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Angus Archives

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Angus Archives

Angus Archives is a treasure trove of 800 years of the history of Angus and its people.

Our collections cover Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, Monifieth, Montrose, and the rural parishes of the County of Angus. Angus Archives houses and preserves the area's written, printed and photographic history covering the historic burghs of Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, Montrose and Monifieth, the villages of Edzell, Letham, Friockeim and Newtyle, and the wider County of Angus. We hold burgh records and Angus Council records including school and poor relief records, as well as private records such as diaries, legal documents and plans. Whether you are a professional researcher, or an amateur family history enthusiast, you are welcome to visit the archives where you can search all of our resources free of charge. Unfortunately we cannot undertake research requests via Facebook – please give us a call to chat through your requirements.

14/11/2025

𝗔𝗿𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝘂𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲!

We’re delighted to share that Angus Archives will reopen to the public on Monday 17 November, a full week earlier than planned, following essential library renovation preparation work.

From Monday, you’ll find both Arbroath Library and Angus Archives operating from the first floor of the library building, where we’ll be offering a reduced service while ground floor renovation work continues.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make improvements to your local library and archive facilities. We can’t wait to welcome you back!

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀:

Monday: 10:00–16:00
Tuesday: 10:00–16:00
Wednesday: 10:00–14:00
Thursday: 14:00–16:00
Friday: 10:00–16:00

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04/11/2025

📜 A Day of Discovery at Angus Archives

Last week we were delighted to welcome cousins Rosie, Sandra, and Janet to the Angus Archives search room. Travelling all the way from Warrington and St Helens, they came in search of their family roots in Forfar and Inverarity.

During their visit, Rosie, Sandra, and Janet explored our microfilm collection looking at the 1710–1854 Births, Deaths & Marriages of Inverarity & Methy, and delved into local history through the books: Inverarity: A Parish Patchwork (2003) and Pre-1855 Gravestone Inscriptions in Angus, Vol. 1, Strathmore. 📚

Their research led to an exciting discovery — the address of their ancestors’ great x grandfather, James Crabb, an agricultural labourer who lived at Keirton, Inverarity, with his wife Emily (or Amelia). With this new information in hand, the cousins located Keirton on a local map and decided to visit the area before returning home.

They shared:
“We travelled from Warrington & St Helens to research our ancestors from Forfar & Inverarity. This visit helped immensely to find relations and lots of information about where they lived and were buried. Karen was very knowledgeable and found connections to our family immediately which would have taken ages for us to find. Many thanks from each of us.”

We’re thrilled to have been part of their family history journey and hope they had a wonderful visit to Inverarity. 🌳

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31/10/2025

🔎 Have you ever wondered how to trace your ancestors’ graves?

At the Angus Archives, we hold a wealth of resources to help you uncover where your ancestors were laid to rest:

📖 Pre-1855 Gravestone Inscriptions – These volumes list burials across Angus, complete with transcriptions of headstone inscriptions and maps showing where each stone is located.

📚 Epitaphs & Inscriptions from Burial Grounds & Old Buildings in North East Scotland by Andrew Jervise – A remarkable collection detailing headstones, memorials, and epitaphs from across the region.

📂 Burial indexes – Covering Arbroath cemeteries from 1863–1996 (please note not every burial or death is recorded).

🗺️ Cemetery plans – Browse layouts of various burial grounds throughout Angus, helping you place inscriptions in their historical context.

And that’s just the beginning—Angus Archives holds much more than we can list here. You can explore the full catalogue online at https://angusalive.adlibhosting.com/

We’d love to hear from you 📣—have you discovered any unusual or fascinating headstones during your family history research? Share your stories in the comments!

📸 This photograph shows four Brechin Cemetery workers standing in the grounds in front of a Crimean War cannon which served as a war memorial to the memory of the men of Brechin who served in the Crimea. The cemetery workers are holding rakes and other gardening equipment. The men are dressed in working clothes with caps. Beside them, wearing a suit, is Charles Mills, the Poor Law Officer. Dated, c.1900

Angus Archives Ref: MS747/21591

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28/10/2025

📸 This photograph shows a garden party at Westby School, a private school in Forfar. The crowd is looking at two large puppets. Dated: c.1900-1924

Angus Archives Ref: MS747/33/2324

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24/10/2025

🎃 Spine-Chilling Tales from Angus Archives 👻
This Halloween, step into the shadows and uncover the legends of Angus ...

🎶 The Tale of Tam Tyrie
A piper, his wife, and their dog took shelter in a seaside cave, near Arbroath — they were never seen again. For days after, villagers swore they heard his bagpipes droning beneath the hearthstone of a farmhouse miles inland. Were they smugglers’ tricks… or something far more haunting?

🔥 The Devil Coach
James Carnegie, 2nd Earl of Southesk, was believed to have studied dark magic — even bargaining with the Devil himself. He traded his shadow to escape damnation, but when he died in 1669, Auld Nick came to collect… thundering through the night in a coach drawn by six black horses. Some say it still races by when the wind howls.

💀 Dare to read more? Visit the Angus Archives search room and ask for Folklore of Tayside and Strange Tales of Tayside [00.398].

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21/10/2025

📣 Please be advised that Arbroath Library and Angus Archives will be closed from Monday 3 November to Monday 24 November for essential library renovation preparation work.

From Monday 24 November, both services will reopen on the first floor of the library building, while the ground floor renovation is carried out.

During this period, Angus Archives staff will be on hand to assist with remote family and local history enquiries, commissioned research requests, and collections enquiries.

We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding and patience as we improve your library and archive facilities.

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17/10/2025

📸 This photograph shows the Fairy Steps at Craigmill Burn, by Muirdrum Village 🧚‍♂️. The stream passes under the small bridge. Wooden steps help those walking the path climb the steep bank of the den. Dated: c.1903-1925

Angus Archives Ref: MS747/62/26

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14/10/2025

📚 We've just added the Keptie School, Arbroath, seniors (1875-1883), boys (1894-1911), and girls (1892-1894) admission registers to our Angus schools index. A full list of indexed admission registers can be found below.

School admission registers contain the date of admission, date of birth of the child, name of the child, name and address of child's parent/guardian, the last school attended, date of leaving the school and reason for leaving the school.

Visit Angus Archives to search the index for your ancestors. Alternatively, if you’d like us to check the index for you, message or email us at angusarchives@angusalive.scot with the name and date of birth of the person you’re looking for.

Please note: Entries after 1925 are subject to Data Protection Legislation.

Arbirlot Public School, 1909-1938.
Bank Street School, Brechin, 1903-1925.
Brechin High School, 1913-1927.
Careston School, 1879-1896.
Carroch School, Kirriemuir, 1875-1967
Cortachy School, 1868-1939.
Damacre Road School, Brechin, 1874-1885.
Denside School, 1888-1934.
East School, Forfar, 1920-1935.
Farnell School, 1871-1913.
Ferryden East School, 1875-1935.
Folda School, Glenisla, 1882-1951.
Forfar Lower Academy School, 1895-1917.
Glenprosen School, 1868-1991.
Hillside School, Montrose, 1888-1940.
Keptie School, infants, Arbroath, 1882-1889.
Keptie School, seniors, Arbroath, 1875-1883.
Keptie School, boys, Arbroath, 1894-1911.
Keptie School, girls, Arbroath, 1892-1894.
Kingoldrum School, 1890-1917.
Kingsmuir School, Forfar, 1887-1928.
Memus School, 1880-1911.
Monifieth Public School, 1885-1894.
Monikie Public School, 1900-1926.
Montrose Academy, 1899-1908.
Murroes Primary School, 1890-1919.
Newbigging Public School, Monikie, 1898-1923.
North Links School, Montrose, 1909-1932.
Parkhouse School, Arbroath, 1876-1887.
Panbride School, 1900-1930.
Townhead School, Montrose, 1909-1918.
West Burgh School, Forfar, 1896-1937.

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10/10/2025

📸 This photograph shows some of the staff of the Bruce Hotel, Carnoustie. The man in the centre has been presented with a silver plate and the lady to his right is carrying a bunch of flowers.

Do you know any of these people or have any memories of the Bruce Hotel? 🏨

Angus Archives Ref: MS747/24/428

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07/10/2025

(7 October) in 1921, the British silent romance movie, Christie Johnstone, opened in private theatre.

The picture was released in 1921 and starred Gertrude McCoy, Stewart Rome and Clive Brook. It was directed by Norman McDonald and part filmed at Auchmithie by the Broadwest Film Company. The film was based on the 1853 novel of the same name by Charles Reade. The story follows the adventures of the young and wealthy aristocrat, Viscount Ipsden, during his efforts to relieve the deserving poor of a Scottish fishing village. It is set in Newhaven, near Edinburgh, and may have been based on the real-life experiences of Reade.

When interviewed, Stewart Rome commented about Auchmithie “I have never enjoyed exterior work on any film so much as I enjoyed the fishing village scenes in ‘Christie Johnstone’. And although we had very little time to spare, I saw as much of the country as possible, and the little I saw enthralled me.”

The photograph album (Ref: MS346) contains photographs of Stewart Rome, who plays the role of Lord Ispden, and Gertrude McCoy, in her role as Christie Johnstone. The album also contains images of possibly other actors from the film or locals who came to watch the filming process.

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03/10/2025

𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆: 𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆
📍 Montrose Museum & Art Gallery
📆 4 October – 3 November 2025
FREE

Angus Archives is proud to present Roseberry: A Legacy of Slavery, an exhibition uncovering one Angus family’s complex ties to the Transatlantic Slave Trade and plantation ownership in the Americas.

From the family’s first voyage to Jamaica in 1749 through to the abolition of slavery in 1834, the exhibition traces a stark and often hidden history. Visitors will gain a rare insight into Scottish plantation owners, their lives, and the enduring impact of slavery on wealth, society, and memory.

This important display invites reflection on a legacy that continues to shape our communities today.

The exhibition is the culmination of research carried out as part of a funded project by Museums Galleries Scotland.

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30/09/2025

📸 This photograph of Arbrilot village showing the cottages to the right of the Arbirlot Parish church ⛪. You can also see parts of the graveyard and pieces of the Parish church through the trees on the right hand side. Dated: c.1904

Angus Archives Ref: MS747/17/4

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Arbroath

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Monday	10am - 4pm
Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 2pm

Telephone

01307 468644

Website

https://linktr.ee/angusalive

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