Concerning this month's topic of sources that have been helpful in research, I think many have been discussed but nothing has been said about the census records! If they were mentioned then blame it on my memory. I have found the census records a treat to explore. Often other's in the household with different surnames are related and it provides new clues for exploration. People listed as servants in the household should not be ignored. Without the census, I would not have found out the occupation of many of the individuals and this adds life to the records. Many, many thanks to those working on making the census records available online! Another wonderful source has been the death records found at the Lamlash Registrar's office on Arran. These records are like gold and provide information of the person's spouse(s), occupation, cause and place of death, age at death along with the names of parents, the parents occupation, and often the names of nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles (and where they live) that have registered the death. The Lamlash office charges L10 per hour to research. This cost may go down for additional hours but I do not have those notes in front of me. It was from the death record of Catherine McKenzie who was the wife of Duncan McKillop that I learned that there was a son, Angus McKillop, living at Shiskine at the time of her death in 1891. Peter, in a past correspondence, your wife mentioned a fictional? book that would give me some incite into the daily life of a Scottish peasant. I have misplaced her recommendation and would love to see it listed again. This time I will find and purchase. I am wondering if the book mentions the large jet black slugs encountered as the maiden walks the pathway from her home to church (grin). I have one further question .... what was the job of "boatman"? Many thanks to all who have contributed to my McKillop research on Arran. Linda Phillips