Dean orphanage

[miky126]

Was there from 1946 to1958. My name is maud Simpson. Would like to hear from anyone who was there then

[MonicaL]

Hi Maud, welcome to RootsChat 

RC is not great for helping with really recent stuff. It is very much a site for researching family and ancestors who are truly dead!

Some ideas for you now:

www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_edin/1_edinburgh_history_-_recollections_dean_orphanage.htm

This link included here too www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=653023.0

Monica

[Forfarian]

Have you read Peter May's Hebridean trilogy? The second book, Lewis Man,is partly set in the Dean orphanage. But you might find it a bit harrowing - I certainly did.

[MonicaL]

Another post by someone else for further background here www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=653023.0

Monica

Added: As an aside, I too have read Peter May's triology. A great read all round, but as you mention, the events around the Dean Orphanage are grim 

[tidybooks]

Hi All,

I did a search on the "Scotsman Archives" on the National Library of Scotland site, and it seems that Dean Orphanage and the Cauvin Trust amalgamated in 1931, and that both sets of management objected to the proposal, but it went ahead.

Loius Cauvin (or Calvin, some thought he was related to the well known Scottish Protestant John Calvin) died in 1825 from Dropsy, and Cauvins Hospital was started in 1833 with a large amount of money from his will. He was reported to have educated Robert Burns in 1787,  3 times a week at 9:00pm for 3 months, both being members of Lodge Canongate Kilwinning.

I have only searched for 15 minutes, what fascinating finds already.

Tom

[Forfarian]

Loius Cauvin (or Calvin, some thought he was related to the well known Scottish Protestant John Calvin)

Fascinating indeed.

I was under the impression that the famous Protestant Calvin was French. Did he ever actually set foot in Scotland, or was it just his doctrines that took root here?

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

[tidybooks]

Hi Forfarian,

Yes, you are correct he was French, but had links with Scotland through John Knox, when he had studied in Geneva. Calvin was treated as a great Church reformer by some in Scotland and his anti-popery stance is still revered by them. I will do some more research on Calvin later.

Louis Cauvin's father , John Cauvin was a French emigre' and obviously a man of substance. He stayed in Jocks Lodge House, where Louis was born in 1754. An interesting research subject.

Tom

[Forfarian]

Calvin was treated as a great Church reformer by some in Scotland and his anti-popery stance is still revered by them.

Yes, I am only too aware of the effect that some of Calvin's teachings had on Scotland.

My late cousin and I used to support one another in our struggles to overcome the bred-in-the-bone Calvinist ethics that make so many Scots feel vaguely guilty about any form of enjoyment, and especially about spending money on anything other than the strictly essential.

"What do you mean, you don't need a new dress? Are you having an attack of Calvinist ethics? If you like it, and it suits you, and you can afford it, just buy it! You don't need to justify it to anyone."

[MonicaL]

  Proud of you Forfarian and your cousin!

Monica