Scottish research workshop in Toronto

From the Toronto branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society concerning a Scottish workshop I will be giving a series of talks at on Saturday, June 18, 2011:

Register now for Scottish Family History Workshop in Toronto

Registration for a full-day workshop on Scottish Family History to be held in Toronto in June 2011 is now open.

The Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society will be co-hosting this event with the Canadiana Department of the North York Central Library on Saturday, 18 June. Designed for experienced family historians, the workshop will feature presentations by Chris Paton from Ayrshire, Scotland, as well as Toronto Branch members James F.S. Thomson and Marian Press.

Full program and registration details are now available on the Toronto Branch website at www.torontofamilyhistory.org. Register soon to take advantage of early-bird discounts and avoid disappointment - space at this workshop is limited.


The talks I will be giving are as follows:

The Godly Commonwealth : From 1560 until the mid 19th century, the Kirk was Scotland’s shepherd, moral guardian and disciplinarian, its records today providing one of the key resources for genealogical research. But in trying to establish a Calvinist Godly Commonwealth on earth it defied the Stuart monarchs for well over a century, and through its democratic and Presbyterian zeal constantly split into denominational factions over endless points of doctrine. By the time of its greatest ‘Disruption’ in 1843, its ancient enemy, Roman Catholicism, was once again back in force as a result of the Irish Famine. This session will provide a broad sweep of three hundred years of church history in Scotland, and explore its implications for the family historian.

Scottish House and Land History : There are various records that can be used to trace the history of property and land in Scotland. From the 12th century to the year 2004 the country was feudal in nature, with historic land records that not only differ substantially to those from the rest of the United Kingdom, but which are considerably more detailed. The presentation will not only decode the jargon of Scottish feudalism, it will show you also how to trace records for land inheritance, property transactions, valuations and rentals.

The Weavers of Perth : For centuries the right to manufacture in Scottish burghs and their surrounding liberties was exclusively held by craft guilds and trade incorporations. In this presentation the history and records of one such organisation will be examined, the Weavers Incorporation of Perth. As well as describing the many methods of entry into the ‘Calling’, its purpose in regulating the weaving trade of the burgh and the methods in which it looked after its members, the session will also focus on how to locate guild records from other burghs. Why did the weavers of Perth have to pay for a 'football' before joining?! And what ended the monopoly of the guilds? An essential session for anyone with a craftsman in their ancestral tree.

There's Been a Murder : The UK's longest unsolved murder case happened in Perthshire, Scotland in 1866. Whilst the victim's brother was away for the day at the local market, she was brutally clubbed to death with a kitchen axe by an unknown killer. Yet this was not the only tragedy, with the repercussions of the crime lasting some twenty years, forcing her brother into a long descent into insanity from which he would never recover. The victim was the speaker's three times great grandmother, and he has for many years been piecing together the investigation that followed, from sources held at the National Archives of Scotland, various local county and university based archives, police museums, and extensive newspaper coverage from across the country. Who was the killer? What could the motives have been? And how do you research a Scottish murder?

Other talks on the day will include Great New Non-Genealogy Websites for Scottish Research (James F.S. Thomson); Social Scotland (Marian Press); and Doing Scottish Genealogy from the GTA (James F.S. Thomson).

A seriously packed day, and one I am very much looking forward to!

(With thanks to the Ontario Genealogical Society's Toronto branch)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)