Fergus Smith
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oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Fergus Smith
@oldscotbooks.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1.1K following 670 posts
Legal history, historical data geekery, genealogy. Owner of oldscottish.com. Historical Records Specialist at FindMyPast.co.uk. All views my own, obviously. Lives in St Andrews, Fife
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oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Fergus Smith @oldscotbooks.bsky.social · Nov 20
My talk for the Open University on Court Records in the National Records of Scotland is now online. #Genealogy #LegalHistory
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rv3...
2 Sources - national archives
YouTube video by The Open University Law School
www.youtube.com
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
It was hot in St Andrews today, so in response to popular demand, I got in the sea.
To much disappointment, I also got out ...
June 20, 2025 at 9:33 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Nothing to see here, just a lawyer, "full of claret", arguing against his client then suddenly reverse ferreting in court after being told he was making the wrong argument ... #LegalHistory #Scotland
Newspaper clipping, Inverness Courier, 21 October 1819
May 25, 2025 at 9:07 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Rare evidence of Gaelic-speaking dogs in 19th century Dunbartonshire ... #Gaelic @wilsonmcleod.bsky.social
Newspaper clipping, Caledonian Mercury, 3 October 1816 "there was a dog in the house, but it was Highland, and did not understand English"
May 12, 2025 at 7:34 AM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Aww yes, the St Andrews ducklings have arrived! Mum and dad are keeping a close eye on them though.
May 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
I'm a veteran of this truly wonderful event - my first Christian Aid Booksale was 1977, when I was 8 - for myself I got H G Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle - I was a precocious child - and a bunch of early Penguins for our shop.
neildm.bsky.social NDM MacLeod @neildm.bsky.social · May 9
it’s Christian Aid Booksale Eve - and here’s the map of where everything is for the best charity book sale in Britain #Scotland #Edinburgh
May 9, 2025 at 9:48 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
"This prisoner's unsteady on his feet and is not fit to stand trial. What do we do?"
"Give him wine, that's bound to help."
Narrator voice: It did not help.
#Scotland #LegalHistory
Newspaper clipping, Caledonian Mercury, 8 May 1815. Inverness, May 3. The Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened in this place on Wednesday, by the Right Honourable Lord Gillies. William Macdonald, accused of the murder of Mary MacQueen, lately residing at Auchendar, parish of Edinkillie, and county of Moray, was first brought to the bar. The prisoner appeared to be much debilitated from his confinement, and was so much agitated when brought into Court, that he seemed on the point of fainting, and two of the jailors were obliged to support him. A glass of wine was administered, which appeared a little to revive him; but he was still unable to stand. Two medical gentlemen were called in, and it was their opinion that the prisoner was in too weak a state to be put, with any propriety, upon his trial on that day. He was therefore ordered to be removed from the bar, and the jailor was desired to see him properly attended to.
May 5, 2025 at 7:54 AM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
♫♪♫
Bela Lugosi's Dead
Undead undead undead
♪♫♪
buckyisotope.bsky.social Dr. Bucky Isotope, PhD, BOFA @buckyisotope.bsky.social · May 1
🎵HEAD LIKE A HOLE, BLACK AS YOUR SOUL🎵
Julie Andrews playing guitar and singing to children in the sound of music
May 4, 2025 at 8:38 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Bookroom upgrade unlocked: I now have a record cupboard. Working on filling it ...
Photograph of shelves in a cupboard with hundreds of vinyl records
May 4, 2025 at 8:20 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
The mediaeval pier reopened tonight in St Andrews after an 18-month closure to repair storm damage. It was also the night of the Gaudie, a torchlit procession by students commemorating John Honey, a student who in 1800 rescued 5 crew members of a ship off the East Sands.
Panoramic view of the Gaudie torchlit procession in St Andrews, Scotland, marking the reopening of the mediaeval pier.
April 30, 2025 at 9:08 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Lord Hermand and the Lord Justice Clerk make clear they thought the jury got the verdict wrong, finding Helen Kennedy not guilty of murder. They also make clear Kennedy's reputation was in tatters as a result of the trial. #ScotsLaw #LegalHistory #NotProven
Newspaper clipping reporting comments by the judge and Lord Justice Clerk regarding a Not Proven verdict against Helen Kennedy, accused of murder by poisoning. Both Lord Hermand and the Lord Justice Clerk make clear they thought the jury was wrong, and insist that the Not Proven verdict left a stain on her character.
April 29, 2025 at 7:50 AM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Just back home with a decent #RSD25 Record Store Day haul from Thirteen Records and Assai in Dundee. Currently listening to Top of the Pops by The Rezillos. @recordstoredayuk.bsky.social
April 12, 2025 at 3:52 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
We've been working on this for more than a year - and the last few weeks in particular have been frantic. Good to see the records finally released. @findmypast.bsky.social #Genealogy #Guernsey
findmypast.bsky.social Findmypast @findmypast.bsky.social · Apr 11
1.3 million #FamilyHistory records for #Guernsey added this week...

⛪ Parish records
👶 Civil records
📍 Land records
⚰️ Cemetery records
📋 1827 Guernsey Census
📰 259,482 newspaper pages
www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/gue...
Unlock exciting stories from Guernsey with exclusive new records | Blog
Introducing a groundbreaking new collection...
www.findmypast.co.uk
April 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Too soon, butcher's shop, far too soon. Photo taken on Saturday.
Photo of shop window "Christmas Orders now being taken"
April 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
I mean if it was me, I'd be looking for a new estate agent.
Photograph of a house sale sign reading "For Sale. Mitchells. 1963-Today"
April 5, 2025 at 1:04 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Hey @chiddickstree.bsky.social I visited Durham Cathedral and something reminded me of you ...
Photo of a large and very impressive Lego model of Durham Cathedral Photo of a large and very impressive Lego model of Durham Cathedral Photo of a large and very impressive Lego model of Durham Cathedral
April 2, 2025 at 8:23 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Went for a bike ride to Dundee, expecting 35 mile round trip (about my limit, I thought).
Took a wrong turning, adding 7 miles in each direction.
My legs currently hate me.
March 28, 2025 at 8:38 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
♫♪♫
Burn baby burn
Ditch go inferno
♫♪♫
Photograph of a ditch with what appears to be a river of fire flowing through it.
March 28, 2025 at 10:02 AM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
This evening's soundtrack comes courtesy of the legendary Roky Erickson, a bargain I picked up in Dundee yesterday.
March 22, 2025 at 7:15 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
One of my personal highlights of the year. I've been going to this sale for decades, and never leave empty handed. Fine books, fair prices, good cause - what's not to love?
Oh and if you visit the Scottish books section you'll likely run into the lovely @neildm.bsky.social in person.
neildm.bsky.social NDM MacLeod @neildm.bsky.social · Mar 20
For your diary. #Edinburgh #Scotland please circulate.
March 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
In 1880s Perth, the Circuit Court was proclaimed at the mercat cross, and the announcement was, er, laid on the ground held in place by a rock ... #LegalHistory #Scotland
Newspaper clipping, Perthshire Advertiser, 19 March 1888: It is probably not generally known that each Circuit Court which is held in Perth, is proclaimed at the Cross by a Sheriff Officer, so that, as the legal document runs, no person may plead ignorance of such an Assize being held. When the proclamation is made the legal document is left lying on the street, so that all who pass by may read. As the proclamation is generally fastened to the ground by a stone—or as on Friday last, when it was made, by a lump of frozen snow—its original position is not of long duration, the first breeze of wind, or the wheel of a passing cart, often making it only for a moment seen, then lost for ever. This venerable custom must remain in force so long as the present statute exists. The Circuit Court meets at Perth on Tuesday, 17th April.
March 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by Fergus Smith
statutes.bsky.social
This is a great resource: 355 historic statutes on slavery from the Atlantic World, 1661 - 1838.

Laws of Enslavement and Freedom in the Anglo-Atlantic World

slaveryandfreedomlaws.lib.unb.ca

#History #EnslavedHistory #LegalHistory 🗃️
Home | Laws of Enslavement and Freedom
slaveryandfreedomlaws.lib.unb.ca
March 16, 2025 at 12:28 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Rediscovering my ms and ephemera collection: 17th century a ms book of sermons, I think written by Matthew Henry (certainly from his family) and extracts from the diary of his sister, Katherine Tylston, in the hand of her niece, Hannah Witton, daughter of diarist Sarah Savage. #RelicsOfABookdealer
First page of a manuscript book of sermons dated 1697, possibly by Matthew Henry Portrait of Matthew Henry, author of Exposition of the Old and New Testaments Manuscript title page Extracts from the Diary and Letters of Mrs Kathn Tylson, third daughter of the Revd Philip Henry of Broad Oak
March 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Heiling a cab ... (Image: Anthony Chubb, from my personal collection)
March 7, 2025 at 9:27 PM
oldscotbooks.bsky.social
Tonight is all about edible ancestral tourism: currently eating fine chocolate made on Scooniehill farm (where my great-grandad was born), after dinner of a pie made on Woodmill farm, Abdie, where *his* mum was born. #Genealogy
March 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Fergus Smith
mchapelproject.bsky.social
Help please #palaeography #bookhistorians - what is the word beginning with c and ending with in after book? It's from 1519 from the Edinburgh Hammermen books, and clearly refers to purchase of the book they're using:

'Item for this buk c[??]in paper and bynding xjs ijd'
February 25, 2025 at 9:28 PM