Family Research - English, Scottish and Irish Genealogy

The National Archives of Scotland holds the older surviving records of the Scottish courts, including most sheriff courts and Scotland’s supreme civil and criminal courts, the Court of Session and the High Court. We also hold records from specialist courts such as the Land Court, which largely dealt with appeals from crofters and small agricultural tenants seeking a fair rent. Court proceedings can often give an insight into what was happening in a local area; for example, actions for debt may record local traders and the value of goods. Click here to continue

Greyfriars is one of Edinburgh’s most famous kirkyards. Many stories are linked to Greyfriars but the one known best is that of Greyfriars Bobby. The Skye terrier was a faithful dog who refused to leave the grave of his master, John Gray, upon his death. For many years he watched over the grave, stirring the emotions of the people. He was built a shelter nearby and was fed regularly. The story of Greyfriars Bobby spread and soon, his story became one of Edinburgh’s unique stories. Click here to continue

These two albums of the Edinburgh Calotype Club, the first photographic club in the world, are among the earliest photograph albums in the world ever assembled. They contain over 300 images by a group of pioneering Scottish photographers working in Edinburgh and St. Andrews

Newhaven fisherman and fishwife.

For more go to the link on the rhs

The child emigrant from Great Britain:
the experience of Middlemore Homes

The Industrial Revolution began its transformation of Great Britain in the late eighteenth century and profoundly altered the organization of labour in that country. Moving from the realm of the family and the manor to public enterprise, Britain’s labouring population experienced major social and economic change throughout the nineteenth century. Click here to continue

Publications Collaborative Reader Information Service. You can use this web site to search and browse information from British Official Publications over the period 1688-1995.

for more go to the link on the rhs

This photo comes from an album showing prisoners in Oxford Gaol. The inclusion of photos in prison records at this early date is very rare. Click here to continue

Sir Francis Drake, Vice-Admiral of the English fleet, wrote this letter to Sir Francis Walsingham, Principal Secretary of Queen Elizabeth I, after the Battle of Gravelines. This battle was the decisive event of a ten-day running fight with the Spanish Armada. Drake wrote: ‘This dayes servis hathe much apald the enemey and no doubt but incoraged our armey.’ Click here to continue

The National Archives holds many documents from the time of the War of Independence between Britain and its American colonies. Most were written from the British point of view, but here are two that came from the American side. The Olive Branch petition was written on 8th July 1775. The Declaration of Independence was written just one year later. These show the change a year can bring. Click here to continue

This perspective of New York and Fort St George, dated 1 November 1765, was painted by William Cockburn. The city was at that time governed by Britain. Royal Navy ships are shown in the harbour. They are positioned to protect the wharf, arsenal and fort from rioters. Click here to continue

The abolition of Scotland’s feudal law system is completed today as three separate pieces of legislation come into force, marking the most far reaching changes to Scots property law in eight centuries.

The Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc (Scotland) Act 2000, the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 are designed to modernise and simplify property law by giving owners greater rights. Click here to continue