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As mentioned in a previous post, for many years Kirk Sessions had responsibility for maintaining the poor of their parish. As well as administering financial support – often referred to as outdoor relief, in the sense of providing support outwith a poorhouse – some sessions also maintained records of visitations. These involved representatives of the Kirk Session periodically visiting the poor of the parish. Not many of these records survive, but where they do, they can be extremely interesting.
One parish where they do survive is Scone, in Perthshire. Included at the end of the Parochial Board letter book are a series of Notes on visits to the poor. There are 93 entries, so we thought we'd index them.
One entry – or rather series of entries – in particular, caught our attention. The entries start in 1846:
Isabella Whitelaw’s children, Lethendy Moar
Isabella Whitelaw had been arrested and brought before the Police Court, as reported on 23 April 1846 in the Northern Warder and General Advertiser for the Counties of Fife, Perth and Forfar:
Janet Gall or Cochrane, and Isabella Whitelaw, charged with several separate acts of theft some of which were committed beyond the bounds of Police, were handed over to the Sheriff.
Her conviction was reported a few months later:
Sheriff Court
All seemingly goes quiet for the Whitelaw children for a couple of years, but then we find some more entries in the poor visitations:
Isabella Whitelaw’s two children
This time, Isabella’s conviction is reported in the Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin Review
Isabella Whitelaw, Perth, accused of theft – aggravated by previous convictions, was sentenced to seven years’ transportation.
The National Records of Scotland’s 19th century solemn database adds a few more details: that Isabella also went by the name of Helen Panton, that her address was c/o Robert Mills, cadger, Coupar Angus, Perthshire, that she could not write.
We next hear of Isabella as she is transported to Tasmania on board the Aurora, on 22 April 1851. Her arrival in Tasmania is recorded in the Register of Convicts, on 10 August 1851. She is described as a Country Servant, 5 feet 4 inches, age 31, with a ruddy complexion, dark brown hair, brown eyebrows, hazel eyes, and medium facial features. She was a wart on her left arm at the bleeding place. Her conduct record suggests she wasn’t entirely a reformed character. She was charged for being drunk on October 25 1852. On November 2nd, she was sentenced to 6 months hard labour for being absent without leave. On December 3rd 1852 she was “delivered of an illegitimate child (Mary) at the Cascade Factory”. On 2 October 1854 she was sentenced to 12 months hard labour for absconding. 11 August 1855 saw her being sentenced to 3 months hard labour for being drunk on her master’s premises. A few months later, on 5 November, she was sentenced to another 12 months hard labour for absconding when on a pass. Once more, on 29 June 1857, she was sentenced to one month’s hard labour for being out after hours and absconding. Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Isabella was granted permission to marry Michael McDermott on 14 December 1852. We have not however been able to find a record of them actually marrying. Things however do appear to have eventually improved for Isabella, as she was again granted permission to marry on 2 December 1856, to William Way, a freeman. They were married at the All Saints Schoolroom on 23 December 1856. William was a cabinetmaker. We have not found any more records of Isabella Whitelaw, and do not know if she ever returned to Scotland or saw her children again. Isabella Whitelaw's story is an interesting illustration of how one record can lead to another, and can end up telling a fascinating story.
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Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 25 April - 1 May 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. Monday, April 25 2016, 7.30 pm Planned villages in Perthshire and Angus Dr Douglas Lockhart (SLHF) Venue: Chapelhill Hall West Stormont Historical Society Non-members: adults £3, concessions £2. (Open discussion meetings at Luncarty are free) Monday, April 25 2016, 7.30 pm TBC David Smith, Archivist, William Patrick Library Venue: Caldwell Halls, 16 Campsie Road, Torrance, G64 4BN Torrance Heritage and History Group Wednesday, April 27 2016, 7.30 pm The Home Front in World War I: its impact on Local Communities Ken Nisbet Venue: Highland Archive Centre, Bught Park, Inverness Highland Family History Society Thursday, April 28 2016, 7.30 pm Scottish Silver and Jewellery Gordon Foster Venue: Smith Museum and Art Gallery Stirling Local History Society Preceded by AGM Thursday, April 28 2016, 7.30 pm Stories from the Courts Brian Adair Venue: Glen Halls, Neilston Barrhead & Neilston Historical Association Thursday, April 28 2016, 7.45 pm Members' night and AGM
Venue: Drymen Village Hall, Main Street, Drymen, Glasgow, G63 0BP Drymen & District Local History Society Short talks by members of the Society with wine and cheese followed by our short AGM. Thursday, April 28 2016, 8 pm Life of Florence Nightingale Barbara Graham Venue: Chapel Hall, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, 2 Crummock Street, Beith, Ayrshire Beith Historical Society Followed by AGM
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 11 - 17 April 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. Monday, April 11 2016, 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm Celts: art and identity Dr Fraser Hunter, National Museums Scotland Venue: Auditorium, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street Society of Antiquaries of Scotland The idea of Celts is a potent, popular and enormously varied one, applied to many different types of evidence in different contexts. Coinciding with a major exhibition on Celts at the National Museum of Scotland, this talk will consider the many different things which get called Celtic art. It will consider what these different “Celtic arts” say about connections and differences across Europe, and consider the role of decoration in making powerful objects and creating powerful ideas. Monday, April 11 2016, 7 pm for 7.30 pm The National Library of Scotland: a Treasure Trove Veronica Denholm and Jennifer Giles Venue: Royal British Legion Social Club, 33 Rodney Street, Edinburgh Monday, April 11 2016, 7.30 pm The Land Girls Ruth Boreham Venue: Dalkeith Baptist Church, North Wynd, Dalkeith Monday, April 11 2016, 7.30 pm AGM and Members' Night
Venue: St Andrews Church, Park Road, Milngavie Milngavie and Bearsden Historical Society Monday, April 11 2016, 7.30 pm Open Evening
Venue: Luncarty Church Centre West Stormont Historical Society Non-members: adults £3, concessions £2. (Open discussion meetings at Luncarty are free) Tuesday, April 12 2016, 7.30 pm Medieval Pestilence, Plague and Climate Change Prof Richard Oram, Stirling University Venue: Dining Hall, Dollar Academy Tuesday, April 12 2016, 7.30 pm His Own Family Tree Iain Abernethy Venue: Public Library, Airds Crossing, Fort William Lochaber and North Argyll Family History Group Tuesday, April 12 2016, 7.30 pm Wemyss School of Needlework Fiona Wemyss Venue: Volunteer House (Vonef Centre) in 69 Crossgate Cupar KY15 5AS Tuesday, April 12 2016, 7.30 pm Edith Cavell Barbara Graham Venue: Largs Library Community Room Largs and North Ayrshire Family History Society Tuesday, April 12 2016, 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm Celts: art and identity Dr Fraser Hunter, National Museums Scotland Venue: Regent Building Lecture Theatre, Regent Walk, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX Society of Antiquaries of Scotland The idea of Celts is a potent, popular and enormously varied one, applied to many different types of evidence in different contexts. Coinciding with a major exhibition on Celts at the National Museum of Scotland, this talk will consider the many different things which get called Celtic art. It will consider what these different “Celtic arts” say about connections and differences across Europe, and consider the role of decoration in making powerful objects and creating powerful ideas. Tuesday, April 12 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm Birdie Bowers Drew McKenzie Venue: Masonic Halls, Collier Street, Johnstone Wednesday, April 13 2016, 6.30 pm The Mason's Mark Project
Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee Wednesday, April 13 2016, 7.30 pm The Skylark IX Recovery Trust Anne Dyer Venue: Concord Community Centre (next to the Denny Theatre), Dumbarton, G82 1LJ Preceded by AGM. The Trust was formed in 2013 and is named for the historic little ship Skylark IX which rescued over 600 men from the beaches of Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo in WWII. Wednesday, April 13 2016, 7.30 pm GRO and minor records Ian Ferguson Venue: Smith Museum and Art Gallery, Dumbarton Road, Stirling Central Scotland Family History Society Thursday, April 14 2016 Early days of Discovery of Tourism in Scotland Alastair Durie Elie & Earlsferry History Society Alastair Durie talks on the start of the Discovery of Scotland as a tourist destination Thursday, April 14 2016, 7.30 pm Renfrewshire Surveyors and Estate Plans in the 18th Century John Moore Venue: The Shawl Gallery, Paisley Museum, High Street, Paisley Renfrewshire Local History Forum Speaker is subject librarian at the University of Glasgow Thursday, April 14 2016, 7.30 pm Social Evening
Venue: Loudoun Hall, Ayr Ayrshire Archaeological and Natural History Society With four short talks by members of the AANHS Thursday, April 14 2016, 7.30 pm The Churches of Musselburgh Alison Butler Venue: St Peter's Church Hall, High Street, Musselburgh Musselburgh Conservation Society Thursday, April 14 2016, 7.30 pm Field Marshal Haig, a Personal View Hon Philip Astor Venue: MacRobert Hall, The Square, Tarland Field Marshall Douglas Haig, Ist. Earl Haig, has become one of the most controversial figures of the First World War, his leadership both heavily criticised but also defended by historians. The Honourable Philip Astor will present a personal perspective of his grandfather and his role in the First World War. Thursday, April 14 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.00 pm Flora Macdonald Barbara Graham Venue: Johnnie Walker Bond, Strand Street Kilmarnock East Ayrshire Family History Society Friday, April 15 2016, 7.30 pm Branch Lines of Strathearn - Tourists, Tatties, and Trains John Young, Railway Historian and Author Venue: Aytoun Hall, High Street, Auchterarder Auchterarder and District Local History Association Saturday, April 16 2016, 1.45 pm Researching Your Military Relatives covering the 18th Century to WW2 Ken Nisbet Venue: St Ninian's Church Hall, Castle Douglas Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society Coffee and tea will be served at 1.45 p.m. meetings start 2.15 p.m Saturday, April 16 2016, 10 am - 12 pm Inheritance Bruce Bishop Venue: Scottish Genealogy Society Library, 15 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL Your family didn’t have to be extremely wealthy for someone to leave an inheritance. Bruce Bishop will give a talk on the subject to include estates, land & sasine records, wills, commissary courts, etc and show how this kind of information can help with your family history research. Saturday, April 16 2016, 2.00 pm Annual Meeting and Members Heirlooms
Venue: Manchester Central Library Anglo-Scottish Family History Society Saturday, April 16 2016, 2.30pm-4.30pm Fintry – A Rural North East School Janet Byth Venue: Unitarian Church Centre Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 28 March - 3 April 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. 
Monday, March 28 2016, 7.30 pm Glasgow Humane Society George Parsonage Venue: Caldwell Halls, 16 Campsie Road, Torrance, G64 4BN Torrance Heritage and History Group Monday, March 28 2016, 7.30 pm Perthshire monasteries and their local communities Prof Richard Oram Venue: Bankfoot Church Centre West Stormont Historical Society Non-members: adults £3, concessions £2. (Open discussion meetings at Luncarty are free) Monday, March 28 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm Finlaggan, Islay – excavation at the center of the Lordship of the Isles Dr David Caldwell Venue: Alloa Town Hall (Tommy Downs Room) Clackmannanshire Field Studies Society Speaker Society of Antiquaries Scotland, Fife Cultural Trust Thursday, March 31 2016, 7.30 pm Clyde Upper Reaches : Imports & Exports Iain Quinn Venue: Glen Halls, Neilston Barrhead & Neilston Historical Association Thursday, March 31 2016, 7.30 pm Blackfriars Monastery Dig Bob Will, Guard Archaeology Venue: Smith Museum and Art Gallery Stirling Local History Society Thursday, March 31 2016, 7.30 pm Glasgow's Bridges Tom Marchmont Venue: FCCS Office, Soutbank Marina, Kirkintilloch Thursday, March 31 2016, 8 pm Ayrshire's Railway Heritage Alasdair Wham Venue: Chapel Hall, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, 2 Crummock Street, Beith, Ayrshire Beith Historical Society |
Old ScottishGenealogy and Family History - A mix of our news, curious and intriguing discoveries. Research hints and resources to grow your family tree in Scotland from our team. 
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