Apparently I may be one of you lot. Hmm.

[FullCircle]

Having a butchers around the Surname Database pointed to by Silkie, it would seem my name is of, ahem, Scots descent. Blimey. Wonky place T'Internet, if you ask me.


Surname: Dew
This unusual name, with the variants Dow, Dove and Dew, is of Scottish (and sometimes Irish) Gaelic Origin, and is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic word "dubh", dark, black, in Old Gaelic "dub". This word was frequently used as a personal name, by itself or as a shortened form of a longer double-stemmed name, and as a nickname or byname for a swarthy man, or perhaps for someone of a "dark" temperament. The patronymic form of the name is "MacDuff" or "McDuff", meaning "Son of Duff". In 1341 Brokynus Duff was one of an inquisition on lands in Aberdeen, and in the following year Machabeus Duff is on record as burgess of Cullen in 1342. The marriage of James Duff and Margarett Still was recorded at St. Margaret's, Westminster, in London, on March 16th, 1645. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Duncan Duff (witness), which was dated 1275, in the "Charters of the Priory of Beauly", during the reign of King Alexander 111, King of Scotland, 1249 - 1286. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

[Nick]

.
Well it explains your distinctly Scotophile leanings Jim . . .

[sahona]

Jim Dew, eh?
I think you could be right about your Northern roots.
Are you related to Foggy Foggy?

[Rowana]

You might even be gentry - See here -

http://www.duffhouse.org.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you require me to bow in your presence?

I can't do the forelock touching these days as my forelock departed long ago

[Silkie]

I always knew you were made of the right stuff Jim.

[Telo]

Hi Jim. I'd always half assumed that there was a Dubh look aboot ye.

Not a common surname, and I've probably asked you this before (and forgotten), but were you any relation to Barry Dew who used to play banjo with Ken Colyer and Monty Sunshine?

Some time in the late 80s or early 90s he renovated an old banjo for me. I'd spoken to him on the phone, and I was instructed to meet him at lunchtime in a pub in Islington's Chapel Market that seemed to serve him as some sort of extended office.

My memory could be wrong about this, but I'm sure when I came back to collect the instrument, I had to go through a chip shop and up some stairs to get access to his workshop.

Quite a character.

[FullCircle]

Hi Jim. I'd always half assumed that there was a Dubh look aboot ye.

Not a common surname, and I've probably asked you this before (and forgotten), but were you any relation to Barry Dew who used to play banjo with Ken Colyer and Monty Sunshine?

Some time in the late 80s or early 90s he renovated an old banjo for me. I'd spoken to him on the phone, and I was instructed to meet him at lunchtime in a pub in Islington's Chapel Market that seemed to serve him as some sort of extended office.

My memory could be wrong about this, but I'm sure when I came back to collect the instrument, I had to go through a chip shop and up some stairs to get access to his workshop.

Quite a character.

Sounds highly romantic and a bit Maata Hari, but I am not aware of a Barry Dew in my close family, although I have Father In Law on the case, sleuthing out the records.

[claymore]

Have you had your Bar McVittie - you'll need one if you are a Scottish Dew

[FullCircle]

Have you had your Bar McVittie - you'll need one if you are a Scottish Dew

No, are they on free issue with each citizenship scroll?

[jim.r]

maybe yer french ..... mon dieu!

[Aja]

Have you had your Bar McVittie - you'll need one if you are a Scottish Dew

No, are they on free issue with each citizenship scroll?

Free, no - but they are a snip!

Donald

[FullCircle]

maybe yer french ..... mon dieu!

Thats what I thought - D'Ewes, but mebbe not.

[FullCircle]

Have you had your Bar McVittie - you'll need one if you are a Scottish Dew

No, are they on free issue with each citizenship scroll?

Free, no - but they are a snip!

Donald

None the wiser Donald, none the wiser......

[Alcyone]

Don't believe a word of it. It's a ruse to make you buy tartan.

Talking of banjos, any of you lot come across Dagger Gordon? More famous for the mandolin. Inverness lad, I think, but used to play the West Highlands about 15 years ago. Well worth a watch if he's still at it.

[Rowana]

Dagger Gordon is still around. See Here -

http://www.mandolin.org.uk/interviews/dagger.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;