The University of Glasgow has placed online the diary of Andrew Service, a sailor born in Port Glasgow in 1781, who served under Nelson. Covering 1802-1825, the diary recalls the sailor's time on HMS Medusa.
From the university archive's blog:
Andrew Service, born in Port Glasgow in 1781, served on the HMS Medusa as a sailor in the Royal Navy, and travelled around the world to the Mediterranean, the East and West Indies and the North and South Americas. The logbook charts his experiences during the Napoleonic Wars, on board Nelson’s 38-gun frigate as it did battle in the North and South Atlantic in the early 1800s. The logbook provides an unusual, ‘below decks’ perspective on the events, as official logs were kept by officers.
The logbook is extremely fragile, and conservation took place before digitisation and transcription of the entries. The transcripts were compiled by history student Emily Graham, as part of the University’s Club 21 work experience programme.
The logbook is available to view at www.gla.ac.uk/services/archives/exhibitions/onboardhmsmedusa/photogallery/, where you will also find a plan of HMS Medusa.
The story has also been picked up by the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/10521199.stm
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Military nursing from 1875
There's an impressive site on British military nursing from 1875 located at www.scarletfinders.co.uk, with an accompanying blog at http://greatwarnurses.blogspot.com detailing the story of military nurses in the Great War of 1914-1918.
Thanks to Sue Light in West Sussex for two excellent sites, and to Sheena Tait via Twitter for spotting them!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Thanks to Sue Light in West Sussex for two excellent sites, and to Sheena Tait via Twitter for spotting them!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Did you meet in the war?
From the RAF's Facebook page:
The Royal Air Force Museum has been contacted by a national newspaper which is looking to interview couples who met each other during the Second World War. At least one member of the couple must have served in the RAF or one of its associated services when they 1st met. This newspaper would like to interview both members of the couple about how they first encountered each other and their hopes and fears for each other during the War when they were apart. A photographer would also be in attendance to take pictures during the course of the interview.
If you would like to participate in this opportunity please email battleofbritain@rafmuseum.org with your contact details. These will then be passed onto the person who will be co-ordinating the interviews.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
The Royal Air Force Museum has been contacted by a national newspaper which is looking to interview couples who met each other during the Second World War. At least one member of the couple must have served in the RAF or one of its associated services when they 1st met. This newspaper would like to interview both members of the couple about how they first encountered each other and their hopes and fears for each other during the War when they were apart. A photographer would also be in attendance to take pictures during the course of the interview.
If you would like to participate in this opportunity please email battleofbritain@rafmuseum.org with your contact details. These will then be passed onto the person who will be co-ordinating the interviews.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
What is your favourite childhood memory?
What is your favourite childhood memory? Well write it down at the British Genealogy forum, and you can be in with a shot of winning a copy of my Researching Scottish Family History book!
To enter the forum's July competition, visit www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?60943-July-Competition.
You have to be in it to win it! (I sound like my Dad now...!)
(With thanks to Pam Drake)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
To enter the forum's July competition, visit www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?60943-July-Competition.
You have to be in it to win it! (I sound like my Dad now...!)
(With thanks to Pam Drake)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Monday, 5 July 2010
SS Arandora Star and Italian Scots community
Documents concerning the sinking of the SS Arandora Star off the coast of Ireland by a German U-boat on July 2nd 1940 are currently on display at the National Archives of Scotland's premises at West Register House, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, as part of its "Open Secret" exhibition. The sinking of the vessel was notable for the loss of Italian internees on board, who were being sent to Canada as 'enemy aliens', having been arrested upon the outbreak of the Second World War. Of the 446 Italians on board, 94 were from Scotland.
For more information, see www.nas.gov.uk/about/100630.asp.
* Staying with civilian internees, my own project to identify the 5500 British civilian POWs interned at Ruhleben near Berlin during the First World War has passed a significant milestone, now standing at 2008 internees. I'm not only trying to identify who was there, but also to create short biographies of each of those interned.
For more on The Ruhleben Story, see my free to view site at http://ruhleben.tripod.com.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
For more information, see www.nas.gov.uk/about/100630.asp.
* Staying with civilian internees, my own project to identify the 5500 British civilian POWs interned at Ruhleben near Berlin during the First World War has passed a significant milestone, now standing at 2008 internees. I'm not only trying to identify who was there, but also to create short biographies of each of those interned.
For more on The Ruhleben Story, see my free to view site at http://ruhleben.tripod.com.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Americans to provide for Auschwitz
The US Government has pledged $15 million for the future preservation of the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
For more, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10500207.stm
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
For more, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10500207.stm
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Friday, 2 July 2010
Public records legislation consultation
A consultation paper from the Keeper of the Records of Scotland is currently available at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/22154359/0 or in PDF format at www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/315831/0100450.pdf to discuss proposed changes to current public records legislation, in lieu of the fact that it is over seventy years old and sorely in need of an update.
If you wish to make a submission, you have until Wednesday August 4th 2010 to do so.
(With thanks to Roger Lewry of the FFHS)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
If you wish to make a submission, you have until Wednesday August 4th 2010 to do so.
(With thanks to Roger Lewry of the FFHS)
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Genhound - Scottish records
Genhound (www.genhound.co.uk) is a pay per view website with records from across the UK, including some significant content from Scotland.
The following is included:
Caithness Sasine Index 1646 - 1780 Pt2 1646-1780
Caithness Sasine Index 1646-1780 Pt1 1646-1780
Dumfries, Annandale, Kirkudbright Sasines Index Pt1 1761-1780
Dumfries, Annandale, Kirkudbright Sasines Index Pt2 1733-1760
Elgin, Forres and Nairn, Index to Sasines Part 2 1701-1780
Inverness, Ross, Cromarty & Sutherland Sasines Index Pt1 1721-1780
Kirkcudbrightshire landowners Pt1 1350-1879
Kirkcudbrightshire landowners Pt2 1450-1879
Lanark Sasines Index Pt1 1721-1780
Roxburghshire Services of Heirs, Part A 1636-1743
Roxburghshire Services of Heirs, Part B 1746-1847
Scottish Deeds Index Vol15A 1675-1675
Scottish Deeds Index Vol15B 1675-1675
Scottish Deeds Index Vol16A 1676-1676
Scottish Deeds Index Vol16B 1676-1676
Scottish Deeds Index Vol17 1677-1677
Scottish Deeds Index Vol18A 1678-1678
Scottish Deeds Index Vol18B 1678-1678
Scottish Deeds Index Vol19A 1679-1679
Scottish Deeds Index Vol19B 1679-1679
Scottish Deeds Index Vol20A 1680-1680
Scottish Deeds Index Vol20B 1680-1680
Scottish Deeds Index Vol36 1696-1696
Scottish Freeholders 1832 1832-1832
Wigtonshire landowners Pt1 1200-1900
Wigtonshire landowners Pt2 1200-1900
The site also has a very useful glossary of terms found in Scottish registers of sasines and deeds located at www.genhound.co.uk/genped_inf.php?inc=genped_sasgloss.inc and a 'Geneapedia' of articles on various subjects from across the UK.
In addition there is a list of records by county at www.genhound.co.uk/genped_inf.php?inc=genped_countylist1.inc - if I look up Perthshire for example, I find the site has a list of Glenalmond College council and staff from 1845-1929.
From the site's press release:
Searching is free and users can see a snippet of text from the document that surrounds the name they have searched for. They can then purchase the relevant pages a fraction of the price it would cost to buy a CD version. Credits can be purchased for as little as £3.00 for 60 credits and most records (usually a single page but sometimes more) cost between 8 and 18 credits (ie 40-90p), depending on the item. There is no time limit for using up the credits. Genhound is currently running an introductory offer of twelve free credits to all new users who register and sign up for our monthly bulletin.
Looks like this could be a very useful site to keep an eye on.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
The following is included:
Caithness Sasine Index 1646 - 1780 Pt2 1646-1780
Caithness Sasine Index 1646-1780 Pt1 1646-1780
Dumfries, Annandale, Kirkudbright Sasines Index Pt1 1761-1780
Dumfries, Annandale, Kirkudbright Sasines Index Pt2 1733-1760
Elgin, Forres and Nairn, Index to Sasines Part 2 1701-1780
Inverness, Ross, Cromarty & Sutherland Sasines Index Pt1 1721-1780
Kirkcudbrightshire landowners Pt1 1350-1879
Kirkcudbrightshire landowners Pt2 1450-1879
Lanark Sasines Index Pt1 1721-1780
Roxburghshire Services of Heirs, Part A 1636-1743
Roxburghshire Services of Heirs, Part B 1746-1847
Scottish Deeds Index Vol15A 1675-1675
Scottish Deeds Index Vol15B 1675-1675
Scottish Deeds Index Vol16A 1676-1676
Scottish Deeds Index Vol16B 1676-1676
Scottish Deeds Index Vol17 1677-1677
Scottish Deeds Index Vol18A 1678-1678
Scottish Deeds Index Vol18B 1678-1678
Scottish Deeds Index Vol19A 1679-1679
Scottish Deeds Index Vol19B 1679-1679
Scottish Deeds Index Vol20A 1680-1680
Scottish Deeds Index Vol20B 1680-1680
Scottish Deeds Index Vol36 1696-1696
Scottish Freeholders 1832 1832-1832
Wigtonshire landowners Pt1 1200-1900
Wigtonshire landowners Pt2 1200-1900
The site also has a very useful glossary of terms found in Scottish registers of sasines and deeds located at www.genhound.co.uk/genped_inf.php?inc=genped_sasgloss.inc and a 'Geneapedia' of articles on various subjects from across the UK.
In addition there is a list of records by county at www.genhound.co.uk/genped_inf.php?inc=genped_countylist1.inc - if I look up Perthshire for example, I find the site has a list of Glenalmond College council and staff from 1845-1929.
From the site's press release:
Searching is free and users can see a snippet of text from the document that surrounds the name they have searched for. They can then purchase the relevant pages a fraction of the price it would cost to buy a CD version. Credits can be purchased for as little as £3.00 for 60 credits and most records (usually a single page but sometimes more) cost between 8 and 18 credits (ie 40-90p), depending on the item. There is no time limit for using up the credits. Genhound is currently running an introductory offer of twelve free credits to all new users who register and sign up for our monthly bulletin.
Looks like this could be a very useful site to keep an eye on.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Thursday, 1 July 2010
The Few - RAF Museum podcast
The RAF Museum has a downloadable podcast available at www.rafmuseum.org.uk/podcasts/ detailing the heroic actions of The Few in 1940, as well as many other podcasts on aspects of the Battle of Britain.
I don't care what people's views are on the United Kingdom, Scottish nationalism, British unionism, Presbyterianism, Catholicism, druidism or even absenteeism! One thing I think that everyone can agree on, no matter what race, colour or creed we are, is that if it had not been for The Few, the pilots who fought to defend British airspace and thereby prevent the necessary conditions for an invasion by the Germans during World War Two, we would quite frankly have been well and truly stuffed.
I had the great honour to meet many Battle of Britain pilots whilst working on two separate television programmes for the BBC and Channel Four many years ago. In particular I will always remember with a lot of affection Sergeant Pilot Iain Hutchinson, a Glasgow born lad who spent his final years in Dorset, and a more humble and unassuming get you could never meet. When filming a sequence with him in summer 2000 at Duxford beside one of the few remaining working Spitfires, I asked him when the last time he had ever sat in a Spitfire had been. When he replied it had been in the war, I asked him how he would feel if he ever got the chance to sit in one again? When his eyes just lit up I asked the pilot if he would mind, to which he offered no objection. I've seen many weird and wonderful things in my time so far, but the site of Iain legging it up onto the wing at his age and straight into the cockpit before the pilot had even finished drawing his breath will stay with me until the day I die! :)
There's a lot of myths about the Few, but there are also the tragic details you don't get to hear too often amidst the shouts of "Chocks away". Sgt Pilot Eric Cox was another pilot I had the pleasure of meeting on several occasions. Eric did not fly Spitfires or Hurricanes, but a converted Blenheim Bomber, going up on sorties at night. In an interview I did with him at his home for the same programme, his description of the screams of burning British airmen that could be heard over the open radio frequency, as their planes hurtled to their doom after being shot down, provided one of the most disturbing mental images of the horrors of war I have ever come across. Eric used to make little wood carvings in his shed, and kindly did one for me, and it sits in front of me in my office to this day as a reminder of another of life's true gents.
Sadly Iain and Eric, as well as their fellow comrades, are largely all now passed away. But if there is one story that I think every kid in the land should have drummed into them in their youth for ever more, it is the tale of how 3000 young lads held the line in the country's greatest moment of crisis.
* On a lighter note, also out fairly soon for those wishing to look back on the World War 2 era is a new CD set called Heroes and Sweethearts: A Salute to the Greatest Wartime Songs, produced by Union Square Music in association with the RAF Museum. It's a double CD set with all the classic tracks - Vera Lynn, Glen Miller, etc - and an hour long DVD with rare footage and performances. It's £4.99, and will be out in shops July 5th - I'm listening to a review copy just now, and I have to say, I am absolutely loving it! For more info, see www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/shop/cd.asp?Marid=14&arid=1481
"Whispering Grass..." dee da dee dee dee...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
I don't care what people's views are on the United Kingdom, Scottish nationalism, British unionism, Presbyterianism, Catholicism, druidism or even absenteeism! One thing I think that everyone can agree on, no matter what race, colour or creed we are, is that if it had not been for The Few, the pilots who fought to defend British airspace and thereby prevent the necessary conditions for an invasion by the Germans during World War Two, we would quite frankly have been well and truly stuffed.
I had the great honour to meet many Battle of Britain pilots whilst working on two separate television programmes for the BBC and Channel Four many years ago. In particular I will always remember with a lot of affection Sergeant Pilot Iain Hutchinson, a Glasgow born lad who spent his final years in Dorset, and a more humble and unassuming get you could never meet. When filming a sequence with him in summer 2000 at Duxford beside one of the few remaining working Spitfires, I asked him when the last time he had ever sat in a Spitfire had been. When he replied it had been in the war, I asked him how he would feel if he ever got the chance to sit in one again? When his eyes just lit up I asked the pilot if he would mind, to which he offered no objection. I've seen many weird and wonderful things in my time so far, but the site of Iain legging it up onto the wing at his age and straight into the cockpit before the pilot had even finished drawing his breath will stay with me until the day I die! :)
There's a lot of myths about the Few, but there are also the tragic details you don't get to hear too often amidst the shouts of "Chocks away". Sgt Pilot Eric Cox was another pilot I had the pleasure of meeting on several occasions. Eric did not fly Spitfires or Hurricanes, but a converted Blenheim Bomber, going up on sorties at night. In an interview I did with him at his home for the same programme, his description of the screams of burning British airmen that could be heard over the open radio frequency, as their planes hurtled to their doom after being shot down, provided one of the most disturbing mental images of the horrors of war I have ever come across. Eric used to make little wood carvings in his shed, and kindly did one for me, and it sits in front of me in my office to this day as a reminder of another of life's true gents.
Sadly Iain and Eric, as well as their fellow comrades, are largely all now passed away. But if there is one story that I think every kid in the land should have drummed into them in their youth for ever more, it is the tale of how 3000 young lads held the line in the country's greatest moment of crisis.
Pic: Iain Hutchinson in 2000
* On a lighter note, also out fairly soon for those wishing to look back on the World War 2 era is a new CD set called Heroes and Sweethearts: A Salute to the Greatest Wartime Songs, produced by Union Square Music in association with the RAF Museum. It's a double CD set with all the classic tracks - Vera Lynn, Glen Miller, etc - and an hour long DVD with rare footage and performances. It's £4.99, and will be out in shops July 5th - I'm listening to a review copy just now, and I have to say, I am absolutely loving it! For more info, see www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/shop/cd.asp?Marid=14&arid=1481
"Whispering Grass..." dee da dee dee dee...!
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
Ancestry releases Canadian militia and defence force records
Ancestry's Canadian wing, Ancestry.ca, has released a searchable compilation of militia records and defence force lists for the country from 1832 and 1863-1869.
For more information, visit the Anglo-Celtic Connections blog post at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2010/07/canada-militia-and-defence-forces-lists.html.
Also, the 1911 census for Canada is available for free until July 4th on Ancestry.ca to celebrate Canada Day.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
For more information, visit the Anglo-Celtic Connections blog post at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2010/07/canada-militia-and-defence-forces-lists.html.
Also, the 1911 census for Canada is available for free until July 4th on Ancestry.ca to celebrate Canada Day.
Chris
www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
Professional genealogical problem solving and research
http://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Researching Scottish Family History (New book)
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