous to his death, shewed his liabilities at nearly thirty-five thousand pounds—an enormous sum considering the times. There was scarcely a farmer on Loch Tayside to whom he was not indebted, and one of his largest creditors was John, fourth Earl of Breadalbane. He died on 25th May, 1816, in his 82nd year.

    You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter14.htm

    You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...side/index.htm


    History of the Barrhead Co-operative Society Ltd.
    -------------------------------------------------
    A Record of its Struggles, Progress, and Success from its Inception in 1861 until the Year of its Jubilee, 1911 by Robert Murray, J.P.

    A new book we're starting and here is the Preface to set the scene...

    THE writing of a preface provides an author with a convenient opportunity to do several things which he regards as more or less important. It enables him to explain the plan he has adopted in the pages that are to follow; to apologise for shortcomings that he, probably more than any other, is conscious of; and to acknowledge his indebtedness to friends who have helped him with information or with words of encouragement and counsel. Under the first of these heads a few words seem necessary. In preparing this' historical sketch of the formation and development of Barrhead Co-operative Society the writer has kept steadily in view the purely local character of his commission. There was frequent temptation—particularly in the earlier chapters to widen the scope of the work into a consideration of industrial history in the century preceding the birth of Co-operation, and of the industrial conditions amid which the new movement was born. It would have been easy, and in some respects simpler, to have dipped into the wider Co-operative movement, and to have shown how great was the army in which Barrhead Society was a marching unit. But this temptation was successfully resisted, and there has been strict attention to the local propaganda and the local men, with no reference to the larger issues unless where such seemed essential.

    An effort has been made to present a clear and fairly definite picture of the Barrhead in which our fathers lived, and of the social conditions under which they did their pioneer work for Co-operation. The aim has been to record all the important steps of the Society’s development, and regret may be expressed that the need for keeping the book within reasonable limits has necessitated the exclusion of material for which the writer would fain have found space. As far as possible, every incident narrated and every fact asserted has been verified ; and the determination to use only what was unmistakable has caused the omission of not a few items that would have proved interesting, but the authenticity of which appeared to be doubtful.

    The task has been no light one, for it involved a great deal of burrowing amongst old records, and it entailed much interviewing of the yet remaining actors in the historical pageant which was to be depicted. It meant also the gathering together of a mass of material far beyond actual requirements, so that the most important and most interesting portions might be selected. Against this, however, is to be set down the fact that the work was of a congenial character, and brought with it a pleasure of a very deep kind. In particular, there has been a real and heartfelt satisfaction in being permitted to preserve, even in a fragmentary way, the memories of the able and devoted band of workers whose efforts created and sustained the young society.

    Apologies sometimes savour of the hypocritical; and, to avoid falling into this error, we will make no excuses beyond remarking that, whatever faults the critic may point to, will not, at anyrate, spring from carelessness or want of desire to present the story of our Society in a reliable and interesting fashion. It will he with the readers of the book to determine in how far the written record is worthy of the subject.

    In the matter of thanks it is impossible to indicate all those who deserve to be named. To Mr William Maxwell we are indebted for information and for a perusal of Mr M'Innes’s journal, the first Scottish Co-operator. Thanks are also due to Mr Mallace, of St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh; to Mr A. B. Weir, for assistance and advice; to Mr James Maxton, M.A., who kindly undertook the correction of the proofs; to Mr Thomas Dykes, to whom I am indebted for valuable assistance in the compilation of statistics; and, last, but not least, to the members of the Jubilee Committee, for their initial confidence in placing the task in the writer’s hands, and for their continued encouragement and kindness during the progress of the work.

    R. M.
    May 1911.

    You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/business/coop/index.htm


    Songs from John Henderson
    -------------------------
    We got in more songs from John, "Gweed's Ain Kwintry", "Joostice (Justice)" and "Uncle Bert And Uncle Fred" which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htm


    Clan Wallace
    ------------
    Got in a copy of the Spring 2012 newsletter which actually has quite a bit of information on Canada. You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/fami...lace/index.htm


    Gillies Hill
    ------------
    Got in this interesting account of a fight to prevent this hill being turned into a quarry. It's just next door to Bannockburn and Robert the bruce and his men stayed here the night before the Battle of Bannockburn. You can read this account at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...re/gillies.htm


    FamilyTreeDNA
    -------------
    This company is the top DNA organisation for Scottish clans and families. They have made an interesting announcement which I thought I'd copy here...

    As you may have seen in the news, a very important and exciting development for our community has recently taken place. Family Tree DNA has teamed up with MyHeritage to integrate our DNA tests to their international customer base of 62 million users. This represents an additional step by Family Tree DNA in expanding into new markets for the benefit of our more than 6,000 Surname and Geographic Projects.

    Equally important as this development, the door now opens for our community to make use of the MyHeritage World Vital Records collection at a significantly reduced price. The following is included in this excellent family history resource:

    - More than 4 billion historical names
    - Half a billion exclusive family tree profiles
    - Birth, marriage, death and census records
    - Millions of newspapers dating back to 1739
    - Millions of tombstone photos
    - Hundreds of exclusive online databases
    - Millions more records added each month

    All of the above features for an unlimited one year access are now available in a special offering to Family Tree DNA customers and friends at the special price of $69.95. This represents a savings of 53% over the regular price. Plus, you will receive two additional months for free. This offer is only available until March 24, 2012.

    Together, Family Tree DNA and MyHeritage represent the most advanced combination of genealogical research tools available in the market.

    Take advantage of this offer or learn more at https://worldvitalrecords.com/checko...lytreedna.aspx


    And finally...

    Personal hygiene left much room for improvement.. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt . .. . Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'


    And that's all for now and hope you all have a great weekend.

    Alastair
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