Recent National Library of Scotland mapping updates

I haven't checked the National Library of Scotland mapping platform (https://maps.nls.uk) in a bit, but the team there are still uploading new content like the plague is in town! Some of the most recent maps to be added include:

• New Survey of India one-inch to the mile mapping, 1870-1966
• Georeferenced layer of OS Six-inch Ireland maps, printed ca. 1860
• Miscellaneous OS Quarter-Inch to the mile maps of England, Scotland, and Wales, 1900s-1990s
• OS 25 inch 1st edition georeferenced layer, 1855-1880 - Glasgow and Lanarkshire

For further details, and relevant links, visit https://maps.nls.uk/additions/, where you will also find the latest edition of the library's Cairt newsletter.

I'm off to check the Glasgow 25 inch map, and the Indian maps! 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

National Library of Scotland annual appeal - Recording the Lives of Scots

The National Library of Scotland's annual appeal for 2026 is to raise money for a project entitled Recording The Lives of Scots.

From the NLS website:

Thousands of films from our national film collection are at risk of being lost to decay or formats becoming obsolete. This year's annual appeal is raising the funds to stabilise and restore Scotland's film archive to its full glory, for the people of Scotland.

Scotland's national film archive is a diverse and distinct treasure trove. From the Oscar-winning 1960s film of the Clyde shipyard, to decades of the Kate Kennedy Parade bringing the streets of St Andrews to life, these are the lives and histories of ordinary Scots.

Since it was founded 50 years ago, following a huge response to a public appeal for film, Scotland's film archive has collected 26,000 films. Housed at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall, it is a fascinating, democratic archive, uniquely able to reflect viewers' own stories back to them.

To date, 13,000 films have been digitised, but the same number again are on decaying or unstable formats, unable to be digitised by our present scanning equipment. Without intervention, Scotland's film heritage will remain inaccessible or – worse still – be lost forever.

With your help, we want to change that. Join us in opening up Scotland's film archive.  

To find out more, ands to makea donation, please visit https://auth.nls.uk/support-us/ways-to-give/appeal/ 

(With thanks to the NLS via post) 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Family history open days at Glasgow's Mitchell Library

There will be three family history open days at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, on Saturday 4 July, Saturday 1 August, and Saturday 5 September.  Each will be held on Level 5, from 2pm - no tickets required, just drop in. 

For further details visit https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/4/family-history-open-day

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Irish Land Commission's Keane Index cards now online

Something I only discovered tbis week is that the catalogue cards from the Keane Index from 1891-1909 are now available to view via the National Library of Ireland's catalogue at https://catalogue.nli.ie/Collection/vtls000923169?recordID=vtls000929125, thanks to the efforts of the library and the Irish Manuscript Commission.

The Keane Index provides the only current means to identify information held within the records of the Irish Land Commission, which the Irish Government has stubbornly locked away in a warehouse in Portlaoise, where they currently remain out of the reach of researchers. The Land Commission papers details the acquisition of lands by the general public from the landed gentry after the collapse of the landed estates system following An Gorta Mór from 1845-1851. Amongst the papers are deeds, wills, and other extraordinarily useful records for family history purposes. 

The Keane Index comprises of 36,000 cards, that leads to information about properties contained within 35 bound volumes, all at about 400 pages each. The index allows researchers to search by county, estate, or individual name.

You can read more about the partnership with the NLI and IMC at https://www.nli.ie/news-stories/stories/tracing-irelands-land-history-digitisation-keane-index.

And maybe, one day, when the Irish Government wakes up on this, we'll get to see the actual Land Commission records themselves (many for the north after Partition are already accessible at PRONI)... 

** For more on the Irish Land Commission, see my book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, available from Pen and Sword in the UK at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Ancestors-Through-Land-Records-Paperback/p/19283 and the USA via https://www.penandswordbooks.com/9781526780218/tracing-your-irish-ancestors-through-land-records/.

Chris

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

East Lothian Library Service Family History Fair

East Lothian Library Service is hosting a 50th anniversary Family History Fair on Monday 20 April 2026 from 3.30-6.30pm, at the Star Room in the John Gray Centre in Haddington.

For further details please visit https://www.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/event/172445-east-lothian-library-service-local-history-centre-family-&-local-history-fair/.

 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Recent online maps additions from the National Library of Scotland

The mapping department of the National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk) has added several collections over the last two months, including:

• Additional Ordnance Survey One-Inch Ireland maps and layers, 1856-1900
• OS Six-inch England and Wales first edition - earlier states (1840s-1880s)
• Second Land Utilisation Survey, Great Britain, ca. 1958-1974
• Early maps of Great Britain and Ireland, 1570s-1960s

Further details on all of these new additions can be found at https://maps.nls.uk/additions/

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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. To purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page.

Behind the scenes of new University of Glasgow Library foyer display

The University of Glasgow Library has blogged about a new exhibition display in its foyer showcasing items from its heritage collections. The post describes the care taken to put an exhibition of this nature together, going behind the scenes to reveal some of the challenges its faces when creating such displays.

You can read about the new display at https://universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2025/10/17/behind-the-scenes-of-a-new-display/.

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

Edinburgh City Libraries Family History Fair on 24 October

From Edinburgh City Libraries (https://yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk/web/arena):

Join us for a Family History Fair at Central Library on Friday 24 October 2025, between 10am and 4pm!

Come along to talk to experts from the following organisations who will be on hand to introduce their collections and answer questions about using materials to search for missing details in your family history. 

We'll be joined by: 

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission 
• Edinburgh Central Library  - Edinburgh and Scottish Collection and Digital Teams
• Edinburgh City Archives 
• Historic Environment Scotland 
• National Library of Scotland 
• National Records of Scotland and Scotland's People 
• National War Museum Library
• Scottish Genealogy Society 
• and The Royal Scots

There will also be a series of presentations held throughout the day. Both the day and talks are free to attend, but the talks should be booked in advance via TicketSource.

Read the full Family History Fair programme on the blog at https://zurl.co/mQieA 

We hope to see you there! 

NB: The speakers on the day include Jackie Sangster, Learning Manager from Historic Environment Scotland, and Ken Nisbet from the Scottish Genealogy Society.

(Source: Edinburgh City Libraries Facebook page)

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

National Library of Scotland uploads early maps of Great Britain and Scotland

The National Library of Scotland's maps platform (https://maps.nls.uk) has added just under 200 early maps of Great Britain and Scotland to its site:

We have added online 190 early printed maps of Great Britain, Scotland and more detailed places within these countries. This includes 78 maps of Scotland as a whole, 45 maps of Great Britain and Ireland, 38 town plans and 11 county maps. These maps are often very attractively coloured, variant states of these important early maps, many of which published within Dutch atlases of the 16th and 17th centuries. These maps are all from our Charlotte Smith collection, acquired by the Library in 2017.  

A spreadsheet of the new additions is available at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRXbMQ8JoGby995LB-8XLn138p0Ky4m7SesAi5p15MfINCfiWhTWpoz4bbKPA_oDIeBhAZWH-8m9bfw/pubhtml

(Source: https://maps.nls.uk/additions/) 

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

Forthcoming Georeferenced Maps Workshop from National Library of Scotland

The National Library of Scotland will be hosting a free online webinar on 8 October 2025, from 3.00-4.00pm UK time, entitled Using Our Georeferenced Maps. The following is its description:

In this interactive workshop, we will show you tips and techniques to help you make best use of our georeferenced maps.

Georeferenced maps are those which have been aligned with the real-world, so they can be viewed as overlays on top of modern satellite imagery and mapping, or even in comparison to your own live location!

We now have over 600 georeferenced layers of mapping freely available on our website, along with tools to filter, measure, draw, compare and export them. Discover how to use these tools, as well as how you can easily bring these georeferenced maps into other web and desktop applications.

The workshop will last approximately one hour and includes a question-and-answer session at the end. This workshop will not be recorded but it is repeated regularly.

If you enjoy georeferenced maps but are not sure you are making full use of them, this workshop is for you!

To register visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-our-georeferenced-maps-tickets-1606563166679?aff=web

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available - Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

PRONI Getting Started event at Strabane Library

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) will be holding a "Getting started" workshop at Strabane Library on Wednesday, 22 October 2025 from 12:30 to 13:30. The library's address is 1 Railway Street, Strabane, BT82 8EF. 

There's a wee bit of blurb on the event from the Eventbrite site:

About this event

Are you thinking of starting your family history, or local history research?

We are delighted to be on tour at Strabane Library to hold an onsite workshop.

This workshop has been designed to help you get started using PRONI's own online services and other online resources.

It is also a chance for you to ask your questions directly to PRONI staff!

To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/proni-getting-started-workshop-at-strabane-library-tickets-1678863017479.

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available -Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

Angus Archives update on library renovations

A wee message from Angus Archives (https://angusalive.scot/local-family-history/) on its Facebook page:

Angus Archives is pleased to announce the installation of new local history shelving in the search room, providing a flexible space for visitors and to accommodate future group visits.

Looking ahead, Angus Archives will relocate to this improved search room in early 2026. During the forthcoming renovation of Arbroath Library’s ground floor, the library will temporarily move to the upstairs galleries. Angus Archives will continue to operate from its current first floor search room until the work is completed.

Further updates on the renovation will be provided in due course.

(Source: https://www.facebook.com/AngusArchives)

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available - Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

FindmyPast 50% discount on access-all-areas 12-month Everything subscription

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) is offering a 50% discount on its access-all-areas 12-month Everything subscription. The discount is available until 15 September. 

To subscribe, visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/subscribe

* Don't forget, if you live in Scotland you can access many records on FindmyPast for free if you register with the National Library of Scotland via https://www.nls.uk/join/, and access the site via its eResources section - some usage restrictions apply.

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available - Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

New look National Library of Scotland website

The National Library of Scotland website at www.nls.uk has had a makeover, and is often the case with such revamps these days, this may take some getting used to. The developers have clearly decided that the PC is dead, opting for a tablet friendly interface, which means, you guessed it, more scrolling to get to the content you wish to find. The text for topic headlines has also been magnified massively, just in case you miss it. 

Locating digitised resources takes a few steps - go to Collections on the home page, then click on Collections on the page returned, then scroll down to Digital Gallery. One of the menu options here is Family history, which takes you to several content collections previously available (and seemingly the pages for these have not been redeveloped). 

The mapping platform has mercifully just had a cosmetic change, and can still be found at https://maps.nls.uk.

Explore the site for yourselves at www.nls.uk.

Chris 

Order Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland in the UK at https://bit.ly/4jJWSEh. Also available - Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, 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.

Victorian era books which can cause arsenic poisoning

Do you have poisonous books in your library?! If your very old book has a green cover, you may wish to read this article on the BBC website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g2y9xq58no. It seems that in the Victorian era bookbinders used arsenic as well as mercury and chrome to create, which can cause low level arsenic poisoning. The National Library of Scotland has located a few such copies which have now been removed from its shelves.

More details in the article - and happy reading!

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.

Aberdeenshire local studies podcasts

Aberdeenshire's local studies department in Old Meldrum has been promoting its library and resources this past month - you can see more on the department's offerings at https://www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk/libraries/local-heritage/.

One thing I hadn't twigged was that they also have a series of podcasts available freely online at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf9SJJOIgiNJZc0WdEanO6AzUk-DC8OPc. Topics include:

• Lord Pitsligo, Jacobite leader and fugitive hiding in plain site
• Forvie, the village consumed by sand
• Donald Dinnie, Victorian Scotland's greatest athlete

And many more, including one on the local studies team itself, and its work.

Enjoy!

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 workshop in Belfast on October 23rd

For those in Belfast:

PRONI - Getting started workshop at Whiterock Library
 
Wednesday, October 23, 2024 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM (United Kingdom Time)
Whiterock Library • Belfast BT12 7FW  

Are you thinking of starting your family history, or local history research?

We are delighted to be on tour at Whiterock Library to hold an onsite workshop.

This workshop has been designed to help you get started using PRONI's own online services and other online resources.

It is also a chance for you to ask your questions directly to PRONI staff!

To sign up visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/proni-getting-started-workshop-at-whiterock-library-tickets-1044876191817

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.

North Ayrshire Council’s Genealogy and Local History Library to move

From North Ayrshire Council (https://www.facebook.com/NacHeritage):

Currently located at the Irvine Townhouse (pictured below), the Council’s Genealogy and Local History Library will soon be relocating to within Irvine Library.

As part of North Ayrshire Heritage and Cultural Services, the Genealogy and Local History Library consists of a wide range of resources relating to the rich history of North Ayrshire and beyond.  

The resources available include valuable information via books, maps, photographs, old newspapers, genealogy resources and accessing the family history site, Scotland’s People.

Rhonda Leith, Head of Service for Connected Communities shares: “Work is currently underway to accommodate this welcome move.  

“Having the Genealogy and Local History Library based within the busy Irvine Library will make our unique resources more accessible to the people of North Ayrshire. 

“So, whether you are tracing your family tree, want to look-up old newspapers, or see old photographs, the staff will be delighted to welcome you, whatever your interest. 

“The move is a positive step as part of a wider project to align our services in the heart of our communities and will reduce carbon emissions across the Council’s estate.” 

The Genealogy and Local History Library will close its doors at the Townhouse on Wednesday, 4 September, and will reopen within Irvine Library on Monday, 7 October.

Comment: The Townhouse and the Library are literally about two minutes walk away from each other.

(With thanks to Lorraine Scott)

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.

ByGoneCon event in Hamilton on May 11th

South Lanarkshire Libraries (https://www.slleisureandculture.co.uk/info/3/libraries) is holding another ByGoneCon event in Hamilton Town House Library on Saturday May 11th 2024. If your history or heritage organisation would like to participate (it's free to do so) contact the organisers at 01355 220046.

(With thanks to Emma Maxwell via the Scottish Genealogy Network, and the Blantyre Telegraph at https://theblantyretelegraph.com/2024/02/27/bygone-con-in-may/).

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 and PRONI closures for Easter

Both the National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk) and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) will be closed next week on Easter Monday (April 1st), with PRONI also closed on Easter Tuesday (April 2nd). 

At the National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk) in Edinburgh, the building will be open on Monday to visit the shop, view exhibtitions, or to sit in the cafe, but the Special Collections Reading Room and General Reading Room will both be closed. Both the Causewayside and Kelvin Hall sites will also be closed. Normal service again from Tuesday 2nd.

Belfast Central Library (www.librariesni.org.uk/libraries/greater-belfast/belfast-central-library/) will be closed on both Monday and Tuesday.

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.