Sunday 13 October 2024

Scottish Indexes conference on November 23rd

Graham and Emma Maxwell will be hosting their next Scottish Indexes conference, the twenty-sixth conference, on November 23rd 2024, with registration now open.

The following speakers have already been confirmed:

  • 'Housing the Miners' by Kay Williams 
  • 'Town and Gown – St Andrews University Archive' by Sarah Rodriguez.
  • ‘Historic Scotland in the archives: Using Historic Environment Scotland Archives to explore historic sites around Scotland’ by Joseph Waterfield.
  • 'Using the internet & PRONI for Northern Irish research' by Chris Paton.
  • 'Beyond ScotlandsPeople: Breaking Down Brick Walls in Scottish Research' by Alison Spring.

For further details, and to register, please visit https://www.scottishindexes.com/conference.aspx.

Chris 

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

FindmyPast adds historic Jamaican parish records

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has added the following records this week:

Jamaica Baptisms, 1664-1880

This week's first new set consists of 404,465 Jamaican baptism records, which cover churches across the island between 1664 and 1880.

Jamaica Marriages, 1664-1880

We've also bolstered our Jamaican marriage records - there are 89,180 transcriptions for you to discover. These new records also cover from 1664 to 1880.

Jamaica Burials, 1664-1880

If your ancestor was buried in Jamaica between 1664 and 1880, their name may appear within these 196,146 brand-new burial records.

For further details on this and other releases, please visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/jamaica-baptisms-burials-marriages-daily-express.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

British Newspaper Archive passes 85 million pages of content

The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) has just passed 85 million pages of content, with the current total at time of writing being 85,001,400 pages. 

Unfortunately there are only a few scraps of Scottish and Irish content added in the last 30 days:

Kirkintilloch Herald
1961

Falkirk Herald
1996

Motherwell Times
1990

Derry Journal
1998-1999

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Saturday 12 October 2024

PRONI workshop in Belfast on October 23rd

For those in Belfast:

PRONI - Getting started workshop at Whiterock Library
 
Wednesday, October 23, 2024 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM (United Kingdom Time)
Whiterock Library • Belfast BT12 7FW  

Are you thinking of starting your family history, or local history research?

We are delighted to be on tour at Whiterock Library to hold an onsite workshop.

This workshop has been designed to help you get started using PRONI's own online services and other online resources.

It is also a chance for you to ask your questions directly to PRONI staff!

To sign up visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/proni-getting-started-workshop-at-whiterock-library-tickets-1044876191817

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Internet Archive is currently offline following hack

The Internet Archive at https://archive.org has been down since at least Thursday, with the following message displayed:

Temporarily Offline

Internet Archive services are temporarily offline.

Please check our official accounts, including Twitter/X, Bluesky or Mastodon for the latest information.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Hopefully it shouldn't be to long before it is back up again.

UPDATE: The Internet Archive was hacked a few days ago. See https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/10/10/internet-hacked-wayback-machine-down-31-million-passwords-stolen/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Monday 30 September 2024

TheGenealogist completes project to link census entries to maps

From TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk): 

TheGenealogist Unveils 1841 Census on its Innovative Map Explorer
Discover over 18.4 million individuals on historical maps

Leading genealogy research website TheGenealogist has announced the integration of the 1841 census into its cutting-edge MapExplorerTM tool. This significant addition allows family historians and researchers to delve deeper into their ancestral past with unprecedented geographical context.

Key Highlights:
●    The 1841 census, the first modern census of England, Scotland and Wales, is now on TheGenealogist's MapExplorer.
●    Locate your ancestors to the parish, street or even house they lived in
●    Over 18.4 million individuals are recorded in the 1841 census and you can now explore their neighbourhoods
●    Users can visualise their ancestors' locations on historical maps, providing a unique perspective on family history

Mark Bayley, Head of Online Development at TheGenealogist, stated, "We're proud to announce the completion of our project to "map the census". Never before could you pin down your ancestors through each year, from 1841 all the way to the 1939 register. This visual approach to genealogy brings the past to life in ways never before possible."

Found in these records is Surgeon Nurse Eliza Roberts, the forgotten hero of the Crimea, read her story here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2024/eliza-roberts-a-forgotten-pioneer-in-nursing-7666/

To celebrate this release, for a limited time you can claim a Diamond Subscription for just £99.45, a saving of £40. You can claim this offer here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBCEN924

Offer expires 30th December 2024.

Comment: The Scottish component of the MapExplorer tool is for the 1841-1901 censuses. The Scottish 1911-1921 censuses are only available on ScotlandsPeople, whilst the 1939 National Identity Register for Scotland is only available from the NRS.

(With thanks to Paul Bayley)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Saturday 28 September 2024

Ancestry adds index to UK professional boxers 1900-1979

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added another third party index to its database, this time documenting professional boxers:

Web: United Kingdom, Index of Professional Boxers, 1900-1979
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/70956/
Source: boxinghistory.org.uk. https://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/alist.html Accessed: Jan 2024.

The site that it leads to, www.boxinghistory.org.uk, is the work of boxing historian Miles Templeton.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Friday 27 September 2024

British Newspaper Archive passes 84 million pages of content

The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) has just passed 84 million pages of content, with 84,006,438 pages at the time of writing.

The following are the latest additions for Scotland and Ireland over the last 30 days - it's not a lot:

Scotland

Kirkintilloch Herald
1961

Falkirk Herald
1993-1994, 1996-1997

Motherwell Times
1990

Carluke and Lanark Gazette
1987, 1992, 1994

Galloway Gazette
1996-1998

Milngavie and Bearsden Herald
1903

Brechin Advertiser
1993

Fraserburgh Herald and Northern Counties' Advertiser
1964


Ireland

Belfast News-Letter
1997, 2001

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Wednesday 25 September 2024

Back to university in Glasgow!

So that's me now back at university! On Monday, I started the year long (well, nine months!) Certificate HE course in Gaelic Immersion at the University of Glasgow, which is essentially a full-time attendance based course that will allow me to become fully fluent in Scottish Gaelic. I've been able to speak in Gaelic for a while, and properly to have conversations for almost two years now, but as a learner there's still that process of constantly translating in the head, as opposed to just speaking a language without thinking. This course, taught entirely in Gaelic, will hopefully push me through the pain barrier to full fluency, and perhaps towards pastures new after, although predominantly fluency is my main goal. This is my fourth time at university, having previously studied for an HND in Graphic Design at the University of Ulster in Belfast, a degree in Time-Based Media at the University of the West of England, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, but I can honestly say that this is the one that I think that I have been looking forward to the most, and with the least pressure in terms of a pre-determined outcome. I'm going to enjoy this one!

As part of the course we'll be doing all sorts of assessed work, reading a Gaelic book each week and meeting the authors, doing weekly work experience in a Gaelic speaking environment, spending three weeks in South Uist next year, and much more. I'm in a class of fifteen, and the vibe is brilliant, everyone is rooting for each other and enjoying the craic - it'sdefinitely going to be a fun year. This is me pictured outside the university's library, where tomorrow I will be popping in to see a book written by a five times great uncle, which was published in 1870!

From a work point of view the only casualty will be that I am having to cut back considerably on client work (I will be doing very little at all on that for a while, but may be able to take on some small jobs), but it is business as usual on all other fronts, including Pharos courses tuition, giving talks, writing articles, book writing, and so on - and of course, going to Australia for three weeks in November/December for the 18th Unlock the Past Genealogy Cruise (https://www.gould.com.au/18th-cruise-southern-australia/) as the lead speaker! I will continue to put out a newsletter weekly, but may need to revisit that decision if the workload gets a bit too heavy.

In the meantime, a quick heads up that on Tuesday, October 17th, I will be giving a talk to the Joint Meeting of the Ayrshire Family History Societies, entitled Breaking Ancestral Brick Walls with DNA, to show how powerful DNA can be as a tool to help smash your genealogical headaches. The meeting will be at Troon Portland Church Hall, South Beach, Troon, at 7:30 pm.

I will hopefully see some of you there!

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Strathclyde Institute of Genealogical Studies talk on Punjab Registers

From the Strathclyde Institute of Genealogy Studies (Strathclyde University):

Join us on Wednesday the 23rd of October (18.00 - 19.00 BST) for the fourth Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies’ Spotlight Talk featuring Dr Tejpal Ralmill and Professor Gavin Rand.

In this talk, Tej and Gavin will introduce the ‘Punjab Registers’ – a unique collection of archival records which reveal the scale of India’s ‘contribution’ to the First World War. Housed in the Lahore Museum, the Punjab Registers detail the names, biographies and service histories of some 320,000 recruits from colonial Punjab.

As part of a project undertaken by the UK Punjab Heritage Association (UKPHA) and the University of Greenwich, the Registers have recently been digitised and transcribed. The digitised Registers – all of which will be available online in due course – provide a unique resource for academic historians, as well as for genealogists and family historians, particularly those from the global Punjabi diaspora.

Tej and Gavin will discuss their work on the Registers to date and the next steps for their project, as well as reflecting on what the Registers tell us about the complex, and sometimes controversial, legacies of empire in the twenty-first century.

Reserve your FREE place using the 'Book Online' via https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/news/sigsspotlighttalks/.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.