Discover my Past Scotland issue 6 on sale

The sixth issue of online genealogy magazine Discover my Past Scotland has just gone on sale at www.discovermypast.co.uk, with many interesting features for those with a Scottish past.

John Hannay looks at the pleasures of the River Clyde 100 years ago, Wendy Glass examines how DNA can help with your family history research, Jenny Swanson provides a summary of Scotland's Homecoming so far, Michelle Higgs looks at 19th century body-snatching, there's a preview of this year's Angus and Dundee Roots festival, and yours truly provides a report on this year's Who Do You Think You Are? Live event in London, highlighting discoveries on new ways to help your Scottish family history research that I discovered there. In addition Kate Howard shows how to research your military ancestors from World War Two, and there are the usual regular features such as Bygone Days and your family history questions answered.

At just £2.50, it's a real bargain! The magazine can be read online or can be downloaded in PDF format, and back issues can also be purchased through the site.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk

Scotland's Greatest Story

Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Stirling Highland Games cancelled

The credit crunch is hitting hard, and as such, Stirling Council has announced that it is cancelling this year's Highland games on July 12th at King's Park. It's not great news for Scotland in the year of Homecoming, particularly amidst speculation over the possible cancellation of other public events in light of the currently developing swine flu epidemic.

For more on the story, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8025394.stm.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Ancestors magazine articles available for download

Ancestors magazine, produced by the National Archives at Kew, is making available past articles through its Documents Online service, in a new section entitled Features Online. At the moment five articles from issues 70 to 78 are available, either individually or in compilations, and in PDF format. Each article costs 75p, a combination of 5 will cost £1.50, and you can also order a combination of 3.

The Features Online site is at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/featuresonline.asp. A trial of the service is available in the form of the free download of an article entitled From Wills to War Medals, an article about the Documents Online service itself. This is an interesting development, and more articles will be made available through the service in due course.

In the meantime, for more information on the magazine itself, and to take out a subscription, visit www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk

Scotland's Greatest Story

Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Congratulations

A huge congratulations to both Annabel Bernhardt at Ancestry.co.uk and to Russell James, editor at Your Family Tree, with regards to their respective marriages in the last month.

Clearly they both have updates to their respective family trees to record - and as my auld Dad often says, may God have mercy on their souls!!!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

New tutors and courses for Pharos

Pharos Teaching & Tutoring Limited, the specialists in online family history and genealogy courses, has appointed four new tutors to its team.

Ruth Davies will be offering a course entitled Old Handwriting for Family Historians; Barbara Baker will be teaching Organising Your Genealogy; Kirsty Gray will be offering Discover Your Devon Ancestors; and yours truly also joins the team with Scottish Research Online.

This follows on from the company's recent announcement of a new collaboration with the Society of Genealogists, which will also be offering a course entitled I'm Stuck, How Can the Society of Genealogists Help Me?, to be taught by Else Churchill.

Personally speaking, I am absolutely delighted to be joining Pharos, and will be taking my first course from August 24th. The Scottish Research Online course provides a detailed introduction to the key online databases used in Scottish family history research, as well as instruction on the most effective techniques to help you structure a plan for your research. The course lasts for five weeks and is priced at £42.99.

For more information on this course, and others offered by the Pharos team, please visit www.pharostutors.com/coursesmainsd.php.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Family History Monthly June 2009 on sale

The next issue of Family History Monthly is now on sale, with a host of goodies inside.

From a Scots point of view there is an excellent four page article by Keith Gregson on Shetland, news on the University of Edinburgh's new MSc in Diaspora and Migration History, and a review of The Tin-Kin by Eleanor Thorn, a novel about Scotland's travelling community. Further articles cover trash in the attic, first steps in family history, the English Civil War, ice cream, the Time Lords (OK, watch and clock makers!), and all the usual regular features. Yours truly has also contributed an article on the Guild of One Name Studies.

All for stonkingly good value at £3.75!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Glasgow Women's Library seeks new recruits

The Glasgow Women's Library, which is planning to move to the Mitchell Library, is currently recruiting for three paid positions - a full time archivist, a full time lifelong learning development worker, and a part time admin worker. For more information, visit www.womenslibrary.org.uk/2009/04/job-vacancies/.

In last Friday's Herald newspaper, Ann Wallace interviewed the library's strategic development manager Sue John, who is currently organising the Women on the Shelf campaign, which is raising money by inviting people to sponsor a shelf that they can dedicate to a woman of their choice. The money raised will go towards the library's move to the Mitchell.

In the article Sue outlined how the archivisit role is a new job created as part of a three year project funded to the tune of £410,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund, of which half will be spent on building the library's new premises within the Mitchell. The archivisit will be required to train 60 volunteers over the next three years in archiving and conservation techniques. The role of development worker will be linked to the establishment and running of courses on a range of topics, including adult literacy.

(With thanks to Elma Lindsay)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

1930s school day re-enacted

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, Gordonstoun boarding school in Moray has been taking its pupils through a 1930s style daily routine, including military style exercise drill and a good reading to by staff.

For more on the story, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8020217.stm.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Interview with the Lord Lyon's outgoing Procurator Fiscal

An interview in today's Scotsman newspaper with outgoing procurator fiscal for the Court of the Lord Lyon, George Way, includes some interesting revelations, such as how Donald Trump was recently forced to obey the laws surrounding the use of Scottish heraldry. Way is stepping down next month following his appointment to the sheriffdom of Tayside, Central and Fife by the Queen last week.

For all those interested in applying for the job, you can gain a sense of what is involved by reading the interview, conducted by Victoria Raimes, at http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Victoria-Raimes--meets-the.5207169.jp.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Interview with Raymond Evans of ScotlandsPeople

An interview with Raymond Evans, of the ScotlandsPeople website, is online at www.rootstelevision.com/players/player_conferences3.php?bctid=17059442001&bclid=10538975001. The interview was carried out by Dick Eastman on behalf of Roots Television. Amongst Raymond's many revelations is the fact that the marriage indexes post 1933 will soon be going online at the site at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving