Kirkstyle
Local History / Genealogy
Duncan has had a lifelong interest in the history of the local area and in recent years this has become more important to him as customs and businesses disappear, and families of ex-pats return to their roots wishing to find out about their forebears, their homes and way of life.
He has been involved for nearly ten years, along with a friend, in the ongoing project of cataloguing the extensive records of the Burnett family of Kemnay House. This archive, extending from the late 17th century to the early 20th century, consists of thousands of documents on a wide variety of topics relating to family life and estate management.
Duncan has been contributing a monthly article to Kemnay Newsletter since 2003, on topics relating to the history of the parish.
Local History / Genealogy > 2012
- AN EXILE RETURNS - (27 KB - MS Word)
A recent visitor to the village in search of his ancestors was Sidney Leys from London, Ontario where he has lived since 1972. His father, also Sidney, originally worked in the Aberdeen shipyards as a rivet heater ... - THE MILL AND THE MILLER - (26 KB - MS Word)
Obtaining meal these days is a relatively simple matter. One either goes to the nearest corner shop (if such exists) or travels to the nearest convenience store or supermarket ...
- A MILLSTONE COMES HOME - (26 KB - MS Word)
A document found recently in the Burnett Archive was headed "Charge for Millstone Summer 1756". To those of us living in the 21st century far removed from the day to day life of a totally agricultural community, this document may convey little meaning, but in the mid 18th century...