SEPTEMBER 2023 DNA UPDATE

 So that's a year down the line and I've received another DNA update. This seems to have become a regular annual occurrence.

Now, the results summary - 

My Scottish ethnicity is now 82%, up 8% from last year; English is 11%, down 1%; Irish 5%, down 2% and my Norwegian ethnicity has returned to the previous 2%.

Now, my ethnicity inheritance has also been updated , as below -

The main points of note are:-

1. The English inheritance was split 4% / 10% between Parent 1 and Parent 2. Now the split is 4% / 7%.

2. Parent 2 is still providing the 5% Irish ethnicity, and is also giving me the 2% Norwegian ethnicity.

3. For clarification, I have identified that Parent 1 is my mother and Parent 2 my father. I have renamed the columns above, maternal and paternal.

There seem to be changes every time, and I seem to becoming more Scottish with each update.

I MEET THE ARTIST AND BUY ONE OF HIS PAINTINGS

 So, at the end of last month, myself and Janet went to meet with Eric Johnstone and his wife, Catriona, at their house in Selkirk. As we were a bit early we had a light lunch at The Waterwheel Café, just a mile outside Selkirk. I had previously heard that they displayed some of Eric's paintings and indeed they did - not only displaying them but they were also up for sale. About six of them, all landscapes, and from the ones I remember, there were paintings of some Standing Stones (not sure of location), The Grey Mare's Tail (on the Selkirk to Moffat road) and The Gordon Arms (also on the Selkirk to Moffat Road). All very good, with a price range of £150 to £180. Very tempted with The Gordon Arms painting, but a bit too expensive for me at the moment.

Anyway, we found the house easily enough, up a driveway about 100 yards and it stands looking over part of Selkirk with a fabulous view of the hills beyond. Eric came out to meet us and inside was his wife and Kenny, one of his two sons. We all seemed to get on very well, enjoyed a cup of coffee and had a lovely chat about Eric and Catriona's life and family. Catriona had done some of Eric's family tree and knew all about the McGlasson's, which of course was Eric's mother's maiden name. Catriona mentioned that Eric had "painted hundreds of paintings" over the years and Eric mentioned that he had started painting full time, when the local tweed mill, where he worked, had closed - when, I'm not sure, but it was quite some time ago. We stayed about 90 minutes and I left my contact details with Catriona, and we said we would pop in again at some future convenient time.

Finally, and after we had met with Eric and Catriona, I purchased the previously mentioned painting of Eric's, of Peebles and the River Tweed. It had been for sale on eBay for £127. I contacted the seller, a Fine Art gallery, and asked if they would reduce the price to £80. They said they would come down to £112 and I went back and said £96 was my maximum. I didn't hear anything further, but I then fortuitously came across their own website, which had the same painting but at a sale price of £101. In addition, if you completed a brief online survey on their website, you saved 10% on any purchase. This I did, with the result that I bought the painting for £90. With free delivery, I thought this was a good deal. From details on the back of the picture frame, it had been purchased by someone in Galashiels on 30th April 1991, but whether this was the first purchaser I don't know. So it is at least 32 years old.

Anyway, here is the said painting hanging up on the wall in my room. 

I haven't told Eric and Catriona of my purchase, but I will be arranging to go back through and see them soon and let them know then.

CONTACT MADE WITH ANOTHER SECOND COUSIN

A bit of a long story this, but I will try and keep it reasonably brief.

My sister recently mentioned on the telephone that she had two paintings, by an artist called Eric Johnstone, who, it was thought, is a cousin of our granny, Agnes Anderson (née Turnbull). Our Auntie Jean (Mitchinson, née Anderson) had seemingly commissioned two paintings from this Eric Johnstone, one of Hermitage Castle, the other of Ewes Church in Dumfriesshire. When our Uncle David Mitchinson passed away in February 2020, our cousin asked my sister if she would like anything from our uncle's house as a keepsake, hence my sister having the two aforementioned paintings.

Although I have been working on my family history for over 30 years now, the surname "Johnstone" was not one I was familiar with. I had investigated the Anderson and Turnbull sides of my family, getting quite far back on both families but had never yet seen the "Johnstone" surname. So, with no luck from my own research, I decided I would go down the social media route.

I put a post up on a Facebook page called "Lost Scottish Borders", which mainly shows old photographs of villages and towns in the Borders and such like. I mentioned my granny and the potential cousin connection and did anyone have any information about Eric. Quite a few very prompt replies, mostly telling me that they owned a painting by Eric Johnstone and although very nice that he seemed quite popular, this didn't actually tell me anything about the person. That was at the very end of last year but a couple of weeks later, in the second week of this month, I received a message from a cousin of Catriona Johnstone, Eric's wife. This cousin had spoken to Catriona, who had suggested that I telephone her at her home in Selkirk, where she and Eric had lived for over 60 years.

So, the following day, I spoke to Catriona, who said that she and Eric had lived in Selkirk since the mid 1960's, and in the same house they had had built at that time. They were both in their 80's and kept reasonably well, although Eric had suffered a stroke about 15 years ago and wasn't too keen on talking on the telephone. Catriona was quite chatty and cleared up the mystery of the family connection between Eric and my granny. Because there is indeed a connection!

My great great grandparents, Thomas and Margaret McGlasson, had 12 children including my great grandmother, Agnes and Eric's grandfather, James. Agnes had three children including my granny, Agnes Turnbull, and James had three daughters, including Daisy Martha McGlasson, Eric's mother. So my granny and Eric's mother were first cousins! This means that Eric is my second cousin once removed. (This relationship aspect can get quite complicated, particularly when we move on to second cousins, but my family history computer programme comes in handy for cases like this).

Catriona seemed quite keen for us to meet up, as indeed I was, so our telephone conversation was left on the basis that I would call her again in the next couple of weeks and arrange to go over to Selkirk and meet her and Eric. This I am planning to do next week.

As an aside, I had previously done a quick search on the internet for any information on Eric, but there was nothing at all of note. One or two of his paintings showed up and he seemed to have painted a lot of landscapes, including the two paintings my sister now has. I did find a painting of his for sale on eBay, which was described as a "contemporary watercolour of a riverside town". On further investigation, I discovered that the "riverside town" was in fact - Peebles. That was quite a coincidence and I've made enquiries of the seller of the painting to see if I could negotiate a lower price than that being asked. I await a response. A copy of this painting is below.

                         

Well, that just about covers the story up to now. I will put up another post after I meet Eric and Catriona next week.

IT'S A SMALL WORLD - THE BYERS AND THE ANDERSON FAMILIES MAY WELL HAVE MET LONG BEFORE MY DAD AND MUM DID!

So, the 1921 Scotland Census was at last published - on 30th November 2022, long after the English Census for 1921 went online. Not entirely sure why, but it's now available for research purposes, so that's a good thing!

I haven't investigated too many of my ancestors yet, but I did check the whereabouts of my maternal grandfather, Archibald Hardie Anderson. My grandpa was working at Unthank, a farm in Ewes Parish in Dumfriesshire. He was aged 15 years 6 months at the time the Census was taken on 19th June 1921, and was employed as a Cattleman on the farm of James Douglas (who was a tenant of the Duke of Buccleuch). Also staying at Unthank at that time was an 18 year old "general domestic servant", Agnes Byers. (She was born in Halfmorton, Dumfriesshire, and am not aware of any family connection). Additionally, and probably next door, at Unthank Hope, was a Thomas Byers, who was born in Canonbie, was aged 29 and employed as a Ploughman by the same James Douglas. (Again, no family connection known).

There is however a more compelling case for a Byers/Anderson connection back then. My great grandfather, James Byers, had passed away by the time of the 1921 Census, but at the time of his death in September 1920, his "usual residence" was stated as Unthank Hope. For whatever reason, a corrected entry was made in the Registry which altered his age to a correct 59 years, but also changed his "usual residence" to Unthank Farm Cottage. Depending on when my grandpa started work at Unthank, he may well have known my great grandfather. Perhaps.

James Byers did not die at Unthank however. He had passed away at Howgillcleuch (in Canonbie Parish) and this was the farm of Robert Douglas (also a tenant of the Duke of Buccleuch). The above James and Robert Douglas may well have been related and indeed known to my great grandfather, James Byers.

By way of note, at the time of the 1921 England Census, my great grandmother, Mary Jane Byers (James' widow) was living just over the border in Longtown, with two of her children, Mary Isabella and my grandpa, George Byers.

I'm not sure how much more information on this may come to light, but it's a very intriguing situation, which I will keep a close eye on.

A SECOND COUSIN CONTACTS ME OUT OF THE BLUE

Back in February last year, I received a note via Facebook Messenger from the daughter of a Janet Smith, who was keen to make contact with me. She is the granddaughter of Janet Glendinning Byers, my great aunt and my grandpa's oldest sister. [More can be read about this lady and her husband in my post from March 2018 "Socialism And Aristocracy In My Family"].

She had seen this Blog and had asked her daughter to message me. And in that same February, Janet sent me a letter telling me about visiting her grandmother and great aunts and uncles around Carlisle and the Scottish Borders, during her school summer holidays. And describing her and her grandmother's later life. Very interesting to hear about another branch of the Byers family, of which there are many. Great aunt Janet was the eldest of 12 and my grandpa, George, was the third youngest, being some 18 years younger than Janet.

I phoned Janet later that month (may have been into March) and we spoke about our reminiscences and what we knew of the various members of the Byers family. 

I have been a bit remiss in writing up this post - it's taken me almost two years, which is ridiculous, but it's funny how life sometimes gets in the way of good intentions. Anyway, we have exchanged Christmas cards these past two years and I will make an effort to phone Janet in the New Year. And update this post accordingly.

MORE ON THE ANDERSON FAMILY AND VERY MUCH A PEEBLES CONNECTION

My great grandfather, Frank Anderson, was the youngest of 6 children born to James Anderson (a shepherd) and Jane Elliot. Walter, the eldest, was born in Lochgilphead, Thomas and John were born in Morven, Argyllshire, the twins William and Cameron born in Elliotsfield, Cavers, Roxburghshire and Frank was born at Whitefield in Yarrow. Shepherds certainly moved about quite a bit back in those days!

I was recently looking again at this (maternal) Anderson line and my grandpa's family specifically. My grandpa being the first son of the above-mentioned Frank Anderson, and was born in Yarrow on Christmas Day in 1905, just over the hill from where I live in Peebles. (For more information on the Andersons generally, please see my blogpost of February 2018 "The Anderson Family In The Scottish Borders").

Given the number of uncles my grandpa had (5 uncles, no aunts), he had a fair number of cousins, and it was this aspect of my family line I thought I would look into further. His father, and all his uncles, were shepherds in the Scottish Borders, but because I now live in Peebles, the thought of looking for potential Peebles residents, or at least those living in the Peebles area back then was quite attractive.

Back to James Anderson, Frank's father, and based on where his sons were born, he moved jobs fairly frequently. Although born in Ettrick in 1832, by 1858 he was in Eskdalemuir, followed by Lochgilphead, Morven, Cavers, and by 1876 he was in Yarrow, where Frank was born. in 1881, he was in Innerwick, East Lothian; 1891 he was in Caddonfoot, Selkirkshire and by 1901 he was in Peeblesshire, in a cottage at Bonnington Farm. With him and his wife, Jane, was their grandson, James, aged 4. (This would be the son of Cameron Anderson (4th born son in 1872), whose (apparent) only child was born in March 1897 and whose wife, Catherine Henry, had died the following year).

The other known connection to Bonnington Farm is William Elliot Anderson (twin to Cameron and also 4th born son in 1872) and who lived at Bonnington Farm at the time of his marriage to Mary Bell in January 1903.

This photo of Bonnington Farm was taken in 2017.

Walter Anderson (first born son in 1867) is nowhere to be seen in the 1901 Census, but he marries a Maggie Beattie Elliot in March 1905 at The Manse in Peebles. Both were resident at the time at Newby, Peebles. Walter a shepherd and Maggie an assistant housekeeper. Their three children were all born in Peebles, James in 1906; Janet in 1909 and Walter in 1911. Janet and Walter were both born at Waddenshope near Peebles (a farm I believe which no longer exists). In the 1911 Census, Walter and his family, and his brother Thomas, were all living at Waddenshope.

This is a photograph of Waddenshope Burn, near Peebles (taken in 2009). This area is adjacent to Bonnington Farm.

The foregoing Janet Anderson married an Andrew Geddes in Traquair Church in 1929, with Janet living at Highland Shiel, Traquair at the time of her marriage and Andrew living at Kailzie Mains Cottages (Kailzie being located south east of Peebles and midway to Traquair).

Thomas Anderson (second born son in 1868) was at Waddenshope in 1911, but by the time he married Mary Ann Holton in 1918, he lived at Upper Newby, Peebles, as did Mary. Thomas was a shepherd and aged 49 and Mary was a housekeeper, aged 27. They had two children, both born at Upper Newby - Jane E. in 1918 and James in 1920. Jane married a David Lind Anderson in 1939 at Blackhouse in Yarrow (where she lived at the time). David was a shepherd who was working at Allangillfoot, Eskdalemuir and aged 19 when he got married.

The above photo is of Upper Newby Farm (from 2019), which is located in the Glensax area, just south of Peebles itself.

And that about sums up all I currently know about the Andersons and the Peebles area. More than I had first thought. Of the six sons of James Anderson, three worked and lived in very close proximity to Peebles, whilst the other three all worked in the Borders, including Yarrow, just over the hill from Peebles. This latter three included my great grandfather, Frank, with John JE and Cameron also missing out. The latter two are seen in the 1911 Census living with their mother at The Yett, Hownam, near Kelso and not far from the English border.

THESE DNA UPDATES ARE COMING THICK AND FAST NOW

Three months on and I've received another DNA update. Hard to keep track now!

First, the results summary - 

My Scottish ethnicity is now 74%, down 3% from last time; English is 12%, down 2%; Irish remains at 7% but there is now mention of Swedish & Denmark ethnicity of 7%. Was 2% Norwegian in May past, but the Scandinavian ethnicity, which had been seen in the past, and had disappeared completely, has come back stronger than ever. This does remain a mystery!

Now, my ethnicity inheritance has also been updated - as below.

The most notable points to be taken from this are:-

1. The English inheritance was split 4% / 10% between Parent 1 and 2, now the split is 5% / 7%.

2. Parent 2 is still providing the 7% Irish but is also giving me the 7% Sweden & Denmark ethnicity.

Can't work this out at all! Hopefully, the further we go on with this, the clearer it will become?