REGISTRATION FOR THE APRIL ViC IS NOW OPEN

 The final ViC in the series takes place on April 10th. This ViC focuses on records and methodology 

Presentations include:  

George MacKenzie, former Keeper of the Records of Scotland will present on Record Keeping and Management 

Irene O'Brien, Senior Archivist at the Glasgow City Archives will present on Merchants and Craft Records

Margaret Fox, Archivist, will present on the Cottar, Tenants and Servant Records within the private collections of Traquair House estate papers 

Tahitia McCabe of Strathclyde University's Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic studies at the University of Strathclyde will present on Methodology 

Michelle Leonard is a DNA detective and will present on Using DNA for Scottish Research 

Our fun live event will be a presentation by Nick Card on the Archaeological Dig at the Ness of Brodgar on Mainland Orkney. 

CLICK TO REGISTER

Scottish Virtual Conference January 2021

 

The next virtual conference is on January 22-23, 2021. We will be starting on the Friday afternoon again with a virtual tour of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots with Anne Daly of Mary’s Meanders. Anne is a wonderful storyteller. The tour will take us to Linlithgow Palace, where Mary was born, to Holyrood House where Mary lived and her husband was killed, Edinburgh Castle where her son James was born and Lochleven Castle where Mary was imprisoned. In addition we visit her holiday home at Falkland Palace and Stirling Castle where she was ensconced until she was 5 years old. 

Talks on Saturday include: 

• The Border Reivers – presented by Andrew Armstrong
• The Scots in Ulster – presented by William Roulston (this is for those who have “Scots-Irish” ancestors)
• Borderers in the High Court Records - presented by Margaret Fox
• An Introduction to the Scottish Jewish Archives – presented by Harvey Kaplan
• Women’s Suffrage in Scotland – presented by Donna Moore 

To register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/BURNS-DAY-ViC

 

January Scottish ViC Registration is Now OPEN!

Registration is now open for the January ViC. While there is a focus on Borders research  we also look at the Scottish Jewish Archives and the Scots in Ulster. Many of the Reiver families were sent to Ulster. We will look at Women's Sufferage and our treat is a virtual tour of the places associated with the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. 

• Hannah Bell with present on the Borders Archive Services
• Margaret Fox will present on Scottish Border Cases in the High Court
• Andrew Armstrong will present on the Border Reivers
• William Roulston will present on the Scots in Ulster
• Harvey Kaplan will present on the Scottish Jewish Archives
• Donna Moore will present on the Women's Suffrage Movement
• Anne Daly will take us on a virtual tour of Mary Queen of Scot's life

Again I am thrilled with the level of new topics and the calibre of speakers for the ViC.

You can register for just the January ViC for $74cad or for both Nov AND January for $143. Look for the SAVE ON TWO registration to get the discount. 

Just a Week to Go!

The Scottish ViC is just one week away! A full day of presentations for people researching their own Scottish ancestry or who are conducting research for clients with Scottish ancestry. 

The day starts at 8:30 with a presentation on Scotland, and in particular, Glasgow's involvement in the Caribbean Slave Trade. This presentation is given by Dr Stephen Mullen of the University of Glasgow who has conducted research in this area. 

Next up is Dr Irene O'Brien, Sr archivist at Glasgow City Archives who will show us the various records available for researching your ancestor's death. Dr O'Brien's presentations are always chock full of detailed information to show you just how much information you can glean from the records available in local archives. 

Irene is followed by Aoife O'Connor. Aoife works with Findmypast and is their expert on the British Newspaper Archives. Aoife will show us how to get the most out of Scottish newspapers for learning more about the rich details of our ancestor's lives. 

The morning closes off with genealogist Emma Maxwell. Emma and her husband run Scottishindexes. Emma will walk us through using Asylum records to learn about some of the sadder stories of our ancestor's lives. 

We then take a break to have lunch, do some research and recharge before starting the afternoon off with archivist Margaret Fox. Margaret is retired but formerly worked at the National Records of Scotland. Margaret will be giving an in-depth presentation on using Scottish Wills and Testaments and how you can get rich details on your ancestor's life by using these documents. 

ScotlandsPeople have generously provided 26 free credits to all registrants. This will allow registrants to download 2 wills and one other record. 

Following Margaret is a return by genealogist Emma Maxwell who, in this presentation, will show us the deep detailed information that can be gleaned from Prison records. 

Wrapping up the day is genealogy educator Christine Woodcock who will look at the reasons that led to Scots leaving Scotland and settling in Canada and the records that they generated as a result of their emigration. 

The recordings of all presentations are available until February 25th, 2020. 

"Door" prizes: 

1 year subscription to MyHeritage
1 year subscription to Findmypast
1 month subscription to Findmypast 
1 year subscription to Legacy Family Tree Webinars
1 Legacy Family Tree Software

All for just $99cad (~75usd)

To register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Schedule for the Scottish ViC January 25th 2020

All of the presentations for the Scottish ViC have now been recorded and I am thrilled with the level of learning that is being offered again this year. The Scottish ViC is unique in that it is the only virtual learning opportunity dedicated to Scottish genealogy/history. 

The day begins at 8 am with the first presentation at 8:30. We break at 12:30 for lunch and the day wraps up at 5 pm. Following the conclusion of each presentation, the presenter will be available live in a closed Facebook group to answer questions. 

Based on past experiences, it is a fast paced, information packed day. While it sounds like an eternity in front of a computer, you will actually wonder how the time passed so quickly. The day is always an inspiration to kick start those who have not researched in a while. It provides new and renewed energy for those who are "stuck" or stagnant in their Scottish research. And it is a fantastic way to start a new genealogical year. 

Here's the line up for the day: 

8:30        HISTORIAN STEPHEN MULLENS: GLASGOW AND THE SLAVE TRADE

                               

9:45        ARCHIVIST IRENE O’BRIEN: DEATH AND BURIAL

                               

10:50     AOIFE O’CONNOR: BRITISH NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES

                               

11:45     GENEALOGIST EMMA MAXWELL: ASYLUM RECORDS

                               

12:30-1:15          

                               

1:15        ARCHIVIST MARGARET FOX: WILLS AND TESTAMENTS

                               

2:50       GENEALOGIST EMMA MAXWELL: PRISON RECORDS

                               

3:40        CHRISITNE WOODCOCK CANADA: LAND & OPPORTUNITY

5:00      WRAP UP

To register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR THE SCOTTISH ViC

LAST CHANCE FOR THE 

SCOTTISH ViC!! 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

This is your LAST chance to register for the Scottish ViC. Registration closes at midnight (eastern) on Friday, January 25th.

For those out celebrating Burn's Night, registration allows you access to the presentations, handouts and vendor discounts until midnight (eastern) on Thursday, January 31st.

No access to the recordings, either individual presentations or the full slate of offerings, will be granted to anyone not registered for the ViC. 

To Register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

JUST A FORTNIGHT TO GO!!

JUST A FORTNIGHT TO GO!!

The Scottish ViC is just two weeks away! 7 great presentations, 7 speakers who are experts on their topics, handouts, a virtual marketplace with discounts on genealogy products and prizes to give away!

All the benefits of a conference without having to leave the comfort of your home.

The Scottish ViC is the ONLY virtual conference dedicated to Scottish genealogy research. All for just $99 cad ($74 usd)

Access to all presentations, handouts and vendors remains until January 31st at midnight, eastern. 

To Register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Three Weeks Until the Scottish ViC

Timed to coincide with Rabbie Burn's Birthday, the Scottish ViC is the only virtual conference dedicated to Scottish genealogy. This year, we look at emigration, high court and sheriff court records, Glasgow poor law records, DNA, National Library family history resources and online resources for Scottish research.

There will be discounts for Moorshead Magazines (Internet Genealogy, Your Genealogy Today and History Magazines), Global Genealogy and LivingDNA. Scottish Indexes will have a special sale for attendees of the ViC who are looking for asylum, court or paternity cases.

There will also be draws for a one year Findmypast Subscription (we will cover the Scottish resources available on FMP in the Online Resources Presentation), a one year subscription to Internet Genealogy and a $25 gift certificate for Forever.

Access to the presentations, handouts and virtual marketplace will remain open until midnight on January 31st.

To register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Get the Full Conference Experience - From HOME

The Scottish ViC allows you to get the full conference experience from home. There are presentations on a scheduled basis, live Q&A and the opportunity to engage with the speakers, a virtual marketplace, a syllabus and door prizes. You can join the Scottish ViC Facebook group to connect with others who are attending. As a bonus, you don't need to leave your home. You don't need to travel. That means  you don't have to pay for travel or hotel. You don't have to pay for meals. You aren't wasting time at the airport or train station. There is the opportunity to break between presentations and a longer break for lunch. Unlike a conference where you attend in person, the presentations are available for several days afterwards, so you don't have to get up early, don't have to stay up late and won't miss out on the presentations! It's a win-win-win!  REGISTER HERE

Scottish ViC Schedule is Now Confirmed

SATURDAY JANUARY 26th 2019

The schedule of the presentations for the Scottish ViC is now confirmed.

The day will begin at 8:30 am and end at 5:30 pm. Times are eastern time.

8:30 am - Opening Keynote

                 Kevin James

The Highlander and the Lad O' Pairts: Patterns of Scottish Migration to Canada

9:40 am - Irene O'Brien, Sr Archivist, Glasgow City Archives will share the incredibly detailed information available within the Poor Law records. These records really help you to build the social story of the lives of your ancestors.

10:50 am - Margaret Fox, retired archivist, NRS, will show us the various records available within the High Court of Justiciary. The High Court records are also incredibly detailed in the information that they provide not only about your ancestor and their circumstances but also from witnesses.

Following the live Q&A with Margaret, there will be a break for you to get lunch and refresh for the afternoon sessions.

1:15 pm - Genealogist Emma Maxwell will share the amazing finds within the Sheriff Court Records, focusing on three specific subsets of these records. This presentation will make you feel as though you are privy to a personal WDYTYA episode when you see what is contained within these records.

2:10 pm - LivingDNA CoFounder David Nicholson will give a comprehensive overview of LivingDNA and how the test can not only show your ethnicity to Scotland but to specific regions of Scotland, helping you narrow down which McDonalds might actually be yours.

3:00 pm - NLS Enquiries Assistant Elaine Brown will show us how to make the skeleton of your ancestors' lives dance by supplementing the civil records with the vast Family History Resources within the NLS holdings. Again, the details contained within the records can be astounding.

4:15 pm - Genealogy Educator Christine Woodcock will share some Online Resources for Scottish Research including some of the less well known websites where you can learn more about your Scottish ancestors. We will look at websites for specific locations, occupations, social history and more.

The day will wrap up by 5:30 pm

Registration allows access to the presentations as they become available on Saturday January 26th. This access will continue until midnight (eastern) on Thursday January 31st, 2019.

Handouts are downloadable. They will be made available a week before the conference.

The Marketplace will open on the 26th and remain open until midnight on the 31st. Look for some amazing specials.

Click here to register

Why Is the Fee So High?

The Scottish ViC is the only virtual conference dedicated to Scottish genealogy. It can be attended from anywhere in the world. Access to the presentations remains open for 5 days to allow for time zone challenges so that people can watch during normal waking  hours. 

I started the ViC after attending several talks and conferences with my tour groups in Scotland. What I learned most from these presentations was that the information shared by the speakers was far different than the information shared, perhaps by those very same presenters, when they are in North America. Clearly the needs of the researchers are different. Thus the focus is different. 

However, most of the people who have been on a tour with me, especially those who have been repeat participants, need a different focus in their learning as well. And they are not alone. Loads of people researching their Scottish ancestors can benefit from the different focus. The most practical way to make that happen was to bring the presentations to them. Thus the birth of the ViC. 

I value my relationships with my colleagues in Scotland. Many have become friends. I am grateful that they are willing to help me to help others learn about researching their Scottish ancestors. I know what goes into a presentation. Hours of work. Writing, creating a powerpoint, finding just the right graphic, knowing how much information each slide should warrant, editing, practicing and promoting. It was a no-brainer for me that I would pay my colleagues for their willingness to share their knowledge, for their time and for their talents. 

We have become so used to everything being free in the genealogy world that we forget the work involved behind the scenes.  So many want to advance their research and their learning without having to pay for doing so. It's the only profession and one of the few hobbies where free is the expected norm. 

I am not a millionaire. And so, to be able to provide a high quality program, to recoup some of the payments made (for the presentations, for the handouts and for taking the time to be available for a live Q&A) and for a fraction of the cost of the webinar platform, I need to charge a fee. I see no shame in that. None. 

What I do find puzzling is why some people find it offensive to be asked to pay for a conference. They wouldn't balk for an in-person conference, so why do they balk at paying for a virtual conference? The presenters still have to work to put the presentations together. The benefit is that virtual conferences are an absolute bargain for anyone attending. No travel, no accommodation, no meals, no time away from family, work, or other obligations. Even on the day. If you need to leave for a couple of hours, you can pick the presentations up again when you get back. It's a win-win. I'd love to have you join us at the Scottish ViC!

Scottish ViC Registration OPEN

The 2019 Scottish ViC will be held on Saturday January 26^th, 2019 from 8:30 am until 6:30 pm. There are seven presentations by seven presenters over the course of the day:

Plenary – Scottish Studies History Professor Kevin James will present The Highlander and the Lad O' Pairts: Patterns of Scottish Migration to Canada

Glasgow City Archives Senior Archivist Irene O’Brien will present on Poor Law Records.

Retired NRS Archivist Margaret Fox will present on High Court Records in her Genealogy In presentation the records of the High Court of Justiciary

Genealogist Emma Maxwell will present on Sheriff Court Records

LivingDNA Co-Founder David Nicholson will present An Introduction to LivingDNA

NLS Enquiries Assistant Elaine Brown will present on the wealth of Resources available at the National Library of Scotland for Family History Research.

Genealogy Educator Christine Woodcock will present Online Resources for Scottish Research

Seven presentation for $99. All presentations will be available from January 26th, when they are released on a timed schedule until January 31st at midnight (eastern) to allow for time zone challenges. 

Virtual presentations, live Q&A, handouts and virtual marketplace all for one low price. 

Register at: https://www.genealogyvic.com/home.html

Last Few Hours to Register!

Looking for help to research your Irish Ancestors that came from Scotland? Look no further. Join us for the Irish ViC (virtual conference) TOMORROW, April 21. Learn from experts in the comfort of your home. Relax, listen and be energized to further your Irish research

Fintan Mullan provides a raft of opportunities for finding your Scottish ancestors who were enticed to the Plantations of Ulster in the 1600s. 

Gillian Hunt shares the treasure trove of information available in the various church records in Ireland. She doesn't limit her talk to just church of Ireland but covers all of the churches. So many opportunities to find your Irish ancestors.

Trying to learn more about your female ancestors in Ireland? Fiona Fitzsimons shows how it is possible to re-create the social history of women by consulting various documents. This is one presentation you won't want to miss!

Confused about Irish Land records? Chris Paton will help you make sense of it all. A great resource for Irish research.

Can't get to Ireland to research your Irish ancestors? No worries, Maurice Gleeson helps you find as much as you can from the comfort of home by sharing online resources for you to consult.

Following each presentation, the presenter will be available in the Irish ViC Facebook group to answer any questions that you might have on the information that they have presented.

REGISTER HERE

                 

Online Resources for Irish Research

Can't get to Ireland to research your Irish ancestors?

No worries, on April 21 as part of the Irish ViC (virtual conference) Maurice Gleeson helps you find as much as you can from the comfort of home by sharing online resources for you to consult. 

Not yet registered for the Irish ViC (virtual conference)? Here's the link to register: 

https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Using Church Records for Irish Research

Join us on April 21 for the Irish ViC (virtual conference) where Gillian Hunt shares the treasure trove of information available in the various church records in Ireland. Gillian doesn't limit her talk to just Church of Ireland but covers all of the churches. These records provide so many opportunities to find your Irish ancestors. 

Not yet registered for the Irish ViC? Here's the link: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Discovering Irish Land Records Irish ViC

Counties? Parishes? Townlands? Confused about Irish Land records? 

Join us on April 21 for the Irish ViC (virtual conference) where Chris Paton will help make sense of it all.

Not yet registered? Here’s the link: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

The Irish ViC is Just a Fortnight Away!

Moorshead Magazine is offering 25% off all of their special issue magazines for ViC attendees. This includes the pre-ordering of the the yet to be released Irish Research Issue authored by Maurice Gleeson. The issue will be available May 1.

Global Genealogy is offering a 20% discount on all purchases made during the ViC. They are the North American distributors for Chris Paton's books. He has authored several on Irish Research.

Check out all of the great resources to assist you in preserving your family history with Shop the Hound

WIN!!

One lucky recipient will win a FREE annual subscription to Findmypast!

Photo preservation, conversion from slides, movies, photos to digital, guaranteed storage with guaranteed privacy. Check everything that Forever has to offer to family historians.

The market place will open next week. Presentations will be released one at a time throughout the day according to the schedule below. Q & A opportunities will be available through the Facebook group where the presenters will be available directly following their presentations.

The ViC takes place on April 21, but you will have access to the presentations and hand outs until midnight (eastern) on April 24th so that you can go back and revisit the presentations as many times as you need This also allows you flexibility in the event you can't dedicate the whole day, or for those in the Southern Hemisphere who will be able to watch during actual waking hours. The Facebook group will remain open and if you are not able to access the live Q & A, you can read through the questions that were asked by others.

Schedule

9:00 - Fintan Mullan presents Finding 17th Century Families in Ireland

10:15 - Gillian Hunt presents Using Church Records for Irish Genealogy Research

11:30 - Fiona Fitzsimons presents Finding Women in the Irish Records

12:30 - break

1:00 - Chris Paton presents Using Irish Land Records for Genealogy Research

2:15 - Maurice Gleeson presents Making Online Resources Work for You

REGISTER NOW

                 

Irish ViC Schedule

The schedule for the Irish ViC is available at: https://www.genealogyvic.com/schedule.html

Here's the line up for the day:

9:00 - Fintan Mullan presents Finding 17th Century Families in Ireland 

10:15 - Gillian Hunt presents Using Church Records for Irish Genealogy Research 

11:30 - Fiona Fitzsimons presents Finding Women in the Irish Records 

12:30 - break 

1:00 - Chris Paton presents Using Irish Land Records for Genealogy Research 

2:15 - Maurice Gleeson presents Making Online Resources Work for You

All times are Eastern Time (Toronto/New York)

All presentations will be available for 72 hours after the end of the virtual conference to allow for time zone challenges and to make attending easier for people who are not able to commit to the full day.

To register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Irish ViC: Sources for Finding Seventeenth-Century Families in Ireland

Fintan Mullan will present on Sources for Finding Seventeenth-Century Families in Ireland

This presentation will look at those sources which can throw light on families in the seventeenth century. It identifies documents relating to the Plantation period (1610–41) and also considers sources from the second half of the seventeenth century, such as hearth money rolls, the Civil Survey and poll books, which are of use to genealogists. The presentation will also present information on a range of resources published in the past few years which can help researchers. The sources discussed, in many instances, relate to the island of Ireland and not only Ulster.

To register for the ViC: https://www.genealogyvic.com/

Irish ViC - Meet the Presenters

                 The Irish ViC (virtual conference) will take place on Saturday April 21, 2018

Gillian Hunt is Research Officer with the Ulster Historical Foundation and manages the Foundation’s many genealogical activities. She teaches genealogy classes in various educational institutions in Northern Ireland and has spoken in Britain and North America and Australasia.

Gillian will present on Using Church Records for Irish Family History Research

Fintan Mullan has been Executive Director of Ulster Historical Foundation since 2001. He has extensive experience in Irish family history research and publishing, and is a regular international speaker on Irish genealogy.

Fintan will present on Finding 17th Century Families in Ireland

Genealogist Chris Paton is the author of several Irish based research guide books, including A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy, A Decade of Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Irish Land Records, Irish Family History Resources Online and Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, available in North America from Global Genealogy http://www.globalgenealogy.com/authors/paton-chris/chris-paton.htm

Chris will present on Irish Land Records

Fiona Fitzsimons is a founder and Director of Eneclann, a Trinity College Dublin Campus company specializing in historic research and digitization of records. She formerly tutored at Trinity College, and still contributes regular seminars at the Innovation Academy, a joint initiative of Trinity College, University College Dublin, and Queen’s University Belfast.

Fiona will present on Finding Women in the Irish Records

Maurice Gleeson, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical physician by day and a genetic genealogist by night, is administrator for the Gleason/Gleeson, Spearin, Farrell, Irish Caribbean DNA and WW1 Missing Legacy projects. He has organised the DNA Lectures for "Genetic Genealogy Ireland" in Dublin and Back To Our Past in Belfast. Maurice has recently authored a special DNA issue for Moorshead Magazines and is working to complete one on Irish Research as well. 

Maurice will present in Making Online Resources Work for You

5 Presentations for just $79.00 https://www.genealogyvic.com/