The origins of the Wishart family tree database began with a chance encounter in 1974, when the late Jack Wishart (WIS0001) – an officer in the Royal Army Educational Corps, was posted to the Ministry of Defence in London and attended a diplomatic reception in Lancaster House. While chatting to a colleague, Major David Boobbyer, he inquired about his unusual name. Major Boobbyer replied that it was Cornish and there were few of them about. Jack said something similar about Wishart, and how the English can neither spell nor pronounce it properly – they say Wise Heart or WishART, whereas the Scots say WISHart. Major Boobbyer demurred, explaining that a neighbour of his was a Wishart and they both knew how to pronounce it correctly.

This chance remark by Major Boobbyer inspired Jack to write to the neighbour expressing an interest in where he came from and whether they were related. The neighbour turned out to be Scott Wishart (WIS0042), a retired pharmacist from Montrose in Scotland. He gave Jack his family tree, which had been compiled by a relative, and his brother’s address in Perth. So, on his next return to Scotland, Jack visited Scott’s brother David Wishart who readily volunteered more Wishart data.

Jack also quizzed his father about their forebears and began visiting New Register House, Edinburgh to search the statutory records of births, marriages and deaths for Scotland. Gradually he sketched out the details of his family. However, one name eluded him – his grandfather’s twin brother (and it took him until 2005 to find him)! Jack trawled wider and wider, collecting all the Wisharts he could find, and so the family database was started.