Scottish ViC a Full Day of Learning

Chris Paton will be sharing the resources available for people looking for their ancestors who may have left Scotland prior to civil registration in 1855. Even ancestors who may have still been in Scotland but where you are seeking more information prior to what is available from 1855. Church records, court records, poor records, land records and so much more.

Margaret Fox will be sharing her vast knowledge of the Kirk's archives. Not just Kirk Session records but all of the various records held by the Kirk. Communion rolls, pew rents and everything in between.

Craig Statham will be showing us the incredible resources available from the National Library's vast maps collection. These date back to the 1500s

Chris Halliday and I will be helping you to learn more about the mass exodus from the Highlands of Scotland over several decades. Chris will be sharing his knowledge of the records that are available for researching your highland ancestors. He discusses the areas in Scotland where various surnames originated, clans and clan resources, local archives and online collections.

I will be helping you to see where your Highland ancestors may have come from prior to arriving in Canada. We look at various resources including ships, ports of departure, ports of entry, land grants and more.

Apart from listening to me, you get to be immersed in Scottish accents all day while learning!

Both Chris', Margaret and I will be available to answer questions. I can assist with questions on the maps and if I am stumped can get your questions to Craig for an answer.

Handouts will be emailed to registrants ahead of the conference so you can formulate your questions.  

Meet Scottish ViC Vendor Strathclyde University

Strathclyde University is offering a code to allow Virtual Conference attendees to get a 10% discount on the genealogy short courses. These are 8 week courses offered online. The courses start in April, 2018. 

Do you have a product or offer a service that will support genealogy researchers? Are you interested in being a vendor or exhibitor in the virtual marketplace? Register HERE

Halifax Explosion 100 Years Later

Few events in history have scarred the psyche. The Halifax Explosion was one of those events. Even a century later, the Explosion marks a time when innocence was lost, families were ripped asunder and the face of a city, and indeed a country, were forever changed. 

Early on the morning of 6 December 1917, a cargo ship laden with high explosives collided with another ship in the “Narrows” The Narrows is, essentially, a strait which connects Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin.  

A fire on board the cargo ship ignited the explosives on board causing an explosion that devastated the Richmond district of Halifax. It is estimated that 2,000 people were killed by the blast, the debris, the fires or the buildings that collapsed. Another 9,000 victims were injured. People were blinded, lost limbs, suffered burns.

The blast of the Halifax Explosion was the largest man-made explosion prior to the development of nuclear weapons. Nearly all structures within half-mile of the Narrows were obliterated, including the heart of the industrial area of Halifax. A tsunami created by the blast wiped out the community of Mi'kmaq First Nations people who had lived in the Tufts Cove area for generations.

As genealogists are wont to do, a wander around the cemeteries is a sobering experience. Fairview Lawn Cemetery, more famous for its Titanic Grave Site has a large area of seemingly untouched ground where remains of unknown victims of the Explosion are buried.

Mt Olivet, a Catholic Cemetery, has yellow surveyor sticks marking the graves of victims of the Explosion. Where no grave marker exists, the sticks stand in rows. Names are marked on the sticks marking the victims.

There is a permanent exhibit in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic commemorating the devastation.

A full century later, the scars are still evident and the shock and pain still raw. The Explosion forever changed the face and the history of Halifax. 

Meet the Scottish ViC Presenters!

Chris Paton

Ayrshire based genealogist Chris Paton is the author of several Scottish based research guide books, including Discover Scottish Land Records and Discover Scottish Church Records, available in North America from Global Genealogy www.globalgenealogy.com/authors/paton-chris/chris-paton.htm Global is offering a 20% discount on Chris' books during the Scottish ViC!

Chris currently carries out research in Scotland (www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk) and writes the daily British GENES blog

Margaret Fox

Margaret Fox graduated with an M.A. (Hons.) degree in History from Edinburgh University in 1975. From 1999 - 2011 she was an archivist in the National Archives of Scotland, working on wills and testaments, and the records of the Church of Scotland and High Court of Justiciary. In her 'retirement' Margaret's mission is to promote the value of these records to the family historian.

Craig Statham

Craig Statham is the Maps Reading Room manager at the National Library of Scotland. Educated at the universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews he has spent the past 16 years working in museums, archives, and libraries. He took up his current role four years ago, and has recently overseen the move of the Reading Room to a new venue.

Chris Halliday

Chris Halliday of www.scotlandsgenealogy.com is a family historian based in Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands. A former Family History Leader with the Highland Archive in Inverness, he has also spoken at Who Do You Think You Are? Live events. With Highland and Lowland ancestry, Chris is familiar with many of the resources that can aid your search for your Scottish roots.

Christine Woodcock

When not organizing genealogy research tours to Scotland, Christine lectures on Scottish genealogy, hosts webinars, authors blogs and articles. She also writes and instructs courses on Scottish genealogy. Christine is the editor for British Connections, a quarterly newsletter for the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History. She authored Moorshead Magazine's Special, "Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry" Issue which was published in May 2017.

If you are ready to find your Scottish ancestors, join us for the Scottish ViC (virtual conference). Click HERE to register

Fifth Talk Added to Scottish ViC (virtual conference)

Great news! A fifth talk has been added to an already robust day of learning. National Library of Scotland Maps Manager, Craig Statham will be sharing his vast knowledge not only about the phenomenal collection of maps and plans within the NLS holdings but also about how to get the most out of the NLS Maps website. This really is a wonderful resource for anyone researching their Scottish ancestry. 

Craig's talk will take place mid way through the day, January 27th, 2018. Craig will be providing handouts of his talk as part of the ViC as well. 

For more information or to register: https://www.genealogyvic.com/home-1.html

Scottish Genealogy Virtual Conference - Mark the Date!

Genealogy Tours of Scotland announces their new venture, a virtual conference on Scottish Genealogy Research.

JANUARY 27^TH, 2018

The ViC (virtual conference) will launch on Saturday, January 27th, 2018 at 8 am Eastern with the opening of the marketplace where you can watch mini presentations by the vendors/exhibitors and learn about the value their product can add to your genealogy research.

The line-up of talks and speakers for the day:

Pre-Civil Registration Research, presented by genealogist Chris Paton

“Seek and Ye Shall Find” Using the Kirk's Archival Legacy to Unveil the Lives of Your Scottish Ancestors presented by archivist Margaret Fox

Researching Your Highland Ancestors, presented by genealogist Chris Halliday

Cleared to Canada: From the Highlands and Islands to Canada, presented by genealogy educator Christine Woodcock

Registration fee is just $79.99 (cdn) and allows unlimited access to the talks, handouts and marketplace for 72 hours. The live chat will only happen on January 27^th.

*** Virtual "Seats" are limited! Take advantage of the opportunity to pre-register:

http://www.genealogyvic.com/

FREE Access to Findmypast Military Records until Saturday

For Freedom. For Honor. For You.

Don’t let your family’s military heroes be forgotten. Unearth their remarkable stories in original documents from the US, UK, Ireland and more. Together, we’ll keep their legacies alive.