Scotlands People Image

[HarrysMum]

Can anyone have a go at reading exactly what's on an image from SP?

I have saved it but don't want to put it here in case of copyright issues.

[kiterunner]

I'll PM you my email address if you want to send it to me, Libby.

[HarrysMum]

Thank you...on it's way.

[Uncle John]

Libby

If an image is unreadable, email SP. They are very good at rescanning and sending you a better image, and may even refund some credits. I once got a rescanned image of an 1855 birth, where the registrar had used an extremely fine nib. I got a beautiful A3 scan in the post.

[HarrysMum]

Thanks UJ.

I wonder if they'll do a special search for a marriage.....the image I can't read is a baptism (1727) and once again, the parents don't seem to have ever married.....lol

[kiterunner]

I've had a go at deciphering it, Libby.

[kiterunner]

Thanks UJ.

I wonder if they'll do a special search for a marriage.....the image I can't read is a baptism (1727) and once again, the parents don't seem to have ever married.....lol

It says on the baptism that he was a "natural son" which means they weren't married when he was born; I suppose it's possible they married later. But I don't think SP are likely to find a marriage if it isn't on their site.

[HarrysMum]

Thanks Kate.

So John Kellas (b1727) was the son of Alexander,but Alexander's brother, John brought him up as well as was godparent????

Janet Fettes is recorded as the mother of baby John on SP. No idea where they got that from, but the areas is crawling with Fettes and Kellas families.

[kiterunner]

I can't see where they got Janet Fettes from. Surely it couldn't be a mistranscription of the sponsor Jo Kellas? I wonder if there is another document with the mother's name on? Maybe you should contact SP and ask where the mother's name came from. It says Janet Fettes on FamilySearch too but I expect it's from the same transcription.

[HarrysMum]

Thanks again Kate. I will contact SP and ask. I'll let you know.

It seems strange to have the father and not the mother on the baptism where they weren't married. I searched for a death for Janet Fettes but couldn't find one.

[HarrysMum]

Email sent to SP.

[Kit]

I've found SP really helpful. I looked at an image but what I wanted wasn't there. I suspected it was on the next page but didn't want to pay for it in case I was wrong. They had a look at the next page and I was right so they sent me the image. What I thought was wonderful was that they refunded the price of the incorrect image, even though they sent me the correct one.

[HarrysMum]

I got a reply from SP saying they don't hold the images and I have to email GRO.

They did give me a link so I'll do that shortly, although being weekend, there's no great hurry.

[maggie_4_7]

Thanks again Kate. I will contact SP and ask. I'll let you know.

It seems strange to have the father and not the mother on the baptism where they weren't married. I searched for a death for Janet Fettes but couldn't find one.

errrrrr no I've had that in Scotland the Scotsmen weren't averse to acknowledging their bastards but it was the person recording it that decided what they put on the baptism. Some baptisms in Scotland even when they were married they only have the father's name.

On SP if it says natural they weren't married otherwise they use legal.

[maggie_4_7]

errr the Scottish GRO?

I emailed SP when I had a problem and they got right back to me and emailed me the image that had the problem and credited the cost.

Have they changed it then?

[kiterunner]

I've seen English baptisms of illegitimate children that only give the father's name too, from old registers where all the baptisms only had father's name.

I'm confused about what they said about the image too - are they saying they can't just look at the image on their own site and see if it says Janet Fettes, or were you asking them about something else?

[HarrysMum]

Most of my English baptisms (except Lancs) have only the father's name as well. But when the baby was illegitimate, most have only the mother's name.....that's what i thought interesting.

As for SP's reply... this is what I received.

The original records are not kept here – we see the same online images as the customer does.

I would advise you to contact General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) at http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/ who will be they will check this information from there and be able to advise in more detail.

Kind Regards,

I've left the name off here...