I fall short here!

Monday, 19 September 2011

We recently had an holiday in Austria and could not help be struck, as on previous visits, with the beautiful churchyards. Instead of sombre tombstones, the custom is for wrought iron monuments, surrounded by flowers and small red lantern lights. The way they were tended was impressive and moving.

These photographs are typical -

taken in the churchyard at Strobl on the banks of Wolfgangsee, near Salzburg.

Tombstone Tuesday is a blogging prompt from http://www.geneabloggers.com/ to inspire bloggers to record their family history and personal memories.

Friday, 16 September 2011

Catching my attention was this colourful account of a day trip in the "Kelso Chronicle" of 12th September 1851.

"A train, consisting of thirty carriages, containing between eight and nine hundred persons, on a pleasure excursion from Newcastleto Kelso arrived at the station on Saturday forenoon. They consisted, for the most part, of the workmen and others employed on the extensive steam engine works of Messrs. Stevenson & Co. They were accompanied by a brass band, headed by which, and carrying banners, they proceeded through the town and visited the grounds and castle of Floors by permission of the Duke of Roxburghe’s Chamberlain.

On their return to the town they proceed to regate themselves in the various inns, whence a great many of them were not long in emerging in a condition which did less credit to themselves than to the potency of Scotch whisky.

In fact, the streets were soon in a complete uproar; brawling and fighting were going on in al directions; some were staggering