Scotlands Genealogy: May 2011

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

Scottish Clan and Family DNA Projects - G

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

Robinson Crusoe's Birthplace For Sale

The site of the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk upon whose story Daniel Defoe based his fictional character Robinson Crusoe is currently for sale.* Situated at 101 Main Street,Lower Largo,Fife the one bedroom ground floor flat is built upon the original house where Selkirk was born in 1676.
The early life of Selkirk or Selcraig is well documented in the kirk session records of Largo Parish. On 27 Aug 1695 he was charged with 'undecent carriage' in church but he 'did not comper having gone away to ye sea: this business is continued till his return'

Running off to sea on numerous occasions he ended up on the Cinque Ports a ship he felt unseaworthy.Asking to be put ashore his shipmates failed to join him and so for the next 4 years 4 months he lived alone on the island of Mas a Tierra in the Pacific.In 1966 it was officially renamed Robinson Crusoe Island. He was rescued and returned to Largo in 1717 but left again for London.Eventually he became a Lieutenant on the Royal Navy ship Weymouth and died of suspected fever 13 Dec 1721.He was buried at sea off the west coast of Africa.

Gravestone of Alex Selkirk's parents.Upper Largo Kirk. Surrounded with seashells

A fascinating account The Real Robinson Crusoe,written by Bruce Selcraig a descendant of Alex.Selkirk's brother appears in the Smithsonian magazine.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/crusoe.html?c=y&page=1
*Offers over £125,000

Saturday, 14 May 2011

Moffat's Royal Mail Martyrs

Many times I have driven south on the road from Edinburgh to Dumfries in all types of weather passing a large cairn at the watershed between the Tweed and Annan rivers. Here half a mile beyond the Devil's Beef Tub on 1 February 1831,two officers of the Royal Mail coach between Dumfries and Edinburgh perished in a snow storm. John Goodfellow the driver and James McGeorge,the guard had just changed their horses in Moffat before embarking on the steep pull out of the town. Already snowing heavily they became stuck so advised the male passengers to return to Moffat for a post chaise for the ladies.

Their strong sense of duty to deliver the mail prevailed,so they unharnessed the horses and plodded on into the drifting snow. They never made it. Their bodies were later found near a burn where the memorial cairn was erected in 1931. Their bodies were interred in Moffat kirkyard where two memorials were erected through public subscription.
So if speeding bye remember the efforts of Goodfellow and McGeorge

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

West Lothian History and Heritage Fair

This event is being held at Linlithgow Academy on Saturday 7 May at 10 am-4.30pm .Entry £2 children under 16 free. Range of stalls and guest speakers but talks must be prebooked,remaining
tickets available on the day.
Programme
10.00am: Stalls & displays open

10.00am - 12 noon: Family History Workshop, West Lothian Family History Society Free intro
ductory session

10.15am - 11.15am: professor John R Hume OBE, Chairman of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland: Churches of West Lothian.

11.30am - 12.30pm: Dr Fiona Watson, freelance historian, writer and broadcaster: Macbeth, a true story.

2.00pm - 3.00pm: Dr Lizanne Henderson, B.A., M.A. lecturer in History, University of Glasgow, Crichton Campus: Aspects of the Scottish Witch Hunt.

3.15pm - 4.15pm: Morrice McCrae MB, MSc, PHD, FRCPE Formerly Consultant Physician to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, now College Historian, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh: West Lothian: A Medical Legacy.