Doors Open Festival in Glasgow

 

Knightswood St Margaret's Parish Church, Glasgow

It’s that time of year again, and thankfully in-person visits are starting to return, when buildings across the country are showcasing their architecture, history, and place in the community.

Dates will vary by location, but here in Glasgow what used to be a weekend event has grown into a week-long festival and starts today.  This year, the programme has been divided into three categories: Buildings, Trails, and Activities, Events & Resources.

The buildings open for visits are also split into three: booking essential, bookable tours optional, and no booking necessary.

The trails, activities, and events will take place online and in person. 

Buildings include those not usually open to the public, and are civic, religious, industrial, cultural, and commercial properties.  Some offer guided tours, music and workshops in arts and crafts.

Tours and information are provided by volunteers, and I’m delighted to be taking part as a guide at St. Margaret’s Church in Knightswood.

Curious Fact: the oldest landmarks in the festival are 300 million years old.

Check out when your local Doors Open event will take place at https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/about/events-in-the-uk/

Upskilling for Genealogists

Having looked at some online events coming soon in last week’s blog post, this week I wanted to share some more ideas for improving or refreshing your genealogy skills.  There are various opportunities, both online and in person, to enrol in free courses that will help you do just that.  Here are a few suggestions.

 

FutureLearn

FutureLearn is an online education provider offering courses at a variety of levels, in partnership with established institutions such as the Open University.  Some of their free short courses are of particular relevance to genealogists.

From Quakers to railways, Highland clans to suffragettes, there is plenty to appeal to those with an interest in history.  There are also some courses aimed specifically at family historians: palaeography, Scottish genealogy, and using the British Library’s resources are some key ones, but there are others.  Have a browse through their list of free courses to see what catches your eye. 

To join a course, register your interest, and you’ll receive an email when a place becomes available.  Courses run more than once a year, so even if demand is high, you’ll be able to take part at some point.  Online learning materials, videos, and discussion forums allow you to learn at your own pace and chat with others on the same course. 

Be prepared, though, for the regular reminders to “upgrade” so that you can receive a certificate of completion or have longer access to the course materials.  These can be a bit annoying but there is no obligation to fork out for any of the free courses; simply dismiss these ads when they pop up, or delete the emails!

 

BYU Family History Library        

There are plenty of webinars, classes, tutorials and learning videos on this (mercifully ad-free) website.  Some are pre-recorded, some are live and interactive, but be aware of the 7-hour time difference between the library and the UK if you’re planning to watch a live broadcast.  For instance, the Sunday Zoom classes are live but recorded, so if you miss one you can catch up with it later.

Content in the classes and webinars deals with using the records of many different countries around the world, using the free resources of FamilySearch. Topics like DNA testing, Ancestry.com, and breaking down brick walls also feature in the schedule. Handouts are available to download, too, and there is a live chat function which allows you to contact the librarians for research advice.  There is also a live help service using Zoom, Monday-Friday, where you can connect with the help desk volunteers - again, it's in Mountain Standard Time (BST/GMT -7 hours).

 

In-Person Courses

Family history societies, local heritage centres, public libraries, and archives may also run on-site classes teaching research skills, perhaps focusing on special interest themes or the records they hold.  While these may not all be free of charge, the course fees will help support community groups and services.

Check the websites of your nearest research locations to see if they offer courses or are holding special events to highlight their collections and facilities to the public. 

 

Go free!

There are a few free family history events coming up this month, both online and in the Glasgow area, so here's a short list for your perusal...and if you have a friend who you think could benefit from any of these, pass it on!

Online

7 March  FreeUK 'Genealo-thon'.  Give something back to the virtual family history community by helping other researchers break down their brick walls.

9 March  Free FutureLearn 6-week genealogy course – run in conjunction with the University of Strathclyde, this course is aimed at beginner to intermediate level.

12 March  24-Hour Genealogy Webinar Marathon starting at 9pm GMT.  Register online to access live presentations throughout the day on a huge range of subjects, including advice on researching Dutch, Scandinavian, and New Zealand ancestors, plus DNA and emigration topics.

In the Glasgow area

14 March  Fairfield Heritage Centre, Govan – Family History Research Open Day. Start researching your family tree, explore the centre’s recent discoveries, or share your family’s Fairfield stories.  

21 March  Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge – Local History Fair with various heritage groups attending, and short talks planned.   

31 March  Mitchell Library, Glasgow – Library Resources for Family History. One of the Mitchell’s regular open events, this is an introduction to print and online resources for those starting out on their family tree.

Give a Little, Gain a Lot

You may already have benefited from indexed records as you’ve researched your family tree online and perhaps wondered what goes into compiling these time-saving databases.  One way is through the genealogy community getting together and giving just a little time to make free indexes possible. 

For the last few years, Who Do You Think You Are? magazine has sponsored “Transcription Tuesday”, in partnership with several recordkeeping organisations.  Simply put, it involves you reading a digitised original record and typing key pieces of information from it into a spreadsheet or free software, on your computer at home.  Full instructions are given for each project, especially where handwriting or language may present problems for the English reader. 

The results of your participation are then compiled into free-to-search indexes to the records, making them much more accessible and saving time trawling through them looking for names.  These datasets will be made available through the sponsoring organisations.

This year’s Transcription Tuesday takes place on the 4^th of February.  Why not check out the four projects on offer and see which one you’d like to contribute to on the day?  I’ve included details and links below for each project, and added WDYTYA? Magazine’s “difficulty rating” for a bit of context, with a grade of 1 being the easiest.

Stobs Camp Internment Research Centre – to take part in this project, download a spreadsheet from this Google Drive link.  Stobs was a WWI prisoner of war/detention camp in the Scottish Borders and this will be the perfect transcription job for you if you are a military history buff or you can read a bit of German or French.  Graded 3 for difficulty

Royal Navy – this project aims to build a free database of RN ratings and officers from WWI, and it’s being jointly run by The National Archives, the National Maritime Museum, and the Crew List Index Project.  If you would like to work on these records, email crewlists@nationalarchives.gov.uk by 21 January.  Graded 2 for difficulty

Ancestry West Midlands Police Records – this could be the most fiddly project to join as it requires you to have an Ancestry account (you can sign up for free with them) and download special transcription software from their Ancestry World Archives Project page.  The project aims to index constabulary records from the mid-19^th century to the 1940s.  Graded 2 for difficulty.

FamilySearch Parish Registers – including parishes from a variety of English counties, this year’s FamilySearch project covers nonconformist church records.  Sign up at https://www.familysearch.org/indexing/.  After Transcription Tuesday, you can continue indexing with FamilySearch on their wide range of records from around the world.  This is an ideal project if you haven't transcribed or indexed records before.  Graded 1 for difficulty

Transcription Tuesday is a great way to collaborate and give back to the genealogy community.  You could even get together with family or fellow genealogists and hold your own transcription event.  If you use social media, you can share how you're participating on Twitter with the hashtag #TranscriptionTuesday or on Facebook at the WDYTYA Magazine group.

The Best Source of Local Knowledge

A recent chat with a fellow family historian prompted me to think about how helpful it can be to draw on the resources of family history societies, heritage groups and local history organisations. 

Usually these groups are run by volunteers and focus on a subject of common interest, like the area where ancestors lived or originated from.  Other societies are based on religious affiliation e.g. the Quaker FHS or ethnic background e.g. the Romany and Traveller FHS.  Some groups cover a broader subject area, such as the Family and Community Historical Research Society (FACHRS). 

Paying to join a society is customary and although these charges vary, they’re usually fairly affordable.  However, society meetings are often open to non-members for an entrance fee, and are one of the most accessible aspects of family history societies’ work.  Attending a meeting can be a good way of gauging whether membership will benefit you.  Check out your local family history society’s website for their calendar of upcoming events in your area, as well as membership rates and details of ongoing heritage projects.

Another feature of many societies is their local research premises, sometimes hosted in a library or archive.  Here you can access indexes to census returns, gravestone inscriptions, parish registers, newspapers and other resources that society members have compiled or collected.  Some may have microfilm copies of original records to browse through.

One of the aims of family history societies is to connect members who have common ancestry.  They do this by compiling a register of members’ interests and publishing society magazines or newsletters.  Access to these is included in membership fees.

So how do you identify a society that covers your area of interest – for instance, the county where your forebears hailed from?  A good starting point is the website of a national umbrella group.  In the UK, these include the Family History Federation and the Scottish Association of Family History Societies.  Links to other historical societies and genealogical groups from around the world are found at genealogy directory Cyndi's List.

You can also try searching on social media for an organisation related to your ancestors; many FH societies have Facebook or Twitter accounts, offering another way to get in touch with them.

One very active group is the Families in British India Society.  Their website hosts resources and ideas for tracing those in your tree who, for example, served in the British Army or the East India Company in the subcontinent.

The Ulster Historical Foundation boasts a rather impressive website which includes a bookshop for those hard-to-find genealogical publications, and some free finding tools such as a list of Ulster graveyards.

One example of a society which has a broad reach is the Northumberland and Durham FHS, which has branches not only in local towns but also in London – this is true of other organisations, like the Aberdeen and North-East Scotland FHS, which also has groups in Glasgow and Manchester.

When you’re researching an area for the first time, an excellent way to learn more is to contact the relevant family history society for advice.  You’ll find the members are more than happy to give you pointers on where to look for the information you need, especially when the organisation has close links to local archives.  Some FH societies offer remote research for a charge, if you aren’t able to visit the area in person.

My tip this week is to look at the branch, twig, or leaf of your family tree that’s causing you the most headaches, and then find a society in that county or town to check out online.  Contact them with your question and ask them to suggest a solution.  If they are helpful, consider making a donation if you aren’t going to become a member.  Societies like these depend on voluntary donations from their members and others who have used their resources.  And if you do join a family history society, get involved and give back, especially to those who follow in your footsteps.

Upcoming free family history events

I'm a keen advocate of lifelong learning, especially in the field of family history.  So here's my pick of free family history events in the next few months.  First of all, in the Glasgow area…

National Library of Scotland
Discovering family history at Kelvin Hall 
on Tuesday 15 October, Saturday 30 November, and Thursday 12 December. 

An introduction to the National Library's extensive digital resources, including free home access to their electronic collections, to help you learn more about your ancestors’ lives.

Mitchell Library

Introduction to library resources for family history on 12 November. 
An overview of print and online resources for beginning researchers.

Family history advice 
on Thursday 17 October and Wednesday 6 November. 
Book a 30 minute session with a librarian for advice on your research.  Suitable for those with family history experience.

If you can't manage any of those, try something online instead:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars 

Selected online talks which are regularly updated, including using English and Welsh civil registration, Latin American records, and DNA testing.  Although a number of these webinars are marketing devices for specific genealogy platforms, the advice they provide could be applied to other record sources.

Some are only available free for a limited time.

RootsTech London Free Livestream 

Can’t make it to London for this? Don't despair; selected conference classes and panel discussions, plus the keynote talks, will be freely available to view live over the internet. These include presentations by historians Dan Snow and Nick Barratt, plus talks on various topics including Irish genealogy, storing photos on FamilySearch, and getting started with DNA.

There are many more learning opportunities that will help sharpen up your sleuthing skills, both in your community and online.  I'll share some more in a future blog post, but a little careful Googling* should locate events that suit your needs.  And always check at your local heritage centre, library, or archive for any workshops or talks on offer.

*other search engines are available

Doors Open!

Mile End Mill, home to Paisley Heritage Centre

Have you heard of Doors Open Days?  Around the UK, they are held annually, and include many buildings that are not normally open to the public, or which charge entry fees, allow free admission and have special events to mark the day.

This being Renfrewshire’s Doors Open Days weekend, my friend Anne and I visited some of the venues, including Paisley Heritage Centre.  This is housed in a former thread mill, and we were lucky enough to see some of the wonderfully detailed poor law records relating to Paisley residents who fell on hard times in the Victorian era.  Some of these are indexed online, so I had been able to check for ancestors in advance of our visit, which allowed me to identify one individual whose record we viewed - even though the writing posed a bit of a challenge!

1787 Map of Paisley

We were also shown good-sized reproductions of 19th- and early 20th-century maps of Anne’s neighbourhood, and thanks to her local history knowledge she was able to pinpoint familiar landmarks as well as areas which have completely changed since then.  I found some maps of 18^th-century Paisley which illustrated the homes of individual families, including some of my ancestors.

It's worth noting that this particular Heritage Centre’s resources are available Monday-Saturday, and not just on special occasions like today.  Community services like these are priceless, and indispensable to family history research.

Parish Church of
Houston & Killellan

We later travelled to the nearby country village of Houston to visit the parish church, and received a lovely warm welcome.  We admired the gorgeous stained glass windows and handcrafted embroidery inside, then basked in the peace and tranquillity of the church’s rose garden of remembrance.  It was extremely tempting to sit there all day, beneath the trees, listening to the birdsong.

Check out your area’s Doors Open Day and take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to see inside buildings that have special relevance to your family, their work and lives.  Some areas, like the city of Glasgow, have expanded from one day to a festival lasting an entire week, with lots of tours, talks, and exhibitions as well as access to glorious architecture – and that’s coming up in a couple of weeks' time, so plan your visit soon.

Old School

In the rush to find records online, you might sometimes neglect one old school research method that will help you build your family tree: using your resource-full public library.  If, like me, you’re old enough to remember microfiche and microfilm, you’re perhaps wondering whether your local library still has that kind of thing.  Chances are they do, but why not take a walk to your nearest branch and find out?  Or check out their website for details of their family and local history resources.

And while we’re on the subject, public libraries may also hold newspaper archives, gravestone inscriptions compiled by your local heritage society, census indexes and other publications specifically for your county or region – sources that you won’t find anywhere else.  And, of course, there’s always the trusty reference section with its trade directories, atlases, and gazetteers.

Before you grab your library card and dash off: while you’re there, ask the staff about their free digital resources.  Many libraries offer no-cost access to online services, such as Ancestry’s Library Edition, The British Newspaper Archive or the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (its entries cover the obscure and the bad, as well as the great and the good).  Now, what are you hanging about here for?  Get yourself down to the library before it closes!