Grosart

[Currie]

Hello Robert,

Here’s the very sad story from the Caledonian Mercury, Monday, October 13, 1834

FATAL ACCIDENT.—A very melancholy circumstance occurred at Falkirk on Tuesday evening, which, for the thousandth time, may serve as a warning. A poor little girl had gone to the fields to gather brambles, and on her return purchased a small quantity of oatmeal with the proceeds, with which to make a diet of porridge for herself and a younger sister. Sitting by the fire, she fell asleep, and was awakened by her hungry infant sister, as the pot was boiling over. Still half sleeping, the girl approached the fire, when her apron caught the flames, but although her screams might have called in assistance, it appears none of the neighbours came to her aid; and she ran out to the open air. At this moment Mr William Grosart, shoe-maker, was alarmed by the noise as well as the light from the burning sufferer, and with great presence of mind hurried her to a well near the place, but unluckily it was without water. He in vain attempted to stifle the flames with his hands; and upon running into a house for a bed-cover, the woman refused to give such a thing, so that he had actually by force to take some old garment, which he contrived to wrap round the girl. But she was so much scorched that she died next morning. Mr Grosart had his hands very much scorched.

Some more detail from the Blackburn Standard, March 18, 1893.

At the time of publication Dr Grosart was residing in Dublin in the North Circular-road. It states that he was born at Stirling, N.B., on June 18th, 1835, was of Huguenot descent, from a family settled at Logie, whose most famous member was Sir William Grosart, Postmaster-General of Scotland in the time of Queen Anne. He was educated at the Grammar School of Falkirk and at the University of Edinburgh etc.

I suppose the Stirling N.B. would be for the North Britain of the time?

The Aberdeen Weekly Journal, March 22, 1899, mentions in an obituary that he died at his residence, Bank House, Dublin, of heart disease. Father was an elder in the Secession Church.

There’s a 12 page obituary in the Westminster Review, digitised by Google, but no mention of ancestors that I can see. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=kIc ... CDUQ6AEwAw

All the best,
Alan

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Alan

'N B' equalling North Britain ! Yes !, as Scotland was part of Great Britain and the northen part thereof, so why use the term 'Scotland' ? ! ...................

It's far from uncommon in that era to find a reference to NB rather than Scotland, not least since a significant proportion of upper class Scots of the time preferred all things English as opposed to Scottish.

Witness the fact that a number of Englishmen were 'imported' to Edinburgh to teach Scots how to speak English properly.

And then the ridiculous renaming of several Scottish counties on the basis of taking the county town and adding 'shire', hence Linlithgowshire in place of West Lothian, Edinburghshire instead of Midlothian, Haddingtonshire instead of East Lothian, Forfarshire instead of Angus, plus a couple of others ............

Had it not been for the adoption of this English convention, we'd most likely have ended up with the Irish usage of, e.g. Co Down; so, in Scotland Co. Ayr instead of Ayrshire.

Likewise, over the last 3 centuries the consistent attempt to extirpate Scots language as opposed to English.

There never was a completely separate Scots language but linguistic experts to whom I've spoken over the years agree that Scots and English were clearly diverging, and had it not been for the Union of Crowns in 1603, and the Union of Parliaments in 1707, such divergence would have continued to the point where 21st censury Scots would today most likely bear a relation to English akin to Norwegian to Danish !, i.e. close but distinctly different languages.

I lived in Sweden for 6 years in the 1980s and was quite astonished to find, once I'd learnt the pronunciation, that so many Scots words were close to the same meaning as the Swedish words.

Not least that, but there are many grammatical constructions in Swedish that are the same as those if Scotland, but, today, in Scotland, are largely regarded as 'bad', wrong, slang English.

My all time favourite is the Scots expression 'I'm going for to do [something]', the exact Swedish equivalent, perfectly grammatical, being 'Jag ska for at göra [någonting]', the former resulting in me and fellow pupils receiving the belt on a number of occasions.

mb

[wardl]

Hi Robert

My husband is a direct descendant of Thomas Grosart and Margaret Morison - they are his Great. great, great, great grandparents. His great, great, great grandfather was William Grosart the shoemaker who is mentioned in the newspaper article. I have researched quite a lot of the Grosart tree, including branching off into the Morisons and Clelands. I have also gone further back along the line to Thomas's father and mother. (you may already have done this). I would be interested to share any information with you as my husband's immediate family have little information themselves as my husband's grandfather died at a young age, rescuing a child from a canal. The spelling can vary quite a lot which is something to bear in mind when checking records - I've even found it recorded as Greasart on census returns!

Hope this helps.
Lois

[Troupman]

Lois
I would be delighted to share the info I have - I had done fairly detailed research into the surname in general and into this line in particular- I would appreciate anything you have discovered re Thomas's parents I have the names but don't know much about them. There are two branches of Grosarts in the period 1750 or so in Falkirk and both wives are named Kincaid and I haven't managed to tie them together at this stage. Any help would be appreciated.
It may be best to take this conversation off line- are you in the Uk

Robert

Ps Happy New Year

[wardl]

Hi Robert

Wasn't expecting such a speedy reply! Yes I am in the UK. What would be the best way to have contact - through email?
I'll be back on line tomorrow.
Cheers
Lois