Reflections - An interview with SPVR

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Genealogy Series: Betsy (or Elizabeth) Esplin Bell (1858-1930).

Betsy (or Elizabeth) Esplin Bell (1858-1930). She had a long criminal record driven by her addiction to drink, but was she her husband’s victim? by Stewart Stevenson. Betsy was born on 26 th January 1858 in Dundee to David Bell, a carpenter, and his wife, Agnes Sandeman. i Father registered the birth, but is recorded as “Not Present”. George T Bisset-Smith, the Registration Examiner, published his book “Vital Registration”, the manual for Scottish Registrars in 1907. ii In it he states that a “liberal interpretation” should be given to the word “Present” in this context but also states that “Not Present” must not be used. I suspect that leaves most genealogists, me included, little the wiser as to what “Present” was actually supposed to mean. So let’s pass on to the story. Betsy’s parents married in 1856, iii with her mother Agnes making her mark, an ”X”, rather than signing the registration record, indicating that she was illiterate. Her husband David signed. ...

On being a fit old loon

One of the quite significant changes brought to my life through lockdown is the taking of more exercise. And yesterday marked an important numerical milestone - 400 of them. Coupled with my having spent 427 minutes (7 hours 7 minutes if you wish) on the rowing machine where it's been 40 strokes a minute, I have not been fitter for decades. There's been a bit of rooting about among the accumulated detritus of at least fifty years. Mainly that's led to a slow movement of junk towards the bins. But it has also uncovered a pair of chest expanders. They certainly haven't been used for some forty of those years. I might consider that their time has come as part of the fitness program were it not for the handles at the end of the springs having gone walkabout. May have to fabricate something. All of the 400.11 miles I have walked have been on my daily exercise in the local area. My saviour from the potential damage to my feet and legs has been a pair of shoes with good p...

Life Behind the Gate

For the first time in many years, the gate into our house is shut. Not to keep us in but to keep others out. I will shortly be going out to put a table in place for delivery drivers to leave parcels. And attaching a few helpful instructions on the other side of the gate. Last night's statement from Nicola and the legislation that is coming shortly from Westminster and Holyrood will create a framework designed to protect us all. Our role as more vulnerable oldsters, whose bodily systems are gently declining as we age, is to protect ourselves from becoming a burden on our health service, our social services. People with serious conditions, whose immune systems are relatively ineffective for whatever reason, sick babies, need to able to get to the front of the queue without people like us who can take action to avoid, or at least postpone catching the bug, getting in the way. Reports coming to me from elsewhere suggest that there is still a minority who may need something a...

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