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Re: Sinclair migrations

At 06:02 26/06/99 -0400, you wrote:
Dear Niven and Sinclair extended clan;
 
I really appreciated the fine words and sentiments that you expressed in the following message sent to the list. It is not too far away from the Masonic;'making good men better'. The other issue you mention is the potential force for good and I thought of how the energies on this list may actually create other positive ripples in this world. 
 
I am not sure that "Dispora" is an accurate term for the migration of Sinclairs from France. Now I do have a question for any wisdom by participants on the list. In the migration from France I note that the Norman Empire was fairly widespread. The Sinclair connection with Scotland I was informed preceded the Battle of Hastings through land holdings. What is a remarkable thread I have observed is the study of emmigration and immigration for both historians and genealogical researchers on our list. It can provide valuable understandings of both ancestory and motivations for those ancestors doing what they did and going where they did.  My research shows a complex model of migration and not just the simple one from France to Roslyn to Caithness to Argyll and the Large Cities of Scotland and England then to North America and Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. While this may have been something of a global pattern the migration into new areas and geographical regions frequently was earlier than the major migrations and individual Sinclairs made unusual inroads into a number of what might be considered unusual geographies.
 
My question is this; (someone I believe you Niven suggested that after the Norman invasion Sinclairs spread all over England and Scotland by 1100)  I wonder if there is any research or data for  this?
 
I would also be curious about the following migrations; (Treat dates and geography only as vague parameters)
1. From France to England about 1000 to 1200
2. From England to Scotland and Edinborough (1000 to 1200)
3. From Edinborough to Caithness (Henry 1300)
4. From Caithness to the Cities and environs of Scotland 1650 - 1800
5. From Caithness and the environs of Scotland to the colonies 1650 - 1999
 
The forgoing are what I would suggest are the global historical migrations of the name and or individuals with the name St. Clair/Sinclair or similiar ones. There are also movements in and aroung counties and cities and of course military involvement adds to this migration and distorts what we may want to see as a simple logical pattern. Now if list members focus a bit on the migratory patterns it would greatly enhance genealogical researchers finding their roots and the location of those roots.
 
Yours aye;
Neil Sinclair
Toronto/PEI/Argyll
 

Dear Neil,

You omitted the direct movement of people from France (and Flanders) to Scotland.  The entente cordiale which existed
between France and Scotland was considerable.  France was always a happy hunting ground for Scots.  We have heard
about the Guard du Roi (made up of Scots) protecting the King of France.  Even Joan of Arc relied on the Scots to help
her.  Mary Queen of Scots had also been the Queen of France (having married the Dauphin from whom she caught the pox).

The early movement of Sinclairs from Normandy to every Province of France and, after the Conquest, to 43 English counties
and Wales had everything to do with power.  The Sinclairs had a strategy which transcended national boundaries.  Our loss
of power followed on our failure to change our religion quickly enough at a time when the Protestant Wind of Change was
sweeping over Northern Europe.

Later mass emigrations to the Colonies were largely due to financial necessity.   Younger sons had no hope of inheriting land or
wealth and had to seek their fame and fortune elsewhere.  The infamous Highland Clearances also played a part in forcing so
many Scots out of their own country.

Having said this, there can be no doubt that we retained much of the wanderlust of our Viking forebears and found little difficulty
in acclimatising ourselves to new conditions and new lands where, once transplanted, we flourished with even greater vigour
than we had done on our native soil.   Once settled, the rest of the family invariably followed in the wake of the pioneers.

Niven Sinclair 

-----Original Message-----
From: Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>
To: jsq@mids.org <jsq@mids.org>
Cc: sinclair@mids.org <sinclair@mids.org>
Date: 23 June, 1999 6:46 AM
Subject: The Sinclair diaspora

It is very clear from the massive genealogical lists which a growing number
of your subscribers are preparing that the Sinclairs didn't need Viagra to help them with the on-going worldwide diaspora of Rollo's descendants.
 
What a power for good we could become. If every man could mend a man the whole World would soon be mended"
>Niven Sinclair
 
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