There is a possibility that strike action may be taken next Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th March at the ScotlandsPeople Centre by the PCS union. It is unclear at this stage what impact that may have on services, so please do keep an eye on the ScotlandsPeople Centre's website for further developments. If it does have an impact, it's a long way to go for no reason!
If I hear more, I will of course let you know...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Could BBC Who Do You Think You Are magazine cease publication?
Is the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? magazine under threat of closure?
Yesterday the BBC's director general Mark Thompson announced a range of measures as part of a 'strategic review' to save the corporation money and to keep its competitors happy after having been perceived as treading into territory where it should not have strayed. The main news headlines announced the closure of BBC Radio 6 and the Asian Network, and a cut of 25% of its website services. But hidden away in the small print is the following commitment stated twice for BBC Worldwide savings by
Looking to move away from physical media (such as magazines) in the UK.
and
BBC Worldwide is now developing a new strategy to refocus its business more internationally. Under this strategy, it is looking to exit non-BBC branded channels overseas. It is using its marketing budget more to promote the BBC brand internationally and plans to ensure that two-thirds of revenues are generated outside the UK by 2015. It is also looking at operations in the UK and a strategic review of magazines is underway.
The full BBC report is available as a PDF document at http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Media/documents/2010/03/02/BBCStrategyReview.pdf - the story itself has been picked up by the Guardian newspaper at www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/mar/02/bbc-strategic-review-magazines. No mention has been made of Who Do You Think You Are? magazine in this, the article instead focussing on higher profile titles such as the Radio Times, Top Gear and BBC Good Food.
Personally speaking, as a former BBC employee who asked for voluntary redundancy in 2006, having become so despondent at the declining standards of the Corporation's television and documentary output, I again lament the BBC's inability to see that the problem does not lie with the hard work of ordinary employees in production (whether TV, radio, online or in print), some of the hardest working professionals I ever had the pleasure to work with. The problem lies most definitely with the overpaid, misguided and unambitious nature of BBC management, which has forgotten what the BBC was actually created to do, and BBC middle management, which does not want to upset the boat at any stage. The BBC now thinks it must replicate the opposition's efforts in pursuit of audience numbers and share, and has forgotten that acronym "BBC" used to mean the quality that set it apart from the opposition. Its management is fairly useless on that front these days - when I worked on the first series of Coast, it was ridiculously top heavy with management - there was a series producer, a series editor, and five executive producers to oversee the series. The series was a success, but believe me, most of us who actually made it are convinced it became one despite them, and not because of them!!
The bottom line is that BBC management will always find ever new and creative ways to save its own skin, and if the industry collapses around it in the process, I don't think they'll be too bothered...
It is worth stating that the proposals are not final, there is a 3 month consultation period underway, and if true it does not necessarily mean the end of the magazine (I'm sure Wall to Wall has a vested interest in its survival!). However, definitely one to keep an eye on...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Yesterday the BBC's director general Mark Thompson announced a range of measures as part of a 'strategic review' to save the corporation money and to keep its competitors happy after having been perceived as treading into territory where it should not have strayed. The main news headlines announced the closure of BBC Radio 6 and the Asian Network, and a cut of 25% of its website services. But hidden away in the small print is the following commitment stated twice for BBC Worldwide savings by
Looking to move away from physical media (such as magazines) in the UK.
and
BBC Worldwide is now developing a new strategy to refocus its business more internationally. Under this strategy, it is looking to exit non-BBC branded channels overseas. It is using its marketing budget more to promote the BBC brand internationally and plans to ensure that two-thirds of revenues are generated outside the UK by 2015. It is also looking at operations in the UK and a strategic review of magazines is underway.
The full BBC report is available as a PDF document at http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Media/documents/2010/03/02/BBCStrategyReview.pdf - the story itself has been picked up by the Guardian newspaper at www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/mar/02/bbc-strategic-review-magazines. No mention has been made of Who Do You Think You Are? magazine in this, the article instead focussing on higher profile titles such as the Radio Times, Top Gear and BBC Good Food.
Personally speaking, as a former BBC employee who asked for voluntary redundancy in 2006, having become so despondent at the declining standards of the Corporation's television and documentary output, I again lament the BBC's inability to see that the problem does not lie with the hard work of ordinary employees in production (whether TV, radio, online or in print), some of the hardest working professionals I ever had the pleasure to work with. The problem lies most definitely with the overpaid, misguided and unambitious nature of BBC management, which has forgotten what the BBC was actually created to do, and BBC middle management, which does not want to upset the boat at any stage. The BBC now thinks it must replicate the opposition's efforts in pursuit of audience numbers and share, and has forgotten that acronym "BBC" used to mean the quality that set it apart from the opposition. Its management is fairly useless on that front these days - when I worked on the first series of Coast, it was ridiculously top heavy with management - there was a series producer, a series editor, and five executive producers to oversee the series. The series was a success, but believe me, most of us who actually made it are convinced it became one despite them, and not because of them!!
The bottom line is that BBC management will always find ever new and creative ways to save its own skin, and if the industry collapses around it in the process, I don't think they'll be too bothered...
It is worth stating that the proposals are not final, there is a 3 month consultation period underway, and if true it does not necessarily mean the end of the magazine (I'm sure Wall to Wall has a vested interest in its survival!). However, definitely one to keep an eye on...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Interviewed for Radio Scotland's Past Lives series
I'm just back from the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock, where I was interviewed by BBC Radio Scotland's Mark Stephens about my great grandfather's story in Belgium during the First World War, for the Past Lives series.
David Hepburn Paton was the manager of three Brussels based shoe shops owned by Glasgow firm R. & J. Dicks (based at Greenhead Works, Glasgow Green), and remained in the city with his family, including my grandfather Charles, after war was declared in 1914. As a civilian, David should have been interned by the Germans, but managed to escape into hiding for 16 months, eventually collapsing and dying from the strain of it all in April 1916. The peg for the story involves a Radio Scotland tie in to the 100 greatest objects in history series that Radio 4 is currently doing, and a series of playing cards that somebody owns which was produced by the firm of R & J Dicks Ltd.
It's a fascinating story, and one which led me to becoming hooked on researching my own family history further, and can be read about at http://chrispatonscotland.tripod.com/id63.html.
The programme itself, produced by Debbie McPhail and presented by Mark Stephens, will be going out on BBC Radio Scotland at 11.30am on Monday 29th March 2010 - enjoy!
(Thanks to both Mark and Debbie for a fun morning!)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
David Hepburn Paton was the manager of three Brussels based shoe shops owned by Glasgow firm R. & J. Dicks (based at Greenhead Works, Glasgow Green), and remained in the city with his family, including my grandfather Charles, after war was declared in 1914. As a civilian, David should have been interned by the Germans, but managed to escape into hiding for 16 months, eventually collapsing and dying from the strain of it all in April 1916. The peg for the story involves a Radio Scotland tie in to the 100 greatest objects in history series that Radio 4 is currently doing, and a series of playing cards that somebody owns which was produced by the firm of R & J Dicks Ltd.
It's a fascinating story, and one which led me to becoming hooked on researching my own family history further, and can be read about at http://chrispatonscotland.tripod.com/id63.html.
The programme itself, produced by Debbie McPhail and presented by Mark Stephens, will be going out on BBC Radio Scotland at 11.30am on Monday 29th March 2010 - enjoy!
(Thanks to both Mark and Debbie for a fun morning!)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Autosomal DNA video guide
For a long time, DNA research in genealogy has dwelt on two forms of DNA - Y-DNA and Mitochondrial DNA. A new test was announced last week from FamilyTree DNA, based on autosomal DNA. Unlike Y-DNA, which is passed down the male 'surname' line, or MtDNA, which is passed down the female line, autosomal DNA comes from both males and females.
The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation has a useful introductory video guide explaining how autosomal DNA works. It's being pushed as the next big thing in the use of DNA, so well worth having a look to understand the basics. You'll find it at
www.smgf.org/education/animations/autosomal.jspx.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation has a useful introductory video guide explaining how autosomal DNA works. It's being pushed as the next big thing in the use of DNA, so well worth having a look to understand the basics. You'll find it at
www.smgf.org/education/animations/autosomal.jspx.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Monday, 1 March 2010
ScotlandsPeople on Radio 2's Ken Bruce show
Raymond Evans, of the ScotlandsPeople website, was on today's edition of Radio 2's Ken Bruce show, with a bit of bad news for the presenter's aspirations to be linked to the great Bruce himself, oor Rabbie.
The show can be heard on the BBC iPlayer for the next seven days at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00r2br9/Ken_Bruce_01_03_2010/ - Raymond's stint is found at 1 hour 37mins in and is about seven minutes long.
I know he was dreading it, but the man done good! :)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
The show can be heard on the BBC iPlayer for the next seven days at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00r2br9/Ken_Bruce_01_03_2010/ - Raymond's stint is found at 1 hour 37mins in and is about seven minutes long.
I know he was dreading it, but the man done good! :)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Zulu War medal records online
From the Original Record (www.theoriginalrecord.com), the following has just been released online:
Zulu War Medal Roll (1877-1879)
What is commonly called the Zulu War Medal was awarded to those British soldiers who fought in a series of conflicts in southern Africa from 1877 (the Kaffir War) through to 1879 (the Zulu War). In 1880 the various units submitted returns of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men 'entitled to the Medal for Military Operations in South Africa during 1877-8-9' and these 'medal rolls' are now in the National Archives. The returns are made with the information arranged in twelve columns:
1. Rank and name
2. Regimental number and rank at the time the medal was earned
3. Whether in possession of medal for previous wars
4. Whether engaged against the Gaikas, Galekas and other Kaffir tribes 1877-8
5. Whether engaged against Pokwane 1878
6. Whether engaged against the Griquas 1878
7. Whether engaged against the Zulus 1879
8. Whether engaged against Sekukuni as set forth in Par. 2. G. O.
9. Whether engaged against Moirosi's stronghold
10. Entitled to medal without clasp under Par. 4.
11. Serving with regiment, depot, dead, discharged, deserted, &c.
12. Notes and cross-references to the Adjutant-General's medal lists.
WO 100/46: 1st (The King's) Dragoon Guards (inc. 12th Lancers), 3rd Regiment of Foot (East Kent - the Buffs), 4th Regiment of Foot (The King's Own Royal), 13th Regiment of Foot (1st Somersetshire: Prince Albert's Light Infantry), 17th Lancers (The Duke of Cambridge's Own), 21st Regiment of Foot (Royal Scots Fusiliers), 24th Regiment of Foot (2nd Warwickshire), Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, and Staff.
Note the records include entries for the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
(With thanks to the Original Record)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Zulu War Medal Roll (1877-1879)
What is commonly called the Zulu War Medal was awarded to those British soldiers who fought in a series of conflicts in southern Africa from 1877 (the Kaffir War) through to 1879 (the Zulu War). In 1880 the various units submitted returns of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men 'entitled to the Medal for Military Operations in South Africa during 1877-8-9' and these 'medal rolls' are now in the National Archives. The returns are made with the information arranged in twelve columns:
1. Rank and name
2. Regimental number and rank at the time the medal was earned
3. Whether in possession of medal for previous wars
4. Whether engaged against the Gaikas, Galekas and other Kaffir tribes 1877-8
5. Whether engaged against Pokwane 1878
6. Whether engaged against the Griquas 1878
7. Whether engaged against the Zulus 1879
8. Whether engaged against Sekukuni as set forth in Par. 2. G. O.
9. Whether engaged against Moirosi's stronghold
10. Entitled to medal without clasp under Par. 4.
11. Serving with regiment, depot, dead, discharged, deserted, &c.
12. Notes and cross-references to the Adjutant-General's medal lists.
WO 100/46: 1st (The King's) Dragoon Guards (inc. 12th Lancers), 3rd Regiment of Foot (East Kent - the Buffs), 4th Regiment of Foot (The King's Own Royal), 13th Regiment of Foot (1st Somersetshire: Prince Albert's Light Infantry), 17th Lancers (The Duke of Cambridge's Own), 21st Regiment of Foot (Royal Scots Fusiliers), 24th Regiment of Foot (2nd Warwickshire), Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, and Staff.
Note the records include entries for the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
(With thanks to the Original Record)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
GRO England and Wales - certificates price increase
Bad news for those living in the land down under (no not Australia!) - the GRO for England and Wales is increasing its prices from April 6th, and it is a hefty hike which will also apply to certificates ordered from local registrars' offices. One suspects they wanted to wait until after Who Do You Think You Are? Live to drop this little bombshell. There will also be some price cuts for additional services, but not for those which will be of most use to family historians.
Here goes with an abridged press release:
New charges for people ordering birth, marriage and death certificates were announced today by Registrar General James Hall.
From Tuesday 6 April 2010 the eight separate fees currently charged by the General Register Office (GRO) for ordering a certificate will be reduced to two – one for standard orders and one for the priority service.
The changes - the first for the GRO since 2003 - will ensure that the costs of providing the service are recovered from fees and not subsidised by the taxpayer.
The cost of ordering certificates online with a GRO reference number, using the standard service, will rise from £7.00 to £9.25. A number of other charges, however, will fall to this new standard fee, including those for certificates where customers do not know the reference number.
Three of the four priority overnight service charges will also fall to a flat fee of £23.40.
The Registrar General has also announced new fees to be charged by the Local Registration Service throughout England and Wales for issuing copies of certificates, and officiating at weddings and civil partnerships for those who are housebound or detained.
The charge for registering marriages at registered buildings – those buildings that are registered for the solemnization of religious marriages other than Anglican churches - has also been changed.
For more information on GRO services and to order certificates online go to www.direct.gov.uk/gro
Looks like there is a recession in town, with family historians now being conscripted into doing their bit to help pay for it...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Here goes with an abridged press release:
New charges for people ordering birth, marriage and death certificates were announced today by Registrar General James Hall.
From Tuesday 6 April 2010 the eight separate fees currently charged by the General Register Office (GRO) for ordering a certificate will be reduced to two – one for standard orders and one for the priority service.
The changes - the first for the GRO since 2003 - will ensure that the costs of providing the service are recovered from fees and not subsidised by the taxpayer.
The cost of ordering certificates online with a GRO reference number, using the standard service, will rise from £7.00 to £9.25. A number of other charges, however, will fall to this new standard fee, including those for certificates where customers do not know the reference number.
Three of the four priority overnight service charges will also fall to a flat fee of £23.40.
The Registrar General has also announced new fees to be charged by the Local Registration Service throughout England and Wales for issuing copies of certificates, and officiating at weddings and civil partnerships for those who are housebound or detained.
The charge for registering marriages at registered buildings – those buildings that are registered for the solemnization of religious marriages other than Anglican churches - has also been changed.
For more information on GRO services and to order certificates online go to www.direct.gov.uk/gro
Looks like there is a recession in town, with family historians now being conscripted into doing their bit to help pay for it...
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Who Do You Think You Are? Live - report
I flew back from London earlier today, having had to spend a night at Stansted Airport's Radisson Hotel - long story, for another time when the Laphroaig is flowing freely! :)
I was in London from Thursday primarily to help Bob and Liz Blatchford on their stall to help sell the latest Family and Local History Handbook. The Yorkshire based couple (not sure whether to describe them as from 'up north' or 'down south'!) have been producing the handbook for a while now, this being the 12th edition. There was a special on offer at the show - the current book for £9.99, or the current book, the last book, and the first ten in digital format, all for £15.99 and to say they were flying out of our hands would be an understatement. The show on Friday had over 4000 visitors, and on Saturday had some 5500 attendees, much busier than last year (and last year was busy, believe me). It was quieter on Sunday, but still over 3000 people were there apparently.
I didn't see a single celebrity (but then I'm not there to see celebrities!), but I was delighted that Esther Rantzen made a visit to the Jewish Genealogy Society to have a chat, it made the day for the team there including Jeanette Rosenberg (a former student like myself from Strathclyde University). What I did find, though, was an abundance of new things happening in the world of genealogy - and I met some old acquaintances.
The highlight for me was catching up with John Podpadec, who I had not seen in some 15 years. John is a broadcast television camerman based in Bristol, and a big influence in my early former career within the BBC. Prior to joining the Beeb, I studied a Time Based Media degree course at the University of the West of England, and in our final year, a few of us were given a chance to be mentored in the construction of, and eventual broadcast of, a history based documentary. As well as researching and producing the programme, which was eventually broadcast on HTV West and entitled Impressions of War (about Bristol folk's memories of WW2), we had to actually shoot the thing ourselves. The kit we used was John's, who mentored us for a couple of weeks on how to pull the whole thing together, for which I owe a huge debt, as it confirmed that that really was what I wanted to do for a living back then. Not long after, as a researcher at BBC Bristol, I had the chance to work with him on a 999 episode, filmed in Brittany, France. The man is a hugely gifted cameraman and programme maker - he recently shot one of the last ever interviews with the last Tommy, Harry Patch - and now he's seeking to teach his skills to the family history community.
www.videoheritage.co.uk not only offers the chance to produce a professionally shot family history video, it differs from its competitors in that John is also running workshops to help people learn how to do it for themselves with a professional kit. So if you are involved with a family history society, community group, or just wish to do it for yourself, there is now someone out there who gets the whole family history thing, and who understands how to make a production on those lines shine. Take a look at his site, and you will see what I mean. Pure quality - and I don't say that too often these days about people in the TV industry!
I also caught up with PRONI, from Northern Ireland - check out their site at http://tinyurl.com/yhoow92 for a new PDF guide to the Church records holdings at PRONI - a major development, as at last there is a comprehencive guide as to which records exist in Ulster, and how they can be accessed at PRONI. A major achievement exceptionally well put together at some 337 pages in length.
Ancestral Atlas (www.ancestralatlas.com) and Arcalife (www.arcalife.com) have come on in a major way since their launches last year, wth some major developments to their respective sites, and Deceased Online has added more English records to its site at www.deceasedonline.com, with more Scottish records on the way soon from one major new authority's participation. The English and Welsh Probate people were there - the upshot of a drink I had with them in the bar is don't hold your breath to see anything appearing on Ancestry soon on the probate front, but do keep your eyes peeled for something from the Probate Service itself in due course.
Flying the flag for Scotland as ever was the ScotlandsPeople and National Archives of Scotland teams, as well as the universities of Dundee and Strathclyde promoting their respective course. I bumped into Alasdair MacDonald, a student who did the Strathclyde course with me a couple of years back, who now works as a tutorial assistant on the courses - his big news is that he is now collaborating with Family Tree DNA as a rep in Scotland. If anyone knows about DNA in Scotland, it's Ali, and he talked me through the new autosomal tests that the company are now marketing. I also met up with Debbie Kennett, another DNA guru, who appeared to have been constantly on the go throughout!
Other notable meetings included a catch up with genealogist Sheena Tait (thanks for the CD Sheena!), a first meeting with genealogist Anthony Adolph (height is not a problem for this man), a first meeting with the lovely Lara Glasspool, Your Family Tree's recently appointed assistant editor, and another person with some decent blood in her (yup, we're talking Caledonian roots here!), and Northern Ireland's very own William Bortrick, the main man at Burkes Peerage, a director and trustee of the SOG and AGRA, with so many credentials to his name that I spent most of my time referring to him as 'my liege'! I also caught up with Penny Law (that much energy should be illegal!), Russell James (laid back), Simon Fowler (flying TNA's flag), Maureen McIntyre (flying her own!), Terry Walsh and Bob Boyd (dutifully taking my new book to the masses!), and, in the dying moments of the show, the vapour trail that was the SOG's Else Churchill, who suddenly stopped and had a quick chat also! :) A very BUSY few days!
I'll be writing up reports for Practical Family History and Discover my Past Scotland, but here's a few pics to whet the old appetite (sounding like Wogan now...! :)
I was in London from Thursday primarily to help Bob and Liz Blatchford on their stall to help sell the latest Family and Local History Handbook. The Yorkshire based couple (not sure whether to describe them as from 'up north' or 'down south'!) have been producing the handbook for a while now, this being the 12th edition. There was a special on offer at the show - the current book for £9.99, or the current book, the last book, and the first ten in digital format, all for £15.99 and to say they were flying out of our hands would be an understatement. The show on Friday had over 4000 visitors, and on Saturday had some 5500 attendees, much busier than last year (and last year was busy, believe me). It was quieter on Sunday, but still over 3000 people were there apparently.I didn't see a single celebrity (but then I'm not there to see celebrities!), but I was delighted that Esther Rantzen made a visit to the Jewish Genealogy Society to have a chat, it made the day for the team there including Jeanette Rosenberg (a former student like myself from Strathclyde University). What I did find, though, was an abundance of new things happening in the world of genealogy - and I met some old acquaintances.
The highlight for me was catching up with John Podpadec, who I had not seen in some 15 years. John is a broadcast television camerman based in Bristol, and a big influence in my early former career within the BBC. Prior to joining the Beeb, I studied a Time Based Media degree course at the University of the West of England, and in our final year, a few of us were given a chance to be mentored in the construction of, and eventual broadcast of, a history based documentary. As well as researching and producing the programme, which was eventually broadcast on HTV West and entitled Impressions of War (about Bristol folk's memories of WW2), we had to actually shoot the thing ourselves. The kit we used was John's, who mentored us for a couple of weeks on how to pull the whole thing together, for which I owe a huge debt, as it confirmed that that really was what I wanted to do for a living back then. Not long after, as a researcher at BBC Bristol, I had the chance to work with him on a 999 episode, filmed in Brittany, France. The man is a hugely gifted cameraman and programme maker - he recently shot one of the last ever interviews with the last Tommy, Harry Patch - and now he's seeking to teach his skills to the family history community. John's new company, Video Heritage
I also caught up with PRONI, from Northern Ireland - check out their site at http://tinyurl.com/yhoow92 for a new PDF guide to the Church records holdings at PRONI - a major development, as at last there is a comprehencive guide as to which records exist in Ulster, and how they can be accessed at PRONI. A major achievement exceptionally well put together at some 337 pages in length.
Ancestral Atlas (www.ancestralatlas.com) and Arcalife (www.arcalife.com) have come on in a major way since their launches last year, wth some major developments to their respective sites, and Deceased Online has added more English records to its site at www.deceasedonline.com, with more Scottish records on the way soon from one major new authority's participation. The English and Welsh Probate people were there - the upshot of a drink I had with them in the bar is don't hold your breath to see anything appearing on Ancestry soon on the probate front, but do keep your eyes peeled for something from the Probate Service itself in due course.
Flying the flag for Scotland as ever was the ScotlandsPeople and National Archives of Scotland teams, as well as the universities of Dundee and Strathclyde promoting their respective course. I bumped into Alasdair MacDonald, a student who did the Strathclyde course with me a couple of years back, who now works as a tutorial assistant on the courses - his big news is that he is now collaborating with Family Tree DNA as a rep in Scotland. If anyone knows about DNA in Scotland, it's Ali, and he talked me through the new autosomal tests that the company are now marketing. I also met up with Debbie Kennett, another DNA guru, who appeared to have been constantly on the go throughout!
Other notable meetings included a catch up with genealogist Sheena Tait (thanks for the CD Sheena!), a first meeting with genealogist Anthony Adolph (height is not a problem for this man), a first meeting with the lovely Lara Glasspool, Your Family Tree's recently appointed assistant editor, and another person with some decent blood in her (yup, we're talking Caledonian roots here!), and Northern Ireland's very own William Bortrick, the main man at Burkes Peerage, a director and trustee of the SOG and AGRA, with so many credentials to his name that I spent most of my time referring to him as 'my liege'! I also caught up with Penny Law (that much energy should be illegal!), Russell James (laid back), Simon Fowler (flying TNA's flag), Maureen McIntyre (flying her own!), Terry Walsh and Bob Boyd (dutifully taking my new book to the masses!), and, in the dying moments of the show, the vapour trail that was the SOG's Else Churchill, who suddenly stopped and had a quick chat also! :) A very BUSY few days!
I'll be writing up reports for Practical Family History and Discover my Past Scotland, but here's a few pics to whet the old appetite (sounding like Wogan now...! :)
Raymond searches for ScotlandsPeople...
Your Family Tree's new depidee, Lara, at her first show...
FindmyPast's Debra and Amy are definitely having a laugh!
And I'm having London's biggest ice cream...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
OPR deaths and burials now in ScotlandsPeople Centre
As of tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd March, the OPR death and burial records will be going onto the ScotlandsPeople Centre computers. The records, already available on the external SP site at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk, are a welcome addition to the already impressive range of digitised church records held at the centre.
In addition, the following features will also be added from tomorrow:
i) As previously announced on this blog, for statutory marriages and deaths searches when you insert one year in the year range field, buttons will be available in the Search Results page which allow you to go up and down the years,
ii) For statutory marriages you will be able to search for records on two names (as was possible in the same manner as DIGROS).
iii) Finally, it will be possible to make cross-referenced searches on other surnames for statutory death records.
(With a huge thanks to Iain Fergusson at ScotlandsPeople)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
In addition, the following features will also be added from tomorrow:
i) As previously announced on this blog, for statutory marriages and deaths searches when you insert one year in the year range field, buttons will be available in the Search Results page which allow you to go up and down the years,
ii) For statutory marriages you will be able to search for records on two names (as was possible in the same manner as DIGROS).
iii) Finally, it will be possible to make cross-referenced searches on other surnames for statutory death records.
(With a huge thanks to Iain Fergusson at ScotlandsPeople)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
Researching Scottish Family History now on sale
My new book, Researching Scottish Family History, is now on sale, having been launched at Who Do You Think You Are? Live. I'm gratified to say that the first batch of books distributed to various vendors at the event had sold out early on Saturday morning, and so had to be restocked - so I'm hoping that means I did something right!The Family History Partnership, which sells the book, will be updating their site in the next few days to provide details on what the book contains, but you can also find out more from the link at the top of this blog page, entitled New Book: Researching Scottish Family History.
The book can be purchased from Amazon.co.uk at the following link: www.amazon.co.uk/Researching-Scottish-Family-History-Christopher/dp/1906280223/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267441916&sr=8-1. It costs just £7.95 and can be delivered for free via the service's Super Saver postage option. Here's the description:
Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: The Family History Partnership (26 Feb 2010)
ISBN-10: 1906280223
ISBN-13: 978-1906280222
Product Dimensions: 21 x 14.8 x 0.8 cm
Alternatively, the ScotlandsPeople Centre will be making it available for sale at its shop in the next few days, and many thanks indeed to Dee and Iain at the centre for facilitating that.
The publishers are happy enough with it to have asked me to consider producing a second book on another related subject, but more of that in due course! In the meantime, I'm currently working on my second book, for Pen and Sword, concerning internet resources in family history. There is absolutely no rest for the wicked...
I hope you enjoy Researching Scottish Family History, and hope that it helps with your research!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Scotland's Greatest Story
www.twitter.com/chrismpaton
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