RCAHMS Canmore goes interactive

The CANMORE website, produced by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, is to become fully interactive from August. The following is an abridgement of the press release:

RCAHMS is the national collection of images and items about Scotland’s built heritage. The Edinburgh-based organisation maintains a searchable website allowing interested people quick access to archive materials about the built heritage throughout Scotland, ranging from ancient archaeological sites to the latest architectural ventures.

From August, its main web-based archive – Canmore - will become interactive for the first time. Members of the public will then be able to add detail to any of Canmore’s 280,000 places of interest and upload copies of their own site photos to share with other users. The innovative project has received Heritage Lottery funding to develop the system.

The interactive site is being tested during June and July and has already attracted some fascinating contributions. A group of Brownies from Elgin who took part in a workshop with RCAHMS to learn about Pictish stones have uploaded the photographs they took including images of Sueno’s Stone in Forres housed in its protective glass case.

Your contributions can be added from mid-August, 2009 on http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/.

(With thanks to Simon Fowler at Ancestors magazine)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

The Queen visits Culloden

Queen Elizabeth II has visited the battlefield at Culloden, the first ever British monarch to do so. During her trip with the Duke of Edinburgh she visited the site's new visitors' centre.

For more on the story see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8116431.stm and www.deesidepiper.co.uk/latest-scottish-news/Queen-visits-Culloden-battle-site.5411236.jp .

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Shetland's Hamefarin 2010

If you thought Homecoming Scotland was a big deal, you ain't seen nothing yet - the Shetlanders are planning a big hoolie up north next year!

To tie in with the Shetland Hamefarin 2010, the island's museum has put out the following appeal:

Shetland Museum and Archives seeks information on Emigrants for Hamefarin Exhibition

In 2010, Shetland will host a Hamefarin (homecoming), welcoming Shetlanders from all around the world back to their home islands. As part of the celebrations Shetland Museum and Archives is developing a special exhibition and are appealing for images and objects relating to Shetland emigrants.

The exhibition will tell the stories of islanders who emigrated from as far back as the 1500s right up to the present day, and include artefacts, documents, paintings and photographs. The Museum and Archives are especially interested in photographs or paintings of islanders in their new lives, for example at work, outside their home or sightseeing, as well as any artefacts and documents which can help to tell their story.

Due to the response the Museum and Archives expect, they have decided to restrict the items in the exhibition to first generation Shetlanders, i.e. those who were born in Shetland and later emigrated, even as a child. These can be from people who emigrated recently or items which have been handed down through a family, whose ancestor emigrated long ago. They would like to hear about people who settled in the Empire and foreign countries as well as mainland Britain.
If you are a Shetland emigrant, or a descendant of one, or if you have images, artefacts or documents related to Shetland emigrants that may be suitable for the exhibition please contact Helen Whitham at the Shetland Museum and Archives on:

Hamefarin Exhibition 2010
Shetland Museum and Archives
Hay’s Dock
Lerwick
Shetland
ZE1 0WP

Telephone: 01595 695057
e-mail: info@shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk/
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Discover my Past Scotland issue 8 on sale

The July 2009 issue of Discover my Past Scotland is now on sale at www.discovermypast.co.uk, with all the usual goodies and more.

In this month's magazine Wendy Glass gives a sneak preview at the biggest clan event ever to be held in Scotland - the Gathering - whilst Jenny Swanson gets into the spirit with an article on Highland dancing. John Hannavay looks at the history of Scottish sports, Sue Wilkes explores the capital city of Edinburgh, whilst Christina Green provides some top tips on setting out on your family history research.

Yours truly also contributes with two articles, one on the history of the Scottish forestry industry, the other on how Scottish family history societies can help with your research, including interviews with Jean Shirer of Aberdeen and North East Scotland FHS and Anne Allan from the FHS of Buchan. There's also the regular news and library columns, expert Q & As, events listings in Scotland, Bygone Days, Homecoming Happenings, and more.

All of that for £2.50? You're kidding....!

Also keep an eye out next month for the special one off print edition of Discover my Past Scotland, exclusively available at the Gathering event in Edinburgh. More details on that soon!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Waverley damaged at Dunoon

The last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, the Waverley, has been temporarily taken out of service following a heavy collision with Dunoon pier. Twelve people were slightly injured when the vessel hit the structure yesterday (Friday), and she has now returned to her berth in Glasgow in order to have the damage assessed.

For more information, visit www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Devine Discusses the Diaspora

From the National Library of Scotland:

The Global Scot: Emigration, Empire and Impact

30 June 7pm

Professor Tom Devine OBE explains how a county as small as Scotland came to have such an extraordinary influence on world development.

The British Empire was the largest the world has ever known, ruling over 750 million subjects in 1914. Scots were significantly over-represented in this global imperial project as governors, merchants, educators, soldiers, administrators and much else.

We expect this leading historian's talk to book out quickly, make sure you don't miss the boat!

All events held at NLS can now be booked online:

www.nls.uk/events/booking

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Come on Shetland! Museum in semi-finals for Lottery competition

From Shetland Museum and Archives - they need our support!

The Shetland Museum and Archives are delighted to have reached the semi-finals of the National Lottery Awards, the annual search to find the UK's favourite Lottery-funded projects. We are competing against nine other projects in the Best Heritage Project Category and need your help to reach the finals.

We are the only Scottish project short listed in this category and are competing with projects in large cities. As the award is decided entirely by public vote, we need to attract as many votes as possible to be in with a chance of reaching the final. Voting for the semi-finals started today and ends midday on Friday 10th July. If we are in the top three we will go through to a final round of voting in August, where the overall winner will receive £2,000.

To register a vote for us call 0844 686 8390 or log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/shortlistitem.cfm?id_category=5&id_entry=76 and click the vote now button at the bottom of the page . Visitors to the Museum and Archives can cast their vote at reception or in the Archives Searchroom.

Every vote counts so please spread the word and help us to generate as many votes as possible, we really appreciate your support.

Good luck to the museum!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Free ScotlandsPeople credits

Thanks to Helenbee from the Your Family Tree forum for the following:

In yesterday's Glasgow Herald supplement there was a section about 'Homecoming Scotland 2009'.

In it there was reference to free 20 units in 'Scotlandspeople'.

Log in as normal and go to section buy more, scroll down past the normal 'select number of units' box and in the voucher box type in heraldmag. You must register by 1pm on Saturday 27th and the credits are valid for 90 days.

Scotland's People is located at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk . A further ten credits is also available by registering at www.ancestralscotland.com .

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

New listing for Scotland's Greatest Story on eXpertGenealogy

Scotland's Greatest Story now has a page on the eXpert Genealogy directory site, located at http://expertgenealogy.com/?x=ScotlandStory. For all your Scottish genealogical research problems, we're only too happy to help.

Scotland's Greatest Story is your very own story - don't let anybody tell you any differently! :)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Heir Hunters - new series

A new series of Heir Hunters is due to start on Monday 29th June on BBC1 at 9.15am. The series follows efforts to track down potential beneficiaries of family fortunes waiting to be claimed.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Airdrie Library Local Studies Room - temporary closure

A poster on the Talking Scot forum has placed a notice stating that Airdrie Library's Local Studies Room will be closed to visitors over the next four weeks, due to some remedial listed building work repairs. There will apparently still be a limited enquiry service, and the phone will be manned, but access to microfilms etc will not be possible.

The Library has a website at the followimg link - Airdrie Local Studies.

(With thanks to Big Sanny at TS)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Family Historian 4

I've finally found a family tree programme that has weaned me away from Family Tree Maker 2006 - Family Historian 4, from Calico Pie.

I'm still playing around with it to see what it can do, but it is so user friendly it's unbelievable! It has all the functionailty of FTM 2006, takes up only a tenth of the hard drive that FTM 2009 takes up but offers similar features, and has some truly excellent charting capabilities.

The boxed set which I have also comes with 30 days free access to World Vital Records, so I'm looking forward to some fun there also!

A free downloadable 30 day trial of Family Historian 4 is available online at www.family-historian.co.uk.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

FamilySearch Alpha

There's a change coming to FamilySearch.org. From the site's dedicated blog:

Many of you have probably noticed the FamilySearch Alpha project which we’ve quietly been working on here at FamilySearch Labs. Other than listing it as a project on FamilySearch Labs and a few mentions in the FamilySearch Group on Facebook, we haven’t really shared broadly what we’re up to – until now.

FamilySearch Alpha is the beginning of a great new world. The purpose of the project is to replace the current www.FamilySearch.org website with a new site at the same address that integrates all of the new technologies and record sets we’ve been working on (like Record Search, Family Tree, Research Wiki, etc.) into one easy to use experience. Instead of using these tools individually, you will simply go to www.FamilySearch.org to work on your family history.

The first release will introduce a fresh new look and feel and integrate the following features:

» Search for historical records (leveraging Record Search and Library Catalog technology)
» Learning and how-to (showcasing the Research Wiki and Library Research Series)
» Find a Family History Center (updated to leverage the cool new maps.lds.org)
» And much more

Check out the FamilySearch Alpha project and let us know what you think. Just click the feedback link to share your thoughts or leave a comment on the blog.

I have tried this new site and share many of the frustrations that others on the blog have raised. However, it is very early days and the idea of integrating all the Family Search platforms into one user site is in principle a good idea. In time this will radically affect how we use the Family Search site (where the IGI is located, etc), so well worth keeping an eye on.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Gentleman's Magazine goes online

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has released a digitised run of The Gentleman's Magazine from 1731 to 1868. The magazine mainly covers stories from England and Wales, but you may find your Scottish ancestor in there somewhere!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Scottish ancestors in 1911 census for England and Wales

A final update on the 1911 census for England and Wales - the release is now complete with the addition of 135,000 soldiers records based at 288 military establishments overseas, and around 36,000 naval personnel on 147 Royal Navy ships overseas. In addition, records for the Channel Islands of Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey and Sark, and the Isle of Man have been placed online.

If your Scottish ancestor was in the forces in 1911, it's worth having a look.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Famous Scots exhibition - Brian Cox?

The ScotlandsPeople team has issued a press release outlining the current state of affairs with regard to available records - included in the release is the following on the Famous Scots exhibition:

During the year of Homecoming Scotland 2009 we are exploring the family history of six well-known Scots in a series of six free Famous Scots exhibitions. After starting with Billy Connolly, we moved on to Nobel prize-winner Sir James Black. From the 25 May our attentions turned to rock singer and actress Shirley Manson.

Three more celebrated Scots will be featured through the year to December – their identities will be revealed in due course: the next is rumoured to be Emmy Award-winning actor Brian Cox.

I love the idea of press releases issuing rumours! For the record, this wee shuggy knows that Brian Cox is a veritable GOD in the acting world (Rob Roy and Hidden Agenda as two great performances), and he will be absolutely GUTTED if it isn't true...! :)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

1952 guide to Inverness

The Am Baile website has digitised and placed online a 1952 guide to the city of Inverness. To view the guide click on the following link: Inverness 1952.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Bookings at ScotlandsPeople Centre

A news announcement from the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh:

Due to a technical problem, some customers are currently unable to submit application forms for Assisted Searches or Bookings to ScotlandsPeople Centre. This service should be available again by the end of next week. In the meantime, please telephone 0131 314 4300 to book an Assisted Search. We apologise for the inconvenience.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

English and Welsh 1911 census now complete

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com):

The 1911 census is complete

The 1911 census is complete – all remaining records have been added, and so have the RG78 enumerator’s summary book pages. Records for the Islands of Alderney, Guernsey, Isel of Man, Jersey and Sark, troops stationed in overseas military bases, and crew serving on Royal Navy ships are now ready for you to search.


View the enumerator’s summary-book pages at no extra cost

The pages from the enumerator’s summary books, which are now available for the entire census, can add depth to your 1911 census research. The summary books are a combination of descriptive and statistical information from the district. The information to be found in the List and the District description are probably of most interest to the family historian and can give you an overall picture of your ancestor’s neighbourhood and its character.

The Enumerator’s summary pages are included in the cost of viewing an image. If you’ve already viewed 1911 census images, you can now view the corresponding summary-book pages at no extra cost.

To view the 1911 census visit www.1911census.com.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

More 19th Century British Library newspapers to come

In the last few minutes of the BBC Radio 4 "Today" programme this morning, Ed King from the British Library confirmed that more newspapers would be added to the British Library 19th Century Newspaper Collection, saying "we plan to load more during the course of this year".

The collection is available at http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs , and has been available to the public for several weeks, despite the programme stating that they are being released this week (most likely due to an unpublicised soft launch). No further details were given as to what these additional titles might be, but the collection so far contains 43 newspapers, with some 2 million pages digitised.

The item can be heard by British listeners through the BBC iPlayer at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer . It appears within the last five minutes.

UPDATE: The Beeb has a story on the collection at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8104099.stm

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Dumfries and Galloway FHS Homecoming event

From the Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS):

Saturday 27th June 2009 in Dumfries Academy, Dumfries, Scotland
It will consist of a Family History Fair held in the main hall, a mini conference with three speakers held in a smaller hall plus an exhibition of local history projects created by the local schools.

The speakers are:

10.15am - 11.15am Elizabeth Carmichael, 'Stiffs and Stones'
11.30am - 12.30pm, Dr Marjory Harper, 'Adventurers and Exiles' - Snapshots of Emigration from Southern Scotland
2.30pm - 3.30pm, Professor Ted Cowan, 'The Lowland Clearances' - Emigration from the South Western Counties in the 18th and 19th Centuries

Dumfries Academy will be open from 10am - 4pm.
Public access to the Family History Fair and schools exhibition will be free.
Attendance at the lectures will cost £3 per lecture, or £7.50 for all three.

Further details from www.dgfhs.org.uk/homecoming/index.htm .

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

British Postal Museum and Archive - temporary closure

From the Federation of Family History Societies:

The Search Room at The British Postal Museum & Archive will close from 29 June to allow urgent work to take place on the air conditioning system. It is expected that the work will take at least 8 weeks although it may take longer.

They will continue to deal with email, letter and telephone enquiries during this time but it may take slightly longer to respond than usual.

If you are planning to visit us in July or August please contact the Search Room in advance of your visit by emailing info@postalheritage.org.uk or telephoning 020 7239 2570 to check the current status. Updates will also be posted to the website www.postalheritage.org.uk .

Chris

www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Australian records on FindmyPast.com

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com):

Australia and Great Britain share a similar culture, the same Queen, and in many cases the same ancestral lines. If you’re looking for a link between your Australian and British family lines our new records may help you.

We’ve just added over 863,000 records for the states of Victoria and New South Wales in Australia. Each record costs six credits to view, or can be viewed free with an Explorer subscription. They include:

Convict arrivals in New South Wales (1788-1842)
The convict records are found in our ‘other records’ section.

Cemetery Burials and Memorial Inscriptions for Victoria (1835-1997) and Victoria funeral notices (1981-1997)
These records form part of our Parish Records Collection.

Names in Government Gazettes, Victoria (1858-1900)
This is an index of over 461,000 records gathered from notices printed in the Victorian Government Gazette between 1858 and 1900. They cover everything from the leasing of land, law and order, licensing, to tenders and contracts and other subjects.

It should be noted that the original editions of the Victoria Government Gazettes can also be found for free at http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/ .

Chris

www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Scottish and Irish genealogy courses online with Pharos

If you have Scottish and/or Irish ancestry and are desperate to learn how to improve your research skills, Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd has three online courses that can help you over the next few months.


Scotland 1750 - 1850: Beyond the OPRs Starts July 9th £42.99 5 weeks

Instructor: Sherry Irvine

This is an intermediate level course in Scottish family history for those who are going back beyond 1850. You should have some experience with research in the Old Parochial Registers of the Church of Scotland and in using major websites for Scottish research. This course discusses sources that fill the gap when the OPRs are uninformative or missing; for example, records of parish and town administration, occupations, land transfer and taxation. Using these records involves several different locations. You will learn how to check online finding aids and how to find the most effective way to obtain records that may be online, in print, on CD or microfilm. This is the second course in a planned program of three.

• Kirk Sessions records and parish poor
• Burgh records and town poor
• Occupations, taxation and early lists
• Land transfer and the value of sasines
• Land, inheritance and estates


Scottish Research Online Starts August 24th £42.99 5 weeks

Instructor: Chris Paton

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.

• Scotlands People, Family Search, 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


Researching Irish Ancestors Before 1820 Starts October 13th 2009 £29.99 3 weeks

Instructor: Sherry Irvine

Irish research becomes particularly challenging when working before the 1820s. Anyone taking this course should have taken Course 103, Ireland: A Practical Approach to Family History or have equivalent knowledge and experience. The six lessons of this course describe important and accessible records, notably estate papers and deeds, and provide information about the historical context that generated them. You will learn about content, survival, access and location, and understand the administrative structure in which they were used.. You will also become familiar with key finding aids online and in print, and will learn how to use catalogues to identify surviving records. The course will help you create a personal research strategy.

• Getting Ready for the Challenge
• Church Registers and Other Records
• Local Administration and its Records
• Land History, Land Records
• Deeds and Other Legal Records
• Identifying More: Calalogues, Calendars and Research Strategy


Each lesson includes set exercises and there will be at least one chat per week to discuss findings and research problems, lasting an hour each, as well as access to a dedicated forum. If interested, visit www.pharostutors.com for more information.

See you there!


Chris

www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Emerald Ancestors update

The Emerald Ancestors website has been updated with the following records for Northern Ireland:

Markethill First Presbyterian, Mullaghbrack, Co Armagh. Baptisms 1843 - 1887

Antrim First (Millrow) Presbyterian, Antrim. Baptisms 1845 - 1864

Long Tower (St Columba's) Roman Catholic Church, Templemore, Co Londonderry, Baptisms 1851 - 1861

Donagheady Church of Ireland, Co Tyrone. Marriages 1826 to 1921

Civil Marriage Records Update, 1845 to 1921

To access the records visit www.emeraldancestors.com .

Chris

www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Limerick burial register online

Limerick City Council in Ireland has placed its burial registers online, the first council in the country to do so. The records, from the city's Mount St. Lawrence burial ground, are not keyword searchable, but are available through four files covering separate chronological periods from 1855 to 2008, which can be viewed on the site. To view the entries you will need a DjVu viewer to do so - this can be installed from the site.

The website for the registers is located at
http://limerick.ie/Archives/MountStLawrenceBurialGroundRegisters1855-2008/ .

Happy hunting!

Chris

www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

National Covenant sells for £32,137

A copy of the National Coventant, dating from 1638, one of only 12 in existence, has sold at auction for £32,137. The document, a copy from Renfrewshire signed by more than 100 Covenanters, includes the 1581 Scottish Confession of Faith and the Acts of the Scottish Parliament establishing Calvinism in the country. It was sold at the Lyon and Turnbull auction, and had been expected to raise about £6000. The new owner is based in the United States of America.

An image of the document, and further information, can be viewed at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8093842.stm .

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Scottish Landowner records at Family Relatives

A record of Scottish landowners from 1873 has been released through the Family Relatives website (www.familyrelatives.com). The records are accompanied by returns for England, Wales and Ireland.

From the press release:

In the House of Lords it had been said that according to the Census of 1861 in the United Kingdom, there were no more than 30,000 landowners and although this estimate arose from a misreading of the figures, its accuracy had never been disputed, the true status was a matter of conjecture but it was believed to have been nearer 300,000 landowners.

In these circumstances a comprehensive “Return” was called for and termed the “Doomsday Book”. It was published in 1873 almost a thousand years after William the Conqueror commissioned the original Domesday Book in 1086.

These fascinating Returns provide the name and address of every Owner and their holding in acres, rods and poles, with the estimated yearly rental valuation of all holdings over 1 acre. Interestingly lease holders at the commencement of their term were considered as owners also, however those at the end of their term were not so considered.

As a result over 320,000 landowners of one acre or more can be searched online representing 1% of the entire population of the United Kingdom. The number of owners with less than one acre was nearly 850,000. London the “Great Metropolis” was excluded from the Returns as was waste land if it yielded no profit.

Among the landowning aristocracy were the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry who owned 432,373 acres in the Scottish Highlands and the Duke of Norfolk with 44,638 acres mostly around Arundel Castle in Sussex. The Prince of Wales’ estate at Sandringham is listed with 6,724 acres, as are Charles Dickens and Alfred Tennyson with more modest holdings.

An annual subscription to Family Relatives costs £30. It should be noted that the same records are available at the Genealogist website also (www.thegenealogist.co.uk), as well as on CD with the Roots Magic 4 platinum package (www.rootsmagic.co.uk).

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

National Archives at Kew - half day closure

The National Archives at Kew is to close for half a day on Monday June 29th 2009, from 2.00pm, in order that staff may be briefed on proposed changes to the facility's services which are being designed to save 10% on costs over the next three years, following the government's recent funding grant which does not take into account inflation or the rising cost of fuel.

Following the staff briefing will be two 'open meetings' at the archive for the public to hear about the proposed changes. These will be held on Thursday July 2nd 2009 at 12.15, and Saturday July 11th 2009 at 10.00am, with both meetings to be held in the first floor reading room.

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Welsh 1911 census returns online

The 1911 census returns for Wales, digitised by FindmyPast.com have gone online today at www.1911census.co.uk, five months after the English returns were first placed online. Be aware that some entries are written in Welsh!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Family Tree DNA summer promotion

Family Tree DNA (www.familytreedna.com) is offering a fantastic summer promotion for a limited period, starting today and ending on June 24th 2009.

For $119 you can have your Y-chromosome DNA tested for 37 markers, and get a free mitochondrial test thrown in. Normally the cost for this is $248, so that's one heck of a saving. If you have been considering signing up to a one name DNA study, now is quite possibly the time to do it!

(And if you are a Paton or Patton with Perthshire roots, now is really very very muchly and absolutely the quintessentially best time to do it...!)

Thanks to Debbie Kennett, who runs the Cruwys one name study at www.familytreedna/public/CruwysDNA, for news on the above offer. Debbie would also like me to mention that she has just started a new county wide DNA project for those with Devonshire roots in England - for more information visit www.familytreedna.com/public/Devon.


Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

SMGF suspends free DNA testing

The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation has for ten years been offering free DNA tests to people around the world willing to help with its research programme. The site has now announced a major change in policy, suspending most free testing as previously collected through its main website.

For more information, visit www.smgf.org/get_involved.jspx .

(With thanks to Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter).

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Garlieston - training ground for D-Day

The south western Scottish town of Garlieston is remembered by the BBC today as a place where D-Day training operations were held.

For more on the story visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8085198.stm .

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Forgotten Voices of D-Day

I am a huge fan of the Forgotten Voices series of books from Ebury Press, produced in association with the Imperial War Museum, which are thematically based on various military ventures from the 20th Century, and which carry powerful oral testimonies from those involved. I know that some people do not see the value of oral history and prefer to read dry academic accounts of the events featured, written many years after by scholars, but if you want to discover the raw emotions, the fear, the sacrifices and the triumphs of a military campaign as it happened, there is no better resource other than the original sound recordings themselves, held at the IWM.

The latest edition to be produced is Forgotten Voices of D-Day, edited by Roderick Bailey with an introduction by Winston S. Churchill. With tomorrow being the 65th anniversary of D-Day, I decided to give this a go in a bid to understand what really happened, as the sum of my knowledge really only focussed on some Americans landing and looking for a Private Ryan! (It didn't happen - really?!). My grandfather's cousin, Captain John MacFarlane, was decorated with the Croix de Guerre after service in Normany with 194 Field Ambulance (RAMC), but I had no idea how difficult it was for the British to land, and the horrific resistance they encountered. This book has certainly filled a void on that front.

Also on D-Day, the BBC has an interview online with AB Seaman Duncan Moon, who served on HMS Holderness during the landings. The account is available online at the following link: Awful sights of D-Day landings

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

Western Australian post office directories online

Post office directories for Western Australia have been made available online at www.slwa.wa.gov.au/find/guides/wa_history/post_office_directories . They cover the period from 1893-1949.

(With thanks to Major Tom at the Your Family Tree magazine forum.)

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research

A Scottish family in Staffordshire

Brett Payne's Photo-Sleuth website has a wonderful series of images of a family from Scotland who settled in the Staffordshire town of Burton-on-Trent in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. The images were sent to Brett by James Morley, and concern Robert William Melbourne, the son of Charles James Melbourne and Elizabeth Janet Smith, born in the third quarter of 1892.

The research is a great read at the following blog link: A Scottish Family in Staffordshire. If you are related to the family, do get in touch with Brett!

Chris

www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
Professional genealogical problem solving and research