Rally for Remain in Belfast

Apologies folks, I don't often delve into politics on this blog, but I have seriously had enough of Brexit.

As someone who originally comes from Northern Ireland, I do not want to see the country's progress sacrificed to make way for something it did not vote for, any more than I want to see Scotland fall for the exact same reason (with an even larger Remain vote). I equally do not want to see the future of the Republic of Ireland sacrificed for something it did not even have a vote in, and I am every bit as concerned about what Brexit will do to England and Wales.

Next Saturday there will be a Rally for Remain at Belfast City Hall at 3pm. I am intending to travel over (weather permitting) on the ferry from Cairnryan - most likely the 7.30am - to make a morning of it in Belfast, and to then attend the rally in the afternoon, before coming home on the evening boat. If anyone else from Scotland or England is thinking of travelling over, I'd be more than happy to hold an informal genealogy Q&A on board going over and/or coming back, to talk over Irish or Scottish research queries, or even Brexit related issues, such as how to apply for an Irish passport.

If you're interested, keep an eye out for me and don't be afraid to come over and have a chat!

For those who perhaps don't know about the dangers that Brexit poses to Ireland, north and south, can I refer you to the following episodes of 3 Blokes in a Pub on YouTube, where much of its impact is discussed:

Northern Ireland (https://youtu.be/71007zb2OnI)

Republic of Ireland (https://youtu.be/CKIsFmGH8v8)

If you don't agree, no problems, normal service on this blog will soon be resumed!

And if like me you are absolutely terrified about what the current Brexit shambles will do to our future prosperity, our peace process and much more, please do get the word out.

Hopefully see you there!

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.

Ancestry searches soar in aftermath of Brexit

Following the Brexit vote on June 23rd, in which the UK voted to withdraw from the European Union, Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has reported a surge in use on its website with regard to its Irish collections, seemingly with the intent of tracing Irish ancestry in order to apply for an Irish passport. The full story is available at http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/family-ancestry-searches-soar-after-brexit-11364071763956 and http://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/online-searches-for-irish-ancestry-up-by-onefifth-with-users-keen-to-learn-if-they-qualify-for-eu-passport-34857091.html.

Sue Moncur of Ancestry states that "Since the referendum we have seen the rate of new UK users signing up for free trials to investigate their family history go up by 40%. At the same time we have seen a strong rise in interest in our Irish record collections, with daily searches for Irish records up 20% since the referendum.

"The question of British identity has been brought into focus for many because of the referendum. The spike in interest in people investigating their family history is likely linked to that, alongside a more general curiosity about European or international identity. A lot of people have also been concerned about the impact that separation from the EU may have on freedom of movement between the UK and EU countries. It seems likely that the rise in searches of our extensive Irish records might be a direct result of people looking for a link to Ireland or an Irish ancestor.

"There are tens of millions of Irish records digitised on Ancestry and since the referendum we have seen a 20% rise in people searching those records. Millions of British people have Irish ancestry so the increase in search activity suggests a trend in people looking to confirm their links to Ireland, possibly with the longer term goal of applying for an Irish passport."

Over the last couple of weeks I have been blogging about my own efforts to secure Irish passports for myself and my two sons, a process I actually initiated before the Brexit vote - it's something I have long been contemplating, as much for reasons of identity as anything else. I have received a couple of complaints for doing so - specifically "What's it got to do with genealogy?" - but I make no apology for having done so. Indeed, many friends of mine, who work as genealogists, have been reporting an increase in requests to locate documentation for similar applications, not just for Ireland, but from other EU countries.

One of the benefits from genealogy is that it can act as a means to help secure and affirm a person's identity. Establishing a line of descent to other cultures in which you were not raised can bring benefits other than a family tree chart. You can share and affirm that identity by other means, including citizenship, and a passport is a reflection of that. The records that can be obtained for genealogical research, such as birth and marriage certificates, can be used in that process. In the post-Brexit vote, I consider posting about it to be a public service for those who do not wish to lose EU citizenship.

To read my efforts so far on the Irish front, visit the following blog posts:

Part One: http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/claiming-irish-passport-1.html

Part Two: http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/claiming-irish-passport-part-2.html

Part Three: https://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/claiming-irish-passport-part-3.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.

National Library of Scotland's independence referendum project

The National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk) is running a two year project to try to collect as much campaign materials and information as possible from last year's Scottish independence referendum. Its dedicated project page is at http://www.nls.uk/collections/topics/referendum.

Help us collect the referendum

Over the next few years we will be concentrating on collecting many different kinds of material from different sources. In essence we want to collect everything —

• From the largest dossier to the smallest stamp
• From official publications to jocular musings, both political and non-partisan.

We are looking for local items related to September's Scottish Independence Referendum, such as:

• Leaflets, posters, newsletters or flyers — and nothing is too small to be of interest
• Printed or digital material
• Information about local campaign groups — including blogs, websites, or Facebook pages — will be especially useful.

We can only collect what we can find out about so your information now could make a real difference to our collections. After the independence referendum much of this material could be thrown out or deleted, making it too late to save.

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

Download our appeal flyer PDF at http://www.nls.uk/media/1128810/2014-07-referendum-collecting-appeal.pdf — and feel free to send it to your Scottish contacts so that they can contribute too. We want the collection to represent the widest geographical spread of Scotland that we can.

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.

Historic week in Scotland, and absence without leave

Apologies for the lack of posting over the last few days, but for this was for various reasons in what has been an unbelievable fortnight. To start with, I had a series of operations on my arms and shoulder to remove a few small growths, with the added complication that one of the wounds reopened after the stitches were removed a week later, so typing was something of an issue!

At the same time as this was all happening, however, there was also a general election in the United Kingdom last week, and I was also working hard to help get my local SNP candidate Patricia Gibson elected. That in itself was an extraordinary process - our First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured right with my son Jamie) made a visit to our town here in Largs last week, a visit reported across the UK wide media, whilst my wife attended a business breakfast in Glasgow at which she spoke just a couple of days before. I then had all the usual campaigning chores to pursue, including leafleting, street work, doorstep canvassing and social media campaigning, followed on Thursday, the day of the election itself, with door knocking to help gather the vote, work as a polling agent and then the final stage, to attend the count itself in Ardrossan. The election turned out to be perhaps the most extraordinary period in Scottish history for decades, when the SNP succeeded in gaining 56 of the 59 seats on offer, including one for our Patricia.

To add to the drama, south of the border there was an equally remarkable and historic result (and for the pollsters, completely unforeseen!) in favour of the Conservative Party. The politics of what this all represents for the foreseeable future is for discussion elsewhere on other media (honestly, no comments please, I'm all politicked out!!!) - but hopefully it does explain my absence! After being in a state of denial for the last couple of days of the momentous events of the last week, we finally unwound from the whole thing by attending my sons' Boys Brigade display on Friday evening, and then yesterday watching some great performances at the Rugby 7s in Scotstoun, with some great performances from Scotland, England, South Africa, Fiji and other teams in what was an equally amazing sporting event.

Right now, I am getting well and truly stuck back into my genealogy pursuits, one of the most immediate concerns of which is to get the latest podcast online. Again, I had problems here in that I was hoping to do that at the end of April, but I unexpectedly had to put my PC in for service over the Bank Holiday weekend, but I hope to do so shortly. I also have several news stories to post on developments across Britain and Ireland, and then a new Pharos course to start this week (see http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/scotland-1750-1850-beyond-old-parish.html) - there are still spaces should you wish to sign up!

Just to end though, a few pictures from the campaign!

A few obligatory pics of my, wife, son Jamie and myself with our FM!

Our new MP Patricia Gibson, and her husband Kenny Gibson MSP; plus obligatory selfie!

Braving hypothermia to watch Scotland at the Rugby 7s

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.

The Poor Had No Lawyers - Who Owns Scotland (And How They Got It)

Scottish land records are documents that I use regularly for genealogical purposes, but in Scotland just now, the system of land reform that currently sees some 432 folk owning half of the country's private land is something that is about to undergo some further and fairly major radical reform.

I am currently reading a book by Andy Wightman entitled The Poor Had No Lawyers - Who Owns Scotland (And How They Got It), which may be of interest to those of you not only fascinated with Scotland's land records, but with the systems that were created that generated them in the first place (for example, why the Registration and Proscriptions Acts were set up in 1617 which led to the creation of Registers of Sasines).

My review of the book is available on my other blog (entitled, err, Chris Paton's Blog!), at http://chrispatonsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-poor-had-no-lawyers-who-owns.html.

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.

TNA podcast - Paddy Ashdown: The Cruel Victory

The latest podcast from the National Archives in England is entitled Paddy Ashdown: The Cruel Victory, a 47 minute talk by the politician on his book looking at "the long-neglected D-Day story of the Resistance uprising and subsequent massacre on the Vercors massif – the largest action by the French Resistance during the Second World War."

The recording is available at http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/paddy-ashdown-cruel-victory/ or for free via iTunes.

Chris

Stuck for a Christmas gift?! I have a series of genealogy books available in the UK, Australia and Canada, on Scottish, Irish and British based subject areas. Further details at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. Santa approves!

Labour MSP finds family treasures whilst canvassing on Scottish referendum trail

There has been a Scottish independence referendum campaign running for the last two years, with the culmination taking place next week, on Thursday September 18th, when here in Scotland we will decide whether to leave the United Kingdom after 300 years, and to reconvene as an independent nation. The latest polls over the weekend show that the Yes campaign (for independence) has just taken the lead for the first time, though there is no complacency on either side about the result - it's a very closely fought contest, and something I have been actively involved in myself on the Yes side for a few months now. I have kept the referendum and its politics out of this blog for the most part, but there was one story that did grab my eye this morning - and it actually involves a remarkable genealogy tale concerning an MSP out canvassing for the No side!

Labour's Neil ­Findlay MSP was out canvassing in Pumpherston, West Lothian, when he decided to knock on the door of his grandmother's old house to solicit support for his side in the campaign. What he discovered is probably something all of us would give our eye teeth for! The full story is at http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/independence-referendum/family-treasure-find-for-canvassing-msp-1.562465

I should add that this is all the publicity that I am giving to the No campaign! lol :) But a great tale, that shows you just never know where those family history resources may lie, and why tracking down where your family once lived may be more fruitful than you think!

(With thanks to Stewart Stevenson MSP via @zsstevens on Twitter)

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

Glasgow Women's Heritage Cycle Trail

Glasgow Women's Library (http://womenslibrary.org.uk) held a heritage cycle trail event in the city on Saturday 28th June to highlight women's cycling history. From its site:

The bicycle has been an important fixture in women’s history. The ride will stop off at Nelson’s Column which was a meeting point for suffragette rallies. The bicycle enabled suffragettes to distribute leaflets and promote events, thus playing an important role in the women’s suffrage movement. The route will also take cyclists to Anderston, where industries such as shipbuilding and engineering thrived. Many women were employed in these industries and cycling gave them a greater freedom and independence. It changed the way they dressed as the restrictive styles of the 19th Century weren’t conducive to riding a bike.

The full story is at http://womenslibrary.org.uk/2014/06/19/womens-heritage-bike-ride/

Although the trail has already happened, you can pick up a copy of the Women’s Heritage Bike Ride map from the Library, which is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm and 7pm on a Thursday. (It's based in the same building complex as the Mitchell Library)

(With thanks to Sue Johns and Gabrielle Macbeth)

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.

Letters of 1916 project

I've just come across an interesting Irish crowd sourcing humanities project entitled Letters of 1916 at http://dh.tcd.ie/letters1916/. From the site:

The Letters of 1916 project is the first public humanities project in Ireland. Its goal is to create a crowd-sourced digital collection of letters written around the time of the Easter Rising (1 November 1915 – 31 October 1916).

The first two months of the project were very successful! Over 500 letters has been uploaded from both, national Institutions and private collections. The Letters 1916 team is identifying, photographing and preparing hundreds more for upload.

The letters themselves, of which there are hundreds awaiting transcription on the site, are not necessarily about the Rising, but about all aspects of society in Ireland in this period - a genuine 'slice of life' from the country at that period. Some concern the First World War, others are love letters, many concern last letters before death, and so on. A fascinating resource from Trinity College Dublin, with support from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the European Commission and many others.

From a press release issued at the end of September:

Ireland’s first crowd-sourced humanities project, The Letters of 1916: Creating History, aims to create a large scale digital collection of letters written for the six months before and after the Easter Rising. The project will lead to the creation of an online archive of letters created by the public for the public, which will be launched in 2016. 

Members of the public are being invited to include their family history in this important archive by uploading pictures of letters and related photographs hidden away in boxes, cupboards and attics to the database on the website . All letters written between 1 November 1915 and 31 October 1916 no matter what the theme romance, local politics, literature, gossip, the Rising and the Great War – can be contributed to this digital collection. 

People can also get involved in uncovering hidden stories by transcribing some of the 400 letters already contributed to the archive by public institutions, including, the National Library of Ireland, the National Archives of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin as well as the Medical Missionaries of Mary.

(The full release is at http://dh.tcd.ie/letters1916/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1916-Letters-Press-Release-27-September-20131.pdf)

The project also has a Twitter account at @Letters1916.

(With thanks to @Letters1916 and @learnaboutarchives)

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/.

Fianna Fail founder's papers donated to Newry and Mourne Museum

An archive of personal papers belong to Irish nationalist politician Eamonn Donnelly, one of the founders of political party Fianna Fáil in the Republic of Ireland in 1926, has been donated to Newry and Mourne Museum. Donnelly was born in County Armagh in 1877 and secured electoral victories on both sides of the Irish border.

The BBC has the full story at www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24912163.

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.

Records from 1982 added to CAIN site

The Northern Irish based Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) project has now added files from 1982 - "there are 61 in total from the 1982 releases, primarily relating to political developments, the establishment of the NI Assembly, De Lorean and Harland & Wolff".

CAIN is a joint venture between the University of Ulster and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. The full story is at www.proni.gov.uk/news_details.htm?newsRef=2619 - the project itself is accessible at http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/proni/

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. My next Pharos Scottish course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Registers, starts May 15th - see http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/scotland-1750-1850-beyond-oprs-starts.html. Time to smash a few brick walls...!

Potential doom and gloom over America's SSDI

At the start of the week I wrote an article for next month's UK based Family Tree magazine (http://family-tree.co.uk) about privacy, and cited various examples of some bad news coming the way of the genealogical community on that front. One of the examples I quoted was the recent shenanigans last year in the United States concerning an important records collection called the Social Security Death Index, or SSDI for short, which many in the US use for genealogical purposes. It's kind of like our national insurance number, but there's an accessible database in the States that when consulted allows you to work out when a person was born and where registered for a social security number (and much more besides - see my article next month!). Ancestry has it online, FamilySearch has it online - and several US politicians are gunning for it big time.

Judy G. Russell has just posted an update on her The Legal Genealogist blog on what is happening on the SSDI front, and it's all looking increasingly gloomy. You can read Judy's post at www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2013/01/30/news-from-the-ssdi-front/.

(With thanks to Judy)

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.

TNA podcast - John Vassall spy case

The latest podcast from the Kew based National Archives is about a fifty year old spy story from the Macmillan government era. Entitled The scandalous case of John Vassall: sexuality, spying and the Civil Service, you will find it at http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/the-scandalous-case-of-john-vassall-sexuality-spying-and-the-civil-service/ or from iTunes. The talk was given by Mark Dunton and is just over an hour in length.

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...! Also now out - new Kindle edition of Tracing Your Family History on the Internet, from http://tinyurl.com/d3vqtz5

Churchill Archive Online goes live

A new archive has gone live online concerning former Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Here's the blurb:

Sir Winston Churchill Digital Archives Go Live

Bloomsbury Publishing (“Bloomsbury”) today announced the delivery of the Churchill Archive website on the opening day of the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Bloomsbury has published the entire archive, almost one million documents, in digital format for university libraries, public libraries and schools to access on demand. The content of the archive has been made available to a global audience who will be able to study one of the largest and most important collections of primary source material of any individual leader in history.

This follows the completion of a two year digitisation process in agreement with the Sir Winston Churchill Archive Trust and Churchill Heritage (on behalf of the Churchill family), represented by Curtis Brown, London.

The new digital edition of the Churchill Archive Online transports the reader back in time and enables one to see the mass of drafts, letters, memoranda and papers passing across the desk of Winston Churchill at different phases in his long and distinguished public life. This comprehensive raft of documents, illuminating the life of Winston Churchill and the characters and events surrounding him, is accessible and searchable as never before.

It is expected that these writings will be an essential resource not just for teachers, undergraduates, historians and researchers but also those in the field of politics, business studies, linguistics and leadership as well as any member of the general public with an interest in 20th century history.

The full news release is at www.churchillarchive.com/index/about/news/Sir-Winston-Churchill-Digital-Archives-Go-Live.html, with the site itself at www.churchillarchive.com/index

(With thanks to @churchillonline)

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)

RIC fallen to be commemorated in Dublin

Plans for an unofficial service to commemorate the lives of the 493 members of the Royal Irish Constabulary that were lost in service look set to go ahead next week at Glasnevin Cemetery in time for the 90th anniversary of the disbandment of the force. The service has the support of the Garda Siochana Retired Members Association and the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Foundation, though it seems has no state backing. The full story is at www.independent.ie/national-news/unofficial-ceremony-for-ric-dead-at-glasnevin-cemetery-3203554.html

(With thanks to @CemeteryMan1 on Twitter)

UPDATE: Just to contrast, it looks like Enda Kenny will be the first serving Taoiseach to address an annual service in memory of Michael Collins, general of the Republic's first army, who negotiated the original treaty towards independence from the United Kingdom, and who lost his life as a consequence. The story is at www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19310981

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)

19th century Irish prisoners photographs

Two photograph albums containing just over 150 images of prisoners imprisoned within Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, in both 1857 and 1866, have been digitised and placed online by New York Public Library. The collection is sourced from two albums once owned by Sir Thomas Aiskew Larcom (1801-1879), the UK's permanent Under Secretary for Ireland from 1853-1869. The images are identified mainly as felons and Fenian political prisoners, and include some of the leaders of the Fenian Brotherhood the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

For more information on the background to the collection visit http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/dgexplore.cfm?col_id=180, whilst direct access to the images can be gained via the following link - http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?word=title_id_list:353773&slabel=Thomas%2520A%252E%2520Larcom%2520photographs%2520collection%252C%25201857%252D1866%2520%255BMountjoy%2520Prison%255D%252E&sScope=images&sLevel=1

(With thanks to @findmypastie and @gensocireland)

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)

Prime Minister Perceval assassination papers

The National Archives (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) has published papers relating to the assassination of British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval in May 1812. For more on the story visit http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/710.htm

Chris

British GENES on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES and Twitter @chrismpaton

Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk and www.facebook.com/ScottishGenealogyResearch