Saturday 30 January 2021

PT6 Scottish Pensions Appeal records

Earlier today on the Scottish Indexes conmference (www.scottishindexes.com), there was discussion on the Scottish WW1 pension records from the NRS at PT6. The following was a post I put up two years ago, which provides a bit more on these:

13 January 2018

Some welcome news concerning a potentially major resource in Edinburgh for those researching First World War military ancestors from Scotland and their dependants.

I've been contacted by reader Tunji Lees, to provide an update on a discovery he made over 5 years ago at the National Records of Scotland, and for which he wrote a great guest post for this blog. As noted on 2 JAN 2012, Tunji had found that the NRS held Scottish WW1 Pension Appeals Tribunal records, as catalogued under PT6. The key points were as follows:

The records are catalogued under the reference PT6 and contain the pension application records of 1000s of Scottish soldiers - and next of kin of soldiers (usually widows) - who suffered from injuries sustained in the war, or died after the war due to injuries. These appear to be the Scottish equivalent of the PIN26 series for England and Wales (which, unlike the Scottish PT6 series, is indexed). Whereas the PT26 series appears to only be a selection of the disability pensions awarded to English and Welsh soldiers after the First World War, the Scottish PT6 series appears to be complete...

The applications are organised in boxes alphabetically by month, from November 1919 (reference PT6/1), to December 1932 (reference PT6/288). That's about 29 meters (or 95 feet) of pension records! There are also records from the same series covering post-WW2 disability pension applications, however seeing as they are closed for 75 years, the first set (those from 1945) will only be available in 2021.

It doesn't appear as if any genealogists are aware of the existence of these records, as they aren’t mentioned in the NAS publication Tracing your Scottish Ancestors, or in any guides to tracing WW1 ancestry that I've read, although they're a fantastic source of information on Scottish army ancestors.

Tunji's full account of these records, including the potential detail available in each file, is available at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/guest-post-scottish-ww1-pensions-appeal.html.

Tunji has now contacted me with the news that the charitable foundation Wellcome Trust has apparently approved a Research Resource Grant for work to index the records. The grant is believed to fund work for 24 months, which potentially means the job will have been completed by the end of December 2019. Tunji has also stated that as it is a grant, indexed records will be made available free of charge, posisble through the ScotlandsPeople website. It is unclear as yet whether this will just be the index, or digital images of the records themselves. Tunji's final point is that the records, referenced under PT6, have disappeared from the catalogue, perhaps because they have been removed for indexing.

Once again a huge thank you to Tunji for such a fascinating update on a collection with a great deal of potential for ancestral research!

Chris


No further update, but definitely one to keep an eye out on!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Friday 29 January 2021

Dundee City Archive's Flickr account

Fancy a wee dander around Dundee in the past?! 

Check out the city archive's Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/dundeecityarchives/albums/with/72157705430051141 - enjoy!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

The Genealogist adds Who's Who editions

From TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):

New Who’s Who records added to the occupational records on TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist has released New Who’s Who records into its expanding Occupational Records adding nearly a hundred thousand additional individuals. This release includes records covering individuals from all over England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, USA, New Zealand and further afield.

The records can be used to discover more about an ancestor’s achievements and are fantastic for identifying where next to apply your research. Who’s Who records will confirm birth dates and sometimes the place of birth. Often they give a father’s name and occupation and a great deal more useful information that may help to build a better family history.

Use these records to:

● Add details to the lives of your ancestors
● Discover their accomplishments
● Fill in gaps in the information that you already have on an ancestor
● Find other records and places to search for forebears.

These records will often allow us to recount a much more rounded picture of the life of a person and so enrich the telling of their story.

This latest release expands TheGenealogist’s extensive Occupational records collection that includes actors, apprentices, clergy, crew lists, directors, flight, freemen, law, railway, sports, teachers and biographies as well as a number of other Who’s Who books.

You can read TheGenealogist’s article: Who, What, Where, When? - Discovering Who's Who at: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2021/who-what-where-when---discovering-whos-who-1371/

The records included in this release are:

Who's Who in 1880
Who's Who 1899
Who's Who in Canada 1927
Cheshire Who's Who, 1910
Cox's County Who's Who Series. Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, 1912
Cricket Who's Who, The Cricket Blue Book 1911
Who's Who in Hampshire 1935
Who's Who and Industrial Directory of the Irish Free State 1935
Who's Who in Kent, Surrey and Sussex 1911
Who's Who in Literature 1931
Masonic Who's Who 1926
The Methodist Who's Who 1913
Who's Who in New Zealand 1925
Who's Who and Record Quarterly 1934 July-September
Who's Who in Science 1914
Who was Who 1916-1928

(With thanks to Nick Thorne)

Chris 

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilySearch's Family History Library launches new webpage

From FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org):

SALT LAKE CITY, UT—FamilySearch International is pleased to announce the launch of a new webpage for its brick-and-mortar flagship, the Family History Library, located in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. The new Family History Library webpage is a part of FamilySearch.org and will provide new online patron experiences and up-to-date information on the library’s services and activities.

The new webpage enables guests to better access existing site services, such as visitor information, collections and hours of operations, and introduces many new and expanded services. For example, patrons worldwide can now schedule 20-minute appointments for free personal research consultations with a specialist. And book look-up services will be coming soon.

David Rencher, the chief genealogy officer for FamilySearch and director of the Family History Library, says this resource is just the beginning of plans for the library’s updated web presence.

 “Moving forward, we will build out the webpage to help our patrons’ and guests’ expanding needs with a global reach.”

The webpage is available in German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Chinese. Japanese and Italian languages will be added soon.

“The Family History Library offers the largest collection of genealogical materials in one place, making it a premier destination for family history resources and genealogical expertise,” added Rencher. “Its mission is constantly expanding to meet the evolving needs of guests throughout the world—and at no charge.”

Although the library itself is currently closed due to a global pandemic, it is now able to create more of its signature personalized discovery experiences online for patrons worldwide.


Free Online Consultations

Patrons can now schedule personal research consultations with the library’s genealogy experts in multiple languages, accommodating varying time zones worldwide. Personal consultations are conducted live online and are currently offered in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and English. More languages will be added.


Learning Center

In the new online learning center, hundreds of the library’s previously recorded how-to webinars are now available on-demand, along with other help tips and instructions based on your research needs.
Collections

The library currently has more than 340,000 genealogically unique books, 1.3 million microfilms, 190,000 microfiche, and a collection of 18,460 maps from around the world. While the goal is to make all library materials available to people throughout the world, some items and digital materials are contractually restricted and available only at the Family History Library.

During the pandemic, remodeling has continued at the library to improve visitor access to materials and services. The webpage includes descriptions of materials and collection information and images of the Library's new layout will be added as soon as the remodeling is completed.
Services

Record preservation is an essential part of the library’s mission. Guests have free access to equipment to scan books and records and convert audio and digital media to digital formats. The Discovery Center provides interactive activities for guests of all ages to learn about their heritage, a place to record stories, and more. Throughout the year, the library also provides in-person activities and heritage displays. When the Family History Library reopens, groups may register online for these activities and check for up-to-date calendars and schedules.


Family History Centers and Affiliate Libraries

FamilySearch owns and operates over 5,000 satellite branches of the Family History Library in 141 countries, called family history centers. In addition, it has over 1,100 affiliate libraries. FamilySearch digital content with limited access can often be viewed in these facilities, in addition to other specialized content helpful in each facility’s locale. Detailed information regarding this broader network and associated services will be added throughout 2021. 

Find the new Family History Library webpage at FamilySearch.org/Family-History-Library.

(Original article at https://media.familysearch.org/familysearch-family-history-library-launches-new-webpage/)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Who Do You Think You Are? episodes on BBC iPlayer

Some 50 episodes from Seasons 12-17 of the BBC1 series Who Do You Think You Are? can be viewed freely on the BBC's iPlayer service (www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer), for those resident within the UK.

(With thanks to Antony Marr @ChafontR via Twitter)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

My new book - Sharing Your Family History Online

My latest book from Pen and Sword Family History, entitled Sharing Your Family History Online, should be going on sale this weekend (January 30th) - here's the blurb!

SHARING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY ON THE INTERNET
by Chris Paton

  • A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FAMILY HISTORY COLLABORATION
  • CHAPTERS ON THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, SOFTWARE PACKAGES, DNA TESTING AND PRESERVING RESEARCH
  • PACKED WITH CASE STUDIES AND TIPS TO HELP YOU GET THE BEST IN OUR ANCESTRAL ENDEAVOURS


For many enthusiasts pursuing their family history research, the online world offers a seemingly endless archive of digitised materials to help us answer the questions posed by our ancestors. In addition to hosting records, however, the internet also offers a unique platform on which we can host our research and lure in prospective cousins from around the world, to help build up a larger shared ancestral story.

In Sharing Your Family History Online, genealogist and best-selling author Chris Paton will explore the many ways in which we can present our research and encourage collaboration online. He will detail the many organisations and social media applications that can permit co-operation, describe the software platforms on which we can collate our stories, and illustrate the many ways in which we can publish our stories online.

Along the way, Chris Paton will also explore how we can make our research work further for us, by drawing in experts and distant cousins from around the world to help us break our ancestral brick walls, not just through sharing stories, but by accessing uniquely held documentation by family members around the world, including our very own shared DNA. 

 

And here's the chapter break down:

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Researching Your Family History
    Who, what, when?
        - Civil registration
        - Parish records
        - Censuses
        - Newspapers
    Archives
    Family history societies
    Genealogy vendors
        - Ancestry
        - FindmyPast
        - TheGenealogist
        - MyHeritage
        - FamilySearch
    Genealogy magazines
Learning resources
    Good record keeping
    Privacy and data protection
    Copyright and ownership
    Terms and conditions
    Digital estate
    Online etiquette

Chapter 2 – Communication and Social Media
    Contacting relatives
    Email
    Discussion forums
    Social media platforms
        - Facebook       
        - Twitter
        - Tumblr
        - LinkedIn
        - Other platforms
    Image sharing
        - Instagram
        - Pinterest
        - Flickr   
    Blogs
        - Blogger
        - Wordpress
        - Feed Readers
    Virtual meetings and webinars
        - Facebook Messenger
        - Zoom
        - Skype
        - FaceTime
        - GoToWebinar

Chapter 3 – Collaboration and Crowdsourcing
    Collaborative platforms
        - Lost Cousins
        - Curious Fox
        - Google My Maps
        - Historypin
    Cloud sharing
        - Dropbox
        - Google Docs
        - Evernote
    Crowdsourcing projects
        - World Archive Project
        - FamilySearch Indexing   
        - FreeUKGEN
        - UKIndexer
        - FindaGrave
        - BillionGraves
        - Online Parish Clerks
        - GENUKI
    Wiki projects

Chapter 4 – Recording Your Family History
    Software packages
    Online programmes
        - Ancestry
        - MyHeritage
        - FindmyPast
        - TreeView
    Collaborative family trees
        - WikiTree
        - Geni
        - FamilySearch Family Tree

Chapter 5 – DNA: it's in the blood
    DNA tests
        - Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA)
        - Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
        - Autosomal DNA
        - X-chromosome DNA (X-DNA)
    Testing platforms
        - AncestryDNA
        - MyHeritage DNA
        - LivingDNA
        - FamilyTreeDNA
        - 23andMe
    Exporting results to other platforms

Chapter 6 – Sharing and Preserving Stories
    Conveying the message
    Creative writing
        - What stories do you wish to tell?
        - Who are your readers?
        - What voice are you using?
    Sharing your stories
        - Websites
        - Self-publishing
    Audio visual
        - Video platforms
        - Audio platforms
        - FamilySearch Memories   
    
Further reading
Index

The book can be purchased from Pen and Sword at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Sharing-Your-Family-History-Online-Paperback/p/18718 at an introductory offer price of £10.39 +p&p. You will also find some great reviews there! 

Just for good measure I am giving a talk on Saturday 30th January at the Scottish Indexes conference on the same subject, Sharing Your Family History Online, if you fancy spending an hour to listen in (or more, there are pletny of other superb speakers lined up!) - for full details visit www.scottishindexes.com

I'll hopefully see you there, and if not, I hope you'll enjoy the book!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast updates English and Welsh court and prison records

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has updated its England & Wales, Crime, Prisons & Punishment, 1770-1935 collection with 92,000 new entires, if your ancestor got into a spot of bother down south:

England & Wales, Crime, Prisons & Punishment, 1770-1935

The new additions consist of:

  • Herefordshire Prison Register Index 1849-1915
  • Court of Great Sessions in Wales 1730-1830
  • Bedfordshire Gaol Registers
  • Kirkby Stephen Petty Sessions 1874-1901

For other updates, and to find the relevant collection links, visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/crime-derbyshire-records

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Monday 25 January 2021

Robert Burns in Ayrshire

We do the best poets in the world. Just saying!

Pictured below is the Robert Burns mural on Ardeer beach, Stevenston, and the Burns Monument Centre in Kilmarnock, both minutes away from me here in Ayrshire.



And if you would like to know more about Alloway, the birthplace of our bard, visit my blog post at https://scotlandsgreateststory.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/robert-burns-birthplace-alloway-ayrshire/.

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Scottish Indexes Conference VIII schedule for Jan 30th

The eighth Scottish Indexes (www.scottishindexes.com) virtual conference kicks off next Saturday 30th January, with a range of talks from the great, the good, and yours truly!

Here are the schedule times for Scotland...

First Session
07:00 Introduction
07:15 ‘Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society’ by Sheila Duffy
08:00 ‘In Sickness and in Health - family history and health records’ by Fiona Musk.
08:45 ‘Beginning Scottish Research’ by Emma Maxwell.
10:00 ‘The importance of getting your facts straight (in order to tell your family story)’ by Helen Tovey.
11:00 ‘Sharing Your Family History Online’ by Chris Paton.
12:00 Genealogy Q & A hosted by Graham and Emma Maxwell.
13:00 ‘William Simpson’s Asylum Project’ by Karl Magee.
14:00 ‘Caithness Family Society & SAFHS’ by Ian Leith.  

Second Session
15:00 Introduction
15:15 ‘Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society’ by Sheila Duffy
16:00 ‘In Sickness and in Health - family history and health records’ by Fiona Musk.
16:45 ‘Beginning Scottish Research’ by Emma Maxwell.
18:00 ‘The importance of getting your facts straight (in order to tell your family story)’ by Helen Tovey.
19:00 ‘Sharing Your Family History Online’ by Chris Paton.
20:00 Genealogy Q & A hosted by Graham and Emma Maxwell.
21:00 ‘William Simpson’s Asylum Project’ by Karl Magee.
22:00 ‘Caithness Family Society & SAFHS’ by Ian Leith. 

For worldwide equivalent time details, please visit the Scottish Indexes website.

Once again, it should be fun - see you there!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Sunday 24 January 2021

MyHeritage's new Photo Storyteller feature

From Daniel Horowitz at MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

As genealogists we strive to preserve our family history and share it with our family and the next generations. I’m happy to announce the release of the MyHeritage Photo Storyteller™ — an important new feature that empowers you to take charge of a critical aspect of preserving your family history — to record the stories behind your favorite family photos and attach the audio narrative to the photos.

The Photo Storyteller™ is available on the free MyHeritage mobile app and enables you to easily record yourself or interview your family members, describing the real story behind any of your family photos. You'll enjoy gaining deeper insight into your photos and sharing the recordings with your family members (turning any photo into a voice-enriched video) so you can reminisce about times gone by. By recording your loved ones, those photo stories will turn into memories that your family will hold precious in the future.

To record a story behind a photo, open the MyHeritage mobile app. Tap the Photos icon on the main screen, tap on any photo, and then tap the microphone icon to record the photo’s story.


For further details visit https://blog.myheritage.com/2021/01/introducing-the-myheritage-photo-storyteller/

(With thanks to Daniel Horowitz)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Friday 22 January 2021

FindmyPast updates New York Catholic records and Victoria births in Australia

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has updated some overseas records vcollections in the US and Australia, which may help with tracing emigrant ancestors:

New York Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
45,000 more from 1920 and covering over 200 churches.

New York Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
36,000 additional records.

A full list of available Roman Catholic records from New York parishes is accessible at www.findmypast.co.uk/articles/world-records/full-list-of-united-states-records/birth-marriage-and-death/new-york-roman-catholic-parish-list

Victoria Births
Over 100,000 records between 1918 and 1920.

For relevant links, news of additional records (including the Irvine Express newspaper pages from 1884), visit www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/new-york-catholic-records

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Thursday 21 January 2021

Thanks to Hamilton County Genealogical Society in Ohio!

A huge thanks to Hamilton County Genealogical Society (https://hcgsohio.org), based in Ohio, USA, for their warm hospitality last Saturday when I gave two talks via Zoom, the first on how to use PRONI for Northern Irish research, and the second on how to trace Scottish ancestry before the year 1800. We had a good laugh, and there were some great questions from attendees, so a big thanks to the online hosts and all round good eggs Eileen Muccino, Jeff Herbert and Bob Brodbeck! Those who attended can now watch the videos of the sessions again for a while (the details will have been emailed to you), and if you have not received the handouts for any reason, please do contact the society. 

Just to remind folks who attended, my books on researching Scots and Irish ancestry online, as well as in the Scottish archives, are described at www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Chris-Paton/a/1799. I also mentioned a book on Ulster Scots/Scotch-Irish ancestry well worth obtaining, this is William J. Roulston's Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors (aka Researching Ulster Ancestors in the UK) - you can find more on this at www.booksireland.org.uk/store/all-departments/researching-scots-irish-ancestors-the-essential-genealogical-guide-to-early-modern-ulster-1600-1800-second-edition-duplicate - William knows his stuff!

Next Saturday I am loking forward to a Canadian jaunt, with two online sessions for Qualicum Beach FHS on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, examing British and Irish newspapers for ancestral research, and how to research Northern Irish ancestry online. You can find more on these at www.qbfhs.ca/event/guest-speaker-chris-paton-saturday-january-23-2021-1000-am-via-zoom/, where information is also available on how to join the society! (Another great bunch, I had the pleasure of visiting them a few years ago!)

Thanks again Ohio!


Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Further keynote speakers at RootsTech 2021

From RootsTech (www.rootstech.org):

More Inspiring RootsTech 2021 Keynote Speakers Announced

RootsTech Connect 2021—the world’s largest event celebrating family—announces a diverse group of keynote speakers, who hail from England, India, and Uruguay. Speakers include Erick Avari, an award-winning performer in music, opera, theater, and film; Uruguayan former professional footballer Diego Lugano; and a top BBC serial drama actress who first came to prominence as a teenager, Sunetra Sarker.

RootsTech Connect, to be held on 25–27 February 2021, is a free online conference to discover, share, and celebrate family and heritage connections.

Erick Avari, born in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, is an Indian American television, film, and theater actor, writer, director and producer. He has performed in grand opera, on and off Broadway, in regional theaters, and in Hollywood blockbuster films, hit TV series, and award-winning independent films such as The Chosen. He is best known for his roles in Stargate, Independence Day, The Mummy, Daredevil, Planet of the Apes, and Mr. Deeds. Avari has been a trailblazer for a generation of South Asian actors in Hollywood. As part of his fight against stereotypical casting, he has convincingly played more than two dozen ethnicities.

Diego Lugano is a Uruguayan former professional footballer (soccer player) for many clubs in South America and Europe. He played in 95 matches as a member of the Uruguayan soccer team from 2003 to –2014. In 2010 and 2014, he captained the Uruguayan squad in the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. His career began at the Club Nacional de Fútbol of Canelones in 1999. During his career, he played for Plaza Colonia, Fenerbahçe S.K., Paris Saint Germain, Málaga, West Bromwich Albion, BK Häcken, Cerro Porteño of Paraguay, and São Paulo. He has supported many causes defending the rights of children. He is now the superintendent of Institutional Relations of São Paulo FC.

Sunetra Sarker is an award-winning actress born in Liverpool, England, to Hindu parents. Her first acting success came at age 15, when she was cast as Nisha Batra on the Channel 4 serial drama Brookside. Her career took off, and during the next three decades she acted in an array of television series, earning awards for her performances, including an award for Best TV character at the Asian Media Awards. During her career, she made time for school, graduating in IT and French from Brunel University. She is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), to support, develop, and promote excellence in film, games, and television and creative talent in the United Kingdom and internationally.

Learn more and register for RootsTech Connect 2021 for free at RootsTech.org. 

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Forthcoming PRONI and Northern Irish heritage events online

The following events will be hosted online by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) and partners:

February 2021

Irish Women and the Great War 

Wolfe Tone and the Hibernian Catch Club: Sociability in Revolutionary Ireland

The Golden Age of Steam
 

March 2021

German combat motivation on the Eastern Front during the Second World War

Lost Potential? The Rejection of the 1923 Education Act

For further details, and to sign up, visit https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/talks-and-events-proni

In addition, PRONI is also organising the following:

Key Sources for Genealogy – Census Records
16 February, 2pm
We invite you to join us for the first in a series of talks by PRONI staff on using key resources for family history. This talk will show you how to search, and get the best out of online census records.

To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/key-sources-for-genealogy-census-records-tickets-137600489769


Getting Started Workshops
3 & 17 March, 12.30pm

Join us on zoom for a workshop that will show you how to get started doing research online. Whether you are trying to do your own family tree online, researching for study or planning to visit PRONI when we re-open and want to know how to find your references in advance - these workshops will have something for you!

To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/getting-started-workshop-using-online-resources-tickets-137600911029


And the heritage based HERoNI Lecture Series 2020-2021 is also still underway via Zoom:

The Topography of a Tall Tale: local history and folklore sources for the topographic aspects of Táin Bó Cúailnge
Friday 15 January 2021, 1pm
Speaker: Paul Gosling, an archaeologist who lectures part-time in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.

Burials and Society in Early Bronze Age Ireland
Friday 12 February 2021, 1pm
Speaker: Dr Cormac McSparron, Department of Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen’s University Belfast

The 18th and 19th century fanlight families of Northern Ireland
Friday 23 April 2021, 1pm
Speaker: Nessa Roche, Architectural Historian

Celtic Crosses, Identity and Symbolism in late 19th and early 20th Century Belfast
Friday 4 June 2021, 1pm
Speaker: Bronagh Patricia Murray, Archaeologist

Further details at https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/heroni-lecture-series-202021

(With thanks to the PRONI Express, via email)

Chris 

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Tuesday 19 January 2021

TNA book sale

England's National Archives (https://nationalarchives.gov.uk) is holding a book sale with up to 90% off on certain titles. 

Amongst the titles that may be of interest to the family historian are the original edition of Emma Jolly's Tracing Your Ancestors Using the Census, Tyneside Scottish by Graham Stewart and John Sheen, Tyneside Irish by John Sheen, and an older edition of Ian Waller My Ancestor Was An Agricultural Labourer

The book sale is available via https://shop.nationalarchives.gov.uk/collections/offers

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Friday 15 January 2021

Derry and Dublin cemetery records added to FindmyPast

The following irish cemetery records have been added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Ireland, Londonderry (Derry) City Cemetery Burials 1853-1961
70,000 Londonderry (Derry) burial records from the City Cemetery.

Ireland, Dublin City Cemetery Burials 1805-2006
This new collection covers three Dublin cemeteries:

    St John The Baptist, Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin
    Drimnagh (Bluebell), Old Naas Road, Dublin
    St Canice’s, Finglas, Dublin

For links, and info on other records releases, including Dorset (England) burials and newspapers, visit www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/irish-burial-records

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Tuesday 12 January 2021

Family Tree's Scottish Family History Month webinars

Family Tree magazine (www.family-tree.co.uk) has designated February as Scottish Family History Month, with various themed events on its website, including how-to guides, videos, and top tips on tracing your Scottish ancestors.

In addition, there will be a series of four webinars throughout the month to help you get the best with your Scottish research, one of which I am delighted to be giving. Each talk is an hour long, and will be followed by a 30 minute Q&A session. 

Here is the programme:

Exploring Scottish family history records
3 February 7pm

Expert genealogist Michelle Leonard takes us through the key records that can help you explore the lives and times of your Scottish ancestors.


How to use sheriff court records for Scottish family history
10 February 7pm

Join expert genealogist Emma Maxwell for a one-hour talk on how to use Sheriff Court records to discover your Scottish ancestors. Criminal records, marriage contracts and wills are just a few of the treasures that can be found within the Sheriff Court records. Emma will explain what the records are, how to use them in your research, and what is available both online and offline.


Solve your Scottish genealogy problems
17 February 7pm

Join expert genealogist Kirsty Wilkinson for a one-hour talk on the different ways you can approach a brick wall in your family tree. Kirsty will explore problem solving using various Scottish records.


Down and out in Scotland: Researching ancestral crisis
24 February 7pm

Expert genealogist Chris Paton explains how the struggles that our ancestors faced have often produced a rich source of records. In this one-hour talk, Chris will talk us through the various records, explaining how to access and use these to dig deep into the life and times of your Scottish ancestors.

I hope you can join us throughout the month - as always, it promises to be great craic! 

To register for the talks please visit the magazin's website at https://www.family-tree.co.uk/news/scottish-family-history-month-february-2021/.

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Family Tree magazine's February 2021 issue is now on sale

The latest edition of Family Tree magazine (www.family-tree.co.uk), February 2021, is now on sale and packed with goodies. 

From the magazine's website:

Top tips from leading genealogist Chris Paton on ways to share your family history online and reasons why you really should. Find out more in the February issue of Family Tree and get your family history off to a super-charged start in 2021. Happy New Family History Year!  

I kick off with a few tips and suggestions in Sharing Your Family History Online, an article tying into the theme of my new book of the same name (also kindly reviewed in the magazine!). Wayne Sheapherd gathers evidence of disease and disaster, Adele Emm looks into the coastal trades of our ancestors, David Annal gets to grips with English and Welsh wills, editor Helen Tovey explores parish registers, and Karen Evans chases another case study in Your DNA Workshop - plus all the usual regular news, reviews and features are in attendance also. 

At £5.25, the magazine is available from all genealogically friendly vendors and also online via https://www.family-tree.co.uk/store/back-issues/family-tree-magazine/family-tree-magazine-february-2021-issue-183-1/.

Ah ye will...!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

SAFHS joins Twitter

The Scottish Association of Family History Societies (www.safhs.org.uk), aka SAFHS, now has a profile on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottish_family ( @scottish_family ). 

Why not follow them and say hello?!

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Monday 11 January 2021

Michael Tobias awarded OBE for services to Jewish community

Congratulations to all round legend Michael Tobias on being awarded an OBE for services to the Jewish Community!

Michael, currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Strathclyde's Genealogy Studies department, has spent many years carrying out research into the Scottish Jewish community, and you'll regularly see him in good times at the Burns Monument Centre in Kilmarnock and at the Mitchell in Glasgow working away.

You can find out his reaction to the award in the Barrhead News at www.barrheadnews.com/news/18998365.michael-tobias-queen-honours-east-renfrewshire-man-obe-services-jewish-community.

A pint has been duly set aside in due recognition for good times hopefully soon to come - well done Michael!

(With thanks to Gail Dever at https://genealogyalacarte.ca/?p=34451)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Gazette article details current Scottish legal rights on inheritance

The Gazette (www.thegazette.co.uk) published an article on December 14th 2020 by Susan Batchelor of Brodies LLP entitled What are your legal rights in Scotland for inheritance?, which may be of interest. 

I've covered historic inheritance for genealogists in my book Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records, but this article details the current provisions as set out in Scots Law today. 

 (With thanks to The Gazette at @TheGazetteUK)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Key to Napoleon's bedroom door on St Helena found in Scotland

The key to the door of the bedroom on St Helena in which Napoleon died in 1821 has been found in Scotland, by descendants of a Scottish soldier serving on the island at the time. The key has now been put up for auction.

For more on the story, visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-55618318.

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Free Ancestry access to North Lanarkshire Heritage records during lockdown

Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine has tweeted a link to an article I have previously written about Scottish poor law records, which can be read at www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/what-are-scottish-poor-law-records/.

In response, North Lanarkshire Heritage has kindly tweeted the following:

During lockdown you can access North Lanarkshire's set of Poor Law records on Ancestry for free. Just click on the link on our online resources webpage: https://www.culturenl.co.uk/museums/museum-and-heritage-free-online-resources/

On this page you can sign up for a temporary free account that permits access to North Lanarkshire Archives & Local Studies records only. These collections are as follows:

  • North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Poor Law Applications and Registers, 1849-1917
  • North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1847-1969 


Here is the onsite blurb for each collection:

About North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Poor Law Applications and Registers, 1849-1917

Historical Context

After the Poor Law Scotland Act of 1845, Scottish parishes were able to establish institutions called Parochial Boards to care for the poor, house them and give out relief. Whilst there was a Central Supervising body, each institution was locally run. Unlike the poor in England, those who were destitute in Scotland were able to appeal if denied relief.

This collection contains applications for relief from parish institutions in North Lanarkshire. To establish the needs of the applicant and their eligibility, Inspectors of the Poor recorded large amounts of personal data in ‘registers of applications’ or ‘general registers of poor’.

Applications and General Registers will normally include:

    Name of applicant, including maiden name of women
    Age and/or birth date
    Birthplace, including county of birth (compulsory from 1865)
    Religion (from 1865)
    Dependants, including children’s names, ages, places of birth
    Marital history
    Names of applicant’s parents and parents-in-law, confirming where born and if still alive
    Previous addresses



About North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1847-1969

This database contains yearly registers listing names and residences of people in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, who were eligible to vote in elections. These year-by-year registers can help place your ancestors in a particular place and possibly also reveal some information about property they owned.

Coverage for the area and timeframe is not complete, so it may be helpful to check the browse menu on the right for details of which volumes are included.

Historical Background

Electoral registers are lists of individuals who are eligible to vote during the time the register is in force (usually one year). Registration for voters in Scotland has been required since 1832, and registers were typically published annually. Restrictive property requirements denied the vote to much of the population for years, though these were eased somewhat in 1867 and 1884 through the Second and Third Reform Acts. There were also requirements when it came to local elections that varied from borough to borough (e.g. residence), and voters had to petition to be added to the electoral registers.

Property restrictions were finally removed for men in 1918, when most males age 21 and older were allowed to vote. The franchise was extended to some women over age 30 in 1918, but it was not until 1928 that the voting age was made 21 for both men and women. Thus, the number of names listed in the registers increases with the expansion of suffrage.

Searching the Registers

Electoral registers typically provide a name and place of abode, and older registers may include a description of property and qualifications to vote. Registers were compiled at a local level, with names appearing alphabetically within wards/districts. Many of the registers in this database have been indexed electronically, which allows you to search them by name, but if you’re searching for a somewhat common name it will be helpful to know the area in which your ancestor lived to narrow your results. The street address can be searched in the Location field.

Please find below a guide to the codes used in the registers:

    R Residence qualification
    BP Business premises qualification
    O Occupational qualification (occupation in this case is occupation of a property, not employment)
    HO Qualification through husband's occupation
    NM Naval or military voter

From 1928, with the advent of women's suffrage, the following codes can be found:

    R Residence qualification (man)
    Rw Residence qualification (woman)
    B Business premises qualification (man)
    Bw Business premises qualification (woman)
    O Occupational qualification (man)
    Ow Occupational qualification (woman)
    D Qualification through wife's occupation
    Dw Qualification through husband's occupation
    NM Naval or military voter

The following extra codes can also sometimes be seen

    J Eligible to serve as juror
    SJ Eligible to serve as special juror
    a Absent voter
    BP Business premises register
    CI Civilian residence register
    SE Service register
    RR Ratepayers register

Please note that no registers were produced during the war years 1916, 1917 and 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944.

Note: This index was created using text recognition software, records were not transcribed. We have created indexes of the electoral registers for every fifth year.

Have fun!

(With thanks to North Lanarkshire Heritage)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Scottish 1921 census update

It's not much of an update, but I thought you might be interested in this response from the ScotlandsPeople team about the 1921 census. (I had actually asked about the annual BMD update, they slightly misunderstood my query):

Hallo, thank you, & HNY to you too! As the 1921 Census took place in June of that year, we can't release the data until after June 2021 due to 100 year closure rules. No release date for this data yet, but we'll make sure everyone knows about it when we have one.

(Source: https://twitter.com/ScotlandsPeople/status/1348581730597416964)

Note that 'after June 2021' is the earliest the records can be released - not necessarily an indication of the release date itself.

One to watch!

Don't forget that ScotlandsPeople has now updated its BMD records, with a further quarter of a million records - for details see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2021/01/scotlandspeople-adds-quarter-of-million.html.

(With thanks to ScotlandsPeople)

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Friday 8 January 2021

ScotlandsPeople adds quarter of a million records in annual update

From ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk):

ScotlandsPeople has released 146,842 online images consisting of just over 250,000 birth, death and marriage entries. You can search for, view and save images of them on the ScotlandsPeople website. The newly available records include 48,728 marriages in 1945 and 64,943 deaths in 1970.

For more on the release visit www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/article/our-records-scottish-births-1920

 

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilyTreeDNA to merge with MyDNA

Some merger news concerning FamilyTreeDNA (www.familytreedna.com) and MyDNA (www.mydna.life):

MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Lior Rauchberger, CEO of leading Australian genomics company, myDNA, announced a merger with the U.S., Houston-based consumer DNA test company, FamilyTreeDNA, and its parent company, Gene by Gene. Dr. Rauchberger will step into the role of CEO of the merged companies, effective immediately. Gene by Gene co-founders Bennett Greenspan and Max Blankfeld will join the Board of Directors.

FamilyTreeDNA, launched in 2000, has the distinction of being the first company in the U.S to offer direct-to-consumer DNA testing for genealogical research. myDNA, founded in 2007 by Associate Professor, Les Sheffield, started with a mission to improve countless lives by revolutionizing the field of pharmacogenomics, making truly personalized medicine a reality, before expanding into nutrigenomics to deliver actionable, personalized nutrition, fitness and skincare recommendations.

The innovative merger of myDNA and Gene by Gene is built on several shared beliefs about the tremendous potential of genetic information to dramatically improve our understanding, not only of who we are and where we come from, but by providing a scientific foundation for actionable, personalized insights, and how they can guide us in how best to care for ourselves and maintain optimal health and wellness both physically and mentally. The two businesses come together as one of the leading global experts of genealogy, pharmacogenomic and nutrigenomic services.

At myDNA, consumer privacy is paramount. myDNA believes the importance of the consumer's ability to trust in the privacy of their genetic information, and retain control over it, cannot be overstated. Along the same line, Gene by Gene and FamilyTreeDNA will continue acting in the field of Genetic Genealogy, their original business, keeping intact their privacy rules and all terms of service.

According to myDNA CEO, Dr. Lior Rauchberger, an M.D. who practiced medicine for nine years before becoming a leading expert in personalized medicine and the intersection of medicine and technology. "It's thanks to pioneering brands like Gene by Gene and FamilyTreeDNA that consumers see the value in safely and securely exchanging genetic information for personalized services. The Personalized Wellness revolution is only just beginning and we're eager to be able to offer FamilyTreeDNA and myDNA members a box seat to a wider range of services thanks to the merging of these fantastic businesses."

About myDNA - www.mydna.life
myDNA is an Australian personalized genomics company that decodes the information in our genes to help us understand the power of our DNA and what to do with that knowledge. myDNA's tests are simple cheek-swabs that can be ordered online and carried out in the safety of your own home. Their vision is to be the world's most trusted provider of personalized, actionable, genetic information.

About Gene by Gene - www.genebygene.com | www.familytreedna.com
Founded in 2000, Gene by Gene, Ltd. provides reliable genetic testing services to a wide range of consumers and institutional customers through its four divisions focusing on ancestry, health, research, and paternity. Genetic genealogy testing services are provided by FamilyTreeDNA - a division of Gene by Gene and the pioneers of the direct-to-consumer genetic genealogy industry. Gene by Gene is CAP/CLIA registered and, through its clinical health division, offers health, wellness, and regulated diagnostic testing services. The privately held company, along with its state-of-the-art Genomics Research Center, is headquartered in Houston, TX.

SOURCE myDNA; Gene By Gene; FamilyTreeDNA

(Source: https://apnews.com/press-release/pr-newswire/business-executive-changes-ownership-changes-corporate-news-personnel-eff1b37f7c11bdf876324d9d966892d7

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Sharing Your Family History Online - first reviews

I've just come across the first reviews of my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, on the Pen and Sword website. The first is from a Helen Cota:

Chris Paton has written many books about how to research your family history. His previous books have mostly concentrated on how to build your family tree, how to get more information. In Sharing Your Family History Online, he shifts the focus to taking your discoveries and sharing them with others.
 
Of course you can put everything you want onto the internet and let the world sort through it. But Paton shows you the benefits of considering who you want your audience to be, what you want to tell them, and how and where you can best accomplish your goals. He outlines websites and formats, walks you through choosing a blogging platform, and alternatives to blogs such as videos or podcasts. He also explains copyright and privacy concerns, and although his audience is primarily in the United Kingdom, the principles also apply to the United States and other countries. Just be sure to check the copyright and privacy laws in your own jurisdiction.
 
The book is not long (144 pages with illustrations) but it is packed with information and ideas. He includes a substantial section on the ins and outs of DNA testing and results. He shares advice about how to respond to those who contact you once you've put your family history out there. He's very candid about both the potential benefits and pitfalls of sharing your work online. This is an excellent resource for any family historian.

And another shorter one from Stephanie Maines
 
I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. As a genealogist for over 30 years, I found the information information very useful. Most of the links provided were from the UK, but the information was still very valuable. I will be purchasing this book for my library.
 
The official publicaiton date is January 31st, which basically means at some stage this month. In the meantime, you can pre-order a copy at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Sharing-Your.../p/18718 - I hope it helps!

(With thanks to Helen and Stephanie) 

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Thursday 7 January 2021

TNA continues free access to digital documents during lockdown

The National Archives in England has provided an updated, confirming that its reading room services are suspended until further notice - the full announcement is at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/.

The notice also mentions that its policy to provide free access to digital records will continue - you can find more about this at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/digital-downloads/. Access will continue to be provided to 100 free documents over a 30 day period. 

Chris

Pre-order my next book, Sharing Your Family History Online, at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is also out, as are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.