Week Four: SLOW DOON

12 John St. Dalbeattie, Scotland, Google Maps, 2015

Slow Doon

Week 4

"Slow doon on lost paths"

("Don't run if you don't know where you are going")

["Haud Yer Wheesht!" Your Scottish Granny's Favorite Sayings by Allan Morrison

Neil Wilson Publishing (May 31, 2011)]

"Where did my ancestors live in Dalbeattie, Scotland?" is an important part of my Scottish Do-over Project. Without Google Street View, I would just have a list of house numbers and street names with no real "picture" in my mind. This is something I never thought would work. I rationalized that so much time had passed, that any old address would be long gone. [Scotland Census Forms]

In the 1891 census, this row of "quarryman cottages", is where my great grandparents lived. You can see the numbers on the doors except for the white door where I placed the arrow. The next door is marked 13, so, this must be 12 John St. Dalbeattie. In the census records, there is a column for number of windows. Assuming this is for tax purpose, I see that in several records, my family may have occupied both 11 and 12 as family members became old and migrated to Dalbeattie. From this screen shot, you can see that is possible.

Being curious about what I am finding out in this project, I discovered a Web site (history section) and Facebook page created, called "Dalbeattie Matters".  It is for the present day community of Dalbeattie and is really interesting and much better that the first Web site, I found years ago whose Webmaster did not answer my queries. Now that old site still says 1999. I've learned to not use Web sites that are not updated.

I have now transcribed five birth, marriage and death records. In this case, the death record is the one I need. My great grandmother, Jane Hannah, wife of John Broadfoot, died at 12 John St. 

Wait (for the next post) so you see what they can see out the window....

Example of how I am transcribing records:

Jane Hannah Broadfoot  Statutory Death Record

Transcription of Death Record from original document obtained at Scotland's People, 2014

Citation of Record

Scotland. Kirkcudbrightshire Stewardry. Dalbeattie District. Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths. Digital images. Scotland, Scotlands People. http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : 2014

1. Dalbeattie District. Kirkcudbrightshire Stewardry. Register of Deaths, 1895: entry 19, Jane Hannah Broadfoot; digital image, Scotlands People. (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk : accessed  22 December 2014)

11. Dalbeattie District.  Kirkcudbrightshire Stewardry. Register of Deaths, 1895 entry 19. Jane Hannah Broadfoot.

Also: 1895 Broadfoot, Jane  (Statutory Deaths 864/00 019), page 7 line 19 date 2 April 1895