Fergus Smith's Avatar

Fergus Smith

@oldscotbooks.bsky.social

Legal history, historical data geekery, genealogy. Owner of oldscottish.com. Historical Records Specialist at FindMyPast.co.uk. All views my own, obviously. Lives in St Andrews, Fife

1,701 Followers  |  1,089 Following  |  669 Posts  |  Joined: 31.08.2023  |  2.4244

Latest posts by oldscotbooks.bsky.social on Bluesky

I think it's likely taken on the day the paper was released - sunny Sunday makes a lottie sense ...
(I would say ah'll get ma coat but it's too hot.)

13.07.2025 08:38 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

I think I can date that first photo to 5 June 1949. The headline in the newspaper is about the rail strikes, and if you look carefully you can see it's the same photo. The woman - your granny? - is reading a slightly different edition of this paper (www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer...)

13.07.2025 08:03 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

bsky.app/profile/olds...

20.06.2025 21:35 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

It was hot in St Andrews today, so in response to popular demand, I got in the sea.
To much disappointment, I also got out ...

20.06.2025 21:33 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Here in the UK, one police force justified attacking protestors by the injuries received by officers. Turned out more than half of these injuries were bee stings. Another was caused by an officer slamming his thumb in a car door ...

15.06.2025 10:52 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
The Cure - Never Enough
YouTube video by TheCureVEVO The Cure - Never Enough

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Cq...

09.06.2025 17:09 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Newspaper clipping, Inverness Courier, 21 October 1819

Newspaper clipping, Inverness Courier, 21 October 1819

Nothing to see here, just a lawyer, "full of claret", arguing against his client then suddenly reverse ferreting in court after being told he was making the wrong argument ... #LegalHistory #Scotland

25.05.2025 21:07 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 2

Random Feg story: I ended up cooking for the Waterboys when they played St Andrews students union ca1988 - a pal was events coordinator and the caterer didn't turn up after not being paid.
19-year-old me was not a good cook ...

20.05.2025 22:16 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

It's a very odd approach they've taken. They could have been very helpful and recorded parents' names - which are usually given in Scottish death records - but no!

18.05.2025 21:16 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Ah yes, in 1855 children's ages were recorded on death certificates, but not those of spouses. After 1855 you won't see children's ages.

18.05.2025 21:16 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

There are some spouses, parents and even informants indexed, so they may have grabbed every name. For death records, the person should have an age and hence approximate birth year.
It's very odd though.

18.05.2025 20:41 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

They've not got these from FamilySearch, at least not directly. They've received a microfilm from Dunbartonshire archives, and simply scanned and indexed that. They seem to have indexed more than just the deceased's name, but I haven't done a deep enough dive to work out what they have indexed.

18.05.2025 20:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I've had a dig through and what they seem to have done is simply extract every name from the record and attach that to the death record. It's systematic, and by (very poor) design.
Not sure it's AI - it could just be a classic case of GIGO in terms of keying rules.

18.05.2025 20:41 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I've been in that house! I bought books from the owner maybe 15 years ago - I recognised the decor so clicked through and checked. I remember it well as my sister was then living round the corner.

12.05.2025 18:04 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I somehow missed this first time around. Hearty congratulations my friend, and well deserved!

12.05.2025 08:02 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Newspaper clipping, Caledonian Mercury, 3 October 1816
"there was a dog in the house, but it was Highland, and did not understand English"

Newspaper clipping, Caledonian Mercury, 3 October 1816 "there was a dog in the house, but it was Highland, and did not understand English"

Rare evidence of Gaelic-speaking dogs in 19th century Dunbartonshire ... #Gaelic @wilsonmcleod.bsky.social

12.05.2025 07:34 β€” πŸ‘ 29    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Video thumbnail

Aww yes, the St Andrews ducklings have arrived! Mum and dad are keeping a close eye on them though.

11.05.2025 13:00 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm a veteran of this truly wonderful event - my first Christian Aid Booksale was 1977, when I was 8 - for myself I got H G Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle - I was a precocious child - and a bunch of early Penguins for our shop.

09.05.2025 21:48 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Lecturers: There are only 24 hours in a day.
Management: We're thrilled to announce we've redesignated hour to mean 45 minutes, so there are now 32 hours in the day.

07.05.2025 07:52 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

A big boy done it and run away.

06.05.2025 07:14 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Newspaper clipping, Caledonian Mercury, 8 May 1815.
Inverness, May 3. The Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened in this place on Wednesday, by the Right Honourable Lord Gillies. William Macdonald, accused of the murder of Mary MacQueen, lately residing at Auchendar, parish of Edinkillie, and county of Moray, was first brought to the bar. The prisoner appeared to be much debilitated from his confinement, and was so much agitated when brought into Court, that he seemed on the point of fainting, and two of the jailors were obliged to support him. A glass of wine was administered, which appeared a little to revive him; but he was still unable to stand. Two medical gentlemen were called in, and it was their opinion that the prisoner was in too weak a state to be put, with any propriety, upon his trial on that day. He was therefore ordered to be removed from the bar, and the jailor was desired to see him properly attended to.

Newspaper clipping, Caledonian Mercury, 8 May 1815. Inverness, May 3. The Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened in this place on Wednesday, by the Right Honourable Lord Gillies. William Macdonald, accused of the murder of Mary MacQueen, lately residing at Auchendar, parish of Edinkillie, and county of Moray, was first brought to the bar. The prisoner appeared to be much debilitated from his confinement, and was so much agitated when brought into Court, that he seemed on the point of fainting, and two of the jailors were obliged to support him. A glass of wine was administered, which appeared a little to revive him; but he was still unable to stand. Two medical gentlemen were called in, and it was their opinion that the prisoner was in too weak a state to be put, with any propriety, upon his trial on that day. He was therefore ordered to be removed from the bar, and the jailor was desired to see him properly attended to.

"This prisoner's unsteady on his feet and is not fit to stand trial. What do we do?"
"Give him wine, that's bound to help."
Narrator voice: It did not help.
#Scotland #LegalHistory

05.05.2025 07:54 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Blondie - One Way Or Another (1978) β€’ TopPop
YouTube video by TopPop Blondie - One Way Or Another (1978) β€’ TopPop

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXI...

04.05.2025 20:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

β™«β™ͺβ™«
Bela Lugosi's Dead
Undead undead undead
β™ͺβ™«β™ͺ

04.05.2025 20:38 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Freed up a fair chunk of floorspace too! Annoyingly, I had to dismantle the shelves and rebuild them *inside* the cupboard as they wouldn't quite fit.

04.05.2025 20:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Photograph of shelves in a cupboard with hundreds of vinyl records

Photograph of shelves in a cupboard with hundreds of vinyl records

Bookroom upgrade unlocked: I now have a record cupboard. Working on filling it ...

04.05.2025 20:20 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I don't but I think I know someone who does (I didn't work directly for them).

04.05.2025 16:34 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The Theatre should buy them - they're going to have a display on the history of the theatre when it reopens (I did some of the research for it).

04.05.2025 16:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

This is also an odd assertion. Surely one of the consequences of the SC ruling is to overturn previous EHRC guidance which was found to be wrong in law?

02.05.2025 08:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The Hampshire Telegraph among other papers reported the story of John Honey's heroic rescue.

30.04.2025 21:07 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Panoramic view of the Gaudie torchlit procession in St Andrews, Scotland, marking the reopening of the mediaeval pier.

Panoramic view of the Gaudie torchlit procession in St Andrews, Scotland, marking the reopening of the mediaeval pier.

Post image Post image Post image

The mediaeval pier reopened tonight in St Andrews after an 18-month closure to repair storm damage. It was also the night of the Gaudie, a torchlit procession by students commemorating John Honey, a student who in 1800 rescued 5 crew members of a ship off the East Sands.

30.04.2025 21:07 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

@oldscotbooks is following 20 prominent accounts