Sunday - A Day of Rest

The past week has been a very busy week. We have visited three different archival repositories as well as a conference. Today and tomorrow have been set aside for "local" research. Participants can travel to the area where their ancestors lived. And tomorrow, if they wish, they can do research at their local family history society. After visiting the marketplace at the SAFHS conference yesterday we have a better idea of what local resources are available.

For a number of us, today was a day of rest. Shopping, visiting tourist attractions, day long coach tours. I wandered down to Princes Street to do some shopping.

Then I wandered over to the Royal Mile and visited Gladstone Land, another NTS attraction. Which of course means "no photography" once inside.

 

Gladstone's Land is the original 1617 tenement home of Thomas Gledstanes, a merchant, landowner and property developer. A bit more upscale than the tenements depicted at the Tenement House Museum in Glasgow. Thomas was a trader in prunes, that were sought by the well to do in Edinburgh. Thomas and his wife, Bessie Cunningham lived in this home for the remainder of their lives, Thomas dying in 1654 at the age of 74. By then he was a widow.

 

 

 The wealthier families would have kept a pig which would have fed from scraps on the street. In the winter, the pig would have been killed and then the family would have dined on the meat which would be salted for preservation.

 

After a wander along to see what sights/characters the High Street held today, it was back to the hotel to enjoy a latte and sit with feet up while pouring over the information from earlier this week.