SEEKING INTEREST IN A GENEALOGY TOUR TO THE SCOTTISH BORDERS

Do You Have BORDERS Roots? Last month, I sent out a poll asking people about specific localized regions that might be of interest for a future genealogy tour. In addition to the three choices I listed, people were invited to let me know where THEY might like to have a tour. Based on the results of the poll, I will be seeking interest in three specific areas for a future tour. Like the Highland tour, these will likely be a one-off rather than ongoing. The second place that came through with strong interest was the Borders. If I get enough interest, I will organize a tour for 2020. The main archives are in Hawick where there is a ScotlandsPeople Hub. Accommodations in Hawick are somewhat limited so we would likely stay in Melrose as our base. The Borders Family History Society is located in Galashiels. This research trip is specific to the Borders region – the counties of: Berwickshire, Peebleshire, Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire. It does NOT include Dumfries and Galloway or the Solway Coast. In addition to research time, I would offer the opportunity to see the major points of interest in the Borders: Sir Walter Scott’s Courtroom and his home, Abbotsford, Melrose, Jedburgh or Dryburgh Abbies, The Textile Towerhouse. There would also be time to spend a day or half day wandering around the towns associated with the Borders – Kelso, Roxburgh, Melrose, Selkirk and Peebles. The tour would likely be a week in length. Getting to and from Melrose would be the tour participant's responsibility. If you have an interest in researching, or indeed just touring the Borders, let me know and if I get enough interest, I will begin the planning process. I would need about 12-14 people to make this work.

More Records From Maxwell Ancestry

The Maxwells continue to be busy finding, indexing and making available obscure records to assist in our family history research. These pertain in particular to the Borders area. I love the use of smaller databases for rounding out the history and social history of our ancestors, and I give a huge 'hats off" to Maxwell Ancestry for taking this on.

First, they made prison records available
http://www.maxwellancestry.com/ancestry/resources/prisonsearch.aspx

Then it was Sheriff Court Paternity records http://www.maxwellancestry.com/ancestry/resources/courtsearch.aspx

Now it is OPR entries that have not made it onto the scotlandspeople website. (non-Church of Scotland entries, Kirksession entries not under the usual headins of baptism, banns or burials)

The link to the OPR indices is: http://www.maxwellancestry.com/census/default.htm
Scroll down to the OPR search options.

The indices are free to search. There is a small fee to get a full transcription of the record you are interested in.

Best of luck with discovering more about your Borders ancestors!

Paternity Cases From Scottish Borders Sherriff Court

The Maxwells have indices of more records available online. This time it is the paternity cases of the Scottish Borders Sherriff Court, specifically Jedburgh.

http://www.maxwellancestry.com/ancestry/resources/courtsearch.aspx

If you find your ancestor listed in the index, a link takes you to a shopping cart where you can purchase the full record for £10.

This is another terrific example of the documents genealogists are making available online. Thank you, Graham and Emma!