Australian Local and Family History Bloggers. Family History Month August 2022. Part Three.

 

MONTHLY CHALLENGE

WEEK 2: Travel, Part Three — SCOTLAND

On our return to Scotland via the Stena line ferry, we delighted in a lovely blue day with only a small swell.

Stena line ferry from Cairnryan Scotland to Belfast Ireland

Landed feeling all ready and looking forward to commencing the Scottish Family Trail.

My ancestral names are McIntosh, Lumsden, Pearce, Gray, Clark/e, Cairns. A lot of miners and woollen mill workers who lived around the Border country and Edinburgh area.

Our first stop was the Dumbarton library, going through microfilms of old newspapers. Ventured out to follow up a burial, where Bob Hope the cemetery supervisor assisted. The only possible one, an unmarked grave, was listed as Pryce, not Pearce. His referral to the Burials Office in Clydebank brought us a positive answer. We travelled to the office and were shown an enormous ancient book, the original register of burials. And we could examine it there and then with no gloves! It didn't take long to find the entry where Richard Pearce paid 15 shillings for his wife's 'lair', the plot Bob had thought. 

We drove round photographing many relevant houses and buildings in the area.

Lawned gravesite for Richard Pearce's
wife and child, sadly no headstone

Arrived in Edinburgh and dutifully impressed by the imposing Castle above us. Then moved on to family towns —New Winton, Ormiston, EastHouses, Newbattle and eventually Peebles. In Peebles, I stood outside the house where my father was born. A very emotional experience. Sadly, no one was home to show us inside. 

Dad's first home, Peebles.

At St Ronan Wells, William Pearce my Gt Grandfather was the gardener and caretaker. There is now a museum there as well. Inside we found old Pearce cordial bottles on display, and information about the factory.

Early Lemonade bottle

Bottle crates carted on the horse drawn tray

Called at Innerleithen Local History office where the attendants joined in our search. Such a keen group dedicated to genealogy and community history. They talked about drinking Pearce's Lemonade as children on local picnics. I paid membership to their local Family History association to receive online newsletters when home. 

Window display at Borders Family History Society

Also met with a second cousin who still runs the Pearce drinks factory from the natural spring there, which my Great Grandfather set up in the 1870s.

My second cousin and his wife at the drinks factory

Wandered through the Innerleithen cemetery and paid respects to Pearce ancestors and relatives. 

My Gt Grandparents, James Finley Lumsden and Isabella McIntosh buried 
with daughters Ellen, Agnes, Mary and Euphemia
Cemetery Innerleithen.

From there we had a beautiful country drive through the Scottish border country on our way down to England which would be the final part of our family history trail.

You can now follow our continuing English trail in Part Four.