Showing posts with label Scott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scott. Show all posts

Monday, January 31, 2022

Hoarder? Collector? Keeper of Memories?

 Did you know that the days & dates in 1966, 1977, 2005, 2011, and 2022 align?  

My father recently located a number of old calendars.  I immediately put the 1972 calendar on the wall thinking that it matched this year (2022).  However, I turned the page today and realised that 1972 was a leap year!  So the calendar is only useful January and February in 2022!  And what are the chances, but I am missing the years that I could use!  Darn!

I shall keep the calendar on the wall until the end of February 2022

Around every corner in our home, is a different memory.  EVERYTHING on display in our home has a meaning or memory. 

No longer are collections hidden in the cupboard.  They are on display for our enjoyment.

For years the badges were in a container in the cupboard,
but they are now on display
The bookcase below is older than I am.  Mum always had medical encyclopedias in it. Now it contains World Book encyclopedias.  My inlaws invested in these encyclopedias in 1972 to assist my husband and his brother with their learning. 

I am extremely grateful to my cousin for giving me the beautiful ruby block butter dish.  It is EAP Glass which was produced from 1850 to 1914.  This one is estimated to be from 1894. I suspect that this may have been a 40th wedding anniversary gift, passed down through several generations.  Perhaps a gift from my Great Grandparents Ambrose and Mary Walker (nee Mottram) to my Great Great Grandparents Alexander and Ellen Walker (nee Rowe) who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on 20th July 1908.  Or was it a gift to Mary's parents, my Great Great Grandparents, Samuel and Elizabeth Mottram (nee Gourley), who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on 27th January 1915?

My father has made me two replicas of this bookcase for side tables in the loungeroom
Every time that I look at the pair of candelabra I think of a deceased friend, Bill Terhorst.   Bill was an engineer and very clever.  He learned blacksmith skills from one of his relatives and made two of these, with the assistance of my husband.  
The good luck charm was purchased in China while I was on a trip with my daughter.

Hand-made by Bill Terhorst.

The small tea-pot belonged to my Nanna.  Several of her grandchildren remember cups of tea being made in it.
The kettle with the green lid was always on our stove growing up.  The fruit bowl (full of knick knacks) belonged to my nanna also.

The tea tin was a container for cereal when we were children.
The canisters were purchased from Bendigo Pottery when we visited friends.
The coffee grinder belonged to my husband's parents (and is of German origin)
The scales were from my days as a bank teller before coin-counting became digital.

The crystal cabinet belonged to Great Grandma Walker and was given to me by another cousin for safekeeping.  It was one of the first things I saw when I walked in the front door of my grandparents.  Nanna always had jelly beans for us, hiding behind a picture on the crystal cabinet.

The dancing doll in the bottle is another beautiful memory of my nanna, who would wind it up for me over and over again when I was a little girl.

The above barometer is one of a large number of pigeon flying trophies. 
My father in law won the VHA Long Distance Average in 1977

The dining room is full of memories. These are only a few examples.
On our honeymoon, we were chased down the road by a vendor eager to sell his wares.  We ended up purchasing the hand-carved cobra walking stick for $5, to stop him from following us.
The ice bucket and trays are VHA pigeon racing trophies.
The cup was given to my parents upon my birth by the masonic lodge.
The crockery is part of a set that belonged to my maternal great grandmother, Mabel Pilgrim (nee Geyer), but it has been broken up and shared among the family.
The goblets belonged to my mother in law.  They were always on display in her wall unit

The purple lamp was used on the kitchen table by my grandmother prior to electricity.
The iron lamp was a wedding present to my Great Grandparents,  Ambrose and Mary Walker, from the bride's father, Samuel Mottram.
The copper picture brings back memories of my grandfather, Gordon Walker, as it was on the wall of my grandparents home when I was a child.
Just out of view is a picture from Disneyland, a scent lamp which a gift from past colleagues/friends, and an urn from a visit to Turkey.

The knitting machine and cupboard belonged to my maternal grandfather, Allan Scott, who purchased them when he returned from World War II, to make socks for the soldiers.
The piano accordion (in the case) was my mothers when she was a child.
The hat was from when my husband was in the army.
The handbag belonged to my mother-in-law.
Mum made the tablecloth with hobbytex

I have given you a small taste of our eclectic style.  Some may think that I am a hoarder.  Others with say that I am a collector.  But I consider myself to be the keeper of memories. I have a book of photographs of all the memorabilia, which includes a description of its origin.  If something happens to me, others will also know the significance.
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This post was inspired by Sepia Saturday 606.
It started with calendars but finished with memorabilia!
Click on the picture to read other posts

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Enjoy Every Day

My grandmother looks so happy holding the snowballs.  She must be cold as she is not dressed for the snow. Her shoes, dress, and bare legs are totally inappropriate. But look at that beaming smile!    

It is November1962 and my grandparents are aged in their early 50's.  The youngest of their four children is 17 years old.  They are getting a taste for the travel that they have been looking forward to for many years.  They had no idea that in less than three years, one of them would be deceased.

Eva Scott
Mt Wellington, Tasmania
1962

My grandmother was worried that she would be seasick on the voyage from Victoria to Tasmania.  My Grandfather told her that it was all in her mind.  He believed that if she thought she would be sick then it would happen. But guess who was actually seasick? 

Allan Scott
1962

Allan Scott
Mt Wellington, Tasmania
1962
My grandfather had completed some unwanted overseas travel during WWII.  He diligently wrote to my grandmother every week.  Most of those letters made it back to Australia, with the main purpose being to let my grandmother know that he was missing her and the family, and that he was alive.

According to Defence records, my grandfather developed Asthma and Rheumatic Fever while in Egypt.  It was ultimately the Rheumatic fever that led to his death in 1965 at the age of 56. 

When my grandfather died, he wasn't much older than I am now!

My grandmother never remarried or had another partner.  I asked her once why she had not remarried.  She told me that she had 'married the best, so there could be no one else'.

However, she still fulfilled her travel ambitions.  It was her postcards from around the world that inspired my love of travel.  

Thank you Gran xoxo

My kids enjoying the snow in Germany in 2006

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This post was inspired by Sepia Saturday 605



Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Walter Scott Dart



Cousins at Little Desert
Allan Scott and Walter Scott Dart


Walter Scott Dart is my first cousin twice removed (ie the cousin of my grandfather).

He is the fourth child of John Dart and Eliza May Scott.  He was born at Nhill, Victoria, Australia on the 27th May 1914. He was only 45 years old when he died from a "coronary occlusion", leaving a wife and four children (aged between ages 7 and 12).

His brother, Don, is pictured here.


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Monday, April 18, 2016

Oscar Frederick Voigt

Oscar Voigt
Source: Barry Scott
Oscar Frederick Voigt is my first cousin twice removed (ie first cousin of my grandfather)

He was born at Nhill, Victoria, Australia on 24th June 1907 and died at Creswick, Victoria on 1st July 1976.

He is related to me via my mothers family (as per the chart below) so I was very surprised to find his grave while I was searching for graves belonging to my father's relatives at Creswick!

Elsie, Edna & Oscar Voigt
Dec 1913












Creswick Cemetery
2015






















Genogram showing Oscar Voigt's relationship to me


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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Donald John Thomas Dart

Don, Alf & Lil Dart
1913

Circa 1917
I believe that this is John & Eliza Dart (nee Scott) and family
Walter, Lily, Don (front) and Alfred

Cousins
Don Dart (left) cousin of  Allan Scott (right)
Emily Pilgrim (left) cousin of Eva Pilgirm (right)
2nd May 1934, Winiam, Victoria, Australia

Don is my 1st cousin twice removed (and the cousin of my grandfather).

Born: 2nd June 1911 at Nhill,Victoria, Australia
Married Louisa Jean Smith on 16th December 1942 in Melbourne
Died 1st December 1966 at Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia

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Monday, April 4, 2016

Catherine Jane Scott

Catherine "Jane" Scott
circa 1890
Source: Barry Scott
Catherine "Jane" Scott
Born 28th September 1878 at Deep Lead, Victoria Australia
Married Edgar Pilmore at Kiata East on the 27th April 1898
Died at 25th August 1955 at Nhill, Victoria Australia

Catherine Jane Pilmore (nee Scott)
and Fred Pilmore - circa 1913
Source:  Barry Scott
Jane is my 2nd Great Aunt, being the elder sister of my Great Great Grandfather, William Adam Bisset Scott.









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Sunday, March 6, 2016

The Women In My Life

Agnes Scott, Rita Walker, Mary Jane Walker, Elizabeth Mottram,
Charlotte Drayton, Danielle, Ellen Walker
Mary Ann Scott, Me , Joy, Eva Scott
Jane Warrick, Mary Ann Pilgrim, Edith Geyer, Mabel Pilgrim

Girls commencing work today would not believe how things have changed in the past 30+ years!

When I started working, what we today know as "discrimination" was accepted as normal practice!

As a junior,  I made the coffee for all the men in the office every morning and afternoon.  It was an accepted part of my role to be the "gopher".  In the days before every branch had a photo copier, it was my job to run across the road to get any photocopying done!  I didn't mind as being a smoker back then, it gave me the opportunity to have a cigarette, as females were not allowed to smoke in front of customers (but the men could).  In the early years of banking,  I remember being disciplined for coming to work in trousers!

I was ambitious from a young age but had many doubters.............and they were not afraid to tell me either!  That just made me more determined!  When I was 20 , I was told that I could not have a supervisors role because "You are female and under age 21" even though I had been successfully relieving in the role for months!   Hard to imagine today!

A male colleague actually laughed at me one day and told me that I would never be a manager as I would "just get married and have babies".  I did get married and have babies but continued working! I achieved my ambition to be a Manager before I was age 30 and am proud that I was the first female branch manager in Gippsland.  How I hated playing golf after manager's conferences!  However, it was something that I needed to do to be considered an equal.  In reality,  I feel that I had to work twice as hard as my male colleagues to be considered equal!

I do not write this to complain but instead to highlight how things have changed. We have come a long way but unfortunately we still have a way to go until men and females are equal in the workplace.

However, I have had it easy compared to my female ancestors pictured above. Every one of the ladies above (except my daughter) has a story of adversity and courage.

My Great Great Great Grandmother, Jane Bound, was 39 years old with 8 children and another on the way when her husband died.  Jane was too old to come to Australia from England, but did not take "no" for an answer and successfully applied for a special dispensation from the Queen to bring her family to Australia in 1878.  That took courage!

When I chose to be a working mother, I did not realise that my Great Great Grandmother, Edith Geyer, was one of the first working mothers.   After her husband died of typhoid in 1899, she needed to work to maintain custody of her seven children.  The family faced further adversity and nearly died when the family went by wagon to Mildura to pick fruit.  You can read about it here.
Nurse Edith Geyer later built a successful private hospital business (with no formal education).  She was certainly an early survivor and entrepreneur.

March is Women's Family History Month and Tuesday March 8th is International Women's day. I would like to take this opportunity to remember and thank the strong women in my family.  I am proud to come from a long line of determined and resourceful women.  Maybe I have inherited my resilience, determination and work ethic from my fore-bearers?

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Friday, January 29, 2016

Great Grandma Scott's Biscuits

Great Grandma Scott's recipes for Cinnamon and Coconut Biscuits 
I have previously written about my Great Grandmother Agnes Scott and the unfortunate event, which led to her opening a tea house.  You can read more here.

Great Grandma's Cinnamon Biscuits
I have tried many of the recipes in her "Cookery Book" and have enjoyed them all!



Agnes Scott's Coco-nut biscuits


1956 - Waterfall Gully Road
Sisters:  Agnes Scott and May Telfer
Note the aprons


This post is prompted by Sepia Saturday.  Click for more posts.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

From my Grandfathers album - Mosque of Omar

Allan Scott enlistment photo
Source: www.naa.gov.au

My Grandfather, Allan Richard Scott, enrolled with the Australian Military Forces on 7th February 1942.  Within 7 months he was in the Middle East.  It seems that he had some time for seeing the sights as there are a number of photos from his time abroad.

While in the Middle East he visited many sites in Jerusalem, which I shall share with you over time,  including the Mosque of Omar, which is more commonly known as The Dome of the Rock and is a sacred site for Jews, Muslims and Christians. The old black and white photos do not do justice as the mosque is very colourful and intricately decorated.

You can read more about the mosque here and there are some wonderful colourful photos here.


From the Album of Allan Scott (1942 or 1943)
" Approach to Mosque"

From the album of Allan Scott (1942 - 1943)
"Mosque of Omar"

From the Album of Allan Scott (1942 or 1943)
"Holy Rock - Inside Mosque of Omar"

From the Album of Allan Scott (1942 or 1943)
"Holy Rock - Inside Mosque of Omar"

This post was prompted by Sepia Saturday.  Click to read more posts

 It was difficult to match this weeks prompt.  The dome of the mosque reminded me of the ball.


Sunday, April 19, 2015

Never Assume! Always Confirm!

OH NO! Anyone who has copied from my tree on Ancestry is wrong!  I've checked, and EVERYONE (over 20 trees) have the wrong immigration details for Donald Scott! Mine included!!  I wonder how many others will pick up the error?

In preparation for a research trip to UK next year, I am going back through my information to confirm the details held.  Over the years, additional information is now available online.

I have always wondered why my Great Great Grandfather Donald Scott came to Australia to be a poor farmer, when his family, who remained in Scotland, were wealthy compared to most.  His father, Adam Bisset Scott, was a tailor and owned at least 3 properties in Leith, with one of these properties being 3 units.

Everyone (including myself) had determined from the Public Record Office website that Donald had arrived at Port Phillip (Victoria, Australia) aboard the Sappho in 1852.

Unassisted Passenger Detail - Source http://prov.vic.gov.au/
This put his year of birth at approximately 1833.  This aligned to the information in the Marriage and Death Certificates and also the birth certificate of his children, which all indicated a year of birth of 1832.(even though his baptism records show his birth year as 1829).

Donald married later in life, at age 48, and his wife Mary Ann (Polly) was 25 years younger.   I wondered if he had deliberately changed his year of birth so he didn't seem quite as old as he really was?

Today when checking details, the original passenger list is now available on Ancestry, which is how I realised that I (and everyone else on Ancestry) had made an error!  We had incorrectly "assumed" that we had the correct Donald Scott as he was the only one listed!

Sappho Passenger Manifest 1852
Source: www.ancestry.com
My immediate thought was "that looks like a family but Donald was single"!   It didn't take me long to confirm that the Donald Scott, who arrived on the Sappho was not my Great Great Grandfather. In addition to their names being the same, there were many similarities between the two of them (mothers name, age, occupation/s, for a time they lived in a similar area).  I was very annoyed at myself that I had many records and newspaper reports that I now know relate to the incorrect "Donald Scott" attached to my tree (and I apologise to anyone who has copied my tree).

So back to the immigration records I went!  So many years later, I now know from a letter that his wife wrote, that he was known as "Dan" (the same as his grandfather) so did not limit my searching to "Donald" this time.

There were now 7 different potential immigration records so I went back over my research again to look for "clues"

  • The death certificate indicates that Donald had been in the Australian colony for 40 years (so arrived in 1852) but it is also showed "England" as place of birth rather than "Scotland".  How could family members make such a mistake?  Hypothesis: Maybe he had moved to England prior to coming to Australia?
  • 1841 Scottish Census showed that he resided with his family in Scotland but no occupation (so no help)
  • 1851 Census (looking for an occupation or something to link to immigration records)  - After hours of searching all UK census records and discounting many potential people, I have been unable to local Donald/Daniel Scott.  Hypothesis:  Maybe he had left UK prior to 1851 census?
I got quite excited when I found convict Daniel Scott (age 19), who had been transported to Australia for a 10 year sentence in 1848.  All the dates seemed to fit.  Our Donald/Daniel Scott disappears between 1842-1877 so maybe this is the reason why?

Source: www.findmypast.com.au

Unfortunately, I soon realised that this was unlikely to be our ancestor as  the convict conduct records indicate that Braintree in Essex was his native place and not Scotland.  However I could not find any record of this convict dying or leaving Tasmania.

Although I have narrowed down to 3 potential immigration records, I cannot confirm or prove them so Donald Scott is now one of three ancestors, who I cannot confirm how and when they arrived in Australia.  Hopefully I can locate additional information when I visit Scotland!

NEVER ASSUME!  ALWAYS CONFIRM!


Mary Ann (Polly) and Donald (Dan) Scott with their children -
Tom, Jane, Eliza, Elsie, Christian and William
1890
 You can also read more about Donald Scott here.