I hope to put links and commentary here as I find references to the traders out of Ayr in the late 1600's. I know that there was a considerable trade between Ayr and Ireland about this time. The Caldwell family of Castle Caldwell were descended from a John Caldwell of Prestwick who was listed as a defender of Enniskillen. I have information from wills showing that several Caldwell's were Merchant Burgess' of Ayr and in one case noted that he was involved in Cotton and Tobacco. There are connections to Straiton and Dalmellington as well.

The following link is to a Milliken family research note. No Caldwells are mentioned but they were present and were contemporaries. There is a "[Ayr] Kirk Session of Elders and Deacons: Robert Colvil" and a "Robert McKawell in Maybole" mention. Not Caldwells perhaps but it can be noted that the surname Muir is spelled variously throughout the Milliken source records.

Milliken family merchants in Ayr and associated persons:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~alanmilliken/Research/ScottishRecords/Ayrshire/Ayr.html

Milliken reference to James of Ayr:

"[5] John Muir, planter in Barbados
February 1650: [Barbados] Execution of King’s charter by Charles Dalrymple skipper of Ayr who sailed to Barbados in the James of Ayr and returned with 5,000 weight of tobacco “bought in by John Muir planter”, Dalrymple’s disposal of the tobacco resulted in an action being brought against him in the burgh court early the next year by his partners Alexander & John Osbourne, William and Robert Kelso and Andrew Leslie.
[Ayr Burgh Records, Ayr Public Library (APL), B6/12/9]"

Placeholder for link to Milliken site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~alanmilliken/

Note links to Ireland and to tobacco trade. Ayr was eclipsed by Glasgow in the tobacco trade but probably had a good early start before Glasgow "took over".

Link to John Caldwell of Ayr's connection to the "James of Ayr" (34 years later)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/scotland/s_sw/article_1.shtml

"When the James finally sailed for the Carolinas, in August 1684, she did so in the company of the Charles of Port Glasgow.

The James was lost on the coast of Carolina. Her captain survived and was back in Ayr by the beginning of November 1685."

John Muir is mentioned in both references.

Years ago micro-computers (as they were then known) went through a frenzy of development. Hardly installed the latest and greatest when you discovered that it was already made obsolete by a new model that was even better. You could either just hang on and drive your obsolete model for a few years or spend the farm keeping up with the race. Everybody "knew" that the more mhz the better and Intel helped by sequentially naming its processors. The "386" was better than the "286" and the "486" was better still.

Eventually the power of computers hit a plateau. The plateau existed at the point where the computers were generally powerful enough for small commercial business needs. Further development was in graphics and additional memory and hard disk space. Something the average small business did not need for general commercial purposes. Consequently we had the absurdity of a multi-million dollar industry being driven by children's needs to have real-time high resolution graphics for gaming purposes.

Many was the bewildered look on a loving parent's face when their child convinced them that the computer that was being purchased to "help them with their homework" really needed the fastest processor and highest performing graphics card and multi-blaster sound system!

They say that being an expert at pool is a sign of a mis-spent youth. Well I became quite well versed in computers in their early days - perhaps because I bought too many. It became obvious to me that the "386" was the first really usable business computer. The "486" refined this and the 33DX model was a gem for its time. Our firm bought 8 of them and I think they were main-line for as long as 7 years before they were replaced. For the first time we managed some real pay-back on our computer investment.

Again Intel recognised this by changing the subsequent naming of its processors to "Pentium" the "I" and "II" etc and after a while the processor speed has been downplayed.

Simply selling by upping the clock speed and sequentially numbering a product eventually runs out of puff when the technicalogical ceiling starts to loom. This is when the marketing gurus come in and start fiddling with product names and industrial designers introduce fashionable packaging rather than real innovation.

In a rather roundabout way I have come to my point:

Is the camera market running out of "puff" with the more and more megapixel stuff? Is the lens/mp combination getting to the point where the average user is now quite happy with the results achieved?

I think it may well have done so. I always maintained that people bought their first computer from a point of ignorance but that they were much better informed the next time around.

Likewise with cameras. Buy a small cheap digital the first time and then upgrade to a mid-level when confident to do so. Find that the images are more than satisfactory - why then go any further?

Even if you try a more up-market camera your are not likely to get significant improvement unless willing to invest some time practising and refining skills. Some will do this however the vast bulk just want a small cheap camera that will produce the happy family snaps that they want to take.

Just checking dpreview regularly will show that new cameras on offer are increasingly refining products rather than technical jumps. I think 8mp (even as little as 2-3mp will do) is more than enough for a casual user. (Many are happy with their camera-in-a-phone consequently 8mp is a real conceit).

The market is maturing: Canon went D30 (competent camera) to D60 (bigger sensor) to 10D (sorted many of the control logistics in a better body) to 20D (refinement - bigger sensor, further control logistic improvement and other small advances). Where do they go from here? More mp? (nice but hardly necessary for most). Better body? (getting harder to improve on near perfection). Better control layout? (ditto). Smaller? (they are working on it but the lens mount will eventually become the difficult bottleneck point).

Look forward to something other than "mp" being the sales pitch; confusing model numbering; many niche camera varieties; "fashionable" styling - especially at consumer level; and more and more attempts to lock-in consumers to proprietary items such as lens-mounts, accessories and batteries. There even may be "price wars" to achieve this "lock-in".

We live in "interesting times". I would like a 20D but am happy with the 10D as it is one of those "plateau" products that resolved most of the niggles of the D60 and was arguably the camera that "made" the DSLR acceptable. The 20D is a further refinement, but just that: a refining model of what was already a fine camera.

Further progress will become increasingly harder and can be shown by the fact that dpreview talks mainly about firmware updates these days rather than new "killer" model cameras.

Not far from Coffs Harbour is the small valley town of Bellingen - famous for its monthly markets and a lazy Saturday

One of the cynical quotes that surrounds the proposition that "greed is good" is that of "There are only two things that motivate people: Greed and Fear".

The corollary is that if you can control your life so that you are in a position where others cannot use your greed and fear as motivating forces then you have life itself worked out.

You are then at peace with yourself.

I don't know who were the ancestors of Alan Caldwell or of Janet Guthrie but I have had a guess using hte IGI data avialable to try and bridge the gap. There are several possible Janet Guthrie's but I have eliminated most to come up with the most likely possibility. The family name sequence seems to indicate a connection to the possible ancestors of Alan Caldwell.

The John shown here as the husband of "Jean" could well be the John Caldwell who founded the Moravian Church at Ayr in 1765.

1 March 2005 8:45am

Had a little rain and it is overcast might rain some more, but not a lot.

Don't know what the outside temperature is but it feels cool and the breeze is cooler (perhaps 18C). Much warmer inside still (26C) which is on the warmer side of comfortable.

Humidity 71% Barometer 76.3

1 March 9:20pm

Cleared up - very pleasant day outside, virtually no wind

29C inside Humidity 59.9% Barometer 76.2

2 March 2005 7:50pm

Fine sunny day nice cool breeze - prefect!

28C inside Humidity 60.0% Barometer 76.2

Pretty stable pretty perfect mmm ...

3 March 2005 8:40am - overcast and cool outside but the sun is coming out - going to be a nice day (again)

26C inside Humidity 68% Barometer 76.2

4 March 2005 8:55pm - funny light tonight looked like clouds with something nasty in them like hail but nothing has come of it at least around here. Was cool and overcast tonight at last light but it is still quite warm inside. The hot sun during the day warms the house up and although it is cooler outside it takes a while for the heat to subside and by this time it is morning again. It means that the inside temperature is not varying much. Even now it is 28C inside. (no sign of snow :)

Humidity 60% Barometer 75.6

8 March 2005 8:20pm - letting the side down a bit - missed a few days - but I am sure I will be forgiven :)

Big cyclone off the north Queensland coast 2,000 kilometres away. Sounds like the worst one for a fair while. Will not bother us but we will probably get more rain out of it (without the wind). Been wetter this year and the grass is going nuts. Going to be touch and go whether I get to it before it starts raining again.

Been cooler but has warmed up again and is 28C inside at the moment Humidity 58% Barometer 76.0

14 March 8:20am 26C Slightly overcast - a little rain overnight. Going to be another nice day (will clear up) Humidity 70.2% Barometer 76.1 The cyclone went straight over Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria and was last heard of heading over Arnhem land towards Darwin. Little effect this far away other than a little cloud and even less rain.

18 March 2005 9:00pm Very heavy rain yesterday afternoon - torrential downpour form a storm. Cooled everything down - even felt a little cold tonight. Surprisingly it is still 24C inside. Humidity 70.0% Barometer 75.8

23 March 2005 7:30am 23C inside. Weather unsettled - fine during day some rain at night. Outside there is a cool breeze in the morning but it soon warms up. The inside temperature is more constant but seems to be gradually cooling. Humidity 60.2% Barometer 74.5

Mrs Lesley Agnes Gordon obtained a good number of testaments from the Scottish Records Office (C)

They are undecypherable to all but expert "translators", happily the translations have mostly already been made by the Late Mrs Grodon in her own handwriting and she has given me full permission to use them.

To start the porcess I am listing the testaments in my possession:

Ayrshire
George Caldwell, Merchant, Ayr 1663

Bessie Caldwell "in Dalmellington" 1624 (sisters: Janet & Margaret Caldwells)
Bessie Caldwell "relict of Adam Blair, Merchant Burgess of Ayr, 1640

John Caldwell, Merchant Burgess, Ayr 1642
Johnne Caldwell II Merchant Burgess, Ayr 1642 (different testament)
Bessie Caldwell "relict of John McIlwraith, Merchant of Straitoune" 1640 (1643?)
John Caldwell, "of Galrigsyde" parish of Dreghorn 1622
John Caldwell, Merchant of Ayr, 1685
John Caldwell, Merchant of Dalmellington, 1687
Katherine Caldwell, "relict of John Knox, Mason, Irvine" 1751
Adam Caldwell, Merchant Burgess, Ayr 1653
John Caldwell, 1550 (brothers Robert of Todriggs and Patrick (Vicar of Stewarton), Father: Francis)
David Caldwell, Merchant Burgess, Ayr 1668

Renfrew
Thomas Caldwell of that Ilk Parish of Neilston 1603
Marion Cochrane, "spouse of Johnne Caldwell of Holmfauld, Parish of Lochwinnoch" 1609
John Cauldwell, "in McDonnallie, Parish of Lochwinnoch" 1615
Robert Caldwell, Nether Hessilheid, Parish of Beith" "tenant of Hew Montgomerie" 1619
Issabell Cauldwell, "spouse of Wm Plewright of Whitehill, Parish of Lochwinnoch" 1617
John Caldwell (older), in Risk, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1623
Mathew Caldwell, in Auchengowan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1624
John Caldwell, in Auchengowan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1624
Thomas Caldwell, in Biltries (Belltrees), Parish of Lochwinnoch 1627
William Caldwell, in Meikle Gavan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1629
William Caldwell, Mason, in Auchangowan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1630
Margaret Smith, wife of Wm Caldwell of Meikle Gavan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1666
Margaret Caldwell, spouse to Allan Caldwell, Auchengowan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1659
Robert Caldwell, Mason, Burgess of Glasgow 1653
Margaret Spang, "relict of Robert Caldwell, Mason" 1661
Malie Wilson, spouse of Robert Caldwell in Broune Hills, Parish of Beith 1603
Margaret Caldwell, spouse to John Swan in Brunchills 1606
Adam Caldwell, in Biggart, Parish of Beith 1624
Hew Caldwell, Merchant in Kilmarnock (wife Janet Fultonne) 1658
Thomas Caldwell, in Barthorne, Parish of Beith 1625
William Caldwell, in Butterwell, Parish of Largs 1631
James Caldwell, in Gavan, Parish of Lochwinnoch 1631
William Caldwell, in Kertsyde (wife Cristian Cochrane) 1607

Jeremy 2005, Brisbane

John Thomas Caldwell marriage to Nellie Turner at Gympie 1920's. Son of Joseph Caldwell and Jane Robson, Grandson of the Mathew Caldwell - Johanna McKenzie family emigrated to Gympie from Lugar near Auchinleck in 1884. Mathew was a brother of my GGrandfather Joseph. The son Joseph was obviously named after my GGrandfather.

(Photograph courtesy of Mrs Heather Jenkins, my third cousin, of Victoria Point)

John Thomas Caldwell, third from left middle row.

(Photograph courtesy of Mr Heather Jenkins)

The late Mrs Lesley Agnes Gordon was a diligent and persistent researcher of the Caldwell family in Scotland. She had a great ambition to publish a book on her findings. Unfortunately she was old and unwell when I first started corresponding with her in the mid 1980's. I was given the mantle to continue her work by her during her lifetime and some time after her death I obtained a good selection of her papers. Unfortunately it comprises literally hundreds of little charts and placements that have to be collated into a collection and proved or disproved.

I myself have been on and off again in my family research but have not forgotten my promise to Mrs Gordon.

A lot of work remains and I now also have the gift of the world-wide-web - something that was not available back then.

It is my intention to post up information on this site in facsimile form so that it can be accessed by others.

If it is used please give some credit to the years of laborious work by Lesley Agnes Gordon of Cowden Cleuch by Dalkeith. If I also get some reflected glory in passing I will be honoured to be standing in her shadow.

I have found a reference to a place called "Caldwelltown" in Kirkoswald Parish about 1823.

It is in relation to a to one John McQuater "of Caldwelltown".

I presume this is a farm or a "ferm-toun" situated in Kirkoswald Parish Ayrshire. I hve not been able to locate it on a map and know no more about it.

If anyone can help it is appreciated.