Thursday, August 11, 2011

Jackpot: William Mason and Agnes Alexander

So in my jackpot from yesterday, here is what I got:



Translation (and it is a translation, as this was difficult to read) from the bottom record:
From 26 March, 1838, St. Cuthbert's Parish Records:
William Mason, labourer, residing in [8..12] West Maitland Street and Agnes Alexander also residing in same place both in this parish, daughter of the late Robert Alexander victual dealer* in Corstorphine have been three** several times duly and regularly proclaimed in order. Marriage in the parish church of Saint Cuthbert’s and no objections offered.  Married this day by the Reverend Doctor David Dickson.

*  I love the OPR scanners, as when I googled “Niduar Dealer” (which is what it looked like) I got a hit for a PDF of a similar Irish document where the words were clearly, “Victual Dealer” in the actual document.  So it wasn’t just me who saw that.  And then looked up "victual dealer” and it’s a grocer.  Gggggrandpa Mason was grocer.  One of eight in the town, according to the Statistical Accounts of Scotland, Edinburgh. (http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/link/1834-45/Edinburgh/Corstorphine/ , p. 222)

** This “Three” is not a typo.  It’s found all over the place on this page and others I googled and is very clear.  What does it mean???  “have been three several times” does NOT make sense…

Here is the church.  It was rebuilt in 1888, but they (i.e. Wikipedia) says that it was rebuilt with the same proportions just larger.




I also found this, which is, “Memorial to Reverend David Dickson”. 


Inscription: 
      In memory of the Rev. David Dickson, D.D., who died 28th July 1842 in the 63r year of his age, and the fortieth of his ministry in this church and parish.  An accomplished scholar and theologian, sound in doctrine, earnest in exhortation, in labours unwearied : acute in argument, expert in business, affectionate, generous, affable and accessible to all.  Taking an active part in every Christian and benevolent enterprise, he possessed in a high degree the public confidence and esteem, and was beloved by each family of his flock as their councilor and comforter, their faithful and familiar friend.
      This piece of sculpture designed to represent an incident of almost daily occurrence in his lif has been erected by a number of his parishioners to express their veneration for his character and to perpetuate the rememerance of his kindness to the poork the widow, and the fatherless.
      Charles Handyside Ritchie, sculptor, erected 1844.

1 comment:

  1. Hi, Not sure how it is in Scotland but in the Netherlands before a wedding could take place banns had to be published on three Sundays before the wedding in some cases the wedding took place on the third Sunday, in all parishes where the couple had lived.

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