Sunday 31 May 2020

MyHeritage offers free records access in June

From MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

Have you ever wished you had full access to a certain paid-subscription-only historical record collection for just one day?

This June, you just might have your chance!

Each day, we will open one of our paid-subscription-only historical record collections to the public, providing full, free access to the collection. The collections we’ve chosen for this offer are not the collections you can find anywhere — they are rare and valuable, and many are exclusive to MyHeritage. We’ll be posting regular updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram about the collections, so be sure to follow us and stay tuned so you don’t miss anything!

In all, a total of 2,043,456,361 records will be made accessible for free during the month of June. This special offer is in the spirit of MyHeritage’s commitment to providing people with more opportunities and resources to further their genealogical research while at home.

The day-long window for each collection will cover all time zones, so as long as you visit the collection on the correct day, you should be able to search and view the records to your heart’s content.

Sometimes, a single day is enough to get the information you need and make major breakthroughs in your research. We hope you’ll take full advantage of the opportunity.

All the collections are available on www.myheritage.com/research, and you can find the full schedule for the free collections, including direct links, on our blog at https://blog.myheritage.com/2020/05/each-day-of-june-a-different-record-collection-will-be-free.


(With thanks to Daniel Horowitz)

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Saturday 30 May 2020

My next Scottish Research Online course starts on June 8th

The good weather is here and we're a little bit more free physically - but the mind still needs to soar! Well never fear, the next Scottish Research Online course is (very nearly) here, starting on June 8th - here's the blurb!


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: 08 Jun 2020
Cost: £49.99

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



I'll hopefully see you there!

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Further military records added to FindmyPast

Just added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

British Army Service Records
This essential military collection has been enhanced with over 89,000 records from the Coldstream Guards, spanning from 1800-1947. A Coldstream Guards enlistment register including the soldiers' service numbers, dates and places of birth and occupations.

Royal Engineers Journals 1939-1945
This unique collection is formed from The Royal Engineers Journal, a private newspaper that was converted into a journal and supplement in magazine form. In it, you can discover what life was like for anyone who served with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War.

Royal Air Force, Operations Record Books 1939-1945
We’ve added over 65,000 transcripts that provide a daily record of events within each RAF squadron during the Second World War. These operation record books can be used to create a list of all the flying operations that RAF aircrew completed during the war. They are also an excellent resource for compiling a record of a squadron's operations.

British Royal Air Force, Combat Reports 1939-1945
We've released over 30,000 transcripts for combat reports that were filled out by RAF pilots or air gunners after they had encountered enemy aircraft on operational flights.

For further details and links visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/ww2-british-military-records


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Second coronavirus payment for self-employed due in August

The government at Westminster has confirmed that a second payment for those working self-employed, including many genealogists, will be made in August though the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (see https://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2020/05/check-if-you-are-eligible-for-self.html).

Unlike the first payment, which provided for 80% of the average self-employed income over the last 3 years, up to a maximum of £7500 a month, this second, and final, payment will be a bit less generous at just 70% of the income, and is again taxable. From the UKGov site:

If you’re eligible the second and final grant will be a taxable grant worth 70% of your average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering a further 3 months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total.

For further details visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme#extension. Applications are not yet open.


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Wednesday 27 May 2020

Wicklow records added to RootsIreland

From RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie):

We are delighted to announce that Wicklow genealogy centre have added over 34,000 burial records to their database at www.rootsireland.ie/wicklow. Most are Church of Ireland but three are Roman Catholic parishes. These records are as follows:

Parish, Years
Aghold Church of Ireland 1700-1900
Ballinaclash Church of Ireland 1842-1902
Ballymore Eustace Church of Ireland 1832-1879
Ballynure Church of Ireland 1888-1899
Baltinglass Roman Catholic 1824-1830
Blessington Church of Ireland 1813-1900
Bray Church of Ireland 1663-1900
Carnew Church of Ireland 1806-1900
Carnew Roman Catholic 1847-1893
Castlemacadam Church of Ireland 1719-1889
Clonmore Church of Ireland 1882-1926
Crosspatrick Church of Ireland 1814-1900
Delgany Church of Ireland 1665-1899
Derrylossary Church of Ireland 1878-1900
Donaghmore Church of Ireland 1720-1898
Dunganstown Church of Ireland 1783-1903
Dunlavin Church of Ireland 1668-1890
Glenealy Church of Ireland 1825-1884
Hacketstown Church of Ireland 1878-1900
Kilbride Church of Ireland 1827-1898
Kilbride-Eneriley Church of Ireland 1852-1898
Kilcommon Church of Ireland 1802-1900
Killiskey Church of Ireland 1824-1877
Kilpipe Church of Ireland 1833-1903
Kiltegan Church of Ireland 1879-1900
Moyne Church of Ireland 1879-1900
Mullinacuffe Church of Ireland 1836-1909
Newcastle Church of Ireland 1659-1898
Powerscourt Church of Ireland 1668-1890
Preban Church of Ireland 1829-1899
Rathdrum Church of Ireland 1702-1899
Rathvilly Church of Ireland 1700-1900
Rathvilly Roman Catholic 1861-1889
Redcross Church of Ireland 1879-1900
Shillelagh Church of Ireland 1835-1889
Stratford Church of Ireland 1804-1898
Tullow Church of Ireland 1700-1900
Wicklow Church of Ireland 1713-1900


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Tuesday 26 May 2020

Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society's Online Shop

From Dumfries and Galloway FHS (https://dgfhs.org.uk):

Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society (DGFHS) Online Shop

Due to restrictions placed on us during the current Pandemic, DGFHS have closed the Research Centre, in Dumfries; we are consequently unable to fulfil orders for printed books. To allow customers to continue to purchase our publications, the Society’s Council decided to create an online shop to allow the sale of our publications in .PDF format, and pay using PayPal (the safe way to purchase online), while we remain closed.

The website has been launched today, with 62 publications being available and new publications will be added every few days until most of the Memorial Inscriptions, Old Parish Registers and Publications with extensive name indexes (as shown on our Publications List) are available. There may be one or two others but that will depend on availability.

If you are interested in a book that is not yet included in our Online Shop, please email us and we will try to include it as soon as possible.

The new page on our website is available at: https://dgfhs.org.uk - click on Shop Online in the main menu at the top of the page, for desktop browsers.

For Mobile devices the menu is accessed by clicking on the three parallel lines in the top right of the website.

You will be taken to a Shop Info page which tells you about the shop and what you’ll receive. Click the Link ‘Start Shopping’, to begin, or select one of the links from the Shop Menu to go to specific pages. The system allows you to add however many books as you require into your Basket before going to purchase. You can access PayPal either with your own account if you have one, or as a guest to PayPal and just input credit card details, we do not get any of your Credit Card details, PayPal handles all the online security. Once purchased you will receive a download link to access your purchases that does not expire so if you inadvertently delete the publication you can re-download. You receive two copies of the book. The First is a Read version that shows the pages sequentially the other is a print version that would allow you to print the book using double sided printing to re-create our A5 booklet.


(With thank to John Mills)

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Monday 25 May 2020

The Devil's Porridge Museum podcasts

The Devil's Porridge Museum (www.devilsporridge.org.uk) at Gretna, which "commemorates HM Factory Gretna, the largest munitions factory in the world during the First World War and explores the stories of the Solway Military Coast during the Second World War and beyond", has released its first podcast during the coronavirus lockdown:

Welcome to the Devil’s Porridge Museum Podcast!

The Devil’s Porridge Museum Podcast has been created as part of an inter-generational oral history project. This project is now available for you to listen to online.

Through conversations and interviews, our volunteers and others from the local community will be sharing their personal stories and memories with the Devil’s Porridge Museum Podcast team.

This podcast features one of the museum’s newer volunteers Nicola Bogle in conversation with Danny Muir about his experiences as a volunteer across the 3 different sites of the Devil’s Porridge.

More episodes will follow over the coming weeks, so please come back and listen to more instalment throughout the summer.

If you would like to get involved with the project to share your own stories and memories or if you would like to find out more about joining our production team please contact Steven@devilsporridge.org.uk

To listen to the podcast visit https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/the-devils-porridge-museum-podcast-2


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Sunday 24 May 2020

The Handloom Weavers of Perth

An article I wrote 11 years ago for the Family and Local History Handbook 12 (I have updated the final part on how to access the records):

Weave Truth with Trust: the Handloom Weavers of Perth
by Chris Paton

The weaving industry of the old Scottish burgh of Perth has had a long and fascinating history. In a charter granted by William the Lion in 1210, the king forbade anybody to make or dye cloth who was not a burgess within the town’s Merchant Guild, confirming that some degree of industry was indeed already underway. In this early period, the Guild was the body which protected the financial interests of both merchants and craftsmen, and from its numbers were elected a Provost, four Bailies and a Dean of Guild, who together constituted the burgh council. As a trading body, the guild jealously guarded its monopoly.


The Weavers’ Incorporation

By the 15th century, the Scottish Parliament had started to erode this long held status quo. On March 12th 1424 an Act was passed declaring that “in each town of the realm there be chosen, of each sundry craft used therein, a wise man of that craft by the rest of that craft and the counsel of the officers of the town, who shall be held deacon or master over the rest for the time assigned to him, to assay and govern all works that are made by the workmen of his craft, so that the king’s lieges are not defrauded in the future as they have been in the past by untrue men of crafts”. The Act paved the way for the creation of trade corporations in Scotland, and the Weavers Incorporation was duly created in Perth, to provide mutual support and protection for its members, and to administer justice to its brethren through its own court. Despite this elevation in status, a further Act in 1469 continued to isolate the weavers from office, when it decreed that the council, still dominated by Guild members, could elect its own successors.

In May 1556, Mary Queen of Scots decided that there should be equal numbers of craftsmen and merchants on the council. At this time she held the weavers in high esteem, and presented them with a silk flag which she had herself created in their honour. The Incorporation finally gained its seat, but would disastrously lose it again not long afterwards, just prior to the accession of James VI (1567), a satisfactory explanation for which has yet to be found.


Apprentices and Journeymen

The surviving apprenticeship registers of the Weavers Incorporation date back to 1593. A weaver’s apprenticeship could last anywhere from three to nine years, with most appointments made at Martinmas (November 11th), though a few commenced on the other quarter days. A typical example is that of Peter Dow, whose own copy of his indenture papers is just one of thirteen that survives at the Perth and Kinross Archives. The son of James Dow, a tailor at Drum within the parish of Moneydie, Peter signed up to serve as an apprentice to William Henderson, a Deacon weaver of the Incorporation, at Whitsunday (March 15th) 1782. The stipend payable to the apprentice was ten pounds and ten shillings, and to make sure that the full indenture was served, both gentlemen had ‘cautioners’ to stand guarantor.

An apprentice would typically reside with his master for an agreed duration, from whom he would learn the necessary skills of the trade. Whilst most weavers were men, occasional records of women do turn up. For example on December 24th 1746, an apprentice called James Deu, from Kintillo, was booked apprentice to Katherine Adam in Houghfield.

Apprentices did occasionally break their indentures, such as John Hill, who in November 1796 ran off to enlist as a sailor. In other cases an agreement came to an end by mutual consent. Shortly after William Logie signed up as apprentice to Laurence Lennie in Huntingtower at Lammas 1752, he fell seriously ill. His cautioners brought his circumstances before the Incorporation, and successfully pleaded for the refund of his dues and the cancellation of the agreement.

Once an apprentice had completed his training, he would normally seek to become a journeyman in the trade, whereby he would seek employment with a master craftsman, though he could now live in his own accommodation with his own family, and earn a decent wage. This allowed a novice weaver to accumulate experience with many different master weavers, an essential part of the training.

Boys will be boys, however, as the following minute of an Act drawn up by the Incorporation on December 22nd 1705 shows!

“Considering that by the facility of youth and nature young men may be accessary to do se[ver]all things which may tend to there great prejudice, Therefore The haill Generall meiting of the said traid Statutes and Ordaines that no journeyman or printeises shall in any time heirafter be found Drunk or shall be out of thair Chalmers after nine aclock at night unless they have ane sufficient Excuse And to shune all Idle company under the paine of ffourty shilling Scots money by and Attour Imprisonment of thair persones”.


Freemen Weavers

Becoming a freeman within the Weavers Incorporation gave a weaver the right to vote in the Calling’s elections, and as part of their entry, they had to adhere to certain stipulations. The first was that they had to obey the Acts of the Calling, and to share all financial charges and public burdens with their brethren. Secondly, if they took up residence in the countryside, they would agree to pay half a crown to the Calling yearly whilst living there. Thirdly, and most seriously, they were strongly dissuaded from defecting to the Merchant Guild, for which they could be fined one hundred merks Scots.

There were four ways that one could normally become a freeman of the Calling:

i) The first and most common method was to marry a freeman weaver’s daughter. On December 1719, for example, Archibald Mitchell of Kinnoull was able to join after marrying May Hood, the daughter of Thomas Hood, a freeman weaver residing at the Bridgend of Tay. A freeman’s apprentice was charged 40 merks for the privilege, other apprentices were charged 100 merks, whilst a stranger was charged 50 merks (as paid by Mitchell).

ii) Alternatively, a person could serve an apprenticeship with a freeman weaver and gain the right to join upon completion of his indenture, as done by John Owr upon finishing his training under David Valliange in 1726. In this case, the freedom money paid was usually higher, in John’s case one hundred merks Scots.

iii) A third method of entry was through hereditary right, such as when John Ramsay joined in April 1774 upon the death of his father Andrew. For sons in the town, the fee was 20 merks; for a country freeman’s son, it was £20 Scots.

iv) The fourth way in was to simply purchase the right to join, though this was an extremely expensive way to do so, normally charged at a rate of £100 Scots.

There was in fact a fifth way, and that was to be granted membership in gratitude for some particular service carried out in the Calling’s favour. In March 1778, the Duke of Athole was made a freeman “for his signal Service to his King & Country in raising a Regiment for our defence & ye American Rebellion so destructive to Government and our happy Constitution”. The weavers’ gratitude in this instance was not just confined to the gentry. In the preceding month, a weaver apprentice called Thomas Glass, who had agreed to serve as a British soldier for three years during the conflict, was similarly rewarded. Instead of having to pay any freedom money, he was in fact remitted eleven guineas, with the person who proposed him given half the same again.

Many other individuals were similarly rewarded for their direct influences with regard to the weaving trade itself. On November 9th 1790, the Earl of Breadalbane was one of three gentlemen to be given membership for “his patriotic attention and distinguished zeal for promoting the Linen Manufactures, with the prosperity of which the welfare of this part of the United Kingdom, is directly connected”.


The Weavers Court

The Calling had its own court, within which it dealt with any transgressions carried out by its members. Whilst the Calling’s motto was “Weave Truth with Trust”, many recorded incidents show just how much respect – or not, as the case may be – was afforded to its elected officers. On August 4th 1703, a certain John Hutson was tried and subsequently fined forty shillings “for his abusing the present Deacon and any other of the laite Deacons” and for having “called the s[ai]d Deacons Raskells and villainds”. As if this crime was not heinous enough, Hutson also “often times commanded them to kiss his airs” for which he was fined an additional forty shillings!

With their fiery Perthshire tempers, the weavers’ wives were clearly a recurrent headache for the incorporation’s deacons. On October 10th 1705 Patrick Smith, another Perth based weaver, was fined five pounds and sent to prison until payment had been made, for the crime that “his wife abeused the pr[esen]tt deacon”. It seems the lesson was not learned by his wife, Janet Mackie, for some five years later, on February 19th 1709, Smith was once more hauled up in front of the master court, for a similar instance. On this occasion, his spouse had “Intruded herself in the Deacons company and without any ground of offence Did harrass and abuse him in a publick company” for which another five pounds fine was imposed. Smith’s defence was that the charge was “butt out of splean of the deacon ag[ains]t him and his wife”, but he was once again sent to prison until payment had been made.

Sometimes the court could be forgiven for experiencing a slight sense of exasperation! In March 1707, the then current Deacon, John Martin, complained that he had been verbally abused by John Gorie, a former boxmaster (treasurer) of the incorporation. Gorie in turn complained that the Deacon had libelled him by saying that he was not worth four shillings when appointed as the trade’s boxmaster, yet had four pounds of debt, and that he was “nothing butt a knave and a cheat to the traid and had thrie hundered merks of the traids money”. There followed a series of allegations and counter allegations, until the court finally decided to fine Gorie forty shillings and the Deacon twenty shillings – with the warning that if either ever abused the other in public or in private again, or behind the other’s back, they would each be instantly fined an additional five pounds Scots.


Mutual Support

The funds of the Incorporation were used in many ways to benefit the membership, and were drawn from annual dues and through other means, such as property rents.

When a member was ill, the Calling would look out for them. For example, when Laurence Alexander fell ill in June 1796, the Incorporation paid for his hospital care at a weekly rate of one shilling and sixpence. Similarly, if a member of the Calling died, they would make a payment to the members’ kin to help bury the deceased. A weaver’s wife was also catered for, even when her husband had predeceased her, as the members would previously have paid a monetary due known as a ‘football’ (or ‘ba-money’), usually charged at half a crown, which allowed their wives to share in the benefits of the common fund.

The Calling also provided its members with the use of its own mortcloth, a shroud used to drape over the coffin of the deceased prior to burial, for which the brethren again paid an annual due of one merk Scots. In July 1708, the Calling decided on the purchase of a new mortcloth from a merchant in Edinburgh called John Campbell, made from black velvet at a price of ten pounds Scots a yard, to be paid entirely from an annual subscription from the Incorporation’s freemen both outwith and inside the burgh.

However, despite its best intentions, the Incorporation did occasionally get into debt, which at one point led to the suspension of the Calling itself. In George Penny’s 1836 book, ‘The Traditions of Perth’, he was extremely critical of the weavers’ management skills. As well as describing how the “deacons and boxmasters came out every year defalcators, frequently to a considerable extent, until their funds dwindled to nothing”, he also identified the cause, very firmly, as drink, describing how the “met frequently in their tenant’s house, then a respectable brew-seat, where they guzzled away their funds.”


Cloth

Until the late 1600s, the main material that was traditionally woven by Perth’s weavers was wool, though the manufacture of linen and damask made a huge impact at the start of the 18th Century. Both outside the burgh and within, the incorporation made sure that the cloth was woven to the highest standard. In December 1704, at a meeting of the Calling, a decision was made to appoint four of their number to check all linen woven by freemen resident in the countryside as it arrived at each of the town’s main ports (gates), prior to it making its way to the town’s burgesses (who would then sell it), in order that its standards would comply with an Act of Parliament, being exactly one ell in width (the length of a forearm) and bleached.

Within the burgh, weavers’ clients were mainly local families who would supply them with flax to create a particular item of cloth. In a weaver’s cottage, his wife would spin the flax into yarn, which along with her children she would then wind onto bobbins called pirns. The flax prepared, the weaver would then work long and hard over the loom, throwing the shuttle back and forth whilst working the pedals of the frame, often working late into the night by candlelight. Once the cloth was complete, it would be returned to the customer. As well as linen, linsey-woolsey was also woven, a coarse fabric comprised of a linen warp and woollen weft, usually for the families’ own uses, for items such as clothing and blankets.

In 1766, a major boost to the industry happened when merchant George Penny (father of the Perth historian of the same name) introduced Silesia linen into the town. This was an extremely popular material, first woven in eastern Europe, which soon found huge markets in both London and the West Indies. As the industry started to boom, many weavers from outside the burgh began to migrate into Perth to seek work, and the town’s prosperity boomed. Despite a temporary blip in their fortunes caused by the Revolutionary War in America, work increased further when in 1782, Penny also introduced cotton to the town, which was bleached and sold for ladies’ gowns at five shillings a yard. Weavers also produced materials for ginghams, shawls, muslins and even umbrellas.


The Weavers

An examination of the baptismal registers of Perth gives an insight into the nature of the weaving population, which tended to be based in Craigie, Pomarium, North Clayholes and some streets in the town centre. Between 1770 and 1844, there were 8835 births recorded to weavers in the burgh, and the most common surnames were Robertson (341 births), Young (178 births) and Taylor (157 births). Of the children born, 3953 were baptised by the established Church of Scotland, and 4882 baptised by ministers of other denominations, mainly of dissenting Presbyterian congregations, but also in Methodist and Episcopalian services. This dissenting nature of the weavers may help to explain their strong participation within the Chartist movement in the mid 19th century. Perhaps astonishingly, only 16 children of the 8835 were described as having been born illegitimately across this 75 year period.

The registers also give a sense of the dramatic rise of the industry in the late 18th century, and its inevitable fall. In 1770, only 43 children were born to weavers within Perth and the immediate vicinity of the town, but by 1775 the birth rate had almost doubled to 84. In 1782 there were 109 births recorded in Perth, and ten years later, by 1792, the rate had again almost doubled to a peak figure of 209 births. The trend then begins to decline in the early 1800s, initially because many of the weavers had signed up with the militias and army regiments to fight the French. Despite the trade restrictions caused by the Napoleonic wars, there was in fact a heavy demand for uniforms for the 90th Regiment of Foot, created by Graham of Balgowan, and from 1810-1811 there was also heavy demand for clothing for French prisoners of war held in the town’s prison.

However, despite a slight increase in the birth rate in the aftermath of the war, there then follows a rapid decline, which by 1843 had plummeted to just 32. Following the Napoleonic wars, the domestic handloom industry found itself spiralling into terminal decline. Demand for cotton crashed, but despite a brief demand for umbrella cloths, by the late 1830s and the ‘Hungry 40s’ many municipal relief projects were created to provide employment to destitute weavers, such as the raising of the banks of the River Tay at the town’s North Inch. Most of the families who had profited in the boom years were either forced into bankruptcy or into diversification, such as the Pullars, who established a world famous dye works.

In 1847, after years of successful lobbying by those seeking political reform, the Weavers Incorporation, as with other corporations and guilds, finally lost its exclusive privileges to trade. By this point, what little handloom weaving had survived had all but disappeared, with the work now transferred to the factories and their more efficient powerlooms. It was the end of an era.


Records of the Weavers of Perth

The Weavers Incorporation of Perth records, which contain minute books, apprenticeship registers and freemen entry books, are held at Perth and Kinross Archives (https://www.culturepk.org.uk/archive-local-family-history/). Trancripts of some of the records are freely available on my website at https://scotlandsgreateststory.wordpress.com/free-items/.

Perth and Kinross Archives holds many additional records of importance, including the early censuses of 1766 and 1773, the Militia Act census of 1802, burial records from 1794 and some weavers’ indenture papers.

(Much of the analytical work in this article comes from a dissertation on the Weavers of Perth, whilst studying for my Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies at the University of Strathclyde in 2008-2010)



Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Saturday 23 May 2020

Forthcoming Pharos genealogy courses in June with availability

The following courses from Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd (www.pharostutors.com) still have availability in June, including one with yours truly!

So You Think You Know FamilySearch - A Guided Tour
Tutor: Barbara H. Baker
Course Length: 4 weeks
Start Date: 01 Jun 2020
Cost: £41.99

Introduction to One-Name Studies
Tutor: Julie Goucher
Course Length: 5 weeks
Start Date: 02 Jun 2020
Cost: £49.99

Researching Your Welsh Ancestors
Tutor: Eilir Daniels
Course Length: 5 weeks
Start Date: 02 Jun 2020
Cost: £49.99

Scottish Research Online
Tutor: Chris Paton
Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 08 Jun 2020
Cost: £49.99

Demystifying DNA for Family Historians
Tutor: Karen Cummings
Course Length: 5 weeks
Start Date: 15 Jun 2020
Cost: £49.99


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Friday 22 May 2020

TheGenealogist expands early RAF Operations Record Books collection

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

Over One Million RAF Operations Record Books released on TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist has expanded its unique collection of searchable RAF Operations Record Books with the addition of 1.2 Million new records for aircrew operations.

Operations Record Books (ORBs) are official air force documents chronicling an air force unit from the time of its formation. They were intended to be an accurate daily record of the operations that the squadron carried out in peace and at war. The ORBs are for squadrons primarily after the First World War, but there are a few early squadron records from 1911 to 1918. TheGenealogist uniquely has made the Operations Record Books fully searchable by name, year and keywords.

This collection also includes some record books for Dominion Air Forces (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa) as well as Allied Air Force squadrons under British Command and can be used to find the stories of brave aircrew, giving insights into the operations that they carried out. The ORBs follow a daily diary format giving summaries of events and can reveal the death of aircrews, crashes, as well as less disquieting entries such as the weather for flying, promotions and the decorations men of the squadron received. ORBs also detail the areas that the fighter planes patrolled, or the bombers targeted, as well as where the squadrons were based as the war wore on. These duties and assignments include bombing the enemy, patrolling the skies, convoy escorts, submarine hunts, attacking docks & shipping, dive bombing raids, and more.

As aircrew personnel are named in these reports, those wanting to follow where an ancestor had been posted to and what may have happened to them will find these records extremely informative.

Use these records to:
  • Add details to an aircrewman’s story
  • Study the war movements of personnel in air force units
  • Discover if a pilot, navigator, radio operator or gunner is mentioned in the action
  • Note dates airman received promotions, medals, or other honours
  • See the names of squadron members wounded, killed, or who did not return
  • Easily search the transcribed records and images licensed from The National Archives

This latest release expands TheGenealogist’s extensive Military records collection and is available to all Diamond subscribers.

You can read their article about a famous fighter ace and a bomber pilot who flew more than 120 operations:
https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/air-27-operations-record-books-capture-airmen-from-fighter-and-bomber-squadrons-during-ww2-1261/


(With thanks to Nick Thorne)

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Now on sale: Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet

We got there in the end! After a slight delay due to issues arising form the coronavirus outbreak, the print edition of my new book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, is now available to purchase, in addition to the ebook formats made available at the start of last week. The book can be purchased in the UK from publisher Pen and Sword at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/17717, and from other booksellers.



I have recorded a short introduction video providing an oversight on what to expect, which can be viewed at https://youtu.be/6oMmlObbLq8, and which is also reproduced below for convenience:




The following is a more detailed breakdown of the various chapters found within:

Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet

Scotland is a land with a proud and centuries long history that far pre-dates its membership of Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Today in the 21st century it is also a land that has done much to make its historical records accessible, to help those with Caledonian ancestry trace their roots back to earlier times and a world long past.

In Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Chris Paton expertly guides the family historian through the many Scottish records offerings available, but also cautions the reader that not every record is online, providing detailed advice on how to use web based finding aids to locate further material across the country and beyond. He also examines social networking and the many DNA platforms that are currently further revolutionising online Scottish research.

From the Scottish Government websites offering access to our most important national records, to the holdings of local archives, libraries, family history societies, and online vendors, Chris Paton takes the reader across Scotland, from the Highlands and Islands, through the Central Belt and the Lowlands, and across the diaspora, to explore the various flavours of Scottishness that have bound us together as a nation for so long.

Chapter 1 – Gateways and Institutions
Recording information
Gateway sites
The National Records of Scotland (NRS)
Local archives
The National Archives (TNA)
The National Library of Scotland (NLS)
Other Libraries
Historic Environment Scotland
Family and Local History Societies
Commercial Vendors and Services
      Ancestry
      FindmyPast
      Scottish Indexes
      Old Scottish Genealogy & Family History
      TheGenealogist
      Forces War Records
      Deceased Online
      FamilySearch
      MyHeritage
Professional Researchers
Online Family History Courses
Networking and Communication
      Tree Building
      Discussion Forums
      Social Media
      Magazines
Languages and Handwriting


Chapter 2 – Who were they? ScotlandsPeople
The Home Page
Search for People
      Statutory Registers
      Church Registers
      Census Returns
      Valuation Rolls
      Legal Records
      Poor Relief and Migration Records
Search for Places
Image Library
Other Main Menu Options
      Help and Guidance
      Certificates and Copies
      Our Charges
      News and Features


Chapter 3 – Who were they? Further Sources
            Further Scottish vital records
            Other UK vital records
            Burials
            Confirmation and probate records
            Further census resources and population lists
            Directories
Land registration
Maps and gazetteers
Newspapers and books
Biographical resources
DNA testing


Chapter 4 – Occupations
            Farmers and Labourers
Crafts, Trades and Merchants
Businesses
The Church
Teachers and Students
Medical
Communications
Mining
Shipbuilding
Theatrical
Photographers
Architects
Pensions
Military Service
      Pre-Union
      Fencibles, Militias and Volunteers
      Jacobites
      The British Army
      First World War
      Domestic Tragedies
      Civilians at War
      The RAF
      The Royal Navy
Post-1945 Military Records
Merchant Seamen
Law and Order
The Poor


Chapter 5 – County by County
Aberdeenshire
Angus
Argyllshire
Ayrshire
Banffshire
Berwickshire
Buteshire
Caithness
Clackmannanshire
Dumfriesshire
Dunbartonshire
East Lothian
Fife
Inverness-shire
Kincardineshire
Kinross-shire
Kirkcudbrightshire
Lanarkshire
Midlothian
Morayshire
Nairnshire
Orkney
Peebles-shire
Perthshire
Renfrewshire
Ross and Cromarty
Roxburghshire
Selkirkshire
Shetland
Stirlingshire
Sutherland
West Lothian
Wigtownshire
The Western Isles


Chapter 6 – Scotland's Diaspora
Ireland
England and the British Empire
Europe
USA
Canada
            Jamaica and the Caribbean
South America
Australia
New Zealand
India


Further Reading

Index


I am particularly delighted to see this project come to fruition, in many ways it should have been the very first book that I ever produced, as Scottish genealogy is my main livelihood! It's been a busy year and a half for me working with Pen and Sword, this being my third book published in the last ten months, and I am already well on my way to completing the next project, with two more to follow after that. Also released in the past year are:

Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (Second Edition)
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848



Thanks again to all the team at Pen and Sword, and to others who helped in getting this out there - as with all my books, I very much hope it helps with your research.

Please let your pals know it is now available, andas ever, any reviews are particularly welcome!

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is now out, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Coming out of lockdown: when will our archives re-open?

For many carrying out research, the closure of the ScotlandsPeople Centre (and regional centres offering access to the database), as well as our various archives, has obviously been a major but understandable inconvenience.

Now that the Scottish Goverment has published its four phase plan to slowly try to bring us back to a normal life again, from May 28th at the earliest, I have been looking at the detail to try to glean what might be ahead for us in terms of access to such repositories. Nothing will change immediately, and initially changes will only be introduced at a slow and gradual pace. The full report is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis/.

It is not clear as yet when such places might be open, and it almost certainly won't be in Phase 1, but there are some possible references which may suggest clues as to when this might later become a reality.

Phase 2

To progress to Phase 2, the virus must now be controlled, R must be consistently below 1 and the six WHO criteria described above must now be in place. Any signs of resurgence will be closely monitored as part of enhanced community surveillance but the risk of spreading the virus remains.

Gatherings and occasions: In Phase 2, we plan for registration offices to open for high priority tasks. Places of worship would be able to open for private prayer with physical distancing and hygiene safeguards. We are also planning to allow marriages, civil partnerships and other types of ceremonies to take place with a limited number of attendees.

This seems to suggest that some activity may be permissable at registration offices - but genealogical research is almost certainly not a 'high priority task'.


Phase 3

Phase 3 will begin to feel closer to normal. The virus will have been suppressed and Test and Protect working across Scotland means we will understand where any additional local measures might be required. Many work places will already have adapted, with physical distancing the norm. Communities will be fully engaged and participating in the transition back to a more open life and economy.

Working or running a business: In Phase 3 remote working remains the default position for those who can. Indoor office workplaces including contact centres can reopen, once relevant guidance has been agreed and with physical distancing.

Sport, culture and leisure: Museums, galleries, cinemas, and libraries can open, subject to physical distancing and hygiene measures.


I suspect the line that suggests that 'contact centres can re-open' is the clue as to when we may get a chance to get going again.

I have asked the NRS via Twitter if they can shed any light, but it may still to be too early to tell. If I do get a response, I'll update this post with it. If any other archives want to chip as to what their expectations are for their own repositories, it would be interesting to hear! In the meantime, don't forget that some access to Scotland's vital records is available via www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

Until the lockdown does begin to lift,  please stay home and stay safe! And if you are experiencing any problems, please do consult the Crisis lines page on this blog, available by clicking on the link or from the top menu.


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast adds The War Illustrated 1939-1947

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

The War Illustrated 1939-1947

The War Illustrated 1939-1947 was a magazine first published in 1939 following the start of the Second World War. The series was edited by Sir John Hammerton and its 255 editions ran from 16 September 1938 to 11 April 1947. The magazine captured World War 2 as it was happening. It is filled with black and white photographs and stories from those involved in the conflict, living up to its tagline as 'a permanent picture record of the Second World War'.

Also released for US research:

  • United States, National Veterans Cemetery Index
  • Georgia World War II Draft Registration Cards 1940-1942
  • Louisiana Draft Cards

Further details and links are available at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/us-ww2-records


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Deceased Online adds Norwich cemeteries records

From Deceased Online (www.deceasedonline.com), another potentially useful resource if your ancestors moved down south!

Records from Norwich City now available on Deceased Online

Burial records for Rosary and Earlham Cemeteries, both owned and run by Norwich City Council, have just been published on www.deceasedonline.com.

Rosary Cemetery was established by non-conformist minister Thomas Drummond in 1819, and was the UK's first non-denominational burial ground. In 2010, this beautiful, historic cemetery was granted Grade II* listed status.

Train driver John Prior and fireman James Light are both buried in Rosary Cemetery after being killed in the 1874 Thorpe rail accident at Thorpe St Andrew in Norfolk, in which the 20:40 mail train from Yarmouth and the 17:00 express from London collided head-on whilst travelling on a single track line between Norwich and Brundall. In total the driver and firemen of both trains and 21 passengers were killed, and many more seriously injured. After the horrific accident, as a preventative measure, engineer Edward Tyler developed the tablet system, whereby a token is given to a train driver to be inserted into an electric interlocking device after travelling down a single track, in order to let a waiting oncoming train driver know that the track was now clear.

Earlham Cemetery opened in 1856 once officials began to realise the link between overflowing churchyards and disease outbreaks. In 1855, after a cholera outbreak a few years previously, the Mayor of Norwich received an order from the Home Secretary demanding that all burials in the city's churchyards ceased. Once a site for the new municipal cemetery was chosen and purchased for £5000, Earlham Cemetery was designed by city surveyor Edward Everett Benest in an informal garden style with winding paths, and catering for all faiths. Much of this original cemetery is now a County Wildlife Site and is home to a wide selection of flora and fauna. By the late 1920s the cemetery had been extended across Farrow Road to its present size of 85 acres.

Earlham Cemetery is the final resting place of the eminent Victorian and Edwardian architect, George Skipper. Among many other works, he designed the Royal Arcade in Norwich, the Cliftonville and Sandcliff Hotels in Cromer, and Sexey's School in Somerset. Also buried in Earlham is Erminio William Louis Marchesi, who founded the Round Table, the well known international fellowship and charitable organisation for young men, in 1927. Marchesi also served in the armed forces during both World Wars and died at his home in Norwich in 1968. In 1976, in the Tombland area of Norwich, The Waggon and Horses pub was renamed The Louis Marchesi.

The records available comprise digital scans of a mix of burial, grave, and index registers, section maps showing the area in which the grave is located, and details of other occupants in the grave.


Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

The next free Scottish Indexes genealogy conference is on June 8th

From Scottish Indexes (www.scottishindexes.com):

Scottish Indexes Conference - 8 June 2020

We are excited to announce that the 3rd Scottish Indexes Conference is scheduled for Monday 8 June 2020. This is again a free conference, simply join our Facebook group to access the event. If you don’t have Facebook you can also register here on Zoom.

To accommodate people around the globe the programme will again begin at 7am BST and end at 10pm BST. In the coming days we will announce more speakers and release the full schedule so that you can plan your day.

Here are some presentations to look forward to (we will let you know about more soon):
  • “Referencing for Genealogists: or how to show where you found the data” - Tahitia McCabe
  • "Scottish Burgh and Trade Incorporation Records" - Chris Paton
  • “Finding Your Scottish Ancestors in Canada” - Christine Woodcock

Keep and eye out for further details soon on www.scottishindexes.com.

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Tuesday 19 May 2020

Virtual British Institute 2020 - Ireland, Wales, England

So, here we go!

I was very much looking forward to returning to Salt Lake City this coming October, for the first time since 1999, but a nasty wee bug got in the way of all that. You can't keep a good team down, however, so I'm delighted to share the news that this year's British Institute (www.isbgfh.com/BRITISH-INSTITUTE) from the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (www.isbgfh.com) has re-emerged as a new online venture in October, by way of a three day event featuring myself, Paul Milner and Darris Williams, covering genealogical topics from Ireland, Wales and England.


Here's the event description:

Virtual British Institute 2020

Due to Covid-19 the 2020 British Institute will be virtual. Each presenter will introduce topics they will cover in 2021, so you can begin your research while at home. Basic through intermediate levels of instruction will be offered in four 'live' presentations with 'live' question and answer time. From the comfort of your home access a full syllabus highlighting relevant record groups. Courses will run consecutively, so take one or all three from Oct. 12 - 14.

We are offering the following courses:

Oct 12th 2020
Tracing Your Irish Family History
Chris Paton

Oct 13th 2020
Hidden Treasures in Welsh Family History
Darris Williams

Oct 14th 2020
English Research: Fundamentals and Beyond
Paul Milner



If you click on the links above you can find out a bit more about the three of us and the topics that all three of us will be offering on our respective days.

For convenience this is what I'll be covering on the first day, for the newly abridged Irish tract:

1. Church and State: Ireland's vital records

This session will explore how to locate ancestors in Ireland using the civil registration records of births, marriages and deaths from 1845 and 1864 onwards, both online and in Ireland itself, as held at both the GROI in Roscommon and the GRONI in Belfast. It will also examine how to understand and utilize the records, and to appreciate their strengths and limitations.

Chris will then look at the various church denominations in Ireland, how they were structured, and the types of records they kept. He will explore how to locate surviving material, to equally identify what has not survived (and why), and to understand where Protestant and Catholic Ireland occasionally overlapped, with the role of the Church of Ireland as the state church.

Where gaps in such records exist, Chris will further discuss how other sources may be able to provide alternative information to plug those gaps, including resources in Britain.

2. Irish land records

In this session Chris will provide an understanding of the administrative boundaries within which various records were created and gathered in Ireland, look at how to locate places mentioned in records in Ireland, and to understand what those place names might mean.

He will also provide an introductory overview of the key land records available for ancestral research - the surviving censuses and census substitutes, the records of land valuation and taxation (including 19th century tithe applotment book and Griffith's Valuation), the Registry of Deeds, the value of estate records – and of course, how to find them, both online and in the island's many archives.

3. Daily life in Ireland

As well as the basic resources to establish the genealogy of our families, additional record sets exist that document their role and status in society, and often their fate.

In this session Chris will look at additional resources that can place our families in context, including, for example, freeholders lists and absent voters lists, the administration of the poor law and the role of the poorhouse in Ireland, and education records.

He will also look at surviving judicial records and the records of law enforcement, and provide a flavour of what might be out there, by exploring a case study of a 19th century murder which unblocked a genealogical brick wall, and pushed a family narrative back a hundred years to the mid 18th century.

4. The Decade of Centenaries

From 1912-1923 a dramatic transformation occurred in Ireland, culminating with the Partition of the island into the two constitutional territories in existence today. In this session Chris will explore the dramatic events of the period, which are today being commemorated north and south of the island as the 'Decade of Centenaries'.

These include the struggle for Home Rule and the defiance of the Ulster Covenant, workers' rights and the Dublin Lockout of 1913, the Suffragette campaign for the enfranchisement of women, the pause on all fronts created by the First World War, and the subsequent sacrifices made in the British Empire's name. During the turmoil, Ireland experienced its Easter Rising, which led towards a constitutional turning point, with the Conscription crisis, the subsequent War of Independence against British rule, the Partition of Ireland into two administrative territories, and the resultant tragedy of the Irish Civil War.

Amongst all of this, Chris will examine the many records becoming increasingly available to work out where our ancestors may have fitted in.

You can sign up for the Irish tract at https://www.isbgfh.com/page-18077 by going to the bottom of the page and clicking on Register Here, or by visiting https://www.isbgfh.com/event-3843668.

The fees (in US dollars) are as follows:

1 Day Member: English Research – $89.00
1 Day Member: Hidden Treasures in Welsh Family History – $89.00
1 Day Member: Tracing Your Irish Family History – $89.00
1 Day Non-Member: English Research – $99.00
1 Day Non-Member: Hidden Treasures in Welsh Family History – $99.00
1 Day Non-Member: Tracing Your Irish Family History – $99.00
2 Day Member: English and Irish Research – $160.00
2 Day Member: English and Welsh Research – $160.00
2 Day Member: Welsh and Irish Research – $160.00
2 Day Non-Member: English and Irish Research – $198.00
2 Day Non-Member: English and Welsh Research – $198.00
2 Day Non-Member: Welsh and Irish Research – $198.00
3 Day Member – $230.00
3 Day Non-Member – $297.00
FREE BI Committee

Just for good measure, if you wish to hear what was planned for the original 5 days Irish tract - which is now being moved to 2021 - you can watch a talk that I gave about it earlier this year at https://youtu.be/yFK90UrmZMk, and which I have reproduced below for convenience:



It's going to be busy and it is going to be fun - I hope to see you there!

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts June 8th - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is out shortly, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.