Regarding Uncle Jimmy

[heymarky]

This is an excerpt from a short biography of my 2nd great grand uncle, James Dyer.

From History of Scott County, Iowa, published Chicago, 1882, Inter-State Publishing Co.

Mr. Dyer was the first to organize the first
co-operative company in the south of Scotland, and also organized the
first temperance movement, and instituted coffee houses, which caused
a general revolution in the liquor traffic. In 1840, left for the
United States in a sailing vessel, which was foundered, and was
supposed to have been lost. The subject of this sketch was reared to
the trade of a woolen manufacturer. In 1852 came to the states...

I have a few questions that I'm hoping for help / insights / perspectives with.

What would a 'co-operative company' have been back then?

What part of Scotland would the 'south' be?
I think probably Glasgow-ish, but I also think of Japan as going north to south;
(The Japanese consider it an east to west country... so who knows what Scots might call south?)

James is in Glasgow in 1841, and Inverness in 1851.

In 1841 James would have been 9 years old (born Inverness, 1 Feb 1832), so it seems like the coffee houses and co-operatives probably came later?

Since I have him in College Parish, Glasgow with his parents and family in 1841, but with Grandma in 1851 I wonder if the rest of his family might have been on the ship that foundered. (two siblings with him in 1851, good luck for me as one is my gr gr grandpa)

Would there possibly be history / newpaper accounts or other records pertaining to the temperence movement?

1851 census lists Woolen Weaver for James and his brother Hugh's occupations. (ages 19 & 17)

Does this mean they were put to work in the mills or does it indicate something a little bit closer to being reared to the trade of a woolen manufacturer? (James' father Robert was a currier / tanner, and the mother's brother (Hugh McBean) they are living with in 1851 was a tailor)

On the lighter side, I have a first hand account from someone who knew Uncle Jim when she was a girl. Her parents were put out with Uncle Jim at one time, she recalls, because he had taught their little girl to make his hot toddies for him. I guess he got over the whole temperance thing.
or maybe Scottish Temperence had some exclusions built in?

Thanks for any help! (and for your patience in reading this far!)

- Mark

[DavidWW]

This is an excerpt from a short biography of my 2nd great grand uncle, James Dyer.

From History of Scott County, Iowa, published Chicago, 1882, Inter-State Publishing Co.

Mr. Dyer was the first to organize the first
co-operative company in the south of Scotland, and also organized the
first temperance movement, and instituted coffee houses, which caused
a general revolution in the liquor traffic. In 1840, left for the
United States in a sailing vessel, which was foundered, and was
supposed to have been lost. The subject of this sketch was reared to
the trade of a woolen manufacturer. In 1852 came to the states...

I have a few questions that I'm hoping for help / insights / perspectives with.

What would a 'co-operative company' have been back then?

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of ... e_Movement .

James Dyer's name is still widely recognised today.

What part of Scotland would the 'south' be?
I think probably Glasgow-ish, but I also think of Japan as going north to south;
(The Japanese consider it an east to west country... so who knows what Scots might call south?)

.....snipped........

- Mark

Neat analogy as here, also, it doesn't mean what it should mean in strict geographical terms.

It actually refers to the Central Belt and the SW of Scotland, but primarily the Glasgow and West of Scotland area. Another way to think of it is the heavily idustrialised area.

The Borders, altough very much in the "South" are normally referred to as "The Borders, and not "The South".

David

PS And while we're on the subject, what is generally referred to as the "West of Scotland" is not, it's geographically the south-west, i.e. Glasgow plus Renfrewshire, bits of Lanarkshire and Ayrshire (even although the southern part of Ayshire goes way down into the deep south-west), except that the real south-west, the counties of Kircudbright and Wigtown, is rarely referred to as the South-West ................ Arrgggghhhhhhhhhh...................
dww

[emanday]

On the lighter side, I have a first hand account from someone who knew Uncle Jim when she was a girl. Her parents were put out with Uncle Jim at one time, she recalls, because he had taught their little girl to make his hot toddies for him. I guess he got over the whole temperance thing.
or maybe Scottish Temperence had some exclusions built in?[/i]

Although my Grandfather enjoyed a drink, Grandmother was temperance, but she did keep a wee bottle of whisky in the cupboard for "medicinal" and would take a toddy Only the one, mind

[heymarky]

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of ... e_Movement .

James Dyer's name is still widely recognised today.

What a tease you are!

My 3-yr-old twin boys, eager to be off to the zoo on their daddy's day off, aren't letting me look too closely, but I don't see * any mention of James Dyer in the wikipedia.

Naturally, I'm quite eager to find out if the James Dyer you speak of is Uncle Jim.

Chances are he's one of mine. It is a very common name in my tree...


* At exactly this point in my typing, one of the twins appeared at the door of the room I am in, wearing only the smile he was born with, and quitely announced, "Daddy, I need help". I'll be back later.

[DavidWW]

No tease involved at all, just a good Google .

David

[heymarky]

When I google various combinations of "James Dyer", scotland temperance and cooperative, the only potentially well-knows I find are:

Dr James Dyer - medical commissioner and director Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland

Sir James Dyer - noted authority on Ancient Britan. Looks like he lived in the 1500s.

neither of these seems particularly relevant...

What am I missing?