SAFHS 2016 conference at New Lanark

From Lanarkshire Family History Society (www.lanarkshirefhs.org.uk):

SAFHS 2016 AT NEW LANARK

The Scottish Association of Family History Societies will hold its 2016 Annual Conference and Family History Fair at New Lanark on Saturday 23rd April. The event is being hosted in the World Heritage Site village by Lanarkshire Family History Society.

The theme is “Heritage Along the Clyde”, and there will be four keynote speakers, as well as exhibitors from throughout Scotland and further afield. Family history societies from all parts of Scotland will attend, as well as major online genealogy companies FindMyPast and FamilySearch. Other exhibitors include the Scottish Genealogy Society, Guild of One-Name Studies, Scottish Monumental Inscriptions and the University of Strathclyde’s Genealogical Studies Postgraduate Programme.

FamilySearch and ASGRA (the Association of Scottish Genealogists and Researchers in Archives) will offer free one-to-one help and advice to anyone trying to overcome a family history “brick wall”, or needing advice on starting out on their research.

Jane Masters, Heritage Manager at New Lanark, will open the event with a talk on New Lanark Mill Village and its People; Dr Irene O’Brien, City Archivist for Glasgow will outline the Mitchell Library’s holdings on Shipbuilding and other industries on the River Clyde. After lunch, Emma Maxwell of Scottish Indexes will advise on Understanding Our Ancestors - A Look at Prison Registers and Mental Health Records; and the day will be rounded off by Dr Stephen Mullan who will speak about Runaway Slaves in Britain: Bondage, Race and Freedom in the 18th Century.

Entry to the four talks costs £16, or £20 with a buffet lunch; entry to the family history fair is free. Throughout the day, a free shuttle bus will run between the New Lanark car park and the village. The event is open between 9.30am and 4.45pm. Up to date information is available on the dedicated website at http://safhs2016.weebly.com/ where bookings can also be made.

COMMENT: Unfortunately I'll be overseas and will miss this, but with such a great venue, and with a great talks programme, this definitely looks like one not to miss!

(With thanks to Liz Irving)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.