Family Matters

I've been looking into my family tree for a few years now, and as mentioned a few blips ago, I discovered that my Great, great, great Grandfather James McKerracher was the Blacksmith at the Red Smiddy in Inchinnan (the village where I grew up).

Many years ago (while researching Inchinnan Village for my Higher Geography) I read a copy of the History of the parish as written by the local minister in 1905.  I wasn't allowed to take the book home from the library.

This morning Mr S presented me with a gift.  He managed to find an original copy of the book, but sadly when he tried to purchase it online,  received a reply from the bookshop in Ballater to say that the recent flooding in the area had damaged the stock.  He managed to find another publisher who scanned in copies of out of print books to make them available to all.  Now I have my own copy.

And what a read ! A social history snapshot of rural life in the very early 1900's.  

I soon found a few mentions of my ancestor.  Here he is quoted as commenting on the local practise of mining for Shale Oil.  A hazardous practise, and we have also found newspaper articles from the 1900s of terrible accidents .

Further in the book he is listed as being a member of the elders of the Kirk Session.  Responsible with the minister in the religious oversight of the parish,  The book includes some snapshots of the session minutes, Including the fines for adultery, fornication and putting bad coins in the collection plate!  

Dad and mum would have LOVED this story - seems nothing has change in Inchinnan in 100 years - especially the latter!