Declaration of Arbroath Family History Project Exhibition

An exciting event for the 700th anniverary year of the Declaration of Arbroath:

Declaration of Arbroath Family History Project Exhibition

The exhibition will display biographies, genealogical charts and coats of arms of 16 individuals associated with the Declaration, as well as information on another 33 'signatories.' It will also present the findings of genetic genealogy research, using DNA test results and documentary evidence. The aim is to find living descendants of the 'signatories' who knew nothing about their medieval ancestry, and discover how DNA can reveal more about these unknown ancestries.

The research is being carried out by staff and postgraduate students of the University of Strathclyde's Genealogical Studies Postgraduate Programme and is funded by the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy.

(Source: https://arbroath2020.com/events/declaration-of-arbroath-family-history-project-exhibition/)

For more on the University of Strathclyde's Declaration of Arbroath project visit www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/declarationofarbroathresearch/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilySearch Celebrates 20 Years Online

From FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org):

FamilySearch Celebrates 20 Years Online

FamilySearch.org Homepage as it appeared in 1999.Salt Lake City, Utah, (23 May 2019)-- Twenty years ago, global nonprofit FamilySearch launched an innovative new website, a free internet genealogy service. Two decades later, FamilySearch is a leader in the rising tide of popular ancestry-related services online. During that time, FamilySearch has expanded and evolved its free mix of online offerings, holding true to its purpose to provide economical access to the world’s genealogical records and create fun family history discoveries for everyone.

On May 24, 1999, FamilySearch.org took the online genealogy world by storm, offering free access to hundreds of millions of historical records online—a treasure for those seeking to make family history connections. For perspective, online broadcast news, e-trading, and downloadable music services were the rage at the time. Google, ranked 93rd of top websites, was still an up-and-coming service that was attempting to redefine the role of a search engine by indexing the web to make results junk free and more consumer relevant.

At FamilySearch.org, searching historical records for new discoveries continues to be a big interest for site visitors. Millions of new customers grace its portal each year, looking for new family connections. And for good reason. The site now boasts over 7 billion searchable names and over 3 billion searchable images of historical records. And it adds more than 300 million new historical records and images yearly from archives worldwide.

The website has expanded its free offerings since its grand opening two decades ago. Patrons have added 1.4 billion ancestors to the site's robust, collaborative family tree. And the tree is integrated with two powerful mobile apps. You can preserve family photos and create audio files that help tell your family’s stories. The website also features an impressive inventory of very useful help services, like how to make sense of DNA test results, and it’s all still free.

Randy Bryson, now retired, was a FamilySearch IT director when the site was launched in 1999. He fondly recalls the big day. He said that the site was so wildly successful that it constituted 10 percent of all internet traffic at the time and was a top 10 website based on the amount of data it was hosting (20 terabytes). “Traffic on the site was so extreme at the time of the launch that we had to limit user access to 30 minutes at a time,” said Bryson. “The amazing thing was that people didn’t go away. When they were timed out, they would just log right back in to finish their search.”

Today the site is nimble and quick. Bryson said he was moved by the amazing gratitude of the site’s users. “It was very overwhelming, emotional, and gratifying” to see people able to easily access records of their ancestors conveniently online from their homes.

Steve Rockwood, FamilySearch CEO, is not surprised by the continued popularity of the website. He said, “When individuals discover more about their family history or make new family connections, it changes them. They see and treat each other differently.” Rockwood said that future services under development on the website will create more of these fun discovery experiences worldwide for site visitors.

FamilySearch.org continues to enjoy impressive growth today, adding over 50,000 new subscribers weekly and hundreds of millions of new family photos, documents, stories, and historical records yearly from contributors and archives around the world.

See what has changed and make new family connections in your family tree for free at FamilySearch.org.

Chris

My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts May 13th 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

International Women's Day

For International Women's Day I'm going to go all ancestral and thank my Scottish great grandmother Jessie MacFarlane, from Inverness, for her bravery in the First World War.

Jessie survived throughout the four year long German occupation of Brussels as an enemy civilian. Her husband David Paton died whilst in hiding to avoid internment, her son John was interned a few months later when he turned of age; her other son, my grandfather Charles, was just a boy, and her daughter Annie was also with her (and her eldest son William was in Gallipoli serving with the RAMC). I have letters and documents showing how they barely made it from day to day with no financial support.

I've sadly never seen a photo of what Jessie looked like, and would dearly love to. So here are pics of her son Charles, taken in Brussels, her son John (seated) as an interned prisoner at Ruhleben, Germany, and her husband David, who died during the occupation. A sea of men - with a missing matriarch who tried to keep the family together when the chips were down, and suffered immensely in the process.

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Royal Air Force centenary conference

2018 sees the 100th anniverary of the Royal Air Force. To mark the year, the National Archives in England (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) is hosting an academic conference entitled There will be wings: the First World War origins of the RAF on March 2nd 2018, in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the RAF Museum, and the National Army Museum. Here are the programme details:

Programme

09.30 - 10.00 Registration and refreshments
10.00 - 11.00 2 into 1: Wing Commander (ret'd) Jeff Jefford MBE and William Spencer (The National Archives)
11.00 - 11.15 Break and refreshments
11.15 - 12.15 Body and Soul – health and morale in Britain’s Air Arms: Dr Lynsey Shaw-Cobden (Air Historical Branch - RAF) and Dr Emma Hanna (University of Kent)
12:15 - 13:00 Lunch
13:00 - 14:00 Air Vice-Marshal (ret’d) Dr Peter Dye (Cross and Cockade International) and Peter Hart (Imperial War Museum)
14:00 - 14:15 Break and refreshments
14:15 - 15:15 Keynote – The Creation of the Royal Air Force, Professor Richard Overy (University of Exeter)
15:15 - 16:00 Open Discussion and close

To books tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/there-will-be-wings-the-first-world-war-origins-of-the-raf-tickets-39324353199

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Mayflower 400 celebrations economic potential

There's a big US/UK aniversary coming up in 2020, which the genealogical community in England may be interested in:

New research commissioned by MAYFLOWER 400 reveals STRONG economic potential PRESENTED BY anniversary IN 2020

Survey highlights:
· Respondents identified as ‘Hot Prospects to visit in 2020’ equates to over 13.75 million US citizens
· Nearly 5,000 US adult citizens and members of New England Historic Genealogical Society and General Society of Mayflower Descendants surveyed
· US general panel favoured independent travel while nearly as many society member respondents preferred a package holiday
· 90% of Hot Prospects interested in attending historical talks and lectures as part of their Mayflower trip

Monday 11th December 2017, London: On behalf of Mayflower 400, the official national and international visitor programme formed to lead the 400th anniversary commemorations in 2020, Destination Plymouth has commissioned research in the United States by specialist research agency, Habit5, to evaluate the commercial and investment potential of this iconic anniversary.

Of over 25 million descendants worldwide from the 102 passengers and crew on board the Mayflower ship, over 10 million are US citizens. It is estimated the national Mayflower programme will drive growth in the UK visitor economy of over 1.4 million visitors during the commemoration year with an economic impact in excess of £76 million in turn creating around 2,000 jobs. This research was therefore commissioned as a benchmark study to be shared with stakeholders and businesses in England and the Netherlands to engage them to capitalise on incremental inbound tourist visits from the US associated with, or inspired by, Mayflower 400 and maximise opportunities the anniversary will generate during this crucial countdown period to 2020.

The aim of Habit5’s study was to determine the potential visitor market size and profile of visitors, and motivations for visits during, and as a result of, the Mayflower anniversary. Furthermore, the study sought to understand current awareness of the 400th anniversary, as well as provide insights on the appropriate messaging to target US visitors, establish the US market’s propensity to visit England and/or the Netherlands for the Mayflower 400th commemorations and, if so, explore the respondents’ intended length of stay and type of travel.

Habit5 logged 4,865 completed surveys by a US general panel which consisted of US adult citizens who have lived in the US for at least 12 months and taken an international holiday within the past three years, and the society members panel which consisted of members of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and General Society of Mayflower Descendants.

The survey found that over half of all respondents had visited England in the past for leisure purposes highlighting the destination’s need to diversify tourism products and offer new attractions and experiences, beyond the obvious highlights of a first time visit, to entice US travellers to return for the commemorations.

Surprisingly, 80% of respondents in the US general panel were not aware of the forthcoming 400th Mayflower anniversary, however, following the anniversary being highlighted to respondents during the survey, 12% of the US panel population were ‘Very Likely’ Hot Prospects to visit England in 2020 with a further 36% classified as ‘Likely’ Warm Prospects. As a result, of the three sample groups surveyed, those identified as Hot Prospects to visit in 2020 equated to over 13.75 million US citizens. These results indicate an element of education around the anniversary should therefore be factored in by destinations and the trade when developing and marketing Mayflower 400 tourism products.

In terms of where they would like to visit, half of the Hot Prospects indicated they would wish to make a specific visit to Plymouth, Leiden, Boston and Southampton. Meanwhile, Plymouth ranked second after London for locations where the Hot Prospects would like to stay during the commemorations, followed by Leiden, Amsterdam, Boston and Southampton.

Some interesting differences emerged between the two panel groups; nearly half of the respondents on the US general panel would plan to travel independently to England in 2020 while nearly as many society member respondents would favour a package holiday. Furthermore, when it came to the length of stay, nearly half of the predominantly full time employed US general panel sample would plan a 4-7 night stay, whereas the society members (the majority of whom are retired) would favour an 8-10 night stay reflecting their commitment to experiencing a more immersive Mayflower holiday experience.

Over 90% of respondents in each segment were interested in attending historical talks or lectures while ‘historical group websites’ were a strongly favoured source of information, followed by tourism board websites and TripAdvisor. Furthermore 70% of Hot Prospects indicated an interest in itineraries that included some elements of walking on their trip.

Amanda Lumley, Executive Director of Destination Plymouth said, “The research evidences the significant potential the Mayflower 400th anniversary presents to the UKs visitor economy. We encourage the travel trade in the UK, US and Dutch markets to capitalise on this opportunity in order to generate valuable tourism business through driving visitors to follow in the footsteps of the pilgrims and experience the Mayflower 400 compact partner destinations first hand”.

For more information on the Mayflower 400 programme please visit: www.mayflower400uk.org

-Ends-

Note to editors:

2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage, one of the most influential journeys in global history and a defining moment in the shared history of Britain, the US, the Native American Nation and the Netherlands.

The anniversary provides a special opportunity to inspire people across our nations with the stories of that iconic voyage, exploring themes of migration, tolerance, freedom and democracy that have such contemporary relevance.

An exciting national and international programme, the Mayflower 400 commemorations will highlight the significance of the special relationship between our nations; transform communities, provide cultural, business and visitor links; explore the different sides of the story; and celebrate the people and places of this epic pioneering tale.

The 11 UK Mayflower 400 Compact partner destinations within the Mayflower 400 programme are:
· Austerfield, Doncaster
· Boston, Lincolnshire
· Dartmouth, Devon
· Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
· Harwich, Essex
· Immingham, Lincolnshire
· Plymouth, Devon
· Scrooby & Babworth, Nottinghamshire
· Southwark, London
· Southampton, Hampshire
· Worcestershire

For further press information and images please contact:
Daniela Resenterra / Josie Self / Annabel Jenkins
020 7593 1771 / 1758 / 1770
danielar@hillsalfour.com / josies@hillsbalfour.com / annabelj@hillsbalfour.com

Chris

Needing a Christmas present for a family history obsessed love one (or for yourself)?! For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

My 200th article for Your Family History magazine

I've reached a bit of a milestone today in my genealogy career, in that I have just sent through my 200th article for Your Family History magazine (previously known as Your Family Tree)! The article will be published in the Feb 2017 edition.

My first ever article for the magazine was a case study for issue 40 (August 2006, see pics) about my grandfather's plight being trapped as a child in occupied Brussels throughout the First World War, where his father died whilst hiding from the Germans to prevent internment.

Although this was not my first ever published article, it was certainly my first ever published family history themed article, and led me to subsequently write for other titles, and to set up this blog.

When I started Garrick Webster was the editor in charge, and since then I have worked for various other editors, including Russell James, Tom Watson, and now Nell Darby and Andrew Chapman, as well as various sub-editors and designers. I have been delighted to see the magazine continue to go from strength to strength - I still can't believe I have been writing for it for ten years now!

For details of the current issue, please visit http://subscribe.yourfamilyhistorymag.co.uk/latest-issue/ - don't forget that you will find various freebies with each edition that can be downloaded from th website, so well worth bookmarking!

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.

Ten years of FamilySearch Indexing

This is definitely worthy of a wee announcement! From FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org):

Salt Lake City, Utah (28 November 2016), You go online to FamilySearch. You type an ancestor’s name. You instantly find your ancestor in any number of 5.5 billion historical records in the free online database. You are elated at how easy it was as you fill in another missing piece of your family tree puzzle. That successful experience was brought to you by a phenomenon called indexing. And most likely, you were the recipient of a free gift empowered by the efforts of many online indexing volunteers.

Next week (December 5th) is International Volunteer Day, and FamilySearch International is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its web-based, volunteer-driven, indexing initiative, which started in 2006. The migration from the previous CD-ROM-based format to the web has been nothing short of amazing, and the rest has been record-making history—literally. The indexing initiative is the largest undertaking of its kind and is unparalleled in its achievements.

As a thank you to indexers and the millions of people who have found family documents from their efforts, FamilySearch is sharing a collection of free downloadable “I HEART Families” images for use on social media, or as cell phone and computer wallpaper.

FamilySearch and its predecessors have been gathering and preserving the world’s historic records to assist people like me and you in making family history discoveries. It publishes millions of digital images of historic records from around the world on FamilySearch.org weekly. FamilySearch’s proprietary software, a lot of computing power, and the contributions of hundreds of thousands of volunteers and countless millions of donated hours make the genealogically rich names and information hidden on those historic records easily and freely searchable to millions of curiosity seekers online.

In 2006, the call went out for volunteers to help in this unprecedented, global cause, and the online community responded. In fact, in just 10 years, over 1.2 million volunteers worldwide have joined the cause and continue to donate much needed time and talent to help index the world’s historic genealogical records.

In the past 10 years, online volunteers have personally pored over 1.5 billion images of historic records from all over the world and made over 5 billion ancestral names conveniently searchable to me and you from any web-enabled device.

Who are these unsung heroes? “They are your next door neighbors and work colleagues who continue to respond to the call to make the world’s historic records freely searchable online for anyone interested in discovering the branches of their family trees,” said Collin Smith, a marketing manager for FamilySearch Indexing. “They hail from all over the world—200 countries to be exact and collectively, the volunteers speak and read 58 languages.”

Why do they do it? Their motivations vary according to Smith. Some are paying it forward because they personally have benefited from priceless searchable record collections online. Others like participating in something meaningful and historic that will make a big difference somehow. Ornella Lepore, a native of Naples, Italy, now living in the United States, helps index Italy’s records online—particularly those pertaining to her ancestral roots. “I can’t afford to travel to Italy as often or whenever I want to do my family history research,” said Lepore. “Having the historic records indexed online where my ancestors are from will help me in my research in the long run.” Not every historic collection from Italy she helps with will hold keys to her personal research, but she knows in time, some of them will. And that’s motivation enough for her.

The entire suite of US Censuses from 1790 to 1940 is most notable of the volunteers’ efforts. All of those records are now freely searchable online at FamilySearch.org. In 2010, the power of this online community was unleashed on the newly released 1940 US Census. They indexed the entire census—all 3.8 million pages of it—in just 4 months, giving access to 134 million names.

And so these volunteers continue to show up daily online, unsung and untold in the internet clouds, ages 12–95, picking historic projects of interest and making a difference for the next person online hoping to find an ancestor in the growing sea of historic records.

Learn more about volunteering online at FamilySearch Indexing (https://familysearch.org/indexing/).

COMMENT: Well done to all concerned - each index transcriptions makes the research process for
others just a little bit easier.

(Original press release sent via email)

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.

Scottish Stories of the Somme

From the National Records of Scotland (www.nrscotland.gov.uk):

Stories of the Somme

To commemorate the start of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and ScotlandsPeople have been exploring the unique records that you can search when tracing your First World War ancestors.

scottish soldiers in the sommeYou can read about the lives of eight soldiers (seven Scottish and one French), who died on the first day, just a few of the 21,392 soldiers in the British, Commonwealth and Empire Army who lost their lives or were reported missing in action. On that first day another 35,493 soldiers were wounded and 585 taken prisoner. The battle was to last another 141 days.

In the first article, NRS has selected two from the special series of 26,000 Soldiers’ Wills on ScotlandsPeople, to tell the stories of two soldiers who served in the 15th Battalion, Royal Scots.


In the second article, ScotlandsPeople has researched documents from the larger series of Wills & Testaments (1513-1925), along with some census records, to create a picture of the short lives of six soldiers - both in peacetime and wartime. These soldiers served in the Highland Light Infantry, the Gordon Highlanders, the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Scots and the 78th Brigade of the French Army.

Both articles also feature men with an architectural connection, to mark Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs in the Scottish Government, said:

"These personal documents are powerful evidence of the sacrifice made by thousands of Scots soldiers during the Battle of the Somme. Their stories and the experiences of their families and loved ones deserve to be told."

Tim Ellis, Registrar General and Keeper of the Records of Scotland, said:

"We are privileged to be able to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme by highlighting some of the countless stories of the service and sacrifice of Scottish soldiers during the First World War. National Records of Scotland holds a wealth of archives and records which help us understand the enormous impact the First World War had on the people of Scotland."

(With thanks to the NRS and ScotlandsPeople)

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.

350 years of The London Gazette

This month sees the 350th anniversary of the London Gazette, initially published as the Oxford Gazette, and forerunner to its UK and Irish equivalents the Edinburgh Gazette, the Dublin Gazette (now Iris Ofigiuil) and the Belfast Gazette.

The Gazettes are the official paper of the state, essentially, and record a remarkable amount of useful information for family history research - notices of businesses, bankruptcies, military honours and promotions, civil awards, planning permissions, and much more. 350 years of publication is certainly worth celebrating!

The Gazette website has a dedicated section looking back at the title, available at https://www.thegazette.co.uk/history/350-years. As part of the celebrations, the site has uploaded a short animated video at https://youtu.be/JqK2Lx6mryI, presented below for convenience:

To freely search the Gazettes, visit www.gazette.co.uk.

Note that the Belfast Gazette replaced the all Ireland Dublin Gazette as a new title for Northern Ireland from 1921. I recently discovered that 50 years worth of the Dublin Gazette have also been digitised for the late 18th century - for more on this, see my blog post from August at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/the-dublin-gazette-from-1750-1800-is.html.

Congratulations to the London Gazette - and onwards and upwards for another 350 years!

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/.

Mayflower 400 anniversary events planning visit to Plymouth

From Plymouth City Council:

US AMBASSADOR VISITS CITY LEADING THE MAYFLOWER 400 ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

US Ambassador to the UK Matthew Barzun is visiting the city where the Mayflower set off on its historic voyage to the United States almost exactly 395 years ago.

The Ambassador is visiting Plymouth over two days and will be meeting the leadership group responsible for planning the Mayflower 400 events for which Plymouth is the lead city in the UK.

He will also be meeting students and young people, visiting local businesses, paying his respects to US servicemen and visiting sites connected to the historic voyage.

The Ambassador’s visit to Plymouth is a high point to date in the Mayflower 400 campaign, which ultimately seeks to invite all US presidents past and present to stand on the Mayflower steps in 2020.

“We have set ourselves some very ambitious objectives for 2020” said Adrian Vinken OBE chair of the Mayflower 400 Leadership Group. “When we started out on this campaign two years ago we probably wouldn’t have thought that we’d be welcoming Ambassador Barzun to Plymouth and yet we’re honoured by his presence here today. For an occasion as globally significant as Mayflower 400 anything is possible.”

City Council Leader Tudor Evans wrote to the Ambassador last year inviting him to the city and a delegation from Plymouth to the USA in March visited the State Department to discuss Mayflower 400 and the international opportunity that the commemoration represents.

Councillor Evans said: “We’re delighted that Ambassador Barzun is coming to Plymouth almost exactly five years before this hugely important anniversary. The sailing of the Mayflower is arguably one the most influential single voyages in the history of the world and the spirit of that voyage and the beliefs that motivated it led to the creation of the most p owerful nation on earth.

“So Mayflower 400 is a very significant event on both sides of the Atlantic. We are looking forward to discussing the opportunity with the Ambassador, as well as sharing some of the many connections between Plymouth and the United States both past and present and showing him the city where it all started.”

The Ambassador’s visit will also coincide with the launch of the Mayflower 400 website and a national Mayflower education pack which is being distributed to schools in all 11 English towns and cities that make up the Mayflower 400 Compact.

“We’re delighted that Ambassador Barzun has come to the city to visit where his ancestor stood before embarking on that world-changing voyage’ said Mr Vinken. “It also serves to demonstrate that the ‘special relationship’ we share with the United States which originated with the Mayflower and its values of individual freedom and democracy is today as relevant and strong as ever.”

If you would like to become involved in either fundraising or participating then please visit our website: www.mayflower400UK.co.uk

Plymouth City Council is proud to be working with our national and international partners:
Scrooby & Babworth (Nottinghamshire)
Austerfield & Doncaster (Yorkshire)
Gainsborough (Lincolnshire)
Boston (Lincolnshire)
Immingham (Lincolnshire)
Leiden (Holland)
Rotherhithe (Southwark)
Harwich (Essex)
Southampton (Hampshire)
Dartmouth (Devon)
Plymouth (Devon)
Plymouth, Massachusetts (USA)


Mayflower 400, Plymouth is led and supported by:
Plymouth City Council
Plymouth Culture
Plymouth and Devon Chamber
Plymouth Citybus
Destination Plymouth
Plymouth University
City College Plymouth

(With thanks to Annabel Jenkins)

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/.

Happy 30th Birthday to Family Tree magazine!

Two important things happening tomorrow on October 1st - 1) my brother gets to be the same age as me for 5 days - and 2) Family Tree magazine celebrates its 30th birthday! Happy birthday to both - and here's the press release from Family Tree!

Britain’s oldest family history newstrade magazine celebrates its 30th birthday

Britain’s first popular magazine for family historians is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special souvenir edition.

Family Tree started life on a dining room table in Cambridgeshire in 1984 and is now read by thousands around the globe.

It remains the UK’s only independent newstrade magazine for a hobby that it has helped to nurture and support from its earliest days.

Originally called Family Tree Magazine, it was the brainchild of family historian Michael Armstrong and his wife Mary. They recognised the need for a national, ‘glossy’ genealogy magazine for the rapidly growing hobby.

Helen Tovey, editor of Family Tree, said: “Readers’ letters from our earliest days reveal that family historians were delighted to have a hobby magazine. It unified them and gave them a voice and a place to share their discoveries and knowledge in the pre-internet age.

“Thirty years on and we’re proud of our heritage. We’re still a small, independent publisher owned by the same family, trusted and respected in our field.

“Our strengths lie in our roots and our friendly, forward-thinking outlook, as we embrace all the advances the digital age brings for genealogists.”

She added: “For our readers, we’re still the place to go to share and discover family history stories, learn new research skills and keep up to date with the very latest developments in the world of family history. Our branches reach around the world, with a loyal following in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada as well as the UK.

“As we mark our 30th anniversary, we’d love to thank all our readers, subscribers, contributors and advertisers for their much-valued support. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

The November souvenir issue goes on sale in the UK and on digital platforms on Wednesday, 1 October.

It features special anniversary giveaways, 30-minute ideas for quick family-history fixes, genealogy software reviews, a timeline to the First World War on the Home Front, advice on how best to collaborate with fellow researchers, plus all the regular favourites such as dating old photos, Dear Tom, Diane Lindsay, Q&As, diary dates, news and reviews. Published by owners ABM Publishing Ltd, it is on sale in the UK until 30 October in WH Smiths, supermarkets and independent newsagents.

Find out more at www.family-tree.co.uk

Issue 1

(With thanks to Karen Clare)

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

One hundred years on from the First World War's outbreak

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the day that Britain entered the First World War. There are of course many events across the country commemorating those who fought and died in the conflict, including here in Glasgow and further north in Inverness and Dundee - the BBC has the story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-28620000 including news of the Lights Out campaign asking everyone in the UK to switch off their household lights from 22.00-23.00.

Many soldiers, including my wife's great uncle Martin Colleton of the 2nd Battalion of the Connaught Rangers, and my great uncle, Robert Currie of the CEF, were caught up as casualties and victims in the calamity of the war, and will be rightly commemorated. What you may hear very little about, however, are the stories of the civilians caught up in the turmoil of the war. By way of an example, August 4th 1914 not only saw Britain enter the war, it also saw the world of my family, resident in Brussels at the time, turn upside down in an instant - instigating a tragic series of events that ultimately led to the death in April 1916 of my great grandfather, a Belgian based, but Scottish born, civilian shopkeeper called David Hepburn Paton. This is my tribute, the story of David Paton, simply caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time - http://walkingineternity.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/civilian-story-from-world-war-one.html.

The pictures below depict my great grandfather David Paton and my nan's brother, my great uncle, Corporal Robert Currie. May they, and Private Martin Colleton, rest in peace.

 

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

Strathclyde University's Bannockburn family history project - official launch

I've just returned from the new Battle of Bannockburn Centre in Bannockburn (http://battleofbannockburn.com), where I had the great pleasure to attend the formal launch of a new exhibition there which looks at the family histories of seventeen people who fought at the battle itself on June 24th 1314. The research has been carried out by students on the University of Strathclyde's Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies (www.strath.ac.uk/genealogy), led by Tahitia McCabe, with fellow tutors Graham Holton, Andy Douglas and Ali MacDonald helping to steer the whole effort over the last year. Tahitia, Graham and Ali described the remit and extent of the project, before we heard from Stewart Stevenson MSP, former minister with the Scottish Parliament and a keen (very keen!) genealogist himself. Sponsors of the project included DNA testing company Family Tree DNA, and genealogy firm MacDonald and Rees.

As part of the project the team was keen to integrate the latest science and developments in the field of genetic genealogy - in particular the growing area of deep ancestry and the use of SNP markers (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) as opposed to the more traditional Y-DNA techniques using STR markers (Short Tandem Repeats). In the past, testers (all male) have compared their STR results from their Y-chromosomes to see how closely related they may be to each other, but the use of SNP (pronounced 'snip') markers allows the whole of humanity to be codified into different family branches. As more markers are identified by the boffins in white coats, the more family branches can be established, so that those with a single surname, e.g. a clan surname, may in fact belong to one of many family branches - you may be a Stewart, for example but a certain SNP marker may reveal you to be related to the Stewarts of Appin, as opposed to the Stewarts of Balquhidder, or Bute, etc.

Two gentlemen were officially announced at the event as having proven connections to those who fought at Bannockburn, on the Scottish side (they did also try to find English equivalents!). Both descend from Walter Stewart (born 1296), 6th High Steward of Scotland, who fought with the Bruce, and whose son with the Bruces daughter Marjorie became King Robert II. These are Arthur Stuart, 8th Earl Castle Stewart, and Paul John Thompson, and although they were not able to attend, they did send specially pre-recorded messages discussing their delight at being involved. The paper trail led the university to Earl Castle Stewart, whom they asked to participate in a DNA test, whilst London stockbroker Paul John Thompson was somebody who had himself tested, and whose genetic signature was one uncovered from the DNA database as one of potential interest. Neither had any knowledge whatsoever of their connection to the battle beforehand - both have a common ancestral Stewart line until about 500 years ago, before their lines diverged.

As Ali's a good friend, I asked him to talk a bit about the project. He mentions how this growing area with the use of SNPs in fact ruled out one candidate as having been descended from someone at the battle - he had a SNP marker which  was found in a branch of the Stewart family that wasn't there, despite him being a promising candidate initially. It's all fascinating stuff, but here's the man himself...!



(Also accessible via https://soundcloud.com/chrismpaton/2014-06-21-ali-macdonald-on-the-univ-strathclydes-bannockburn-project - UPDATE: Ali's dropped me a note to correct a minor error - at 4.30 he says Clanranald was descended from John, Lord of the Isles and Margaret Stewart; that should actually be descent from John and his first wife Ami MacRuairi)

Pictured below are tutors Ali MacDonald, Graham Holton, Tahitia McCabe and Stewart Stevenson MSP, and some of the postgraduate diploma students who helped to steer the work.

Congratulations to all - the exhibition will run for six weeks, and Tahitia has informed me that there will be an online presentation of aspects of the research in due course, for those who may not be able to make it.

If you are interested in the postgraduate courses, check out the website for information on fees, enrolment deadlines, and curriculum.

(With thanks to the tutorial team, and especially to Ali for the short interview)

UPDATE: An article on the project appeared in The Times on Thursday June 19th, p.6, entitled DNA research project reveals the living descendants of Bannockburn's warriors. It's at http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/scotland/article4123642.ece, though bear in mind that The Times now operates behind a paywall.

UPDATE: Visit Scotland also now has a piece on the exhibition at http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre/dna_battle_lines_drawn.aspx

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 FindmyPast - please reinstate the original Scottish census citations on your new site.

The Sheffield Flood - 150th aniversary

March 2014 sees the 150th anniversary of the Sheffield Flood disaster, when the Dale Dyke Dam near Bradfield, Yorkshire, burst upon the reservoir being filled, flooding the Loxley Valley, and killing 238 people and some 700 animals. A summary of the event is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sheffield_Flood. Bradfield Parish Council has announced plans to commemorate the event locally in its newsletter, available at www.bradfield-yorks-pc.co.uk/_NEWS_ITEMS/Newsletter%20January%202014.pdf.

Yorkshire based genealogist Ian Marson has kindly flagged up an archive resource online from Sheffield Hallam University for those who made compensation claims following the disaster - it can be found at https://www2.shu.ac.uk/sfca/, and may be of interest to those whose ancestors were caught up.

The story of the Dale Dyke is one I know well, having previously produced and directed a BBC documentary in 2003 (Time Flyers: Villages of the Dammed) which included the story, and which was partly filmed at the location where the breach - the old breach spot is marked by CLOB stones (Centre Line Old Bank) to this day. Another great resource for those researching the flood disaster is Mick Armitage's amazing site at www.mick-armitage.staff.shef.ac.uk/sheffield/flood.html, which is about as definitive a resource detailing what happened as you will likely find.

(With thanks to Ian Marson via LinkedIn)

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/.

University of Strathclyde's Bannockburn project

From the University of Strathclyde's postgraduate programme in genealogical studies (www.strath.ac.uk/genealogy/)

The University of Strathclyde Postgraduate Programme in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies has officially announced that it is running a Bannockburn Project to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in 2014. This will throw light on the participants in the Battle from a genealogical point of view and will culminate in an exhibition featuring work by current Diploma level students, hosted by the National Trust for Scotland, in their new Bannockburn Visitor Centre, from Saturday 21 June to Saturday 2 August 2014. The Project also has an exciting genetic genealogy component.

For more details see the Project website at www.strath.ac.uk/genealogy/bannockburn/.

(With thanks to Tahitia McCabe)

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/. My next Pharos Scottish course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs, starts Nov 13th - see http://pharostutors.com.

Scottish Genealogy Society - 60th anniversary conference

I'll be participating at the Scottish Genealogy Society's anniversary conference next Saturday - the following is an outline of what to expect on the day, with details on how to book tickets.

Scottish Genealogy Society 60th Anniversary Conference
5 October 2013
“Scots on the Move”
Tracing records of our Scottish ancestors who emigrated

The Scottish Genealogy Society will be holding a special family history conference to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Society. The theme of the Conference will be “Scots on the move - tracing records of our Scottish ancestors who emigrated”.

The all-day Conference will be held at the Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh and will feature talks by Ken Nisbet on Australasia, Chris Paton on Ireland, Eric Graham on Crossing the Atlantic before steam and Naomi Tarrant on English records. Delegates will also have an opportunity to consult specialists on other aspects of family history - such as military and maritime records, OPRs, censuses, land records, European sources etc.

The cost of the Conference will be £15 per delegate. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Bookings forms available on our website: www.scotsgenealogy.com; by email to enquiries@scotsgenealogy.com, by telephone on 0131 220 3677, by post or in person at the Society’s Family History Centre at 15 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL

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/. My next Pharos Scottish course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs, starts Nov 13th - see http://pharostutors.com.

Happy birthday Belfast

Happy birthday to Belfast, which celebrated its 400th anniversary on Saturday, the original royal charter having been signed on 27 APR 1613. The BBC has another wonderful audio visual presentation at www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22292492 looking at its remarkable history (it mentions the Tall Ships race towards the end, which I worked at in the docks as a security guard many years ago!).

Belfast has had a hard time of it in the past, bedevilled by problems on many fronts. But Belfast also has many successes, and much to be proud of. I've lived in Scotland since 1997, but believe me when I say I will always consider Belfast MY capital city, in a way that Edinburgh will never be! :)

The Belfast Telegraph is giving away Belfast 400 posters this week - further details at www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/service/promotions-competitions/belfast-400-29206002.html

Happy birthday Belfast - and good luck and better prosperity for the next four hundred years!

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.

Geneabloggers celebrates 4 years

Congrats to Thomas MacEntee on today's fourth anniversary for the Geneabloggers blog, the blog that blogs about our blogs! A quick overview on how to use the site for your research, and how to get listed, is available at http://geneabloggers.com/geneabloggers-celebrates-years/.

(With thanks to Geneabloggers)

Chris

Pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, through Pen and Sword (30 April 2013), or purchase early at Who Do You Think You Are Live 2013 in London. 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.

WRVS archive catalogue and enquiry service launches

To celebrate its 75th Anniversary the Devizes based Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) archive has launched an online catalogue and a free remote enquiry service - the first time the service has offered such a service since 2008.

Matthew Murray, WRVS archivist states:

The catalogue contains entries for over four and a half thousand photographs and 263 posters (c.1,100 with preview images available) dating from 1938 to the present day. It also has entries for around 50,000 or our Narrative Reports from 1938-1945, which were given UNESCO UK Memory of the World Status in 2010.

The enquiry service, which has been closed since 2008 to enable the cataloguing work to be undertaken, will offer up to one hour of free work for enquirers and copies of material will be available upon request (charges apply). A paid for research service is also available for those who require larger amounts of research to be done on their behalf. The free enquiry service will be staffed by a dedicated team of volunteers supervised by the WRVS's archivist, the same team who in 2012 were awarded a highly commended status in the ARA Archive Volunteer Project of the Year, for their work in turning a pile of boxes in a warehouse into one of the most important archival collections in the country.

This is the first phase in the continuing development of WRVS's collection which hopes to see the opening of a new repository and free onsite access within 5 years.

The catalogue and enquiry service can be accessed by visiting www.wrvs.org.uk/our-history

(With thanks to Wendy Archer and Matthew Murray)

Chris

Pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, through Pen and Sword (30 April 2013), or purchase early at Who Do You Think You Are Live 2013 in London. 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.

The Ulster Covenant - and the Counter Covenant

The Belfast Telegraph has an interesting story about the Ulster Covenant, with Ivan Little taking a look for the signatures of his grandfathers in the document. The story is not so much about the politics of the event, but his genealogical experience, and includes an interview with genealogy good guy Stephen Scarth of PRONI, discussing how valuable a research resource the document is for family historians.

But the bit that really fascinated me was towards the end of the piece. One of my greatest frustrations when living in Northern Ireland was the seemingly never-ending sheep mentality of both communities, neither of which I ever could relate to, having spent my childhood in Scotland and England until the age of 8. One person in Ulster would shout "no!", to be followed by an echo. I'm actually married to an Irish Catholic from the Republic, and have two sons in Scotland, both being raised kicking with the wrong foot (!) even though I was raised a Presbyterian. In our house I shout out No Surrender and my wife then throws holy water on me to shut me up, as I run screaming into my study with second degree burns (scalds?!).

So I was astonished to read about another covenant signed on the same day as the Ulster Covenant in 1912 - the Counter Covenant. Apparently a Ballymoney based Protestant minister in my home county of Antrim led a movement against Sir Edward Carson's claims of Ulster unionism, and encouraged some 3,000 people to sign an alternative document which stated the following:

“We desire to live upon terms of friendship and equality with our Roman Catholic fellow countrymen and in the event of Home Rule becoming law we are prepared to take our turn with them in in working for the good of our common country.”

I was also wondering when the first instance of a Catholic signing the Covenant would pop up, and you'll find it here too. Fascinating stuff - the article is at www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/ulster-covenant-irsquod-never-known-my-grandfathers-yet-suddenly-i-was-looking-at-their-mark-on-history-16216826.html

For more on the Covenant see my post at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/was-ulster-covenant-signed-in-blood.html

UPDATE: The Irish Times has reprinted its editorial from September 28th 1912 at www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/0928/1224324531295.html#.UGVnsv3Efh0.twitter


Chris

Scottish Research Online - 5 weeks online Pharos course, £45.99, taught by Chris Paton from 26 SEP 2012 - see www.pharostutors.com
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)