Next Scottish Research Online course starts September 2nd

Just a few weeks to go before the start of my next Scottish Research Online course, which commences on September 2nd 2019, and which runs for 5 weeks - here's the description!

Scottish Research Online (102)
Tutor: Chris Paton

Scotland was first to have major records digitized and offer indexes and images online. It has also been a leader in placing resource information on the World Wide Web. This course describes the major sites, the types of information and data that they offer, the forms in which databases are presented and how to analyze results. You will learn to lay the foundations for searching a family, how to select best resources and what to do next either online or in libraries and archives.
Lesson Headings:

• Scotlands People, Family Search, Ancestry, FreeCen: content, comparison, assessment
• Essential Maps and Gazetteers
• Civil Registration and Census Research Online
• Searching in Church of Scotland Registers Online
• Scottish Wills and Inventories Online
• Take It From Here

Note: it is recommended but not required that students in this course sign up for the basic search option, 30 units/seven days, at ScotlandsPeople (cost is seven pounds).

Each lesson includes exercises and activities; a minimum of 1 one-hour chat s See How the Courses Work.

STUDENTS SAID: "I particularly liked the fact that the course didn't just focus on the well-known BMD resources available, but on a much wider range of websites, including many which give extremely useful background information on the geography and history of the localities where our ancestors lived."

"a very knowledgeable Instructor"

Relevant Countries: Scotland

This course is offered twice annually.

Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 2 September 2019
Cost: £49.99

And for a wee video introduction, visit https://youtu.be/ssdYLlGtoHw or watch below!

To sign up to the course, please visit https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102

Note that the follow up course to this, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs starts on November 4th - for further details on this, please visit https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302

Hopefully see you there!

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.

Statistical Accounts of Scotland site now completely free

Update from the Statistical Accounts of Scotland (https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/home):

From 1 August 2019, the Statistical Accounts of Scotland Online website will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh Library for a period of two years. Scans, transcripts, map-based searching and our Related Resources will be available free of charge to all users.

As a result of these changes, you no longer need a subscription or a user account to use the website.

Over the next year, our Board will be working with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Library of Scotland on their plans to integrate the Statistical Accounts of Scotland into their national collections. We look forward to updating you in the coming months as these plans take shape.

COMMENT: The accounts were previously available to read for free, but certain additional functionality required a subscription. This is what is being made free now.

(With thanks to Ali Murray via Facebook)

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.

More Wexford records added to RootsIreland

From RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie):

We are delighted to announce the addition of around 30,000 records for New Ross Roman Catholic parish, County Wexford, including almost 25,000 baptisms and almost 5,000 marriages.

Baptisms 1790 – 1902
Marriages 1765 – 1906

For a full list of sources for Wexford and to search these records, go to www.wexford.rootsireland.ie.

(Source: http://www.rootsireland.ie/2019/08/new-wexford-records-added-3/)

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.

Further delay to World Archives Project return

From Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

We have been working to update all parts of the World Archives Project and the time came yesterday for a blog facelift. Coming up next is the online dashboard – because it is more involved we are still anticipating it will be a few more months until we are back online.

Alongside these changes we continue to work on improving the keying tool and backend support. We appreciate your support and patience as we continue to make changes and improve your indexing experience.

(Source: https://blogs.ancestry.com/worldarchivesproject/?p=2987)

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.

FindmyPast adds Cincinnati Roman Catholic records

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Records
Over 644,000 new Cincinnati records have been added to the Catholic Heritage Archive. As well as adding new transcripts, images of original documents have been digitized are now available to view on Findmypast. The collection, released in partnership with the Dioceses of Cincinnati, covers 103 parishes and consists of indexes of baptisms, marriages, burials and congregational records spanning the years 1800 to 1979.

This week's update includes:

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Over 297,000 additional records that will reveal your ancestor's baptism date, baptism place and parent's names.

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Explore over 182,000 new additions that are perfect for uncovering previous generations and adding new branches to you growing family tree. The transcripts and images collection contain information on for both the bride and groom including marriage date, location and parents' names.

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Burials
Over 183,000 new records that will reveal your ancestors birth year, death date, age at death and place of burial. Some records may also reveal the names of your ancestor's next of kin and the nature of their relationship.

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Congregational Records
Did your ancestor receive their confirmation? Were they a benefactor of a parish? Search over 1,200 new Cincinnati Roman Catholic Congregational Records to find out.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we are delighted to have passed the fantastic milestone of 33 million British & Irish pages on Findmypast, with 90,812 new pages added over the last seven days. We have updated six of our existing titles this week. There are extensive twentieth century additions to both the Aberdeen Press & Journal and the Aberdeen Evening Express. We also continue to augment our wonderful collection of specialist titles. We have added over 30,000 new pages to The Queen, a society magazine which covers the goings-on of high society, but also is a unique record of femininity in the Victorian era. We have also updated three of our early Labour titles – Clarion, Labour Leader and Forward (Glasgow).

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2639611246.html

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.

TheGenealogist updates Headstones collection

From TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):

New Searchable Headstones
TheGenealogist has just released nearly 60,000 new individuals on Headstones from another 61 churchyards and cemeteries. This means that there are now a total of over 174,500 individuals that are fully searchable in TheGenealogist’s Headstone collection which has examples from across England, Scotland and Wales as well as Jersey in the Channel Islands, Cyprus and India.

The new data will allow the family history researcher to discover:

• 60,000 individuals recorded on Headstones
• churchyards and cemeteries from various parts of England and Wales
• use the Map Explorer to see the location of cemeteries in and around an ancestor’s town

This release covers the burial grounds at the following:

Anglesey, St Tysilio; Atcham, St Eata; Badger, St Giles; Belbroughton, Holy Trinity; Betws-y-Coed; Bishops Wood, St John; Blymhill, St Mary; Boningale, St Chad; Bristol, St Paul; Buckhorn Weston, St John; Bylchau, St Thomas; Capel Garmon; Cofton Hackett, St Michael & All Angels; Dolwyddelan, St Gwyddelan; East Orchard, St Thomas; East Stour, Christ Church; Edgerton Cemetery; Frankley, St Leonard; Gwytherin, St Winefride; Harlow, St Mary Little Parndon; Harlow, St Mary Magdalene; Heanton Punchardon, St Augs; Henllan, St Sadwrn; Ince, St James; Iwerne Courtney; Lickey Parish Church; Lickey Rose Hill; Llanedwen; Llanfair Talhaiarn; LLangernyw Capel Garnedd; Llangernyw, St Digain; Llanrwst Seion Methodist Chapel; Llanrwst, St Mary; Llansannan Capel Coffa; Llansannan, St Sannan; Llanwrst, St Grwst; Long Crichel, St Mary; Marnhull Cemetery; Marnhull, Our Lady; Meltham, St James; Newborough, St Peter; Penistone, St John; Penmachno Capel; Penmachno, St Tudclud; Pensford, St Thomas a Becket; Pentrefoelas Church; Publow All Saints; Purse Caundle, St Peter; Rhydymwyn, St John; Santon Downham, St Mary; Shillingstone, Holy Rood; Tal-y-Bont Capel; Tisbury Cemetery; Todber, St Andrew; Trefnant Holy Trinity; Trefriw, St Mary; Tyn-y-Groes; West Orchard, St Luke; Wilton, St Mary & St Nicholas; Wroxeter, St Andrew; Ysbyty Ifan, St John

These fully searchable records are transcribed from images of the headstone memorials. This latest release from TheGenealogist covers many parts of the UK, the images and the transcriptions being provided by volunteers working for the UKIndexer projects which rewards those who wish to photograph, transcribe or do both with credits to pay for genealogy books, software, online subscriptions and more.

Read our article on the UKIndexer Volunteers find Family History:
https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2019/volunteers-find-family-history-rewarding-1146/

These records released today are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist as part of the Deaths and Burials Records collection.

(With thanks to Nick Thorne)

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.

Northern Ireland's national archive PRONI - in glorious 3D!

This is a bit of fun - a 360 degree tour of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) produced by young filmmakers during the Summer VR Filmmaking Programme in 2019.

Click and drag on the image with your mouse as it is playing and you should be able to move around the environment as it plays. The video is embedded here and can also be found at https://youtu.be/xNIofUEegTk.

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.

Tracing your Irish Ancestors conference in June 2020

From the Ulster Historical Foundation (www.ancestryireland.com):

Book today for one of our conferences and take advantage of the current exchange rate

Are you already thinking of what to do or where to go for your 2020 research trip? Or are you thinking there may still be time to travel in 2019? Sign up to one of the Foundation's family history research programmes today and save up to $160 on your booking.

Given the current low value of sterling (GBP) against other currencies now is a particularly good time for overseas visitors to book their 2020 getaway. The current exchange rate values will ensure overseas delegates can make a very tidy saving on the cost.

Tracing your Irish Ancestors: Family History Conference
10 - 17 June 2020

Our classic 8-day conference programme returns in June 2020!

This programme will include brand new tours to famous historic sites across the island of Ireland and crucially, for the research enthusiast, all your time can be spent researching in the archives of Belfast and Dublin with the Foundation's team of researchers (or a mix of the two).

Assisted personal research, talks, tours and sightseeing are all part of the eclectic, friendly and fun mix of Tracing Your Irish Ancestors. Join us for the journey. We will be delighted to see you.

Click here to find out more about our June 2020 family history conference.


June 2020 Highlights

To uncover the history of this place, our extensive programme of tours throughout the week will take you through rolling countryside to sites of international renown from the Giant’s Causeway on County Antrim’s wild Atlantic coast to the famous and historic Walls of Derry and Hillsborough Castle, the official Northern Ireland palace of the Royal Family!

Our 2020 June programme will see delegates:

• Journey into the heart of County Down, enjoying visits to Hillsborough Castle, Killyleagh Castle, Inch Abbey and the St Patrick's Centre.
• Take a trip through Belfast and south County Antrim, enjoying visits to one of Belfast's most interesting visitor attractions at Crumlin Road Gaol and Ireland's oldest and best preserved Norman citadel at Carrickfergus.
• Experience brand new tours to some of Dublins most popular visitor attractions - locations to be announced soon.
• And along with visits to Hillsborough Castle, Carrickfergus Castle and Inch Abbey, our June 2020 programme will see delegates tour the churches, castles and causeways of Ireland.

Further details at https://www.ancestryireland.com/family-history-conference/summer/2020-highlights - book now with just a £350 deposit

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.

Latest FamilySearch additions

The following collections on FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org) have all been updated - the number of new records follows the collection title

Belgium, Namur, Civil Registration, 1800-1912 60
Nova Scotia Marriages, 1864-1918 72,142
Nova Scotia Births, 1864-1877 70
Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1576-2018 147,944
Denmark, Copenhagen City, Burial Registers, 1805-1968 244,394
England, Herefordshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1583-1898 188,093
Peru, Catholic Church Records, 1603-1992 38,736
Peru, Cemetery Records, 1912-2013 11,708
Spain, Diocese of Cartagena, Catholic Church Records, 1503-1969 65,000
Alaska, State Archives (Juneau), Military Service Discharge Records, 1898-1934 2,176
Arizona, Gila County, Cemetery Records, 1927-1994 1,013
California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index, 1852-1989 810,279
California, Oakland, Mountain View Cemetery Records, 1857-1973 3,533
California, Santa Clara County, San Jose, Oak Hill Cemetery Headstone Inscriptions, 1838-1985 6
Colorado Naturalization Records, 1876-1990 158,496
Georgia, Church Vital Records, 1828-1991 8,086
Hawaii, Passport Records, 1874-1898 6,575
Idaho, Bonneville County, Idaho Falls, Rose Hill Cemetery Records, 1800-2007 281
Illinois, Northern District Petitions for Naturalization, 1906-1994 95,590
Illinois, Stephenson County, Cedarville Cemetery Record, 1850-2007 83
Illinois, Stephenson County, Lena Park Cemetery Transcriptions, 1854-1983 473
Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942 13
Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records 17
Minnesota Naturalization Records and Indexes, 1872-1962 88,691
Missouri Deaths 1835-1976 39
Montana Naturalization Records, 1868-1999 73,829
New Jersey, Death Index, 1901-1903 2,349
New Mexico Naturalization Records, 1882-1983 27,104
North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000 97
Ohio, Summit County, Coroner Inquests, Hospital and Cemetery Records, 1882-1949 5
Pennsylvania, Huntingdon County, Delayed Birth Records, 1800-1935 21
Texas, Bexar County, San Antonio Cemetery Records, 1893-2007 179
Texas, Bexar County, San Antonio Cemetery Records, 1893-2007 156
United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968 50,200
Utah Naturalization Records, 1906-1930 2,961
Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929 22,911
Wisconsin Index to Naturalization Petitions, 1848-1990 4,866
Wisconsin, Milwaukee Petitions for Naturalization, 1848-1991 249,039

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.

Shock as National Records of Scotland BMD registers damaged by flooding

This is the tragedy that should not have happened. Birth, marriage and death records at the National Records of Scotland have been damaged by flooding last week, as heavy rain leaked through the New Register House dome. You can read the shocking story at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-49164095 and at https://www.scotsman.com/news/leaking-dome-at-national-records-of-scotland-causes-massive-damage-to-precious-historical-documents-1-4973084.

I have long argued that the NRS building in Edinburgh is not fit for purpose. It might look pretty, but I'm not looking for pretty, I'm looking for functional, and many records are not held on-site. A 19th century building has many shortcomings in the 21st century. You can read my take on this at http://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2014/11/more-on-national-records-of-scotland.html, from a blog post in 2014, when the NRS announced its Estates Review.

The subsequent findings of that review were announced in 2015, which I again blogged about at http://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2015/01/national-records-of-scotland-estates.html. At this point, I was advised of the following:

"Our long-term aspiration is to co-locate the majority of our staff in a fit-for-purpose facility in Edinburgh, and to expand and improve our archive and public facilities at Thomas Thomson House in the west of the city. Although there are no immediate plans for NRS to move out of General Register House or New Register House, these buildings do not feature in our core estate over the long-term. This intention remains subject to a number of challenges and constraints, not least funding, and at this stage this is our preferred direction of travel over the long-term, not a hard and fast commitment."

It is now imperative that this programme is accelerated.

One final point - the BBC story states the following:

"They (the NRS) said there was no loss of information as all records were digitised.

"The records office said a team of volunteers was on standby in case flooding occurred in future."

First, the records are all digitised - but it is also the case that records which have been poorly digitised can be rephotographed from the original registers. In other words, whilst they have all been previously digitised, some of that work was not up to par, and I have personally asked on trips to ScotlandsPeople centres to have records rescanned for consideration later in the day. I have absolutely no idea whether this service now remains an option, or how extensive the damage was.

As for the second point - I would sincerely hope that records are now not in a place where they might be potentially damaged again.

I look forward to the day when Scotland has a modern purpose built national archive repository on a par with Northern Ireland's PRONI and England's National Archives.

(Image courtesy of Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Matheson_(architect)) 

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.