Unsure of a word and it's meaning

stepmars · Post by **stepmars** » Tue May 05, 2009 2:50 pm

Please refer to the following image:
http://www.talkingscot.com/gallery/disp ... fullsize=1

Does anyone know what the word following "John Marshall" and preceding "in Leith" is? Perhaps it is two words?

Thanks,
Steve

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:07 pm

John Marshall Sojourner in Leith

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:11 pm

I take it that is is from an OPR burial record or Parish Record of some sort?

It might be helpful to load more of the page, that way there is more of the handwriting to compare and also to have an idea of what might usually be written after the deceased's name.

However I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's Sojourner possibly meaning that he was of no fixed abode but was usually around Leith.

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:12 pm

Snap Lesley - I wasted time checking that I had spelled Sojourner correctly!

stepmars · Post by **stepmars** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:14 pm

Thanks!

daj · Post by **daj** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:15 pm

I think it is "sojourner" -- he has no fixed address

daj · Post by **daj** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:15 pm

Oops -- already answered. I should have refreshed the page before I posted. Sorry

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm

My thoughts on it's meaning would be that he was not usually resident in Leith, he was just temporarily staying there.

I'm not so sure it means he was "of no fixed address" - he may have been visiting friends/relatives or there on business or similar. With Leith being a busy port, there would be a lot of persons who were there at any one time who were not permanent residents.

best wishes
Lesley

daj · Post by **daj** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:45 pm

LesleyB wrote:My thoughts on it's meaning would be that he was not usually resident in Leith, he was just temporarily staying there.

Lesley, looks like you are on the ball again

I just checked on the definition and it does indeed mean "to reside temporarily"

Post by **paddyscar** » Tue May 05, 2009 4:56 pm

Also defined on the Dictionary of Scots Language http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/

A pilgrim.
a. One who travels from place to place; a wayfarer, a traveller; a sojourner . b. spec. One who is making a journey to a shrine or sacred place as an act of religious devotion; one making a pilgrimage.

Frances