Friday 26 June 2015

A supposed cure all and the benefits of wearing an H Samuel watch at Ypres


In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the Saturday June 26 1915 issue):
 
 
A supposed cure all
 
"For the blood is the life"
Do you suffer from any skin or blood disease such as eczema, scrofula, bad legs, abscesses, ulcers, glandular swellings, boils, pimples, sores of any kind, piles, blood poison, rheumatism, gout etc?  If so don't waste your time and money on lotions and ointments which cannot get below the surface of the skin.  What you want and what you must have is a medicine that will thoroughly free the blood of the poisonous matter which alone is the true cause of all your suffering.  Clarke's Blood Mixture is just such  a medicine.  It is composed of ingredients which quickly expel from the blood all impurities from whatever cause arising and by rendering it clean and pure can be relied on to inflict a lasting cure.
Over 50 years' success.  Pleasant to the taste.
Clarke's Blood Mixture.
Has cured thousand will cure you.
Sold by all chemists and stores, ?/? per bottle.
 
[This struck a personal note with me.  My great-grandmother died very prematurely in 1917 days after giving birth to my great-aunt due to my great-grandmother's exhaustion and general ill-health and many years later we found very similar ads cut out from newspapers in her personal effects.  It is sad to think that 100 years ago people who could not pay for doctors relied on such 'medicines'.]
 
The benefits of wearing an H Samuel watch at Ypres
 
Smashed by a German shell!
Miss K Stovell, 148 New Street, Hersham writes of an H Samuel watch worn by her brother Corporal Stovell, RFA:-
"When near Ypres it was struck by a German shell and battered in but even that did not stop it for it still goes though undoubtedly it saved him from a severe wound."
That is the kind of quality you find in all H Samuel's watches - remarkable strength.
H Samuel watchmaker to the admiralty, 40 North Bridge and 25 Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Luminous wrist watch and compass.  As illustrated.  Invaluable to the men at the front.  Shows true time and direction instantly by night or day.  15 jewels, lever movement, handsome night case, strong strap, 30/-, other luminous watches from ?/?.
 
 
 
 
Now, here's a challenge for my genealogist readers.  Is there any chance the testimonial is genuine, can you find any trace of Miss K Sovell and her corporal brother?
Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........
Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.

Friday 19 June 2015

A letter from the front

In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the Saturday June 19 1915 issue):


A letter from the front: a Lochore Highlander's letter

Private William Stark, Kelty, who with 40 Lochore men are members of G company 7th A & S Highlanders, writing on 26th May, gives a graphic account of his own experience and those who [are] his comrades.  He was with Stewart Miller, Kinneswood when he was shot in the stomach and helped to bury him about 300 yards behind the firing line.  He says his comrade never recovered consciousness and mentions that a cross will be put up over his grave if ever the company get back to the neighbourhood.  He helped to carry Captain Tullis to the ambulance where he was wounded in the head.  The Colonel of the Regiment, the Major and several officers were wounded in the struggle in which the Germans made use of poisonous gas.  "It was the hottest day I ever put in all my life" says the writer "as the shells were flying as thick as rain, the Germans shelling us and our artillery shelling them."  Private Stark tells of meeting George Struth, J Reid, P Bryan all Lochore men.  He continues: "Watson was in the trenches with me all day but went away at night.  One fellow told me he met him that night four or five miles from the firing line and I think he will be in hospital now as he was bad with the gas and absolutely done up with the work he had done that day in the trenches.  George Davidson is also in the hospital.  The night before we went in to the trenches he was not feeling well so the doctor sent him away.  A Redpath is in hospital too with the gas.  He left with a lot more men.  When the gas came over, the Germans came over their trenches and started to advance but they did not half get [far] for they were mowed down by our men in the trench and the artillery so that they were forced to go back to their own trenches".  Private Stark mentioned that at the time of writing there were only 100 men of the battalion and 2 officers (brothers Scott) who went with it to France but was hopeful a good many would turn up in hospital and recover from their wounds or the gassing.  He writes with warm admiration of Mr Kirk the chaplain who is the uncle of Mr Charles Barclay, chemist, Glencraig.




Now this is where I would welcome your opinions either on a comment on this blog or to my e-mail address below or on twitter (my twitter account is @ancresbyjacq).  Would some of the above explicit detail have been much good for morale at home or for the families of some of the soldiers named in the above letter?  Please do let know your opinion.


Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.

Friday 12 June 2015

Fatal Runaway Accident and Wedding Presentation


In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the Saturday June 12 1915 issue):


Fatal Runaway Accident - Girl Killed by Cart

A fatal runaway accident occurred in Dunfermline last night resulting in the death of Sarah Farmer, the two years old daughter of Mr Andrew Farmer, a soldier, whose home is in Bruce Street and who is at present on service.  A light cart belonging to Mr McCormack, contractor, Dunfermline caused the accident.  The horse drawing the vehicle took fright in Beveridgewell and bolted along Castleblair and down Bruce Street, Kirkgate and Monastery Street - a distance of about a mile.  When in Bruce  Street on of the wheels of the cart caught the little girl who was hauled across the street.  She sustained a fracture of the skull and other injuries and was immediately taken in to the home of her parents nearby.  Dr Macgregor and Dr Cairncross were summoned but it was found that the case was beyond the reach of medical skill.  The horse and cart were not badly damaged.



[This caught my attention because the horse was frightened in Beveridgewell very close to where I live.  I also notice how quickly deaths were notified in the local paper!].

Marriage Presentation

The warehouse workers ad machine operators connected with Pilmuir Works have this week presented Mr Chas Hill and Miss Sarah Cribbes with an easy chair and a timepiece on the occasion of their forthcoming marriage.  the article were from the stock of Mr A Masterton, cabinetmaker, Chalmers Street.

[Dunfermline used to have many weaving factories.  The Pilmuir Works in 1913 had 700 looms.  Unfortunately the Pilmuir Works are now derelit.]

Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.

Friday 5 June 2015

Shops and comforts for the soldiers


In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the Saturday June 5 1915 issue):

In the shops




Herbert T MacPherson
Will open shortly that central and commodious shop
41 Bridge Street, Dunfermline
(Reconstructed and newly fitted up) as a high-class
Stationery, bookselling and fancy goods emporium.
Please see further announcements.

[Many people in the Dunfermline area, including myself, will have fond memories of MacPhersons which only closed perhaps 20 years ago!]

Lochgelly comforts for the soldiers.

Mr Small, town clerk, desires to acknowledge with thank, further gifts of comforts for the soldiers.  There are 60 pairs of socks from Parish Church Work Party, 51 pairs socks, 10 belts, 5 shirts, 1 scarf, 7 pairs mitts and 2 helmets from the Co-Operative Women's Guild, 16 pair socks, 6 shirts and 5 pairs mitts from St Finnian's Church Work Party and 13 pairs socks from Glencraig School Children.  The whole of the above articles were dispatched last week to be forwarded to the 7th Royal Highlanders(the Fife County Territorials) who are now at the front.

Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland.  Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.