TheGenealogist completes project to link census entries to maps

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offer expires 30th December 2024.

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

(With thanks to Paul Bayley)

Chris

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

Ancestry adds index to UK professional boxers 1900-1979

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

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

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

Chris

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

British Newspaper Archive passes 84 million pages of content

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

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

Scotland

Kirkintilloch Herald
1961

Falkirk Herald
1993-1994, 1996-1997

Motherwell Times
1990

Carluke and Lanark Gazette
1987, 1992, 1994

Galloway Gazette
1996-1998

Milngavie and Bearsden Herald
1903

Brechin Advertiser
1993

Fraserburgh Herald and Northern Counties' Advertiser
1964


Ireland

Belfast News-Letter
1997, 2001

Chris

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

Back to university in Glasgow!

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

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

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

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

I will hopefully see some of you there!

Chris

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

Strathclyde Institute of Genealogical Studies talk on Punjab Registers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris

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

FamilySearch's RootsTech 2025 event registration is open

From FamilySearch's RootsTech (https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/):

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (25 September 2024)—RootsTech by FamilySearch is excited to announce that registration for RootsTech 2025 is now open! RootsTech, the premier global family discovery event, will take place from March 6–8, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and online at RootsTech.org. Select content will be available in multiple languages. Register or learn more now at RootsTech.org.

This year’s event promises to be an unforgettable experience, offering an exciting mix of in-person and online events designed to inspire and educate family history enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you are a seasoned genealogist or just beginning your family discovery journey, RootsTech 2025 has something for everyone. It’s a great place to connect with old friends, make new ones, and expand your social network. RootsTech 2024 attendees made more than 350 million new family connections.

Highlights of RootsTech 2025

• Hundreds of Classes: Choose from a wide variety of online and in-person classes and workshops led by industry experts, covering topics for beginners to advanced research techniques.
• Expo Hall: Explore the latest innovations and products.
• Inspiring Main Stage Sessions: Enjoy presentations from celebrities, influencers, and experts who will share their personal family stories and insights.
• Family Discovery Day: This free event on Saturday, March 8, is filled with fun activities, games, and discovery ideas for the entire family.

Registration Details

• In-Person Conference: Early bird registration is available for just $99 and will increase to $129 on November 1, 2024. Be among the first 1,000 registrants to receive a limited-edition RootsTech pin.
• Online Conference: Receive free access to all virtual sessions and events on RootsTech.org.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with family history enthusiasts from around the world, and discover new ways to explore your family’s story. Register today at RootsTech.org.

What Is RootsTech?

RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, we have hundreds of classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or plan to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event. RootsTech 2025 offers a wide range of 200+ sessions, exhibitors, and experiences to help attendees discover, remember, and share their stories. 

Register via https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/.

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.

Latest Irish Genealogy Matters newsletter now available

The latest Irish Genealogy Matters, the newsletter from the Irish Family History Foundation, the publishers of the RootsIreland website at www.rootsireland.ie, is available to read at https://www.rootsireland.ie/2024/09/new-issue-of-irish-genealogy-matters-published-3/.

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.

ScotlandsPeople Centre to reduce opening hours

The ScotlandsPeople Centre (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/visit-us) in Edinburgh is to reduce its opening hours from September 30th, in what it describes as a move being done on a 'pilot basis over the winter months'. From Monday 30th, the weekday opening hours will be from 9.00am to 4.00pm, half an hour shorter than the current closing time.

According to the ScotlandsPeople Centre, "There will be an opportunity for customers to provide feedback from the start of the pilot period" i.e. after the new hours are in operation. This sounds to me like civil service spin, with the decision already taken; it does not sound like consultation.

Once again, a really poor show from the National Records of Scotland. 

Just for context, in Belfast, PRONI has started re-opening on Thursday evenings until 8.00pm, recognising that not all of its user base can get to the archive from 9-5 each day.

Which national archive do you think understands its user base better?

(Source: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/news-and-articles/changes-opening-hours)

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.

23andMe's independent board directors resign

More bad news for DNA company 23andMe (www.23andme.com), which has not been having a good time of it of late:

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Sept. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The independent directors of the Board of 23andMe Holding Co. (Nasdaq: ME), today sent the following letter to Anne Wojcicki, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder, and Chair of the Board of Directors of 23andMe, in which the independent directors have provided their resignation from the Board, effective immediately:

Dear Anne,

We, the independent directors of the 23andMe Board, hereby tender our resignations, effective immediately.

After months of work, we have yet to receive from you a fully financed, fully diligenced, actionable proposal that is in the best interests of the non-affiliated shareholders. We believe the Special Committee and the Board have provided ample time for you to submit such a proposal. That we have not seen any notable progress over the last 5 months leads us to believe no such proposal is forthcoming. The Special Committee is therefore unwilling to consider further extensions, and the Board agrees with the Special Committee’s determination.

While we continue to wholeheartedly support the Company’s mission and believe deeply in the value of the personalized health and wellness offering that you have articulated, it is also clear that we differ on the strategic direction for the Company going forward. Because of that difference and because of your concentrated voting power, we believe that it is in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders that we resign from the Board rather than have a protracted and distracting difference of view with you as to the direction of the Company.

We are proud of what 23andMe has achieved in pioneering direct access to genetic information, and we have been honored to have had the opportunity to be part of those efforts.

Sincerely,

/s/

Roelof Botha, Patrick Chung, Sandra Hernández, M.D., Neal Mohan, Valerie Montgomery Rice M.D., Richard Scheller, Ph.D., Peter J. Taylor 

(Original release at https://investors.23andme.com/news-releases/news-release-details/independent-directors-23andme-resign-board)

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.

Dundee's Local and Family History Fair this coming Saturday 21st September

Thanks to Ken Nisbet for the following news of the Local and Family History Fair in Dundee this coming Saturday 21st September, from 10am-4pm: 

Come along to this free event to find out more about Family and Local History in the Dundee and wider Tayside and Fife areas. 

There will be stalls hosted by local archives, family history societies, local heritage groups and much more. There will also be an exhibition of records held at the Dundee City Archives. If you are interested in local history, would like to do your own research or are interested in starting a family tree, why not come along and have a chat. 

There will be stalls hosted by: Abertay Historical Society, Angus Archives, Dundee City Archives, Dundee Museum of Transport, OnFife Archives, Fife Family History Society, Local History Centre at Dundee Central Library (Dundee Libraries), Perth & Kinross Archives, Tay Valley Family History Society, Archive Collections, University of Dundee, and the Western Front Association. 

There will also be 2 free talks on local history: 

• 11am: What's in a Name? A street history of Broughty Ferry and Monifieth by Callum Webster.
• 2pm: The Wellgate Project: creative collaborations inspired by family histories by Erin Farley. There will also be an exhibition of records held at Dundee City Archives. 

The event will take place in both the St Andrews Hall and Glasite Hall at the Kingsgait Church (formerly St Andrews Church) on King Street Dundee. 

Teas, coffees and snacks will be available for purchase at the event (cash only).

For further details please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/local-and-family-history-fair-tickets-1009152962677?aff=oddtdtcreato.

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.

NRS appoints new chief executive

They finally got there - the National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk) has appointed a new Chief Executive, with Alison Byrne taking up the post from October 2024. Ms Byrne will be the new Registrar General for Scotland, the Keeper of the Records of Scotland, and Keeper of the Tartans.

For more on the story visit https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2024/nrs-chief-executive-appointed.

Fingers crossed for some much-needed improvements...

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.

Repairs begin at Kisimul Castle by Barra

Kisimul Castle, based in Castlebay, Barra, is undergoing conservation work just now, with a view to it being re-opened to the public at some stage in the near future. The castle, the former home of the MacNeil clan, has been closed since 2020.

For more on the story visit the BBC's story at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg585r3qe9po, or read it in Gaelic at https://www.bbc.co.uk/naidheachdan/sgeulachdan/c5y3ylq9e2eo.

(Image courtesy Wikipedia, Creative Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kisimul_(34570267945).jpg)

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.

New IrishGenealogy.ie website on the way

From the Irish Government, news concerning the IrishGenealogy portal at www.irishgenealogy.ie:

A new Irish Genealogy website is under construction, as a result, some services are currently unavailable. The Civil and Church Records search portals remain available.

You can order birth, marriage and death certificates from the General Register Office via www.gov.ie/en/service/124a70-apply-for-certificates.

If you wish to contact the Irish Genealogy team please email: Genealogy@tcagsm.gov.ie.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

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 Witch Trial Museum opens in Leven

The Scottish Witch Trial Museum has opened in Mitchell Street, Leven, Fife, dedicated to the stelling the story of the Scottish witch trials. Opned by curator Leonard Low, the venture has received support from the Scottish Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

The mseum has a dedciated Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564751710327, with the premises thesmselves open daily from 10am to 6pm.

For more behind the new venture's opening read https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/people/first-museum-dedicated-to-the-history-of-the-scottish-witch-trials-opens-in-fife-4765429.

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.

Sheriff Court additions to Scottish Indexes, and next conference date

Scottish Indexes (www.scottishindexes.com) has added the following Sheriff Court indexes from the Borders counties to its database, following on from recent releases for Wick and Dumfries over the summer:

Banff Sheriff Court
Jury Trials (NRS Ref SC2/47/2-7, 17) 1835-1857 and 1869

Selkirk Sheriff Court
Summary and Jury Trials (NRS ref SC63/42/1,2) 1832-1850
Summary and Jury Trials (NRS ref SC63/44/1-3) 1813-1860

Peebles Sheriff Court
Jury Trials (NRS ref SC42/26/1,2) 1853-1894
Summary and Jury Trials (NRS ref SC42/23/2,3) 1758-1910

Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court
Summary Trials (NRS ref SC16/51/2-6) 1834-1849

Some of these records have enhanced indexes, also listing witnesses and jurors in cases. The records can be searched in the site's Scotish Criminal Database.

The next Scottish Indexes conference will be held on November 23rd, with the confirmed talks so far including the following:

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

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

(With thanks to Emma and Graham Maxwell)

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.

Gould Genealogy Scottish sale

Gould Genealogy (www.gould.com.au) in Adelaide, Australia, is having a Scottish sale throughout September. There are various items discounted, including some of my Unlock the Past published Scottish guides, both in print and as ebooks.

To view the discounts, visit https://www.gould.com.au/specials/scottish-sale/.

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.

ScotlandsPeople launches new look website - review

ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk) has relaunched with a new look website.

One immediate thing I can see is that you cannot easily switch from births to marriages or deaths in the search screens, as you used to be able to do at the bottom left of the screen after a search - they are now individual screens, and you now have to click on the Statutory Registers link at the top to get to a menu displaying other events. 

There's a news release at https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/news-and-articles/welcome-new-look-scotlands-people.

I will provide a full review this evening!

Update: So I've now had a proper chance to look over the site. After I queried it, ScotlandsPeople has kindly informed me that the issue I've raised above about not apparently being able to switch to other life event search screens after a search in another life event category is incorrect - they've introduced a further button called Refine search, located just above the list of results, when you can then choose to do a search in other categories for the same person, as before. So the same thing, but now an extra click away.

In fact, that fairly well sums up the new ScotlandsPeople site. Nothing has really changed, apart from the branding - but there is a little more effort now required to do what you could before. The font is much larger, meaning more scrolling down pages to fill in all the fields needed, or to see more results, and there are a few extra clicks in place for a few functions. That's potentially going to prove tiresome when doing a long search session.

The NRS has tried to spin this as "We have redesigned the site to make accessing Scotland’s records easier than ever with quick, simple searching of our birth, marriage, death and census records." But throughout this afternoon, several genealogists I know have asked a simple question - how? The search processes have seemingly not changed, the site has had a lick of paint, but that seems to be it. 

For the site user, this is not an evolution, it's just a corporate rebrand. There are no new records, no new enhanced indexes (there are still many birth and death records that have no mother's maiden surmane listed in the index, for example). There is still no list of what kirk session material is actually available, and you still can't expand Virtual Volumes to fill the screen when using it. And what has happened to the 1921 census enhanced index that Queen's University Belfast was supposed to be creating as part of the contract to create the main index - is that arriving, and if so, when?

To look on the bright side, the fees have not gone up, and the site does seem to be working - albeit with heavy usage earlier at launch, I did occasionally come across a few 'page inaccessible' messages. There are still some unfinished touches - the site's Our charges page at https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/our-charges is showing an error 404 message, for example. I've also read a comment on the ScotlandsPeople Facebook page that one user suggests she can no longer use the platform on her old iPad, so there may be compatibility issues for some users with older devices. 

Overall, I would suggest that I am relieved that that there has not been a disaster today, but quite disappointed that very little has actually happened. It would be nice to see the site be pushed to get more from the records available, with further enhanced indexes, and perhaps even new fields created (witnesses at marriages, for example?).

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.

PRONI announces a welcome return to late evening openings on Thursdays

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) has announced that it will be re-opening for late evenings on Thursdays until 8pm, from September 12th until the end of November, when this will be reviewed. 

This will be a welcome opportunity for folk who may work 9-5 each day to visit the archive at a convenient point on the week. (Don't hold out for something similar in Edinburgh, God forbid!)

There's a ministerial announcement about it at https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/news/minister-announces-extra-time-explore-proni-archives.

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 adds Scottish deeds and sasine indexes

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

TheGenealogist expands its Landowner Records Collection with the release of Essential Historical Records

TheGenealogist is excited to announce the release of nearly 300,000 historic landowner records. The new additions consist of Feet of Fines, Index of Sasines, and the Scotland Record Office Index to Register of Deeds, offering a wealth of information for those delving into their ancestry.

Feet of Fines: These documents provide insights into land transactions, usually involving the transfer of property rights, and were commonly used in English legal proceedings from the 13th century onwards. The Feet of Fines contains detailed information about the parties involved in the transactions, property descriptions, and the dates of agreements, serving as a vital resource for researchers tracing their family land ownership or exploring the economic history of a region.

Index of Sasines: The release of the Index of Sasines marks a significant addition to TheGenealogist's Scottish records. Sasines are legal documents that confirm the possession of land and property, reflecting the transfer of ownership in Scotland from the 16th century onwards. This index allows users to quickly locate and access critical details surrounding property ownership, making it an essential tool for genealogists looking to understand their ancestral ties to land in Scotland.

Scotland Record Office Index to Register of Deeds: This comprehensive index opens the door to a vast array of legal documents relating to property and inheritance in Scotland. By providing easy access to this substantial resource, TheGenealogist allows users to uncover their family histories and gain a deeper understanding of the social and legal contexts in which their ancestors lived.

These new records are now available on TheGenealogist, providing an unparalleled opportunity for researchers to deepen their exploration of family histories and connect with their pasts.

In this release are: Berwick, Index to Register of Sasines Volume I. A-H 1617-1780; London and Middlesex, A Calendar to the Feet of Fines 1179 - 1485; Yorkshire Feet of Fines 1327-1614; Huntingdon Calendar of the Feet of Fines 1194-1603; Scotland, Index to Particular Register of Sasines for Sheriffdom of Dumfries and Stewaertries of Kirkcudbright and Annandale 1617 - 1732;

Scotland Record Office, Index to Register of Deeds, 1661 - 1679

Read the feature article ‘The Scottish Rebel Who Defied the Crown: Andrew Fletcher's Fight for Independence’ at TheGenealogist here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2024/the-scottish-rebel-who-defied-the-crown-7584/  

(With thanks to Paul Bayley)

Chris

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

New Armagh records added to RootsIreland

RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie) has annoucned that it has added almost 12,500 new Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland and Presbyterian graveyard, baptismal and burial records.

The records are for the following areas:

Graveyards:

Middletown Pres 1841-1990 (88 records)

St John Evangelist RC, Lylo 1826-1984 (118 records)

Lurgan Quaker 1819-1988 (240 records)

St John’s RC Tartaraghan 1811-1993 (341 records)

St Andrew’s CI Middletown 1813-1989 (103 records)

St Joseph’s RC Tynan 1816-1987 (210 records)

St John’s RC Middletown 1796-1989 (446 records)

Tullysaran RC, Eglish parish 1927-1990 (119 records)

St Mary’s Old RC Granemore 1811-1984 (273 records)

Tassagh Old Interdenominational 1750-1986 (129 records)

St Mary’s RC Mullaghbawn 1799-1997 (1838 records)

St Vindic’s CI Tynan 1625-1989 (676 records)

St Matthew’s CI Keady 1752-1993 (314 records)

St Mary’s New RC Granemore 1965-1989 (81 records)

St Patrick’s RC Keady 1817-1993 (1503 records)

Drumcree CI 1702-1995 (3140 records)

Dougher RC 1786-1986 (1455 records)

St Saviour’s CI Dobbin, Kilmore 1862-1989 (586 records)

11,660 Graveyard records

 

Baptisms & Deaths:

 

Montiaghs CI bapts 1822-1837 Reg 1 (419 records)

Montiaghs CI bapts 1842-1857 Reg 2 (375 records)

Montiaghs CI deaths 1822-1842 Reg 1 (118 records)

912 records

Total = 12,472 records

 

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.

Family Tree Maker tour to visit Scotland and Northern Ireland

From Family Tree Maker:

The Family Tree Maker Ambassadors are heading to events in Belfast, England and Scotland to celebrate the arrival of the new Family Tree Maker 2024 edition.

INSIDER SESSIONS – WHAT TO EXPECT

You'll get an in-depth review of what's already included in Family Tree Maker and a sneak preview of what's to come in the soon-to-be-released FTM 2024. You'll also get special pricing on Family Tree Maker and related products, and plenty of time to chat and ask the Ambassadors any questions you might have.

SPEAKERS AND SESSIONS

The insider sessions will feature two speakers – Duff Wilson, Executive Director, and Mark Olsen, Family Tree Maker Ambassador. They will be showing our new Family Tree Maker 2024 edition and reviewing the current edition.

We will run each of these classes as if they were Family Tree Maker User Groups with lots of tips, tricks and Q&A with those in attendance.

Some of the topics we will discuss –

-    A quick review of the current Family Tree Maker edition.
-    Family Tree Maker is already an amazing program with many underused features.
-    Connect! A completely new workspace and new Relative Hint™ feature that make it easier than ever to share your tree and collaborate with your family.
-    Easy on the Eyes™: a revolutionary way of enlarging parts of the screen right when you need it. An answer and relief for those of us with tired old eyes.
-    Hyphenated dual surnames support following the Hispanic tradition.
-    Improved support for managing and reporting relationships.
-    Tools for cleaning up orphaned items (media, sources, and citations).
-    New improvements to Family Tree Maker Connect, and using Family Tree Maker Connect for yourself.
-    Introducing AlbumWALK® – Making your photos talk – literally.
-    Working seamlessly between Family Tree Maker and AlbumWALK.
-    Q & A.
-    Hands-on help with your copy of Family Tree Maker on your computer as time permits after each event.

Advance Tickets Required. All event tickets are FREE (paid by Family Tree Maker). You do not need to be a member of the sponsoring society – all tour events are open to the general public. Bring a friend!

FTM 2019 and FTM 2024 SPECIAL PRICES

FTM 2019 will be on sale for up to 40% off its regular price – and you will get FTM 2024 for FREE when it's released. This special offer will be available at the time of the event. We'll also have discounts on other Family Tree Maker products and related software and books.
QUESTIONS?

Our support staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help. Click here to connect to a friendly agent now.

Look forward to seeing you!
Mark Olsen
Family Tree Maker Ambassador

***

NORTHERN IRELAND, SCOTLAND, AND ENGLAND TOUR

Join us at any of the stops along our tour. All events are FREE and open to the general public.

Belfast Area – Friday, September 13
Where: Linen Hall Library
Host: North of Ireland Family History Society
Date: Friday, September 13, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Dumfries – Monday, September 16
Where: The Gillbrae Auditorium, Dumfries Baptist Church Centre
Host: Dumfries & Galloway Family History Society
Date: Monday, September 16, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Carlisle – Tuesday, September 17
Where: Cumbria's Museum of Military Life
Host: Cumbria Family History Society
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

York – Wednesday, September 18
Where: Acomb Parish Church Hall
Host: York & District Family History Society
Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Edinburgh Area – Thursday, September 19
Where: Lasswade High School Centre
Host: Lothian Family History Society
Date: Thursday, September 19, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Glasgow – Friday, September 20
Where: Ramshorn Theatre Auditorium
Host: The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies
Date: Friday, September 20, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Aberdeen – Monday, September 23
Where: Fountainhall Church
Host: Aberdeen Family History Society
Date: Monday, September 23, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Unable to attend one of the sessions in person?

We will offer one online UK Zoom session for anyone who'd like to attend, ask additional questions or learn about Family Tree Maker much like we will teach via the in-person events.

Zoom Event

Wednesday, October 2nd
6:00 PM UK Time, 11:00 AM US Mountain Time

For tickets for all events visit https://www.familytreemaker.com/calendar/events.html (click on Show details at the bottom of the Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England Tour 2024  section)

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.

Schedules now available for Scottish Indexes conference 7 September

The following is the UK schedule for talks at next Saturday's Scottish Indexes (www.scottishindexes.com) conference:

Saturday 7 September 2024

First Session
07:00 Introduction
07:15 'Searching for ancestors in The Royal Mail Archive' by Susannah Coster
08:15 'Parochial Matters: parishes, districts and counties' by Robert Urquhart
09:15 'An introduction to the Forfeited Estates papers in the National Records of Scotland' by Tessa Spencer
10:15 ‘Scottish Burghs and Trade Incorporations’ by Chris Paton
11:30 ‘Catholicism at Traquair House – from locked doors to open doors’ by Margaret Fox
12:30 Genealogy Q & A hosted by Graham and Emma Maxwell
13:30 'Criminal Ancestors: piecing together their story from a variety of sources' by Emma Maxwell
14:30 'What's New at Scottish Indexes' by Graham and Emma Maxwell

Second Session
15:00 Introduction
15:15 'Searching for ancestors in The Royal Mail Archive' by Susannah Coster
16:15 'Parochial Matters: parishes, districts and counties' by Robert Urquhart
17:15 'An introduction to the Forfeited Estates papers in the National Records of Scotland' by Tessa Spencer
18:15 ‘Scottish Burghs and Trade Incorporations’ by Chris Paton
19:30 ‘Catholicism at Traquair House – from locked doors to open doors’ by Margaret Fox
20:30 Genealogy Q & A hosted by Graham and Emma Maxwell
21:30 'Criminal Ancestors: piecing together their story from a variety of sources' by Emma Maxwell
22:30 'What's New at Scottish Indexes' by Graham and Emma Maxwell

For details on how to register, and on equivalent schedules for other worldwide time zones, please visit https://www.scottishindexes.com/conference.aspx.

Chris

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