Objack

stepmars · Post by **stepmars** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 7:41 am

Does anyone know what it means to be described as an "objack" on an OPR death record?

Post by **SarahND** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 4:38 pm

Hello stepmars,

My guess would be creative spelling for the word "abject" probably meaning the person was indigent or homeless. But I'm quite willing to be corrected by anyone who knows better

Sarah

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:26 pm

Hi stepmars

I think to be sure of the meaning we would really need to see the word in context. Do you have a name, parish and date for the death? Can you post the image?

Best wishes
Lesley

stepmars · Post by **stepmars** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 10:42 pm

Hi Lesley,
I've recently come across this term a few times in Dalkeith OPRs. An example can be viewed in:
http://www.talkingscot.com/gallery/disp ... fullsize=1
Thanks,
Steve

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:13 pm

Hi Steve

Following up from Sarah's thoughts and looking at the example you posted I wondered whether the record was an oblique way of recording the birth of an 'object of pity' - a deformed child or imbecile who did not survive long enough to be named. The terms moron, idiot and imbecile were in use right up to the introduction of the Mental health (Scotland) Act in 1959.

Russell

stepmars · Post by **stepmars** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:47 pm

Dear Sarah & Russell,

The other examples I've come across always refer to females. Sometimes they also refer to the person as a relict (widow) of a man so I don't think it would relate to deformity or mental deficiency. I've never seen the term used in records from other parts of Scotland so perhaps it's peculiar to Dalkeith? The records using the term are all approx 1700-1750.

I was wondering if it may mean the person was a pauper, which is a description I've seen used more widely?

Thanks,
Steve

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 3:56 am

Hi Steve,

Looking at the context, I am wondering if it is a term meaning that the deceased was born out of wedlock and never married. All of the others in that section of OPR say "son of..." or "relict of..." . This one shows only the name of the deceased. Like the other replies here, I have never seen this word before, and cannot find any reference to it by googling.

I have found that full page on SP, and there are another couple of "objack" entries there - all listed with no "son of..." or "relict of...". Also there are others with no other name, referred to as "a stranger".

All the best,

AndrewP

stepmars · Post by **stepmars** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:18 am

Hi Andrew,
Here is another example which describes the woman as "relict of" and "an objack":
http://www.talkingscot.com/gallery/disp ... fullsize=1
Regards,
Steve

Falkyrn · Post by **Falkyrn** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:32 am

The Scots Language Dictionary at http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/index.html gives this as one definition of the word
Object ..... 1. A person who is deformed, diseased, imbecile, or in some way deserving of pity.

carolineasb · Post by **carolineasb** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 10:47 am

Relict (widow) is still used as a legal term nowadays.

TalkingScot.com

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