This is one of the most poignant pieces of family history I possess. A tiny scrap of paper with granny’s beautiful handwriting that somehow survived a few flittings and clearances. The first three lines above are eloquent in their brevity, fitting for this the anniversary of VE Day. Those three boys, Freddie, Walter and Jim, | more…
(Adapted from post in the Society for One-Place Studies April A-Z 2020) Gamekeeper was a very uncommon occupation in North Walls and Brims, my one-place study area. The role there would have been very different from the Highland estates for at least two major reasons: there are no deer and no salmon rivers in Orkney. | more…
Helen McCaulay Ritch. That name stands out among my ancestors; it has a nice ring to it. Helen was a great-great-grandmother on my father’s side, wife of Ralph Nicolson. She was born in Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney on 10 March 1815, the second known daughter of Thomas Ritch and Ann Mckay. I came across Helen fairly | more…
