Ploughman's path.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:59 pm

Hi Mairi

You would think we would gain brain cells doing this research but I think I lose them!

I think the problem is that the exercising brain cells become very adept at specific tasks and forget how to do others....

The odd thing is - if you put me in a room full of people and told me their names and I would instantly forget... but if these same people had family history interests, I could probably reel off what families they are researching and what areas of the county those families are from... it just does not make sense, but it does appear to agree with the theory above!!

Best wishes
Lesley

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:44 pm

Mairi,

This might be totally unconnected/a coincidence/or of no interest.......

On a page showing the death of one of my relations in Uphall, West Lothian, the record above is for a WILLIAM PARIS, who died on 11/09/1895 aged 21. His parents were DAVID PARIS, a slater, and MARY CROOKSTON.

Best wishes

Brian

Post by **AndrewP** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:20 pm

Hi Mairi,

Until 1975, East Calder was in Midlothian. The OPR microfilm will be in the Edinburgh Central Library, the Midlothian Local Studies Library (Loanhead) and the Scottish Genealogy Society Library (Edinburgh).

It may also be in the West Lothian Local Studies Library (Blackburn) that you mention.

All the best,

AndrewP

Post by **joette** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:35 pm

Beat me to it Andrew! I visited East Calder Library with similar request.
My sister & family have lived there for 25 years.It's a lovely place.The local cemetery is right on Main St & I have wiled away a few hours there as I love Graveyards.

Mairi · Post by **Mairi** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:23 pm

Lesley, that definition of brain cells at work will be correct!

Am showing signs of addiction to on-line and book research. Am so fascinated I become oblivious to time, discomfort and needs; movement, sustenance, other tasks, etc. (Daresay these could start a thread.)

Thank you, Brian, for information on William Paris. Margaret Paris had five brothers. Brother David married a Janet Allan however. Have yet to establish a connection but am sure there will be one.

Andrew, Joette, Lesley, I have just completed an application form for West Lothian Family History Society and am hoping members might give me some assistance.

Have spent the afternoon printing off sections of an 1818 map of West Lothian and pasting the sheets together. The names of the farms and land features are fascinating. Thoughts of making little flags to plot the homes and movement of the Cuthbertsons through the parishes have crossed my mind----just for my own enlightenment of course!
(Mad?) Mairi

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:02 pm

Hi Mairi
Hope the FHS can help you out with some things.

Am showing signs of addiction to on-line and book research. Am so fascinated I become oblivious to time, discomfort and needs; movement, sustenance, other tasks, etc.

Sounds like a familiar scenario...

Have spent the afternoon printing off sections of an 1818 map of West Lothian and pasting the sheets together. The names of the farms and land features are fascinating. Thoughts of making little flags to plot the homes and movement of the Cuthbertsons through the parishes have crossed my mind----just for my own enlightenment of course!

."..and here's one I made earlier..!!"

I expect most of us have played around with similar projects - red dots on on-screen maps, working out distances between farms and the route folk would have taken to get from A to B..... and google earth!
- we're all a bit mad on here!

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **emanday** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:08 pm

Mairi wrote:...snipped...
Am showing signs of addiction to on-line and book research. Am so fascinated I become oblivious to time, discomfort and needs; movement, sustenance, other tasks, etc. (Daresay these could start a thread.)

(Mad?) Mairi...snipped...

Ironing, dusting, hoovering

. Even our cats have to come up to the computer room to remind me to feed them

You're no madder than the rest of us - welcome to the madhouse

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:36 pm

Mairi wrote:Lesley, that definition of brain cells at work will be correct!

Am showing signs of addiction to on-line and book research. Am so fascinated I become oblivious to time, discomfort and needs; movement, sustenance, other tasks, etc. (Daresay these could start a thread.)

Just watch the blood sugar level

. A wise move could be to stash a secret supply of Mars Bars next to the computer

, - let's face it, minutes lost away from the 'puter taking on board sustenance are truly minutes wasted

Mairi wrote:Have spent the afternoon printing off sections of an 1818 map of West Lothian and pasting the sheets together. The names of the farms and land features are fascinating. Thoughts of making little flags to plot the homes and movement of the Cuthbertsons through the parishes have crossed my mind----just for my own enlightenment of course!
(Mad?) Mairi

You didn't invent the technique

It's a well known approach, and a perfectly valid and potentially very valuable technique of tracking families and understanding the area as it was nearly 200 years ago, when the "Lowland Clearances" were not long under way, - the consolidation of small farms into larger units, more viable in terms of the investment required in terms of the Agricultural Revolution, - such as drainage, fertilisers, increasing mechanisation (initially horse powered, but with steam soon to follow), as well the use of lime to make acid soils more productive.

It's also valuable in terms of understanding where siblings of a generation and previous generations could be found; as well as where to look when a family "disappears", - a frequent answer being that, for one reason or another, they have returned to an "ancestral" parish.

The only drawback can be that, if you are implementing this technique for several different lines at the same time, it's amazing how quickly you can run out of wall space

David

Post by **emanday** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:40 pm

The only drawback can be that, if you are implementing this technique for several different lines at the same time, it's amazing how quickly you can run out of wall space

Doesn't half save on the cost of wallpaper, though

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:42 pm

emanday wrote:
The only drawback can be that, if you are implementing this technique for several different lines at the same time, it's amazing how quickly you can run out of wall space
Doesn't half save on the cost of wallpaper, though

That all depends on the opinions of others in the household

David