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Hello Geo,

I asked my mother if she had ever heard of the Center family, but unfortunately she hasn't.  I explained about him having a smithy on Croft Lane and so on.  The only thing she suggested was that my great uncle Jack used to own the garage/lock-up behind the butcher shop, and he may have rented that out at some time as a smithy (speculation).  But no information that you really wanted.

I was in the library (coincidentally on Croft Lane) a few days ago, and took the opportunity to look through some photocopied photographs they have in there for anything that might relate to your grandfather's smithy.  There was a photograph of people repairing a cart-wheel, and another of (the same iirc) people making horseshoes, but I don't know what date they were taken, where or even what town -- no indication of whether or not they could have some relation to you.

Also I visited a couple of cemeteries last week and did look out for the Center surname (I don't know if any of your relatives died in Blairgowrie/Rattray), but again nothing turned up.

Tim

Perhaps he's buried in Rattray with his wife.  I'm assuming he was the Robert Graham in the same household as his daughter in 1861 (on Croft Lane, within 30 secs walking distance of where I live), and born about 1786 in Edinburgh.  Blairgowrie and Rattray were only separated by the River Ericht, and now form the same town.  I will check when the weather isn't so windy, grey and wet!  There is another cemetery on the edge of Blair, but I'm almost certain it wasn't in use yet in 1861 (I could be wrong, I've never visited it).

Do you know what date Janet Wilson died?

I also asked at the library, but they don't hold any details of burials after 1855.  I was told the people to contact is Perth and Kinross Burial Services.     
The email is esburials[at]pkc.gov.uk
                                                                                                                         In the unlikely event you'd prefer to call, the telephone number is (UK int. code) 01738 446865.  I was told there is a small fee involved, which the Bereavement Services will be able to tell you about.

I'm very very rarely in Perth (once or twice a year at most), and it's always pop in and pop out again.  My guess is that George Russell would be buried in Wellshill Cemetery, Perth.  Again, the Bereavement Services should be able to help you there.

The old parish church is no longer in use, and the lower part of the burial ground is not tended to.  I'm guessing the lower part wasn't used much as there is only a few headstones visible, but I'm sure there will be some buried under the long grass and (lots of!) thorns.  A lot of the stones in the top part have been weathered away, and many others are partly covered in moss (I never known if the moss helps to protect the stone from the elements, or does a lot of harm, so I try to leave alone).  If necessary I will go back and look again another day.

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Hi Martin,

I know this is an old thread which is now facing a second resurrection, so I hope it's okay to add to it.

I had been wondering if anything ever became of the publication of this journal.  But I've had another idea that you might want to consider.

Like lots of other people last Christmas, I became the proud owner of an Amazon Kindle eBook Reader.  It occurred to me, and I've been meaning to post this for some time, that you might want to self-publish your journal in electronic format.  As you've already typed it up, I don't think it would take too much effort to convert it into the various eBook formats, and you could do so with no financial outlay at all.  Furthermore, if you wanted, you could make yourself a little money for your time by selling it on the various eBook sites popping up (including Amazon).

Anyway, I thought it might be an option that could interest you, and would mean that all the effort you've already put in wouldn't have gone to waste.

Tim