Genealogy Chat

Hi
I wonder if anyone could help with this? I have just received a printout of the register for a baptism in Peebles, Scotland 1767. It reads George Donaldson son to James Donaldson Sertt to Alex Hope and Christian Proudfoot his spouse, baptised by Wm Dalgleish Minister in Peebles, etc.....
Does anyone know what "Sertt to" actually means? It appears on some of the other baptisms too but can't find it anywhere on internet.
Many thanks for your help.
Kind regards
Angela

- could it be servant (i.e. serv.t)?

Servant to Alex Hope ???

I thought servant at first but his job is labouring man elsewhere and the word is all joined up in lower case with double t on the end sertt... Am confused!

Angela

I've just Googled the word and it appears to be a surname.

So, could it be that the father was a James Donaldson Sertt?

Could be wrong - never heard the word before...

Athena

I can see several examples of it used as an abbreviation for the word servant.

Alistair

... actually, looking at the previous suggestions of "servant" - If the word was shortened to "servt" it could be that where the "t" has been crossed too widely it has crossed through part of the "v" making it look like a "tt". Try experimenting yourself with writing it in joined up (I just have) and cross the "t" too wide - it does look like sertt then.

Was this an adult/older child baptism then?

Athena

Hi Athena, I don't think it is a surname in this case as it appears on other baptism entries on the same page.


I am guessing that it means servant, even if the clerk has put a double t on the end!

Thanks all!!
Angela

Hi Athena, No George Donaldson was a baby, it was his father's name written down with sertt to Alex ..
Thanks for your input.
Kind regards
Angela

Hi,

Is there any way we can look at the image?

Dea x

Hi Dea I do have the image electronically, Is it possible to post it on here somewhere?
Thanks
Angela

nudge

Could you e-mail it to me - If so, I will send my direct e-mail address.

Dea x

Hi Dea

I have just emailed it to you.

Thanks!
Angela

Hi Angela,

I have looked at the image and it certainly appeart be by 'sertt'

Looking at the pattern of what else is on the page - this has to be an occupation!

i.e. all the christenings are in the order of:

(name of child).. son/daughter to (name of father)..(occupation).. and (name of mother).. his spouse.. baptised by.......... at............... wtnesses................

Therefore your George's parents were James Donaldson and Christian Proudfoot and James was a servant to Alexander Hope.

I really think it has to signify 'servant, though I don't know why it should have two t's.

I think your doubt is because you are thinking of the word 'servant' in a domestic sense, i.e. within a household, whereas it can widely be used for anyone who 'serves' an employer in any capacity - working on the land, labouring etc.

Hope this helps.

Dea x

Thanks Dea!
Kind regards
Angela

Angela , I know this is a bit late but I have just read a thread on general which refers to the Scotish word Sept , apparently this means under the protection of . Could this be what it says ?
Kim

Hi Kim

I am 100% certain that it actually reads sertt as it appears throughout the document on other entries. I have come to the conclusion that it means servant as all the other entries have a job title after the fathers name.

Thanks though for your reply, because I hadn't heard of a Sept before.

Regards
Angela

Hi All

Upon looking at www.wiktionary.org at the word Gentleman it said that a gentlemen was also known as a freeman unlike a Serff... I then clicked on Serff and it gave me this:-

serf (plural serfs)

A peasant attached to the land owned by a lord and required to perform labour in return for certain legal or customary rights
a similar agricultural labourer in 18th and 19th century Europe
(strategy games) a worker unit (Synonyms: peasant, peon, villager)

So there you go, my ancestors were Serffs!

Regards
Angela