30 miles frae the cradle tae the grave

[DavidWW]

A fascinating question.

I've experienced three general scenarios.

#1. All events took place within less than a 30 mile radius.

#2. Most events took place within a 30 mile radius.

Remember also the original very strong Scottish tradition of being buried in the parish of birth. Hence the so-called "coffin roads" all across Scotland, and the distinct differences compared in England in Scottish funeral customs, of a full meal after the funeral (the purvey); only men at the interment, since the coffin may have had to be carried 10 miles, 20 miles, - wha kens, - from the place of death to the place of interment.

Especially in the farming communities north of the Central Belt, where the annual feeing system was in operation, there could be a move of several miles from year to year, most often zigzagging in and around one parish, but sometimes, as a matter of pure chance continuing in the same general direction for several years. How far did a man go to attend the local feeing fair, - as far as he could walk overnight !!

#3. The awkward s**s . E.g. my 3g grandfather who moved down to Edinburgh from NW Aberdeenshire on his discharge from the Aberdeenshire Militia in 1802. Why?, - wha kens?, - if the Aberdeenshire Militia had been stationed at some point in and around Edinburgh, I could understand the move, but I've found no such records as yet.

My paternal grandfather moved at some point in the late 1800s to Glasgow, his family previously having lived in Montrose and surrounding parishes for many generations. Why the move to Glasgow?, - most probably because there was an uncle there already..........

David

[AnneM]

Hi

My father was buried just a few miles from where he was born, having never left the place except for a couple of years in Germany, courtesy of the army during his National Service. So far 50%.

Of my 4 grandparents all are buried near Dunoon but only my grandfathers were born there. One grandmother was born in Bowling and the other in Edinburgh. Another 50%

Of the 8 great grandparents, one was born and buried in Saltcoats/Ardrossan. One was born in Greenock, brought up in Belfast and died in Kilmarnock, presumably buried near there, one was born and probably buried in Sandbank, another was born in Glasgow died in Gartcosh Asylum and buried goodness knows where, one was born in Abbey St Bathans, died in Glasgow and buried again goodness knows where but probably in Glasgow, one was born in Old Kilpatrick, died and buried in Oz, his wife was also born in Old Kilpatrick but died and buried in Canada. To be honest I don't know where my other great grandfather William McKenzie was buried. He was born in Saltcoats, died in Sandbank but whether they put him with his wife in Ardrossan I don't know!! So looks like 25% or at most 37.5%.

Anne

[StewL]

Davie

So thats whit ye were daein in the loony bin, working out some skunner of a question to put forward on the forum

I havent worked out precisely, but my lot seem to have travelled far and wide, my parents died in Oz and a maternal aunt in Canada, oh and a paternal uncle in Oz too. One of my dads aunts died in Oz too, unfortunately I just missed out on meeting her in NSW.

Before that as they were born in different parts of UK and Ireland, and overseas. I think my lot would fit into the 25%

Glad to see you posting again Davie.

[David Lang]

Grandparents 4/4
Great Grand Parents 3/8
GG GrandParents 8/16

Some of my lot moved from argyll and aberdeenshire to glasgow

[Wanda Stevenson]

Can't find some of my relatives, so I am hoping that they did stay within 30 miles of where they were born. However of my ggrandfathers 7 children, three of them moved from Scotland to Canada, so go figure.
Wanda

[Davie]

Hi all,
The posts have been great.
Most enlightening.
The reason I thought the topic of interest, was the fact that such a large percentage of people, were buried within such a close proximity of their birthplace. (well, according to the trannie)
My own family is an example, other than the ones who emigrated to the Colonies, more than 95% of them are in the 30 mile category.
We started off in Killin, then Aberfoyle, Buchanan, New Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, then the The Calton, my own generation, mostly in Glasgow or Edinburgh suburbs today.
I live five miles from my birthplace.
I am sure there are a lot of us have had difficulty finding DCs of Irish rellies, who lived over here for years.
Even though they have appeared on marriage certificates and in census returns in Scotland on a regular basis.
Yet, when we look for the DC on SP ……………….Nae Chance!
I have at least four on my files, that have appeared to abide by the 30 mile radius and went back home to die in Ireland.
Davie