ScotGen

Go To RootsTech From Home

2012-01-27T15:36:00.001Z

Hello All:

2nd-4th February in Salt Lake City it will be the 2nd conference of RootsTech. I haven't been myself, but I have heard really good things about it from some of the particpants while I was at WDYTYA in London last year. This year it is said to be better than previous. Which is normally what happens as the conference organizers learn from what worked and what didn't, and what sort of new ideas to implement.

Well, like most of you (especially here in the UK and other countries outside of the USA), I will not be able to go. But, there is good news. RootsTech will be live streaming some of their classes & keynote addresses online. These classes from what I have read in other online sites regarding the conference are those that are in Room 151. You will need to look at the RootsTech website for the schedule to find which classes are involved to be shown as a live stream. What is important to remember is that the times are US Mountain Time (in the UK that would be 7 hours behind - example, session is at 2 pm in Utah it will be 9 pm here in UK). And another important fact is that it is all FREE (and you can watch in your pjs & slippers).

Here is a link to a copy of the schedule found on the RootTech website:
http://rootstech.org/schedule

The RootsTech website doesn't have on their website yet on how to access online live streaming, but just keep an eye on their website for information on how to do it (rootstech.org).

Until Next Time . . .

We Now Have a Facebook Page

2012-01-12T20:31:00.000Z

Hello All -

I know that I am always a bit slow with these type of "techie" things, but I have set up a Facebook page for McNicholl Genealogical Services. You can click on the Facebook button on the left hand side of the blog(under the Geneabloggers link) to go to our FB page. Please take time to "like" our page. I update the page from time to time, so please watch this space as new things get posted on the FB page (as well as this blog).
I thank everyone in advance for taking the time to see the page.

Until Next Time . . .

Reminder of Our Special Discount

2012-01-12T20:17:00.000Z

Hello All -

Just thought that I would give a reminder of our 15% special discount offer on research until the end of 31st January 2012. If you haven't taken advantage of this savings please don't hesitate to do so - there is still time left to enquire.

Until Next Time . . .

Family History New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-10T12:05:00.002Z

Hello All -

A new year and now a new post for the blog. Hope everyone had a good Christmas and is recovering from all the festivities. Now that it is the start of a new year, it is also the start of the traditional thoughts of resolutions. I am sure that many of you have thought about what sort of resolution(s) you may do for this new year. Resolutions involve all sorts of personal issues, and this also includes our family history/genealogy.

In the February issue of YFT they have an interesting pie graph of those who responded to their forum question regarding what people's new year's family history resolutions would be. Here is the breakdown of the numbers according to their survey:

30% - Be more organized
22% - Other (breaking down brick walls was a popular answer)
16% - Spend more time on your tree
8% - Publish your research
8% - Get round to backing up your research
8% - Visit an ancestor's grave
8% - Visit more archives

These numbers are very interesting. I am a bit surprised regarding the single digit number on "visit more archives." I thought that one would be a bit higher, but if you don't have the time to do such things then it makes things a bit harder to be a high priority. I think that the low number of back up one's research is also a bit disappointing. To me this is a very important thing to do. I have had it happen to me before of not backing things up from the computer and then suddenly everything is gone. All it takes is one virus, etc. to ruin hours and years of hard work.

If you are not working on your family history at present, please make sure that you save/copy your work onto a disk or other safe method. That way things will not get lost, and if something does happen, at least you can put it back onto your computer easily with your backup disk or other format used. While you are working on your research, try to make it a habit to save your work at the end of each day if possible. I know it can be a bit of a pain to do it and you can forget to save things, as I find myself thinking that way too. However, the possibility of a loss of data can be a big motivator.

It is good that some people are having resolutions regarding their genealogy/family history, and thinking about their research work. All the replies shown on the survey mentioned above are important and will help to make a better genealogist. Which is what all of us strive to do in some way or another.

Until Next Time . . .

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Wishes

2011-12-16T14:49:00.001Z

Hello All -

I wanted to wish all our blog readers a very Happy Christmas and a very wonderful New Year in 2012. This blog will probably be a bit quiet until after the new year, but will be ready to go again after a good rest this holiday season.

Until Next Time . . . .

Heir Hunters Series This Evening BBC2

2011-11-23T10:55:00.002Z

Hello All -

The series of Heir Hunters comes on our tv screens tonight at 7:00 pm on BBC2. This is the first time that the show has been on prime time. In the past it has been shown at 9:00 am on the weekday mornings. This change from morning to evening can potentially expose the show to more folks. Unfortunately, it looks like the episode is a repeat, but I am sure that there are those out there that haven't seen it.

If you haven't ever seen this series it is really fascinating. It normally follows the stories of 2 or 3 cases of people who have died without leaving a will or no known kin, and then potentially finding the deceased man or woman's heirs after their research work. The most famous of the companies in the programme is Fraser and Fraser. It makes one stressful watching them trying to beat the competition to the found heirs. You end up rooting for them to find them first after watching them going through all that hard work. Of course, the other companies are working just as hard, but not seen on the tv.

It is an enjoyable series to watch. It shows genealogy done from a different angle and using different techniques. It also really makes one think about the importance of getting their "business" in order before passing on. There are so many people that do not leave a will or some sort of information about their family. Some probably think that they don't have anything to leave, but that really doesn't matter in the end. It is about a person's loved ones and the memories of one's life that are more important than things.

Until Next Time . . .

Find My Past Episode 6 This Thursday

2011-11-22T18:12:00.000Z

Hello All -

This Thurday at 9:00 pm on Yesterday Channel will be the latest episode of the family history series Find My Past. This is the episode that really looks the most interesting in my opinion, which is the Jack the Ripper episode. To view the preview of this episode just click on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXmH9cdyvF8

What makes this episode intriguing to me is that when you watch the documentaries, etc. about the famous serial murderer Jack the Ripper you don't think about the victims families. You don't really think about that these poor, viciously murdered women may have descendents out there. One of the participants in this episode is the descendent of Catherine Eddowes, and another is a descendent of one of the policeman during that tragic event.

Until Next Time . . .

London's The Place To Be On 24th-26th February 2012

2011-11-16T14:33:00.000Z

Hello All -

You might be asking what is happening in London on 24th-26th of February 2012. Well, perhaps the date may be a clue. Yes, it is Who Do You Think You Are Live. It is that time again, and it looks to be a good outing as in the previous years. I went to it last year and had a great time. When I wasn't there on any official business, I often would listen to the talks and wonder the stalls looking for any new items to buy.
Also, it was a great chance to meet up with fellow colleagues of mine who were there too.

The tickets are now on sale. It is cheaper to buy your tickets in advance rather than at the door. The early bird price is £15.00 for the day, but goes up to £20.00 at the door (this is for one adult). Children under the age of 16 get in FREE. There is a £2.00 transaction fee that applies to all orders. There are also two day and three day costs if you want to attend the whole event. There is even a beginner and plantinum classification too. I will not go into all of the details here, but you can go to the website for more information and see what's scheduled for the three days. It is still early days yet, so the schedule and celebs may change before the actual event.

To view the ticket prices and to advance order your tickets just click on the link below:
http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com/ticket-prices

To view the event website itself just click here: http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com/default
This will give you the schedules, as well as more details on things.

You will not be bored attending this show. There is so much to see and do. It is an event for the whole family. It is a place to learn something new, whether a true beginner or an experienced expert.

Until Next Time . . . .

Ever Thought About The History of Genealogy? There is Now a Book On It

2011-11-11T13:56:00.002Z

Hello All:

I have just received in the mail today a new genealogy book. However, this isn't any genealogy book. This is a book about the history of genealogy. Nope, no records or research tips and tricks type genealogy book, but one that is devoted to the study of the history of it.

The book is called "Family Matters: A History of Genealogy" by Mr. Michael Sharpe (2011 publication). It is another great book by the publishers Pen and Sword (Chris Paton's books have been published by them too). As I mentioned I have only just received the book in the mail today. I have had a quick thumb through and it definitely looks like a great read to me. Mr. Sharpe seems to have really done a great amount of work in putting this together.

To quote the back on the book jacket, "Lankmark history of genealogy," "Puts family history research into a historical and social context," "Vivid descriptions of the careers of the pioneering genealogists over the past two centuries," "Historical insight into the extraordinary growth of the ancestry business."

Also, there is a brief blurb by none other than Dr. Nick Barratt, "This is a fascinating account of the rise of genealogy from a quirky hobby to a mainstream industry, lifting the lid on the personalities and politics behind the scenes."

The book retails at £19.99 and US$39.95 from Pen and Sword. Their website is http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/. The book is available via the Pen and Sword website, or you can go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/ and it is available from there at the reduced price of £16.99. I checked on US http://www.amazon.com/ and the book will be available there on February 2012, but you can preorder at the price of US$26.37.

If outside the UK and you want the book before February 2012, you might want to buy directly from Pen and Sword. In my opinion I think this book would make a great Christmas present for the genealogist in your life. It is definitely different, fascinating, and not like any other genealogy book out there. Well done Mr. Sharpe for doing a book like this.

Christmas/New Year Genealogical Research Discount Now On

2011-11-09T18:14:00.000Z

Hello All:

I apologize for the shameless plug, but ....
With the Christmas and New Year holiday coming soon I thought I would give a quick mention about
the 15% Discount offer that I have going at McNicholl Genealogical Services. I know some of you may be
trying to think of what to get as a present, and having a family history research project to give as a gift is always a fun idea.

I don't normally have discount offers, but I do try to offer at least one this time of the year. This 15% special holiday offer is good from now until 31st of January 2012. The offer is good for any research performed - either a special request, a single line (paternal or maternal) family research, or a double line (paternal and maternal) family research. For more information about our services please see our website at: http://www.mcnichollgenservices.co.uk/.

The 2nd Episode of Find My Past This Thursday

2011-10-26T11:14:00.003Z

Hello All:

The second episode of Find My Past tv series on Yesterday Channel in the UK is to be aired this Thursday at 9:00 GMT. This episode is focused on the Titanic disaster and three ordinary folks who's ancestors were involved in one way or another with the Titanic on that tragic day. Here is a link to a sneak peek of this week's episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjjlx-PKQY8&feature=player_embedded

I watched the first episode last week and offer a brief review of it. This first episode of this newest family history series focused on the Battle of Dunkirk and its evacution to get the hundreds of thousands of soldiers back to Britain to escape the Nazi advance towards them. And ultimately live to fight another day.

The series follows three ordinary people and allows them to follow in the footsteps of their particular ancestor who was apart of the event. One of the three had his grandfather who was one of the evacuees and the other two participants are their ancestor as part of the "little ships" who helped ferry soldiers back to the battleships, as well as carry soldiers back themselves to Britain. The "little ships" played an important role in the whole campaign. Without them it would be nearly impossible to get all the soldiers out safely. There were some that did get killed by the German bombers or by a mine or torpedo. One of the "little ships" focused on did get blown up while being tugged along back to the UK.

What makes this series special is that it does focus on the ordinary person and who their ancestor played a part in such an important event in history. It really lets the participants in the show be a part of the historical event, giving them not only a historical account but what it must it been like, what the people must have felt and thought.

What this series does not do is take the viewer into family trees such as what it done in Who Do You Think You Are? Find My Past focuses solely on the one event and looks at it through the prism of the particular ancestor. Sometimes in genealogy and family history we can focus too much on the name, date, and place but not delve too much into the history and social context of an ancestor.

Even though I have only seen the one episode so far I am really enjoying it. You learn alot about not only the person's ancestor, but the historical event itself (factually and emotionally). I am looking forward to seeing the rest of this series, this week's on on the Titanic will be really interesting. What is also interesting to notice is that the participants in the series are relatively young (20s-40s) so far. It is great to watch "younger" people be interested in family history. It is always normally associated with an older generation, but this isn't the case. It is something that is becoming more popular with people in their 30s and 40s. This would actually make a good topic for another post.

I am hoping that this series will become popular and will kick start more interest in genealogy and family history as has WDYTYA has in the past. However, I am very much the addict when it comes to anything genealogy and family history.

Until Next Time . . .

2011-10-18T14:49:00.000Z

Hello All -

Thought that this was quite funny, and very true.

Rules for our ancestors
-OR-
How to confuse your descendants

(1) Thou shalt name your male children: James, John, Joseph, Josiah, Abel, Richard, Thomas, William.

(2) Thou shalt name your female children: Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, Maria, Sarah, Ida, Virginia, May.

(3) Thou shalt leave NO trace of your female children.

(4) Thou shalt, after naming your children from the above lists, call them by strange nicknames such as: Ike, Eli, Polly, Dolly, Sukey.---making them difficult to trace.

(5) Thou shalt NOT use any middle names on any legal documents or census reports, and only where necessary, you may use only initials on legal documents.

(6)Thou shalt learn to sign all documents illegibly so that your surname can be spelled, or misspelled, in various ways: Hicks, Hicks, Hix, Hixe, Hucks, Kicks.

(7) Thou shalt, after no more then 3 generations, make sure that all family records are lost, misplaced, burned in a court house fire, or buried so that NO future trace of them can be found.

(8) Thou shalt propagate misleading legends, rumors, & vague innuendo regarding your place origination.

(A) you may have come from : England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales....or Iran.
(B) you may have American Indian ancestry of the______tribe......
(C) You may have descended from one of three brothers that came over from______

(9) Thou shalt leave NO cemetery records, or headstones with legible names.

(10) Thou shalt leave NO family Bible with records of birth, marriages, or deaths.

(11) Thou shalt ALWAYS flip thy name around. If born James Albert, thou must make all the rest of thy records in the names of Albert, AJ, JA, AL, Bert, Bart, or Alfred.

(12) Thou must also flip thy parent's names when making reference to them, although "Unknown" or a blank line is an acceptable alternative.

(13) Thou shalt name at least 5 generations of males, and dozens of their cousins with identical names in order to totally confuse researchers.

Find My Past TV Show This Week

2011-10-18T14:31:00.000Z

Hello All -

Just in case you are starting to feel the blues after the final episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC last Wednesday, there is a new tv show to help perk everyone up. It is called Find My Past. It will premier on the UK tv channel Yesterday this Thursday at 9:00 pm.

This new genealogy/family history series is different from WDYTYA? in that it portrays the stories of ordinary folks - no celebs found anywhere. Another difference is that it focuses more on historical events and how a particular ancestor was involved in it. This first episode is all about Dunkirk during World War 2.
One of the ones that I am looking forward to is the one about Jack the Ripper about midway through the series (I think episode 6). That will certainly be a very interesting one to watch. But, I think all of them will be good.

To learn more about this series and what the various episodes will cover just take a look at their website at:
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/content/find-my-past-tv/about.html Also, there is a sneak preview on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnaOPPVuwQA&feature=player_embedded

I wish this new series all the success and hope it will be a well received show by all.

Until Next Time . . .

Cousins and the Online Genealogy World

2011-10-05T18:05:00.001Z

Hello All:

It has been "long time, no blog" here. Blogging seems to be taking the back burner at the moment as things get busy. One of the things that has been keeping me busy is working on my own personal family history. This tends to be shoved to the side for so long as my professional genealogy work goes on the forefront, but it is great working for and helping others with their family history and genealogical needs.

One of the things that has helped me get back into my own genealogy is the recent contact with cousins that I have known about, but not really met. There has also been cousins that I did not know about. We have been chatting via email and sharing information, family stories, as well as old family photos. This has been such a great experience, and it is such a pleasure to be able to speak to them all through that wonderful invention the computer.

The ability to share information and photos online, email, etc. instantly with family relatives is what has been such a joy doing family history. Especially with me living in a different country from my cousins and other relatives. Being able to see the old photos that my cousins have shared with me has been fantastic. Many of these I have never seen before. There have been many times where I wished that I could see a photo of great grandmother or great, great grandfather . . . but have not been able to see one until getting in contact with relatives online.

There are many forums, mailing lists, etc. for all sorts of family surnames, counties, countries, etc. that no doubt you will eventually become in contact with a long lost cousin or distant relative that you didn't know about or lost contact with. This is also the place where you can bring your questions and lineages for help from these folks. More than likely they would be researching the same line or lines as yourself. They could very well hold the key to that elusive ancestor that you have been searching for for so long. I am sure that a good number of folks already take advantage of the benefits of forums, mailing lists, ancestry public member trees, etc. But, if not, I would strongly encourage you to do so. It doesn't cost anything, and you never know who will find you and be able to answer your hard questions that you have been struggling with.
There has been so much that I have learned about my own family by reading these forums, etc.

Researching family history and genealogy is more than looking up names, dates, and locations in a book or online databaseses. It is about people, which can be one of the best resources out there in performing your research. You will have a different perspective on the family from another. Sharing your memories, old documents, photos, and information that you have researched yourself will help everyone in the family who cares about the history of the family. The vast majority of the time you will know something or have something that someone else doesn't.

Until Next Time . . . .

New Series of WDYTYA? UK Now Back On The BBC - Some Initial Impressions

2011-08-19T14:00:00.000Z

Hello All:

As some of you may be aware the latest series of the UK version of Who Do You Think You Are? has been broadcast now for the past couple weeks. It has been a wee while since new episodes have been shown. As I have mentioned previously in other posts I am a fan of this series, and was quite happy to see it back on the air.

It has been two weeks (two episodes) in now and I haven't really made any mention or comments regarding it up to now. Those that have watched the series in the past it is pretty much the same but obviously with different celebs. The first week of the new series features June Brown from Eastenders and the second episode featured Harry Potter author J K Rowling.

I found both of these stories to be very interesting. They offered a glimpse into two type of ethnic research that I don't think have been shown before or not too much. One was June Brown's Jewish roots. What makes it different is that this was Sephardic Jewish roots. This was a Jewish community that I have not heard about before. It was a good learning experience watching June discovering this area of her family.

The second episode just aired last Wednesday night was that of J K Rowling's French roots. What was impressive was that I felt that she was really interested in learning about these ancestors, and felt a connection to her own life as a single mother. I think that she was really able to imagine and relate to their plight. There was a sense of pride and sadness together throughout her discoveries into the family. What was interesting was the topic of the Franco-Prussian War and how it literally changed the nationality of some of her ancestors. Still living in the area of Alsace-Lorraine, but becoming German up until the end of WW1. It must have been really strange - identified and born and being French, but now you are supposed to be German.

Next week it is Lord Seb Coe's turn. This one should be another good story. So far I am really enjoying the episodes to the new series. It must be pretty good as my husband even watched one of the episodes with me and found it interesting.

Until Next Time . . .

The Family History Show Podcast

2011-07-15T15:27:00.000Z

Hello All:

There is a new podcast on Youtube about genealogy and family history called "Family History Show."
I have just watched the four videos of the first episode and it is really good and informative. This new
podcast is by none other than Dr. Nick Barratt and "Your Family History" magazine Editor Laura Berry. The show has really just gotten started and is very new. I am hoping that it will be a great success.

One of the things that I like about it is that it is a video podcast so you can see and hear what's happening.
In this first episode Dr. Barratt interviews the last surviving Titanic passanger, who had since died in 2009. There is also letters from viewers regarding royal ancestry, as well as the latest news in genealogy and family history in UK.

This first podcast is a bit short (about 30 minutes or less), but hopefully once things get rolling there will be more content. However, at the same time you don't want something that is too long. I think an hour is a good amount of time without losing the viewer/listener. Again, I wish this new podcast all the success. It is great to see something such as this and one that focuses on British genealogy/family history. But, I am a bit of a fan of anything genealogically on video and podcast.

To see the four segements of the "Family History Show" please click the links below.

http://www.youtube.com/familyhistoryshow#p/u/2/t2IqZsH458w
http://www.youtube.com/familyhistoryshow#p/u/1/-WvIUjc0wu4
http://www.youtube.com/familyhistoryshow#p/u/3/BJ76X-rDS5E
http://www.youtube.com/familyhistoryshow#p/u/0/pksf6i_XFik

The main "Family History Show" channel can be found at: www.youtube.com/familyhistoryshow
I can't really say when the next programme will be on, but just keep an eye out. I am sure
it shouldn't be too long to wait.

Until Next Time . . .

A Couple Buddies in the US Civil War

2011-07-01T13:04:00.003Z

Hello All -

With it being the 150th annivesary of the US Civil War I thought that it would be interesting to mention a couple of Paisley Buddies that were involved in this historic conflict. Both men were born in Paisley and immigrated to the United States, but that is where the similarities end.

The first man was Alexander Gardner who was born in 1821 and immigrated in 1856. He grew an interest in photography and met up and worked along side Mathew Brady. What thrust Gardner into prominence is his work as a civil war photographer. Some of the most famous battles he photographed - Antiedam, Fredrickburg, Gettysburg, and the seige of Petersburg. However, what is probably considered one of his most famous subjects was photographing President Abraham Lincoln. Not only that but photographing the President 4 days before his assasination by John Wilkes Booth. Gardner would probably be considered the last person to ever photograph Lincoln alive. He also photographed the funeral of Lincoln, and the execution of the conspirators of the Lincoln assassination.

However, his career was not without controversy. A century later, photographic analysis suggested that Gardner had manipulated the setting of at least one of his Civil War photos by moving a soldier's corpse and weapon into more dramatic positions.

To read more about Alexander Gardner and to see some of his photographs just look at his Wikipedia entry at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Gardner_(photographer). Below is a photo of the man himself.

Our next Paisley Buddy is Captain John S. Maxwell. Captain Maxwell was born in Paisley in 1832 and immigrated as a young man in 1852. "He was a laborer on the first Atlantic cable before 1861. He served in the military between Apr 19 1861 and Apr 12 1865 in Confederate States of America.John enlisted in the Confederate army at Martinsburg, Virgina. According to his military record he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in January 1862, and wounded three times during the war.

By June 1 1864 John was in the Confederate Navy, and as a member of the Confederate Torpedo Corps, Captain John Maxwell and another man were responsible for planting a clockwork torpedo on a Union transport at City Point, Virginia on August 9, 1864. They were able to penetrate the Union lines and get to the wharf area, where Maxwell persuaded the sentry that the Captain of the ammunition barge had ordered him to put aboard the box he was carrying. After seeing the box delivered on board, Captain Maxwell retired to watch the results. When the torpedo exploded an hour later, it started a chain reaction, spreading fire from the barges to the storage buildings on shore, and even to General Grant's headquarters, causing much damage and considerable confusion. He was a blacksmith after the war in 1865 in Richmond, Virginia. He was a presbyterian in 1865 in Richmond, Virginia at the Second Presbyterian Church.

He resided at Robert E. Lee Home for Disable Ex-Confederate Soldiers between Mar 1908 and Aug 17 1916 in Richmond, Virginia. He also helped build this institution. He resided at 2406a East Marshall Street between Aug 17 1916 and Sep 21 1916 in Richmond, Virginia. This was the home of his son-in-law. He was buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Lot 88, Section R, Richmond, Virginia. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, being five times Chancellor, a member of the Knights of Honor, and was the oldest Grand Lodge officer in the state, having been an officer since the lodge was organized." [source: http://www.danclan.com/].

There is a interesting article regarding Capt. Maxwell at: http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/the-souths-headless-hero-terrorist/Content?oid=1361218. Here is a photo of an older Capt. Maxwell:

Not bad for two Buddies. I think in any part of history in the United States and perhaps elsewhere there is a Paisley Buddy involved.

2011 SAFHS Conference Report

2011-06-27T18:01:00.000Z

Hello All -

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I attended the 2011 SAFHS Conference in Edinburgh on Saturday. I was mainly there in a more official capacity in that I was helping to man the ASGRA stand most of the afternoon. However, I did go in the morning to get a chance to see all the vendors and all the goings on beforehand.

This was my first conference to attend, so I can't really compare it to previous ones. However, I had been told by some folks that it was a larger crowd than last year. The vendors were on three floors, and the talks were given on the basement level of the Adam House where the conference was held. I didn't get a chance to listen to any of the speakers, but no doubt that they would have been interesting, and have heard that many people did enjoy them.

One of the things about going to a SAFHS Conference is that it is not in the same place every year. I think last year it was in Livingstone and then this coming year it is to be in Dundee. The various family history societies host each year's conference. It is a pretty good idea to do things this way as it doesn't get boring being in the same place time after time. Also, it gives the hosting society a chance to "show-off" a bit as host.

The thing that I enjoy most is patrolling the vendors for new books to buy. I wouldn't be a good genealogist if I didn't. And, this conference didn't fail. I was able to land my hands on the very hot off the press book by Andrew Nicoll called "Scottish Catholic Family History: A family historian's guide to Catholic Parish Registers and Cemetery Reords for Scotland and the Bishopric of the Forces." I know it is a long title, but what a great book. I have had a quick look at it and it is a very excellent book to own. It not only gives a listing of the parishes and years of their records, but also explains the documents themselves, called "Understanding the Records." It is not a bad price for it either at £10.00. For me, and I know of other colleagues that have bought the book during the conference, this book is a definite one to have on the shelf.

Another great thing about the conference is that it is a chance to catch up with friends and colleagues. Genealogy can be a bit of a solitary experience, but it is events such as this that everyone can have a good talk and a laugh as well as talking about things in the industry. It is a great chance to meet all sorts of folks. I think genealogists are perhaps some of the most friendliest people about. But, I suppose I am biased.

Until Next Time ....

SAFHS 2011 Conference This Saturday - Be There or Be Square. . .

2011-06-21T10:55:00.003Z

Hello All:

It is time once again for the annual SAFHS Conference. This year the SGS is hosting the event in Edinburgh. The conference will be held this Saturday, 25th June from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm at Adam
House, 3 Chambers Street, Edinburgh. It is in downtown Edinburgh so you might think that the parking will be a nightmare. But, according to the conference website at http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/Conference.aspx, parking can be found at the following locations:

"Where to park for the SAFHS Conference -

Edinburgh Parking is a site that has details of carparks, parking and charges.

The nearest car parks to Adam House, Chambers Street are carpark 3, 9 and carpark 13.

Carpark 3 is in Blackfriars Street which connects the Cowgate to the High street and is one way.

Carpark 9 is in the Travel Lodge Hotel in St Mary's Street but has only 21 spaces.

Carpark 13 is accessed from Viewcraig Gardens just off Holyrood Road and has 297 spaces.

The easiest way to access all three carparks from Chambers Street is to go to the east end of the street and straight across into Infirmary Street and down to the Cowgate.

On street parking restrictions are in operation in Chambers Street Monday - Saturday 08.30 - 18.30.

Parking charges are £2 per hour up to a maximum of 4 hours.

On street parking restrictions will stop at 18.30 on Friday.

The nearest free on street parking on Saturday is located in roads to the east of the Pleasance and to the south of the Meadows."

Of course your best option is, in my opinion, taking the train into Waverley Station in Edinburgh is your best bet. It is not far of a walk to the conference. The website should have a map of the location, but you can also use good old Google Maps as well to find how to get the conference facility.

There will also be offered 3 FREE lunch time talks with Q & A sessions. Please view the conference website for more details. As for the main conference itself, the speakers and topics are thus:

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

08.30 Registration
09.30 Book Stalls Open
09.45 Welcome & Opening Ceremony
10.00 CITY - Richard Hunter - "Edinburgh its Archives and Inhabitants"
11.00 CHURCH - Dr Tristram Clarke - "Scottish Episcopal Church Records".
12.00 Lunch
14.00 CHURCH - Andrew Nicoll - "Roman Catholic Archives"
15.00 CENSUS - Duncan MacNiven, GROS - "The 1911 Census".
16.00 Raffle Draw & Closing Speeches
16.30 Close of Conference & Stalls

As for myself, I will be there, but in a more official capacity. I will be helping the man the ASGRA stand throughout the day. Hope to see as many people at the conference as possible. The ASGRA stand will be on hand to help those who have questions about their research (stuck or just need some advice on where to go next, help from professional researchers, etc.), or just wanting to get started. We are a nice bunch and won't bite, so don't be shy about coming over to talk.

It looks to be a very interesting day of genealogy, more specifically Scottish genealogy. There isn't very many Scottish genealogy events held, so usually the SAFHS conferences are one of the bigger ones to attend. I can't say that it will be anything as big like WDYTYA in London, but the SAFHS conference is Scottish specific and focused, which is a rarity.

Hope to see as many folks as possible be able to make it on Saturday. It should be a good day out for anyone.

Until Next Time . . .

Bee Gees Star Comes to Paisley for Ancestry Search

2011-05-25T13:28:00.000Z

Hello All:

It has been a wee while since I have posted anything here on this blog. It has been a busy time and not much time to blog over the past few weeks.

In the local newspaper there is an interesting article about the upcoming series of the UK WDYTYA?.
What has been drawn into attention as there was a mention of Robin Gibb of the popular 70s band the Bee Gees in the local paper about his appearance in the upcoming series. It is not certain when the new series will be aired. My fellow colleague and fellow blogger Chris Paton has also made mention of the series in his blog.
http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2011/05/robin-gibb-visits-paisley-for-wdytya.html

The Bee Gee's star Robin Gibb has been reported to have been seen in town doing research into
his ancestry (Paisley Library and Museum), in which he is to be one of the new celebs to be featured in the newest upcoming series of WDYTYA. I can't say that I have seen him in town, but I am sure his appearance in Paisley would have been a stir and made heads turn. To read the full article just see the link below.
http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/2011/05/24/bee-gees-star-looks-for-paisley-pattern-in-his-family-tree-87085-28748580/

I look forward to seeing the new episodes when they come out (whenever that is). I also couldn't say who the other participants will be this time round. There hasn't been any concrete times or dates for it as I know of. We will certainly keep everyone posted.

Until next time ....

1911 Scottish Census Now Available

2011-04-05T11:20:00.005Z

Hello All -

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the 1911 Scottish Census returns are now available for public viewing after its 100 year wait. I have already taken it for a test drive and everything seems to be working ok with it and no delays, etc. The information is from the enumerator's books and not the household schedules, which haven't survived.

In brief, the information is on two pages. It may pose a problem if trying to print, but I am sure that there are enough clever folks out there that can work around this. Also, a bit different from the previous censuses is that it gives an overwritten number in the marital status section such as 1 for single male, 2 married male, 3 widower, 4 single female, 5 married female, 6 widow. It will also state the number of years married, number of children and number of children living. This can be very useful in trying to locate marriages and children's births and those who have died as children (babies or infants). There is also more mentions of adoption in the household relationships, which can really be a big help to researchers.

As I say I haven't really explored too much of it as of yet. So, I can't really give too much more detail about the newly published 1911 census for Scotland. However, it is great that it is finally here for everyone to look at and research their family with. It is a bit of a let down for us Scottish genealogists that the publications of the censuses lags a bit behind the publishing of the England/Wales census returns. But, it is here now and I am sure everyone will be delving into this new resource.

There is a good discussion about the new 1911 census by my friends and colleagues Chris Paton on his blog at http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/2011/04/1911-scottish-census-now-online.html, and Audrey Collins on her blog at http://thefamilyrecorder.blogspot.com/2011/04/1911-scotland-england-and-wales-nearly.html I will close for now as I know that some of you will be anxious to get a chance to have a look at the new census.

Until Next Time . . . .

2011 Scotland Census Form Through The Door

2011-03-17T16:28:00.006Z

Hello All -

Well that's me just received my 2011 Scotland Census form to fill out. I think the
few people that are happy to fill it out and being forthcoming with their answers are genealogists and family historians.

My husband and I haven't yet filled it out, but it is the size of a small book in the number of pages. I don't think that our ancestors had to fill in this much information about their households. It makes me think about what our Scottish ancestors may have thought then they got the knock at the door or the form through the door.

Who Says Cooking and Genealogy Don't Mix

2011-03-04T14:05:00.002Z

Hello All -

I have read an interesting post by Dick Eastman and a couple other folks about a tv program in the US called Top Chef. You might wonder why genealogist are interested in a cooking show. Well, in this latest episode of TC one of the challenges was to cook a dish that represents the contestant's heritage. The contestants were to travel to Ellis Island in New York City. Megan Smolenyak worked behind the scenes to research the five remaining contestant's family history. One of the interesting things about it was the two of the contestants were related (distant cousins from Italy). It is good to see genealogy being seen in other areas. I wouldn't have expected it on a cooking show.

If you haven't seen this episode you can view it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE30EX63NkI (Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ9k0nAbLtE (Part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrJH61i4-go (Part 3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X0Mqzn7dLw (Part 4)

The program links have been put into four segments. Part 2 is really where you can see the contestants learning about their ancestry.

Back From London: A General Summary of WDYTYA Live 2011

2011-02-28T14:21:00.005Z

Hello All -

Well, I am back from my WDYTYA Live experience in London over the weekend. I must say that I had a fantastic time over the three days. There was so much to see and so many lectures to attend. I didn't really get a chance to see as much as I would have liked, but nevertheless I had a great time. From a professional point of view, I was able to network with my fellow colleagues and meet those who I have known about but not met before.

It was real treat to me Dick Eastman, Chris Paton, Jan Gow (of NZ), Ian Marson (AGRA Chairman), Eileen O'Duill (APG Intl. Exec. Comm. from Ireland but American expat like myself), Kathy Hinckley (APG Executive Director), Laura Prescott (APG President), Alvie Davidson (APG Exec. Comm. from Florida), just to name a few.
Everyone was just very nice and friendly.

I spent most of my three days volunteering on the stands of ASGRA and APG. I got to speak with quite a few folks that wanted some advice on Scottish genealogy, and giving information about the APG and ASGRA for those that were interested. The time went by quickly, and at the end of the day nursing sore feet from standing and walking about all day. I probably shed a couple pounds during the three days.

This year was the first year that ASGRA had a booth. They were sharing it with AGRA and Origins. ASGRA is the credential organization of Scotland for those in professional genealogy. They are similar to AGRA in their aims and goals, but more for the Scottish professional and also that the records and research required is a bit different. There were 5 in total that came from ASGRA, including myself, down to London. We gave alot of help and advice for those who have Scottish ancestors, and also helped to promote the organization to a wider audience.

Also, making their debut this year was the Association of Professional Genealogist (APG) who are headquartered in Colorado, USA. The APG is a professional organization for those in the genealogical field or industry. It is not a credentialing body, but they do hold their members to a code of ethics and standards. Also, they are worldwide in their membership. There are over
2, 200 members from all over the globe - USA, Canada, NZ, Australia, UK, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Spain, even Japan and South Africa. I think that they were very popular if the steady flow of people visiting their stand gives any indication. I think that those who came from US and those from the Administration were very pleased with their reception.

On Saturday evening the APG had a dinner/get together for their members at the Pizza Express after that day's show was over. It was a great time had by all, and it was great to chat with colleagues from all over Britain, US, Europe, Canada, Ireland, etc.

The lectures were all day long for the three days. From what I could observe they were very well attended. Some of the more popular ones had folks standing outside the barriers to listen.
I am sure many people learned alot, and also got those who were thinking about genealogy to get started in it on their own family.

Sunday was fairly quiet compared to Friday and Saturday. Many commented on this, but I think that overall the event was well attended even if the numbers were a bit down from previous years. One theory could be for the lighter turnout is that the WDYTYA series in UK has not had a new season yet, but this is just my opinion. Usually whenever a new series of WDYTYA the ratings do very well, and there tends to be a increase in interest in family history.
Don't know really, I am sure that the event people will figure it out for next year.

Overall, I thought that the event was great and I had a enjoyable time. I hope that those of you who weren't able to go this year can make it in 2012.

Until next time ....

WDYTYA Live coming to London in 2 Weeks Time

2011-02-12T12:31:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just received my WDYTYA Live tickets in the mail today. I have never been before, so this will be something to look forward to. I am not too sure how much I will get to see while there as far as the talks and vendor stands go. I will be volunteering at the APG and the AGRA/ASGRA stands at various times while there. It will be an exciting time. I am hoping to network with my fellow professional colleagues during my time there. Being a professional genealogist can be a solitary pursuit at times, so it will be great to meet up with others in the profession.

If you are planning to come please stop by for a chat. It should be a great three days of genealogical indulgence, as well as possibly turning newbies into genealogy junkies which tends to happen once the "bug" bites.

See you all there hopefully. It is a event not to be missed. It seems to get bigger and better each year.

Daily Telegraph & Sun. Telegraph 19 and 20 Feb. Issues

2011-02-12T12:25:00.002Z

Hello All -

Be sure to get a copy of the Daily Telegraph or the Sunday Telegraph (19 and 20 Februrary) because they are going to have a FREE, yes FREE, Tracing Your Family History: The Essential Step-By-Step Guide with CD-Rom in these two days issues.

This is a special promotion in conjunction with the upcoming Who Do You Think You Are? Live in London on the last weekend of Feb. (25-27). I don't normally read the Telegraph, but I will make sure that I get a copy this next week end.

Need A Genealogist? Hire Locally

2011-02-11T13:40:00.026Z

Hello All -

With all the hub-bub surrounding the termination of Ancestry's Expert Connect service early this month (known to be happening in last week of Jan.) it got me to thinking about the things to look for when hiring a professional genealogist.

Anyone interested in becoming a provider could have signed up to be on Expert Connect, whether an amateur or professional doing research for a living. There is nothing wrong with a amateur researcher doing work for someone, but it is important that they know what they are doing and have had some experience themselves at doing genealogical research. This post really isn't about delving into the topic of professional vs. amateur genealogist, but rather the importance of hiring a local genealogist for perform work for people.

Natalie Cottrill in 2004 wrote a very good article about hiring a professional genealogist and in one of the paragraphs says, "when selecting a professional genealogist, make sure that he or she has the special research skills needed to accomplish your goals. For instance, if your research is in France, then it is important to hire a professional genealogist with experience researching within the French culture, language, and records. You don't necessarily need to hire someone who lives in France."

I would definitely agree with most all of this, but where I differ in the statement is "you don't necessarily need to hire someone who lives in France." In my opinion I think it is important to hire someone who lives locally in the country or state that you need research done. It may not be completely necessary, but it definitely helps. I know that it may not be always feasible for one reason or another, but having a localized research performed by a local genealogist should be one of the things to look for when deciding to hire someone to do a project.

Don't get me wrong I know that there is a lot of information that can be accessed via online, FHL in Salt Lake City, etc. However, you can't replace having a person in the actual location that information is needed from. I know that there are folks living in places that know and understand cultures and histories of other countries that they don't reside in. However, that doesn't mean that they are readily able to access all the records for that place. Not everything is online or at the FHL. When things are online, how accurate are they if they are not the original document image? Many types of information found online can be incomplete abstractions or inaccurate transcriptions.

When the case does arise that a person is hired to work on a family history project for a specific area and from the research it is discovered that the person or family is from another place (state, country, etc.) most likely the hired genealogist will get help from another genealogist located in the place needing to obtain information from. For example, a genealogist is working on a family in California and through the research investigation comes to find that the family ancestors were originally from New York. The genealogist in California will need to ask a genealogist in New York to obtain original documents for them if they are not able to obtain them themselves. There isn't really any way around this. You need to go where the records are. In the end, a local researcher will always be needed one way or another.

There is a load of competition out there for genealogy research for hire. There are professional genealogists all over the world, almost every state in the US, most every province in Canada, etc. When making the big decision to hire a genealogist there are many things to think about -competency, professionalism, adhereing to codes of conduct, knowledge and skills of specialist area, analysis, experience, etc. One of them should also be the location of the genealogist to where the research is needed.

Until Next Time

UWS Family Histories Course Correction

2011-01-28T15:25:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just a quick note to say that the Family Histories module at the University of the West of Scotland in Paisley will be held on Mondays 6-8 pm each week for 10 weeks. It was to be on Thursdays, but their has been an instructor change which means the day has also needed to change due to scheduling conflicts.

I am pleased to see that the university is doing this course. I wish it great success and a great turn out of students. Maybe there will be further advanced courses that they will do if this turns out well for them.

University of the West of Scotland Offers Family History Module

2011-01-26T19:59:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just read in the Paisley Daily Express today that the University of the West of Scotland (formerly known as Paisley University) will be conducting a new module on Family History starting on 3rd February. It is scheduled to last for 10 weeks - held on Thursdays for two hours each week. I can't remember the times, but I think it is in the evening. These courses will be conducted on location, so unfortunately this is not going to be an online study option.

If anyone is interested you can contact the university (Lifelong Learning Academy) at 0800 027 1000 or email them at lifelonglearning@uws.ac.uk You can also go to the university's website at www.uws.ac.uk (it will be in the part time study section/lifelong learning section).

Not much time left to apply so those interested will need to hurry.

Until Next Time ...

A Universal Source Citation System for Genealogists

2011-01-25T14:30:00.008Z

Hello All -

One of the things that I have been thinking about is a need for a universal source citation system for genealogists/family historians. What I mean by universal is a recognized system for citing sources that is world-wide. The thought came to me after doing my BCG portfolio and also finding out about how other people do their citations. These thoughts are purely my own opinion, and are not really meant to cause a big debate.

I cannot really speak about how other countries do things, apart from the US and UK. However, from working in these two countries as a genealogist the citing of sources is not the same. The USA and possibly Canada trend toward the Chicago Manual of Style, which is the basis for Elizabeth Shown Mills' two books on the subject, "Evidence: Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian" (1997) and "Evidence Explained" (2007).

In the UK (at least some parts of Scotland) source citations trend toward the Harvard System (sort of an APA style). This is from what I have been led to believe is the main system taught at Univ. of Strathclyde's Genealogical Studies course. However, if I am wrong on this please let me know as I don't want to give out wrong information. Personally, I have been using Mills' books (Chicago Style) for my own work, but it is just what I have been used to so I stick with it.

There are few other styles of citation as well that are used in other academic disciplines such as MLA, Turabian, AMA, APA, etc. In my opinion, I am one that thinks genealogy is an academic discipline too. Some may think it as just a past time or hobby, but in my view it is not much different from studying pure History in university or college. But, I digress.

However, I do realize that there are some who are only interested in doing family history as a hobby. That is fine, but to make one's work credible the sources should be cited. If down the road a person would like to publish their work either as a simple manuscript, self-published such as My Canvas or Blurb, or having a publishing company do the work, it is very important to have the documents and other sources cited as others will be reading it. I know that citing one's work can be a pain, but it is necessary and serves a purpose.

I think as a genealogical community worldwide there should be a universal citing system that can be agreed upon and used by all researchers. This could be either the Chicago or Harvard Style or perhaps something else. I am not too sure that Mills' books are that known in UK and other parts of the world apart from US and Canada. But, that is just speculation on my part. I personally am not fussed by which system is used. My main concern is to have a universal system that we can all agree upon worldwide. I think it would make things easier for everyone is we are all the same in our citing in reports, essays, articles, etc.

In my opinion, I think that genealogy is becoming more recognized as an academic study. We are seeing more and more classes and courses being offered at colleges and universities and online. And as most academic disciplines there should be a proper system in place to cite sources recognized universally. It shouldn't matter if one is from US, UK, Australia, or France.

Well, I suppose I better leave it there. I just thought I would tell my thoughts and observations on the subject.

Until Next Time ...

My BCG Experience

2011-01-20T14:00:00.025Z

Hello All -

As I mentioned in my previous posts (not too far back from today) I was going to talk about my experience with applying for my CG with the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG). I received my portfolio along with the judges comment in the mail roughly a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to digest everything before reporting back. I know that there are some who are going through the process, or are thinking about going through it sometime in the future.

I wanted to share a bit about my experience with those who may be interested, as I know that I was keen to know of other folks' experiences that had gone through it. I can only really speak on my own behalf on these matters, as I know that everyone has a different story to tell on this.

I had in the past been curious about the BCG certification process, but I found it to be a bit intimidating. However, at that time, I knew that I would not be ready for it. I thought it would be best to wait a few more years before I went for it to get more experience.

I initially sent my preliminary application in September 2009. Before, this I purchased the Standards Manual and the Application Materials. This is a must purchase for anyone applying - the application materials mainly, but I would not even try to send an application without having the Standards Manual as well (reading and studying it completely backwards and forwards).

Before I sent away my preliminary application, I started to do some work on my portfolio to get a head start on things. I wanted to be familiar and comfortable with the process and standards needed. It would mean less pressure on me by not being on the one year "clock."

I then sent away my application and then waited for the BCG to send me their document for transcribing, etc. Because, I live in the UK it was a bit longer to wait for correspondence back and forth. Once received in the mail, I got seriously started on work.

To briefly describe the application parts, there are seven parts to the BCG portfolio application. First is the Genealogist's Code that is to be signed by the applicant; secondly there is the background resume; thirdly there is the document work (BCG supplied document) to transcribe, abstract, analyize, research focus, etc.; fourthly there is another document work but this one is applicant supplied document that goes through the same process as the BCG supplied document.

The average wait time for an applicant's results are 5-6 months. However, I waited a bit longer to get my results back. The unfortunate holdup was that there was a loss of my portfolio in the mail between Judge 2 and Judge 3. They do warn that this can potentially happen. I was very glad that I made a copy of my portfolio before I mailed it away. This is a very important piece of advice I can give to any potential applicant.

It was now December and still no further word from the BCG. Then, unexpectedly, I received an email from the BCG office to welcome me to their ranks. This would be around 20th of December. It was a very surprising early Christmas gift. I think that I was in utter shock for most of the day after getting word, as I thought that I hadn't done as well as I could have.

Now, the dreaded judges critiques. This is probably the most frightening aspect of the application process. Some of the comments can really sting and it helps to have a thick skin. It is very easy to take the negative comments to heart and feel a bit down in the dumps about your work. I know that reading the criticism that I received was a blow to the old self-esteem. I read the criticism over and over again to get to grips with what the judges were saying. After mulling it all over and having time to reflect on things, I knew that the judges were just doing their job and wanting to point me in the right direction to be a better genealogist. I can now really appreciate their comments and will definitely learn from them when it comes time to renew in 5 years time.

It was interesting to see the three judges' range of comments. The second judge really tore the portfolio to shreds. One judge would find something acceptable, then another judge will find the same thing done poorly. It is really in the eye of the particular judge what meets the standards set by the BCG Manual when it comes to an applicant's work. I think though for my portfolio the judges were for the most part in agreement on most things. Thankfully, many of the marks were "Meets Standards" with a few "Partially Meets Standards" in the mix. The mistakes I did make were stupid, careless ones. If I took a bit more time with it and not been in a rush to get the portfolio out the door I think it would have been a better application. It is important to really focus on the little things and pay careful attention to detail.

In the end, I am glad that I went through the application process. It was a stressful and nerve-racking experience. It is definitely an education in itself. I realized how much I have learned. The judges remarks will definitely be a big help for next time.

Why Genealogy Is More Than A Hobby

2011-01-20T12:36:00.002Z

Hello All -

Upon reading many of the other genealogy blogs that I like to read each day, there was one that really struck a cord with me. The blog is from James Tanner's Genealogy Star. He had an entry entitled "The Heart and Soul of Genealogy." I think that his writing on this subject is worth sharing to others as it really hits home why some people become so "addicted" to genealogy and family history. Why some people cannot let go of finding that elusive ancestor. Genealogy is more than just names and dates, but it is your ancestor's life. Also, it comes back to who you are yourself (who am I and where did I come from ... types of questions).

It makes historical events become more personal and more interesting when an ancestor can be placed at a particular time and place. For example, one of my g, g, grandfathers was captured at the battle of Island Number 10 by Union soldiers during the US Civil War. I had never heard of this battle before (it wasn't one of the more major ones that are better known), but when I learned of this from his service records, I immediately went to look for further information about it.

I think I will leave it here and let you read Mr. Tanner's words yourself, as I don't think I could really say it any better.
http://genealogysstar.blogspot.com/2011/01/heart-and-soul-of-genealogy.html

Until Next Time ...

New Year Means New Fee Increases in Scotland

2011-01-02T17:18:00.004Z

Hello All -

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and are settling into the new year well. For my first post of the year is a bit of important news regarding fee increases across the board from the Scottish GRO, etc. So, it looks like doing research in Scotland will cost us a bit more for this new year.
The General Register Office for Scotland has issued a news posting on their website about the
new fee increases, along with a pdf of the listings of the fees themselves.

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/press/news2010/statutory-registration-fees.html

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/family-records/fees-schedule.pdf

In turn, this is going to affect everyone - those who are amateur researchers as well as those who work in the profession as professional genealogists, who will have to put the increase into their costs of working with a client.

This is unfortunate for us all, but there isn't much that can be done. The government has spoken. It is hoped that perhaps when things get better economically things will not increase any further for a good while, but I suppose this is wishful thinking on my part.

Sorry to have to bring such a damper on the new year, but I felt that it was important to notify folks of the new fees happening here in Scotland.

BCG's Newest Member

2010-12-20T16:02:00.002Z

Hello All -

After much angst and worry, I have finally heard back from the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and am happy to report that it was good news. I have become one of their newest members, and have been designated a Certified Genealogist (CG). I have only just received the news via email and have not yet received my portfolio back from them with the judges comments.

I will write a follow up post once I receive my portfolio back in the mail, and will give more detail about my experience. I know that others who have applied to the BCG or are thinking about it are always wondering about other people's experiences.

This will most likely be my last post of this year, so let me wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very Blessed New Year in 2011.

Until Next Time ....

WDYTYA LIVE 2011 Tickets Now On Sale

2010-11-27T08:00:00.003Z

Hello All -

Just saw that the tickets for the upcoming Who Do You Think You Are Live 2011 are now on sale to the public on their website - http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.co.uk/
This is probably the biggest annual genealogy event in the UK at present. This coming year's event is from 25-27 February in London at the Olympia Exhibition Centre. Each year it seems to grow and get better. There is a vast amount of things to do - workshops, exhibits, vendor stalls, etc. There should be something for everyone and every interest.

To learn more about this event just check out their website, link is above. There is not as much info on their at the moment, but nearer the time it should have the days events and times, who will be there, etc. But, the main thing at the moment is that you can buy your ticket now.

Until Next Time ....

From Pit to Palace ....

2010-11-19T16:22:00.001Z

Hello All -

With all the excitement of the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the UK newspapers have really had a field day with their articles regarding the event and the couple.
However, there is a very interesting article in today's Daily Mail about Kate's family history. To read the full article just click the link below.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1331059/Kate-Middleton-s-family-From-pit-Buckingham-Palace.html

NBC Announces New Series of WDYTYA?

2010-11-16T12:48:00.002Z

Hello All -

News from the US is that a new series of Who Do You Think You Are? will be starting on 21 January 2011. Not sure who the participants will be this time around, but I think that the US genealogy community will be thrilled with a new batch of shows.

Another UK Genealogy Magazine to Cease Publication

2010-11-02T10:32:00.002Z

Hello All:

It seems that the hard economic times has taken another bite. Unfortunately, it is in the UK genealogy world. The magazine "Practical Family History" will cease publication soon. This is one of the longest running genealogy magazines in the UK and had a focus for the beginner in family history. It is hard to compete with the internet and other publications, especially when times are tough economically such as they are now.

The magazine served the genealogy community very well and gave alot of good information to the budding genealogist. I wish the staff all the best, and am sorry to see PFH go.

Family History Month

2010-10-13T18:06:00.004Z

Hello All -

Just realized that October is Family History Month, well in many US states anyway. But, that doesn't mean that here in the UK that we can't celebrate as well. Here are a few tips on how to celebrate by Kimberly Powell of About.com: Genealogy:

1. Get Started Tracing Your Family Tree
2. Create a Family Cookbook
3. Record Family Stories
4. Uncover Your Family Health History
5. Take a Trip Back in Time
6. Scrapbook Your Family Heritage
7. Start a Family Web Site
8. Preserve Your Family Pictures
9. Get the Next Generation Involved
10. Craft a Heritage Gift

To learn more about these 10 ideas just read Kimberly Powell's post at
http://genealogy.about.com/od/holidays/tp/family-history-month.htm

Private Companies Taking Over Libraries

2010-09-28T11:49:00.002Z

Hello All -

Dick Eastman had an interesting post about some US city public libraries being taken over or managed by private companies, such as LSSI. The full NY Times article mentioned in Eastman's post can be read here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html?_r=1

Could this happen here in the UK? The only answer that I can give is I don't know. Libraries all over are facing the cut backs in financing and hours, etc. due to the current financial situation. Public libraries have in a sense always been a institution of the local government. If the city's public library goes into private management would that make things more costly for the patron? The private management company is for profit or they wouldn't be going into business. How is the private company making it's money - fees for books that are returned late, etc. The article mentioned about making cuts in the library workers, etc. That would save money in overhead, but how else would the private library get it's funding. There is the fear that fees, and various other costs for the library patron will increase down the line. It may not be immediate, but it will no doubt come.

However (playing devil's advocate), perhaps privatizing the public library will be a good thing all around, and make things work better and more efficiently. In the US, some of the libraries are unionized. This can sometimes cause their own problems with strikes, high cost of pensions and benefits, etc. Maybe the privatization will cut out the unnecessary waste for the library, which can be a sore spot in any government run facility now days. As long as the services are not cut or made to cost more (private company wanting to make a big profit), there shouldn't be a problem with privatization.

There could also be the problem of "what if the private company goes bust?" Then what happens to the library? Will it go back to the government to run again, will it be sold to another private company, or will the library just go along the wayside and left to rot empty and derelict.

In my local town public library there is a sense that the facility is not being as used as much as it once was, mainly due to the Internet. So much information can be acquired at home on a personal computer. The local public library is not really the hub of activity as it used to be. There are many times that I have been into the local public library and hardly a soul is in it. I cannot speak for other libraries, but just what I have noticed in my own local one.

I don't really know if privatization of the public library will happen here in the UK. My hunch is probably not. But, I think it is an interesting concept that I hadn't thought about until reading Eastman's post and the NY Times article. It makes one think about the future of their public library facilities. Perhaps when the economy gets better things will not look as troublesome for the local library, and things will pick up in terms of budget, hours of operation, etc.

SOG Centenary Conference in 2011

2010-09-25T10:52:00.003Z

Hello All -

Just a brief mention about the upcoming Soceity of Genealogist's 100 Years Celebration Centenary Conference in 2011. It is to be held on 7th May 2011 at The Royal Overseas League, Over-Seas House, Park Place, 5 St James’s Terrace, London SW1A 1LP.

For more information about his event please view the website at:
http://www.familyhistoryconference.net/

The conference will have earlybird rate of £99.00 up to January 31, 2011. The price also includes a lunch. The price after 31st January will be £120.00. There will also be a Conference Banquet for an earlybird cost of £30 (goes up to £35 after 31st January). If you are interested in the Conference and the Banquet the cost will be £116 for earlybird rate (£140 after 31st Jan.).

I have had a quick look at the program and it looks to be quite a good outing. We wish the SoG well in their 100 years and hope for many more years to come for their organization.

APG at WDYTYA? Live 2011

2010-09-23T12:22:00.002Z

Hello All -

For those of you who may be interested in possibly knowing more about professional genealogy, and about those who are practicing professional genealogists (like myself), the Association of Professional Genealogists are planning on having a information booth at this upcoming Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2011 in London. The APG is headquartered in the US, but has members from all over the world. Here is some further information regarding their trip to London from their Executive Director, Kathleen W. Hinckley, CG:

"The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG®) announced today that it will participate in the Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE 2011, The National Conference, this coming February in London, U.K. APG will exhibit at the event, with the goal of educating new audiences on the benefits of hiring professional genealogists who adhere to genealogical standards and ethics.

APG president Laura Prescott and APG executive director Kathleen Hinckley, CG, will represent the organization at the show. "The APG represents more than 2,000 professional genealogists in more than 30 countries," said Prescott. "The Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE conference will give APG an opportunity to meet approximately 15,000 family history enthusiasts and educate them about our mission and the availability of our members to serve them."The APG's international committee has been exploring the growing need for professional genealogists in markets outside of North America. The committee, with members in England, India, Ireland, Israel and the U.S., examines opportunities to share the APG message and promote international awareness of, and interest in, professional genealogical services.

The upcoming exhibition will be the APG's first conference presence outside of North America.About the Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE 2011 Conference and Exhibition The Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE 2011 conference, the U.K.'s largest and most comprehensive family history event, will be held February 25-27, 2011 at London's historic Olympia Exhibition Centre. The conference, held since 2007, was created in response to overwhelming interest in the U.K.'s television show Who Do You Think You Are?, now in its seventh season. The show features nearly 200 exhibitors and more than 100 seminars and workshops. Celebrities from the U.K. show will also appear. See http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.co.uk for more information.

About the APG The Association of Professional Genealogists (http://www.apgen.org), established in 1979, represents more than 2,000 genealogists, librarians, writers, editors, historians, instructors, booksellers, publishers, and others involved in genealogy-related businesses. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring, and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy, local, and social history. Its members represent all fifty states, Canada, and thirty other countries."

The good folks at the APG have asked us to spread the word about the "Yanks" coming to London. We are hoping all of you out there will turn out - it will definitely be a good time, and there will be lots of booths and great lectures. The WDYTYA? Live event seems to get bigger and better every year.

Tracing Your Roots Back on BBC Radio 4

2010-09-23T11:33:00.002Z

Hello All -

The new series of BBC 4's Tracing Your Roots is back on the airwaves again. It is broadcast on Tuesdays at 4:00 pm (16:00). Sally Magnusson is your host along with the expertise of Nick Barratt. If you have happened to miss any of the episodes so far you can listen online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006zbxm

The first two episodes are there presently for your listening pleasure.

Some Reflection On This Series of WDYTYA?

2010-09-14T13:30:00.004Z

Hello All -

Well, now that this series of UK Who Do You Think You Are? is over I thought I would give some personal reflection of it. I think as a whole it was ok compared to previous series. There were a couple that were a bit boring - Bruce Forsyth, Rupert Everett, and Alexander Armstrong where the main ones that I felt were a bit of a snoozer or disappointing. I had missed three of the episodes while I was in the US in August, but did watch them on "catch up" when I got back home. I admit that I turned off the Alexander Armstrong episode halfway through.

The other ones apart from the three mentioned above I thought were good and interesting to watch. There were stories that held your attention and wanting to find out what happens. They were also good ones to watch for the different record types and countries involved in the research.

Some of the episodes only focused on the one ancestor in the story, but I think that that one ancestor was that interesting to follow for the entire programme. Personally, I do like the ones where you get to follow a few more lines of the person's tree. Especially when the person doesn't know much of anything at all about their family and the discoveries are all new to them and you see their reactions.

This is just my personal opinion of things, as I know that some of you may not agree with my choices of boring and good episodes. Overall, I still think that WDYTYA is a great programme and it is great to see it being shown in various countries with their version (Australia, US, etc.).
NBC in the US had already planned to do their second series, which is great news.

I was fortunate to watch a couple of the episodes as repeats while I was in the US. Being in the UK, unless you have a special VPN type software or other way of bypassing the country restrictions, one cannot watch the episodes online on the NBC website. The BBC did show about three episodes though (Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandan, and Jessica Parker). One of the episodes that I watched that I really enjoyed was the Emmitt Smith one - I might be biased being a big Dallas Cowboys fan. However, I hope that the US version will slow down a bit as I found that it went a bit too quickly on the ancestors and skipping up the tree without knowing how they got there. The Emmitt Smith episode was a good one for being more focused on the one family line or ancestor at a time.

Can't wait to see what the next series will be like and who it will feature. Hopefully they will make more episodes as I think the series is still popular with the public.

Last Episode of UK WDYTYA Tonight

2010-09-13T11:06:00.002Z

Hello All -

The last episode in this series of the UK Who Do You Think You Are is on tonight at 9:00 pm
on BBC1. This episode involves the Scottish actor Alan Cumming. This one should be good for us Scottish genealogical researchers, and see what types of records and repositories are used.

A Brief Review of Buzzy's Book

2010-09-08T17:54:00.003Z

Hello All -

I have just read the new book by Buzzy Jackson called "Shaking The Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist." I purchased it while I was on holiday in the US this past month.

I can see why this book is so widely praised, it is a book that you can't put down. Needless to say it involves Buzzy taking her readers on a journey of her beginnings of researching her ancestry - her Jackson side of the family. It is a book that really sucks you in as a reader, especially as a fellow genealogist. The book delves into Buzzy's beginnings of her interest in researching her family, and quickly illustrates how addictive it can be. Buzzy shows a great sense of humour and seems to have a great time with it all. She demonstrates the fun side of genealogy as well as the serious academic side of things.

Buzzy's genealogical journey takes her in a number of areas - DNA research, interviewing her older relatives as well as her parents, going on the Wholly Genes Cruise, graveyard visits, joining her local family history society, etc. This book really shows the process in practical form of performing family history research, and does so in a very entertaining way. It is a book that almost everyone can relate to, as we have all done some of the same sort of things ourselves as newbies. Buzzy seems to quickly get a hand on things and learns alot from her experiences in researching her Jackson family. She definitely meets up with the best folks to learn from (her cruise with Wholly Genes).

It was so interesting to read of her experiences with the world of genealogy as a new-comer, and her development within it. Buzzy's book would make a great documentary - one can just image the book on film. I would definitely recommend reading Buzzy's book - beginner or not.

Still Here

2010-09-01T20:33:00.002Z

Hello All -

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I do have a good excuse. I was attending the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in Knoxville, Tennesse, and the Association of Professional Genealogists PMC. This is held the day just before the main FGS conference. It was a bit of a trek to go from Scotland, but I can say that it was worth it. The conference was well attended and had a record number of new, budding genealogists attending.

This was a great time had by all. The Knoxville area is a wonderful city, which loads of history and a fantastic research facilities. I spent at least two days searching the McClung Collection at the East Tennessee History Center http://www.easttnhistory.org/. The ETHC also houses the Knox County Archives. So, this is the place to go if you have specifically Knox County ancestors. It is also great on Tennessee records too in the McClung Collection.

The exhibit hall had loads of great stuff - it was hard to not buy something. But there was also informative venders as well such as Ancestry.com and Familysearch. The whole enormous exhibit area always seemed to have a good crowd looking at the stalls and talking with the folks there.

The main highlight was attending the numerous talks given by some of the top lecturers in genealogy, Tom Jones, Elizabeth Shown Mills, Elissa Powell, Joshua Taylor, just to name a few.

I definitely learned alot, and had fun too (not to mention eating some good Tennessee bar-b-q as well).

If you haven't done so, I definitely recommend attending a main genealogy conference - National Genealogical Society, WDYTYA? London, FGS, etc. It can be a bit expensive, but only if you can just go once it would really be a great experience and you would learn loads. There is nothing like hundreds to thousands of genealogists roaming around under one roof.

Borders FHS Silver Julilee

2010-08-09T18:39:00.002Z

Hello All -

Got this email about the upcoming Borders Family History Society Silver Jubilee coming in October. Looks like it should be a good day out for all.

In September 2010, Borders Family History Society will be 25 years old.

To celebrate our silver jubilee we’re planning a family and local history fair and conference on Saturday, 9th October in Melrose, at which one of our founder members, the noted local author, Norrie McLeish, will be giving the keynote lecture, and we will have three other lectures during the day. Refreshments will be available.

Access to the public is from 10am to 4pm.Stall set-up is between 9am and 10am and dismantling between 4pm and 5pm.

The event will be held in the Corn Exchange and Ormiston Institute, Melrose, TD6 9PN - see map at http://uk.multimap.com/p/browse.cgi?pc=TD6+9PN&title=Corn+Exchange+and+Ormiston+Institute&cat=loc

The building is situated right on Market Square, so there'll be lots of shoppers passing the door, and admission is free, so there'll be every reason for people to come in.

Would you like a table to display your goods and services ?
We're charging paid-up members of the Society £25, and non-members £30 per table.
I'm sending this invitation out to more organisations than there are tables available, in the expectation that some organisations won't be available to come, so it's a case of "first come, first served" for tables.
In addition to booking a table, if you provide a link on your website to the Borders Family History Society website http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk , you can also have a link to your website on our conference page http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/BFHSConference.asp at no extra cost.

There may be additional tables available, depending on the number of organisations accepting.

If you are interested, please let me know by email by 15th August.
We will be seeking payment for tables shortly after that.
There is a limited amount of power and you would need to bring your own extension lead. We are required by the Council to advise you that all electrical equipment must have a valid Portable Appliance Test certificate, and is in a safe and sound condition and complies with all relevant safety regulations. We certainly expect you to switch off equipment when you're away from it.So far as we know, there is currently no WiFi access.There is wheelchair access to the building and a toilet for people with disabilities.

Please note that although there are some adjacent parking spaces, these are normally occupied, so you'll probably need to unload your car at the door, and then find somewhere to park. There are 3 car parks in Melrose (2 free and 1 paid) and a very limited amount of short stay street parking.

Come to our conference on 9th October - more details at http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/BFHSConference.asp

Genealogy "Dark Ages" To Come?

2010-07-30T13:31:00.002Z

Hello All -

There is an interesting article about the idea of a genealogy "Dark Ages" that may come in the future. The copied article comes from the "Mormon Times."

"PROVO, Utah — With all the genealogical information being made accessible on the Internet, some might think this is the golden age of family history. To Curt B. Witcher, however, we may be entering a new dark age where vital records and the memories of people alive today are lost forever.

"At the same time we have more (technological) ability we are losing interest and focus on keeping the thoughts and the words for future generations," Witcher said.

Witcher, the manager of The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Ind., was the plenary speaker at BYU's Conference on Family History and Genealogy on Wednesday.

"I believe we have a crisis in our midst," Witcher said. "We have left the care of our written records largely in the hands of disinterested strangers." He said these records include everything from birth records to tombstones — and more and more they are disappearing.
Libraries are limiting hours and public access to materials. Courthouses are engaging in "radical sampling," where they take a few samples of large collections of old records and destroy the rest. "This is going on now," Witcher said.

Witcher gave several specific examples of the problem. The Ohio State Library gave away all its genealogical materials to a local library. The Library of Michigan was getting rid of genealogical items that are not directly related to Michigan. The Boston Public Library is contemplating making its vast collections of newspapers inaccessible to the general public. Seventy-nine percent of reporting U.S. Federal agencies believed their records were at high or great risk of being lost.

"At every turn there is a threat," Witcher said.
Records are also disappearing on a personal level. "Who is writing letters anymore?" Witcher asked. "When was the last time you received a letter?"

But even if letters are a thing of the past, Witcher worries about e-mail. "Do you organize your e-mail well? All those Christmas greetings? All those family stories that have been exchanged through e-mail? How are you doing with that file management? It's a part of living history."
To counteract the trend, Witcher encouraged people to write. "Write as you never have written before." This writing can be about memories, describing a family photograph or center on themes such as a family's rituals.

After something is written, Witcher said to share it with others. Otherwise, he said "many of those precious pieces of living history go into landfills."

Witcher said to publish — locally to family or even on a website such as werelate.org. Just be careful with personal information of living individuals. The object is to create a record that will be there for descendants.

"We have an awesome responsibility ahead of us," Witcher said. "In so many ways, we have history in our hands. What are we going to do with it? If we wait, if we relegate for someone else to take care of, we are endangering that history — that history may be lost."

Even though this article is mainly focusing on US genealogy, it doesn't mean that it cannot happen here in the UK and other countries as well. As a genealogy community, it is important to be active and not let things get "lost" to future generations. All these "cost saving meaures" by governments via the archives and libraries are potentially fatal to all of us. It is great that many documents are being digitalized, but at the same time don't trash the original paper records.

There is also the point that due to the digital age, paper records are not being left like in the past. But, in a way, the computer is just another method of "writing" things down. In some ways it might be easier as documents are saved and copies made very easily - cds, USB jump-drives, etc.

No doubt things will change as they always do because of technology advances, etc. Genealogical research is no exception to this - who would have thought that so much could be done on the computer in the comfort of one's home. In some instances this may not have been the best thing to have happened, as people are not using their local archives and libraries like they used to. This is some of the reason why libraries have cut hours, jobs, etc. The computer has been a great tool for family history research, but at what cost in the long run?

I don't think that the "Dark Ages" are on us yet, but if we are not careful it just might come at us before we realize it - the boiling of a frog saying comes to mind. One of the things to keep in mind when doing research is to make sure you leave a "paper trail" behind you. Also, keep your work saved in various formats for others. Another good tip is to make sure to let people know not to throw away your own records if anything should happen to you in the future. If a family member doesn't want any of your hard work, please donate it to your local library or other facility.

This article definitely makes you think.

Newest Season of WDYTYA UK on Tonight

2010-07-19T15:36:00.001Z

Hello All -

Well tonight is the big night for the new season of the UK version of Who Do You Think You Are?
The first episode will feature Bruce Forsyth - it will have a very interesting tale about his great grandfather and the possibility of bigamy. It will be on at 9:00 p.m. on BBC tonight (Monday).

Over 400 Year Old Map of Renfewshire on Show

2010-07-19T15:30:00.001Z

Hello All -

At the Library of Scotland their will be on show of an old map of Renfrewshire, at least 400 years old, created by Timothy Pont. This will be a rare glimpse into seeing cartography from the 16th century. I am a big one for maps myself, so this is so interesting to see all the "old" names in the Renfrewshire area that are still here today. The full article about the map can be read here:

http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/paisley-news/2010/07/16/old-map-of-renfrewhire-on-show-87085-26861499/

US Version WDYTYA? on Tonight BBC

2010-07-12T08:02:00.002Z

Hello All -

The Susan Sarandon episode of the US version of Who Do You Think You Are? is on tonight at 10:35 pm on BBC1. Also, on the 19th of this month, the new series of the UK WDYTYA? begins on BBC. This was mentioned in more detail in one of my previous posts. Looks like a great month for genealogy tv.

Breakthrough in Helping Families Go Back To Their Roots

2010-07-07T10:07:00.002Z

Hello All -

A nice article in the Scotland Herald yesterday. According to the article, "Scottish scientists have found a way to identify a person’s family roots to within a few miles, raising the possibility that city dwellers could soon trace their descendants back to their ancestral village." They say that the technique could be in effect within 5 years. This sounds quite exciting news for the world of genealogy and family history. It will be interesting to see it work and how accurate it will be after all the inital tests are done. There does appear to be a bit of a drawback though in the research, "The method cannot yet be applied to people who live in cities, as the industrial revolution and subsequent urbanisation mixed up the gene pool." The science of DNA and family history is getting more sophisticated step by step. No telling how much we will learn from our DNA and our ancestry in the future.

To read the full article just follow the link here: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/scots-breakthrough-in-helping-families-go-back-to-their-roots-1.1039443

Who Do You Think You Are? (US Version) on Tonight

2010-07-04T11:09:00.000Z

Hello All -

Part two of the US version of WDYTYA? is on tonight at 9:15 pm on BBC1.

2011 SAFHS Conference

2010-06-30T08:08:00.002Z

Hello All -

The Scottish Association of Family History Societies has announced its 2011 Conference.
It will be hosted by the Scottish Genealogy Society and will be located in Edinburgh on the
26th of June.

To see more information on this upcoming event please see the SGS website at:
http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/Conference.aspx

You can also check out the new website for the SGS which looks to have been revamped.

New Series of WDYTYA UK 2010

2010-06-18T17:10:00.002Z

Hello All -

The BBC has just announced the new series of Who Do You Think You Are for 2010. Their website says the new series will start at the end of July. The new celebrities appearing this time around are: Bruce Forsyth, Rupert Everett, Monty Don, Jason Donovan, married couple
Rupert Penry-Jones and Dervla Kirwan, Alan Cumming, and Alexander Armstrong. The link below will give more details on the upcoming show.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10340178.stm

Just to briefly mention the fact that the BBC has shown the first episode of the US version with Sarah Jessica Parker this past weekend. For us in the UK, well at least for me anyway, the series cannot be seen via the NBC website - I think country restrictions of some sort. I haven't yet looked to see if the other epsiodes will be shown on the BBC. Hopefully they will be.

I know it is late in the game for me to do any sort of review of this first episode, but last weekend was the first time I was able to view it. In general I enjoyed it - I love watching any sort of genealogy on tv. Just a few thoughts that did come to mind is that I did find that it went a bit fast compared to the UK version. I also thought that you didn't really get to see how the lines of Sarah's ancestry were developed - jumps the generations a bit due to the fast pace of the show. I did cringe a bit when I saw her pencil too close to the original 1600s document. There were no white protective gloves worn as one would do in an archive touching very old documents. I cannot be certain of how really excited Sarah was - a bit too over the top for me. I have read other reviews that have noticed the same things. I guess I am more used to the UK version.
But overall the US version was good and worth watching.

Looks like it will be a good Summer of genealogy tv to watch - us geneaholics will be satisfied.

Evidence Management

2010-06-01T09:04:00.002Z

Hello All -

One of my favourite genealogy blogs is the Ancestry Insider, and for the past wee while he has been writing a series of posts regarding Evidence Management involved within genealogy programmes/software. Very interesting to read and makes you think. You can read his series of posts on the subject here: http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/

History Cold Case BBC2

2010-05-28T17:36:00.004Z

Hello All -

There has been a very interesting tv programme on BBC2 on Thursday nights called "History Cold Case." I think the series is over now, but I think you can still watch episodes of it on the BBC website, or on catch-up via Virgin Media Cable TV. Here is the link for the programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sd9kl

I only saw last night's episode - "Crossbones Girl." I must say that I really enjoyed this show. It is definitely a show that would be of great interest to family historians. According to the BBC website in a brief description of the show, "History series which sees skeletons of everyday people from across the ages analysed in staggering detail, opening new windows on the history of our forebears."

Since I have only been able to watch the last episode, I can't say much about the previous ones. However, last night's show really bought the skeletal remains into social context very well. They even may have found what this very young woman's name may have been - their discoveries fit quite well with the name found in the hospital and burial records. That is what I call quality and thorough research. The programme really brought this woman to life, even did a facial reconstruction of her skull to show what she may have looked like. By the end of the show you felt that you had a sense of who she was and felt sorry for her - she appears to have been a young prostitute suffering from syphilis who died very young (possibly 19 years old).

History Cold Case if a very well done programme and hopefully the BBC will do another run of it soon.

ScotGen Awarded Top 100 Genealogy Sites!

2010-05-12T16:47:00.003Z

Hello All -

Just a quick mention (and shameless plug) of our humble wee blog being awarded as one of the top 100 Genealogy Sites by MyHeritage.com. I can say that this blog is in great company with the others on the list - top notch sites. See MyHeritage.com's blog site for the complete list:

http://blog.myheritage.com/myheritage-coms-top-100-genealogy-sites-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-442

Too Many Family History Magazines in UK?

2010-05-09T18:11:00.003Z

Hello All -

I know that this might seem a strange post after my previous one regarding the new Your Family History magazine being on the market now, but I will delve into this opinion of mine. I did think about all the family history magazines on the newstand when I saw this new one out on the shelves at the local W.H. Smiths. I will admit that I do like reading magazine, especially ones to do with genealogy and family history. However, are there too many out there? Are these magazines just overlapping each other in their content?

In the US there was the closing of the Ancestry magazine recently, and the closing of Everton's Genealogical Helper about a year ago or so. In the UK Ancestors magazine has just recently ceased publication in the last few months. Is it the bad economy causing this to happen, or is it just a saturation of genealogy publications on the market? I am not too sure to be honest -perhaps a combination of these and other reasons not mentioned.

In my humble opinion, I do think that there is a bit of a saturation of family history magazines on the market, especially in the UK - there are at least 4-5 different ones on the newstands now. Don't get me wrong, I fully support a free marketplace where anyone can publish any magazine they want and if the market supports it to keep it on the shelves that's great. I just sort of think some of the magazines, at least in the UK, seem to be all the same with a few exceptions. There really needs to be a real difference between these publications. For example, the new publication out that I just mentioned (YFH) focuses more attention on social history rather than just basic research and records, which is what many of the others focus on. There is nothing wrong with that, but there doesn't need to be 3 or 4 all doing the same thing.

I know that the editors of these magazines would argue that they are different from one another, but they don't seem to be in my experience of reading and purchasing these publications - however this is just my own personal view. I know that there is somewhat of a difference in style and context, but they just seem too similar to me.

For example, there has been times when I have seen one month a magazine will feature on wills as one of their main articles, then the next month another magazine will do a main article on the same thing. For me personally, I would like to see a vast difference in content and audience for these magazines. There could be the one for the beginner, one for methodology, one for Scottish content, one for Welsh content, one for the advanced genealogist, one for social history (YFH is doing this now), one for just computers and technology in family history, just to name a few ideas. Not to complain, but many of these magazines simply focus too much on English research and records - this is definitely needed, but there is no need for 3 or 4 doing this.

However, the marketplace will always dictate who survives and who doesn't. So far in the UK these magazines have survived, with the exception of one in the recent past.

New UK Family History Magazine on the Market

2010-05-09T17:43:00.003Z

Hello All -

There is a new kid on the block in the family history magazine market - it is called Your Family History. It is edited by Nick Barratt, which in itself is a good reason to buy this magazine. What makes this magazine a bit different from the others is that according to Mr. Barratt's introduction article "YFH is different from other titles you might have seen in two important respects. Firstly, we’ve assembled a team of leading experts, researchers and historians to show you not only how to discover who your ancestors were, but also guide you into the rich local and social history that brings context to their lives. We will be featuring a range of topics each issue, linking your personal research with local and national heritage themes through our connections with English Heritage, National Trust and the world of archives.
However, what makes us unique is that we want to featureYOUR stories, YOUR discoveries, YOUR mysteries and YOUR documents."

Who are the experts for the magazine: Dr. Barratt, Laura Berry, Dr. Julia Hofmann, Dr. Jessica Lutkin, Chris Pomery, Amber Strang, and Dave Annal. All have many years of experience in family history, and their specializations. You can go to the magazine website at http://www.your-familyhistory.com/ to read more about these experts.

The first issue is out now. I have purchased this issue the other day, and it seems to be really good. It has a "How To" section, a "Casebook" section, "Social History" section, "Local Archives" section, "History Mysteries" section, "On The Web" section, and the "People's Archive" section, plus reviews of software and books on the market or soon to be coming on the market.

The layout and graphics are quite similar to Your Family Tree magazine, but Your Family History does things their own way in its content - as Dr. Barratt states in his introduction it is more focused on social history and you as a family historian, and not so much as a beginner's guide to doing basic research like the other magazines. Social history can be somewhat left out when first doing family history research, but this magazine puts it into the forefront and shows how vital it is in family history. It lets your ancestors be alive and not just a name and date and place - these folks had lived a life and it is important not to forget them in their historical context. As the saying goes - "putting flesh on the bones." This is what makes family history so much fun.

To find out more about this new magazine please view their website at http://www.your-familyhistory.com/. Also, they are offering Dr. Nick Barratt's new book for free with every new subscription. That in itself is worth it. Dr. Barratt is one of the leading UK genealogists today, and his work is excellent. You can also go to any W.H. Smiths and other newsagents and booksellers to get a copy.

A Eureka Moment For One Paisley Buddy

2010-05-04T08:55:00.002Z

Hello All -

Here's a nice story found in one of the local newspapers yesterday. It just shows that one should not give up searching even if at first you don't find anything - keep looking. Mr. Smith has searched his ancestry for a while now, and like many amateur family historians he stumbled upon an elusive ancestor in his dogged determination to search for him. Read the full story about his discovery in the Paisley Express link below.

http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/2010/05/03/buddie-s-long-search-for-relative-has-happy-ending-87085-26349802/

Saving Ellis Island

2010-04-12T08:06:00.002Z

Hello All -

The Save Ellis Island Foundation is in need of donations to help in their quest to rejuvinate the south part of Ellis Island. Their vision is to see the whole buildings and infrastructure of this part of the southern part of the facility to be restored and hopefully made into new facilities for the public to use. Fox News had a story on it yesterday:
http://video.foxnews.com/#/v/4145852/saving-ellis-island/?playlist_id=87249

The Save Ellis Island website and how to contribute to their cause can be found here:
http://www.saveellisisland.org/site/PageServer

I know that many, many Americans will have an ancestor(s) that made way to this place when he or she had their dream of coming to the United States to make a better life for themselves and their family. Ellis Island is a national treasure and a vital part of American history.

Beware the Family Tree? Hide the Skeleton or Not....

2010-04-09T11:15:00.003Z

Hello All -

In today's UK Daily Mail there is an interesting article on finding those skeletons and unknown unpleasant facts about our ancestors lives in the family tree. You can read the full article here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1264659/Beware-family-tree-You-lift-lid-things-youd-know.html

The fact of doing genealogy and family history is that it might uncover some unfavourable things about an ancestor's life. There is no need to hide it in my opinion. A person today cannot be responsible for what a person did years ago or many decades ago. An ancestor in the family that may have done a "bad" thing in their life is part of the history of the family.

I do understand that there are things that someone may have done that is quite shameful and embarrassing to other members of the family. It is up to your own judgement and personal discretion on whether it is out in the open or not. However, when performing research on the family and some bad things come to be discovered they shouldn't be swept under the rug and ignored - it has to be factual family history research. Dicretion and delicate handling of such information should be considered when writing up the family history book for others to read. If grandpa had an extra-marital affair with the woman next door, there is a way of presenting such information in a family history without being too confrontational or upsetting to others that may read the book. There is Sharon DeBartolo Carmack's book "You Can Write Your Family History" that has a good section about dealing with sensitive issues and how to write it in a narrative.

US WDYTYA? Airs Friday - 5th March

2010-03-04T19:57:00.004Z

If you haven't heard yet - the US version of Who Do You Think You Are is airing this Friday night on NBC. I know that many, many Americans are eagerly awaiting the first ever showing of this hit show - it is in the UK for a long time. Here is a segment of Lisa Kudrow on the Today show talking about the show:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#35686782

The only think is, I wish that I could get to watch it, but I am in the UK - bummer. Who knows maybe they will show it on UK tv.

An Interview with Dean Richardson of Genlighten

2010-03-03T13:03:00.004Z

Hello All -

I have been given the pleasure of being interviewed by Dean Richardson of Genlighten.com. He had asked me a couple weeks ago to do a 9 question interview for his blog. If you have not heard of Genlighten before, it is a service that offers lookups in many different types of documents for folks through one of their "providers." Their website is www.genlighten.com if you are interested in learning more about them and the services they offer.

You can read the interview here:
http://blog.genlighten.com/2010/03/01/nine-questions-with-mcnicholl-genealogical-services/

I would like to thank Dean for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed for his blog.

Until Next Time

Rory Bremner's Ancestral Story in the Daily Mail

2010-02-27T14:52:00.002Z

Hello All -

In the Daily Mail today (Saturday, 27th) there is an article by British comedian/impressionist Rory Bremner about his family history. Rory was one of the participants in the UK version of WDYTA. In the article he writes about his hero father during World War 2, along with his feelings and thoughts about his journey into finding his family roots.

Read the full article here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1254084/My-family-heroes-Rory-Bremner-discovers-bravery-father-barely-knew.html

The End of Roots TV

2010-02-27T14:26:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just read on Dick Eastman's blog that Roots Television is coming to an end. You can read his post here: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/02/the-end-of-rootstelevisioncom.html#more

It will be very sad to have it come to an end. It provided many great videos for genealogy. I enjoyed watching the interviews that folks like Dick Eastman would provide during the various genealogy conferences and other events. Even with the up tick in tv programs involving family history such as Who Do You Think You Are and Faces of America, etc. there is still a need for a place for people to put their own video creations online for other to learn and enjoy.

However, on the positive side, there are still places like You Tube that can sort of fill the gap in the loss of Roots TV. I hope that those who have been posting videos to Roots TV in the past will not give up on doing so. Roots TV was a great idea, and it will be greatly missed.

Neat Map Feature - Overlay Ordnance Survey Maps

2010-02-16T13:12:00.003Z

Hello All -

If you are like myself and really like old maps and how they compare to today, then this is for you.

I was looking at the historical maps from the National Library of Scotland online and found their townplan map section - they offer Ordnance Survey town maps from Aberdeen to Wigtown with most Scottish towns in between. The years range from 1847-1895. What is exciting about this feature is that it allows you to overlay the old map with the new current map from Google. See the weblink below and have fun with this great tool - really fascinating to say the least.

http://www.nls.uk/maps/townplans/overlays.html

Will The UK Census Become Extinct in 2011?

2010-02-15T14:26:00.002Z

Hello All -

I saw a great post by one of my fellow colleagues Chris Paton regarding the 2011 census in the UK and the possibility of it being the last one taken. There is an interesting article about this found in The Times newspaper http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7026322.ece
This article was linked by Chris as well.

This would be a dissappointment for at least the genealogy community. I know that taking a census is an expensive undertaking by the government, but it has been around since 1801. It is also can be viewed as unreliable as some people will try to be "funny" or feel it an invasion of their privacy and will give the wrong information on the questionaire. However, there are many who will be responsible and give the right information. If one looks at the previous public census returns from 1841-1901 in Scotland (1911 in England & Wales), these have incorrect information as well. However, for the most part the information will be fairly reliable.

The census is a valuable resource for the family historian and genealogist. It will be a very sad day if the UK government decides to scrap it. No doubt there would be something to take its place. You hope that they don't think about doing this in other counties such as the US. However, in the US the census is used more as a political tool to decide how many Congressman there will be, statistical analysis of the country, just to name a few. Also, it is required by the US Constitution.

It will be interesting to see if this happens or not - hopefully not. There are still honest people out there who will take the census seriously and not use it as a joke or an invasion of privacy. It has been taken for years, what is the big problem now?

If You Are In North Carolina on March 15th ....

2010-02-13T09:16:00.004Z

Hello All -

I received an email from the North Carolina Genealogical Society about their upcoming presentation in Raleigh, NC. If you are interested in Irish and Scots-Irish ancestry this looks like a must see event. The Ulster Historical Foundation is one of the premier authorities on Ulster Ireland and the Scots-Irish. So, if you happen to be in North Carolina on the 15th of March this would be a good event to go to. The information regarding it is below:

The North Carolina Genealogical Society presents "Our Irish and Scots-Irish Ancestors" with Fintan Mullan and Brian Trainor of the Ulster Historical Foundation, Monday, 15 March 2010 at the North Carolina Archives Auditorium, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 (directions).

Fintan Mullan has been Executive Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation since 2001. He is a non-executive director of the Irish Family History Foundation, a board member of the Northern Ireland Publications Resource (NIPR), a member of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Readers Forum, and a non-executive director of the International Society for British Genealogy & Family History. He has spoken widely in the United States about Irish family history research, and has also spoken in Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand. He was educated at Queen's University Belfast where he received a bachelors degree in Irish Politics and Philosophy and a masters degree in Organization and Management. Brian Trainor retired as Research Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation in 2006 and now works part-time as a consultant for the organization. Formerly Director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and Chairman of the Irish Manuscripts Commission, he has also held a lecturing post in history at Queen's University Belfast and a fellowship with the Institute of Historical Research in London. Educated at St Columb's College in Derry, and Queen's University Belfast, he holds a 1st Class Honours degree in History, has been awarded a Doctorate of Letters from the University of Ulster, and holds Doctorate of Law from the National University of Ireland.

Registration is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. For additional information, including web or US Mail registration, please visit the homepage of the North Carolina Genealogical Society website: http://www.ncgenealogy.org/

YFT Collectors' Pack

2010-02-05T14:13:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just bought the new Your Family Tree Collectors' Pack - what is that you ask?
It is Your Family Tree magazine March 2010 which also includes another magazine that is
called Computing for Family Historians and a cd of over 30 family history
programs for your computer (worth £150 as the cover states).

As I say I have just bought it and haven't had time to got through it in any way, but
it look like good stuff. YFT always puts out really good information and is in my
opinion one of the best British genealogy magazines on the newstand. If you haven't
done so already, go out and get your copy - retail price at £5.99 which is a good price
for what you get.

WDYTYA Live 2010 Coming Soon to London

2010-02-02T18:28:00.004Z

Hello All -

Here is a date for your diary - February 26-28, 2010 in Olympia, London, England.
Yes, that means Who Do You Think You Are Live is on again for another full packed couple
of days. If you haven't been to this show before, it is well worth it to try to make the trip to London. It seems like each year it gets bigger and better. In the February issue of the magazine WDYTYA it has a several page brochure of what's on and the various workshops happening, the celebrity appearances, just to name a few things off the top of my head. It should still be on the newstands as we speak. If you can't get ahold of the magazine, just go to the website to see
all the goings on, as well as being able to purchase your ticket(s) to go. They are currently offering 2 for 1 tickets.

http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.co.uk/

While you are in London, go check out the Society of Genealogist, which has a great library and offers many great lectures and other events at their facility. See their website at http://www.sog.org.uk/index.shtml

Digging Up Your Roots Episode 3 at Noon, 17th Jan.

2010-01-17T10:05:00.001Z

Hello All -

Just a reminder to listen to the next episode (episode 3) of Digging Up Your Roots today at noon
on BBC Radio Scotland.

Happy to Receive the Happy 101 Award

2010-01-14T16:19:00.006Z

Hello All -

Just received the Happy 101 Award. Many thanks to Earline Hines Bradt of Ancestral Notes blog for the honour.

The responsibilities of receiving this award include naming ten things that make you happy and then passing it along to ten friends. Ten things that make me happy are (in no particular order):

1. Being a genealogist and all that goes with it

2. My family and friends

3. Working on the computer (doing family history of course, other things too)

4. Books/Reading - nonfiction

5. Cooking - not French Chef quality, but good homecooking

6. Hill Walking in the Scottish countryside

7. Taking day trips in the car

8. My faith

9. Being from Texas and my southern roots

10. Being in Scotland in the Summer months and not in Texas

The ten people I would like to honor with this award are - ones that I think have not been honoured yet (please excuse me if the award has been given to you already):

http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/

http://wetree.blogspot.com/

http://elysesgenes.blogspot.com/

http://professionaldescendant.blogspot.com/

http://genealogist-in-training.blogspot.com/

http://pcgenealogist.com/

http://www.thinkgenealogy.com/

http://small-leavedshamrock.blogspot.com/

http://blog.geneablogie.net/

http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com/

Thank you again for the award - it makes me very happy.

Family Tree Going Back to Medieval Kings and Adam & Eve?

2010-01-14T13:15:00.005Z

Hello All -

I was having a look on one of the many genealogy blogs that I like to read, and found a great entry about family tree going back to Adam and Eve and Medieval genealogy in general. What a great thing to discuss. So often I have found online genealogies on the various websites that let folks upload their trees, and have found the William the Conqueror and all the various medieval Kings and Queens and then all the way back through to Biblical times to end up with Adam and Eve. Myself personally, I do have my own view of being an Adam & Eve descendant, but I will not share it here.

The blog that I was reading was from Genealogy Star by Mr. James Tanner of Mesa, AZ. He makes such great points on this issue and he has a few good links on the topic too.
http://genealogysstar.blogspot.com/2010/01/back-to-adam.html

One of the links was to the ProGenealogist blog regarding the issue of medieval genealogy.
http://www.progenealogists.com/greatbritain/medievalgenealogy.htm
This is an excellent post for those interested in medieval lineages in Britain.

Now for my two cents worth:

I cannot agree more with the issues discussed from just the two web links I mention above. As mentioned in the links, these type of medieval family trees were made originally for nobility and royal families. It is very unlikely to be proven, unless it can be documented, that John Doe or Jane Doe is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror, etc.

It is so important to be careful with things like this. It is extremely difficult to trace yourself back to such royal families, etc unless there are the sources to prove it. I really wish that those few people who have put their family trees (those who claim to have medieval royalty, etc. ancestors) on these public upload sites would seriously review their content and amend it - unless they have the documentation to back it up.

This content keeps getting copied from one place to the next, and doesn't get vetted. I know that the web is a public place to share all sorts, but lets be responsible about it. I am all for putting a person's researched family tree online. It is a great way to share your information with potentional relatives who share the same families. But, only put it online once the research has been done to a good standard and proved with the documentation supplied. Mistakes can be made in family history, but that is ok as no one is perfect. Even the most recognized genealogists in the field make mistakes. The main thing is if a mistake if found correct things as soon as possible especially if it is online.

This should be the case for all genealogy put up online for the whole public to view. It is in a sense irresponsible and careless genealogy to just put trees online without any regard to its accuracy. It is not my intention to hurt anyone's pride or feelings - it is just as a professional genealogist myself I want everyone who pursues genealogy either as a pastime or a profession to do things the proper way. I have discussed this on various occasions on this blog, and feel that it is vital to do family history research by the best of standards. This means doing research by the GPS - genealogical proof standard.

I can see how some people just starting out in doing family history would fall into the trap - it is very easily done. But, I think once a person has matured in their research capabilities and become more familiar with the methods and techniques of sound research than they will know that these types of online trees are suspect. It can be very attractive to be descended from famous historical figures (medieval, biblical, etc.), but in my opinion it is best to just let your ancestor be who they are - famous or not. All ancestors have their own sense of importance in one way or another; they may not be flashy but they belong to you.

I don't know how many of you have seen this (it is an old piece posted in 2000), but thought it a very good satire by Roy Stockdill:
http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/NEWGEN/2000-08/0966890298
(Note: please understand that Mr. Stockdill's intent of his old post was for a laugh and should not be taken seriously).

I hope that I haven't stepped on any toes here, but I have to vent on the issue.

Digging Up Your Roots - Episode 2 online

2010-01-12T12:32:00.002Z

Hello All -

If you happen to have missed episode 2 of Digging Up Your Roots on BBC Radio Scotland you can listen to it (also if you did hear it on the radio you can listen to it again) on the Radio Scotland website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pr5j3

The 3rd episode will be on this Sunday at noon on Radio Scotland. This episode will feature
Pickling in rum, a mysterious death in the USA and inheritance battles - Bill Whiteford and Bruce Durie explore how death can shed light on an ancestor's life.

If you haven't been listening to this series I would encourage you to do so. It is not very often that you get a Scottish genealogy programme on radio or tv. It is also very educational and interesting to hear the readers stories.

Mitchell Library Workshops & Talks

2010-01-10T18:03:00.001Z

Hello All -

Just a word to let you know what is happening this month of January at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow genealogy-wise:

Family History Tours

Come along and learn more about our library resources for family history.

Thursday
14 Jan 2010
2.30pm – 3.30pm

Family History Advice

Getting a bit stuck with researching your family tree? Not sure where to go next? Why not book one of our advice sessions. Sessions are free, last 30 minutes and are available on the dates below. To book, please phone 0141 287 2999.

Wednesday
20 Jan
2pm - 4pm

Diggin Up Your Roots BBC Radio Scotland

2010-01-06T15:23:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just in case you may not know, but BBC's Radio Scotland has just started their new series of Digging Up Your Roots. The first episode was last Sunday 3rd January. However, if you missed it, you can still hear it online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007rv8d
There are only 4 days left to listen to it online - the BBC iplayer only plays shows for about a week after they have aired. I think they also have it as a podcast too.

The next episode is this coming Sunday 10th January at 12:05 pm. Some of this show's features will be: A Jacobite prisoner who married a Cherokee Indian and a Scottish Earl and his Italian musician. Bill Whiteford and genealogist Bruce Durie tell tales of Scottish migration.

Golden Rules of Genealogy

2010-01-06T14:27:00.002Z

Hello All -

First of all let me wish all of you a very happy New Year and I hope it will be a good 2010 for everyone. To get a good start to the new year, I want to touch again on sound family history research.

For my first post of the new year, I thought I would mention a great idea I found from another genealogy colleague online called "The Golden Rules of Genealogy" by Lisa Lee of Got Genealogy?. I thought this was a fantastic idea. I think that the "rules" given by Lisa are a good rule of thumb for all who wish to research their family history - it is simple and to the point.
You might even want to print these rules out and have it handy to look at when needed - especially when going out to do research.

I know that I tend to go on a bit about this sort of topic (sound research techniques), but I find that it is so very important - it is the back bone of any kind of credible research. I know that everyone wants to get it right when doing their research on their family, and you can if you follow good, sound research techniques. The rules that Lisa lists are easy to remember and follow, and once you get the rules into practice it will become second nature.

To view Lisa's "Golden Rules of Genealogy" please view her website at http://www.gotgenealogy.com/rules.html

History of Genealogy?

2009-12-23T15:45:00.002Z

Hello All -

An interesting thought came to mind today - when did the history of genealogy come to be? Well, the first thing that comes to mind is in The Bible, where we find the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (also known as "The Begats"). Genealogy has been around pretty much since the beginning of time.

I found a great article from the "Family Chronicle" magazine that explains the history of genealogy and family history. Very interesting reading in my opinion. Here is the link to the
article:
http://www.familychronicle.com/HistoryOfGenealogy.html

Merry Christmas

2009-12-21T17:14:00.000Z

Hello All -

Scotgen wishes everyone a very happy Christmas and a wonderful and blessed New Year in 2010.

For The Genealogist In Your Life

2009-11-13T13:54:00.002Z

Hello All -

Well, it is that time of year again - Christmas shopping on the brain. Here are some ideas for either yourself or another genealogy-mad person this year.

Here is a great site for mugs, tshirts, etc. called JMK: http://www.zazzle.com/jmkgifts

Another good site for research supplies is a UK company called Family Tree Folk:
http://www.familytreefolk.co.uk/page_10789.html

How about some genealogy books or software or CDs - Amazon (USA and UK) is a good place to start.
www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk

There is also the Canadian company called Global Genealogy: http://globalgenealogy.com/

There is also the UK company S & N: http://www.genealogysupplies.com/

Another good idea is the Genealogy Calander offered by Genealogy Daily:
http://www.genealogydaily.com/
or from The Family History Store at: http://www.thefamilyhistorystore.com/genealogy-daily-calendar-p-362.html?cPath=92_447

How about a years subscription to a genealogy magazine or family history society. I will not name them all here, but such as Your Family Tree (UK), Family Tree Magazine (US), National Genealogical Society, the Scottish Genealogy Society, or any of the many local county family history societies.

These are just some ideas, but I am sure that there are other items out there that you might have your heart set on. There are many places to look now online for everything family history you can think of. I have just given a very surface mention off the top of my head of some places to look - just use the shop that you know and trust, especially when online shopping.

Something May Not Seem Right....

2009-11-13T13:24:00.003Z

Hello All -

I saw this cartoon recently and thought it was quite funny, but too true when it comes to doing research. This is something that doesn't seem right - was an ancestor baptized before he was born? Do you have an ancestor that shows a birth that was after the mother's death date, or was shown to be born when the mother was in her 70s?

These are just a few examples of what to look out for. If it doesn't make sense than it probably isn't right. It is best to go back and check the facts, and also to see if there was just a simple typo from someone recording the information.

I have seen this quite often online on websites that allow people to upload their family histories for public viewing. Many times a simple typo or other mistake in researching can cause others to fall into the same mistake and it keeps getting spread to other people research the same family. A newbie family researcher can easily fall into this trap of using these mistaken trees.

I encourage anyone who puts their family tree online to please be very sure that your information is correct and you have followed the GPS (Genealogical Proof Standard) in performing your research. Always reference your work as well; that way others can go and check too - they can see where you got your data from.

For All You Genealogy Addicts Out There

2009-10-18T14:46:00.001Z

Hello All -

Thought that this was quite funny:

You Know That You're Addicted to Genealogy When ...........
1. If you get locked in a library overnight and you never even notice.
2. When you hyperventilate at the sight of an old cemetery.
3. If you'd rather browse in a cemetery than a shopping mall.
4. When you think every home should have a microfilm reader.
5. If you'd rather read census schedules than a good book.
6. When you know every town clerk in your state by name.
7. If town clerks lock the doors when they see you coming.
8. When you are more interested in what happened in 1695 than 1995.
9. If you store your clothes under the bed and your closet is carefully stacked with notebooks and journals.
10. When Savage, Torrey, and Pope are household names, but you can't remember what you call your dog.
11. If you can pinpoint Harrietsham, Hawkhurst, Kent on a map of England, but can't locate Topeka, Kansas.
12. When all your correspondence begins "Dear Cousin."
13. If you've traced every one of your ancestral lines back to Adam and Eve, have it fully documented, and still don't want to quit.

For the True Geneaholic

2009-10-08T10:20:00.002Z

Saw this on Geneamusings blog, and thought it really funny. If only.... I think the UK version of this model would be to have somewhere to put your tea kettle and mug.

New Issue of Discover My Past Scotland Out

2009-09-29T12:22:00.002Z

Hello All -

The new issue of Discover My Past Scotland is out now. This issue's
contents are:

Village life in Scotland - a century of changes
Back to school - Learn from our ancestors' records
University challenge - On course at Strathclyde
Family history - for children
Meet the experts - Help is at hand for your research
Spotlight on East Renfrewshire
Expert Q&A
Family history newsround and events
Plus: Homecoming Update, high quality photographs for you to order, as well as direct weblinks to facilitate your online research. ALSO ONLINE NOW: our 44-page Discover My Past Scotland issue commemorating The Gathering 2009.

If you haven't subscribed to this emagazine yet, you should definitely do so. So far, this is the only genealogy magazine (electronic or print) that is exclusively about Scottish family history.
However, it is a bit annoying that you can't print the articles - the only drawback that I have found regarding it. Hopefully in the future the publishers of DMPS will make it possible to print out the articles.

Nice Video for Beginners

2009-09-24T12:53:00.002Z

Hello All -

There is a nice short video for those beginning or wanting to get started in family history found at The National Archives UK website. It is presented by Dr. Nick Barratt, who is well known in the UK genealogy community. The content is mainly England and Wales, but it is still a good video to watch for getting started with the basics in family history for the budding researcher.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/familyhistory/films/puttingitalltogether.htm

British Newspapers Online

2009-09-18T18:07:00.002Z

Hello All -

There is a new website for British newspaper archives. The website is by the British Library.
There are several newspapers from Scotland on the site, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, just to name a few. To view the website just click on the link below.
http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/dispBasicSearch.do?prodId=BLCS&userGroupName=blcsuser

Until next time

A Good Handy Dandy Genealogy Dictionary Online

2009-09-04T12:08:00.002Z

Hello All -

I bet some of you out there have never thought about looking at a genealogy dictionary before. Well there is a really good one online at the Genealogy.com website found here: http://www.genealogy.com/Glossary/glossary.html

It is probably a good idea to have a specific genealogy dictionary or glossary to use for your reference in doing any sort of research. I know that there are several other good regular dictionaries out there such as Websters or Oxford, but to have a source that gets to the main types of words or phrases found in genealogy/family history is important. It sort of is an all-in-one resource to have, instead of looking at this dictionary, then this other book, etc.

The one that I have linked to above is a good one to have online, but there are other ones that you can buy in book form.

Which? Computing September 2009 Issue

2009-08-29T07:41:00.003Z

Hello All -

The latest issue of Which? Computing magazine has some good articles and reviews of genealogy software and online research tools. This magazine is the UK version of Consumer Reports in the US. I haven't really seen if you can get this magazine (Which? Computing) in any retail newsagent. I think it is only by subscription, but I can't be certain. Which? is known for its unbiased and independent tests and assessments. You don't have to worry too much about a hidden agenda when reading their publications. If you can't find it in a shop, then possibly check with your local library to see if they have it, or you can visit the Which? website at www.which.co.uk I think it is well worth a read.

BBC Radio 4 - Tracing Your Roots

2009-08-20T09:11:00.002Z

Hello All -

Thought you might like listening to a family history radio program from the BBC on their
Radio 4 called "Tracing Your Roots." It has programs that you can listen to from September 2007 to November 2008. The presenter is Sally Magnusson who does a good job. It is very good listening, and gives a good instruction on British family history and genealogy in general.
Click on the link below to go the the webpage, and then click on the date you want to listen to - it will tell you what the episode is about. Hopefully, they will make some new programs for 2009.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/tracingyourroots.shtml

Some Pics from the International Genealogy Festival in Glasgow

2009-08-14T12:16:00.002Z

Hello All -

If by chance you were not able to go the International Genealogy Festival in Glasgow in late July, their website has some photos of the goings on during the event. http://www.strathclydegenealogy.co.uk/gallery.htm

Please be sure you let them know that you would like to have another festival again next year. They have a comment page for you to voice your opinion. It would be great to have it again, as there are so few genealogical events in Scotland. Maybe next year it will be bigger and better than ever - sort of a Scottish version of the Who Do You Think You Are Live event in London.

Genealogy and Identity Theft

2009-08-14T12:04:00.002Z

Ever wonder about how safe your identity is on the internet. With so many genealogy and family history sites now, it is wise to be very wary and cautious about your information online. I don't want to be a scare-monger, but just want everyone to be careful as well as enjoying themselves online. Here is an interesting article from "Family Tree Magazine" newsletter by Diane Haddad in their latest edition:

Q. I've looked at several social and family networking sites, including Geni. My concern is identity theft. If you share data about yourself and your family, you’re a target. These sites don’t even have secure connections. I don’t want to place myself and family at risk. Do you have any suggestions?

A. If you use social and family networking sites with a modicum of caution, it’s unlikely you’ll increase your risk for identity theft. Information you might enter into a social networking or family tree site—your name, your ancestors’ names, your hometown, and even your address and phone number—is already easily available through print and online phone directories, as well as other public records. Plus, most identity thieves want your financial information and social security number, not just your name and address (or your ancestors’ names). They'd rather spend their time stealing your mail or wallet, going through your garbage, or hacking stores’ computer systems. So the best way to protect your identity is to shred old bank and credit card statements, send mailed payments from the Post Office, guarding your wallet, and being careful with account information.

Social networking sites are designed to help people find you, which is why anyone can search them. But since most of us do want a certain amount of anonymity, sites usually have privacy options. You can choose to display only your name, or you can limit who can access your profile. If you’d rather not be found at all, of course, stay off social networking and family tree sites. Other tips for using these sites:

You’ll have to supply your name and e-mail address when you register for a site, but you may not have to provide your phone number or mailing address.

Familiarize yourself with the site’s privacy statement and its privacy features. Make sure you're not displaying any information you don't want displayed.

For courtesy’s sake, don’t post names, birthdates, hometowns or photos of living people unless you have their permission.

Making online purchases is generally safe (look for the “https” in the URL, which symbolizes a secure payment system), but don’t enter your credit card information for a site to keep on file just in case you make a purchase. Once you make a purchase, though, the site may save your credit card number.

If you log into your social networking or family tree profile from a public computer (such as at a library), leave the “remember me” or "save password" box unchecked and be sure to click the log out link when you’re finished, so the next user can’t access your account.

Facebook is pretty good at cracking down on spam messages, which may carry computer viruses or spy software, that may be sent to your Facebook inbox. But to be safe, don’t open or forward suspicious-looking messages (for example, those with subject lines like "You won’t believe this video!”) on any social networking site.

Don’t use your mother’s maiden name (or another word someone might easily figure out) for a password on any site.

http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/Now-What-Genealogy-and-Identity-Theft/

Another Thing I Noticed on TV

2009-08-06T16:29:00.004Z

Hello All -

Just remembered about another thing that I noticed while watching the tv show "Who Do You Think You Are?" last night. I noticed that David Mitchell was looking at the website TalkingScot.com. He stated or the narrator stated (I can't remember exactly) that he had made a post (at least I am assuming it was the same website that he was shown being on) for more information on one of his ancestors. And someone responded to his request as seen in the show. These forums do work, all it takes is one person to view it that knows what you are looking for.

I was sitting watching the show and said to myself hey I know that site. I wonder if Marilyn knows anything about this (Marilyn is the site admin. of the website).

Until Next Time

A Bit of A New Look

2009-08-06T10:24:00.002Z

Hello All -

Just a brief mention that you might have noticed I did a small change to the blog. It is still The Scottish Genealogy Blog, but to make things a bit more snappy I shortened the title to ScotGen -everything else is the same. Also, I have changed my webpage url to www.mcnichollgenservices.co.uk and the email contact has changed as well.

Just thought I would give a quick update on the changes.

An Interesting Find While Watching TV

2009-08-06T09:46:00.002Z

Hello All -

I was watching the latest episode of "Who Do You Think You Are?" on BBC last night. This episode was with comedian David Mitchell. During the episode David goes to see the vestry home of one of his ancestors the Forbes family of Sleat in Skye. The former home was sold by the Church of Scotland to a private owner. The owner showed David into her home and pulls out a 1852 (if I remember correctly) kirk session book that she found in the old house.

The earliest date of the Sleat kirk session records for Sleat parish is 1882 at NAS. This book found in the home by the private owner is about 30 years earlier. My colleague Chris Paton has also noticed this in his current blog post at http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/. I agree wholeheartedly with Chris. I would hope too that the current home owner who is in possession of this kirk session book would let the NAS have a copy of it for themselves. I was thinking this when I was watching the program. I said to myself that document looks to be an original, but maybe the Archives has a copy of it. It looks very likely that the archives don't have it according to their catalogue.

I am such a bit advocate for private citizens who do happen to have old papers and documents to have the Archives take a look at them to see if they need them or not. I did this recently with my husband's documents that he purchased at the Baras 10 years ago. They were late 1600s and early 1700s sasine records for a family in Ross and Cromarty. These were original documents written on vellum, which looks like were in someones loft or basement for ages. I took these 6 documents to the NAS while I was doing research there to let them have a look at them just in case they did not have a copy in their possession. However, it seems that they do have a copy as well. I am glad I went to let them see it, because you never know if they have the documents or not. I know that there would be someone that may be a descendant of those people mentioned in these documents that would like to see these documents for their research.

I really hope that someone will alert the NAS or other archive to this kirk session book, or perhaps someone can contact the owner of the document to take it to the Archives to let them look at it. They can take a copy of it, and give the original back to the private owner. It will be a win-win situation all around. I am sure someone's ancestor is in that book, and the person reading the details found in the book will be a bit shocked at the goings on in it. You wouldn't be pulled up in front of the kirk session unless you needed a good talking to for something. The same can be said in US church minutes as well, but not all ancestors were angels as we sometimes find out.

Don't Rely Too Much on the Internet for Your Research

2009-08-04T18:23:00.003Z

I saw this image/poster California Genealogical Society and Library Blog
http://calgensoc.blogspot.com/2009/03/internet-genealogy-its-just-tip-of.html

What a great image, and how true. As most of you know I am a big advocate for technology in genealogy; however, I am also still "old-fashioned" when it comes to the traditional methods. The internet is a great tool, but it doesn't have the complete resources as the archives, libraries, and other repositories have. Especially if you are looking in the local area for your ancestors. Your local library or archive or courthouse, etc. will have more of what you need to find that ancestor.

In order to be a good and well educated genealogist/family historian, you need a mix of the old and the new. In my opinion going to the local libraries and archives, and doing the searching of the books, manuscripts, documents, etc. in person makes for a much better researcher. There is nothing like sitting in a hard wooden chair and desk and going to get the books or other documents you need - just spending a good amount of time searching and being able to talk to people in the facility about the various sources and your own project that you are working on. Who knows maybe you might bump into a relative researching one of your families too.

The bottom line is that the internet doesn't have it all. More and more information is being included everyday online which is good. But, it is vital that you do the "legwork" at a library or archive too. As the poster illustrates - the internet is just the tip of the iceberg. In the end you will be a much better and experienced genealogist.

The Mitchell Library in Glasgow videos

2009-07-27T15:58:00.002Z

Hello All -

Found a great site about the archives at The Mitchell Library in Glasgow. There are six parts of this video. It is very informative about the various sources available at the library. If you get a chance go to see their archives in Glasgow. The Mitchell Library is probably the best archive for the Western area of Scotland apart from Edinburgh's archives.

The link to view these videos is listed here: http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/discover/Mitchell_Library_Scottish_Family_Research.html