Newbie desperately looking for Aberdeen relatives

[Nickra]

Hi - can I find out whether anybody else has inspected the same page of the 1881 Scottish census as I have done? My great grandparents James and Jessie Wood came from King Edward, Banff and later lived at Woodend Farm which I now believe is Strawberry Grange Farm Shop, Woodend Farm,
Peterculter. But I never knew them or their son, my grandfather Gordon Kenneth Wood. But I would like to contact any other living relatives. Thanks.

[SarahND]

Hi Nickra,
Welcome to Talking Scot! As far as I know, I don't have any connection with your family, but perhaps if you post more information someone will recognize them. How old was James in the 1881 census? Who were his parents? What was his occupation? What was Jessie's maiden surname? If you spread the net wider by bringing in the families of Jessie, her parents, James' mother's family, etc., then you stand a better chance of finding someone here who connects.

Don't hesitate to post if you meet a brick wall going backwards! We all love a challenge.

All the best,
Sarah

[Nickra]

Thanks Sarah. In the 1881 Scottish census nine people and three generations of the Wood family were living at Woodend farm in Aberdeenshire. They included my great-grandfather James, aged 2, his father, also James, aged 35, mother Mary (nee Barclay) aged 33, and his grandfather George - a 78-year-old retired farmer born in 1803. There was also James' sisters Barbra, aged 5 and Bella J aged 8. G-grandfather James and Jessie Grant were married in 1909 in Aberdeen and moved to Birkenhead, Merseyside the following year. Jessie was the daughter of Charles Stewart Grant and Jessie Gordon Grant (nee Gray).The Woods know nothing of my existence as James' son Gordon Kenneth was shot down in WW2. My mother was secretly adopted as she was born out of wedlock. Incidentally James went on to become an analytical chemist, so he may have studied at Aberdeen University. Would they still have records? It would be great to be reunited with some of the descendants of the Woods - some of whom may still be living in Scotland.

PS Do I need to post this on a different thread?

[LesleyB]

Hi Nickra
...and welcome to Talking Scot.
Although we are happy to help you trace the family backwards if you need any help doing that, I'm afraid we cannot help you trace living persons. See the post in Essential Reading for details:
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6601

We have a list of links for missing and/or adopted people too; some of the links there may be of some help:
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5576

Here on TS we deal more with history and "lang died yins" , than the living...

Best wishes
Lesley

[SarahND]

Hi Nickra,
I think Aberdeen University does keep the old records-- I know I've seen some somewhere and have been banging my head against the wall trying to remember where without much luck! In any case, you have now given enough information for anyone who knows the history of that family to recognize-- I hope you can connect!

If you ever get some time to drive north up to Edinburgh and visit the records office, you could probably trace the family down to some living folks, then try to contact them. We can't give names and dates of recent people on this forum, but there is nothing to stop you finding out yourself!

Best of luck!
Sarah

[Currie]

Hello Nickra,

There’s the Aberdeen University’s Special Libraries and Archives. I don’t know whether they hold student records but someone there should know. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/historic/Intro.shtml

The CWGC entry shows James Wood’s qualifications as M.A and B.Sc. but doesn’t mention which university. http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_det ... ty=2407030 Gordon doesn’t appear to be listed on the Scottish National War Memorial.

If you Google for exactly this "James Wood, M.A., B.Sc" (including the quotes) and do the same search in Google Books http://books.google.com.au/bkshp?hl=en&tab=wp you’ll get a number of snippets and results suggesting he was a Carnegie Scholar 1904-1905 at Aberdeen University.

All the best,
Alan

[Nickra]

Wow Alan - I'm really touched by this, thanks a million! I think James certainly pulled himself up by his boot laces as he came from a relatively poor rural background. And considering my aptitude for science and chemistry would barely fit on to a postage stamp I am doubly surprised. I am sure my mother will be proud when I tell her!

Thanks everybody for your input.

[Currie]

Back again Nickra,

There’s a very, very nice obituary on page 317 of this document but better check the text below against the document in case there are errors. I think this may be from the Journal of the Society of Public Analysts.
http://www.rsc.org/delivery/_ArticleLin ... nalCode=AN

JAMES WOOD

BY the death of James Wood, which took place on April 4th, 1933, the Society has lost a member who was deeply interested in its welfare and who very rarely missed a meeting of the North of England Section.

He was born in 1878 on a farm in the county of Aberdeen. His parents removed to a suburb of the city of that name when he was at an early age, and he attended the Grammar School there. He subsequently entered Aberdeen University, and graduated as Master of Arts with honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and as Bachelor of Science with honours in Chemistry. He passed the examination for the Fellowship of the Institute of Chemistry in 1916. He joined our Society in 1920, and was elected a Member of Council in 1927. For two periods he served on the Committee of the North of England Section, and was the first Vice-chairman.

On leaving the University he joined the staff of Robert Gordon’s College as a lecturer in Chemistry, but he soon terminated the appointment in order to undertake research as a Carnegie Scholar under Prof. F. R. Japp, the results of this work being published in two papers (Chem. Soc. Trans., 1905, 87, 707, 712).

He then went to Liverpool to act as an assistant to the late Professor J. Campbell Brown in the Laboratory of the Lancashire County Council, where he worked for twelve years. It was during this time that a friendship, which lasted for the remainder of his life, was begun with the present writer. In 1917 he joined the newly-formed Research Department of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Manchester, and three years later he was appointed chief analyst—a responsible post which he held until his death. There can be no doubt that the long training he had had in a Public Analyst’s laboratory proved of great value when he was called upon to face, from the side of the manufacturer, problems connected with foodstuffs, and that it was also largely responsible for the disposition he showed, at all times, to confer, in a frank and helpful spirit, with Public Analysts.

Until a few weeks before the end he enjoyed good health, and it appeared likely that he had many years before him. From his early days he took great interest in various forms of sport; in later life he became increasingly devoted to golf. He held the office of Chairman of the Greens Committee of the North Manchester Golf Club, and won a number of its trophies.

Speaking from an association with Wood extending over a period of twenty-eight years, it is a pleasure to the writer to testify to the strict integrity of his character, his great enthusiasm for his work, and, along with a hearty detestation of anything in the nature of make-believe or pretence, a genial and sane outlook on life. He had, as becomes a good Scotsman, an intense admiration for all things Scottish, but never obtruded his preferences to the annoyance of those whose fortune or misfortune it was to be born further south. His sense of humour was keen, never-failing and infectious; he had the enviable quality of being able to laugh at himself and his own peculiarities. Another characteristic of Wood was an equanimity which was very seldom, if indeed ever, disturbed by the vicissitudes and troubles of life.

He loved the company of his fellows, and especially that of members of our Society. Proof of this is shown by the fact that he generally formed one at those valuable informal talks which often follow our formal meetings; while at our Summer Meetings he was the embodiment of that feeling expressed by his favourite poet, Burns, in the lines:

“The luntin pipe, an’ sneeshin mill,
Are handed round wi’ right guid will.”

He was a man who inspired friendships of the most delightful and enduring kind, for whether the interval of meeting was one of weeks, months or even years, the thread was taken up at the same point at which it had last been dropped.

At the funeral the Society was represented by Messrs. S. E. Melling and G. D. Elsdon, and the North of England Section by Mr. H. Heap and the Hon. Secretary; the Institute of Chemistry was represented by Prof. W. H. Roberts.

He has left a widow and three sons, to whom letters of sympathy have been sent by the Council of the Society and by the North of England Section.

J. R. STUBBS


The Aberdeen University Review v.19-20 1931-1933 also has an obituary on page 288 but it’s only available online as a snippet view and I can only figure out how it starts.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6e5 ... PES&pgis=1

Mr. JAMES WOOD (M.A. 1902, B.Sc.), joint head of the Research Department of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, died last April at his home in Manchester. He was a son of the late Mr. James Wood, Stoneywood; and after completing his studies at the University, he became an assistant to the Lancashire County Analyst at Liverpool. In 1917 he joined the staff of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, on the formation of the Research Department, being given charge of the work connected with foodstuffs. Later he became joint head and chief analyst of the Department. Mr. Wood was a prominent member of his profession, and among the posts he held was that of Vice-Chairman of the North of England section of the Society of Public Analysts …………………………

All the best,
Alan

[SarahND]

=D> =D> Brilliant, Alan!
I must admit that when I wrote my lame little post above, I was hoping you would rise to the occasion As you say, what a very nice obituary-- Nickra will be so thrilled!

Cheers,
Sarah

[Nickra]

Alan - I am truly overwhelmed and overcome by this - I cannot thank you enough. It tells me everything I need to know about James Wood, my great-granfather. I know now that he was a great man and a great Scotsman. I'm shocked he died so relatively young and left behind my grandad Gordon Kenneth who was only 15 at the time and his two older brothers. However seven years later Ken would lose his life and I believe the other two brothers died young too. But I am incredibly proud of James. This obituary has given me a unique and privileged insight into his life and personality. Many thanks again.