National Records of Scotland head interviewed in Broadsheet

The latest issue of Broadsheet (49) carries an interview with the new Chief Executive of the National Records of Scotland, Paul Lowe, and Laura Mitchell, Deputy Keeper of the Records of Scotland.

Amongst othjer articles there is also an indepth piece reflecting on the commemorations of the Iolaire disaster of 1919 by Seonaid McDonald, archivist at Tasglann nan Eilean, and a focus on thirty years of work by the Ballast Trust in preserving business and technical records.

Broadsheet is freely accessible at https://www.scottisharchives.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Broadsheet-49.pdf

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

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/.

Tay Bridge Disaster memorials to be unveiled

Two memorials are to be unveiled on either side of the River Tay to commemorate those whose lives were lost in the Tay Bridge Disaster of December 28th 1879, when a railway bridge gave way over the river, killing some 59 people.

The BBC has the story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-25527719.

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/.