The Scotsman newspaper archive website has a half price offer on its annual subscription until April 10th. The price is reduced to £79 from £159.95. The archive covers editions from 1817-1950.
For more see http://archive.scotsman.com/pricing.cfm.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Friday, 9 April 2010
Letter concerning William Wallace
The National Archives at Kew has made a digitised facsimile of a letter concerning William Wallace (the real one, not mel Gibson!) available for free through its Documents Online service.
From the site:
As a result of increasing interest in a fourteenth century letter that mentions William Wallace, The National Archives has made available on DocumentsOnline a full transcription and translation to promote greater understanding of the document, alongside the digital copy of the letter that has been available for some years. The original document remains available for anyone to view in The National Archives, Kew (Catalogue Reference SC 1⁄30, no. 81).
Sir William Wallace, having led resistance to the English king, Edward I, travelled to the court of Philip IV of France in 1299 to try to persuade him to support the Scots against Edward. On 7th November 1300, a year after Wallace’s arrival in France, Philip wrote a letter to Rome concerning Wallace.
This document is often described as a safe–conduct, passport, or a grant of safe–passage for William Wallace, but is, in fact, a letter from King Philip to French agents in Rome, commanding them to ask Pope Boniface VIII to support Wallace in his case regarding Scottish independence.
It is recorded that three safe conducts(from the Kings of France, Norway and Scotland) were taken from Wallace when he was arrested in 1305; however the last time they were known to be in the custody of the English Crown was in 1323 in an inventory of records contained in the Exchequer (document reference E 36⁄268, pp. 238–40). No trace of the safe–conducts has been found after that date.
For more information, and to see the document, visit the TNA site at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/williamwallace.asp.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
From the site:
As a result of increasing interest in a fourteenth century letter that mentions William Wallace, The National Archives has made available on DocumentsOnline a full transcription and translation to promote greater understanding of the document, alongside the digital copy of the letter that has been available for some years. The original document remains available for anyone to view in The National Archives, Kew (Catalogue Reference SC 1⁄30, no. 81).
Sir William Wallace, having led resistance to the English king, Edward I, travelled to the court of Philip IV of France in 1299 to try to persuade him to support the Scots against Edward. On 7th November 1300, a year after Wallace’s arrival in France, Philip wrote a letter to Rome concerning Wallace.
This document is often described as a safe–conduct, passport, or a grant of safe–passage for William Wallace, but is, in fact, a letter from King Philip to French agents in Rome, commanding them to ask Pope Boniface VIII to support Wallace in his case regarding Scottish independence.
It is recorded that three safe conducts(from the Kings of France, Norway and Scotland) were taken from Wallace when he was arrested in 1305; however the last time they were known to be in the custody of the English Crown was in 1323 in an inventory of records contained in the Exchequer (document reference E 36⁄268, pp. 238–40). No trace of the safe–conducts has been found after that date.
For more information, and to see the document, visit the TNA site at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/williamwallace.asp.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Thursday, 8 April 2010
PRONI microfilm access at Cregagh Library
From the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland:
PRONI Self-Service Facility to move to Cregagh Library
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) has announced that its Self-Service Facility will temporarily move to Cregagh Library from September.
The move is to allow for the relocation of PRONI from its current base on Balmoral Avenue to a new facility in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.
A popular family history resource, which includes church records, the Self-Service Facility allows researchers to look at the records via microfilm.
Director of PRONI Aileen McClintock said: “Moving the Self-Service Facility is one of several measures PRONI is taking to allow uninterrupted access to a significant quantity of our records while we relocate to our new headquarters.”
In advance of the closure, PRONI is also taking steps to increase the volume and range of material available to researchers online. The 19th century street directories are now available through the website and additional sources for family history research will be uploaded in the coming months.
PRONI has worked with Libraries NI – the new single library service for Northern Ireland – to make sure these popular family history resources will continue to be available for research during this time.
This will further strengthen the commitment to strategic partnership between Libraries NI and PRONI who work closely together to provide access to heritage resources.
See www.proni.gov.uk or call 9025 5907 for more information.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
PRONI Self-Service Facility to move to Cregagh Library
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) has announced that its Self-Service Facility will temporarily move to Cregagh Library from September.
The move is to allow for the relocation of PRONI from its current base on Balmoral Avenue to a new facility in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.
A popular family history resource, which includes church records, the Self-Service Facility allows researchers to look at the records via microfilm.
Director of PRONI Aileen McClintock said: “Moving the Self-Service Facility is one of several measures PRONI is taking to allow uninterrupted access to a significant quantity of our records while we relocate to our new headquarters.”
In advance of the closure, PRONI is also taking steps to increase the volume and range of material available to researchers online. The 19th century street directories are now available through the website and additional sources for family history research will be uploaded in the coming months.
PRONI has worked with Libraries NI – the new single library service for Northern Ireland – to make sure these popular family history resources will continue to be available for research during this time.
This will further strengthen the commitment to strategic partnership between Libraries NI and PRONI who work closely together to provide access to heritage resources.
See www.proni.gov.uk or call 9025 5907 for more information.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
No more tweets from TNA until May
The National Archives at Kew has announced that it will not be releasing any more news stories on its website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk or tweeting any more on Twitter (http://twitter.com/YourArchives) until after the election in May, as it is part of the Civil Service.
Which is fair enough - so don't take it personally! :)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Which is fair enough - so don't take it personally! :)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Happy birthday Scottish National Party!
The Scottish National Party (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba), the current party of Goverment in Scotland, was founded today on April 7th 1934.
The party was formed from a merger of several parties, such as the National Party of Scotland (formed in 1928), and the Scottish Party, a splinter group of the Cathcart Conservative Association.
For more on the party's history, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
J M Barrie's christening robe
There's a search on for those who may have worn the same christening robe as Kirriemuir born J. M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan. The BBC has the story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8607253.stm.
(With thanks to Sheena Tait via Twitter)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
(With thanks to Sheena Tait via Twitter)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Longformacus monumental inscriptions on sale
Monumental Inscriptions for the Berwickshire parish of Longformacus are now available from Borders FHS for £7.50 plus p&p, with the disc also including some mortcloth records, militia lists, kirk session records and additional material.
For more, see http://blog.bordersfhs.org.uk/2010/04/new-monumental-inscriptions-volume-for.html.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
For more, see http://blog.bordersfhs.org.uk/2010/04/new-monumental-inscriptions-volume-for.html.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Orkney Girl Guides exhibition
For a moment, I thought the curators of Orkney Museum had gone just a tad mad when I read their latest blog post entitled Ging gang goolie goolie goolie goolie goolie goolie goolie woggle.
Not wishing to rush to judgement on the mental health of the writer, or to reflect on it as a possible comment on the nature of northern island life in the 21st century, I ventured to read further. Thankfully, I soon realised it was OK to put the stethoscopes away, as the post was in fact about a new Girl Guides exhibition running in Kirkwall from April 3rd - 24th...! :)
So get out your woggles (though perhaps, with respect, hold back on the goolies!), and have a look at the post at http://orkneyarchive.blogspot.com/2010/04/ging-gang-goolie-goolie-goolie-goolie.html, which includes lots of images from the Guides movement as held in the Orkney Photographic Archive.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Not wishing to rush to judgement on the mental health of the writer, or to reflect on it as a possible comment on the nature of northern island life in the 21st century, I ventured to read further. Thankfully, I soon realised it was OK to put the stethoscopes away, as the post was in fact about a new Girl Guides exhibition running in Kirkwall from April 3rd - 24th...! :)
So get out your woggles (though perhaps, with respect, hold back on the goolies!), and have a look at the post at http://orkneyarchive.blogspot.com/2010/04/ging-gang-goolie-goolie-goolie-goolie.html, which includes lots of images from the Guides movement as held in the Orkney Photographic Archive.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Scotland's comainn eachdraidh
The family history society movement in Scotland has an umbrella body in the form of SAFHS (http://www.safhs.org.uk/), which has its next annual conference on Saturday April 17th in West Lothian (see website for details).
I'm conscious that the islands only get a look in occasionally, and I'm keen to try to share their news as much as that over here! What many may not realise is that family history is as much a thriving concern in the Western Isles as it is elsewhere, but that whereas family history societies tend to be in ascendancy on the mainland, on the islands, and in some western communities, historical associations, or 'comainn eachdraidh' as they are mainly known in Gaelic, fulfil the same role.
If you have ancestors from the isles or the west coast, the following are details of many of their websites:
Comann Eachdraidh Barabhais agus Bhrù
(Baravas and Bru, Lewis)
www.barvasandbrue.com
Comann Eachdraidh Nis
(Ness, Lewis)
www.c-e-n.org
Comann Eachdraidh na Pairc
(Pairc, Lewis)
www.cepairc.com
Comann Eachdraidh an Taobh Siar
(West Side, Lewis)
www.ceats.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Uig
(Uig, Isle of Lewis)
www.ceuig.com
North Tolsta Historical Association
(North Tolsta, Lewis)
www.tolsta.info
Comann Eachdraidh Muideart
(Moydart)
www.moidart.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mor
(Lismore)
www.celm.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Bharraidh agus Bhatarsaidh
(Barra and Vatersay)
www.barraheritage.com
Comann Eachdraidh Bhearnaraigh
(Berneray)
www.isleofberneray.com/groups/historical.html
Comann Eachdraidh Bheinn na Foghla
(Benbecula)
www.benbeculahistorysociety.co.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Eige
(Isle of Eigg)
www.isleofeigg.net/heritage/society.htm
Comann Eachdraidh Ghleann Lìomhann
(Glenlyon)
www.glenlyon.org
Comann Eachdraidh Loch Ròg an Ear
(East Loch Roag)
www.breasclete.com/Groups/comanneachdraidh.html
Comann Eachdraidh Shlèite
(Sleat, Skye)
www.sleatlocalhistorysociety.org.uk
Elgol and Torrin Historical Society
(Elgol and Torrin, Skye)
www.elgolandtorrinhistoricalsociety.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mòr
(Lismore)
www.celm.org.uk
If I've missed any out, please let me know and I'll update accordingly!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
I'm conscious that the islands only get a look in occasionally, and I'm keen to try to share their news as much as that over here! What many may not realise is that family history is as much a thriving concern in the Western Isles as it is elsewhere, but that whereas family history societies tend to be in ascendancy on the mainland, on the islands, and in some western communities, historical associations, or 'comainn eachdraidh' as they are mainly known in Gaelic, fulfil the same role.
If you have ancestors from the isles or the west coast, the following are details of many of their websites:
Comann Eachdraidh Barabhais agus Bhrù
(Baravas and Bru, Lewis)
www.barvasandbrue.com
Comann Eachdraidh Nis
(Ness, Lewis)
www.c-e-n.org
Comann Eachdraidh na Pairc
(Pairc, Lewis)
www.cepairc.com
Comann Eachdraidh an Taobh Siar
(West Side, Lewis)
www.ceats.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Uig
(Uig, Isle of Lewis)
www.ceuig.com
North Tolsta Historical Association
(North Tolsta, Lewis)
www.tolsta.info
Comann Eachdraidh Muideart
(Moydart)
www.moidart.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mor
(Lismore)
www.celm.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Bharraidh agus Bhatarsaidh
(Barra and Vatersay)
www.barraheritage.com
Comann Eachdraidh Bhearnaraigh
(Berneray)
www.isleofberneray.com/groups/historical.html
Comann Eachdraidh Bheinn na Foghla
(Benbecula)
www.benbeculahistorysociety.co.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Eige
(Isle of Eigg)
www.isleofeigg.net/heritage/society.htm
Comann Eachdraidh Ghleann Lìomhann
(Glenlyon)
www.glenlyon.org
Comann Eachdraidh Loch Ròg an Ear
(East Loch Roag)
www.breasclete.com/Groups/comanneachdraidh.html
Comann Eachdraidh Shlèite
(Sleat, Skye)
www.sleatlocalhistorysociety.org.uk
Elgol and Torrin Historical Society
(Elgol and Torrin, Skye)
www.elgolandtorrinhistoricalsociety.org.uk
Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mòr
(Lismore)
www.celm.org.uk
If I've missed any out, please let me know and I'll update accordingly!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Scotland's smallest cathedral
I've lived in Largs since 2002, and have travelled the ten minute ferry trip to the island of Cumbrae on umpteen number of occasions, but the one thing I have never done is to visit the Cathedral of the Isles on the island, the smallest cathedral in Britain, and some say in Europe.
Here, for my pennance, I'll happily point you to a blog post on the Scotland for the Senses blog, detailing what to expect, at http://scotland4thesenses.blogspot.com/2010/04/easter-sunday-at-britains-smallest.html.
I must do better - a trip is now on the cards...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Here, for my pennance, I'll happily point you to a blog post on the Scotland for the Senses blog, detailing what to expect, at http://scotland4thesenses.blogspot.com/2010/04/easter-sunday-at-britains-smallest.html.
I must do better - a trip is now on the cards...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
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