SCAN website to be killed off on January 9th 2025

The end is nigh for the Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) website at www.scan.org.uk, which has been replaced by the new Your Scottish Archives platform (see https://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2024/12/your-scottish-archive-catalogue-launches.html). The following announcement is currently being carried at the top of the SCAN platform, which for twenty years has provided a catalogue detailing holdings in over fifty archives across Scotland:

Please be aware that from 9 January 2025 this website, The Scottish Archive Network, will be decommissioned.

The SCAN website will have had its final web archive completed and all the content, apart from access to the Highlands and Islands Emigration records, will be available via National Records of Scotland Web archive.
 
The Highland and Island Emigration records database (HD4/5) is already available to search for free on the Scotland's People website.  Researchers just need to register for a free account in order to search it.

There is also a supporting record guide for researchers which provides background information and explains how to search the database at the Scotland's People help and support guides.

RIP SCAN...

Chris

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

Ancestry adds RNLI and heraldry records

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has made a couple of new records collections available:

UK and Ireland, The Royal National Lifeboat Institution Records, 1824-1989
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62701/
Source: RNLI Records. Poole, Dorset, England: Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Institution Records, 1824-1989

This collection covers the records between 1824 and 1989 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity to save lives at sea on the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Record types in this collection include pension lists, honorary presentation books, legacy books, medal books, lifeboat donation records, crew lists, and applications.

Using this collection

Records in this collection may include the following information:

• Name
• Residence
• Occupation and rank
• Name of assigned lifeboat and station
• Employment or volunteer start/end date
• Date of gallantry medal(s)
• Date of pension
• Date of injury or death
• Information about spouse (name, death date)

The pensions and crew lists within this collection can provide a detailed timeline of your family member's service and valuable information about their life. The mApplications for Gallantry Medals books, also in this collection, may reveal specific instances of your family member's bravery. The RNLI records also include widow's pensions, which name relatives of RNLI members who died in the line of duty. If your family member served on a lifeboat, you may find documentation of rescues the lifeboat engaged in, including shipwrecks and events from the First and Second World Wars. You may also find records for your ancestor who funded lifeboats.


UK, Heraldic Card Index, 1150-1850
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62736/
Source: Heraldic Card Index. London, England: Society of Antiquaries of London.

About the UK, Heraldic Card Index, 1150-1850

This collection captures hundreds of thousands of index cards created by the Society of Antiquaries for the purpose of connecting coats of arms to family names between 1150 and 1850. The Society of Antiquaries not only recorded descriptions of the coat of arms, but also brief genealogical information for the individual the coat of arms was assigned to.

Using this collection

In these index cards you may find the following information:

• Name (including suffixes and aliases)
• Age
• Birth year
• Occupation
• Residence
• Date and place of death
• Names of relatives
• Artifact date

This collection can help you determine if your family had a coat of arms, or to which family a coat of arms belonged to. Each index card describes a coat of arms and the objects on which it appears (seals, plateware, monuments, etc.). Sometimes the index card even includes a photograph or drawing. Keep in mind that the amount of information on each card varies greatly and may be printed or handwritten.


And two new third party indexes:

Web: United Kingdom, Corps of Military Police Index, 1800-2022
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63108/

Web: Isle Of Man, Wills Index, 1600-1864
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63077/

For further details on all, please consult the links given.

Chris

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

Scottish Baronial Families 1250-1750, by David Dobson - review

The Genealogical Publishing Company has kindly sent me a copy of David Dobson's new book, Scottish Baronial Families 1250-1750, for review.

Under Scotland's old feudal system, baronies were erected as administrative areas in Scotland, with their chief overseers, the barons, being the Scottish equivalent of the English 'lord of the manor'. Barons were not a peerage rank, with a baron only being a baron so long as he retained the barony to which he had been granted a right to oversee - or to be more accurate, so long as he retained the 'caput' of the barony, where the barony courts were held. As a feudal possession. baronies were heritable, and could thus be passed down to an heir. The role of baronies and their barons diminished following the passing of the Heritable Jurisditions Act of 1747.

David's book provides a concise introduction to the topic, summarising the role of the barons in Scottish society, and identifying the limited number of baronies for which records have been published. There then follows the main event, an alphabetical listing of over a thousand baronial familes known to exist over a 500 year period from 1250-1750. The main source used by David is The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, and in the introduction he notes that for more concise information on the families themselves, Margaret Stuart's Scottish Family History (1979, GPC, Baltimore) should be consulted. 

The book does not act as a manorial documents register, as found down south, it identifies the individuals known to have held baronies, and when they were granted the right to do so, with no further source citations noted in most cases, apart from a very general bibliography noted in the introduction. This means that if you wish to chase records for those noted, many of which are in private hands, there will still be some work to do for the reader. In addition, an index of barony placenames might have been a useful addition, which is unfortunately missing. 

Nevertheless, this is still a very useful guide to those known to have held baronies in Scotland, a much under-used source for local records. An appendix at the end also identifies some Scots-Irish baronets, not to be confused with barons, these being created for entiriely different purposes from 1611 as a means to fund the Plantations of Ulster and the settlement of Nova Scotia.  

Scottish Baronial Families 1250-1750, by David Dobson, is available to buy from the Genealogical Publishing Company in Baltimore Maryland, USA, priced at US $35. For further details visit https://genealogical.com/store/scottish-baronial-families-1250-1750/.

(With thanks to the GPC for the review copy)

Chris

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

Next Scottish Research Online course starts 6th January 2025

The next Scottish Research Online course from Pharos Tutors (www.pharostutors.com), taught by myself, starts on January 6th 2025. 

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 describes the major sites and record types that you will encounter in your research, and how to analyse the results. It compares and contrasts many of the key websites available for Scottish research, drilling down to key features within each to help improve a users knowledge of what is contained within the presented records, and equally important, what is not. It explores the key resources for vital records such as births, marriages and deaths, as recorded by the state from 1855 onwards, and the usefulness of the decennial censuses from 1841-1911 in connecting family members and branches together.

Prior to civil registration there are the records created by the Church of Scotland as the state church, with the course exploring access to its Old Parish Registers (OPRs) on ScotlandsPeople and through FamilySearchs various finding aids. In the final lesson, wills and inventories generated by Scotlands confirmation process are explored, with some of the many differences flagged up between the records of Scotland and the rest of the UK, thanks to the distinctly different legal system north of the border.

Most importantly this course 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

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 chats See How 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.'

'Excellent tuition from Chris Paton; very good course materials; well-paced; excellent value for money. I very much liked the opportunity to work at my own pace.'

Relevant Countries: Scotland
Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 6 January 2025
Cost: £70.00

For a wee video introduction to the course, see below or visit https://youtu.be/ssdYLlGtoHw?si=eTlH-QEVCQlmd6Ii

To sign up for the course, please visit https://www.pharostutors.com/scottish-research-online

I hope to maybe see you there!

Chris

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

Your Scottish Archive catalogue launches

Although I am still down under in Australia, this is too big a development to wait to talk about until I get home! 

The new Your Scottish Archives site has finally launched, after an extensive delay, at https://yourscottisharchives.com. Designed to replace the long out-of-date Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) platform, the site offers a catalogue of many archival institutions in Scotland, including county archive services, and for the first time, community based archives. In addition, the site has an updated Knowledge Base and Glossary, features previously available on the SCAN platform. 

This is probably the most significant development in Scottish genealogy for a decade, with the platform able to assist family historians to locate many collections that can assist with research. Please note that this is not a straight migration of participating organsiations from the SCAN platform, however, so there may be organisations that were represented there now not on the new Your Scottish Archive platform, so do always remember to consult websites of Scottish archives also, in case they have their own dedicated catalogues there.

Happy hunting - and I will carry out a fuller review when I get home!

Chris

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

TheGenealogist releases new military records

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

New Release of Military Records Celebrating Our Armed Forces
Search over half a million names

Ahead of Remembrance Sunday, TheGenealogist is proud to announce the release of a collection of military records spanning over half a million names. This collection provides invaluable insights into the service and sacrifices of members of the British Armed Forces and colonial forces throughout history.

"This collection offers a glimpse into the service and sacrifices of our military and naval personnel throughout history," said Mark Bayley of TheGenealogist. "As we approach Remembrance Sunday, we are honoured to provide researchers and historians access to these invaluable resources, which contain the names of over half a million individuals who served their countries with courage and distinction."

The newly released records include:

●    Naval and Military Despatches Vol. IV-VI (1915 - 1916)
●    The British Roll of Honour 1837-1887
●    Return of The Names of The Officers in The Army 1811-1816
●    Surrey Musters, Part I-III 1544-1684
●    The Army List for 1881
●    The Army List for September 1933
●    The East-India Register and Directory, 1811
●    The East-India Register and Army List, 1842
●    The Last Post, Roll of Officers (Naval, Military or Colonial) who fell in South Africa 1899-1902 (also includes War Correspondents and Nurses who lost their lives)
●    The Muster-Roll of Angus, South African War, 1899-1902 (with 700 portraits)
●    A List of the Flag Officers and Other Commissioned Officers of His Majesty's Fleet, 1826
●    List of Officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps, 1775-1900
●    Naval Worthies of Queen Elizabeth's Reign 1562-1643
●    Navy - Pensions, Compensations, and Allowances
●    The Royal Navy List for 1901
●    The Navy List for 1902
●    The Navy List for April 1915
●    The Navy List for April 1932
●    The Navy List for July 1915
●    The Navy List for January 1929
●    Arbroath & District Roll of Honour 1939-1945

The release of these records coincides with Remembrance Sunday, a solemn occasion when we pay tribute to the members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

TheGenealogist's comprehensive military records collection allows individuals to delve into their family histories and honour the legacy of their ancestors who served.

One of the many interesting characters in these new records is Norman Douglas Holbrook, a remarkable submariner with extraordinary courage, skill, and determination - read his story here: https://thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2024/how-a-wwi-submarine-raid-birthed-a-hero-and-a-town-half-a-world-away-7864/

Explore the parish records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist. To celebrate this release, for a limited time you can claim a Diamond Subscription for the price of a Gold subscription at just £98.95 along with a FREE online magazine - a saving of over £64. You can claim this offer here: https://thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBMIL1124

This offer expires 14th February 2025.

Chris

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

Free access to FindmyPast for Remembrance Day commemorations

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Uncover forgotten wartime stories with free access to Findmypast this Remembrance Day

•    Research from Findmypast has revealed that 1.18 million wartime stories could be lost to history forever, as two thirds (64%) of Brits admit they haven't researched an ancestor who served
•    To combat this, all records on Findmypast will be free to the public over the Remembrance weekend (7-11 November 2024)
•    Delve into ancestors’ wartime experiences – from WRENS to frontline troops – in millions of military records
•    The 1921 Census will be free to view for the first time, offering a snapshot of interwar life
•    Uncover the details of family heroics and tragedy within the pages of Findmypast’s treasure trove of historical newspapers
•    Preserve stories and memories in a family tree and take advantages of helpful free tools and features

This Remembrance weekend, Findmypast is offering free access to all records to enable more people to discover their family’s wartime experiences.

This comes after new research conducted by Findmypast revealed that 1.18 million wartime stories are at risk of being forgotten, with a staggering two thirds (64%) of Brits admit they haven't researched an ancestor who served. 

From 7 November – 11 November, anyone can delve into the billions of records and historical newspapers on Findmypast, including the exclusive 1921 Census for the first time.

With millions of military records available – from WWI service records to medical records, enrolment forms, and rolls of honour – you can trace every detail of your ancestors’ wartime service across the globe.

With millions of women serving in in uniform and undertaking civilian wartime roles, make sure to uncover their stories in record sets including the WRENs files, Red Cross volunteer lists, rolls of honour, and service records. 

Newspapers on Findmypast offer a treasure trove of information and stories. You might find details of your ancestors’ wartime heroics, images of your community during the blitz, or fascinating insights into the reporting of major milestones in the war. Follow history as it happened with free access to millions of newspaper pages, digitised in partnership with the British Library.

With the 1921 Census offered free for the first time, you can also discover the impacts of the First World War on your family’s lives. Uncover their changing occupations and reflect on tragic losses, all documented in the largest and most comprehensive census in British history. Trace their lives further into the 20th century with the 1939 Register, taken on the advent of the Second World War.

Plus, you’ll get free use of all Findmypast’s tools and features to aid your research and grow your tree. Preserve your findings with Findmypast’s online family tree builder, and allow the clever hints to get your family history further, faster and with more accuracy. Search for ancestors within the branches of other members’ tree and uncover new connections. Discover milestone moments with Family Notices, and map these onto their profile.

Sarah Bush, Managing Director at Findmypast said: "Remembrance Day provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on our ancestors’ sacrifices, but research shows many stories remain untold. We’re encouraging people to honour their ancestors by uncovering their wartime stories. Every family’s wartime experience is unique, so we’re making our vast and varied collection of records, newspapers and tools on Findmypast free to ensure that no story is left behind.”

Free access on Findmypast will run from 10am GMT on 7 November to 11.59pm FMP on Monday 11 November. Ts&Cs Apply.  

(With thanks to Maddy Gilbert)

 

Chris

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

Ancestry releases five UK themed Second World War databases

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has released five new UK themed World War 2 databases:

UK, World War II Photographs, 1939-1945
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62210/
Source: WWII Images. London, England: Mirrorpix.

About UK, World War II Photographs, 1939-1945

The World War II collection includes photos of the Second Great Fire of London and the destruction following the Blitz air raid bombings.

The images in this collection come from Mirrorpix, a division of Reach PLC, a publishing company.

Mirrorpix is a comprehensive archive of photographic press images. The collection includes works from the Daily Mirror newspaper, the Daily Express, and hundreds more leading regional newspapers.

 

UK, British Army World War II Medal Cards, 1939-1945
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62862/
Source: WW2 C.S.20 Army Medal Cards (WO 460). Kew, Surrey, England.

About UK, British Army World War II Medal Cards, 1939-1945

This collection contains an index of cards with information about medals awarded by the British Army for service during the Second World War. Records include a link to the image available on Forces War Records and Fold3.

The cards served as applications for war service medals, including the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-45, and campaign stars that were awarded for service in specific theatres of the war. Veterans or their family members were required to submit an application to claim the appropriate medals, and many veterans didn’t file applications to receive their military honours.

It is believed that the medal index cards do not survive for members of the following regiments:

• Royal Engineers
• Royal Army Veterinary Corps
• Royal Army Medical Corps
• Royal Army Ordnance Corps
• Auxiliary Territorial Service
• Scots Guards
• Leicestershire Regiment
• Royal Warwickshire Regiment
• Lincolnshire Regiment
• West Yorkshire Regiment
• East Yorkshire Regiment
• Green Howards
• Duke of Wellington's Regiment
• Sherwood Foresters
• York and Lancashire Regiment
• Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
• Royal Ulster Rifles
• Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
• Royal Irish Fusiliers
• King's Own Regiment
• Lancashire Fusiliers
• East Lancashire Regiment
• Border Regiment
• South Lancashire Regiment
• Loyal Regiment
• Manchester Regiment
• Welch Regiment
• Cheshire Regiment
• Worcester Regiment
• South Staffordshire Regiment
• North Staffordshire Regiment
• South Wales Borderers
• Royal Welch Fusiliers
• Liverpool Regiment

The Second World War medals for civilian personnel in the Political Warfare Directorate are not included in this series.


UK, Selected Smaller Units Service Records, 1921-1959
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62683/
Source: WO 421: War Office: Selected Smaller Corps Other Ranks: Service Records. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives.

About UK, Selected Smaller Units Service Records, 1921-1959

This collection contains military service records for members of the British armed forces created between 1921 and 1959. A majority of the records are related to the discharge of over-age personnel who served during the Second World War between 1939 and 1945.

This collection includes service records from the following Corps:
Army Air Corps Royal
Army Veterinary Corps
Royal Military Police (or Corps of Military Police)
Royal Army Pay Corps
Royal Army Physical Training Corps
Military Provost Staff Corps
Royal Corps of Army Music
Royal Army Education Corps
Royal Pioneer Corps
Intelligence Corps
Officer Training Corps
Non-Combatant Corps


UK, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Service Records, 1942-1959
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62682/
Source: WO 420: War Office: The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Other Ranks: Service Records (WO 420). Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives.

About the UK, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Service Records, 1942-1959

This collection contains records of service members who served in the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (officers excluded) between the years 1942 and 1959. In this collection you’ll find service members who served during and after the Second World War, as well as those who were discharged for “aging out” of service (over 45). Only records of service members born over 100 years ago have been published, with more released annually as they exceed 100 years since birth.

Using this collection

Records in this collection may include the following information:
Name
Birth date and place
Age
Service number
Rank
Regiment
Residence place
Parents’ names
Parents’ birth dates and places
Spouse’s name
Spouse's birth date and place
Marriage date and place
Religion
Physical attributes
Enlistment date and place
Discharge date and place
Occupation
Death date and place

Each service member has a packet containing multiple records. When viewing this collection be sure to use the image viewer to view all the records available in the packet. Service record packets may include the following:

• Attestation forms: documents created upon initial recruitment or transfer between units
• Statement of service: a list of the soldier’s postings whilst in service
• B102 Tracer cards: used to trace the soldier’s movements and promotions in the military
• B103 Service and casualty forms: an expanded version of the military service providing more in-depth details

The first page of each packet will include the piece number, which is used for cataloguing the records and will prove useful when creating source citations.

 

Poland and Great Britain, Polish Air Force in Great Britain, 1940-1947
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63126/
Source: personelu Polskich Sił Powietrznych w Wielkiej Brytanii, 1940-1947. Polska: Krzystek’s List. https://listakrzystka.pl/en/ Accessed: July 2024.

About Poland and Great Britain, Polish Air Force in Great Britain, 1940-1947

This index-only collection captures over 16,000 Polish aviators who served in Great Britain during the Second World War. The index also includes service members who worked in other divisions of the Polish Air Force (PAF) in Britain—such as the Aviation Inspectorate—as well as Polish volunteers for the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF).

The index may include the following information:

• Name
• Service number
• Rank and specialty
• Date and place of birth
• Date of death
• Place of burial
• Last known assignment/post
• Military decorations
• Last known residence

The names of Polish personnel were processed by British officers, so misspellings may have occurred. Consider different first name/surname variations during your search. If you locate a service number, you can use it to order service records from the Ministry of Defence. Such records can offer more details about a service member’s military career. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-air-force-personnel/ and https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records offer guidance on how to order and procure RAF service records.

* Further details for al the collections via the links given.

Chris

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

Ancestry adds new Irish based paupers database

Ancestry has added the following dataset:

Ireland, Paupers in Workhouses Who Were Born in England, Wales, or Scotland, 1863
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62994/
Source: Paupers (Ireland). Return of Names and Ages of Paupers in Workhouses in Ireland, on the 25th day of March 1863, who were born in England, Wales or Scotland. Dublin, Ireland: Poor Law Commission Office, 1863.

General collection information

This collection is an index of information from a book titled: Return of Names and Ages of all Paupers in the Workhouses in Ireland, on the 25th day of March 1863, who were born in England, Wales or Scotland.

Records in this collection may include the following information:

• Name
• Age
• Birthplace
• Name of poor law union

The information in this collection can be used to learn more about your ancestor and their life in a pauper workhouse. Knowing your ancestor's birthplace and the union where they lived in a workhouse may lead to other documents from that geographic area, such as church records of births, marriages, and deaths. Although the index may feature multiple people with the same last name in a particular section, the records do not say whether they are related. Ireland parish records, birth and death certificates, and census records can help you determine relations.

Chris

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

Pre-order my new book Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland

I'm delighted to say that my new book is now available for pre-order from Pen and Sword at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Researching-Ancestral-Crisis-in-Ireland-Paperback/p/51770, at an introductory price of £12.79 (RRP £15.99) plus postage. The book will be published on February 28th 2025. 

Entitled Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland: A Guide for Family Historians, the book looks at the moments in our Irish ancestors' lives where things went wrong, and how they were documented. Here's the back cover blurb:

Ireland is an extraordinarily beautiful island from which millions can claim their direct ancestry. But Ireland is also an island which has experienced some truly extraordinary moments of crisis which will have directly impacted our forebears, helping to shape us into the individuals that we are today. Whenever such crises happened, whether on a national scale or within the home, there was invariably somebody standing close to hand with a quill and parchment to document the misfortunes that befell so many.

In this latest book, family historian Chris Paton takes a look at some of the darkest episodes of Irish history over the last four hundred years, as well as the everyday crises that affected everyone throughout their lives. He will discuss the impact of many major events on our ancestors, including colonisation, conquest and rebellion, as well as the various pressures endured from within the family, the church, and the state.

Along the way Chris highlights the records that can help us to show the various trials and tribulations faced by our ancestors, which can help to vividly bring our family histories to life, including those available both online and within Ireland's many local and national archives.

And the following is the chapter breakdown:

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Timeline

1. Irish Family History Research Basics
    Births, marriages and deaths
    Church records
        Roman Catholic records
        Protestant church records
    Census records
    Wills
    DNA
    Gateway sites
    Irish archives
    British archives
    Libraries
    Commercial vendors    
    Newspapers
    Societies
    Commercial research services

2. Family events and relationships
    Births and illegitimacy
    'Fallen women'
    Mother and baby homes
    Foundlings
    Orphans
    Adoption
    Home children
    Marital issues
    Separation and divorce
    Bigamy
    Homosexuality
    Death
    Suicide
    
3. Law and Order
    Brehon laws        
    English law
    The Crown courts
    Local courts
    Grand juries
    Manor records
    Church courts
    Police and prison records
    Transportation
    Execution

4. Poverty and health
    Poor law
    Deportation of Irish paupers from Britain
    Public health concerns
    Hospitals and public health
    Asylums

5. Them and Us
    The Plantations of Ulster
    The 1641 Rebellion
    The Cromwellian Conquest
    The Penal Laws
    The Great Famine
    The Land War
    The Home Rule Crisis
    The Suffragettes
    The Dublin Lockout
    The First World War
    The Easter Rising
    The War of Independence
    The Treaty and the Civil War
    The Legacy of Conflict

I hope you enjoy the book, I've put a lot into it!

** Please note that the book will be available in the United States from April 2025, retailing at US $28.95 - see https://www.penandswordbooks.com/9781036110376/researching-ancestral-crisis-in-ireland/ for details.

Chris

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

Free access to MyHeritage's death records collections for Hallowe'en

From October 29th to November 1st 2024, MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com) is offering free access to its death, burial, cemetery, and obituary records. There are nearly 1.2 billion records in 435 collections.

For more on the story visit https://blog.myheritage.com/2024/10/discover-your-ancestors-stories-with-free-access-to-death-records-this-halloween.

(With thanks to Daniel Horowitz)

Chris

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

ScotlandsPeople adds Barlinnie Prison records

The ScotlandsPeople website (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk) has added 180,000 records of admissions to Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, from 1882-1899. The release also includes a prisoner photograph album with images of 2000 inmates.

For more on the story visit https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/news-and-articles/exploring-hmp-barlinnie

Chris

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

FindmyPast's appalling subscription rates restructure

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has restructured its pricing mechanism to offer two new subscription packages, which are likely to infuriate many regular users. 

The first, called Family Tree, costs £9.99 per month, but only allows you to access records that the site's hints tell you may be connected to you through your hosted family tree. The second, called Everything, is £24.99 a month, or £199 annually, and replaces the previous Premium package.

The unfortunate thing about the Family Tree package is that you are entirely reliant on the site's Borg drones (i.e. its algorithms) to do your research for you, which is absolutely NOT the way to carry out research if you wish to be in control of the process. 

You can read more about the changes at WDYTYA magazine's post at https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/news/findmypast-introduces-new-pricing-structure.

I would suggest that this one seriously needs an urgent rethink.

Chris

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

Ulster Historical Foundations adds new records to database

The Ulster Historical Foundation (https://ulsterhistoricalfoundation.com) has added 14,000 new records to its database, comprised of the following:

1) 4900 Roman Catholic birth records from Belfast and County Antrim, for the following areas: 

• Sacred Heart Parish, Belfast - 1916-1929
• Hannahstown, Co. Antrim - 1899-1929
• Holy Cross, Belfast - 1867-1899

2) 8,700 freeholder records, showcasing those registered to vote across various Irish counties from 1747 to 1837.

The databases are acessible at https://ulsterhistoricalfoundation.com/genealogy-databases/list.

(With thanks to Gillian Hunt)

Chris

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

National Library of Scotland's new Mills of Britain tool

There's a new mapping tool on the National Library of Scotland mapping platform, entitled Mills of Britain (https://maps.nls.uk/projects/mills-of-britain) - the following is the blurb:

This new web resource shows the locations and details of over 15,000 mill sites mapped in 18th-19th century Britain. You can browse and filter the mill records by survey date, map symbology, mill type, as well as their distances from rivers. There is also supporting information about the project, its background, identifying mills on maps, the methods, and on accuracy and georeferencing. You can also explore more and access the data. The online resource was created through a collaborative project with the University of Glasgow and University of Wollongong, funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

The project covers Britain, rather than the UK, so Northern Ireland is not included, but Scotland is well served in the coverage. Pictured below is a grab from the site for the Mill of Airntully in the parish of Kinclaven, Perthshire. To the right are descriptiosn from three separate maps for the mill site.

Have fun exploring!

Chris

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

Forthcoming talk on the British civilian POW camp in the First World War at Ruhleben

Hi folks,

A quick heads up that I will be giving a talk to the Society of Genealogists in London, England, on the topic of British Civilian POWs in the First World War. The following is the talk description:

The First World War had a profound impact on civilians accidentally caught in its wake. Thousands of British and British Empire civilians, living or travelling in Europe, were suddenly rounded up and imprisoned in a makeshift internment camp on the outskirts of Berlin from 1914-1918.

In this illuminating talk, professional genealogist Chris Paton delves into the story of these 5,500 civilian prisoners of war—including over 1,000 merchant seamen—whose lives were forever changed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Discover the hardships they endured, their resilience and the legacy of a little-known chapter in wartime history.

To register please visit https://members.sog.org.uk/events/6578c48c03db660008585914/description?ticket=6578c48c03db660008585916 - and I hope to maybe see you there!

Chris

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

Internet Archive is once again accessible

The Internet Archive looks to be back up and running in a useable fashion, although there is much work still to be done following the recent hack of the site. I have just checked the dedicated National Library of Scotland area at https://archive.org/details/nationallibraryofscotland, and it looks like all of its content is once again accessible.

The last update from the archive on its site was three days ago, written by Chris Freeland, Director of Library Services at Internet Archive:

In recovering from recent cyberattacks on October 8, the Internet Archive has resumed the Wayback Machine (starting October 13) and Archive-It (October 17), and as of today (October 21), has begun offering provisional availability of archive.org in a read-only manner. Features like uploading, borrowing, reviewing items, interlibrary loan, and other services are not yet available.

Please note that these services will have limited availability as we continue maintenance.

Hackers disclosed archive.org email and encrypted passwords to a transparency website, and also sent emails to patrons by exploiting a 3rd party helpdesk system.

The safety and integrity of the Internet Archive’s data and patrons remain our top priorities. As the security incident is analyzed and contained by our team, we are relaunching services as defenses are strengthened. These efforts are focused on reinforcing firewall systems and further protecting the data stores.

We appreciate your patience and support as we work through these challenges. For ongoing updates, please follow our blog and official social media channels on X/Twitter, Bluesky, and Mastodon.

We stand with all libraries that have faced similar attacks—British Library, Seattle Public Library, Toronto Public Library, and Calgary Public Library—and with the communities we serve. Thank you for standing with the Internet Archive as we continue to fight back on behalf of all affected readers.

Good luck to the archive on its continued recovery.

(Source: https://blog.archive.org/2024/10/21/internet-archive-services-update-2024-10-21/)

Chris

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

Forthcoming National Records of Scotland events

The following events are listed on the National Records of Scotland Eventbrite site at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/national-records-of-scotland-13420221531.

Public tour: 250th anniversary of General Register House
Wed, 20 Nov, 12:00
HM General Register House
Free

This year, National Records of Scotland (NRS) marks the 250th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of General Register House on the 27th June 2024. One of Scotland’s most important public buildings, General Register House, has been the home of the nation’s archives for over two centuries and continues to provide public access to Scotland’s documentary history. Designed by Robert Adam, it opened its doors in 1789. The first purpose-built, public record repository in the British Isles, it has a good claim to being the oldest purpose-built archive in Europe still being used for its original function.

To celebrate, we are offering public tours over the anniversary year, June 2024 - June 2025, released quarterly. The history of this unique building, its place on Edinburgh Princes Street, and its continuing role as keeper of the nation’s archives, will be explained as attendees explore the striking central chamber, the Adam Dome, and are taken behind the scenes.

Tours will last approximately 40 minutes and must be booked in advance. Please note: visitors should wear comfortable footwear. We regret that the tour route through the building is not suitable for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility.

200 years of football in Edinburgh: Hybrid event
Wed, 4 Dec, 13:30
HM General Register House
Free

Speaker: Andy Mitchell, Sports Historian

This year marks 200 years since the Foot-Ball Club kicked off in Edinburgh, the world’s first known organisation dedicated to football. It was founded in December 1824 by John Hope, whose meticulous records of the club’s activities are preserved in the National Records of Scotland (NRS) among his extensive personal archive. This talk will celebrate the club’s bicentenary by exploring its origins, its members and its legacy, placing it firmly in the pantheon of association football heritage.

This talk is a hybrid event. For those attending in-person a small display of original records will be on show from John Hope’s archive.

There will be time for questions at the end.

Book places using the above Eventbrite page link.

Chris

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

Changes to the FamilySearch catalog

From FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org):

For over two decades, the FamilySearch Catalog has been a valuable research tool. Today, it handles more than 5 million searches each week. The highly customized system has been running on outdated technology that must be replaced.

How the Catalog is changing

The most noticeable change with this update is that the Catalog uses the newest FamilySearch place standards. Place standards provide a consistent experience for how place information is organized and presented. Standards must be updated regularly since place names around the world are changing.

How different place standards can affect your searches

Using different place standards can impact search results for some locations. Some places have slightly different display names than in the past. Other places could be grouped within a larger place. In these cases, you must perform an extra click or two to find the search results you desire.

Some places from the old Catalog are not in the new place standards yet. However, many of these excluded places are in the process of being added.

Benefits of updating the Catalog

With the new system, searches can be more precise and the results are sorted better. For example, doing a place search for China now returns resources in English and Chinese.

In the coming months, you will see updated and new collections appear. Besides usability improvements, we are also working to unify the search experience for digital, image, and physical collections. 

We are interested in your feedback

After you enter your search terms and click Search, look in the lower right of the screen. Find and click the Feedback button to ask questions or share your thoughts. Your feedback is important to us. We look forward to hearing from you!

(Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/whats-new-with-the-familysearch-catalog; with thanks to Cinda Baxter and Elizabeth Shown Mills)

Chris

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

National Library of Scotland Family History Fair

From the National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk): 

The National Library of Scotland hosts several organisations from across the city for a drop-in family history event. 

Monday 28 October 2024
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
George IV Bridge building
Free

The National Library of Scotland is partnering with colleagues from Edinburgh Central Library, Edinburgh City Archive, National Records of Scotland, National Museum of Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, and the Scottish Genealogy Society, for a family history fair.
 
This is an opportunity for people at all stages of genealogical research to hear from and interact with staff members from various archives in Edinburgh, who will talk through the various collections that they hold and services that they offer and explain how they can help with your genealogical research.

(Source: https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/family-history-fair/; with thanks to Scottish Indexes)

Chris

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

Thanks to the three Ayrshire family history societies!

I had the pleasure of speaking at the joint meeting of the Ayrshire family history societies last Thursday in Troon, at Portland Church hall, in what I believe was the first such joint meeting since the pandemic. I was actually told that my recent blog post at the end of last year on whether Scotland's family history community was beginning to suffer from 'Long Zoom' was a factor in it being established (see http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2023/11/is-scotlands-family-history-community.html), so glad to have helped if that was true! It was a packed hall, with folk having travelled from Largs, Kilmarnock, Troon, and throughout the county and beyond.

Ayrshire today is split into three administrative council areas, North, East and South, and the three Ayrshire societies are located in each, being Troon @ Ayrshire FHS (https://www.troonayrshirefhs.org.uk), East Ayrshire FHS (https://eastayrshirefhs.co.uk), and North Ayrshire FHS (http://www.northayrshirefhs.org.uk), which used to be the Largs and North Ayrshire FHS. All can help with research in their specific parts of the county, and alongside the resources that casn be found from Ayrshire's joint archive service at https://www.ayrshirearchives.org.uk.

The talk that I gave was a deliberately simplified introduction to how DNA can be useful in helping out with family history research. There was a simple introduction to what DNA is, and the sorts of tests available, with the majority of the talk highlighting three examples from my own family tree in Scotland and Ireland of just how DNA matches can help to unblock brick walls in research. The purpose was to simply show that DNA can be an important thing to test, and that it is best to do so sooner than later, particularly with elderly relatives, even if you don't quite know how to understand all the technical gubbins behind it at first - that will come, in time!

A huge thanks to all who came along, and to the societies for organising it, I hope it is the first of many more annual events to come! This year I have been able to give a few in-person talks, after several years of online pergatory, and whilst Zoom can be convenient, and reach members beyond Scotland and Ireland, it simply cannot replicate the sense of community that in-person events can help to foster on societies' own doorsteps. 

And I sincerely hope whoever laid out the food spread after the sesion will seriously consider catering for weddings and other events - it was magnificent, I'm not sure I've ever seen such an amazing feast at a society event!

Chris

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

Happy fortieth birthday to Family Tree magazine!

The UK's Family Tree magazine (https://www.family-tree.co.uk) is celebrating its 40th year this month with the November 2024 issue - happy birthday!

In this month's issue:

A.I. & Genealogy
Chris Paton looks at the world of ‘Artificial Intelligence’. Is it here to help us?

Finding your way around Findmypast
Genealogy tutor Jude Rhodes guides beginners and more experienced users around Findmypast’s key tools

Free & frugal tips, tools & tactics for family historians
Useful family history tips from the Frugal Family Historian Alison Spring for saving time and money

The life of a 19th-century soldier
Family Tree Academy tutor David Annal explores the life of a 19th-century military man

Twiglets
Gill Shaw turns her attention to (quite a) house history… okay yes, it’s a bit of a palace… that her erstwhile orphan great-great-aunt came to own!

Are you getting all the details you can from the 1939 National Register records
Richard Holt digs deeper into the 1939 Register for England and Wales

Spotlight on Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society
Read about the latest society in our series, as they celebrate their 50th!

DNA Workshop
DNA Advisor Karen Evans helps readers with their DNA difficulties

Witch-hunts during the Little Ice Age
Were your ancestors accused of – or even executed for witchcraft? Wayne Shepheard and Karin Helmstaedt investigate

The life of George Smith, ARP warden
Janet Smith recounts the traumatic experience of her uncle George in his role as ARP warden

Photo Corner
Jayne Shrimpton helps to put dates to pictures from the past

And finally… Thoughts on…
Diane Lindsay has been thinking about her grandfather, and the many hats worn by this man who rarely spoke about the Great War

Comment: As noted above, in this issue I have written an article about the use of Artificial Intelligence in the genealogy world. It's not just about chatbots and art generating software, there is a lot of seriously interesting stuff going on behind the scenes!

For more on the latest issue, and to buy, visit https://www.family-tree.co.uk/store/back-issues/family-tree-magazine/family-tree-magazine-november-2024-issue-228/.

Chris  

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

Partial resumption of Internet Archive services after recent hack

Following the recent hack of the Internet Archive, which has led to the site being taken down, some services have now been restored, albeit in a read only format. This is the message from the archive:

Service Availability

Wayback Machine, Archive-It and blog.archive.org resumed.

Other Internet Archive services are temporarily offline.

Please come to our events next week: Escaping the Memory Hole Wednesday, October 23rd, and Go Behind-the-Scenes at the Physical Archive Tuesday, October 22nd.

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

Our patrons have asked how they can support: PayPal.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Links for all can be found at https://archive.org/.

Chris

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