Megan R. Brett is a doctoral student at George Mason University, focusing on the Early American Republic (1780-1830, roughly).
I have a BA in History from Vassar College and an MSc in Scottish Studies from the University of Edinburgh. I worked for three years for a historic house museum in Virginia before being accepted to my doctoral program. In addition to my studies, I am a graduate research assistant at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media and serve as Associate Web Editor for the Southern Association for Women Historians.
The header image is my own photograph of a European magpie, taken in Edinburgh during the time I lived there. An earlier iteration of this blog was titled “A Magpie Historian,” in part because my twitter username is magpie.1
- The nickname “magpie” began when I was a child and teenager, because I was often distracted by the silver jewellery booths at craft fairs. Since my given name starts with M, it wasn’t a long leap. When I joined twitter, I needed a username and it seemed to make sense. [↩]
Hello Megan Brett,
While Googling for information on a Scottish silversmith called Alexander Rollo (active Dundee late C18th) I saw that you had written your thesis on John Rollo, goldsmith, of Edinburgh. As part of your research did you come across any children or cousins/brother bearing the name Alexander who became gold/silversmiths?
I’ve been researching some of the C19th silversmiths in Dundee and have published one article on James Sturrock of Montrose. I’m currently researching William Constable of Dundee. But Alexander Rollo I can find very little on.
I’d be very grateful for any help you might have to offer.
Kind regards,
Laurence Joyce
Hello Laurence Joyce,
I am afraid my research did not carry very far to the next generation. John Rollo of Edinburgh left the goldsmith business in the 1740s to become a customs inspector in Banff, and became the sixth Lord Rollo on the death of his brother Andrew in 1765. I have more complete genealogical information on my home computer and will be glad to check this evening. If it is convenient, I can email you with what I have.
Best,
Megan Brett