Cousins

Since I succumbed to an Ancestry DNA test I've been corresponding with C, a third cousin once removed. She's part of the Newcastle branch of the family. Today she and her father, J, (my third cousin) came north to visit the family sites.

First P and at his team arrived to sort the outside drainage channels and replace the rotten back steps. Had to raid the 'piggy bank'. 

I met the cousins at the station (train was late) and then after coffee we met up with H (my dad's second cousin but only 9 years older than me) who took us down to Portobello. We started in St Mark's. Unfortunately the many Landels gravestones have been moved, twice, broken and most are missing. But we did stand in front of Emma Landels's stone, originally Emma Rearden, died 1 John Street,  1900 (H left, C middle, J right). Her husband, Adam Weatherstone Landels, had a butchers business at 326 Portobello High Street. H is descended from the part of the family that held on to the money, unlike mine. 

After walking along past Samieston Lodge which the family rented at the end of the 19th century and outside which family photos were taken, we walked back along to the Prom.

Then it was back to H's house via Craigleith M&S for sandwiches, for lunch and a look at more photos. H inherited much of the family archive from his cousin H (who I also met years ago) but he wanted to speak more about his grandfather and another of Adam and Emma's sons, Thomas, who lived in Oamuru and then Gore in NZ. He had little info, or interest in, C's family. I think the fact he couldn't share info on his PC did not help this. We nearly went down a rabbit hole of setting up One Drive. The extras are handwritten sheets about Adam and Emma's family, author unknown but one of their children. 

H took us back into town and I left C and J on the Royal Mile and got the bus home.

Starting planning the Paris trip and researched getting to Versailles before buying a ticket but struggled, and failed to complete the purchase of the Musée d'Orsay ticket.  Spoke to E about not going to the opera and eventually ordered an unsatisfactory takeaway. Then watched some more 'Only Murders' before bed.