Who Do You Think You Are - Annie Lennox 5th Sep

[Shona]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

In England, under the old poor law rules, the parish authorities would always seek out near relatives, and then distant relatives, and more or less force them to take on a burden to the parish. I'm sure it would have been the same in Scotland particularly where the father was of ample means or had a standing in the community.

OC

Before 1845, there were no poorhouses in Scotland. There was no systematic levying of poor rates. It was normal to raise money for the poor at the kirk door. Responsibilty for who received relief lay with the Kirk and heritors (lansowners). Those entitled to poor relief were people who couldn't work because of age and infirmity, this included orphaned children, but illegitimate children were often excluded. Was the reference to Mrs C having no use for the wee lass taken from Kirk Session records? If so, there is likely to have been an earlier entry in the minutes about her placement.

On another note, the Rose family of MacDuff were very well connected. William Rose was the factor for the Second Earl of Fife (the main landowner and MP) for about 30 years until 1795. The Earl was seldom in the area and left all his business dealings to Rose. William Rose had a large family. Given James Rose was a solicitor, I wonder if he was related to William Rose.

[Olde Crone]

Another misconception (?) I have always laboured under it appears, is that "writer" referred to a Solicitor's clerk!

OC

[Shona]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

Another misconception (?) I have always laboured under it appears, is that "writer" referred to a Solicitor's clerk!

OC

By the time of the 1851 census, James Rose had worked his way up to a 'solicitor practicing before the Sheriff Court of Banffshire'.

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Shona

Was the reference to Mrs C having no use for the wee lass taken from Kirk Session records? If so, there is likely to have been an earlier entry in the minutes about her placement.

It was from the Parochial Board Minutes (1858).

Child being forced on an uncaring grandmother happened to a friend of mine 60 years ago. Her mother died, she was give to her grandmother, father remarried, grandmother dumped the poor little 2 year old on new couple, duty done. One very scarred child.

[Shona]

Originally Posted by kiterunner

It was from the Parochial Board Minutes (1858).

Parochial boards liked to 'board out' orphans and abandoned children in the community, until they were of working age.

[kiterunner]

I've gone back over the segment where they look at the Parochial Board Minutes (with Annie Lennox running her ungloved finger along the paper under each line as she read it out!) and this is the only entry they showed:

Janet Fraser
There was recd letters of date 29th April and 11th May from Mrs Cruickshank Turriff in reference to Janet Fraser whereupon the meeting direct the Inspector to write to Mrs Cruickshank to send back Janet Fraser when she has no further use for her.

The archivist stated that there was no further reference to Janet Fraser or Mrs Cruickshank in the minutes, although he didn't actually say whether there were any earlier references. I don't think there was any mention of the actual letters being available but later on Annie seemed to be saying that "no further use for her" were Mrs Cruickshank's words, whereas as far as I can see, they were the words of the Parochial Board members! We really don't know what Mrs Cruickshank said in the letters, do we?

[kiterunner]

Lots of unseen footage, all about Annie's paternal grandfather Archibald Lennox and his wife Jean:
unseen footage

[Shona]

With reference to Janet/Jessie being sent back when Mrs C had no further use for her, it begs the question: Where would she be sent back?

[Shona]

I wonder what happened to Janet's siblings after the death of Mary Fraser in 1853?