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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Stirlingshire => Topic started by: LibHastings on Saturday 17 May 14 09:53 BST (UK)
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Hello everyone
My ancestors were living in England in the 1901 Census and recorded their place of birth as Alva NB Stirlingshire.
What does the NB stand for please?
Thank you
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NB was sometimes used to refer to Scotland as 'Northern Britain'. Stirlingshire is the county.
Monica :)
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Has anyone ever come across an example of England being referred to as "South Britain"? I speak as someone who's English to a deplorable degree - very few ancestors from outside Norfolk in 400 years.
On the other hand my late father-in-law was from Alva. By the 1901 census Alva was (and still is) in Clackmannanshire. Until the late 1890s it was a detached part of Stirlingshire. So not only had your ancestors moved, so had the town.
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After the 1603 Union of Scotland and England, Scotland was often referred to as "North Britain".
Scottish writers then had a tendency to refer to England as "South Britain".
King James I (of England) and VI (of Scotland) in his Proclamation of 1606, referring to the first Union Flag said:
"Whereas some difference has a risen between our Subjects of South and North Britain, Travelling by Sea, about the bearing of their flags"
Charles I, in his Proclamation of 1634 said:
"Our further will and pleasure is, that all the other Ships of Our Subjects of England or South Britain bearing flags shall from henceforth carry the Red Cross, commonly called S. George’s Cross, as of old time hath been used; And also that all other ships of Our Subjects of Scotland or North Britain shall henceforth carry the White Cross commonly called S. Andrews Cross"
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"As late as the eighteenth century Scotsmen in legal deeds were wont to refer to England as South Britain. " Dundee Evening Telegraph, 6 November 1911
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Thank you to all. I knew it would have to be something simple like that. I had thought maybe northern borders but Northern Britain makes obvious sense (altho' not from the Scots!)
Thanks again