ScotlandsPlaces records now free to access

Major news from Scotland, in that the records collections on ScotlandsPlaces (www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk) have now been made available free of charge. In the past the site hosted a mixture of records, some of which were free to access (as was the case when the site was originally launched), and others which required a subscription of £15 +VAT, i.e. £18 (the only records collection I ever saw in the UK which advertised its sub on that basis!), although transcripts of some of those records were free to access. The sources for the collections are the National Records of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (now part of Historic Environment Scotland).

The records that are now completely free on the site are:

Historical Tax Rolls

Carriage Tax, 1785-1798, (20 volumes)
Cart Tax, 1785-1798, (14 volumes)
Clock and Watch Tax, 1797-1798, (2 volumes)
Consolidated Schedules of Assessed Taxes, 1798-1799 (32 volumes)
Dog Tax, 1797-1798, (2 volumes)
Farm Horse Tax, 1797-1798, (13 volumes)
Female Servant Tax, 1785-1792, (28 volumes)
Hearth Tax, 1691-1695, (43 volumes)
Horse Tax, 1785-1798, (33 volumes)
Inhabited House Tax, 1778-1798 (64 volumes)
Land Tax, 1645-1831, (129 volumes)
Male Servant Tax, 1777-1798, (27 volumes)
Poll Tax, 1694-1698, (88 volumes)
Shop Tax, 1785-1789, (8 volumes)
Window Tax, 1748-1798, (218 volumes)


Ordnance Survey Name Books

Aberdeenshire, 1865-1878, (91 volumes)Argyll, 1868-1878, (81 volumes)
Ayrshire, 1855-1857, (64 volumes)
Banffshire, 1867-1869, (28 volumes)
Berwickshire, 1856-1858, (41 volumes)
Buteshire, 1855-1864, (7 volumes)
Caithness, 1871-1873, (15 volumes)
Clackmannanshire, 1861-1862, (7 volumes)
Dumfriesshire, 1848-1858, (55 volumes)
Dunbartonshire, 1860, (18 volumes)
East Lothian, 1853-1854, (55 volumes)
Fife and Kinross-shire, 1853-1855, (135 volumes)
Forfarshire (Angus), 1857-1861, (84 volumes)
Inverness-shire, 1876-1878, (86 volumes)
Kincardineshire, 1863, (20 volumes)
Kircudbrightshire, 1848-1851, (159 volumes)
Lanarkshire, 1858-1861, (50 volumes)
Midlothian, 1852-1853, (135 volumes)
Morayshire, 1868-1871, (23 volumes)
Nairnshire, 1869, (7 volumes)
Orkney, 1878-1880, (26 volumes)
Peeblesshire, 1856-1858, (47 volumes)
Perthshire, 1856-1858, (79 volumes)
Renfrewshire, 1856-1857, (21 volumes)
Ross and Cromarty, 1848-1852, (187 volumes)
Roxburghshire, 1858-1860, (42 volumes)
Selkirkshire, 1858, (15 volumes)
Shetland, 1877-1878, (26 volumes)
Stirlingshire, ca 1864, (27 volumes)
Sutherland, 1871-1875, (35 volumes)
West Lothian, 1855-1859, (69 volumes)
Wigtownshire, 1845-1849, (88 volumes)


RCAHMS Archives

Alexander Curle diaries, 1908-1953 (14 volumes)
Inventories, 1909-1992 (30 volumes)


Burgh registers

Aberdeenshire Burgh Registers, 1398-1511 (8 volumes)


Official Reports

Medical Officer of Health Reports, 1891
Land Ownership Commission Reports, 1872-1873


Published Gazetteers and Atlases

Hay Shennan, County and Parish Boundaries, 1892
An Atlas of Scottish History to 1707


Hydrographic Surveys

Bathmetrical Surveys of Scottish Lochs, 1898-1909


Archaeological and architectural sites, and historical maps and plans

1st edition 6-inch series1st edition 25-inch series
2nd and later edition 6-inch series
2nd and later edition 25-inch series

The ScotlandsPlaces team are still looking for volunteer transcribers to help with deciphering some of the collections from their older script forms, so if interested, do drop them a note!

Have fun! :)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy, 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.

Forgotten U-Boat War around the Welsh Coast project

The Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales has secured Heritage Lottery Fund money for a new project, entitled The Forgotten U-boat War around the Welsh Coast.

14 underwater sites out of 170 recorded in the National Monuments Record of Wales will be explored "to enable the Great War story to be told from both the Allied and German perspectives. The sites include British and German submarines; HMS PENSHURST - the Royal Navy's most successful Q-ship or decoy vessel; HMS DERBENT a tanker which played an important part in refuelling naval vessels in the Mediterranean during the Gallipoli campaign; large merchant ships carrying Welsh coal to key theatres of the war as well as coasting vessels from the last days of sail."

For further details please visit the Heritage of Wales News blog at http://heritageofwalesnews.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/royal-commission-gains-heritage-lottery.html.

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/.

Historic Environment Scotland takes over as heritage body

As of today, the new merged body of Historic Environment Scotland takes over from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland and Historic Scotland as Scotland's national heritage body. Here's the announcement:

Welcome to Historic Environment Scotland

Historic Environment Scotland is the new lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment, and takes up its full statutory role from 1st October 2015. Created by the Historic Environment Scotland Act 2014, the new body incorporates and will build on the strengths and expertise of Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) who have been managing and recording the historic environment for over a century.

Historic Environment Scotland will lead and enable delivery of Our Place in Time, Scotland’s first ever strategy for the historic environment, which sets out how our historic environment will be carefully managed to deliver real and increasing benefits to Scotland’s people. The success of this strategy will ensure our diverse historic environment is cared for and protected, understood, valued, enjoyed and enhanced now and for future generations.

We are already developing our Corporate Plan 2016-19, demonstrating how the new organisation will meet the expectations of stakeholders. We will be launching the plan for public consultation in November.

This is an exciting new era for Scotland’s historic environment and we look forward to your support as we explore the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The full announcement, and other statements, can be found in the body's newsletter at http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=76aeda34e6e524553f9f38500&id=359cbf27c1&e=a5dfe4fb65. There is no new website as yet, so keep an eye out at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/historicenvironmentscotland for further news.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released 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/.

SCRAN launches new blog - Scranalogue

From SCRAN, the Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network (www.scran.org.uk)

Scranalogue - the Scran Blog

Scranalogue (https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/scranblog/) is the new home for rolling news, features, updates on Scran collections, learning and teaching materials and insights into our outreach activities.

September - this month find out about:

• The Ian Landles Archive, an oral history collection from Scottish Borders Council Archive Service, featuring fantastic material about the First World War, the old Borders railway and the suffragettes. 
• Scran's work with Skills for the Future trainees on The Scotsman Collections, a rich seam of social history on Scran.
• New Pathfinders about Scotland's historic properties in English and Gaelic, developed in partnership with Historic Scotland.

Visit our blog to find out more.

SCRAN is also on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Scranlife

(With thanks to Jackie Sangster)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Update on Historic Scotland/RCAHMS merger

From Historic Environment Scotland, the new organisation being created by the merger of Historic Scotland and RCAHMS:

Historic Environment Scotland Board Progress

Since its establishment in February, the HES Board, led by Jane Ryder OBE, is making good progress with the creation of the new organisation. The Board has been focussing on what is essential for 1st October when HES takes full powers, including all staff being transferred to the single body, agreeing the governance framework with the Scottish Government, the introduction of new regulations for heritage management, and the signing-off of the scheme of delegation which will establish how HES will manage the Properties in Care on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Strategic priorities for the new organisation include establishing a new organisational identity and the development of the new corporate plan 2016-19 which will be open to public consultation later in the year.

Some of you may be aware of the recent recruitment campaign for the role of Chief Executive. Whilst we are disappointed not to be able to make a permanent appointment at this stage, this will not have any adverse impact on our plans for the new organisation. We are now looking to appoint an interim CEO who will work with the Board through this transition period and beyond, whilst also looking to secure a long term appointment, to be part of this exciting new chapter for the heritage sector.

Further details on progress will be accessible at http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/historicenvironmentscotland.htm.

(With thanks to the Historic Scotland and RCAHMS joint newsletter)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Scotland's Urban Past project launch in Paisley

I recently blogged about the creation of a new project from RCAHMS entitled Scotland's Urban Past (http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/scotlands-urban-past-project-gets-hlf.html).

The project is holding a launch event at Paisley Arts Centre (15 new Street, Paisley, PA1 1EZ) on Saturday June 6th 2015 from 1am-4pm:

Join us for a fun filled day exploring Paisley's past and present to celebrate the launch of Scotland's Urban Past.

Drop in during the day to create your own map of Paisley and discover your buildings through guided tours, drawing and much more. Don't miss the chance to view the winning entries of Your Paisley! school' photos competition. Bring along your old photos of Paisley to share through our online archive.

This free event is suitable for all ages.

For more information contact Bryony Jackson at 0131 651 6736 or at bryony.jackson@rcahms.gov.uk

(With thanks to Jack Davis)

Chris

The latest British GENES podcast is available at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/podcasts.html. For details on my latest book Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, and my other genealogy guide books, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Scotland's CANMORE database relaunched

The online catalogue of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, entitled CANMORE, has been relaunched at http://canmore.org.uk. The database contains a wealth of information on archaeology, buildings, industrial and maritime heritage.

Meanwhile, the latest Historic Scotland and RCAHMS joint newsletter has confirmed that the date on which its replacement body, Historic Environment Scotland, will take effect is October 1st 2015.

Further developments from the HES can be followed at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/historicenvironmentscotland.htm.

Chris

The latest British GENES podcast is available at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/podcasts.html. For details on my latest book Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, and my other genealogy guide books, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Chief Executive sought for new Scottish heritage body

From Historic Scotland:

Chief Executive sought for new lead public body for Scotland’s historic environment

A Chief Executive is being sought for a brand new lead public body for Scotland’s historic environment.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES), established by the Historic Environment Scotland Act 2014, brings together two organisations - Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS).

The new organisation will be the lead public body for the historic environment in Scotland, working to deliver the Scottish Government’s Historic Environment Strategy “Our Place in Time”.

The successful candidate will lead an organisation with responsibilities ranging from looking after over 345 properties in care to having a statutory role as a regulator and advisor to ministers, to holding one of the largest photographic collections in the world. They will also lead a team of archaeologists, craftspeople, conservators and historians amongst many others, to help manage, celebrate and promote Scotland’s unique historic environment.

The new organisation will come into effect from October of this year, with a board now in place, headed up by Chair, Jane Ryder OBE.

Jane Ryder, OBE, Chair of Historic Environment Scotland, said:

“The new role as a lead public body focusses on working with, and enabling others, as part of a more collective approach. That requires crossing some conventional barriers and some creative thinking, including how we can engage with others, so that the collective approach that is laid out in ‘Our Place in Time’ can be realised.

“As the first Chief Executive of HES, the successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to be involved in the creation of a new organisation which will play a lead role in shaping the historic environment in Scotland, and in the lives of Scottish people and visitors alike, for decades to come.

“We believe there is a no more exciting and challenging role for anyone interested in Scotland’s history and in the development of modern Scotland, and look forward to hearing from candidates.”

Applications are now being welcomed with recruitment open until 18th May. For further information visit
http://www.aspenpeople.co.uk/vacancies/vacancy.php?id=225 http://www.s1jobs.com/apply/jump/570806790.html

Chris

For details on my latest book Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, and my other genealogy guide books please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. To commission me for genealogical research, please visit my research site at www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk.

Historic Environment Scotland Board Announced

From Historic Scotland and RCAMHS:

Historic Environment Scotland Board Announced

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop has announced the first Chair and board members of Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

Jane Ryder OBE, former Chief Executive of the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator and Chair of Arts & Business Scotland, will become the first chair of the HES board. She has been appointed for four years and will be joined by nine board members.

• Dr Janet Brennan is Chair of the Scottish Castles Association, conservationist and author.
• Alan Clarke has over 40 years’ experience in tourism, leisure and marketing and retired in September 2014 as CEO of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
• Trudi Craggs is qualified as a solicitor in Scotland and is a partner in CMS Cameron McKenna LLP.
• Professor David Gaimster is Director of The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow.
• Andrew Holmes qualified as a civil engineer and has worked in a variety of public sector posts dealing with planning, technical and property issues, retiring as Director of City Development for Edinburgh City Council in 2008.
• Dr Coinneach Maclean trained as an archaeologist and was Deputy Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland.
• Dr Fiona McLean is Vice Chair of the Board of Governors for the University of the Highlands and Islands.
• Dr Paul Stollard is an architect who has specialised in the fire safety of buildings for over 30 years. He has taught architectural design and history in a number of universities.
• Dr Ken Thomson took up his role as Principal of Forth Valley College in August 2013 following six years as Depute Principal.

Ms Hyslop said: “Jane brings with her immense experience in setting up a new body from her time with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and in-depth knowledge of Scotland’s museum and historical assets. The new board contains the breadth and strength of the skills and knowledge required to make the most of Scotland’s rich heritage.

“The appointment of the Board is a major milestone in the creation of the new public body to lead on the delivery of Our Place in Time, Scotland’s first strategy for the historic environment.

“As well as delivering on our commitment to public service reform by creating a single public body for Scotland’s historic environment, I am pleased that for the first time all of the work carried out by the bodies will be set within a single strategic framework.

“I have been really impressed by the efforts of the staff in both organisations in getting us to this point in the journey, and I very much look forward to working with Jane and the new board to take forward this exciting and ambitious agenda.”

The new Chair, Jane Ryder, said: “It is a huge privilege to be the first chair of Historic Environment Scotland. The opportunities identified by Our Place in Time and its shared vision, the expectations placed on HES and the skill and enthusiasm of the staff who will come together to form that body all add up to an exciting time for the historic environment.

“I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the excellent staff of the two existing bodies to make the ambitious vision set out in Our Place in Time a reality.”

The new Board will start its work on 1st April and be given all its powers on 1st October 2015. Full details about the appointments can be found on the Scottish Government website at http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Historic-Environment-Scotland-Board-1507.aspx.

Chris

For details on my range of genealogy guide books please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. To commission me for genealogical research, please visit my research site at www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk.

Scotland's Lost Golf Courses

The Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) has launched a new page entitled Scotland's Lost Golf Courses - it can be accessed at http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/news/scotlands-lost-golf-courses and contains links to images of courses across the country, as well as entries in the Canmore catalogue.

Personally speaking I think of golf as a good walk ruined (my aunt used to be mad about it back in Belfast!), but I suspect I am in a minority. There are lots of great images included though from one of our nation's most prolific and historic sports - well worth a look.

(With thanks to the latest RCAHMS and Historic Scotland newsletter at http://rcahms.cmph.org/o/1G6hLk7oHtY)

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians, whilst my new book British and Irish Newspapers is also now out. And please consider purchasing the great new version of Caledonia by The Libations at 79p via www.caledonia2014.com - all profits go to help fund Scottish foodbanks

ScotlandsPlaces Ordnance Survey name books additions completed

The ScotlandsPlaces website (www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk) has now completed the upload of some 1668 Ordnance Survey name books from the 19th century.

The National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk) has a feature at www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2013/ordnance-survey-name-books noting the achievement, as well as providing details of an accompanying exhibition to the project in Edinburgh which runs until January 31st 2014.

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

RCAHMS and Historic Scotland Merger Bill

The First Minister Alex Salmond has confirmed in the Scottish Parliament today that one of the pieces of legislation to be introduced into the next parliamentary session is the RCAHMS and Historic Scotland Merger Bill. This follows the first announcement of the proposed merger in July 2012.

For more background on the merger process to date see http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/about/rcahmshsmerger/rcahmshsnews.htm

Chris

My wife Claire is planning to swim from the Scottish island of Cumbrae to the town of Largs on September 14th to raise money for local charity Gillian's Saltire Appeal, providing respite for families affected by cancer (Claire's mum and sister in Ireland have previously come through cancer, whilst my mum, based in England, currently has bladder cancer). Her Just Giving sponsorship page, with further details, is at http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Paton1. If you can help to sponsor her, even by a wee amount, we'd be very grateful - many thanks!

Scottish waters Aircraft and Wrecks map

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland has published a map showing the density of locations of ship and aircraft wrecks off the Scottish coast - it can be viewed at www.rcahms.gov.uk/rcahms_media/files/publications/project_adair_wreck_map.pdf.

There are also 5 weeks left for the consultation about the merger between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS - see www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/05/1373

(With thanks to RCAHMS)

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. My Scottish land and church records ebooks are available at http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html, whilst my next Pharos Scottish course, Scottish Research Online, starts Sep 4th - see http://pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Time to smash a few brick walls...!

Scotland's Urban Past project gets HLF funding

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland has announced that a new initiative called Scotland's Urban Past has received first round Heritage Lottery Funding of £1.65 million, including £55,000 for development work. The project, a follow up to that on Scotland's rural environment, will be a volunteer based initiative within 60 of the country's urban communities to understand the evolution of such locations.

The full story is at www.rcahms.gov.uk/news/history-on-your-doorstep-to-be-revealed.

(With thanks to RCAHMS at @rcahms)

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. For my other genealogy books, please visit  http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html; whilst for my online Scottish based genealogy courses please visit the Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd site.

Above Scotland exhibition in Glasgow

From the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (www.rcahms.gov.uk):

A new exhibition at The Lighthouse in Glasgow, created by RCAHMS and Architecture and Design Scotland, is giving visitors a unique bird's-eye view of Scotland through stunning aerial photography.

Titled Above Scotland, the exhibition is showing how, from our islands to our cities, no part of the landscape has been left untouched and unaltered by its people. Through large-scale images from the National Collection of Aerial Photography, visitors can explore the fascinating histories of how Scotland's places came to be.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the exhibition Jim MacDonald, Chief Executive of Architecture and Design Scotland, said "These fantastic photographs give the visitors to the exhibition an understanding of how our country has developed its settlements in response to the landscape and also how people have shaped the landscape to suit changes in the likes of farming and industry. Seeing our places from above invites us to ask questions about how we use places now and how our plans and developments today respond to or shape the landscapes around us."

James Crawford, author of Scotland's Landscapes, a new book published by RCAHMS, said: "Over the past 10,000 years, every inch of Scotland has been shaped, changed and moulded by its people. No part of the land is without its human story. Sometimes, in just one modern photograph, you can peel back the layers of history to show how hundreds of generations of our ancestors have shaped the landscape we look at today."

The Above Scotland exhibition runs until 23 January 2013 in Gallery 2, The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, G1 3NU. The exhibition is suitable for the whole family, admission is free, and opening hours are Monday - Friday, 10:30am - 5pm, and Saturday - Sunday, 12 - 5pm.

Chris

Having a Christmas present crisis?! Check out my range of genealogy books at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html - perfect for the family historian's Christmas stocking...!

Tax records and OS Name Books added to ScotlandsPlaces

From the RCAHMS:

Historical documents, including Ordnance Survey (OS) Name Books and Scotland’s Servant and Hearth Tax rolls dating back some 300 years, are now available online on the Scotland’s Places website. The records are among new additions to a treasure trove of historical information held on the site, which brings together records from three of Scotland’s national collections: RCAHMS, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and the National Library of Scotland (NLS).

The Hearth Tax rolls date from 1691 to 1695, and represent the first comprehensive survey of all towns, villages and other inhabited places in Scotland. The Servant Tax rolls date from 1777 to 1798 as a tax on wealthy households who employed non-essential servants like butlers and coachmen. OS Name Books for Stirlingshire, Nairnshire, Inverness-shire, Clackmannanshire, Buteshire, Berwickshire and Ayrshire have also been digitised – with the remaining counties to be added by 2013. The Name Books outline all of the place names within their counties during the latter half of the nineteenth century and include variant spellings, details of where places are situated, descriptive remarks and general observations, as well as references to corresponding OS sheet maps. These specific records can be now accessed as a part of a subscription service. At the same time, new free-to-access materials made available online include 25,000 Second and later edition OS maps – made up of 7,486 6-inch maps dated 1892-1960, and 17,466 25-inch maps dated 1892-1949.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said, ‘This data gives us an insight into Scotland's history dating back 300 years. The result of an innovative collaboration between RCAHMS, National Records of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, this project provides rich historical detail about our buildings, our communities and our people. Viewed together, this data provides a fascinating picture of Scotland's past.’

For more information on the new material and the subscription package, visit Scotland’s Places at www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk.

UPDATE: the subscription for these new records is £15 +VAT for 3 months access, so basically £18. That is a serious amount of money for what is being made available at present, so I think I will personally wait for a bit until more is made available before subscribing. The records that were previously available for free continue to be so offered.

Also: Upcoming resources
The ScotlandsPlaces team are currently working on conserving and digitising more archival resources to be added to the website. Upcoming subscription resources to be added in the near future will include:
* Ordnance Survey name books for the remaining Scottish counties
* 17th and 18th century tax rolls


Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

Edinburgh cemetery photos exhibition

Images taken by US art lecturer Robert Reinhardt of several of Edinburgh's cemeteries form part of an exhibition to be hosted at Edinburgh Central Library, from July 30th to September 1st 2012. The images belong to the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, which has more details and several examples available to view at http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/publication/?publication=robertreinhardtcemeteries

(With thanks to @RCAHMS)

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

Aerial images collections website

More on aerial images from the RCAHMS, English Heritage and the RCAHMW:

BRITAIN FROM ABOVE

• Rare and fragile aerial photos from Aerofims Collection salvaged, conserved and now online
• Public help needed to identify “mystery” locations 

More than 15,000 images from one of the earliest and most significant collections of aerial photography of the UK have been made freely accessible online to the public for the first time.

Britain from Above, a new website (www.britainfromabove.org.uk) launched today (25 June 2012) by English Heritage and the Royal Commissions on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and Wales, features some of the oldest and most valuable images of the Aerofilms Collection, a unique and important archive of over 1 million aerial photographs taken between 1919 and 2006. Its chronological and geographical coverage is superb and documents the face of Britain during a period of intense and unparalleled change.

The photographs featuring on the website date from 1919 to 1953, and have gone through a painstaking process of conservation and cataloguing. Due to their age and fragility, many of the earliest plate glass negatives were close to being lost forever.

The Aerofilms Collection was acquired for the nation in 2007 when the company was facing financial difficulties. With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Foyle Foundation, English Heritage and the Royal Commissions embarked on a programme to conserve, catalogue and digitise the collection and make it freely available online.

Highlights from the collection include: the 1935 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium; the Thames Flood of 1947 in which over 100,000 properties were affected; Blackpool in 1920; crowds on the banks of the River Clyde watching the first voyage of the newly-built RMS Queen Mary in 1936; the famous Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, host of the 2014 Ryder Cup, pictured in 1932; the historic stadium Cardiff Arms Park in 1932; and a scene of Rhondda Fawr, one of the largest mining valleys in southern Wales.

See and download a selection of images here: https://picasaweb.google.com/101554616913588617820/Aerofilm?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCL2H9timsYOLaQ&feat=directlink

Britain from Above website features a high degree of interactivity and is designed to encourage wide public participation. Users can download images, customise their own themed photo galleries, share personal memories, and add information to enrich the understanding for each of the images. They are also invited to identity the locations of a number of “mystery” images that have left the experts stumped.

Anna Eavis, Head of Archive at English Heritage, said: “The Aerofilms Collection embodies all that is exciting about aerial photography. What is equally remarkable is the skill of the expert staff in England, Scotland and Wales who have saved and conserved these vulnerable negatives and prints and converted them into the high resolution images you see on screen today. We are pleased that the items have been given safe, long term homes, and that each of the organisations involved has been enriched immensely by their addition.”

Rebecca Bailey, Head of Education and Outreach at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) said, “The history of Aerofilms is inextricably linked to the history of modern Britain. The original pilots and photographers were veterans of the First World War, and they brought specialist skills learned in the conflict to the task of capturing the nation from the air.

“Between 1919 and 1953, there was vast and rapid change to the social, architectural and industrial fabric of Britain, and Aerofilms provides a unique and at times unparalleled perspective on this upheaval. We hope that people today will be able to immerse themselves in the past through the new website, adding their own thoughts and memories to this remarkable collection.”

Dr Peter Wakelin, Secretary of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, said, “People are always fascinated by views of familiar places from above, and in these you have the added values of seeing those places through time too. We know people are hugely engaged by these kinds of images, and I’m sure they will soon be among the most popular in our collections.”

By the end of the project in 2014, 95,000 images taken between 1919 and 1953 will be available online, showing the changing face of modern Britain.

(With thanks to Renee Fok at English Heritage)

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

Britain from Above lecture - podcast

The Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) has made available its latest lunchtime lecture podcast, a recording of a talk entitled Britain from Above, given yesterday by Ashley Beamer and Brian Wilkinson. A short synopsis from the RCAHMS site:

The first part of this presentation will look at the partnership planning and organisation of the Aerofilms resources and the development of the project website which launches at the end of June. The second part will look at the activity plan for the project and the outreach programme being undertaken over the next three years to engage audiences across the UK with the Aerofilms collection.

To access the podcast visit www.rcahms.gov.uk/rcahms-lunchtime-lectures.html. For more on the Britain from Above project's background visit www.rcahms.gov.uk/lottery-funding-for-aerofilms.html

(With thanks to @rcahms)

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

RCAHMS store re-opens

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) collections store at John Sinclair House in Edinburgh has been refurbished and has re-opened, with significantly improved and new storage facilities. For more on the changes visit the commission's site at www.rcahms.gov.uk/news/rcahms-store-re-opens.

(With thanks to @rcahms)

Chris


British GENES is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES and Twitter @chrismpaton Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)