Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone,

Tattoo's have always been fascinating (historically) and I was wondering if anyone knew of websites that might assist me working out the meaning of a tattoo on an ancestor. We're only talking 1890-1910 era. This is in Australia although ancestry goes back to Scotland with the arrival of my ancestors great grandfather as a convict.

Thanks,
Brett

Try www.tattoojohnny.com

I found this site by googling "tattoo design meanings", which had lots of other possible places to look.

My grandfather was a stoker on steam ships and had an eye tattooed on each cheek of his bum! I don't know what that meant.
Barry

Oh that's funny, Barry! I wonder what the significance was?
I was looking at my grandad's WW1 records and it said he had a tattoo on his right...(that's where the record ends) I presume it was right forearm but I don't remember ever seeing one. Maybe it was like your grandad's? Right cheek of the bum?

Yep expect nothing less from those on ships, most would get tatts on their arms, legs etc but on your butt... wonder who he kept showing....

LOL!
Barry-maybe so he could watch where he sat ?

Reading the WW1 service records always brings up interesting "distinctive marks". One fellow had 7 or 8 scars from leeches on his chest. But I'm digressing.

Very interesting topic.

Maureen

I'll digress with you, Maureen, even though your "So he could watch where he sat" remark made me groan.
I imagine the leeches were used for medicinal purposes. My mother remembered having to go to the local market to purchase leeches for her grandmother who, every time she had a headache would apply leeches to her temples. Made sense i suppose if the headaches were caused by high blood pressure. Remove some blood, lower the pressure. So I imagine my gt. grandmother had leech scars on her temples!

Perhaps that's where the saying..........."Eyes in the back of your a***" comes from!! lol

I remember an ex army guy who was in charge of me and a few others at work, we were quite young and a bit of a hanfull and he said once " Not only do I have eyes in the back of my head I`ve got em on my arse as well" :-D

Well. There we go again.
From tatts to leeches and bums. (not really in that order)

Maureen

yes im sure young sailors would have needed eyes in the back of there arses as well as their heads,my dad was at sea and used to sleep with a machete under his pillow.ha :-D :-D :-D :-D