Welcome back to Linda who rejoined us this week. ****** ****** ****** Thanks to those who sent in posts on Bute, Cumbraes and general resources that fit this month's topic "Indexes or other publications on Microfilm, Microfiche or CD-ROM, or Websites that you have found helpful to your Buteshire &/or Scottish research." There is still a week to go if you have information you'd like to share. ****** ****** ****** I trust anyone interested in assisting with the FreeGEN project for Bute or any other county for that matter, will already have contacted Ann. {see the post last Sunday (18th) with subject "Old Parish Registers"} ****** ****** ****** During the week we have had posts on families that went to Canada and the US in the 18th & 19th centuries. No doubt they eventually managed to send messages back home, and again in time received replies. Transported to today, how would they absorb the concept of someone flying across the world in less than 24 hours and within minutes of arrival talking by phone to the loved ones they were so recently separated from ? The concepts of virtually instant text messaging and phone's with camera's would be met with equal amazement - I suspect it's still sinking in among some of us today - the mobile savvy youngster doesn't even have to wait to get to that across the globe destination - just needs a roaming connection at an intermediate stop to 'thumb' a text message through, or even fire off a quick photo. There is a cost of course, so as I benefit from the real life examples generated by my globe-trotting offspring and/or their partners, I'm also glad I'm no longer responsible for their phone bills <VBG>. ****** ****** ****** Finally Linda asked a question about tenancies on Arran, and Pat's response re the Bute situation made have come as a revelation to some, but is likely to be true of Arran as well. I think the researcher at the Isle of Arran Heritage Museum could probably throw some light on the answer, however I believe most of farming area of the island is still leasehold. As to the situation on Arran under the stewardship of Burrell in the late 18th century (1769 on) - he first offered to renew the expiring lease in favour of the sitting tenant at his (Burrell's) new valuation. When these were almost without exception declined, he next put the leases out for bids, and was initially quite happy to let the tenants and incomers 'guzump' each other until he got something near the rent he had originally asked for. Within twelve months he was to find that many of his early decisions came back to haunt him, as over extended tenants couldn't meet the payments. Later renewals included more careful assessment of the bids, and in most cases required security bonds. Even then he didn't always get the money owing to the land owner (the young Duke of Hamilton). ****** ****** ****** Feel free to join in and present your own items. Peter Cook <cookfmly@bigpond.com> List maintainer and Co-host with Barbara <babrown12@comcast.net> of the ButeshireGenWeb mailing list.