Family History Monthly issue 165 now on sale

The latest issue of Family History Monthly (Jan 2009, isue 165) is now on sale with the usual top notch features inside. As well as articles on gun makers, English civil war records, 'memento mori' and a research guide to County Tyrone, there is also a competition in which Scotland's Greatest Story is giving away a free day's research as a prize at the ScotlandsPeople Centre and/or the National Archives of Scotland. That's seven hours work, and all you have to do is answer a simple Scottish history based question to be in with a chance!

Good luck...!

Chris

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

Irish merchant seamen database 1918-21

Here's one that slipped past the radar when it was launched, but it is a cracker. If you have merchant seamen from Ireland who worked between 1918 and 1921, pop along to David Snook's website at www.irishmariners.ie , which contains details of almost 22,800 Irish merchant seamen, as held at Southampton Civic Archives under accession number CR10.

Here' some background, as noted on David's site:

The British Board of Trade began a central index for merchant seamen in 1913. During the Great War, the seamen's union, under James Havelock Wilson, successfully resisted attempts to make them subject to naval discipline and liable for conscription. The origin of the identity card scheme is in the manpower crisis of 1918. The government wanted to check that men registered as merchant seamen went to sea, and were not using the system to avoid conscription. The original index cards are held in Southampton Civic Archives and cover a multinational workforce of 270,000 seamen. (CR10 series) All jobs and ranks are covered. Each card lists personal and foreign voyages detail for the seaman together with a photograph to match that on the seaman's identity card. The overall standard of the photographs is very good. The system operated from late 1918 until the end of 1921. It is surprising that it continued after the war because the clerical cost to operate it must have been considerable. It is also fortunate that Irish born seamen are included because they were not liable for conscription. The system was simplified with no photographs in 1922.

A wonderful website.

Chris

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

Deceased Online record prices reduced for December

A few months ago I announced the launch of a new website called Deceased Online (www.deceasedonline.com), which is digitising the burial and cremation records of various local authorities in the UK and Ireland. At present, the records available are limited to Kent and Sussex crematorium records and Tunbridge Wells Borough Cemetery. The organisers of the site are reducing the access cost for these from £2.50 to £1 for December, and the minimum purchase price from £7.50 to £3 for 30 credits. Credits life has also been extended to 120 days.

From a Scottish point of view, obviously if you have relatives in either the Kent, Sussex or Tunbridge Wells areas, the site is currently worth a visit, but do keep an eye on the site as it develops - the organiser has informed me that records from authorities in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland are currently being digitised and will be released over the next few months, in addition to many from participating authorities in the rest of Britain, including from local authorities in London.

The Deceased Online team will also be present at the Who Do You Think You Are LIVE show at the end of February in London.

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

Heraldic artists

I've just come across a post from a blogger called Kimon Andreou listing some of the best heraldic artists currently working outwith Scotland, in Europe and America, with accompanying links to their websites.

If you are curious to see who the rest of the world turns to with their heraldic needs, visit the post at http://www.idtg.org/?p=129 !

Chris

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

Your Family Tree 72 on sale

Issue 72 (Jan 2009) of Your Family Tree magazine is now on sale, and as usual is packed with goodies. There's an update on the forthcoming English and Welsh 1911 Census release, articles on immigrant ancestors, journalists, sub-editors and typesetters, equity court records, the impact of radio, Family Tree Maker 2009, and a getting started with wills article from yours truly. The free cover mounted CD contains an 1884 Dublin directory, and school registers for students at Harrow from 1801-93.

All for £4.99 at your local newsagent's!

(NB: For overseas readers, YFT is known as Your Family History, for copyright reasons).

Chris

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

Scottish Way of Birth and Death - University of Glasgow project

A fabulous website is up and running from the University of Glasgow's Centre for the History of Medicine, entitled The Scottish Way of Birth and Death. Sponsored by the Wellcome Trust, the site gves a remarkable overview of the role of the General Register Office for Scotland, and its work from 1855 to 1939 in the civil registration of the country's vital events (births, marriages, deaths etc). I have read a few histories on the subject, but I don't think there has ever been anything as concise (with the exception perhaps of the book "Jock Tamson's Bairns" by Cecil Sinclair).

The project is available at www.gla.ac.uk/departments/scottishwayofbirthanddeath .

(A huge thanks to Alison Spring at the LDS Family History centre in Glasgow)

Chris

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

University of Strathclyde genealogy festival in 2009

The International Genealogy Festival at the University of Strathclyde will be running in Glasgow between Tuesday 21st July 2009 and Friday 24th July 2009, as one of the many Homecoming Scotland events throughout the country next year. Further details, including a downloadable PDF leaflet outlining the general programme, can be found at www.strathclydegenealogy.co.uk .

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk

Scotland's Greatest Story

Professional family history research & genealogical problem solving

Entry changes for National Archives of Scotland

The National Archives of Scotland has announced that from January 5th 2009 they will require readers to bring with them two colour passport-style photographs. One will be added to your reader’s ticket, as a means of identifying you when you enter the building, and to ensure that tickets are not transferred between readers. The other will be retained on file by the NAS along with a note of the contact details you supply when you obtain a reader’s ticket.

The NAS advises readers to obtain such photographs in advance of a visit to prevent delays in issuing new reader’s ticket. Photo booths are available in the St James Centre, Waverley Station and the Bus Station.

(With thanks to Falkyrn at Rootschat)

Chris

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

Royal Assent for Scottish Register of Tartans Act 2008

Royal Assent was given to the Scottish Register of Tartans Act 2008 on November 13th.

As part of the act, the Keeper of the Records of Scotland (the head of the National Archives of Scotland, currently George MacKenzie) will be known as the Keeper of the Scottish Register of Tartans in matters to do with the register, which has yet to be drawn up. Once constructed, the register is also to be made available on a website or by some other electronic means to the public.

The full wording of the act is available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2008/pdf/asp_20080007_en.pdf .

(With thanks to Antiony Maxwell's Scots Heraldry blog)

Chris

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

Closure at the National Archives in Kew for annual stocktaking

If you are planning on an imminent trip to the National Archives at Kew, you may wish to take heed of the following announcement rom the body:

The National Archives will be closed to the public on Friday 5, Saturday 6 and Monday 8 December 2008 for annual stocktaking. We will reopen at 09:00 on Tuesday 9 December. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Our online services will not be affected.


Chris

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