What is this word? Is it a name? Is it a place?

Archiver · Post by **Archiver** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:15 pm

I have come across an entry in the Kirk Session Accounts for Aberdeen which relates to a George Anderson being fined for fornicating with Elspeth Russell, spouse of Andrew Mill on 25th September 1603. However, George Anderson is described as being 'servant to the gudman of Kearnebesson'. I have no idea what Kearnebesson is, whether it is a place or what! I can't even think what it could be - Cairnbesson? Carniebesson? Cairn o' Besson?

I will see the person who transcribed the accounts later on this week (they were done by a member of the Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society, who does lots of work for Aberdeen City Archives!) so I will ask him then if he knows what or where it is.

Any ideas?

Post by **Liz Turner** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:28 pm

Hi there

Suspect it's a place not a thing.

Liz

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:37 pm

Agreed

The expression "someone of ............" always involves a place, with the "of" quite possibly meaning owner of.

David

Archiver · Post by **Archiver** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:40 am

But where is it? I've done a search on the exact spelling, and Google was no help

and I've searched OS Pathfinder indexes as well - there's nothing even remotely similar in the North East

It is just such an odd name, and I don't know where to start. Valuation Rolls won't be any use, as I don't know what parish it's in (or even if it's in the North East!) and I am really stumped as to what other name it would be.

Cairn-something is my best guess, but the 'besson' part means nothing. I'm totally stumped!

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:56 am

At some stage you need to have a look at the original sessional records.

Meantime have you used the placename search facility at http://www.scotsorigins.com/ ?, any fragment of a placename can be searched on.

You need to consider possible variants of Cairn, Kearn, Besson and anything else that you can think of......... Cairn and variants would be my favourite as the greatest number of such Scottish placenames are in the county of Aberdeen.

If you're not a native Aberdonian, then find one and see what they might think was the placename, as pronounced by a native, but perhaps heard by the ear of someone from outside of the county Aberdeen.

David

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:09 am

Hi Archiver
If you can it is sometimes worth getting hold of an OS map of the area & just having a browse - I find the orange "explorer" series pretty good for finding places. Unfortunately I don't have one for any area near Aberdeen!

Also, if you could see the original entry & see it in context, it might be that places nearby would be mentioned, or perhaps the same place might turn up with a different spelling, thus giving you some clues.

Best wishes
Lesley

Archiver · Post by **Archiver** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:19 am

I am guessing here that this place may be in the parish of Kearn, in Aberdeenshire. I'm going to trawl through the maps, and see what I can find!

Scotsorigins threw up a couple of other interesting names, but unfortunately nothing sounding like 'besson'. I've tried to say it in my strongest Aberdeen accent, but I just can't work out what it sounds like...basin was the only one that popped into my head.

I do like distractions like this though! It's not all that important that I find this place, but my curiosity has got the better of me!

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:41 am

Hi Archiver

Fit like?

Archiver wrote:I am guessing here that this place may be in the parish of Kearn, in Aberdeenshire. I'm going to trawl through the maps, and see what I can find!

Aye weel, possible, but I wouldn't rely on it .............. it's an awfy long way frae Aiberdeen City, - as far as it's possible to be frae Aiberdeen but still in the county.

Archiver wrote:Scotsorigins threw up a couple of other interesting names, but unfortunately nothing sounding like 'besson'. I've tried to say it in my strongest Aberdeen accent, but I just can't work out what it sounds like...basin was the only one that popped into my head.

Ah-hah!, - a local !

Seriously, this is a very valuable technique.

I can't remember the weird and wonderful spelling involved ("Fohaberts" ??, or something similar), but, a few years ago, when using the technique, I could only conclude that the place name involved was Fochabers, and it was !!

Archiver wrote: I do like distractions like this though! It's not all that important that I find this place, but my curiosity has got the better of me!

I know the feeling

David

CatrionaL · Post by **CatrionaL** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:41 am

Archiver

I put Carnbesson into www.multimap.com and came up with a peak in the Cairngorms near Braemar: Carn a' Bhacain.. I wonder now.......

Best wishes

Catriona

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 2:01 pm

CatrionaL wrote:Archiver

I put Carnbesson into www.multimap.com and came up with a peak in the Cairngorms near Braemar: Carn a' Bhacain.. I wonder now.......

Best wishes

Catriona

Whey hey !!!, - now given what little I know of pronunciation of the Gaelic, that could be very interesting

David