News from the front

During World War 1 letters were a lifeline both for those who served and their loved ones back home. For Bella Silver, a young woman I know as my...

Lasting mark of communication

My maternal grandmother Margaret Isabella Dobbs (nee Silver) grew up in an era where communication was mostly by letter or postcard. Bella, as she...

Telling stories from photographs

Old images give up their secrets For anyone fortunate enough to have photographs of family members going back multiple generations, identifying...

Census with a Silver lining

Census records are a treasure trove of information for genealogists and can produce a number of ‘yes!’ moments of discovery. As census-taking...

Silver newspaper research

What follows is drawn from Aberdeenshire newspapers and relates to the Silver surname. Not necessarily in date order. Aberdeen Journal 23 March...

Isobel Menzies Silver

Isobel Menzies Silver (1860-1934) lived with her brothers at Harvieston Farm before getting married later in life (aged 46) to a widower named John...

Alexander Silver (1858-1907)

Alexander (Sandy) Silver (1858-1907) with his wife Helen Jane Watt and the three children who survived to adulthood. Top right is Alexander (Sandy)...

James Silver

James Silver came to Australia in 1892 where he was later joined by his fiancee Janet Todd. They married in Brisbane, Queensland, before moving more...

John Silver

John Silver (6 Apr 1856-unknown) did not marry and farmed at Harvieston, near Stonehaven, with his brother Alex. Alex (Sandy) died in 1907. Even...

John Silver of Harvieston farm

By Aberdeenshire Silver descendant Warren Nunn John Silver is a bit of mystery man. An older, unmarried brother of my great grandfather James...

Helen Silver

Helen Silver who married Alexander Duncan. Helen Silver (1852 - 1915) married Alexander Duncan and moved to England where they are found on a farm...

Alexander Silver (1809-1882)

Alexander Silver and Isobel Falconer Silver family members: At left is Isobel Falconer who married Alexander Silver with her three sons Alex...

Ina Silver dairy

Below are some entries from a diary kept by Ina Silver (daughter of James & Ann Silver) on her trip to Scotland in 1914, with her widowed mother...

George Robertson to James Silver

In correspondence from James Murray Silver, he refers to a letter that mentions the Harvieston Silvers: There is an interesting reference in a...

Alex Silver and Ellen Watt

By Warren Nunn When Alexander Silver and Helen (Ellen) Jane Watt married in March 1894, life changed drastically at Harvieston farm near Stonehaven,...

Margaret Todd to Bella Silver C1900

Transcript of postcard from Margaret Todd (nee Spiers) in Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Scotland, probably early 1900s. Grandma Todd died in 1919 aged...

Norah Anderson to Bella Silver 1955

This letter is from Norah Anderson (nee Keegan) to her first cousin Bella Dobbs (nee Silver). Their mothers were sisters. This is how they relate....

Norah Anderson 1965

This was a Christmas letter written by Todd descendant Norah Anderson (nee Keegan) in which she mentions family members including grandchildren. HI!...

Nancy Paterson to Bella 1946

(The author of this letter, Nancy Paterson, was the daughter of the family that owned the house in which the Todds lived in Castle Douglas,...

Maggie Todd to Bella 1944

This is a letter from Margaret Todd then aged 85 and living in South Africa.August 8, 1944, Gruisrand, c/- De La Ray Venter?, Colesberg, South...

Elizabeth Todd to Eva Silver 1939

(This is a transcript of a letter written by Elizabeth Todd from Chicago in 1939 in response to one from Eva Silver telling Elizabeth of her...

Joan Todd to Bella Silver 1945

(This was probably of the last letters Aunty Dan wrote, because by the following year her sister Gracie wrote to say she was in care and unable to...

Grace Todd to Bella Silver 1946

Letter from Grace Todd (married name Forsyth) written  in 1946 Broughton, Ernespie Road, Castle DouglasMy Dear Bella,I am afraid I am very bad with...

Joan Todd to James Silver 1943

88 Cotton St, Castle Douglas, 22/6/1943 My Dear Brother, I got your dear letter a fortnight ago so now I must try and give you a wee letter. Hope...

Joan Todd to James Silver 1939

This letter was written in September 1939 from the Todd household at 88 Cotton Street, Castle Douglas, Scotland. It is addressed to James Silver...

James to Bella 1939

This letter is from James Silver to his daughter, Bella. Burnside Whitmore St Taringa SW1 27/9/39 (Written the month after Janet died)My Dear Bell...

James to Bella 1949

This letter is from James Silver to his daughter and son-in-law, Bella and Alex Dobbs. 12/3/1949Dear Alex, yourself and all the family,I am very...

James to Bella Silver 1947

This letter is from James Silver to his daughter, Bella. 19 White St, Toowoomba, 13/2/47Dear Bella and all,How are you all in this time of this...

Bella to Bella Silver 1930

This letter from Bella Duncan, James Silver’s sister, written in 1930 to her niece Margaret Isobel Silver (also known as Bella) who married John...

Isobel to James Silver 1918

Isobel Duncan (1860-1934) daughter of Alex Silver and Isobel FalconerIn 1930, Isobel, whose married name was Duncan, lived at 24 Queens Road,...

Alex to James Silver 1892

Letter from Alexander Silver (1858-1907) to his brother James (1863-1949)Alex and James both the sons of Alex Silver (1809-1882) and Isobel Falconer...

Violet Silver of Eastside died 1884

26th Mary 1884 Inventory of the Personal Estate of the late VIOLET SILVERpage 249At Stonehaven the twenty sixth day of May in the year One thousand...

Joseph Silver of Redstone died 1883

20th April 1883 Inventory of the Personal Estate of the late JOSEPH SILVERpage 507At Stonehaven the twentieth day of April in the year One thousand...

John Silver of Burnside died 1865

19th October 1865 inventory of the personal estate of John Silver and testament executed by him.At Stonehaven the nineteenth day of October in the...

James Silver Kintewlin died 1865

19th September 1865Inventory of the Personal Estate of JAMES SILVER and testamentary writing executed by him.At Stonehaven the nineteenth day of...

David Bisset of Eastside died 1892

Page 507: EXTRACT INVENTORY OF THE PERSONAL ESTATE OF DAVID BISSET DECEASED (husband of Jane Silver)At Aberdeen, the Thirtieth day of June in the...

Rev Alexander Silver Dunnottar

22 December 1884. Inventory of the personal estate of the late Revd Alexander Silver. At Stonehaven the twenty second day of December in the  year...

Silvers in Australia

Building a life in Australia James Silver and Janet Todd. When a young Scottish carpenter named James Silver arrived in Queensland in 1892, he was...

Silvers of Kincardine

  Silver family members: Top left is Isobel Falconer who married Alexander Silver with her three sons Alex (standing), James (left, who went to...

James Silver letters

From James Silver (1863-1949) to his daughter Bella Dobbs (1893-1968) Burnside Whitmore St Taringa SW1 27/9/39 My Dear Bell and all,          How...

Harvieston fire

Three articles about Harvieston Farm fire Dundee Courier 31 January 1902, PAGE 4. Destructive farm fire in the Mearns FOURTH WITHIN A...