Anglican baptismal registers from Derryloran parish in County Tyrone

I'm doing some client research just now involving the Church of Ireland parish of Derryloran in County Tyrone. The surviving records have been transcribed as part of the Representative Church Body Library's Anglican Record Project, but are not appearing in the list of records available at https://www.ireland.anglican.org/about/rcb-library/anglican-record-project, whilst the RCBL's excellent and recently updated List of Parish Registers at https://www.ireland.anglican.org/about/rcb-library/list-of-parish-registers simply redirects to the main ARP home page for Derryloran.

However the records are available online, with two baptismal registers available, one from 1796-1842, and another from 1843-1896. Both volumes also contain lists of confirmations from various years. I have contacted the RCBL and asked if they can update their directory. 

In the meantime, you will find the records themselves freely accessible at at https://www.ireland.anglican.org/about/rcb-library/anglican-record-project/derryloran. 

UPDATE: Fair play to the RCBL - they have responded within hours to say that they have rectified the situation and provided relevant links to the Derryloran pages from the ARP home page (with Armagh as the diocese), and will include the relevant links when they next update the List of Parish Registers. Excellent response!

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Forthcoming PRONI events in Northern Ireland

The following events are being organised by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) - register via the links:

Fate Unknown: Tracing the Missing after the Holocaust
25 January, 2pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fate-unknown-tracing-the-missing-after-the-holocaust-tickets-221976958057

Launch of Belfast Workhouse Indexes
27 January, 1pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/launch-of-belfast-workhouse-indexes-tickets-247209479207

Antrim – The Irish Revolution 1912-1923
9 February, 7pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/antrim-the-irish-revolution-1912-23-tickets-242968584577

Getting Started Workshops: Using Online Resources
9 and 23 February, 12.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/getting-started-workshop-using-online-resources-tickets-137600911029

The Cult of Patrick and his later Medieval Latin Lives
17 February, 7pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-cult-of-patrick-and-his-later-medieval-latin-lives-tickets-244374389377

Hindenburg, Ludenorff and the rise of the Nazis
9 March, 7pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-legacy-of-ww1-hindenburg-ludenorff-and-the-rise-of-the-nazis-tickets-244443877217

(With thanks to the PRONI Express via email)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Judicial review over Scottish 2022 census question

A group called Fair Play to Women is seeking a ruling through a judicial review that the definition of 'sex' in the forthcoming 2022 Scottish census is unlawful. The applicant's petition is available at https://fairplayforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Petition-as-lodged.pdf.

At heart is the issue about whether someone who is transgender can follow the Scottish Government's current guidance on how to answer the question on sex, as laid out at https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/scotland-s-census-2022-sex-question-guidance/. A recent ruling in England saw similar guidance removed prior to the taking of the 2021 census down south.

Scottish offical census day was delayed by a year due to the Covid pandemic, and is now slated to take place on Sunday, March 20th 2022, although forms will be made available from the end of February. You can find more about the census at www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk. 

NB: Please note, I am well aware how heated the current debate on gender reform has become - I am simply reporting a factual development with regard to a documentary source that our descendants will be using for family history purposes in a hundred years time. I make no comment on the issues at stake, and will not be publishing any comments for this post. Thanks!

Chris 

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

National Library of Scotland Map Transcription Projects

Fancy another transcription project?! From the National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk):

Over the next few months we are looking for volunteers to help with a set of new collaborative projects to transcribe features and text from maps. We are hoping to gather all of the placenames from the Roy Military Survey maps of Scotland (1747-55), trace footpaths from Ordnance Survey six-inch to the mile maps of Scotland (ca.1900s), and gather text from Ordnance Survey 25 inch to the mile mapping of Edinburgh. The results will be released as open datasets for onward use, allowing new place-name search possibilities, helping research into the history of footpaths to safeguard rights of way today, and assisting with automatic text recognition from historic maps.

For further details, and to register an interest, please visit our New Map Transcription Projects page.

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Derry surnames guide added to RootsIreland

From RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie):

We are delighted to announce the addition of 386 family surname histories to the Roots Ireland database! Written and compiled by Brian Mitchell of Derry Genealogy, these surname histories cover mostly Gaelic and Planter names from the north-west of Ireland and are an invaluable guide to those researching their family histories. These family histories are free to view at no cost and with no limit to those with a current subscription.  

For further details visit https://www.rootsireland.ie/2022/01/new-surname-histories/.

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

ScotlandsPeople Customer Satisfaction Survey

From ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk):

Have you used our services? We would love to hear your thoughts! We are currently carrying out a Customer Satisfaction Survey alongside the Institute of Customer Services which closes 4th February 2022. You can complete this short survey here – http://ow.ly/LiNx50HwK8Z

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

British Newspaper Archive passes 47 million pages of content

The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) has passed the 47 million pages mark, with 47,112,194 pages accessible at the time of writing.

The most recent additions from the last 30 days are available at https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/recently-added/30days. For Scotland and Ireland they include the following:

Scotland

Northern Scot and Moray & Nairn Express
1914-1915

Montrose Standard
1962

Arbroath Guide
1962

Huntly Express
1915

Port-Glasgow Express
1962

Arbroath Herald and Advertiser for the Montrose Burghs
1962

Northern Chronicle and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland
1915

Broughty Ferry Guide and Advertiser
1962

Dalkeith Advertiser
1962

Barrhead News
1915

Alloa Journal
1915

Banffshire Herald
1915

Banffshire Advertiser
1915

Leven Mail
1962

Highland News
1915

Orcadian
1915

Forres Elgin and Nairn Gazette, Northern Review and Advertiser
1915

Scottish Leader
1889

Evening Gazette (Aberdeen)
1884-1885

Ayr Observer
1875, 1879-1882, 1884-1885, 1888, 1891

Crieff Journal
1875-1877, 1879-1888, 1890

Bridge of Allan Reporter
1876, 1879, 1881-1887, 1889

Northern Advertiser (Aberdeen)
1858, 1879-1884, 1888-1890

Annandale Herald and Moffat News
1879-1885

Aberdeen People's Journal
1879, 1881, 1883

North British Advertiser & Ladies' Journal
1880, 1884, 1887

Glasgow Property Circular and West of Scotland Weekly Advertiser
1881-1882, 1884, 1889

Glasgow Weekly Mail
1881-1882, 1884

Saturday Inverness Advertiser
1880

Glasgow Weekly Herald
1882, 1886, 1890

Kelso Mail
1890

Galloway Gazette
1882, 1890

Fraserburgh Herald and Northern Counties' Advertiser
1890

Haddingtonshire Courier
1875-1877, 1882-1883, 1890

Galloway Advertiser and Wigtownshire Free Press.
1882, 1885

Dundee Weekly News
1883

Portobello Advertiser
1882

Dundee People's Journal
1883

Dunfermline Saturday Press
1876, 1879, 1881-1883, 1885-1886, 1889

Ayr Advertiser, or, West Country Journal
1884

Northman and Northern Counties Advertiser
1890


Ireland

Bray and South Dublin Herald
1876, 1878-1886, 1888-1889, 1891-1904, 1908-1909

Cavan Weekly News and General Advertiser
1889

Irish Emerald
1881-1888, 1890-1912

Cork Weekly News
1900

Ulster Echo
1880

Strabane Weekly News
1915

County Down Spectator and Ulster Standard
1915

Strabane Chronicle
1915

Fermanagh Times
1880

Bassett's Chronicle
1885

Cashel Gazette and Weekly Advertiser
1864

Belfast Weekly Telegraph
1894, 1929

Donegal Independent
1890

Belfast Weekly News
1881

Flag of Ireland
1872

Witness (Belfast)
1874-1880, 1883-1896

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Irish adoptees to gain right to see original birth certificates

Quite a big development in Ireland - the forthcoming Birth Information and Tracing Bill from the Republic's government, if it becomes law, will permit adopted children the right to see their original birth certificates and to learn the identity of their birth parents. 

Until now the law in Ireland has provided rights of privacy to mothers who have given up their children for adoption, in preference to the rights of those who have been adopted. If enabled, the new law, which builds on recent GDPR legislation from the EU, will also inform adoptees whether their birth mothers wish to establish contact with them. Details of fathers, if recorded on the birth certs, will also be passed on.

For more on the story read the Irish Times story at https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/adopted-people-will-be-given-right-to-see-their-original-birth-certificate-1.4774214.

(With thanks to Shauna Hicks via Facebook)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Scottish Research Online course from Pharos start Feb 28th

The next 5 week long Scottish Research Online course from Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd (www.pharostutors.com), taught by yours truly, starts on February 28th 2022. The following is the course description:

Scottish Research Online (102)
Tutor: Chris Paton

Scotland was one of the first countries to digitise its major family history records collections for accessibility online, and continues to this day to use such resources to promote a worldwide interest in family history for those with Caledonian connections.

This course, originally created by genealogist Sherry Irvine, and now taught and regularly updated by Scottish based genealogist Chris Paton, describes the major sites and record types that you will encounter in your research, and how to analyse the results. Most importantly it will inspire you to actively pursue your interest in Scottish genealogy and take it to the next level.

Lesson Headings:

• Understanding Scotlands People, FindmyPast, Family Search, Ancestry, and FreeCen
• Essential Maps and Gazetteers
• Civil Registration and Census Research
• Searching in Church of Scotland Registers
• Scottish Wills and Inventories
• Bonus lesson - 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 £7.50 for 30 credits)

Each lesson includes exercises and activities; a minimum of 1 one-hour chat - 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"

Relevant Countries: Scotland

Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 28 February 2022
Cost: £58

For a wee video introduction to the course, see below or visit https://youtu.be/ssdYLlGtoHw

I'll hopefully see you there! 

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

SAFHS Conference 2022 - 'Hard Times'

From the Scottish Association of Family History Societies (www.safhs.org.uk):

‘Hard Times’: Annual Conference Saturday 9th April 2022

Last year, due to the covid 19 pandemic the SAFHS Executive took the decision not to cancel the annual conference (2021) again, but to take it online. This was made possible thanks to Scottish Indexes www.scottishindexes.com who very kindly helped us in offering the use of their online platform. With their experience and assistance, Emma and Graham Maxwell were able to provide an online SAFHS conference for the very first time shown via a Zoom link and through our Facebook Group Live.

Each presenter pre-recorded their talk and there was time allocated after each one to allow the presenter time to answer questions live time after each one. Members of the SAFHS Executive, Emma and Graham were also on hand during these live Q&A slots.

The conference was very well received, and the viewing figures were in the thousands. Each presentation was available on YouTube for a week afterwards to allow those who were unable to join in on the day catch up later.

This year’s conference ‘Hard Work’ will also go online using the same platform and with the help of Scottish Indexes. We have already started planning this event and we are pleased to announce the following speakers:

Irene O’Brien, Glasgow City Archives
Myko Clelland, Find My Past
Fiona Musk, NHS Grampian Archive
Emma Maxwell, Scottish Indexes
Jill Williams, Irish Genealogy
Ken Nisbet, Scottish Genealogy Society and SAFHS

The talks will incorporate records of the poor, crimes, migration and immigration, Kirk Session and records from the asylums and institutions as to the effects poverty and ‘hard times’ had on people’s health.

Our Patron, Lord Lyon King of Arms who officially ‘opened’ SAFHS 2021 with a positively rousing opening speech in April has kindly agreed to officiate next year.

We will be updating the website and keeping you all informed through Facebook (we have a page and a group) and on twitter. To register for a Zoom link follow the link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4816346514768/WN_m3nVdz_kSNCTrhX4EXfVQg

Alison Murray, SAFHS 

(With thanks to Alison)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.