Firstly, Irene, regarding your comments on the 18th, I am one of the many who are extremely thankful for having you on the list. Thanks for all the advice and helpful information over the years. Another couple of sources of useful information are; 1. Burgh registers, Rothesay, Bute, minute books, sasines . These are basically property transfer records, and are available on film through the LDS , (FHL British Film 298542) Many are very faint so a fair degree of patience is required to read them however they cover from 1671 to 1865. 2. History of the County of Bute by John Eaton Reid. This is a 288p book originally published in 1864 and is available on CD (www.scotpress.com) It not only covers the general history of the islands from pre-Viking times but has extensive 18th and 19th century material on burgh office holders, MPs, extracts from council records etc. There are also chapters covering genealogical accounts of the peerages associated with the county as well as some of the other landowning families. Not the ideal way to read a book and although extensively referenced, often quotes John Blain's manuscripts (History of Bute). That work was never referenced so there is apparently some questions over some of the material presented. 3. Services of Heirs in Scotland. Available on CD from the Scottish Genealogical Society, it is easier for me to quote historical notes on this rather than offer an explanation of my own. "When a Scottish landowner died, the heir could not succeed to the lands until his claim had been formally recognised and he had been served nearest lawful Heir. The procedure to do this began with a Brieve of Inquest (writ) sent from Chancery (the office of the Lord Chancellor, later the Director of Chancery) to the Sheriff of the county in which the lands were situated. The brief instructed him to appoint a jury and hold an inquiry into the claimant's right to succession and into other questions related to the value of the land, the feudal superior and the feudal service of the land holding. The findings of the inquiry were then sent back to Chancery (i.e. retoured) and recorded in the Record of Retours now held in the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. Retours, which were written in Latin, were of two kinds, general retours and special retours. A general retour established the claim of the heir by descent but did not detail the lands of his ancestor whereas special retours not only established the claim but also specified the lands to which he was entitled. A Precept of Sasine followed a special retour but none was needed with a general retour. Because the information provided by a sasine is not available following a general retour the proof of the relationship of the deceased person to his heir is invaluable to the genealogist." (I have no commercial interest in either of the producers of the above CDs) Cheers, Bill