Newbridge (County) Library, to be extended to become Kildare County Library, Archives and Cultural Centre

Kildare County Council has posted details of work to be carried out to refurbish and extend the existing Newbridge (County) Library, which is a Protected Structure, to create the new Kildare County Library, Archives and Cultural Centre.

Plans and particulars of the proposed development (see below for a CGI impression of the new facility) will be available for consultation at the council for 6 weeks, from Wednesday,10 May, to Wednesday, 21 June 2023 (inclusive). They will alson be available for viewing in Newbridge Library during opening hours from Wednesday, 10 May, to Wednesday, 21 June 2023, and online at https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Planning/Part8Schemes/StrategicProjectsandPublicRealm/P8202221Part8-ProposedCountyLibraryArchivesandCulturalCentreNewbridge/.

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 the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Kilmarnock's ScotlandsPeople system access restored from May 2nd

From East Ayrshire Council, news about the ScotlandsPeople access at the Burns Monument Centre:

ScotlandsPeople Update

Please note that the ScotlandsPeople Centre will re-open week beginning 1st May 2023* and bookings can be made by calling 01563 576695 from 9am onwards on Friday 28th April 2023.

 

*Although it is week beginning May 1st, the centre will not open until Tuesday, May 2nd. From the centre's website at https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndGovernment/BirthMarriageAndDeath/Scotlands-People/ScotlandsPeopleCentre.aspx:

 

PC room opening hours

Please note it is now essential to book your PC in advance. Bookings will be taken on a Friday from 9am by calling 01563 576695 for the following week.

Opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9am to 4pm (where available).

The session will end at 3:50pm when the computers shut down.

Be aware that restrictions may be placed on service delivery at short notice.
Payments

We only accept payment by debit/credit card.

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 the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast adds records from Dungarvan and Kilmacthomas

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has added the following collections from Co. Waterford, Ireland:

Dungarvan Town Commissioners Records

The Town Commission was established in 1854, and was responsible for government activity such as the maintenance of roads and waterworks, sanitation, providing housing, and regulating the markets. These records cover the years 1851-1922, and document everything from staff and suppliers, assistance requests, fee payments, or deserted and orphaned children. 

Waterford Poor Law Union Board Of Guardians Minute Books

Unearth your ancestor's connection to 19th and 20th century workhouses with 38,500 new records. These records are from the Kilmacthomas Union.

If you find your ancestor in this collection, it's possible that they owed money, asked for emigration assistance, or got married within the workhouse. These records also detail the staff and suppliers of the workhouses across the area, as well as noting fee payments, maintenance work, and general minutes on the day-to-day running of the institutions. 

For further details and links visit https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/waterford-queensland.

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Moray Council resumes headstone stabilisation work in its cemeteries

Moray Council (www.moray.gov.uk) is resuming its inspection of headstones in cemeteries across the region from this month. From the Council's website, the following nformation has been made available:

The work ensures that cemeteries are safe places for visitors, staff and anyone working in them, following a pause in inspections during the covid-19 pandemic.

While responsibility for the overall safety within a cemetery lies with the Burial Authority (Moray Council), the owner of the memorial is responsible for maintaining the memorial in a safe condition.

Inspections should not prevent public access or use of the cemeteries, which will remain open throughout, and will be carried out with the greatest of respect and sensitivity.

Initial inspection assesses the condition of the memorial by carrying out a gentle ‘hand test’ to check for any movement. If the memorial headstone shows no signs of instability a record is made of the inspection having been carried out and the headstone recorded as safe.

If the memorial headstone is found to be unstable and imminently dangerous it will be made safe by the trained memorial safety team. The Council will try to notify the lair holder so they can decide to either leave the stone in its made safe position or to have it repaired at their cost by a suitably trained memorial mason.

Where a memorial is found to be unstable but not imminently dangerous, the Council will try to notify the lair holder by writing to them at the last known address.  In these cases it may be necessary to place a discreet cordon in the area around the headstone for safety reasons. If no action is taken after a maximum period of 12 months, arrangements will be made to make the headstone safe. In the event that the Council cannot make contact with the lair holder every effort will be made to make the memorial safe, usually by trenching the headstone up to one third of its height if it is feasible to do so.

For the full news release, including comments from Moray Council Open Spaces Manager, James Hunter, and information on how to contact the council, visit https://newsroom.moray.gov.uk/news/headstone-stabilisation-programme-resumes-in-moray.

A video demonstrating the inspection process is available at https://youtu.be/FwJXpaFin0I and is reproduced below for convenience:

(With grateful thanks to Doug Stewart at Moray and Nairn Family History Society, http://www.morayandnairnfhs.co.uk)

Chris

My new book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records is now available to buy at https://bit.ly/IrishLandRecords. Also available - 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. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ettrick Shepherd's gravestone flattened by Borders Council

A fairly shocking story from the Borders. The grave of one of Scotland's most famous poets, James Hogg, also known as the Ettrick Shepherd, has been toppled over by Borders Council, alongside 47 other headstones in the parish churchyard for Ettrick and Buccleuch, which it stated to be unsafe. The number is believed to be about a third in total of all stones in the graveyard. The story is covered by the Southern Reporter at https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/people/villagers-anger-ettrick-shepherd-james-hoggs-headstone-laid-flat-council-workers-2448326.

In the paper's story Borders Council states that it only carried out its actions after speaking to the local community council, but it has prompted a great deal of anger. The Council added "We understand plans are now being progressed in the local community to reinstate the memorial". It is not clear what actions the Council itself will take to contribute to this, or for the reinstatement of the other 47 stones levelled by it.

To see how it was previously displayed, visit https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112351026/james-hogg and https://canmore.org.uk/site/296978/ettrick-parish-church-of-ettrick-and-buccleuch-james-hoggs-grave.

Perhaps those we elect into office should take better care of our national heritage?

(With thanks to @BordersJourneys)

Chris

You can pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 (out April). Also available, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.