Researching paternal ancestry at St Andrews Library

Yesterday Judith and I visited the Special Collections at the St Andrews library archives where they had organised for us to view books pertaining to our ancestors. The books were brought out from an atmosphere-controlled room wrapped in cloths and we had to prop them up on padded stands to protect the spines when we opened them.

A number of our great grand fathers attended St Andrews University, starting with my 5th great grandfather John Campbell in 1677, and we viewed their academic records. There was also a newspaper article which included a photograph of a portrait of my 3rd great grandfather, the Reverend George Campbell, and 2 volumes by his son (brother to my 2nd great grand father) Baron John Campbell Life of John, Lord Campbell, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain 2 vols, 1881 edited by his daughter, the Hon Mrs Hardcastle in which he gives a history of his genealogy in the first chapter.

There were also two volumes of ‘Memoirs of my Indian Career’, by Sir George Campbell, ed. Bernard with portrait; Gent. Mag. 1854, ii. 75, 76. Sir George Campbell, my great great uncle, describes his life in India and includes a number of references to his brother John Scarlett (my great grandfather) who also served there, and in fact my grandfather was born there during this time.

Judith scanned many pages and in time we will use the information to update our paternal genealogy.

St Andrews University is 600 years old and it was wonderful to be able to walk around some of the old buildings still standing in the village.