Google Book Search Treasure Hunt

[Sue Mackay]

This is a competition for everyone, Bo Peep and Moderators included. The purpose is to make people aware of just what is available on Google Book Search

http://books.google.com/

and give people tips on how to narrow down the searches. Google Book Search will come up with hits that will not show on a simple Google search.

I have therefore made the questions fairly easy and given hints.
Newbies might like to read the thread at http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21015
The tips for searching Google hold good for Google Book Search.

The prize is a book I came across in a book sale. It is a paperback entitled "Google Hacks - Tips & Tools for Finding and Using the World's Information" by Rael Dornfest, Paul Bausch and Tara Calishain.

The real prize, though, is that everyone gets to see just how much information is available for free. Don't be put off by the fact that many of the questions refer to early records. I have focused on publications where the whole book is available on-line, and pre 1837 information is generally more difficult to track down. Modern books tend to be still under copyright, but occasionally a tantalising 'snippet view' is given - often enough to give you that breakthrough.

Recent competitions have been run over quite a long period. I think that sometimes people think they have plenty of time and put it to one side. You therefore have one week to find the answers and send them to me by Private Message (by clicking on my user name).

Entries close at midnight UK time on Wednesday 21 May.

In the event of a tie, the entrant who gives me the most facts about Arthur Gilstain (1786-1858), using any search engine or free on-line resource, will be declared the winner. You will find that most of the information about him on the Net has been written by me, but I live in hopes that someone will find something I haven't looked at :D

Here are the Questions

1. In the "Universal Magazine" of 1809, whose obituary states that he left £360,000 to Mr. Fish of Greville Street, Hatton-Garden? How much did he leave in total and how did he make his fortune?

2. Give three other years for which the whole edition of the "Universal Magazine" may be viewed.

[HINT] When you have found the answer to No.1, scroll down the options on the right hand side of the page.

3. According to "The Annual Register" for 1824, who married Hannah Darling in 1820 and why did he later bring an action in the Court of Common Pleas, Dublin?

4. In the will of John Pepys of Cottenham published in "The Topographer and Genealogist", who were the witnesses?

[HINT] By typing in "Last will and testament" subject:"Genealogy" you will focus in on actual wills.

5. According to "Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry" for 1847, what were the full names of the children of General Benedict Arnold and Margaret Shippen, who married on 8 April 1779?

6. If you press Advanced Search, highlight "Full View Only" and insert "Genealogy" into the Subject Box with English ticked as the language, which publication comes up that might be of special interest to someone researching in Essex?

7. Name three marriages announced in the "Gentleman's Magazine" that took place on 1st September 1831.

[HINT] In Advanced Search mark the publication date as 1831 and the Title as the Gentleman's Magazine. Then use the Search in this Book Button on the right of the screen to find marriages.

8. Name one of the aliases of James Hill, who was tried on 6 March 1777 for wilfully setting fire to the King's Rope House at Portsmouth, and where did the trial take place?

9. In "The Battle of Waterloo" with "General Returns of Killed and Wounded" and a "List of Waterloo Honours" (published 1815 and printed for J. Booth) on which page does the alphabetical list of those killed or wounded between June 16th and June 26th start?

10. On 26th July 1854, where did Hester Anne Copeman, youngest daughter of Edward Copeman of Coltishall in Norfolk, marry A.L.G. Campbell?

Good luck, and apologies if you get distracted!!

[Sue Mackay]

Have had my first entry, accompanied by the following quote:

Thanks Sue, That was fun, but it took me ALL day - (course I also searched for a whole bunch of unrelated stuff )

That fulfils the criteria nicely. Fun to do, but leading on to other things....

Do have a go.

[Sue Mackay]

Entries so far only from the USA and Australia. It is forecast to be a wet and horrible day tomorrow, so UK members can spend their Saturday morning searching for answers instead of gardening!

Latest comment on an entry

Hi Sue, that was heaps of fun! couldn't resist anything to do with books. Had not realized that google books did not come up in an ordinary search on google.

[Jan1954]

It is forecast to be a wet and horrible day tomorrow, so UK members can spend their Saturday morning searching for answers instead of gardening!

As the damp weather is meant to last all weekend in this part of our sceptred isle, guess what I'll be doing on Sunday, then :D

[Sue Mackay]

As the damp weather is meant to last all weekend in this part of our sceptred isle, guess what I'll be doing on Sunday, then :D

OK, so the weather improved, but there's nothing much on the box tonight...

Latest quote on an entry form

Excellent Competition. I really enjoyed that. Thank you

Entries close midnight on Wednesday to allow me to post the answers/winner before going off on my travels over Whitsun.

[Browneyes]

|jumphappy

OOOOh thank you Sue! I've found the answers today (ok I admit it I am very fond of googling and diving deep into interesting things :D) and now am working on your Arthur Gilstain. It is definately definately a case of staying on track...I have added loads of bookmarks to my PC for later perusal!

I have to stop now |sad1| but hopefully I'll get back to it tomorrow :D and |blush|...hopefully there'll be a reminder that the deadlines Wednesday?

Browneyes

[Sue Mackay]

hopefully there'll be a reminder that the deadlines Wednesday?


I've told the computer to remind me to remind you! Glad you found lots of interest.

[Browneyes]

Thanks Sue :)

[Sue Mackay]

Just a reminder that the deadline is midnight tomorrow. I await your entry Browneyes!

[Browneyes]

Thankyou! Off to opticians first then dinner then bit of paperwork for hubby then yes! I'll get it done! Including Mr Gilstain bit...amazing how many times it suggested I look at Gilstein!! |banghead|

Browneyes

[Mutley]

Google Book Server seems to be down today, at least, it is each time I have tried.
I hope it does n:(t last too long

[Sue Mackay]

Google Book Server seems to be down today, at least, it is each time I have tried.
I hope it does n:(t last too long

I've just been on there with no problems.

[Davran]

Sue, I am trying to finish the competition, but my computer is so frustratingly slow to download the page images that I keep giving up and doing something else |banghead|. So the spirit is willing, but the computer is not - you may or may not have an entry from me.

[Sue Mackay]

Sue, I am trying to finish the competition, but my computer is so frustratingly slow to download the page images that I keep giving up and doing something else |banghead|. So the spirit is willing, but the computer is not - you may or may not have an entry from me.

I'd like to think it's slow because all 1000+ members of the Forum are accessing it at once, but I am a realist! At least you have found out what's available for when the computer's in a better mood. If you send in your entry I shall award you an extra point for perserverance!

[busyglen]

Sue, I am trying to finish the competition, but my computer is so frustratingly slow to download the page images that I keep giving up and doing something else |banghead|. So the spirit is willing, but the computer is not - you may or may not have an entry from me.

Davran, I suspect you are at the point that I was when the PC went slow. It was down to the pages loading really slowly. If I remember correctly, I left that and on the right where there is another search box, I put something else in (can't remember what now) and it took me to the page much quicker. Sorry I can't remember any more to help.

Hope you've solved it by now anyway. ;)
Glenys

[Sue Mackay]

Closing date is midnigth tonight. Can't give you longer 'cos I'm going away on Friday and need to get the prize posted off on Thursday!

[Sue Mackay]

Grr! |banghead| You'd think I'd know, having done a comp before, how very clever you have to be in wording questions.

6. If you press Advanced Search, highlight "Full View Only" and insert "Genealogy" into the Subject Box with English ticked as the language, which publication comes up that might be of special interest to someone researching in Essex?

This question will now have the words "or Hertfordshire" added.

I wondered why those who sent in their answers early got the same answer I did (obviously Essex) whereas recent entries have all come up with a Hertfordshire reference. Having just typed in my criteria again the original book I was after no longer comes up |doh|

Just goes to show how often the Internet changes, and you should keep doing searches every so often in case this time your missing information magically materialises.

[Mutley]

That was one of the questions I very nearly did not answer but I could only presume, as it had a reference to Essex it must have been the one you wanted.:confused:

[ET in the USA]

Early bird gets the worm |jumphappy

[Browneyes]

Phew! Just in time! Good luck everyone fingers crossed. Must dash now! |snore| gotta get up early! (well early for me!!)

Brilliant quiz..lots of info to use in the future Thanks Sue! :)

Browneyes

[Sue Mackay]

OK, midnight has struck and here are the answers:

1. In the "Universal Magazine" of 1809, whose obituary states that he left £360,000 to Mr. Fish of Greville Street, Hatton-Garden? How much did he leave in total and how did he make his fortune?
T. Hill of Whitton, powder mill proprietor. £800,000. Trading gunpowder with Turkey.
(Browneyes found a website which suggests he actually left more money than this - see http://www.botlhs.co.uk/whittonhist05.htm)

2. Give three other years for which the whole edition of the "Universal Magazine" may be viewed.

Any three from 1749, 1751, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1806, 1807, 1808
Note that if you searched for Mr. Fish of Greville Street without entering "Universal Magazine" you may have found an identical entry in the Gentleman's Magazine, but then clicking the 'Other editions' option on the right would have given you the wrong information.

3. According to "The Annual Register" for 1824, who married Hannah Darling in 1820 and why did he later bring an action in the Court of Common Pleas, Dublin?

Mr Cuthbert
Action for deceit. Wife had been represented as chaste and virtuous but in fact was pregnant by the defendant, Mr Browne.

Question 3 proved to be the killer (not intentionally!). The answer did depend on one's knowing the meaning of the word 'plaintiff', and the actual article I sent you to only says that his name was CUTHBERT, so "Mr. Cuthbert" or just Cuthbert would have been accepted as correct. Many of you tried to follow the Christian names mentioned in the text and got horribly confused (brothers of both the plaintiff and the defendant were mentioned). I have confirmed on the IGI that Charles CUTHBERT married Hannah DARLING in April 1820. From careful reading of the case report I think I have worked out the relationships. In 1816 Charles CUTHBERT's sister had married Archibald BROWNE, brother of the defendant in the case. The defendant, John BROWNE, was married at the time to Hannah DARLING's sister, by whom he had several children. He was also apparently having it away with Hannah, and made her pregnant, but as he obviously couldn't marry her he palmed her off on Charles CUTHBERT, whose sister had married his brother. (Still with me? :) ) The IGI has the marriage of John Henry BROWNE to Elizabeth DARLING on 15 July 1816 in Dublin. Further proof that it was CUTHBERT and not BROWNE who was the plaintiff in the case (and married Hannah DARLING) was the evidence of his brother, William CUTHBERT. You can just imagine what the News of the World would have made of it all today!! Charles Cuthbert was awarded £800 damages.

4.In the will of John Pepys of Cottenham published in "The Topographer and Genealogist", who were the witnesses?
Richard Bollter
Thomas Watts
Robert Wade
John Blithe, Vicar of Impington

5. According to "Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry" for 1847, what were the full names of the children of General Benedict Arnold and Margaret Shippen, who married on 8 April 1779?
Edward Shippen
James Robertson
George
William Fitch
Sophia Matilda

6. If you press Advanced Search, highlight "Full View Only" and insert "Genealogy" into the Subject Box with English ticked as the language, which publication comes up that might be of special interest to someone researching in Essex or Hertfordshire?
Turned out to be a dud question and I accepted all suitable answers. The expected answer was 'Transactions of the Essex Archeological Society' but later entries mostly had 'The Historical Antiquities of Hertfordshire'

7. Name three marriages announced in the "Gentleman's Magazine" that took place on 1st September 1831.
Captain H.J. Hatton m Josephine Louise Lavoley
R. Hodder m Caroline Pryce
Edmund Filmer m Helen Monro

8. Name one of the aliases of James Hill, who was tried on 6 March 1777 for wilfully setting fire to the King's Rope House at Portsmouth, and where did the trial take place?
Aliases: James Hinde, James Azzen, James Aitken, John the Painter
Winchester Assizes

9. In "The Battle of Waterloo" with "General Returns of Killed and Wounded" and a "List of Waterloo Honours" (published 1815 and Printed for J. Booth) on which page does the alphabetical list of those killed or wounded between June 16th and June 26th start?
Page 81

10. On 26th July 1854, where did Hester Anne Copeman, youngest daughter of Edward Copeman of Coltishall in Norfolk, marry A.L.G. Campbell?
Motueka, New Zealand

[Sue Mackay]

Well in the end it wasn't such a hard competition to judge. Actually no-one got 100% on the questions. As I said, the "Mr.Cuthbert" question caused the most problems - Mutley was the only person to get that right, but she made another error. I was lenient with those who knew the plaintiff was Cuthbert rather than Browne but called him John or William.

Anyway, the judge has decided and she declares all the entrants are winners, as they entered and hopefully enjoyed themselves and found it interesting, but the prize goes to....

DAVRAN |jumphappy

Her entry was almost 100%. Also only four of the entrants included tie-breaker information, and of those Davran's effort was far and away the best. She didn't fall into the trap of giving me information on another Arthur who was actually a son (that's why I gave you the dates).

This is how much Davran managed to find out in a very short space of time about one of my relatives she knew nothing about. Isn't the Internet wonderful?

ARTHUR GILSTAIN:
Sue Mackay’s 3x ggrandfather!
Born in Londonderry 1786, son of a soldier in 49th Regiment of Foot. Enlisted at the age of 10 in Jamaica. Served with the 49th until May 1826 when stationed at the Cape of Good Hope, then remained in South Africa as Clerk to the Deputy Quarter Master General at Cape Town Castle. A great friend of Sir Harry Smith, who was godfather to his son. He attained the rank of Quarter Master Sergeant.
5’4" tall, black hair and hazel eyes.
Married Frances Mahoney in Cork, Ireland in 1818. Children Arthur, Frances, Edmund William and Henry.
Awarded medal for battle of Chrysler’s Farm, Canada 1813
In 1854 he was granted retirement allowance of 5s 3d per day, which was paid until his death 11/11/1858


Please PM me with your postal address Davran, so that I can send you your prize. I'm sure we will all benefit anyway, because I know that if you find any really good Google searching tips in the book you will share them with us all.

[Mutley]

CONGRATULATIONS

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r297/MutleyBG/samp0ade917c91ef7c09-1-1.jpg

[Jan1954]

|jumphappy

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVRAN!

[AnnB]

Congratulations Davran. |jumphappy

I managed to do most of it but I had a bit of a hectic week and so had to give up. Good competition though Sue - have a lovely holiday.

Best wishes
Ann

[Sue Mackay]

Good competition though Sue - have a lovely holiday.


Not exactly a holiday. Every Whitsun I travel to Brighton for four days with the Glamorgan team for the Inter County Croquet Championships. I'll be driving home on Tuesday, printing labels for the GFHS journal on Wednesday, stuffing and labelling said journals on Thursday, then getting the train to Scotland on Friday for a schoolfriends' reunion on Saturday 31st. Who said retirement was relaxing? :D Never mind, I have a proper holiday in July to look forward to!

[tarragon]

Congratulations Davran.

Very interesting competition. I have seen the Powder Mill in Whitton which is in the middle of park now. I pass by Powder Mill Lane, Whitton every day and this competition certainly has added to my knowledge of the local area.

[busyglen]

Well done Davran!

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i209/busyglen/congratulations.gif

Glenys

[busyglen]

Hope you enjoy your break Sue..and thanks for a great competition. |hug|

Glenys

[Browneyes]

Well done Davran! |woohoo|

Definately took some working out!

Browneyes x

[Davran]

Thank you, thank you |bowdown| I would go off and have a |5cups|, but I have to go to my German class |book2|.

I was particularly interested in the powder mills question as my gggrandfather worked there from sometime before 1871 until at least 1901, but he certainly didn't leave £800,000 to his ancestors (not that I have heard anyway!). That branch is one of my |banghead|s.

I was very impressed with how much Sue had been able to learn about Arthur Gilstain - even down to his height and the colour of his eyes and hair!

[Sue Mackay]

I was very impressed with how much Sue had been able to learn about Arthur Gilstain - even down to his height and the colour of his eyes and hair!

The description came from his Discharge Papers at The National Archives. Well worth looking for if you have a military ancestor from that period.

[Sue Mackay]

he certainly didn't leave £800,000 to his ancestors

He'd have had to take it with him to deliver it ;) Sorry, couldn't resist it!

[Davran]

Ooops!:o All right, all right - you know I meant descendants!

[v.wells]

|jumphappy

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVRAN!

Congratulations Davran:)