Reflections - An interview with SPVR

Comments

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. ...

Masking time

My spouse has just brought to my attention an interview conducted by Jon Snow on Channel 4 last night. Carefully probing two professors about the flare-up of the coronavirus in Leicester, he let science lead the discussion. That picks up on my writings yesterday about the need for good quality, non-political advice closely available to political decision-makers. Young Jon Snow, he's nearly a year younger than me, is a cool head in a crisis. When I've met him, I have been impressed by his listening skills, his ability to pick the necessary essence of what's been said by his interviewee and test it. What struck me quite quickly was a coincidence of name. One the founders of modern epidemiology was John Snow. He was a physician who conducted a statistical analysis of cholera infection and linked it to a contaminated water supply. Famously the street water pump in Soho was disabled in 1854 and within three days cases dropped off. A further pointer to water being the pro...

Keeping me regular

Yesterday was a catch-up day. For the first time, there were no online or telephone meetings related to my being a Parliamentarian. But in my personal life, there was an important call. And one that illustrated a little movement back to normality in the NHS. We know that many planned consultations, check-ups and operations have had to be postponed due to the need to focus on the pandemic. As someone in my seventies, I am periodically invited by our health service to participate in various tests to confirm that one part or another of my body continues to work properly or find that they aren't. One such test is designed to identify bowel cancer early enough to prevent its developing into a terminal condition. I have taken this test on a number of occasions. And sometimes this has shown a positive result, suggesting that further investigation is required. That involves sending a camera in to look at my insides. That involves no discomfort beyond the injection of a little anaesth...

Search This Blog