Stirling Family History Conference 2009 - update

Just a quick update on the Stirling Family History Conference planned for 19th – 21st June 2009 by Stirling Council Library and Archives Department, and to be held at The Albert Halls, Dumbarton Road, Stirling. The conference title has been slightly amended, and is now to be named 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor: Routes to your Stirling roots'.

Chris

Issue 61 of Your Family Tree now on sale

Issue 61 of Your Family Tree is now on sale (£4.99), and has been given a new freshened look. Yours truly has contributed a couple of articles on census records and the expense of Irish records, and other content this month includes an amusing news story about Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie, who may never show his face in Scotland again, a review of the new Dundee Family History Centre, and excellent articles on jewellers, military photographs, and 10 very useful sets of records you may have overlooked, as well as a focus on Pembrokeshire.



Chris

UK outbound passenger records 1940-1949

Findmypast.com has just added another decade to its listings for outbound passenger lists from the UK. This now brings the total to over 20 million names and 137,00 passenger lists, covering 1890 to 1949.

For more information visit their dedicated website at www.ancestorsonboard.com

Chris

Royal Naval Division Casualties of the Great War

Ancestry has just placed a new database online, recording the deaths of those who fought for the British Royal Naval Division from 1914 to 1924. It was compiled from original service records and all other sources listing RND casualties, and the information contained within it includes name of serviceman, service branch, unit, date of death, cause of death, service history, and burial information.

For more information, see http://ancestry.co.uk.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=65

Chris

Boat burning in Lerwick!

The BBC have uploaded some photos from the recent Up Hell Aa celebrations at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7217207.stm.

Love it...!

Chris

Reduced seating capacity at the National Archives in Kew

The National Archives have announced that due to ongoing major building works at the site, seating capacity has now been temporarily reduced until late spring 2008. They advise that due to ongoing noise problems and disruption to services, it may be worth postponing a visit until the work is completed. As seating is now restricted, the facility to order up documents prior to a visit has also been temporarily withdrawn, though bulk ordering of documents is still possible.

In addition, the complete closure of the Family Records Centre from March 15th has also been confirmed, with all services moving to the National Archives, as previously announced. The services previously offered at the FRC should resume on March 25th at Kew.

For more information, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/182.htm?homepage=news

Chris

Ulster Historical Foundation

The Ulster Historical Foundation has written to me, astonishingly, to tell me that they have arranged an American based lecture tour in two months time, but would like my help in securing additional speaking engagements as they seem to be a bit underbooked. They have the following locations booked:

Saturday, 8 March 2008, Pennsylvania
Thursday, 13 March 2008, Washington, DC
Friday & Saturday, 14-15 March 2008, Fairfax, VA

In the words of their organisation's operational manager, Allan Leonard, "The Ulster Historical Foundation is heading to America for a series of lecture presentations in March 2008. We are writing to ask for your assistance in providing us some suggestions and support for additional speaking engagements in your local area. We are looking to speak to additional audiences anytime from Sunday, 9 March, to Wednesday, 12 March. We are also available on Sunday, 16 March."

So if you can help them justify the expense of their tickets, please feel free to call them.

It should be noted that Scotland's Greatest Story strongly advocates boycotting the society's online access to their BDM records via their Ancestry Ireland website, until they can bring their prices into line with those available throughout the rest of the UK, or until the Irish records are digitised and made available at cheaper rate (as with the 1911 Census, available for free). In particular, we believe that the design of their search interface on their website makes it impossible to narrow down the correct record prior to paying for it, and that this, plus their high costs, is pricing people of Northern Irish descent from being able to access their own heritage. To put it into context, for the price of one transcription of a BDM event on the UHF website, you can buy five facsimiles of original Scottish BDM documents through Scotland's People. The situation is replicated on similar sites run by the Irish Family History Foundation, which we equally believe should be boycotted.

So whilst £6 per transcription can help fund expensive flights to America, it is perhaps not so helpful in allowing people to do their own genealogical research, which is surely what it should be about?

Chris

PS: For those researching Ulster ancestors, the indexes to Northern Irish births from 1922 to 1983 are available at New Register House in Edinburgh, on a terminal in the Dundas Room. They do not hold similar indexes for marriages or deaths. Using these indexes, you can then order the appropriate certificates from the GRO in Belfast.

Shetland Hamefarin 2010

Not having any Shetland blood in myself, there are times when I really wish I had - where else in Scotland can you set fire to boats and get away with it?!!!!

Shetland plans a real hooley for expats at the 2010 Shetland Hamefarin (Homecoming). For more information visit the event's website at http://www.shetlandhamefarin.com/index.php.

And if you plan to come over, and fancy digging into your family history before you come, at Scotland's Greatest Story we would be only to happy to help!

Chris

Forthcoming Scottish lectures and events - February

The following lectures and events will be taking place in February within Scotland:

Histories of Old Angus Families by Jack Blair
5th Feb 2008, 6.00pm – Tay Valley FHS - Waterstones Bookshop, 35 Commercial Street, Dundee.
Tel: 01382 461845 E-mail: tvfhs@tayvalleyfhs.org.uk Web: www.tayvalleyfhs.org.uk

German-Jewish Ancestry by Jeanette Rosenberg
5th Feb 2008, 6.30pm - University of Strathclyde Genealogy Lecture Series - Ground Floor (Level 2), Graham Hills Building, 40 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1QE.
Tel: 0141 5484147 Web: www.cll.strath.ac.uk/genealogy

Speaker: Robin Urquhart – Online Resources Archivist, The National Archives of Scotland (SCAN)
5 FEB 2008, 7.00pm – West Lothian FHS - West Lothian Library Headquarters, Connolly House, Blackburn.
E-mail: honsec@wlfhs.org.uk Web: www.wlfhs.org.uk

Thomas Davidson - the Scottish Probationer, by Ken Fotheringham.
Sun, 10 February 2008, 2.30 pm – Borders FHS – Corn Exchange & Ormiston Institute, Market Square, Melrose. Free.
Web: www.bordersfhs.org.uk

Soldiers & Sailors Names on the Internet by Alison Rosie
Tues, 12th Feb 2008, 7.00pm – Fife FHS –. Buckhaven Theatre, Lawrence Street, Buckhaven.
E-mail: webadmin@fifefhs.org Web: www.fifefhs.org

19th Century Heidies by Sheila Dinwoodie
Tues, 12th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – Largs and North Ayrshire FHS – Community Room, Largs Library, Allanpark Street, Largs.
Web: www.largsnafhs.org.uk/home.htm

Speaker: Ben Macgregor (subject not advertised)
Wed, 13th Feb 2008 – Caithness FHS –– Miller Academy, Thurso.
E-Mail: sandy.gunn@btinternet.com Web: www.caithnessfhs.org.uk

Alluring Architects, by Sarah Fairclough.
Wed, 13th Feb 2008, 7:30pm – CSFHS – Smith Museum and Art Gallery, Dumbarton Road, Stirling.
Web: www.csfhs.org.uk

Digital Ancestors (Glasgow Mitchell Library) by Elizabeth Carmichael
Thurs, 14th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – East Ayrshire FHS – Gateway Centre, Foregate Square, Kilmarnock.
E-mail: enquiries@eastayrshirefhs.org.uk Web: www.eastayrshirefhs.org.uk

History in Scottish Catholic Records
Thurs, 14th Feb 2008 – Lanarkshire FHS – GLO Centre, Muir Street, Motherwell, from 7pm until 9pm approx.
E-mail: info@lanarkshirefhs.org.uk or society@lanarkshirefhs.org.uk Web: www.lanarkshirefhs.org.uk

Heraldry by Gordon Casely
Sat, 16th Feb 2008, 2.30pm – Aberdeen and North East Scotland FHS –– Queen Street Church Hall, 79 Queen Street, Aberdeen.
E-mail: enquiries@anesfhs.org.uk Web: www.anesfhs.org.uk

Dissent and Diversity: pre 1855 Non-conformist Churches in Scotland by Andrew Muirhead
Mon, 18th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS – Lecture Theatre No. 1, Boyd Orr Building, Glasgow University, University Avenue, Hillhead, Glasgow.
Web: www.gwsfhs.org.uk

AGM - followed by ‘Prized Family History Objects’
Mon, 18th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – The Scottish Genealogy Society - Augustine Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
Tel/Fax: 0131 220 3677 E-mail: sales@scotsgenealogy.com Web: www.scotsgenealogy.com

The Glasgow Necropolis by Ian Kennedy
19th Feb 2008 – Troon @ Ayrshire FHS – time and venue not advertised.
E-mail: info@troonayrshirefhs.org.uk Web: www.troonayrshirefhs.org.uk

The Smugglers who Saved a Language by John Millar
Thurs, 21st Feb 2008 – Alloway & South Ayrshire FHS – Alloway Parish Church Halls, Auld Nick's View, Alloway, KA7 4RT.
E-mail: secretary@asafhs.co.uk Web: www.asafhs.co.uk

The Arms of a Danish Crown Princess and her father Prof John Donaldson by Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard (Provisonal)
Sat, 23rd Feb 2008 – The Heraldry Society of Scotland – Venue TBA.
E-mail: c.napier@napier.aol.com.uk Web: www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk

Redcastle - a Black Isle Estate over the Centuries by Graham Clark
Tues, 26th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – Highland FHS – Netley Centre, Highland Hospice, Bishop’s Road, Inverness, IV3 5SB.
E-mail: jdurham@highlandfhs.org.uk Web: www.highlandfhs.org.uk

Paisley Canals by Donald McKinnon
Tues, 26th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – Renfrewshire FHS - Waterfront Campus, James Watt College, Greenock.
Web: www.renfrewshirefhs.co.uk

Speaker: Margaret Barbour
28th Feb 2008, 7.30pm – North Perthshire FHS - The Tryst Hall (behind the Church), West Moulin Road, Pitlochry.
Web: www.npfhg.org

FindMyPast puts the Great Western Railway Shareholders Index online

Find My Past, in conjunction with the Society of Genealogists, has just announced that it has put the Great Western Railway Shareholders Index online.

This new online resource contains the details of over 290,000 people including 77,000 shareholders in the railway company along with related parties, such as executors or spouses. Records date from when the GWR was created in 1835 and the series continues through to 1932. This first online release covers the ledgers for the period 1835 to 1910. The indexes to the registers for the period 1911 to 1932 will follow in due course.

The Great Western Railway, also known affectionately as "God's Wonderful Railway", was built to link London to the West Country, South Wales and the South West of England. In almost all entries, the name of the shareholder is given together with an address, the names of the other parties (executors or legatees for deaths; husbands for marriages) and dates of death, probate, marriage or other event. Some 90% of the events recorded are deaths, since the purpose of these registers was to record change of ownership of the shares, and the death of the original shareholder was the most likely reason for this to happen.

Each of the original volumes held at the Society contains between 450 and 600 individual entries, which may relate to an event occurring up to 20 years earlier than the making of the entry. Visitors to the findmypast website will be able to search the index to these records by entering the name of their ancestor, which will produce a free list of results showing the full name, year and place of the event.

For more information, visit www.findmypast.com .

Chris