The Diary of Nathaniel Bryceson (Part 6)

[rubyjas]

Dear All
Thank you for the welcome.
Yes I can confirm Steven's love of historical buildings, both churches and famous places. I even went to Rome with him but I did refuse to visit all 400 churches. I don't mind a few but after that I have had enough.....sorry!
Steven also has a love of books especially those that have info on the family tree. He loves to collect anything to do with the family.
Steven also loves coffee shops so I reckon he is an re-incarnation of NB the only difference is he does not stalk old ladies..LOL
I know I said would not keep messaging but I had to reply to this.
Love
R

[Siamese Girl]

I do envy you knowing so much about your ancestor and being able to think 'oh yes, Steven likes that too - it must be where it comes from'. It's one thing knowing you take after a grandparent but to know that after all those years Nathaniel's spirit lives on in the current generation is something very special.


Carole

[MaryA]

Glad you made it Ruth, welcome!

I hope you have enjoyed following the trail, these guys have gone to extraordinary lengths to find out so much about "our Nat", I've enjoyed watching them too.

It does seem as if Steven has many of his ancestor's personality traits, at least the good ones anyway.

Mary

[deb usa]

Dear All
Steven also loves coffee shops so I reckon he is an re-incarnation of NB the only difference is he does not stalk old ladies..LOL

Dear Ruth ...I love your sense of humour! 

[Ruskie]

Dear All
Steven also loves coffee shops so I reckon he is an re-incarnation of NB the only difference is he does not stalk old ladies..LOL

Dear Ruth ...I love your sense of humour! 

I agree. You seem like a lot of fun Ruth.  I hope you will join in regularly, even if just for the friendly banter.

We all enjoy discecting Nathaniel's personality and some of his actions. I love the fact that he's interesting and different and I think many of us are very fond of him despite his little idiosyncracies.

It really is remarkable how much Steven has in common with his ggggrandfather. 

I am still very interested that your family KNEW they were Whites rather than Brycesons. As we've mentioned previously, Nathaniel doesn't appear to know that he is a White. I am VERY curious to know how this was passed down the generations. Presumably Nathaniel was told at some stage who his real father was ...

In today's entry Nathaniel seems happy to mention that he had Ann up in his room - no italics! I would LOVE to know what the missing words are! Mongibello, is there any chance you could take a photo or two of the missing section? We may be able to decipher enough to make an educated guess at the missing words. 

I think Nat would fit in well here on rootschat with his interest in tracing stranger's ancestors! 

[Siamese Girl]

Just musing ....

St Martins in the Fields .... this was where his mother married John Bryceson in 1818 and was the home parish of John Bryceson when he died in 1824.

How much did Nat know about his mother's marriage? It's a typical Nat diary entry today. Copying down all the memorials and commenting on the church, while other people would have commented on the family connections. He's visited several churches with family connections but never commented on them. I think it's just Nat's peculiar way to be more interested in other (usually long dead) people than his own family.

It's also a bit odd that although there seem to have been no children of the marriage, 2 years after John Bryceson's death Nat was born.

Carole

[rubyjas]

Dear All
In answer to Ruskies point about my Mum knowing she was actually a White not a Bryceson,
my Grandfather (Leo Bryceson-her father) was into genealogy and enjoyed old books. At one time he traced the Bryceson line and this was when it was discovered about the name difference. For some reason or other my Grandmother disposed of the information. Leo was rather eccentric and a horder, maybe she had just had enough and wanted a clear out. Maybe it was because he found out that way back the family were all theives and robbers (but so where a lot of people). Why do you think there are so many British families who headed out to USA and Australia....no offence meant!
It would have been great to see the tree. Leo was also a good musician and singer -so is Steven.
There is a possibility that Nathaniel never knew he was not in fact a Bryceson or maybe his mum was only just pregnant when his dad died and the records are slighly out.
My partner is adopted and in her records her birth date varies so does her maternal mothers age on each marriage record. Even in the adoption paper it says she was born on 3 different dates. On this we are only going back to 1960 so 160 years ago especially if his parents were illiterate there is a fair chance that they were not even sure of correct dates. Unless records are completely accurate this sort of thing can easily happen.
I must admit this is just supposition on my part.
keep hunting.
Ruth

[Steven Bryceson]

What a fab entry today! This would be a perfect day off for me. I am so pleased he went to church at St Martin's (where his Mum, my 4x great grandmother, got married to her first husband). My family have taken part in a 4 day, 73 mile walking pilgrimage from St Martin's (in Trafalgar Square) to Canterbury Cathedral every year (but one) since 2000. It is a great church, recently refurbished to the tune of £35 million! We also visited Johnson's house not too long ago so it is great to know NB went there too. I wonder what the public bath was like. I enjoy going for a steam bath/sauna from time to time, but never at 5.30am! All joy, Steven.

[MaryA]

I loved the print of the interior of St Martin, only wish I lived nearer to be able to see it now.

I get the feeling that bath was a weekly cleansing one, probably Nat was cleaner than many who didn't visit as often at that date. 

Even as recently as the 1950's it was tradition to have a "weekly bath" usually on  Saturday evening before Sunday church, so it seems this habit has continued for a long time.