This might help if your ancestor had a funny handshake down south...!
NEW RESOURCES TO HELP UNCOVER FREEMASONRY
Freemasonry in England is approaching its 300th birthday. During the course of those three centuries thousands of documents have been created by Masonic lodges. Local historians may well have come across some of them in local record offices or the National Archives. Now the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, based in London, has completed a survey of the whereabouts and types of material relating to freemasonry held by record offices around the country. This covers, on the one hand, the records of individual lodges and chapters which have been deposited by their creating body and, on the other, the surviving lists of members of masonic lodges submitted to the county magistrates and held among quarter sessions records under the 1799 Unlawful Societies Act. Whilst this is unlikely to be a complete record as it has relied on catalogued material available on the internet, it should be a useful starting point for local historians. The survey is available on line at: http://www.freemasonry.london.museum/resources/information-leaflets/
The Library and Museum has also completed a much larger survey of the records held by all masonic lodges and chapters in England and Wales. There are nearly 12,000 lodges and chapters, each holding records of their activities and membership. Some go back to the 18th century; most hold records going back to the foundation of the lodge in question. Returns were received from two thirds of the lodges and chapters surveyed and the survey details what records are held, their covering dates, their location and physical condition. This body of data – information was given on nearly 120,000 individual record items - provides an unrivalled source about the survival of a vast body of primary source material that can shed light not just on the masonic community that created but on the local societies in which freemasonry existed. If you would like to know what surviving records there might be for a particular area or town contact the Library and Museum initially on libmus@freemasonry.london.museum
An increasing amount of archive material on freemasonry in England and Wales has been catalogued by the Library and Museum and the searchable catalogue is available on the website www.freemasonry.london.museum/catalogue Working towards 2017 the Library and Museum of Freemasonry is undertaking a number of initiatives, including events and publications, to encourage more research into the role of freemasonry in English society.
Contact
Diane Clements
Director
020 7395 9250
dclements@freemasonry.london.museum
(With thanks to Helen Tovey and the Library and Museum of Freemasonry)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Monday, 14 February 2011
How many Scottish churches in 1851?
If you can't find a baptism before 1855 in the parish records on ScotlandsPeople, here's a wee eye opener as to why that might be!
See http://walkingineternity.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-many-scottish-church-denominations.html
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
See http://walkingineternity.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-many-scottish-church-denominations.html
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Ulster Scots blogs
I've stumbled across a blog by Mark Thompson of the Ulster Scots Agency, which may be of interest to those interested in the dialect of Scots in the north of Ireland. It can be read at http://clydesburn.blogspot.com/ and is called Bloggin fae the Burn. His latest post is about a book, One Hundred Scotch Hymns and Poems (Chiefly in the Scotch Dialect), Edinburgh 1881.
As someone from the Protestant community of south Antrim, I've never been remotely interested in the political side of Ulster Scots ("They've got Irish, so we're having Ullans"), but I am fascinated by the fact that my lot from Perth had a similar but different dialect and turn of phrase to my lot in Ulster. My own everyday use of English is full of local Scots terms used when I was a kid, which are every bit as legitimate in a living language as they once were in the past. My boys are often told off for being 'cheeky hallions' and if they are good they get a 'poke' (ice cream!) from the 'pokey van'! Except here in Scotland, a 'poke' is what you get chips in! (Both refer to a cone, and come from Gaelic, 'poca').
The Scots did bring Scottish Gaelic to Ulster with them also, but not in anywhere like the numbers of Lallans speakers. In my home town of Carrickfergus the Scottish fishermen of the Scotch Quarter had such a different dialect to the Irish Gaels in the Irish Quarter that both found it difficult to communicate with each other. And try reading something written in the Gaelic of Rathlin, and you'll see a very strong Scottish influence - as much as you'll see the Irish influence on Islay ('gun robh math agad', instead of 'tapadh leat' for 'thank you' etc). I won't be volunteering a Scottish Gaelic revival in Ulster though! lol
Mark has listed several other Ulster Scots blogs on his site, which may also be of interest:
Aiblins
At Hame
Balmoral Perspective
FuseFM Ballymoney
Good Night Safe Hame
Nelson's View
Newton Lass
North Antrim Speak
North Antrim Ulster Scots
Ullans Blog
Ullans Centre Ballymoney
Ullans Rhymes
Ulster Scots Rhymes
Ulster-Scots Journal
I've not yet considered their content, but they may also be of interest.
(With thanks to the Kentucky Historical Society on Twitter @KyHistSoc)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
As someone from the Protestant community of south Antrim, I've never been remotely interested in the political side of Ulster Scots ("They've got Irish, so we're having Ullans"), but I am fascinated by the fact that my lot from Perth had a similar but different dialect and turn of phrase to my lot in Ulster. My own everyday use of English is full of local Scots terms used when I was a kid, which are every bit as legitimate in a living language as they once were in the past. My boys are often told off for being 'cheeky hallions' and if they are good they get a 'poke' (ice cream!) from the 'pokey van'! Except here in Scotland, a 'poke' is what you get chips in! (Both refer to a cone, and come from Gaelic, 'poca').
The Scots did bring Scottish Gaelic to Ulster with them also, but not in anywhere like the numbers of Lallans speakers. In my home town of Carrickfergus the Scottish fishermen of the Scotch Quarter had such a different dialect to the Irish Gaels in the Irish Quarter that both found it difficult to communicate with each other. And try reading something written in the Gaelic of Rathlin, and you'll see a very strong Scottish influence - as much as you'll see the Irish influence on Islay ('gun robh math agad', instead of 'tapadh leat' for 'thank you' etc). I won't be volunteering a Scottish Gaelic revival in Ulster though! lol
Mark has listed several other Ulster Scots blogs on his site, which may also be of interest:
Aiblins
At Hame
Balmoral Perspective
FuseFM Ballymoney
Good Night Safe Hame
Nelson's View
Newton Lass
North Antrim Speak
North Antrim Ulster Scots
Ullans Blog
Ullans Centre Ballymoney
Ullans Rhymes
Ulster Scots Rhymes
Ulster-Scots Journal
I've not yet considered their content, but they may also be of interest.
(With thanks to the Kentucky Historical Society on Twitter @KyHistSoc)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
New Zealand - Scottish/Irish genealogy cruise
Here's some more news on the Unlock the Past (www.unlockthepast.com.au) front! The Australian based genealogy firm is currently organising a Scottish/Irish genealogy themed cruise around New Zealand and Australia from November 21st to December 5th 2011, with many speakers providing talks on a range of topics - and I am delighted to say that I have accepted an invitation to join the team giving talks.
The cruise will start at Auckland, New Zealand, and end at Sydney, Australia. It is scheduled to stop at the following destinations (cruise day number given before):
1. Auckland, New Zealand
3. Tauranga (Rotorua), New Zealand
4. Napier, New Zealand
5. Wellington, New Zealand
6. Picton, New Zealand
7. Lyttelton (Christchurch), New Zealand
8. Port Chalmers (Dunedin), New Zealand
12. Burnie, Tasmania
13. Melbourne, Victoria
14. Sydney, New South Wales
The full programme in terms of talks etc and additional speakers will be announced fairly soon, this is just something of a pre-announcement. As well as presentations on the ship, I am hoping to be able to give talks at some of the ports we visit also, and possibly at events before and after in Auckland and Sydney. It's early days yet, so keep an eye on the Unlock the Past website and this blog for further details in due course!
I had an enjoyable week last October in Australia on a talks tour organised by Unlock the Past (see http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2010/10/talks-tour-of-australia-report.html), but this will be a first visit to New Zealand for me, so I am very much looking forward to it.
For more information on the tour, please visit UTP's page at www.unlockthepast.com.au/events/history-and-genealogy-cruise-november-2011-scottish-irish-theme.
Looking forward to seeing you all again soon down under!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Unlock the Past's Scottish Poll
Australian genealogy firm Unlock the Past has announced a poll asking the question "What Scottish counties do you have ancestors from - or research interests in?" If you're an Ozzie with Scottish roots, or indeed outside of Australia, get clicking!
The company also recently ran a similar poll for those with Irish ancestry - the results can be viewed at www.unlockthepast.com.au/blog/6/2011/what-irish-counties-do-you-have-research-interests-poll.
I'm currently putting together a book for Unlock the Past entitled Discover Scottish Church Records, based on a recent talk I gave in Australia - more news on that soon when I get it finished! lol :)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Pharos: Scottish Research Online 5 week course
I've just spent an hour doing one of the regular weekly chats for the online Pharos course I teach, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs, now in its fourth week. It's too late to sign up for this one, but the next Scottish Pharos course begins on March 7th!
Scottish Research Online
Scotland was first to have major records digitized and offer indexes and images online. It has also been a leader in placing resource information on the World Wide Web. This course describes the major sites, the types of information and data that they offer, the forms in which databases are presented and how to analyze results. You will learn to lay the foundations for searching a family, how to select best resources and what to do next either online or in libraries and archives.
Instructor: Chris Paton
•Scotlands People, FamilySearch, Ancestry, FreeCen: content, comparison, assessment
•Essential Maps and Gazetteers
•Civil Registration and Census Research Online
•Searching in Church of Scotland Registers Online
•Scottish Wills and Inventories Online
•Take It From Here
Note: it is recommended but not required that students in this course sign up for the basic search option, 30 units/seven days, at ScotlandsPeople (cost is six pounds)
Each lesson includes exercises and activities; a minimum of 1 one-hour chat s See How the Courses Work.
STUDENTS SAID:
Scottish Research Online
Scotland was first to have major records digitized and offer indexes and images online. It has also been a leader in placing resource information on the World Wide Web. This course describes the major sites, the types of information and data that they offer, the forms in which databases are presented and how to analyze results. You will learn to lay the foundations for searching a family, how to select best resources and what to do next either online or in libraries and archives.
Instructor: Chris Paton
•Scotlands People, FamilySearch, Ancestry, FreeCen: content, comparison, assessment
•Essential Maps and Gazetteers
•Civil Registration and Census Research Online
•Searching in Church of Scotland Registers Online
•Scottish Wills and Inventories Online
•Take It From Here
Note: it is recommended but not required that students in this course sign up for the basic search option, 30 units/seven days, at ScotlandsPeople (cost is six pounds)
Each lesson includes exercises and activities; a minimum of 1 one-hour chat s See How the Courses Work.
STUDENTS SAID:
"I particularly liked the fact that the course didn't just focus on the well-known BMD resources available, but on a much wider range of websites, including many which give extremely useful background information on the geography and history of the localities where our ancestors lived."
"a very knowledgeable Instructor"
The course is priced at £43.99 and runs for five weeks. There is a lesson sent out weekly, a weekly chat to discuss the lesson and set exercises, and a dedicated chat forum throughout the duration for students and myself to interact. NB: this is the 'starter' course, with the 1750-1850 considered to be a follow on course - it will next run from October 17th.
For more information on these and other Pharos courses, visit www.pharostutors.com.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Friday, 11 February 2011
Cheap tickets for WDYTYA Live
For this weekend only, Ancestry.co.uk has a ticket offer for Who Do You Think You Are Live, at just £13 each.
For more see Russell James' blog post at http://blogs.ancestry.com/uk/2011/02/11/who-do-you-think-you-are-live-the-big-match/
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
For more see Russell James' blog post at http://blogs.ancestry.com/uk/2011/02/11/who-do-you-think-you-are-live-the-big-match/
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Forthcoming Irish developments
The Rootstech conference is currently underway in Utah, and I've been following the tweets of the National Archives' Audrey Collins today at a talk given by Brian Donovan of Eneclann. Audrey writes a blog called The Family Recorder at http://thefamilyrecorder.blogspot.com/ and tweets at @audreycollins23. She's been reporting all sorts of developments, one or two I'm familiar with, and what seems like dozens which I am not!
Here are some of Audrey's tweets:
* Irish GRO are re-keying their indexes, but progress is slow. But FamilySearch have indexes online up to 1958 :)
* The future: Tithe Applotment books begin digitised by NationalArchives.ie
* National Library has Catholic registers, will be digitised, may go online
* Irish Registry of Deeds set up 1707, 600k registered up to 1830, 1.5 million 1830-1929, digitisation may start late 2011
* Landed Estates Court records, from mid-C19th now indexed, online in 2-3 months. Sale catalogues of estates being broken up
* Irish prison records c4-6 million prisoners C19th, online this summer with Eneclann, details of families & victims too
* Irish Petty Sessions, from 1821, full record keeping from 1851, 15 million cases to 1910, phased release online from mid-2011
* Irish Revolutionary period 1912-23. Some already on Eneclann CDs, more online soon, including TNA (Kew) records :)
* 35K Army search and raid reports, court martial records, intelligence files to come
Audrey is also blogging about her time at the conference (she is also giving a talk there), so keep up with her developments at The Family Recorder or sign up to her account at Twitter!
(With a huge thanks to Audrey!)
UPDATE: One other detail from Marie Dougan (@dougangene):
* Looking forward to lots more Irish records online from Eneclann #rootstech. New website to be launched St Patrick's day!
(Thanks also to Marie)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Here are some of Audrey's tweets:
* Irish GRO are re-keying their indexes, but progress is slow. But FamilySearch have indexes online up to 1958 :)
* The future: Tithe Applotment books begin digitised by NationalArchives.ie
* National Library has Catholic registers, will be digitised, may go online
* Irish Registry of Deeds set up 1707, 600k registered up to 1830, 1.5 million 1830-1929, digitisation may start late 2011
* Landed Estates Court records, from mid-C19th now indexed, online in 2-3 months. Sale catalogues of estates being broken up
* Irish prison records c4-6 million prisoners C19th, online this summer with Eneclann, details of families & victims too
* Irish Petty Sessions, from 1821, full record keeping from 1851, 15 million cases to 1910, phased release online from mid-2011
* Irish Revolutionary period 1912-23. Some already on Eneclann CDs, more online soon, including TNA (Kew) records :)
* 35K Army search and raid reports, court martial records, intelligence files to come
Audrey is also blogging about her time at the conference (she is also giving a talk there), so keep up with her developments at The Family Recorder or sign up to her account at Twitter!
(With a huge thanks to Audrey!)
UPDATE: One other detail from Marie Dougan (@dougangene):
* Looking forward to lots more Irish records online from Eneclann #rootstech. New website to be launched St Patrick's day!
(Thanks also to Marie)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Further access to NAS kirk session records
Last November I announced that remote access had been given to the NAS's digital collections of kirk session records, as well as synod and assembly papers, in Aberdeen and Orkney (See http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2010/11/kirk-session-records-release-nas.html).
This service continues to expand and is currently available now at the following archives in their search rooms:
* Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives
* Highland Council Archives: Archive and Registration Service, Inverness
* Highland Council Archives: Lochaber Archive Centre
* Orkney Library and Archive
* Stirling Council Archives
Looking forward to Glasgow and the south-west of Scotland getting access in due course!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
This service continues to expand and is currently available now at the following archives in their search rooms:
* Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives
* Highland Council Archives: Archive and Registration Service, Inverness
* Highland Council Archives: Lochaber Archive Centre
* Orkney Library and Archive
* Stirling Council Archives
Looking forward to Glasgow and the south-west of Scotland getting access in due course!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Colonial Office images of Africa
From the National Archives at Kew:
Today we are excited to announce the launch of Africa Through A Lens, a collection of thousands of Colonial Office images of Africa. The images are as rich and varied as the continent itself, charting more than 100 years of African history from the 1860s through to the 1960s.
We want your help to add to our knowledge by identifying the people, places and events captured on film. You can browse the collection, add comments, and attach your own pictures to show how places have changed over time.
View the collection now and share your knowledge of this fascinating continent.
P.S. Tell us what you think of The National Archives’ website by taking our online survey.
(Thanks to TNA)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Today we are excited to announce the launch of Africa Through A Lens, a collection of thousands of Colonial Office images of Africa. The images are as rich and varied as the continent itself, charting more than 100 years of African history from the 1860s through to the 1960s.
We want your help to add to our knowledge by identifying the people, places and events captured on film. You can browse the collection, add comments, and attach your own pictures to show how places have changed over time.
View the collection now and share your knowledge of this fascinating continent.
P.S. Tell us what you think of The National Archives’ website by taking our online survey.
(Thanks to TNA)
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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