Departmental bunfight in Ireland over 1864-1870 death records?

I commented the following on the Irish Government's Department of Culture, Communications and Sport's Facebook page yesterday (https://www.facebook.com/DeptCultureCommsSport):

"What about the 1864-1870 death records? Sporadic death indexes, absolutely no images. Come on lads, it can't be that difficult to put them online!"

And I received a response:

"This week’s release includes the annual update of records, adding an additional year of civil records to the website. The Irish Genealogy website now provides access to Civil birth records from 1864–1925, marriage records from 1845–1950, and death records from 1864–1975.

 

"Please note that while death records from 1864–1970 are indexed on the website, the associated images are not yet available. These images remain with the General Register Office (GRO). The Department has informed the GRO that we will prioritise uploading these records to the Irish Genealogy website as soon as they are provided."

 

First of all, the indexes are absolutely not complete for death records from 1864-1870. But secondly, have we been unable to see this small group of records for all this time because one Irish governmental department is simply not collaborating with another? 

 

I'll repeat the last line again: 

 

"Come on lads, it can't be that difficult to put them online!" 

 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

ScotlandsPeople adds new records from 2010

No, it's sadly not the update that you've been waiting for!

ScotlandsPeople, now described by the National Records of Scotland as a 'historical research website', has added Scottish Cabinet records from the year 2010, accessible via its Virtual Volumes section at https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/virtual-volumes/cabinet-papers-search.

You can read more about the release at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/latest-news/2010-cabinet-records-released-online/.

Have fun! 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

More Scottish Cabinet records dumped onto ScotlandsPeople

The records you've been waiting for! The newly digitised 2008 Scottish Cabinet records have been added to, errr...(checks notes), ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk). 

Once again, the National Records of Scotland has dumped recent government records of practically no use whatsoever for family history onto its dedicated family history platform, seemingly because it has simply nowhere else to put them, although the news release does mention that further records are available to comsult in the historical search room at General Register House.  

You can read more about the release at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2024/2008-scottish-cabinet-records-to-be-released-online. Form an orderly queue now, and no pushing at the back there...!

Hopefully the annual update of actually useful records on ScotlandsPeople will happen shortly.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK 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. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Cyber attack compromises UK electoral register

The UK's electoral register has been the victim of a cyber attack, with those affected including those who don't keep their details on the open register, and those living overseas. It involves the period from 2014-2022 - and they've known about it since October last year. 

The full story is at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66441010/.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK 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. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Scotland's First Minister to apologise on Wednesday for forced adoptions from 1950s-1970s

In one of her final acts as Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon will make a formal apology in the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Wednesday 21st) over the issue of forced adoption, with about sixty thousand unmarried mothers from the 1950s-1970s shamed and cajolled into handing over their babies for adoption.

For more on the background to the story visit www.sundaypost.com/fp/forced-adoption-victims-3/ and the reports of the UK Government's Joint Committee on Human Rights at https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1522/the-right-to-family-life-adoption-of-children-of-unmarried-women-19491976/publications/reports-responses/.

The apology will be made following Portfolio Questions at 2pm. To watch it live, view proceedings on Scottish Parliament TV at www.scottishparliament.tv.  

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.

How is the National Records of Scotland implementing the Scottish Government's Gaelic Language Plan?

I blogged earlier that Historic Environment Scotland has announced a consultation on its Gaelic Language Plan for 2023-2026 (see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2023/03/historic-environment-scotland-gaelic.html). It's one of many public bodies to have done so, for example, the National Library of Scotland's current Gaelic Language Plan for 2019-2024 is available at https://www.nls.uk/about-us/corporate-documents/.

A key component of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 is the development of Gaelic Language Plans, which “help to formalise and communicate to an organisation's staff what its policy is in relation to Gaelic matters, and makes clear to users and learners of Gaelic what services they can expect to access through the Gaelic language” - the definition given by the Scottish Government (Riaghaltas na h-Alba) itself within its Gaelic Language Plan for 2022-2027, as outlined at www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-governments-gaelic-language-plan-2022-2027/.

The National Records of Scotland is a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government. In 2019 I asked the NRS via Twitter whether it had a plan, and was advised that “NRS is working with stakeholders to develop a Gaelic language plan, in tandem with our work to prepare for Scotland’s Census 2021” (https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2019/06/nrs-is-working-on-gaelic-language-plan.html). The 2022 census (as it became due to Covid) was indeed made available bilingually to the public, which was very welcome (I filled in my own copy in Gaelic), but apart from this, there hasn't been a peep about the organisation's policy towards the language since then.

So today I asked again, as follows.

“Hi @NatRecordsScot, as a Non-Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government, can you advise how you are implementing the @scotgov Gaelic Language Plan 2022-27? What measures are being implemented to make #Gàidhlig more visble at our national archive? Thanks. @S_A_Somerville”

These were the responses:

“Hi there, today we announced the display of the Declaration of Arbroath which has a free downloadable information booklet in Gaelic. Gaelic culture has an important place in our archive.

“You can find more information on our website including the commemoration of the tragic sinking of the HM Yacht Iolaire and linkages of many famous Scots to Gaelic heritage.”

 

I have to be honest and say that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. A Gaelic Language Plan is simply not about having a web page online about a topic from history for several years (e.g. the Iolaire) and then claiming that this shows your organisation's undying love for one of Scotland's languages. Amongst many things it is about helping to raise visibility of the language itself, not stories from history, it's about encouraging the use of the language by staff, and to facilitate mechanisms so that members of the public, wishing to use the language, can be accommodated when making enquiries. It isn't about forcing the language on anyone who doesn't wish to use it, or taking away anything from the majority English speaking population.

Whilst the Gaelic Language Act created a Gaelic Language Board (Bòrd na Gàidhlig), it did not create obligations on statutory authorities to actually use the language, but it did create a framework for the creation of Gaelic language plans by Scottish public authorities, as advised by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The wind of change in all things Gaelic is blowing harder by the day. The National Library of Scotland (Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba) has a Gaelic Language Plan is operation. Historic Environment Scotland (Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) has a Gaelic Language Plan in operation, and is currently consulting on its replacement.

The National Records of Scotland (no equivalent Gaelic name on display, but it could go for Clàran Nàiseanta na h-Alba or Tasglann Nàiseanta na h-Alba), in failing to make any visible provisions for the language, is seemingly sticking two fingers up to the Gaelic speaking population of Scotland, both fluent and learners. 

The same argument could also be made of all public bodies to those of the Scots speaking population, for which the political arguments for better representation still need to be made with the Scottish Government (and it is ironic to me as an Ulsterman that I come from a country that has better legal provisions for the Scots language than Scotland does itself). But there is legislation in place for Gaelic, and this is a question of compliance with the spirit of the law, as much as the letter of it. The NRS has always seemingly to me projected its own institution as being Edinburgh-centric, but the use of the word 'national' here seems particularly deficient.

I have again asked a question of the NRS in response to its replies to me:

"Thanks, but I'm specifically asking about a Gaelic Language Plan. How will you field Gaelic enquiries, how will you reflect Gaelic in corporate branding, training ops for staff etc, where's the statement on how the NRS will implement a GLP on its website, etc? Thanks #Gàidhlig"

 

I'll let you know if I get a response, and how I will pursue this further if not. 

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.

Ancestry to digitise UK Second World War records

From Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

New in 2023

This year we are excited to announce that Ancestry has been awarded the rights to digitize and publish more than 3 million UK Ministry of Defense Service Records that will be made available only on Ancestry between 2024-2029. This will be the largest project around a particular set of records The National Archives has ever awarded to a partner. The digitization of these valuable records will enable people to access never-before-seen documents from World War II online. 

In addition, we will utilize our proprietary AI handwriting recognition technology to process the 1931 Census of Canada as soon as available, and expand our collection of Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index to new states on a monthly basis. We’ll also be adding new collections of Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran church records within the U.S. and additional military and occupational records from the UK and Ireland.

(Source: https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/blog/celebrating-40-years-of-family-history-discoveries---ancestry-co)

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.

FindmyPast adds Civil Service Commission Appointments, Promotions and Transfers 1871-1942

It's good to see a collection with some relevance to Scotland and Ireland being added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk), there has been a bit of a drought in recent weeks and months!

Civil Service Commission Appointments, Promotions and Transfers 1871-1942

Comprised of 872,439 records, spanning 71 years before and during World War 2. The records are transcriptions of entries sourced from the London Gazette, available at www.thegazette.co.uk.

From the collection's source information:

These Civil Service Commission records were published in the London Gazette. In total there are over 872,000 entries. The records start in 1871 and continue until 1942 when, without explanation, they suddenly stop.

The entries are for Civil Servant certifications following examination, or appointments, transfers and promotions. Where examinations have taken place the relevant criteria and requirements are given in earlier editions of the London Gazette.

The entries are for the whole of the United Kingdom, including Ireland before Irish independence. The single biggest department is the Post Office with 450,122 records, which accounts for over half of the total number. The records include many different roles including: Learners, Postmen, Sorters, Porters and Telegraphists. Most entries have an associated location of the person’s occupation. As well as the larger towns and cities, they also include small villages, or large districts or regions.

Other large departments are the Admiralty (47,428 records), Customs and Excise (15,351) and the Prisons service (14,106). The majority of the Admiralty records are associated with occupations in the dockyards.

The collection can be searched at https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/civil-service-commission-appointments-promotions-and-transfers-1871-1942

Also added are Second World War Civilian Casualties in Britain 1940-1945, sourced from the CWGC (www.cwgc.org). Full details at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/civil-service-civilian-casualties.

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.

Who is the current acting Keeper of the Records of Scotland and Registrar General?

In what I am sure will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone who has been following the National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk) in recent months, there has still been no official announcement about the resignation of Paul Lowe as Keeper of the Records of Scotland and Registrar General. 

Indeed, the NRS website still states at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/about-us that "We are headed by Paul Lowe, our Chief Executive, who fulfils the roles of two non-ministerial office holders – the Registrar General for Scotland and the Keeper of the Records of Scotland". However, Mr Lowe's own LinkedIn account publicly shows that his occupancy of those posts ended in January 2023, and that he has since taken up new employment in the civil service.    

Which begs the question - who is currently acting in a caretaker capacity in those roles until the posts advertised by the NRS are filled?

If you are interested in the posts (they are now a job lot!) you have until this Thursday, February 16th, to apply - details at http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2023/01/national-records-of-scotland-seeks-new.html. And we'll know if you are lucky towards the end of March!

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.

FindmyPast adds Caribbean parish records and UK naturalisation records

Amongst the records released by FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) this week:

St Vincent, St George's baptisms 1765-1820

These are records from St Vincent's most populous parish, St George, dating from 1765, offering date of baptism, name of the person baptised, and parents' names. In some cases you may also find information on parents' occupations, race, and social status (free or enslaved). The original register is now fragile and partially damaged, so the information varies record to record. The records also include the names of many enslaved people on the island, including those of mixed race.


St Vincent, St George's marriages 1765-1820

1,534 marriage records.


Britain, Naturalisations 1844-1990

Almost 100,000 records, of naturalisations granted by the British Home Office.


For further details, and relevant links, visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/st-vincent-naturalisations.

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.

More than ten per cent of Scottish households have still to fill in census

Some 86% of households in Scotland have completed the 2022 census so far, with over two million having done so online, according to the National Records of Scotland. Due to the initial poor rate of returns by the end of April, the census deadline was extended until the end of this month, May 31st (see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2022/04/scotland-2022-census-deadline-extended.html). 

Aberdeenshire has seen the highest rate of returns so far, at 91%, with Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire having the lowest rate.

For more on the story, visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61614733.

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.

Northern Irish births, marriages and deaths can now be registered in Irish

A significant development that I missed a few weeks ago in March is a new change of the law in Northern Ireland, which now allows births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths (and other processes such as stillbirths registrations and conversions from civil partnerships to mariages and vice versa) to be registered in the Irish language (Gaeilge). 

For more on the story visit the Northern Irish Department of Finance site at https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/news/births-marriages-civil-partnerships-and-deaths-can-now-be-registered-irish-murphy.

Comment: Hopefully at some point a similar provision might be introduced for registration in Scotland in Gàidhlig!

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.

Scotland 2022 census deadline extended until May 31st

As noted on this blog yesterday (27 APR), the Scottish 2022 census still has an astonishing number of schedules to be filled in online or sent through in paper format in time for the deadline of Sunday May 1st (see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2022/04/700000-scottish-2022-censuses-still-to.html).  

It's just not going to happen - and as a consequence, the deadline has now been extended for a month until May 31st 2022. 

For details of the update, please visit the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/news/extension-to-scotlands-census/.

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.

700,000 Scottish 2022 censuses still to be returned

The National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk) has announced that 700,000 householders in Scotland have yet to complete the 2022 Scottish Census, with just a week to go for the offical deadline of May 1st. 

The archive has also outlined the return rate for each local authority so far, with Aberdeenshire having the highest return rate at 82%, and with Glasgow at an astonishingly low 65.5%, less than two thirds. Here in North Ayrshore, the return rate is currently 72.4%. Failure to return the census could see a fine of £1000 imposed. 

More importantly, in a century's time the descendants of those who have not bothered are going to be more than miffed - but I'm guessing (hoping, praying!) that readers of this blog get it, and have already done so!

For the full story, visit https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2022/call-for-census-completion-as-local-response-rates-are-published.

To fill in the census visit www.census.gov.scot.

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.

Scotland's First Minister issues witchcraft convictions apology

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has issued a formal apology to the almost 4000 women who were convicted of witchcraft from 1563-1736. 

In the Scottish Parliament, the FM said: "Today on International Women's Day, as first minister on behalf of the Scottish government, I am choosing to acknowledge that egregious historic injustice and extend a formal posthumous apology to all of those accused, convicted, vilified or executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1563."

It is now up to the Scottish Parliament to decide whether it wishes to legislate to issue pardons to all of those who were prosecuted and executed. 

For more on the story visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-60667533. 

For more on historic Scottish witchraft trials in the period, visit http://www.shca.ed.ac.uk/Research/witches//

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.

Scottish Government questionnaire on historic forced adoption

The Scottish Government (www.gov.scot) is inviting those who were affected by the issue of forced adoptions from the 1950s-1970s to fill in an online questionnaire to share their experience, in order to allow them to better understand and target support where it is needed for those affected. 

From the Government's website:

Historical adoption

Sadly, we know that there were practices in place in Scotland around the time of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s which resulted in new-born babies being unnecessarily taken away from unmarried mothers and placed for adoption, without any regard to the mothers and children’s own needs or wishes. People who experienced this have reported the long-lasting impacts on their health and wellbeing.

In June 2021, the First Minister made a commitment to fully consider the issue of historical adoption practices in Scotland. The Minister for Children and Young People, Clare Haughey, is grateful to have had the opportunity to hear from women, sons and daughters across the country who have taken the time to share their own personal stories and explain how it has affected their lives. We now want to open this conversation up more widely to hear from more people affected and to ensure they are able to access support.

Historical adoption questionnaire

We have developed an online questionnaire to invite views from anyone who has been affected by historical adoption in Scotland. And from those who may also wish to take the opportunity to share their story. This is so that we can continue to learn and understand about the support that is needed now and in the future. The questionnaire is available from 26 January 2022.

The Family Care Team in the Scottish Government would like to hear from anyone affected by these outdated adoption processes, their representatives and/or organisations with an interest in historical adoption practices in Scotland. 

Further details, including the links to the questionnaire and details of agencies that may be able to help if you have been affected by this issue, are available on the Government's website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/historical-adoption/ 

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.

TNA update on work to receive 10 million UK military service records

The National Archives (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) in England has provided an update on the mammoth undertaking it has just started in transferring almost 10 million UK military service records to its facility at Kew from the Ministry of Defence, representing service in the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

From the post:

The records included in this collection cover personnel in all three services, Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, where the individual has a date of birth prior to or up to 1939. They include around 500 000 with First World War service and the vast majority of those who served in the Second World War. These records are of national significance which is why both MOD and The National Archives are working to ensure that their long-term preservation can be assured before they are made accessible to public both online and on site at Kew.

This is the biggest and most complex transfer of public records in our history. In an average year, we will take in approximately 1.5 linear kilometres of physical records from government departments. These service records will require us to take in an additional 33 linear kilometres of physical records over the life of the project. We know the project carries significant operational and logistical overheads, but this is an incredible opportunity allowing us to develop an understanding of the records and the information they hold.

The archive also explains that there will likely be some major restrictions on access to more recent material once they have been catalogued:

As these are personnel records, they naturally contain a range of personal data including medical information. To protect the information in these records, closure will apply until 115 years past the date of birth of the individual. Whether or not the material can be open to all or closed fully or in part will be assessed on this basis or upon request under relevant data protection and freedom of information laws.

For the full post please visit https://livelb.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/mod-records-project/.

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.

Update on Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

From the UK Government:

The UK Government has today announced that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September with a fourth and fifth grant. We will contact customers who may be eligible for the fourth SEISS grant from mid-April to tell them how they can claim.

The fourth and fifth grants will take into account 2019 to 2020 tax returns and will also be open to those who became self-employed in the 2019 to 2020 tax year. This means that some customers may be able to claim, even if they were not eligible for previous grants.

To qualify, you must have filed your 2019-20 Self Assessment tax return by 2 March 2021, at the latest.

Fourth SEISS grant

The UK Government will pay a taxable grant which is calculated based on 80% of three months’ average trading profits, paid out in a single payment and capped at £7,500 in total. The value of the grant is based on an average of your trading profits for up to four tax years between 2016 to 2020, where available.

The grant will be available to claim by late April. As with previous grants, trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to non-trading income in order to claim the fourth SEISS grant.

Eligibility for the fourth SEISS grant will depend on whether you experienced a significant financial impact from coronavirus between February 2021 and April 2021.

HMRC will take into account your 2019-20 return when assessing your eligibility for the scheme. This may also affect the amount of the fourth grant, which could be higher or lower than previous grants you have received.

For this period, you will need to make an honest assessment that there has been a significant reduction in trading profits due to reduced demand or your inability to trade. If you make a claim, you will need to keep appropriate records as evidence.

For further details of the changes to eligibility and calculation of the grant, please visit GOV‌‌‌.UK and search 'Self-Employment Income Support Scheme'.

What happens next

HMRC will contact you from mid-April if we believe you may be eligible for the fourth SEISS grant to tell you how you can claim. You will be provided with your personal claim date, which will be the earliest date you can submit a claim for the fourth SEISS grant.  

Claims for the fourth SEISS grant must be made by 31‌‌ ‌May 2021, at the latest.   

The UK Government has also announced that there will be a fifth and final SEISS grant, covering the period between May and September, which you will be able to claim from late July if you are eligible.

The amount of the fifth grant will be determined by how much your turnover has been reduced. The grant will be worth 80% of three months’ average trading profits, capped at £7,500, for those with a higher reduction in turnover (30% or more). For those with a lower reduction in turnover, of less than 30%, the grant will be worth 30% of three months’ average trading profits.

Further details will be provided on the fifth grant in due course.

For more information on the fourth grant visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-employment-income-support-scheme-grant-extension

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.

UK Government extends coronavirus self-employed support scheme

The Westminster government is extending the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme for those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with two forthcoming taxable grant payments to be made to cover the periods from November 2020 to January 2021, and February 2021 to April 2021. 

That's the good news - but the bad news is that the two forthcoming payments will be based on just 20% of average monthly trading profits, as opposed to the previous grants paid at 80% and 70% payments. 

No further details are available as yet, but HMRC will publish further information in due course at www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-employment-income-support-scheme-grant-extension/self-employment-income-support-scheme-grant-extension.

Chris

My next 5 week Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Registers course starts November 2nd - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. 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.

Irish 2021 census postponed until 2022

In mid-July the National Records of Scotland announced that the 2021 Scottish census was to be postponed until 2022, due to the current coronavirus pandemic (see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2020/07/coronavirus-moves-scotlands-next-census.html). Now the Republic of Ireland's Central Statistics Office has announced the same move - the Republic's 2021 census is to move to April 2022.

Here's the full announcement from the CSO:

Statement on the postponement of Census 2021

On the advice of the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the Government has today decided to postpone the 2021 Census to 03 April 2022.

Explaining the decision, Pádraig Dalton, Director General of the CSO said: “The Census of Population is a unique count of everyone present in Ireland on Census night and provides essential information for planning and decision making. It is vital that the Census enables everyone in Ireland to participate so that the information gathered reflects all of our needs and can be used to make decisions that benefit us all.

The decision to postpone the Census scheduled for 18 April 2021 until 03 April 2022 was not taken lightly and was based on a number of factors. Foremost in the decision making, was the need to ensure the safety of the general public and CSO field staff, coupled with the need to deliver a Census that achieves the highest possible response rate, across all facets of Irish society.

Furthermore, the Census of Population is a major logistical operation and COVID-19 restrictions have prevented or delayed many key planning activities from taking place over recent months.”

On consideration of these challenges the Government has decided to postpone the 2021 Census until April 2022 to enable the CSO to undertake a comprehensive, inclusive and safe Census in 2022 which will provide valuable and accurate data for our country in the years ahead.

As things stand, the censuses for Northern Ireland, England and Wales are still scheduled to be undertaken in 2021, but coronaviris may well yet derail that.

(Source: https://www.cso.ie/en/csolatestnews/pressreleases/2020pressreleases/pressstatementpostponementofcensus2021/)

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.