I know-I'm some what scared. Why would a family 'hide' thier children under a pseudonym(not sure about spelling. got probs with that- please forgive me) other than they didn't or couldn't allow discovery? This is evidence to be suspicious.
I'm also aware that the Stair papers at The NAS also have those that discussed the change in direction of the line. William, Samuel and John had no issue but I stand to be corrected. If they didn't, James did, so why then didn't his eldest son assume the title?(speling again-doesn't look right) Do you see now why am suspicious? If I still bit my fingernails, I'd be raw by now. It feels as though we're on the very brink of something.

Have been making enquiries as to where GWD is buried in Paisley. So far nothing has turned up but I feel it will. I was given the Rootschatter's info for MI indices for Paisley. Hopefully she'll have it on there. I've also approached an archivist in Paisley. between them something should show.I'm not sure where GSWD is buried except it is in NZ- the record was registered in 1908 although I found an announcement of his death dated 1907. Back beyond them, I'd guess Lieut.Col. James was buried in India but really am not sure how to exact this. I have taken a step outside the box and emailed the Diocese of Madras to ask if they have any records for his burial(and marriage/baptisms) focusing on St Mary's Church of Madras. This church has a graveyard and holds the remains of many military personel and people of importance. It dates back to 1670 something. Fingers crossed. Shizara may throw more light on the whole thing soon.

Hopefully, yes. Am sorry about the delay have been really busy with work related stuff. As soon as the copywrite document arrives will arrange to go myself to collect the documents we are after rather wait even longer.

My 'virtual' fingernails are really raw. I wait for the replies (if any) from India and from the archivist in Paisley. I know the latter will reply if even to say he has drawn a blank. Oh, goodness me, this is a whole lot of strudel!!!! Thank you again. I do hope work is eventauly(?spelling-sorry) going to give you a rest.(Not from my stance) I know from Swine Flu, I'm so glad to be on staycation.Since I've been away, this new Pandemic line has opened- Hurray eacefingers:
Just to add that The Rootschatterer with the book of MIs for Paisley pre 1855 has said she'll look this up on her return from her holiday in Australia in the next few weeks. I'm rather touched that she'd respond whilst away. There really are some great people on this planet.Its refreshing.

I was looking through FIBIS and have found an entry for a Death for a Mrs M Dalrymple on 12/1/1843, aged 55, in Calcutta. Could this be Moti Begum Dalrymple? I also looked a little further at entries for James and there are 2 files which may contain further info about him but they have to be viewed at The British Library. IOR Ref L/MIL/9/107 folio 663 1789-99 and L/MIL/9/109 both are LDS files 1951683. They are relating to his applications for cadetship but contain identities of parents, schooling, birth/baptism and all important possible marriage.

Worked another long one today and when I came home the postie had left a card. Looking at it I see it is a small tube can't think of anything that would come in that unless they have sent all the papers to save the visit. Won't know until I pick it up on the way home tomorrow, but I will keep you updated if it is what I think it might be.

It's got to be- what a fantastic happening. I was talking to my Mum yesterday; we'd gone to lunch at a local hotel. I was explaining about the little I know about Nawabs- that they came from Persia- The Shahs. She is so very thrilled that if this is true- she had never known any Indian connection at all. It must have stirred memories overnight because at 0910 she was on the phone. She said 'I've remembered when I was bout 10 or 12, my uncle (not sure which one) brought a cricketer home for dinner. Granny insisted he stayed', she recalled his name as 'dulip sinjhi'.She said that he was an Indian Prince. Guy and I looked this up this morning and the India Cricket team in 1932 was Captained by a Maharaja Rana sahib something that could be shortened to Dulip Sinjhi. I still don't think Granny knew the India connection- they just all loved cricket, rugby etc.Mummy still does- horse racing as well. Oh, how exciting this is. Maybe then I should speak to the British Library about these 2 files. I don't know if they will be that helpful though. We'll see. I wait with baited breath. Thank you. When are you going to be able to take your break? It is not fair- keep safe and healthy.

I picked up "the tube" tonight and have had a quick scan through it. Writing is a bit spidery. I need to go through it properly and then either make notes or copy it into easier to read text.

There is also some letters included from Noorjah Begum. I need to carefully pick out the names and relationships.

Noorjah Begum speaks of three brothers and a sister with two of the former dying young. She then speaks of the other and my sister. This would suggest to me that if she had three brothers and a sister, with two of the former dying young, that she is left with one brother and a sister. It also confirms that Noorjah had a sister. It's like a riddle!

We've both blown William Dalrymple's writings out then I found the reference to McBean from Noorjar. So maybe and hopefully , the brother left is George Weymss-Dalrymple? How sad for them. They are said to have been sent to Scotland to be brought up and educated (again William Dalrymple's writings) - the evidence is they were hidden as 'Watson and McBean' - Shizara- this is it; 2 names- 2 children left other than Noorjar who was still in India.
I should now say that this is all feeling very wierd. It is as though I am the one who in this family is meant to put things right. I was born in Doha, Qatar. I lived in Benghazi, Libya until I was 7 years old. WE had Libyan 'houseboys'-grown men who 'did'. They were lovely. The one I remember most is Ali- he brought me up rather like a Nanny would. I met his wife and children many times.I learnt to speak alongside learning arabic and english. The arabic was through these people my parents employed. My Father spoke it fluently. I can't speak it these days but on holidays away and if I hear it, I seem to know what is being said - a funny fizz thing goes on at the back of my head. Ali was a kind and gentle man. This is getting more and more spookey.

I just got a call from an Imam in Worthing- a very nice chap- Imam Idris Nawab. He says he has a friend who is a Dr in Wiltshire from Madras and he's going to ask him how to access muslim BDMs there. He's also asking a few other Imams.

I have decided to type out the will so reading it isn't such hard going although I will give you the handwritten copies with it for comparison. The downside of the transcribing to computer text is I might not get it all done tonight as there are quite a few pages to it but it will be worth the effort. I need to do some Google searching to get a few names right. Some are a little hard to make out but I get the gist of them.

Shizara, you are going beyond all- you are amazing to be doing this to this extreme. I was talking to my Mum today and she has been thinking about things to the point where over the last 2 days she hasn't slept. She looks extremely tired. She says she remembers conversations. The one with her Uncle 'BudgeFitzherbert' he said 'your Grandmother is keeping us poor'. She later found out, he'd gambled much of her G'Father's firms profit away and had kept his wife- her Aunt May in virtual poverty. I think great skullduggery has happened in more recent times like thiers. This Indian history wasn't known to anyone except Agnes, Emily, John and thier Father GSWD.I don't know how to move this on. It is vital we prove James married Moti or that he didn't even and also the real names/identities of all the children.
Don't you think that was fantastic that the Imam rang me back with great interest and support?

This is taking some digesting. As I read a bit and compare other notes a picture is beginning to form. Many times you have asked about the connection between the names Wemyss and Dalrymple. Well, I think the answer to that is staring us right in the face.

Wemyss Dalrymple is the sister of Lieut-Col James Dalrymple. She married Leveson Granville Keith Murray and this is verified in the will. Wemyss Murray nee Dalrymple was involved with the school that the children, educated under the name of Watson, were sent to. Wemyss Murray nee Dalrymple died c1802. I think that Lieut-Col James Dalrymple held her in such high esteem that he immortalised that esteem by giving the name Wemyss to his son, George Wemyss Dalrymple, who in turn, has passed it on his son George Samuel Wemyss Dalrymple and he followed that tradition by naming his son John George Wemyss Dalrymple.

How clever you are to have worked that out.Was that Jane Weymss?We haven't even really looked at her. Do you know the name of the school? Even more so what the childrens' names were? Is there an actual date,place of birth/death for James and or the children? I am so confused by this family more because you see traits that follow through and they are here in my family in the present day-I was brought up and educated completely seperate to my own Brother. My Mum was the youngest child of 4, she was definitely seperate from the older 3. The 2 older boys took control when the parents failed. Thier Father as the eldest of Agnes and John Hankins did also.

Jane Weymss is none other than Jane Wemyss Murray, daughter of Wemyss Dalrymple and Leveson Granville Keith Murray. So that would make her a cousin to the children of Lieut-Col James Dalrymple.

The school, so far, is only referred to as Mrs Murray's School at Madras.

Some of the writing is decipherable and some words are difficult to work out so am trying to research them at the same time.

The children seem to only be referred to as 2 children by the name of Watson, however, later in the will it speaks of the youngest son of Mooti Begum, named Dowood or Dourood or Durood who was to be sent to Madras and educated in the same manner as the other two children named Watson and that he was to be provided for in exactly the same way, in fact, he made provision for Mooti and the children as well as his servants.

Clearly, Lieut-Col James Dalrymple's siblings knew about the children and who they were.

It certainly appears that cholera claimed quite a few of them including the husband of Noorjah Begum, Mr McBean.

E. McBean says in her letter to Noorjah that she was also a widow and with 5 children to raise. She gives a name, presumably the youngest. Kitty Lee, who at the time was 6 years of age and the letter appeared to be written in 1823.

Noorjah's letter mentions her brother taking on his father's name - presumably Dalrymple. He apparently was sent there by the Executors of the will.

Noorjah's husband, according the letter is Sardue or Sadhu Bing. He died in 1811. It would seem that she remarried as she signed herself as Noorah Begum, widow of somebody else, a name that I am currently trying to decipher.