Surname Saturday - Davidson

Surname Saturday is a regular blog post in which I will discuss the origins and geography of the surnames which appear in my own family tree.

This is the first Surname Saturday post so I am going to start with my maiden surname DAVIDSON

Davidson Crest
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org,
Author: Celtus,  6 Sept 2008)

The surname "Davidson" is a patronymic name and comes from "son of David" or "David's son". The forename David is biblical and means "beloved" so Davidson equals "son of the beloved".

I always assumed I would be a descendant of the Scottish Davidson clan but have not yet found a link to the clan.

Davidson is also known to be a common anglicised Jewish name from "son of King David" from the Bible, so instead of being Scottish perhaps we're Jewish.

The family crest generally used for the surname Davidson is the  Scottish Davidson clan crest and motto "Sapienter si sincere" meaning "Wisely if sincerely".

The surname is much more common in Northern England, Scotland and London than other areas of the UK.

The history of my own Davidson family can be read on The Davidson Family, but I have research back to John Davidson c1800 in London who was a bandsman in the Royal Marines, his descendants were boiler makers working in the ship building industries. The family eventually moved to Hull, East Yorkshire in the late 1870s where they have remained until the present day.

Information from:

Ancestry - surname origins

Dynastree

Copyright © 2013 Ruth Hogan

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 5 - My Childhood Home

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering. 

Week 5 - My Childhood Home

My childhood home

I grew up in a 1930s 3 bedroomed semi-detached house, which my parents extended when I was about 11 years old making it into a 4 bedroomed semi-detached house with a living room, dining room, kitchen and study downstairs.

I lived there from birth until I was 18 years old when I ventured on my gap year to Brazil. During the next 3 or 4 years I was quite nomadic returning to this home during university holidays.

I lived there with my parents and younger brother.

Throughout the house the decor was quite plain with cream or white walls and darker patterned carpets of different colours in each of the rooms.

The dining room had a lovely old dining room suite in it which now sit in my own home. It had belonged to my grandparents and had been one of their wedding presents in 1950. Today it is rather creeky and wobbly but it still does the job for which it was intended.

Living room painting of where my grandmother was born
Low Mill Chapel, Rawdon

In the study resided the computer and mum's piano alongside lots and lots of books, but this was always the coldest room of the house.

The living room walls were lined with watercolour paintings some of which my grandfather had painted. There was also an oil painting of the chapel in which my grandmother was born. The living room was south facing which meant it got the majority of the sun and it also had amazing views over the Pennine foothills (see last picture).

My bedroom was originally cream with brown curtains and carpet until I rebelled in my teenage years and persuaded my dad to paint it lilac. Unfortunately the colour we chose was more of a pale blue than lilac but I still had purple curtains and bedding. There were lots of posters and paintings on the walls and a hammock with my cuddly toys in it. The window looked out into the back garden which I would gaze out of watching the birds and my dad gardening when I should have been doing my homework.

The back garden in the snow which my bedroom looked out over

The house was a short street of 8 houses which were set back from the main road. They were built in the old grounds of a mansion house which still remains at the end of the back drive, the access road to the backs of the houses. The back drive was wooded and you drove off the main road through big stone gate posts which made the street look quite posh although it wasn't really.

The adjoining semi was occupied by an old lady who died just after I had left university, she was a lovely lady who we used to cut the lawn for. She became a surrogate grandmother to me and to this day she never understood why I chose not to move back home after university. Across the gap the other next door neighbours were a family of 4 similarly to us which meant we had play pals to play outside with.

There was a large garden both to the front and rear, with a large garage to the rear of the house, so lots of play space for hide and seek or cricket and football on the back drive and to run around. My father was quite a gardener and grew lots of vegetables so we would always enjoy a good harvest every autumn.

I have lots of very happy memories of this home, but unfortunately so few photos.

The view from the living room and front of the house

Copyright © 2013 Ruth Hogan

The Book of Me, Written by You - Week 4 - My Favourite Season

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering. 

Week 4 - My Favourite Season

I thought for quite some time about this prompt, which is my favourite season? I eventually decided that I love every season probably equally for very different reasons. I will explain each season and why I love them all, for I believe each season is God given and I can see God in each season of the year, which is partly why I do not have one favourite season.

AUTUMN

I will start with AUTUMN as we're about to enter into this season shortly. 

Autumn leaves

I love all the autumnal warm colours, the red, golden and browning tree leaves next to the deep green evergreen trees. A lot of bright colours in nature brighten the world when the nights start to close in upon us. 

I love walking through autumn woodland when the odd speckles of summer light through the leaves become brighter due to the lack of leaves on the trees. There is also the golden path which guides you lined with crispy, crunchy leaves which give a sense of satisfaction to wade through and kick around.

I can smell the autumn bonfires in the air smell as we get closer to November and as the weather becomes colder there is something comforting in wrapping up lovely and warm at home in a blanket or a nice big coat and boots. In the dark nights we can sit around bonfires, watching the gentle flicker of the flames and enjoy the glowing warmth in which it emits.

WINTER

Winter - crispy ice

In winter I love the bright, crisp, fresh frosty mornings and the beautiful white snowfall which I believe is sent by God to brighten our darkest days of the year. I love going out in the fresh snow and seeing it glisten and shine and it smooths everything over.

I also love the sound of the crunchy frozen fallen autumnal leaves and the crunching footsteps in the frozen puddles.

Christmas is also a very significant part of this season - a time for family, holiday, to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Listening to Christmas carols and songs, each of which reminds me of a significant Christmas past. 

Winter - frozen leaves

I love decorating our homes with lights, cards and decorations and the joy of giving and receiving gifts. I remember sitting around the open fire place at my grandparents with the extended family playing games and enjoying one another's company.

Winter brings the new Year with new hopes and prospects, a time to consider where your life is going and what you'd like to change. A period of reflection and to look forward to the future.

SPRING

Spring - cowslips

Is a season of new life, where fresh green delicate plants and flowers start breaking through the ground. The cowslips, daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops. A new season with again new and fresh colours to refresh our souls. 

The joy as the days grow longer and the days are warmer. The beauty of new life with little bright white lambs bleeting and scrambling in the fields, new chicks and ducklings. The sounds of morning birdsong begin to reappear as the birds return for the summer.

Spring and Easter daffodils

Easter is another fantastic time of the year to be able to spend holiday time celebrating the new life and reflect over the salvation and freedom we have through the fact that Jesus died on the cross for each and every one of us. The sense of cleansing we can receive through what happened at Easter and celebrating the new life we have received whilst seeing all the new life appearing around us.

SUMMER

Summer - sun, sea and sand

I never realised how much I love summer until this year. In Summer 2012 my husband and I travelled around New Zealand in their winter so we missed most summer season, at the time I did not miss it but this year I have loved the beautiful warming heat and the freedom of not having to take a coat with me and to be able to wear sandals. 

I enjoy the long days and the extra energy that fills you with. A season to enjoy the great outdoors and travel to visit the sea, mountains, moorland and lakes. 

A trip to the seaside calms the soul with the sound of the crashing of the waves and the feeling of sand between one's toes. To play on the beach building sandcastles and soak up the summer sun which lifts the mood.

The beautiful bright colourful flowers and the smells they bring followed by the late summer season of foraging for fresh sweet berries and eating them with ice cream.

The bright, warm days also reminds me of the time I spent Brasil and the memories that adventure holds in my heart and my mind.

Copyright © 2013 Ruth Hogan

Interesting Family History Blog Discoveries for September...

My home in Bradford, West Yorkshire

English Heritage - Who Lived In Your Home?

I was really inspired reading this blog post to research the families who previously resided in my current home and the homes of my family members.

British Newspaper Archive - Etiquette in Trains

Interesting to discover that our issues with other passengers on the trains is not a recent problem but that it has been around for many years!

Anglers Rest - Announcing the Society for One-Place Studies

Sounds interesting, if only I had more time!

Your Family Tree Magazine - Find the trainees in your tree with new records

Looking for the apprentices in your family, well this link may well be of interest...

The Book Of Me, Written By You - Week 3 - My Physical Self

 The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering. 

Week 3 - My Physical Self

I am going to describe myself from the top down, starting with my hair...

I have blonde, golden hair scattered with a few greys now. My hair is quite wirey and when I was younger my friends told me I have a blonde Afro. It is naturally very straight but has been permed a number of times in the past. Currently it nearly shoulder length and it is the shortest it has really ever been in the last year, previously I always had quite long hair and it is so thick. I wear it up and down, in plaits or a pony tail or pigtails, it is very versatile. I have a very blonde streak of hair at the nape of my neck, which I believe is from a birth mark.

I have a very small hole in the top of my right ear, which the doctor tells me is a sinus, probably genetic as my brother also has one. It occasionally becomes inflamed, red and sore.

I have two holes in my ear lobes but these often adorn earrings, studs in the second hole and often dangly earrings in the bottom holes. I used to like wearing odd earrings but now stick with matching pairs.

My eyebrows are much darker than my hair so I often get asked whether my hair colour is natural but I assure you it is.

I have blue eyes and often wear glasses. I have a few small moles on my right cheek and a very chicken pox small scar on my right eyelid, which has nearly totally faded with time. There are a few lines starting to appear, although I always try to remember to moisturise my face, but the smile lines are starting to remain.

My teeth are all my own although some were removed to make space for my other teeth. I have 3 wisdom teeth and the fourth is threatening it's appearance soon, as it occasionally feels a bit sore. I am lucky because I have no fillings at present. My upper jaw is slightly crooked meaning the teeth on the right side of my mouth do not meet but the teeth on the left side of my mouth are a bit more worn down from chomping my food, so one day I expect the right side to meet again. It also means I have a slightly crooked smile.

I wear size 10 clothes but depending on where I buy clothes sometimes I end up buying between size 8 and 12 clothes.

I have a number of moles down my arms (and my legs as well) with knobbly elbows and at the end of my arms are my big hands. I have very long pianist fingers and my fingers are quite chunky especially around the knuckles. I always wear my gold wedding ring on the 4th finger of my left hand. My hands are where most of my scars are:

• my left index finger - a bread knife cut scar
• my right index finger - a tin of peas cut scar
• my right palm  - a barbed wire fence scar

My fingertips are constantly wrinkly as if I have just had a shower, but its because I have eczema. My eczema affects only my hands but my right hand more than my left hand and at present I have some lovely red slightly infected eczema spots on the palm of my right hand. I rarely wear nail polish unless I am going somewhere special, which is the same with my engagement ring.

My feet and legs are fairly normal, they're rarely on show but as with my arms I have a few moles. I wear size 7 shoes generally.

I am about 5 foot 5 inches tall and weigh anywhere between 9.5 and 10.5 stone, of average build.

Copyright © 2013 Ruth Hogan

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - John Simpson

An interesting but not the best episode in the latest series of Who Do You Think You Are?

Interesting to hear about the daring adventures of his great grandmother when she ran away with the famous flyer, Cody...although technically John Simpson is not directly related to Samuel Cody.

Such a sad tale of Edward King but lovely his eldest daughter cared for him despite the rest of the family running away with the cowboys.

Can you imagine living the rest of your life with the death of your own father on your hands as Edward King had? His guilt and regrets must have made him difficult to live with and the rest of the family too, possibly what caused the break down of his own family and the cause of his wife running away for the adventure of her life.

Another documentary about Samuel Cody and his family but not a true family history researching program, shame for WDYTYA? as the series started really well.

WDYTYA Review - Series 10 - Marianne Faithfull

Wow, what a story of a family who lived under the Nazi regime as Jews in Austria and survived against all the odds whilst fighting against it.

Nazi Reichsadler
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org, Author: unknown)

A story of bravery and courage, but also a fantastic way to help Marianne understand why she has lived the life that she has and also why her mother was so damaged through the affects of the Nazi anti-sematic regime.


Such a terrible time in history but thankfully was destroyed before it controlled Europe. Most families will still be living out the dreadful effects of the lives of our parents, grandparents and even great grandparents during the war years - I know that I would certainly not be the person I am now or even here if it were not for the ancestors who went before and stood up for the things they believed in.

Thanks to Marianne for sharing some such intimate stories about your immediate family, but WDYTYA not really a celebrity researching her family history more like another documentary about a half Jewish family in the 1930-40s Austria.