RootsChat.Com

Charlie (think his surname was Orsoni?) lived on Sunnyside beach, east of Cullen in Banffshire apparently for some 13 years from 1920. He was thought to be a deserter from the French Navy.

He built a hut in a cleft in the rocks with areas of garden. He made a living by selling postcards of himself, and a number of sources state he snared and sold rabbits, possibly fish as well although a vegetarian himself.

In 1933 he was charged with being an alien and fined £5 I believe by the court in Banff. He then left Sunnyside to try and get back to France but some sources say he died in an internment camp in England in 1937.

The location of his hut can still be seen with smoke blackened rock faces which formed the walls apparently burnt by the tenant farmer of the adjacent land after he left - presumably the tenant had objections to Charlie or the visitors who came to see him whether as sightseers or customers.

It would be wonderful to see if his birth, death and background could be traced. Sincerely hope I’ve recalled his surname correctly which  I was told years ago when I lived about a mile from Sunnyside beach.

Many thanks!
Stuart

Betsy Smith was born illegitimate 30th August 1874 in Coignascalan (Coignascallan) Moy and Dalarossie, Invernessshire. The birth record has ‘Betsy’.

Her father was John Smith, shepherd, mother Betsy Noble.

Apart from details of her birth, the only other record I’ve found is in the 1881 Census when she was shown aged 6 with her grandparents Alexander and Margaret Smith in Inverallan, Cromdale’.

Her mother married Donald McBean, gamekeeper, 3rd January 1878 with a daughter Isabella born 13th March 1879. I think Isabella died in Otago NZ in 1955.

Donald died in 1881 in Coignafearn and Betsy his wife in 1907 in Inverness.

I can find no trace of Betsy Smith or her father John after 1881 and would welcome any information on them both after this date appreciating their surname is unfortunately very common.

Many thanks
Stuart

Would very much like to see restoration/ interpretation of this photo of a group of cheery looking lads in Egypt during WW2. My uncle Jock Smith is on the far right with his hands together looking unusually pensive.

Stuart

I see that the profile of a very illustrious person connected to RootsChat confirms they are 150 years old..

It would be lovely to know her secret, Ms Calment shown in the attached article made it to 122 by rather unexpected means, Mon Dieu!


https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/humans-could-live-up-to-150-years-new-research-suggests/

1861 Census for Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie, Easter Dreggie shows

James Alexander Smith
Aged 17
Retired Scholar
Birthplace Demerara British Subject

He died 30/8/1861
Easter Dreggie
Inverallan

The Census shows him with other Smith family members and the informant of his death was John Smith, cousin. His parents, both deceased are given as Alexander, House Carpenter, and Sarah Smith.

I’d welcome any more information on James, particularly about his birth in Demerara, which I discover was on the northern coast of South America with a history of colonialisation at times turbulent now part of modern Guyana.

I was also intrigued that he was described in the Census as ‘ Retired Scholar’ - perhaps he had to finish school but was unable to progress through illness; the cause of his death was phthisis ‘some time’.

Incidentally I’d never realised before where Demerara sugar came from!

Many thanks.
Stuart