SAFHS 2023 conference in Aberdeen on April 22nd

From Aberdeen and North-East Scotland FHS's conference page for the forthcoming SAFHS 2023 conference, which will be held on April 22nd in Aberdeen:

Haste Ye Back is the theme of the 33^rd annual one-day conference of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) which will take place online and for free on Saturday 22^nd April 2023. The conference is being hosted by the Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society (ANESFHS) in partnership with the Elphinstone Institute of the University of Aberdeen and it will explore different aspects of settlement and migration in the north-east with reference, where possible, to considerations and resources for family history research.

For further details visit https://safhs2023.anesfhs.org.uk. 

There's also an interesting Emigration page at https://safhs2023.anesfhs.org.uk/index.php/emigration.

Chris 

Pre-order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

ANESFHS announces details of SAFHS 2023 conference

Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society (www.anesfhs.org.uk) has also announced details of the 2023 Scottish Association of Family History Societies conference, to be held in April:

‘Haste Ye Back’ is the theme of the 33rd annual one-day conference of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) which will take place as an online event on Saturday 22 April 2023. 

 

The conference will explore different aspects of settlement and migration to and from Scotland. There will be plenty of hints and tips about resources for family history research and some thought-provoking perspectives. We think this theme will be of particular interest at a time when more folk contemplate resuming long-distance travel to maintain family connections and pursue family history.

 

Planning is well advanced for the conference with seven speakers and topics confirmed:

• Prof Marjory Harper (University of Aberdeen) – Emigration, emigrants and returners
• Dr Jackson Armstrong (University of Aberdeen) – Digitising Aberdeen’s medieval city records
• Dr Tom McKean (University of Aberdeen) – Family history interfacing with recorded history
• Nicholas Le Bigre (University of Aberdeen) – New family traditions in the north east
• Alasdair Macdonald (University of Strathclyde) - Using DNA in Family History Research
• Ken Nisbet - (SAFHS/Scottish Genealogical Society) – War Brides
• Alison Spring - Sailing to Philadelphia; or, Where Did My Scots Ancestors Go?
• A conference website is currently under construction and will launch shortly.

 

The conference is a free online event, hosted on behalf of SAFHS by the Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society (ANESFHS) in partnership with the Elphinstone Institute of the University of Aberdeen.

 

For more information, please contact: elaine.petrie@anesfhs.org.uk or ivor.normand@anesfhs.org.uk

For more on SAFHS, visit www.safhs.org.uk

(With thanks to ANESFHS via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/anesfhs)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society

I was asked recently why I wasn't a member of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society, a society to which I have given talks on several occasions in the past. As questions go, that one was definitely right up there with 'what is the meaning of life?', and I didn't have an answer.

So I've just joined! 

Annual membership is £15 if based in the UK, £18 is in the rest of the world. There are some useful databases available to members online, but perhaps the greatest online offering is free access to members of the society's journal in PDF format, from the earliest editions in 1978 to the current editions of 2022. The society also has a research centre in Partick, although this has been closed due to the pandemic over the last couple of years. 

Most of my Glasgow connections are limited to the late 19th century onwards, with many ancestral lines from Ireland establishing themselves primarily in and around Bridgeton, the most recent being my granny, born there in 1904 to two migrants from Londonderry and Fermanagh. However, perhaps my most irritating ancestral brick wall is that of my two times great grandfather, John Brownlie MacFarlance, whose parents were stated to be a blacksmith called John MacFarlane and his wife Ann Brownlee, and for whom I can find zip, zilch, nothing. Obviously if that one is ever cracked, happy days, but there is more value to being a member of the society than that, with Glasgow being Scotland's largest populated city. We all have connections with Glasgow somewhere in Scotland!

To find out more about the society visit www.gwsfhs.org.uk.

(For details of other Scottish societies visit www.safhs.org.uk, and for the comainn eachdraidh/historical societies of the Western Isles, visit www.hebrideanconnections.com)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

SAFHS conference Saturday 9th April 2022

The Scottish Association of Family History Societies (www.safhs.org.uk) annual conference is this Saturday, hosted online by Scottish indexes (www.scottishindexes.com).

For further details on speakers, topics and times, please visit https://www.safhs.org.uk/conference.php

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ken Nisbet elected chair of SAFHS

Congratulations to Ken Nisbet on being elected chair of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies, and to Ali Murray on becoming deputy chair.

For further deatils on SAFHS, visit www.safhs.org.uk. You can also follow the orgnaisation on Twitter at @SAFHS, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/safhs.

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

SAFHS Conference 2022 - 'Hard Times'

From the Scottish Association of Family History Societies (www.safhs.org.uk):

‘Hard Times’: Annual Conference Saturday 9th April 2022

Last year, due to the covid 19 pandemic the SAFHS Executive took the decision not to cancel the annual conference (2021) again, but to take it online. This was made possible thanks to Scottish Indexes www.scottishindexes.com who very kindly helped us in offering the use of their online platform. With their experience and assistance, Emma and Graham Maxwell were able to provide an online SAFHS conference for the very first time shown via a Zoom link and through our Facebook Group Live.

Each presenter pre-recorded their talk and there was time allocated after each one to allow the presenter time to answer questions live time after each one. Members of the SAFHS Executive, Emma and Graham were also on hand during these live Q&A slots.

The conference was very well received, and the viewing figures were in the thousands. Each presentation was available on YouTube for a week afterwards to allow those who were unable to join in on the day catch up later.

This year’s conference ‘Hard Work’ will also go online using the same platform and with the help of Scottish Indexes. We have already started planning this event and we are pleased to announce the following speakers:

Irene O’Brien, Glasgow City Archives
Myko Clelland, Find My Past
Fiona Musk, NHS Grampian Archive
Emma Maxwell, Scottish Indexes
Jill Williams, Irish Genealogy
Ken Nisbet, Scottish Genealogy Society and SAFHS

The talks will incorporate records of the poor, crimes, migration and immigration, Kirk Session and records from the asylums and institutions as to the effects poverty and ‘hard times’ had on people’s health.

Our Patron, Lord Lyon King of Arms who officially ‘opened’ SAFHS 2021 with a positively rousing opening speech in April has kindly agreed to officiate next year.

We will be updating the website and keeping you all informed through Facebook (we have a page and a group) and on twitter. To register for a Zoom link follow the link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4816346514768/WN_m3nVdz_kSNCTrhX4EXfVQg

Alison Murray, SAFHS 

(With thanks to Alison)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

2022 SAFHS Conference - Hard Times

The next Scottish Association of Family History Societies conference is entitled Hard Times, and will be held on Saturday 9th April 2022, online via Zoom.

For further details, please visit https://www.safhs.org.uk/conference.php

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

1921 Scottish census article by Ken Nisbet

I have just read a short article by Ken Nisbet concerning the 1921 census in the SAFHS newsletter from March this year. Although the information on the release of the census has changed (it will now be released late 2022 at the earliest), you might be interested to have a read about what information you will find in the census when we eventually see it!

The article is available at https://www.safhs.org.uk/Documents/bulletin202103.pdf

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

"It's a Sair Fecht!" - 31st SAFHS annual conference

Next Saturday sees the annual Scottish Association of Family History Societies (www.safhs.org.uk) conference:

The 31st SAFHS Annual Delegate Conference - "It's a Sair Fecht!"
jointly hosted by
ASGRA, Borders FHS, Lothians FHS, Scottish Genealogy Society

A series of presentations on a range of topics of interest to genealogists and family historians will be broadcast throughout the day on Saturday 17th April 2021.

The talks cover the following topics:

• 
  The Radical Rising of 1820 by Alex Wood, ASGRA
• 
  Lanarkshire Family History Society by Bob Stewart, Chairman Lanarkshire FHS
• 
  The Highland Archive Service: Collections and Resources by Lorna Steele
• 
  ‘Ae Fond Kiss and then we sever’ by Kirsty Wilkinson, ASGRA
• 
  Aspects of Mining in Scotland by James Waugh
• 
  Asylum Records for Genealogy by Louise Williams
• 
  The Men and (eventually) the Women of the Police of the Scottish Borders by David Smale
• 
  Understanding Kirk Session Records by Emma Maxwell, Scottish Indexes

Each event during the day will have been pre-recorded with a live opportunity to put questions to the presenters following their presentations.

Tay Valley Family History Society will also preview the 2022 SAFHS Conference.

The Conference day will commence at 9am and continue until 5pm and will be available on the day via Facebook to members of the SAFHS Conference Facebook

For further details, and to register, visit https://www.safhs.org.uk/conference.php

Chris

Just out, Sharing Your Family History Online is on sale at https://bit.ly/SharingFamHist. 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.

2021 SAFHS conference set to be held in Dundee

The 32nd Scottish Association of Family History Societies (https://safhs.org.uk) annual conference is provisionally set to be held at the Dalhousie Building of the University of Dundee on Saturday 24th April 2021.

Entitled Tay Valley's Inspirational Women, the event is set to host a talks programme with four speakers, as well as various stalls and societies in attendance.

Although a little difficult to read due to a poor scan, further details are available at the SAFHS website in its latest bulletin at https://safhs.org.uk/Documents/SAFHS%20Bulletin%20March%202020%20v2%20low%20res.pdf - a contact address for the organisers is given as conference@tayvalleyfhs.org.uk.

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts August 31st - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is now out, also available 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 Conference in Musselburgh cancelled

As will probably come as no surprise to anyone, the 31st SAFHS Annual Delegate Conference, entitled "It’s a Sair Fecht!", has been sadly cancelled also because of the current pandemic. The event was due to take place at The Brunton in Musselburgh on Saturday 18th April 2020.

(With thanks to various folk)

Chris

You can pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 (out April). Also available, 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 2020 conference to be held in Musselburgh

The 31st Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) Annual Delegate Conference is entitled "It’s a Sair Fecht!", and will be jointly hosted by ASGRA, Borders FHS, Lothians FHS and the Scottish Genealogy Society.

The event will be held at The Brunton in Musselburgh on Saturday 18th April 2020.

For further details visit https://www.safhs.org.uk/conference.php.

Chris

You can pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 (out April). Also available, 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.