Give Yourself the Gift of Learning

St Andrew's Day is just over a week away. We are five weeks away from Christmas and before you know it, it will be a new year and a new decade. 

Burn's birthday is January 25th and that means the annual Scottish ViC. 

We have a great line up of presentations. Presentations not offered outside of Scotland. Presentations that I wanted to be able to bring to a wider audience, which is why I started the ViC. 

In ViC 2020, we take an in-depth look at Prison and Asylum records and learn of the minutia of detail that they contain about the people in the records. Hair colour, eye colour, height, scars, tattoos

We look at records that will help you to learn about the death of your ancestors - and this goes well beyond the death registers and monumental inscriptions. A wide array of records can be consulted to assist with finding this information for your ancestors. 

We look at the rich detail contained in wills and testaments, the legal process of probating a will and the records generated as a result. 

We learn about Scotland's relationship to the Caribbean Slave trade - not a pleasant part of Scotland's history, but an important part to understand. Yes, you might even have ancestors of Scottish descent in the Caribbean.

We take a look at how best to search for your ancestors in the Scottish newspapers and the rich detail that can be gleaned from them. Like maps, newspapers are a huge rabbit hole and learning how to focus our time and attention will make for better success. Ok, who are we kidding, everyone's story in newspapers is worthy of a read - even people who have no relationship to us. 

We will look at the reasons Scots left their homeland and emigrated to Canada. We will learn about the emigration societies, their purpose, how land was parcelled and how our Scottish ancestors fared once they arrived in Canada. And we will learn of the more enterprising Scots who came after the initial settlers and how they made their mark. 

Access to the presentations will be open until February 25th to allow you time to revisit them at your leisure and on your schedule. 

All presenters will be available LIVE and in person in the closed Facebook group for ViC registrants. They will be available immediately following their presentations on January 25th. 

Give yourself the gift of learning. REGISTER HERE

JOIN US FOR A GENEALOGY TOUR TO ORKNEY!

Join me for a genealogy research tour to Orkney. 

The tour is scheduled for May 24-31, 2020. We will be staying at the Shore Hotel. 

Arrival will be on the Sunday and check out on the following Sunday. This allows time to just enjoy Orkney.

We will be stationed in Kirkwall which has the magnificent St Magnus Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace.

The tour fees are $2995 canadian and include:

·         7 nights hotel

·        7 breakfasts

·         3 days of research

·         Day trip around the western half of Mainland Orkney

·         Day trip around the eastern side of Mainland Orkney

·         Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness

·         Skara Brae & Skaill House

·         The Bishops Palace

·         Maes Howe

·         Churchill Barriers

·         Italian Chapel (additional £3)

I can take people into Stromness for a stroll. It is a lovely wee place, full of history. The buildings have historical plaques on them letting you know their history. The museum is small but well worth a visit. We can return via the round church in Orphir. If you would like to go to any of the smaller islands, I recommend you plan additional time in Orkney. 

To register: https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/orkney-2020.html

** non researchers are welcome. If accompanying a researcher, there will be a discount. If you wish to see Orkney without researching, your fees will be the same as the researcher fees. 

Thank You, Winnipeg!

What a fantastic day in Winnipeg! 35 of the Scots Disapora descended on theHenderson  Library for a full day of talks on Scottish genealogy research. As always, when the Scots Diaspora gather there is GREAT craic. 

We learned how to get started on our Scottish research, how to navigate the ScotlandsPeople website to get successful results, some of the lesser known databases that help us flesh out the story and finished with planning for a successful genealogy research trip to Scotland. 

Along the way, we shared stories, asked questions and had some great laughs

And best of all, I get to do it all over again tomorrow in Kelowna! 

Join Me in Kelowna April 10th

On Sunday, April 10^th, 2016, “When the wild flowers do spring and the wee birdies sing,” the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society is featuring a wonderful day of learning about Your Scottish Roots with renowned presenter:  Christine Woodcock from Ontario.  This is a unique opportunity to make real progress on your Scottish research! 

About Christine Woodcock, www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca:   

Having been born in Scotland, and having traveled back and forth for her entire life, it was beyond Christine’s ken to think that others who had roots in Scotland hadn't had the same experience. And so, Genealogy Tours of Scotland was born. Every year, Christine gets the honour of accompanying groups of genealogy researchers to Scotland where they can immerse themselves in their Scottish ancestry. When not traveling or planning, she lectures, writes, edits genealogy newsletters, engages with the Scottish North American community and is a self-proclaimed ambassador for both genealogy tourism and for Scotland. 

Topics:

·         In Search of Your Scottish Ancestors

·         Navigating the ScotlandsPeople Website (attendees get free credits to practice at home)

·         Lesser Known Databases for Scottish research

·         Preparing for a Genealogy Research Trip to Scotland

·         Researching Scottish Death, Burial and Lair Records

Where:

·         University of British Columbia Okanagan (Kelowna), Room EME 1101 (Engineering Building)

·         9:00am – 4:15pm (lunch break at 12:10); sales tables will be open from 8:30am-4:45pm

·         Parking discount available ($5 for the day)

·         A Campus map and explicit directions will be emailed to all registrants

Includes:

  FREE credits to ScotlandsPeople

·         Five Workshops with handouts

·         Morning beverage and snack break; afternoon beverage break

·         Opportunity to purchase archival supplies, Christine’s books and we are hoping that the BCGS Boutique will   also be in attendance

·         Please bring a bagged lunch or have lunch at one of the many venues on-campus

To register or for more information: conference@kdgs.ca

Lesser Known Databases for Scottish Genealogy Research Talk

I will be at the Halton-Peel branch of the OGS on Sunday, September 27th at 2pm. I will be speaking on: 

Lesser Known Databases for Scottish Genealogy Research

Beginner/Intermediate Level

Description: There comes a time when you have done all of the online researching you can do using the standard databases. In this workshop you will learn of lesser known databases to assist in breaking through your brick walls. These include:

• FindMyPast
• Deceased Online
• British Newspaper Archives
• Emigration Databases
• Military Databases
• Poor Law Records
• Medieval Ancestry
• Local, Offline resources

Abstract: Scotland is a world leader when it comes to preserving their national history and national memory. Archivists all over the country are working to conserve, preserve, digitize and make available records that can be used for genealogical research. This lecture will assist you in learning where you might find information on your Scots ancestor that will help you to fill in their story and add to your understanding of their social history.

The meeting takes place at the Oakville Public Library 1415 Third Line in Oakville.

Hope to see you there!

Scottish Genealogy Research Webinar

Wednesday Sept 23, 2015

7 pm EST

Beginner/Intermediate Level

90 minute webinar

$19.95

While many people want to know more about their Scottish heritage, they don’t know where to begin. Fortunately, researching our Scottish ancestors is a fairly easy task. Knowing where to look is usually where we get tied up.

This talk will get you started in researching your Scottish ancestry as well as how to make the most of your research.

Topics Include:

• Starting Your Search
• ScotlandsPeople Website
• Scottish Naming Pattern
• Scottish Marriages
• Catholic Parish Records on ScotlandsPeople
• Scottish Family History Societies
• Other Websites/Resources for Scottish Research

Register at:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/in-search-of-your-scottish-ancestors-webinar-tickets-17823308997

Heading Back to the Highlands (Games)

This Saturday, July 18th, Genealogy Tours of Scotland will be exhibiting at the Cambridge Highland Games. I will be among the clan tents. 

If you are at the Games, drop by and say hello. Share your genealogy stories, or ask for advice.

Looking forward to seeing you in Cambridge on Saturday, July 18th,

Thank You, North Western New York!

I have had the privilege of speaking at two amazing events in the past month. Both in North Western New York

On May 19th, I had the fun of attending the monthly meeting for the Genesee County Genealogical Society in Batavia where I presented a talk on Researching Your Scottish Ancestors.

The meeting was well attended and loads of fun. Great group of people with lots of interesting stories. 

On June 13, I had the joy of attending a special meeting for Niagara County Genealogical Society in Lockport, where I again presented a talk on Researching Your Scottish Ancestors. What a great group! So many great questions and again lots of interesting stories. 

Thanks for the invites, NY State, and thanks for sharing the stories of your Scots ancestors with me!

Registration for BIFHSGO Conference 2015 Opens May 9

The annual conference of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa takes place Sept 18-20, 2015. This year's conference focuses on:

• Scottish Family History
•  Photographs in Genealogy
• Technology for Genealogists

 Online registration opens May 9th at 8:30 EST. Here is a video showing the process of registering online:

https://youtu.be/hs4UgY4Sc2g

And here is the webpage with all of the conference details, including speakers and topics:

http://www.bifhsgo.ca/aem.php?eid=1

Hope to see you there!

To Birmingham

Well the time has finally arrived. This year is a bit different as I have no one traveling with me for the first time in 25 years. Also a bit different because the first stop is not Glasgow, but Birmingham. But to get there, I needed to fly to Belgium and then back track. 

The flight was booked with Jet Airways. Since this was my first time on Jet Airways, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. A pillow and blanket awaited at my seat. The seat was a tad roomier than what I normally get. AND I could plug my devices in to charge them. 

The meal was an Indian vegetarian meal. Who knew airline food could be so tasty? And all beverages were complimentary. Even the alcoholic ones. 

We arrived 10 minutes ahead of schedule at Brussels Airport. No fuss, no muss, no bother. In no time, we were on our way to the transfer gate and through security once again. The ceilings in the airport are decorated with poppies to commemorate Flanders Field. 

The flight from Brussels to Birmingham was interesting. We wandered for ages to get to the gate, only to be ushered onto a bus and driven out to the tarmac to get the plane. A 44 seater. 

Less than an hour after take off, we were landing in Birmingham. Then it was off to the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) to take in the Who Do You Think You Are? Live genealogy fair. 

The Hall is large and airy. Lots of room for wandering and not bumping into others. The morning started out slow but by noon, the crowds began to appear. There are stands from all over England and, of course, the Big Three are here - Ancestry, FamilySearch and Find My Past. 

Sadly, there is almost no presence from Scotland. Some of the genealogists are here, but the only stand on exhibit is ASGRA. 

It was great to run into Linda Kerr. We are Twitter buddies but only get to see each other once a year. It was also great to have a quick blether with Chris Paton. He is manning the Unlock the Cruises stand. 

I enjoyed a latte and a catch up with THE Kirsty Gray​! I'm looking forward to having dinner with her tomorrow night. 

It has been non-stop action for the past 21 hours. Soon it will be time to hit the pillows and try to get caught up on some much needed sleep. But first to get caught up with Chris Halliday and Linda Kerr over a coffee or two. 

Scottish Institute Day Two Speaker Line-Up

The Scottish Institute will be held in Edinburgh and will offer a series of talks by experts in their respective genealogical fields

Tuesday October 20

Today's talks will take place at the West Lothian Room of the Lothian Chambers on the George IV Bridge. Here, we will hear from the following experts:

Richard Hunter, archivist at the Edinburgh City Archives will share information on the resources available at the City Archives as well as how these records can be accessed for genealogical research

Louise McCarron, Manager of Reader Services at the National Library of Scotland will discuss the holdings of the NLS and, in particular, the family history resources that are available for genealogical research. Focus will be given to the Maps, Newspapers and Trades and Post Office Directories

Following lunch on our own, we will hear from Louise Williams, archivist with the Lothian NHS. Louise's talk Finding Heritage in Health: Hospital Records for Genealogists

Andrew Nicholl, Development Manager at SCRAN will talk to us about the resources available through the ScotlandsPlaces website as well as the photographic collection available from the Royal Commission of Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and how these can enhance genealogical research and research reports.

Our day will end early to allow for some free time to enjoy this historic city.

Tuesday provides 5 hours of learning. 

The Scottish Institute is limited to 15 participants. This is a unique learning opportunity which will also allow time to make collaborative relationships through built in networking opportunities. 

To register:
http://www.scottishinstitute.ca/

For unanswered questions: genealogytoursofscotland@gmail.com
 

 

 

Scottish Genealogy Research Talk in Kingston

If you have Scottish ancestors and want to learn more about doing Scottish genealogy research, come along to the Kingston Frontenac Public Library, 130 Johnson Street, at 10:00 a.m on Saturday.

We will learn about online resources to use, various records sets that will be helpful, naming patterns and much much more.

I am looking forward to the day. If you are out and at the meeting, be sure to come up and say hello!

Symposium Success!

The first ever Scottish Symposium hosted by the Scottish Special Interest Group of the Ontario Genealogical Society was held in Vaughan on Friday August 22, and by all accounts it was a rousing success!

The day started off with Piper Rory Sinclair leading the procession of speakers into the hall. Once the speakers were in and seated, Rory played a medley of Old Scottish Tunes and then asked the audience to name the songs he had played. It was a brilliant start to the day.

 

The opening welcome address was given by Anne Moir, president of the Toronto St Andrew's Society who gave an overview of the Society and its roll in assisting Scottish immigrants in settling in the Toronto area.

 

Our first lecture was on Basic Scottish Research and was given by James FS Thomson. James is always very thorough and provided a number of very helpful, very useful places to research in our attempts to find out more about our Scottish ancestors.

 

Our next speaker was Linda Reid who talked about a Scottish Pedigree and how she has used DNA to assist her in her genealogical research. Linda also provided a terrific amount of information for us to use in our quest to find our Scots ancestors.

 

photo courtesy L-D Crawley

 

Before we knew it, it was lunch time.

 

photo courtesy L-D Crawley

  

This gave the participants time to browse the marketplace.

photo courtesy L-D Crawley

photo courtesy Sandra Joyce

 And then it was time to return to the big hall for the afternoon lectures. First up was Dr Kevin James who spoke about why our ancestors left Scotland and things to consider when trying to understand what compelled our ancestors to leave their homeland and make a new life for themselves in Canada.

photo courtesy L-D Crawley

 

 Next up was Ruth Blair who gave us some very useful information of searching for our Ulster Scots ancestors.

 

 

photo courtesy L-D Crawley



  

 

Another short break and it was time for the last lecture of the day. Christine Woodcock gave us an overview of various online and offline databases to consider in searching for our Scots Emigrant Ancestor.

 

  

Our next SIG event will be a bus trip to the University of Guelph Library and Archives to see their very large collection of Scottish documents and books. This will likely take place in the spring. We are already looking forward to the trip.

 

One great thing about any gathering of the descendants of the Scots Diaspora is that when they get together there is ALWAYS great craic!



Scottish Symposium

Just two days until the inaugural Scottish SIG Symposium, held in Vaughan. 
We have a full day planned for those researching their Scottish roots. 
Speakers and topics include:

Basic Scottish Research - James F.S. Thomson
A Scottish Pedigree - Linda Reid
Scottish Emigration - Dr Kevin James
Scots-Irish Research - Ruth Blair
They Came From Scotland - Christine Woodcock

Also on hand are the following vendors:

Global Genealogy 
Moorshead Magazines
Highland Life 
Flip Pal
British Home Children Research and Advocacy

We look forward to seeing you in Vaughan on Friday!

National Library of Scotland Honour Rolls

The National Library of Scotland has digitized and made freely available online, their collection of honour rolls for WWI. These records are indexed alphabetically by either place or organization. The rolls contain names of casualties and those who fell in active duty.

The rolls are a collection from organizations such as schools, universities, clans, businesses and churches from across Scotland.

Here's the link:

http://digital.nls.uk/rolls-of-honour/pageturner.cfm?id=100847906

Symposium on Scottish Genealogy Research

Friday August 22, 2014

9-4

Springhills Suites by Marriott

Vaughan Ontario

 

James Thomson: Basic Scottish Research

Linda Reid: Using DNA to Confirm or Deny

   Genealogical Relationships

Ruth Blair: Scots-Irish Research

Dr Kevin James: Scottish Emigration

Christine Woodcock: Tracking Scots Emigrant Ancestors

 

Cost: $35 for OGS members; $45 for Non-members.

Lunch included. 

  

Registration forms are available at:

http://www.ogs.on.ca/scottishsig/index.php

 

For more information, contact:   scottishsig@ogs.on.ca

 

Thank You Toronto!

What a great day yesterday! I was fortunate enough to be part of the Toronto Branch (OGS) Workshop "Scotland & Its People"

The day was very well organized and lots of information was offered and shared.

Dr Kevin James from the University of Guelph's Scottish Studies Program gave a condensed history of Scotland, helping to put our genealogy research into perspective. His second talk was a brilliant overview of reasons for Scots emigrating.

Sheena Tait made her maiden voyage to Canada to speak on Scottish History and it's impact on Genealogy Research (parish records, poor law records, estate records etc). Her second talk gave an overview of the Scottish agricultural labourer and provided some of the social history aspects for our farmer ancestors. And Sheena's final talk provided resources that would allow us to gain a better sense of being able to visualize what our ancestors' lives were like.

James FS Thomson from the Toronto branch gave two workshops. The first was on the website ScotlandsPlaces, the sister site to ScotlandsPeople, where documents other than statutory records are available - tax records, gazeteers, ordnance maps and so much more. His second talk was on conducting Scottish research from the GTA and the resources that are available locally.

Linda Reid, also from the Toronto Branch, gave a wonderful and fascinating talk on using Lair records to break through genealogical brick walls.

Krista Barclay gave us a fascinating look at Scots who had initially settled in Ontario and who subsequently migrated to North Dakota as a response to the Homesteaders Act.

Marian Press gave a very informative talk on resources for local history and social history to assist us in gaining a better understanding of our Scottish ancestors.

And I gave a talk to a very enthusiastic group on preparing for a genealogy research trip to Scotland.

It was a full day. Full of learning. Lots of chances to network and some great craic. Many of us  missed out on lunch because we didn't want to have to miss out on any of the talks to go out and grab a sandwich.

Thank You Toronto!

Getting Ready for a Genealogy Research Trip to Scotland?

This year has been deemed Homecoming 2014. It is a year full of activities and events that will inspire the return of thousands of the descendants of the Scots Diaspora to return to their ancestral homeland.

Walking in the footsteps of your ancestors is awe-inspiring, humbling and deeply fulfilling. But 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 identification is required to access the repositories. Here's a checklist of sorts to help you be better prepared:

Ø      Make sure that your Family Tree is up to date. Make it portable. Have it on a laptop, iPad, or tablet so that you can access the information in Scotland. If you want, you can print off Family Group Sheets or create a spreadsheet and write down what you are missing and hope to find when you are in Scotland. 

Ø      Make a list of all of the documents you already have copies or originals of. This will prevent you wasting time searching for information you already have. Remember, you will be able to see births newer than 100 years, marriage records newer than 75 years and death records newer than 50 years, so you will want to make a list of the more recent records you want to have a look at while you are in Edinburgh. 

Ø      Know what each repository has in its collections to assist you further with your research. 

Ø      Write out your brick walls and think about what you want to find out to help break those down. Do you need to look at parish records, voters rolls, apprentice records, maps, directories, newspapers? This will help to focus and guide your research time. 

Ø      Make sure that your passport is valid and up to date. If you are traveling from Canada, the US, or Australia, you do NOT require a visa. Your passport is all that you will need and it must not expire before you return to your country of origin.

Ø      Pack extra batteries, camera cards and other accessories that you might need for those pictures of old homesteads, churches, schools, village signs or headstones. 

Ø      Purchase adapters for the change in electrical currency in Scotland.  

Ø      Pack power cords, USB sticks and other accessories you might need for your computer while you are in Scotland. Laptops can be taken into the repositories.  

Ø      Pack pencils. Pens are not allowed in the repositories.

 

 

 

Great Craic

Have just finished a very busy round of talks over the past five weeks. I must say that whenever the Scots diaspora or Scots descendants get together, there is always great craic.

Thanks to the following for the wonderful events they have organised and invited me to take part in:

One World One Family: http://www.oneworldonefamily-theevent.com/  A very busy day with records crowds at both talks. Some of the attendees will be joining me in Edinburgh in May to do research on site. Already looking forward to next year's talk.

Niagara Celtic: http://www.niagaraceltic.com/  A beautiful setting for their annual festival where I was able to take part in the Celtic College.

Haliburton Highlands Genealogy Group: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onhhgg/ What a brilliant group of people. A thoroughly enjoyable evening. I am looking forward to meeting up with some of them again at the Symposium next summer - stay tuned for details as they unfold!

Perth County Branch OGS: http://perthcountyogs.org/  Another terrific group of people. It was so much fun to share with them and hear their stories in return.

Looking forward to the next round of talks. Can't wait to see what enjoyment they bring. Gotta love a gathering of Scots!