Life as Gardening Staff in 19th Century Lanarkshire

marypryde · Post by **marypryde** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:41 pm

Wonderful, Lizzy! From that booklet you have filled in a lot of blanks for me. I had uncovered none of those deaths yet. Thomas Barr and Helen Lockie were my 3xgreats. I had wondered why there wasn't more on Matilda's husband, the elder John Burnside Thomson, and that is explained by the fact that he died so young.

I'm off to see if I can find a site selling that booklet. Unfortunately, Lanarkshire FHS remains inaccessable. If I have no luck, I may be back begging you to mail me a copy.

Best regards, Mary Ellen

caljam371 · Post by **caljam371** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:10 pm

Interesting

My Thomsons lived in Dalserf and were forresters and one pops up in Edinburgh as a gardner in 1881.

I have been told that William Thomson and Mary Murray were both buried in Dalserf but the only time I managed a quick walk around the place I couldn't see a grave stone. Beautiful location though.

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:10 pm

Hi Mary Ellen
The Scottish Genealogy Society (who hold the largest collection of MIs, both published and unpublished in Scotland) sell the Dalserf book on their web site. See:
http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/acatalog/ ... re_MI.html

Best wishes
Lesley

deano · Post by **deano** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:34 pm

Hello Mary Ellen,

I noticed you stated in your post Matilda, was born 1831. in case you do not know she was actually born 07/07/1833, as Matilda Emma Barr. Dalserf, Lanark.

Regards,
Jonn.

marypryde · Post by **marypryde** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:08 pm

Another thanks, Lesley. Of course I have found lots of things to purchase on that site (new to me). There's sooo much to learn (and I "know not that I know not!")

Jonn, correction noted; thank you. I did have it right, but typed it wrong. However, typos can perpetuate incorrect information if not caught right away.

Mary Ellen

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat May 16, 2009 7:11 am

Hello Mary,

As to whether anyone would be likely to have a portrait painted would probably come down a question of money and whether they were interested in that sort of thing. The cost of the portrait would no doubt depend on who painted it and what technique was used. If it was by someone special (expensive) it would possibly be signed or otherwise identifiable.

Most of the stories you read about artists have them up in garret struggling to make ends meet and being paid peanuts for their work. A skilled artist, who doesn’t have a public profile, or a specific market demand for his work may not be very expensive at all. He may even be free if he’s a friend of the subject. You only have to look at artists in some Asian countries where they’ll whip up a copy of the Last Supper, indistinguishable from the original, for next to nothing. And of course there’s never any shortage of gifted amateurs.

If you did an autopsy on the frame and examined the back of the board it’s on maybe there are some clues there as to where it was produced. Maybe someone connected to a Gallery could identify any particular technique used. Photography was well and truly established by then so I suppose it’s likely that portraits were painted based on photographs, or even upon photographs, under instruction as to colour of clothes and skin tones etc. just as photographs were hand coloured in the early 20th century but maybe with a more aggressive use of paint and colour. In those circumstances it’s possible that the artist and the subject never met.

Someone who lived in surroundings where portraiture was common may have been more inclined to acquire such a thing for themselves in comparison to someone not so exposed. But maybe it’s really only just another variety of the very large framed photographs of individuals that were very common at the time.

Just meandering,
All the best,
Alan

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat May 16, 2009 11:19 am

Back again Mary,

If you wanted to do some exploring I think these are the right Google Maps & Satellite views but Google is so incredibly slow at the moment I’m not sure they’re working properly.

DALSERF.
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&i ... 11973&z=16

EAST KILBRIDE.
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&i ... 11973&z=16

Alan

LizzieS · Post by **LizzieS** » Sat May 16, 2009 6:18 pm

Hi,
Sorry Mary Ellen but this is a response to Caljam371 and his mention of his relatives in Dalserf.
According to the MI booklet I have William Thomson and Mary Murray are buried there.
If they are the same William died 29th March 1914 age 72, his wife Mary Murray died 9th Dec 1875 age 38 years.
There is also mention of their sons - Alexander who died at Clermont Australia 15th Aug 1898 age 29 and Alan James died Rosebank 11th Nov 1904 age 42. Hope they are the ones. Unfortunately the MI booklet doesn't give locations.
Lizzie

marypryde · Post by **marypryde** » Sat May 16, 2009 6:25 pm

Alan - Thank you for both your posts. I love it when you "meander." Haven't gone down those roads yet because I am suddenly overwhelmed by all the responses.

Lizzie - I just sent you a PM response where I asked if you had heard of "Rosebank." I was thinking it was a private residence because my two died many years apart at the same place. Now, with your response to Caljam mentioning Rosebank in another context, I am really wondering. Was it perhaps a village or a hospital?

Mary Ellen

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat May 16, 2009 6:38 pm

Hi Mary Ellen
see http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/292.html

Rosebank, a village in Dalserf parish, Lanarkshire, on the left bank of the river Clyde, nearly opposite Mauldslie Castle, 3 1/4 miles SE of Larkhall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalserf

Dalserf Parish includes the nearby village of Rosebank.

Best wishes
Lesley