Caithness history talk on Davidson family from 1700s to 1940s
Caithness Family History Society’s (CFHS) April meeting will feature an online presentation on April 8 by Valerie Amin of Nucleus: the Nuclear and Caithness Archives in Wick.
Nucleus holds the archives of the UK civil nuclear industry and also the historical archives of the county of Caithness, which date from 1469 to the present day.
The latter are collections deposited by individuals, families, businesses and societies to ensure their safekeeping and preservation for future generations. They can range from single items to collections of several linear meters, and Nucleus currently holds over 1600 of these deposits.
Valerie’s talk is entitled ‘Four generations of the Davidson family’ and is based on one of the archive’s private deposits – papers of the Davidson family of Buckies, Old Hall, and West Watten.
This collection contains farm records, legal papers, financial records, personal correspondence, military records, photographs, portraits and published works. Through these, Valerie will tell the story of “four individuals from this fascinating Caithness family”.
They include Reverend George Davidson, minister of Latheron; John Henry Davidson, a customs official and farmer; Colonel James Davidson, commanding officer of the 5th Seaforths during World War One; and finally Jack Davidson, a major in the 5th Seaforths during World War Two.
The stories span the late 1700s to the 1940s and take in not just life in Caithness during that period, but the Isle of Man, the trenches of wartime France, and the deserts of North Africa.
Valerie said: “I’m going to concentrate on four individuals from the family, and the stories will include the Disruption and both World Wars. A few folk have asked about the talk and presumed it’ll be about farming, so I just want to make clear it’s not, in case people are disappointed.”
Visit www.jotform.com/chaircaithnessfhs/april to book a place. CFHS has a Facebook page and a website at: www.caithnessfhs.org.uk
The free online virtual event is at 7pm on Tuesday, April 8 and registration is essential.
