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Hi

I have stumbled upon three newspaper articles describing the treatment of this gent who was first arrested for having photographs of English Harbours in his possession . He was passed to the military authorities who seemed to think he was not a spy as he had been in England and Ireland for the past 18 years , and discharged him . However the law would not be denied and he was then rearrested for having photographic equipment in his possession without the necessary permit required of an "alien enemy". For this he got a month in gaol without hard labour. In one article he is Erwin Bernhart Schatz, in another Ervin Bernhart Shartz. When first arrested 20th Aug 1914, a paper gives his name as Ervin Bernhart Shots. The only other info is that his wife was also German.
You would think that over 18 years he would turn up in a census somewhere. but he has proved peculiarly elusive under any combination of names. And what was he doing in rural Down ??

A friend here in Scotland has an ancestor with this job description recorded. I think it is just saying that he made shoemakers' (of which a lot in his family) tools but I've never seen the phrase before and my Dictionary of Scots makes no reference to "farmisher"

Puzzling over the location of Brayhead (sic) which seems to be either in Dreghorn or Dundonald parish depending on which part of a doc you are reading. The Kirk Session minutes for Dundonald, from the start in 1602 right up to 1612 show Charles Bankhead in Brayhead as an elder. On several occasions it is given as Brayhead Dreghorn which begs the question , could an elder live outside the parish ?
13/9/1607 "James Bankhead in Brayhead of Dreghorn .....accused of fornication with Margaret Boyd..." The next month Isobell Bankhead in Crosbie (which IS in Dundonald) is among a group denounced from the pulpit - in April of the following year she is "in Brayhead". The testament dative of John Fulton in Dreghorn dated Feb 1616, records both Charles and James in Brayhead (CC9/7/12/9).
(Fulton was married to Janet Bankhead, probably the sister of James in Brayhead)

Marriage entry lists John MacDonald's parents as Ranald MacDonald (deceased) and Ann Stewart (wool spinner) but does NOT indicate they were married. It shows that he was born c1862. None of the John MacDonald births in North Uist for 1862/1863 are him. An Ann Stewart (stocking knitter) with a John MacDonald aged 9 appear as boarders in 1871 census of Rhudub, North Uist. John's birthplace is given as "Milton, Invernesshire" Again, I have been unable to identify his birth in that area. There are just too many John MacDonalds. Has anyone come across this family?

Meanwhile.....I believe that Ranald is the one who married Catherine MacDougald 23rd Aug 1864 North Uist. Their son Donald was born 4 days later:) Ranald died 28th May 1868. Catherine had two illegitimate children John Archibald and Mary MacDougal in 1876.

My interest is that John MacDonald and Euphemia MacIness had a son Ranald who married Kate Stewart in Govan, Glasgow, 20th Sept 1928. Ranald and Kate are the grandparents of a friend who, as is so often the case, left it too late to enquire of the family about his Hebridean roots.

But what I really want to find is the birth registration for John MacDonald c1862/1863.

Alexander was son of Alexander Wright (1834-1919) and Jane Leslie (died 1910). One of eight brothers, others being Leslie, William, George, Henry Stuart, Robert Watson , James , and John Leslie. Henry, James, Robert, and  John Leslie all died unmarried. Leslie emigrated to Canada prior to WW1, had a wife (name unknown) , enlisted in army and fought in France. POW 1916, repatriated to England in 1918 and thence back to Canada , where he resided at Peace River. Henry Stuart was for a time based in Transvaal (probably in connection with African Lakes Corporation) but came back to Scotland and died quite young at his brother William's house in Pitlessie, near Cupar, Fife.
Alexander's last identifiable appearance in census is in 1881, age 7. His father, Alexander snr died 6/9/1919 in Rothes, and a newspaper obituary records the attendance of Alexander jnr who "had seen considerable active service in the war just concluded and also took part in the South African War" It is a very common name and I have been thus far unable to pinpoint his service career or life thereafter. The family have a photo of "Alexander Wright" in full military uniform but it is too large to attach here (2.9 Mbits) so would have to DM anyone who knows about uniforms and such.
Any info on service career and life thereafter much appreciated

Matt