RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Kincardineshire => Topic started by: Binkie on Thursday 06 January 11 13:48 GMT (UK)
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Isles Burness, who lived most of his life in Inverbervie, & was a passionate genealogist & local historian died on 28th December 2010.
He will be sadly missed by those friends he made when answering Kincardineshire queries.
Agnes
"further details by PM"
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Sorry to hear that. Isles has helped me a few times with relatives.
Thanks and goodbye to my 3rd cousin once removed that I never met but helped me out.
Lorna
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Well since you didn't meet him, here's the next best thing:-
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Oh dear I am so sad to hear that Isles has passed away.
We shared our joint Burness ancestry for some time and I shall miss him. :'(
RIP Isles and hope you now have all the answers you've been seeking.
Di
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:'(
so sorry to hear this
Isles , your knowledge of kincardineshire will be sadly missed
you were a true gentleman who went out of your way to help others
i to hope you have found the answers to all your questions
rest in peace my friend
ev
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I'm also sad to hear of his passing.
He helped me greatly while I was researching my Gove ancestors from Gourdon, Johnshaven & St Cyrus.
He will be sadly missed.
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A true gentleman who will be greatly missed.
Isles was my 2nd cousin through the Dickson/Beattie family of Johnshaven.
Met him only once at a small family reunion in Johnshaven, he had cycled down from 'Bervie for the occasion.
Felt like I had known him all my life, a real couthie man.
Sleep soundly Isles.
Jen :'(
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So sad to hear this.
Isles shared his knowledge with us generously and will be sadly missed.
RIP Isles.
Lynda
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I am so sad to hear this news; Isles was of great help to me with part of my Scottish ancestry and went out of his way to help me.
He will be sadly missed.
Rest in Peace
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I've only just found this post. :'(
I just searched to see the last time Isles had been online and found this very sad news. Isles and I didn't have any common 'genealogical' associations, but I read many of his posts, spoke to him via PM, and thought he was a really lovely man. I remember when he posted a photograph of his young self in uniform and I thought then how kind he looked.
So sad, and also a bit sad how few replies there are to this post ... :(
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Ruskie, I think you will find that a number of people, like me, have sent a PM to Agnes, as she mentioned in her original post :)
My last exchange with Isles was on the issue of his first name, Isles, which after all his years he had given up trying to figure out why his parents had called him that and what the source of it could have been!
I am still convinced that his mother had fed him the OS maps since a toddler, given his vast knowledge of place names and history.
Much missed by many who had dealings with him.
Monica
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Ruskie, I think you will find that a number of people, like me, have sent a PM to Agnes, as she mentioned in her original post :)
Monica
Thanks for letting me know Monica, I'm glad about that. :)
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Just to thank everyone for their wonderful postings & private messages about Isles which are much appreciated.
His funeral at Bervie (which was very well attended) just captured the spirit of the man & certainly was a celebration of his life.
He was a keen angler, cyclist & local historian & everything he did was done with the utmost enthusiasm.
This picture of him when he was doing his national service at Carnwath Barracks just captures the very essence of him.
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I was just thinking - he's probably helping out God with genealogical problems!!!!!
;D ;D ;D
Agnes
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He sure is ;) Wonder if he has been able to verify and confirm his sources back to Adam ;D
Thank you for posting that photo of him during military service Agnes - gosh, he looks like he was a tall lad with a cheeky grin!
Monica
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Glad you liked it, Monica
I bet he's asking God why he was named Isles.
Isles was about 6ft with the longest legs and the biggest grin you've ever seen. He also had a devilish sense of humour which sometimes manifested itself in poetry or song. I wish I had kept some of his poetry! I must admit I did like it when he phoned to sing me his version of a topical ditty he had composed. He hated some of the "In Memoriam" entries in the Dundee Courier & had found that they could mostly be sung to the tune of "The Wearing of the Green".
Now you'll find it difficult to read the "In Memoriam" column without bursting into song!
Agnes
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Thanks for the extra insight Agnes. Everyone should have someone like that in their life. :)
And thank you for posting the photo - I'm not sure if that's the exact one Isles himself posted but it was definitely the same outfit and definitely the same smile. ;D
(and I'm going to have to google "The Wearing of the Green") as I'm not familiar with it.)
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It probably is the same photograph - he always had a devil of a time attaching images & it's very difficult to explain to someone over the phone.
Isles certainly enriched my life. We met by chance when I decided to visit Inverbervie after finding out my great grandfather Arthur Burness Bowman had been born there. I went into Willie Beattie's shop & said that I was looking for the Queens Arms which my great great grandmother had owned (little realising that if I walked another few steps I would be right next to it) & he said "You'll be a Bowman". I agreed but said that Jane Bowman was a Burness before she was married so he got on the phone to Isles & I had the most marvellous day being shown round.
Now the much more interesting part as far as I'm concerned. My father's family were not close & I had only ever had real contact with my mother's English relatives. I also knew a great deal more about the Smiths of Earby & Lothersdale in Yorkshire as my Grandma who lived with us had been alive when Kenneth Wilson researched the families of Lothersdale & she was able to have the Herefordshire part of the family incorporated in the tree.
Enter Isles - a paternal relative - who was certainly a carbon copy of me in nature which is why we formed such a deep bond.
What also amazed me was that my father who was born in Motherwell & Isles who was born in Stonehaven had exactly the same laugh!!!
I think I'll use the Queen's Arms as my avatar as it was taken on the day I met Isles.
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I also have Burness in my maternal family. Elspeth Burness, married to John Caird in Glenbervie. (They are my 4 x gt grandparents). Elspeth was William Burness's sister. Isles was delighted that I had been able to find my connection.
Lynda
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Lovely story, thanks for sharing Agnes .... :)
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Hi.
I would like to add my condolences for Isles and all the help he gave me in my research of the MCBAY/BEY's of
Johnshaven. I live in Surrey near Heathrow Airport so a long way from being able to get information. Isles was a very kind and trusting person we spent a number of times on the telephone and he even sent me a book on loan through the post,for which I was very grateful and I returned it to him.
ROWANA:
I have a John Craigie GOVE who marr. my 1c4r Isobel MCBAY 1856 Benholm, they had at least to children, William b.1857 and Edward b. 1862, both in Benholm. Is there a connection?
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Might be best to keep specific genealogy queries off this main post on Isles perhaps.... :)
Monica
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No connection as far as I am aware & no doubt he would have told you if there had been as he always provided as much information as possible.
Agnes