There was little welfare available before the 20th century, so people had to find work and that might have entailed moving.
Agricultural workers were usually hired at a hiring fair for 6 months, re-hiring by the same farmer could not be relied upon.
Workers might hear that a different farmer was a better employer or they might discover that the parish they lived in was an ungenerous provider of welfare so it made sense to move, if they could.
If you have ancestors in Berwick or North Northumberland, they may well have lived or worked in Scotland, too, most probably in the Scottish Borders, with Berwickshire and Roxburghshire being the most likely counties.
Borders Family History Society have a special offer on most of the 1841, 1851, 1861 Census Transcription booklets they sell but extremely limited stocks at the special offer reduced prices.
More details on their Publications Sales List.
Northumberland & Durham Family History Society are also advertising special offers on Northumberland and County Durham Census Indexes.
Celebrating 900 years of Berwick's history and cultural heritage.
Showing posts with label Roxburghshire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roxburghshire. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Saturday, 23 April 2016
Celebrate Shakespeare with Ancestry's Free Access to Parish and Probate Records Today
Ancestry.co.uk are offering free access to their parish and probate records today (Saturday 23 April) to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death.
The collection includes 39,000 records from Roxburghshire, Scotland and 6,500 records from Selkirkshire from the early 1500s to the mid- to late-1800s, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories) for Scotland, 1876-1936.
The collection includes 39,000 records from Roxburghshire, Scotland and 6,500 records from Selkirkshire from the early 1500s to the mid- to late-1800s, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories) for Scotland, 1876-1936.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Are you a Riddell and Interested in Your Family Tree ?
A lady in New Zealand named Gail Riddell and an apparently unrelated Jim Riddell in America are joint administrators for the Riddell/Riddle/Ridley/Ruddell DNA project with an American based firm called FamilyTree DNA. .
Gail's family were mostly from the Roxburghshire area but were also in Berwickshire and Lanarkshire (not to mention all through the Lothian area), depending on the lands they purchased/versus where their money was "made". Jim's forebears were from Lanarkshire in the late 16th Century and are thought to have left at the time of the Covenanters.
Gail wrote "I have many men from New Zealand, Australia, USA, one from South Africa and a few from UK who have been excited by what they have learned as a result of testing their Y-Chromosome. They have worked hard in order to raise sufficient funds for me to be able to offer totally free, a number of Y-37 tests for any man living in Northumberland, the Scottish Borders, Yorkshire or lowland Scotland who has this surname and who has a family tree of his paternal ancestry back to around 1800 or earlier.
The bottom line is to extend and "prove" our genealogy in a way that paper trails have been unable. By that, I mean if we go back into history, especially the 1600s (as an example) and look at the deaths, followed by pestilence, followed by famines and we soon begin to realise that not everyone who bears a particular surname is actually of that stock. I say this because many young women with wee ones to feed were made widows and frequently joined up with a "protector" who thus gave his name to those
wee ones.
For those who are anxious about DNA testing - the medical genes are not considered in the test that I am offering as a "freebie". The test itself needs just two separate cheek swabs. "
If you're a Riddle (whatever the spelling), and you've got a family tree on the paternal side back to 1800, and you would be willing to take the test, please contact Gail at the email address below.
If you want help building your family tree, there are still a few family history surgeries available (booking essential) on our Berwick 900 Family History Day on Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Gail's family were mostly from the Roxburghshire area but were also in Berwickshire and Lanarkshire (not to mention all through the Lothian area), depending on the lands they purchased/versus where their money was "made". Jim's forebears were from Lanarkshire in the late 16th Century and are thought to have left at the time of the Covenanters.
Gail wrote "I have many men from New Zealand, Australia, USA, one from South Africa and a few from UK who have been excited by what they have learned as a result of testing their Y-Chromosome. They have worked hard in order to raise sufficient funds for me to be able to offer totally free, a number of Y-37 tests for any man living in Northumberland, the Scottish Borders, Yorkshire or lowland Scotland who has this surname and who has a family tree of his paternal ancestry back to around 1800 or earlier.
The bottom line is to extend and "prove" our genealogy in a way that paper trails have been unable. By that, I mean if we go back into history, especially the 1600s (as an example) and look at the deaths, followed by pestilence, followed by famines and we soon begin to realise that not everyone who bears a particular surname is actually of that stock. I say this because many young women with wee ones to feed were made widows and frequently joined up with a "protector" who thus gave his name to those
wee ones.
For those who are anxious about DNA testing - the medical genes are not considered in the test that I am offering as a "freebie". The test itself needs just two separate cheek swabs. "
If you're a Riddle (whatever the spelling), and you've got a family tree on the paternal side back to 1800, and you would be willing to take the test, please contact Gail at the email address below.
Friday, 18 September 2015
A Turnbull Emigrant Family in USA
From Alan Turnbull, USA:
My great grandfather, William Turnbull, (born around 1813) emigrated in 1834, sailing from Berwick to Canada, accompanied by his wife, Ann Davy, of Wooler, and his slightly older brother, Thomas.
William is said to have been born in Yetholm, Roxburghshire, and in US census records he reports his birthplace as “Scotland”, while Thomas claimed Chillingham, England.
Both boys attended school together, perhaps in Chillingham, or somewhere nearby. Some of their school exercise books have survived, and doodles on the inside cover show several place names, Chillingham being the most prominent. I am trying to establish who the brothers’ parents were. The trio did not stay in Canada, but moved on, ending up in Illinois. William died in 1859.
I’m aware of one ship that sailed from Berwick to Quebec in 1834 -The Good Czar, but I have not found a passenger list.
About the Davy family of Wooler, I know quite a lot, but the Turnbulls have been elusive.
Are you related to this family ?
Do you know which ship, William sailed on ?
If you do, please tell us in the comments below.
My great grandfather, William Turnbull, (born around 1813) emigrated in 1834, sailing from Berwick to Canada, accompanied by his wife, Ann Davy, of Wooler, and his slightly older brother, Thomas.
William is said to have been born in Yetholm, Roxburghshire, and in US census records he reports his birthplace as “Scotland”, while Thomas claimed Chillingham, England.
Both boys attended school together, perhaps in Chillingham, or somewhere nearby. Some of their school exercise books have survived, and doodles on the inside cover show several place names, Chillingham being the most prominent. I am trying to establish who the brothers’ parents were. The trio did not stay in Canada, but moved on, ending up in Illinois. William died in 1859.
I’m aware of one ship that sailed from Berwick to Quebec in 1834 -The Good Czar, but I have not found a passenger list.
About the Davy family of Wooler, I know quite a lot, but the Turnbulls have been elusive.
Are you related to this family ?
Do you know which ship, William sailed on ?
If you do, please tell us in the comments below.
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