OPEN SPACE FOR EDINBURGH RESEARCH TOUR SEPT 2020

A SPACE HAS BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE SEPT 2020 EDINBURGH TOUR

The Edinburgh tour runs from Sept 13-19, 2020 directly ahead of the Borders Tour.

Fees include:

Pre-tour preparation

Hotel & Breakfast

Three full days of research at ScotlandsPeople Centre (NRS)

Research at Scottish Genealogy Society

Research at National Library of Scotland

As with all empty spaces, this will go on a first come first serve basis.

For more information, or to book your space:

https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/edinburgh-sept-2020.html

LAST SPACE FOR EDINBURGH 2020

There is ONE space left for each of the Edinburgh tours in 2020. Through some shuffling, a space opened up in the May 2020 tour. And there is still one space left for the September 2020 tour.

Each Edinburgh tour is timed to precede one of the regional tours that are being offered in 2020. May is ahead of the Orkney Tour and Sept is ahead of the Scottish Borders Tour.

I have found in the past that people appreciate being able to research in two different places while only needing to fly once.

As always, the spaces will fill on a first come first serve basis.

To register: https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/

Just the Packing Left To Do

I will be flying out to Scotland on Wednesday night to spend time in Scotland researching ancestors. I will be in the Highlands for a week (Inverness, Skye and Fort William. During my time in the Highlands, I will be taking in talks and the commemoration services at Culloden Battlefield.

From the Highlands, I move on to Glasgow. I will be attending the annual conference of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies and researching at the Mitchell Library and Glasgow Archives.

After Glasgow, I head to Edinburgh. I will be taking in the Beltane Fire Festival - a Pagan ceremony to welcome spring. I will be researching at the ScotlandsPeople Centre, the National Archives of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland.

I will be blogging as time and Wifi allow. If you are interested in following the journey, enter your email address to the top of this page to get the new posts delivered to your email inbox. This will NOT add you to my mailing list. I don't get notice of who is on the blog mailing list and who is not.

Going....Going....Almost GONE!

After another very successful Genealogy Tour of Scotland, the 2017 tour is filling up quickly. So quickly, in fact, that only 3 spaces remain! This will be your last chance to travel to your ancestral homeland to do genealogy research onsite in the archives in Scotland. You won't believe the information your ancestors have left for you to find!

Don't wait or you may lose out for 2017. Book now at: http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/

SOLD OUT!!

And that's a wrap! Incredibly in just a fortnight, the Glasgow Genealogy Research Tour has SOLD OUT!

Thank you to everyone who signed up! I am looking forward to sharing your genealogy adventures with you in Glasgow!

For anyone still interested in researching their family history in Scotland, the regular Genealogy Tour that takes place annually in Edinburgh is still OPEN. 

http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/edinburgh-tour.html

The Edinburgh tour gives you: 

• pre-tour preparation webinars
• pre-tour preparation package
• assistance to plan a visit to your ancestral part of Scotland
• 9 nights accommodation
• 9 full breakfasts
• Overview of records in each facility
• 5 full days of research
• daily research fees
• daily transportation to research facilities
• time to travel to your ancestral home area
• additional day to research locally
• optional evening tours
• evening at the Taste of Scotland dinner and show

Only 4 Spaces Left for Special Glasgow Research Tour!!

A special research trip in Glasgow has been added for 2017. The announcement about the tour was made two weeks ago and already there are only 4 spaces left!

The week of research will take place in Glasgow and will focus on research in the repositories there.

Tour fees include:

• 9 nights at the Glasgow Marriott and 9 full breakfasts 
• The Scottish Association of Family History Societies Conference in Fife (registration, transportation to and from Fife and lunch)
• Three days of research at the Mitchell Library which houses the Glasgow Archives. They also have access to the same database that is available at the ScotlandsPeople Centre minus the Kirk Session records
• One day of research at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society
• One day of research at the University of Glasgow Archives, which house all of the business archives for Scotland. They also house the NHS records for the Glasgow/Lanarkshire area and the records of the Friendly Assurance Society, an early insurance company.

Anyone interested in the Glasgow week might wish to register for the April 2/16 webinar presented by Dr Irene O'Brien, head archivist at the Glasgow Archives: https://scottishsig.ogs.on.ca/webinars/

To register for the Special Research Week in Glasgow:

http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/glasgow-week-tour.html

*Airfare and transfer between hotel and airport not included* 

International Tourism Management Survey

Graduate student  Jade Albert is currently studying International Tourism Management at Glasgow Caledonian University and is undertaking a dissertation project this year. Her dissertation is entitled "Measuring the satisfaction of genealogical tourists" which aims to look at what ancestral facilities Scotland has to offer, how we market these facilities to the tourist and how satisfied these tourists are. If you would like to participate in the study, the survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2Q2P7BS

It takes about 5-10 minutes to complete and would be completely anonymous. The survey results will be made public upon completion of the project.

Only ONE Research Space Left for SEPT 2016

The second 2016 tour to Scotland to research your family history is almost FULL.  There is ONE research spot remaining. This will be available on a first come, first serve basis.  A genealogy tour to Scotland provides you with:  ~ Pre-tour webinar on Scottish Genealogy Research ~ Pre-tour webinar on Planning For a Research Trip to Scotland ~ Pre-tour assistance to make the most of your time in Scotland ~ Pre-tour package of information to assist with your research planning ¨ 9 nights in a centrally located hotel where you will get the sense of living in ` Scotland ¨ Breakfast every day ¨ A Family History Talk at ScotlandsPeople Centre ¨ A Family History Talk at the National Library of Scotland ¨ 5 days of dedicated research time where staff are expecting you and are       ready to assist ¨ Transportation to and from the research facilities ¨ Time to visit the area where your ancestor lived in Scotland and assistance to    plan this ¨ Time to research in a local archive, family history society or library ¨ The chance to experience a Ceilidh and indulge your Scottish heritage ¨ Transportation to and from the Ceilidh ¨ Optional historic evening guided tour of Greyfriar’s Cemetery ¨ The opportunity to connect with others researching their Scottish roots ¨ A great way to connect with your Scottish ancestors ¨ Memories to last a lifetime ¨ A deeper sense of belonging ¨ A better sense of who YOU are as part of the Scots diaspora  Why not join a tour to research your roots and discover your heritage?  http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/ **airfare and transport from airport to hotel are not included**

"I Just Feel So Whole"

Perhaps the best line of the entire Who Do You Think You Are? series was spoken by Angie Harmon as she stood on her family's farm, looking out at the same land her ancestors had owned.

"I just feel so whole" nicely sums up the entire ancestral journey. Year after year, as I take people to Scotland to research their family history, I hear participants tell me, "as soon as I stepped on Scottish soil, I felt like I was home. I knew I belonged."  There is no greater, more humbling experience than traveling to the land of your ancestors. The feelings of belonging and connection are powerful and make a compelling argument for the idea of memory being passed down through our DNA.  

As any family history researcher will tell you, there is great excitement when you find your ancestor in a document. Tangible verification of their existence. And there is a sense of wonder when you see their signature. It is almost as if  you could reach out and touch them. Multiply that by infinity when you walk the streets they walked, see the houses they lived in, the factories they worked in, the churches they worshiped in. These moments provide a deep sense of affinity for your ancestors. A deep appreciation of their battles and struggles. A sense of pride as they overcame in order to carry on.

All of this culminates in an irreducible sense of belonging as you come to understand not only their story but also your own history. How you came to be.

If you are ready to experience your own feelings of being whole, connected, belonging to your Scottish ancestors, join us on our next Genealogy Tour in May 2016. Very limited research spaces remain, so book before you miss out on this life-changing experience.

 https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/

2016 Tour Now Booking

The April 2015 Genealogy Research Trip is Fully Booked. The itinerary is confirmed and can be viewed here:

http://genealogytoursofscotland.blogspot.ca/2014/10/april-2015-tour-itinerary-now-confirmed.html

Dates for the 2016 tour are set. The tour runs from May 30 - June 8. This tour is already starting to fill up. Spaces on these tours is limited to 15 researchers so that you get a better experience and to make the research in the archives more manageable for you.

If traveling to Scotland to conduct family history research is on your bucket list and 2016 is your year, don't wait to book or you may be disappointed.

Your tour fees include:

• pre-tour preparation package
• pre-tour webinars
• 9 nights accommodation
• 9 breakfasts
• protected research time
• onsite overviews and talks
• 3 full days of research at Scotland's People Centre
• Full day of research at the National Library of Scotland
• Full day of research at the NLS Maps Reading Room
• Daily research fees
• Evening at the Scottish Experience Dinner show
• All ground transportation for research
• Time to visit the area where your ancestors lived (additional travel fees not included)
• Opportunity to visit the local family history society where your ancestors lived
• Optional evening guided tours of Old Edinburgh and Greyfriars Kirkyard (additional fee)

For more information:

http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca

If you have unanswered questions: genealogytoursofscotland@gmail.com

Create Your Own Who Do You Think You Are Ancestral Journey

There is no greater feeling than walking in the footsteps of your ancestors. YOU can create your own Who Do You Think You Are journey by joining a Genealogy Tours of Scotland ancestral research trip to Scotland.

Spend time in the archives. Find and read the documents, flesh out the story with land records, maps, newspapers, trade journals and more. Travel to the area of Scotland where YOUR ancestor lived and walk in their footsteps.

Visit their churches, walk the streets they walked, pay homage to them at their gravesite.

All of these things will help you to not only uncover the story and journey of YOUR ancestor, but will help to redefine who YOU are as well.

Give yourself the gift of heritage. Journey to Scotland and find out more about your Scottish ancestor.

Book now at: http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca

Limited Spaces Remain for 2015 Genealogy Research Trip to Scotland

If you wait, it may be too late!

Following a very successful trip to Bruce County, which boasts a rich Scottish history, spaces on the April 2015 Genealogy Research Tour are filling quickly. Only THREE spaces remain for the 2015 tour. 

If traveling to Scotland to conduct family history research, accessing records not available online and visiting the land of your ancestors is on YOUR bucket list, you won't want to miss out on this opportunity. The next scheduled trip will not be until May 2016 and will not include the SAFHS conference. 

Don't wait. Book your space NOW: https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/

 

Great Sucess, Great Craic, Great Research This Week

We have had a busy but successful week in locating and connecting our Scottish ancestors.

Participants have had two full days at ScotlandsPeople Centre where some were able to make the connections they needed to prove a direct line. This was done through the use of the Old Parish Registers, Wills and Testaments. Others were able to read and transcribe births marriages and deaths more recent than the privacy laws allow for online viewing. Yet others were able to flesh out some of the personal stories of their ancestors through the Kirk Session records. We found evidence of irregular marriages, fornication and banns read then cancelled.

The participants have also spent a full day at the Scottish Genealogy Society. Although there wasn't a lot of headway made here, it was a great time with lots of laughs and stories shared.

 

And today, we visited the National Library of Scotland. Again some good success here. One participant found a very old published family history that contained here great, great grandparents. Others were fascinated with the maps of the areas where their ancestors lived. Trades directories, emigration guides and estate papers were also consulted with some good success in fleshing out the social history of our ancestors.

And now the weekend is upon us. One couple has gone to Whithorn to see their ancestral village. Others will be doing the same this weekend with Ian Walker of Borders Journeys. One couple have ancestry here in Edinburgh so hope to get to wander around the streets their ancestors lived on and to visit the churches and graveyards.

This will be an opportunity for me to connect with family and get caught up on all that has taken place in the last year.

April 2015 Tour 40% Full

Although still a year away the April 2015 tour is popular and is filling quickly.

As a result of several talks and two conferences, this tour is filling quickly. It is anticipated that by June, this tour will be fully booked.

The April 2015 tour dates are April 19-28.

If you are interested in joining us, please book soon so as not to lose out. A spot can be held for 14 days after which time, a deposit is required. Your spot is not guaranteed until payment in full has been received.

Tour dates and pricing: https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/Tour_dates_and_Pricing.html
Terms and Conditions: https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/Terms___Conditions.html

Last Chance to Book Your Ancestral Trip in Scotland

Following a very busy speaking schedule, there has been an increased interest in the Genealogy Research Trip in Scotland and although it is still 7 months away, it is very nearly full. Only two spaces remain.

If you are at a point in your Scottish research where you are considering a trip to Scotland, why not consider coming along on the May 2014 trip?

Being in an organized tour allows you protected time in the research facilities as well as introductory sessions on each repository and the records they hold.

Because they know we are coming, the research facilities often have extra help available to make our time more fruitful.

To make a reservation book your spot at: https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/Tour_dates_and_Pricing.html

Couple Discount for Genealogy Research Trip to Scotland

Do you want to go to Scotland to do some family history research? Are you looking to travel to Scotland with a partner but finding that cost is getting in the way? Why not take advantage of our couples discounts:

For one genealogy researcher and one non-genealogy researcher: This is a BOGO offer (Buy One Get One). Pay full fees for the researcher and then receive a 50% discount for the non-researcher. This applies to two people sharing a room. The fees for the non-researcher include breakfast daily, the Ceilidh, and some transportation fees. No research fees, lecture fees or other fees will be covered.

For two genealogy researchers, save the registration fees for one person. This again applies to two people sharing a room. Once both people have paid their fees in full, you will receive a refund for the second registration fee ($450).

These are equal opportunity discounts. The second person can be a spouse, partner, sibling, cousin, family member, partner or friend but must be willing to share the hotel room with you.

Book your trip now at:

http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/Home_Page.html

Come to Scotland. Do your research onsite. Search your roots and discover YOUR heritage.

Scotland Bound

Four weeks from now I will be landing in Glasgow ahead of this year's Genealogy Research Trip in Edinburgh. Having finalized the details for the tour participants, it is now time to finalize my own "to do" list.

While in Glasgow, I hope to once again tap into my taphophilia by visiting a few cemeteries. One in particular that I hope to get to this year is the Bent Cemetery in Hamilton, where my Carrick ancestors are buried. My 3x great grandfather is buried there along with his son. The two were killed together in a mining accident. Although there is no grave marker, I would like to visit the cemetery itself. The tragedy often plays on my mind and I hope to gain some perspective once viewing their final resting place.

My "to do" list also contains a number of archives I would like to visit in order to get some more of the social history details of my ancestors.

As a group, we will be attending the SAFHS conference in Galashiels so our "free time" to visit distant or ancestral lands will be on the Sunday and Monday. Having regularly paid visits to the Borders region, I find the northwest once again calling me. Fort William where my grandfather died? Mallaig? The Small Isles? Who knows what those two days will hold.

And of course, I am looking forward to seeing the progress that has taken place in Quartermile since last year's visit. To walking through Grassmarket and enjoying the rich history of that area of Edinburgh. And most of all, the peace that comes with being "home" - if only for a short time.

Itinerary for May 2013 Tour Now Set

The Itinerary for the May 2013 trip is now set. Here is how we will be spending our time in Scotland:

 

Monday May 6^th  – this is a bank holiday. Banks and businesses will be closed. However, tourist attractions are open. The afternoon will be free to explore Edinburgh. The Greyfriars Kirkyard is a few short blocks from the hotel. Edinburgh Castle and the Grassmarket area are ¼ of a mile away (across the road and down some steps!).  

We will meet in the meeting room of the hotel in the evening for a talk on Scottish Genealogy.  

Tuesday May 7^th  – we will meet in the hotel lobby and will travel together to the ScotlandsPeople Centre. We will be part of a Family History Session in the morning and will have the remainder of the day to do some research.  

Wednesday May 8^th – we will once again meet in the hotel lobby and return to the ScotlandsPeople Centre for a full day of research.  

Thursday May 9^th – we will meet in the hotel lobby and will make our way over to the Scottish Genealogy Society for a Family History event and tour and then will be able to conduct research.  

Friday May 10^th – we will meet in the hotel lobby and make our way over to the National Library where we will join a Family History Information Session. We will then be on our own to conduct research at the NLS. Please have a look at the website ahead of time and know what it is you are going to be looking for so that we can make sure ahead of time that it will be available to you since many of the resources are held off-site.  

Saturday May 11^th – we will meet in the hotel library and will travel together to Galashiels for the SAFHS conference.

Sunday May 12^th – this is a free day to explore Edinburgh on your own or to take a day trip through any one of the many tour coach services available.  

Monday May 13^th – if you wish to visit the local family history society responsible for the area where your ancestors lived, this day will be left available to you to do so. Please let me know ahead of time so that arrangements can be made. If you do not wish to travel to the local FHS, you may have a free day to explore, travel, shop or return to any of the research centres on your own.   

Tuesday May 14^th - we will once again meet in the hotel lobby and return to the ScotlandsPeople Centre for a full day of research. You may choose to visit the National Archives today instead. This evening we will meet in the hotel lobby at 5:15 to travel together to Prestonfield Stables to attend the Taste of Scotland Show.

Wednesday May 15^th – today we pack up, check out of the hotel and return home with a case full of new details, certificates and wonderful memories.

CNN Names Scotland As Top Travel Destination

Why not make Scotland your travel destination for 2013? Scotland is full history, culture and more importantly, ancestry. If you can trace your ancestral roots to Scotland, come and join us for a genealogy holiday in May http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca.

Get access to records not available online. While in Edinburgh, enjoy the rich history of this fascinating city. Take a city tour http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tours/united-kingdom/edinburgh.htm?gclid=CNT54KXEzLQCFYpFMgod6goAlg

On the weekend, visit your ancestral homeland, walk in your ancestors footsteps. Visit their community, church, place of work. Pay homage to your ancestors at their graveside. Or even take a day trip to the highlands, seaside or border region. http://www.rabbies.com/one_day_tours_scotland_ed.asp

Join us for a Ceilidh http://www.scottishshow.co.uk/

 

 

 

relax in a pub, indulge in your taphophilic tendencies http://genealogytoursofscotland.blogspot.ca/2012/08/tombstone-tuesday-and-travels-of.html and wander the local grave yards.

 

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/01/travel/top-destinations-2013/index.html

Planning a Genealogy Holiday

Genealogy vacations are on the rise. People are “heading home” in an effort to discover their heritage. This will have a positive impact on the economy of countries such as Scotland where the history and heritage are rich and where the repositories provide priceless treasures of their own.

Traveling to the home of your ancestors takes planning. It is not enough to show up in the village, head to the local pub and start asking questions. You need to do some research ahead of time. 

• Learn about what repositories are available, what archival materials they hold, who can access them and what is required to access them (do you need a “readers ticket” or special card? Do you need photo i.d? Do you need to provide passport photos so an i.d. card can be created for you?) 
• Learn the hours that the repositories are open, whether an appointment or booking time is required and whether there are fees involved. 
• Many archival institutions have their holdings off-site and so it is important that you know this and order ahead so that your time can be well spent and disappointment minimalized.
• Read up on whether you are allowed to photograph the images, scan the images, download or copy the images.
• Take your laptop or tablet as well as a USB stick. 

For anyone traveling to an archival repository, the most important part of their research experience is not just the interaction with the archival documents, but their interaction with the Archivists themselves. The Archivists provide the road map to the archives and the records contained within. It is the Archivist who helps the researcher truly understand the information that can be gleaned from the records. The Archivist can put the documents into perspective. The Archivist can help the researcher know where to look next. And it is the Archivist’s enthusiasm and passion for what they do that puts the passion and enthusiasm into the researcher himself. It sparks the learning, and quells the yearning.

Genealogy Tours of Scotland, takes groups to Scotland every spring to research in the repositories in Edinburgh, including the Scotland’s People Centre, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Genealogy Society. Arrangements can also be made for you to visit the family history society in your ancestral part of Scotland. More information can be found at http://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/

A trip to your ancestral homeland is both awe-inspiring and humbling. It provides you with such a deep seated feeling of reverence knowing you stand in the same place where your ancestors walked. The sights, some of the landmarks and the sounds may have changed, but the deep emotion of knowing your great, great anything once stood in the same spot you are now standing in, or worshipped in the same church you are visiting is incomparable. It helps you put the dates, names and places into perspective. It breathes life into the documents. Take the time to plan your trip and you will not be disappointed.