Having a great time in ‘Hoik’ (Hawick)

 Hawick is a medieval market town, of course it is. But it is also home to one of six Scotlands People Centres where for 15£ a day I can peruse 100s of certificates. This is so I can do a robust Mortality Survey, documenting the causes of death of every descendant of George and Jean Buchan who died in Scotland.

Yes I am a bit weird.

The journey there is a bit awkward at first. Helen drives me to Kelso (6 miles) and then a bus to Hawick for 50 minutes - all rural. On the first day I shared the small space with 2 researchers and a few workmen moving bits of furniture. On the second day, before the planned film festival in my very space, I was the only researcher but I was joined by 10+ arts students, a theatre director and a student professor all trying to set up some vintage film to best advantage. In the end I sat in a corner, completely enclosed by blackout curtains that were stapled to a bulkhead above me. They gave me a small lamp as they spent some hours ‘setting the scene’. 

Why did I not think to just, illegally, snap images of the screen in stead of laboriously transcribing them into my notebook. No-one could see me! I am just too honest. 

No lunch on day 1 because I arrived an hour late, but a lovely BLT from the supermarket near the bus stop the following day. The staff advised me to leave 15 minutes for the walk down the High Street to the bus stop, but I did it in 5 minutes. There was no problem using my travel card on the bus to buy tickets. All told maybe 70 mins each way, but it would be 90 to go into Edinburgh.

Another bonus at Hawick, the internet did not keep interrupting my iPad as it did in Edinburgh. I am back there next week.

The genealogy registrar on duty was a wit. She offered me tea and scones at 10.30, only for the international visitors of course, but no, it was a joke. I saw two books by a HAGSOC member on their bookshelves, which was nice.

Side view of Heritage Hub

The view of the Heritage Hub from the church on the hill behind it.

I was marvelously successful on my two days there; finishing off Alexander, Andrew, William and my Robert (he was a big one). I will do Isabel and George there next week. They are only open Wednesday and Thursday next week, so I will be going into Edinburgh on Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully I will be in my own car, driving to the big car park on the outskirts of and catching a  bus in the Centre. With luck I will have the car today.

Yesterday was the hottest spring day in May on record in the UK. It was 23 here, but I had my cardigan on!

The past meets the present. The mod building is a cinema theatre complex, a bit arty I surmise, and why they took over the research room nearby.

 The residents like to raise statues to a good cause. The man on a horse recalls the time when the young lads of Hawick fought off some English marauders, not long after the battle of culloden, when so many of the older men had died. 

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Not a famine memorial but something to do with textiles. Hawick is the home of tweed and cashmere apparently.

And finally for the animal lovers, a man wrestling a bull; no idea why.

But it is near the Heritage Hub.