Scottish Tea-dealers in Liverpool

[johnea]

My g-grandfather was Robert Syme Adamson, son of Robert of Gretna, and nephew of your George. It interests me greatly to see mention of a large family tree going back a while, since I am stuck at the brothers and their other siblings being born at the Avenuehead. Comlongon. Any chance of a peep at the tree? Australia is isolated as far as sources go.

[Gillg]

Hello johnea
I don't have the full family tree online, but suggest you contact the earlier RootsChat correspondent #13 - joys of glass - for her updated tree. Good to meet another relative.   The Scottish side of my family is now well and truly diluted, I'm afraid, though my mother was very proud of it and my cousin, who later lived in Scotland, used to wear the kilt on occasion!
Gillg

[johnea]

My g-grandfather was Robert Syme Adamson, son of Robert of Dumfries. I am very interested in your mention of a family tree. Would it be possible to have a peep, as primary sources are rather limited for research here in Australia.

[Gillg]

Hello johnea
I don't have the full family tree online, but suggest you contact the earlier RootsChat correspondent at reply #13 - joys of glass - for her updated tree. Good to meet another relative.   The Scottish side of my family is now well and truly diluted, I'm afraid, though my mother was very proud of it and my cousin, who later lived in Scotland, used to wear the kilt on occasion!
Gillg

You can send a personal message to joys of glass by clicking on the scroll symbol at the side of the page by her name after you have posted 3 messages.

[Skoosh]

This from Trotter's, "Galloway Gossip!" 1901.

 Packmen/teamen who travelled to England from Galloway.

 "They cairriet the tea in quarter puns an sell't  tae the English on credit an came back in a fortnight an gat the siller, an left another quarter. They bocht it in lairge quantities for ready money and blended it an made big profit on't, an some o them werna lang in makin fortins!
 When yin o them had a bigger connection nor he could manage hissel he wid bring a young lad fae Gallowa fur a kin o prentice an he had tae serve fae five tae seeven year withoot pey, only his meat & claes; an his maister wid gie him a wheen o customers tae stert wi an let him make a connection fur hissel.
 If he behave't hissel, his maister wud sell him pairt o his connection an gie him tea tae supply his customers or let him begin a new connection but supply him wi tea an siller tae gang on wi.  Than he had tae pey him back wi installments an if he wus study an clever he had little trouble in doin't.
 Its no every yin can do at the pack, wee fairmers sons an young plewmen dis best; a thin-skinn't falla or yin wi the feelins an notions o a gentleman'll no dae ava.
 Deed that kind disna do weel at aucht noo-a-days!"

 Apparently many of the Liverpool merchants had Galloway origins and the Isle of Man smugglers did well running goods into Galloway's Solway creeks, with their ferocious tides & shifting sands, at the time of the French wars. Tea being light and valuable was a favourite cargo & the well armed smuggling gangs a formidable terror to the excisemen.
 For an accent to Trotter's above, Private Fraser from "Dads Army" would be not far off!

Bests,
Skoosh.