One of the things I really like about blogging is that I can write about whatever takes my fancy, whenever I feel like it! I don't need to worry about whether or not somebody's going to be interested (although, of course, it would be nice) or whether or not it's appropriate (I'm the only one who can decide what is or isn't appropriate). And it can all be so spontaneous! So here's something that's taken my fancy today.
I find it interesting to occasionally have a look and see where visitors are arriving on my blog from. Today's look produced some interesting results. Somebody had arrived at my blog via a search on the name of my great grandfather, John Chisholm Lambert - I wish they had stopped to say hello!
John Chisholm Lambert was born in Trinidad in 1857 and died in 1917 at Fenwick in Ayrshire. He was a minister in the United Presbyterian Church firstly at Stewarton in Ayrshire and then at Cathcart near Glasgow. Shortly before 1900, he was forced to retire from preaching as his voice failed, I think due to throat cancer. While staying on as Minister-Emeritus at Cathcart, he also became an author of Christian works with titles like "The Romance of Missionary Heroism" and the "Christian Workman". I have copies of some of his books.
John's father, George Lambert, was also a minister but spent some time in Trinidad with his wife, Jane Chisholm, and family as missionaries of the United Presbyterian Church. George and Jane both had family and roots in the area around Dalkeith, just south of Edinburgh.
Out of curiosity, I repeated the search on Google for John Chisholm Lambert and came up with some interesting results that I hadn't seen before.
I've seen many references to Dr John C. Lambert D.D. but didn't know where or when the Doctor of Divinity came from. My web search led me to this web page showing that it was an Honorary Doctor of Divinity awarded in 1906 by the University of Edinburgh. And I've even found images of a program from the graduation ceremony on 12th April 1906 here.
Sometime ago, while browsing around the library here at work, I found a copy of the memoirs of a Scottish minister named David King. Astoundingly, inside the front of the book I read the following inscription "To Mr George Wilson Chisholm from his affectionate nephew John Chisholm Lambert 25 Jan 1866", John Chisholm Lambert being my great grandfather and George Wilson Chisholm his mother's brother. I just about stormed the main library desk demanding to buy the book on the spot! Fortunately, following a less vociferous route, I was able to buy the book and it now sits on the shelf beside my great grandfather's own books.
4 comments:
I, too, find it fun to check on my visitors from time to time, but I've never found anything as interesting as this!
It can be quite interesting to see what search terms people have used to find me... great post :)
Hi! I came here via Google, too, having googled Lambert, Trinidad. I'm researching successful career women in Victorian Scotland, including Isabella Wilson Lambert, born Trinidad, dau of Rev George, who was Infant Mistress at Fountainbridge School Edinburgh in the 1880s. In 1886 her basic salary was £150pa, plus a bonus of £22-10. Would love to know if you know more about her!!
Hi Lesley
I lived in a large house in Fenwick called Braeheads, top of Maunsheugh Road (name recently changed to Waltons manor) Braeheads was built by John & Catherine Lambert in 1907. Catherine died 1939 in Fenwick. Both their sons George and William died in WW1 and are listed on the Fenwick war memorial. There were three daughters, the eldest Katherine is listed on subsequant property deeds and never married, she died in Fenwick in 1978. Isobel married a Mr Barr and her family lived in Braeheads until Katherine died. But she stayed in Fenwick and died there in 1995. Magaret was the youngest and she married another Minister and moved away from Fenwick. I bought Braeheads in 1989 and sold it in 2007. In 2001 I added the north wing of the house but the rest of the house was fairly original, later owners replaced some fireplaces with grander ones. It's a very nice house.
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