Scotland's Greatest Story - professional Scottish genealogy research

17/11/2025

If you're thinking of a book for your genealogy pals (or yourself!) for Christmas, I have various titles that might help, including:

- Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet
- Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records
- Sharing Your Family History Online
- Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors
- Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland
- Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records

in the UK the books are available from https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Chris-Paton/a/1799 - in the USA from https://www.penandswordbooks.com/search-grid/?contributor=chris-paton - and of course from many other distributors worldwide!

17/11/2025

Scottish GENES Webinar -The Godly Commonwealth: Discover Scottish Church Records
Saturday 29 November 2025, at 7pm (UK)

From 1560 until the mid 19th century, the Kirk was Scotland’s shepherd, moral guardian and disciplinarian, its records today providing one of the key resources for genealogical research. But in trying to establish a Calvinist Godly Commonwealth on Earth it defied the Stuart monarchs for well over a century, and through its democratic and Presbyterian zeal constantly split into denominational factions over endless points of doctrine. In the immediate aftermath of its greatest crisis, the ‘Disruption’ in 1843, its ancient theological enemy, Roman Catholicism, was once again back in force in Scotland, as a consequence of the Irish Famine. By this point the dream of the Godly Commonwealth was finally over, with the state taking many of the Kirk's former functions, including poor relief, policing, and the registration of vital events.

In this session family historian Chris Paton will provide a broad sweep of three hundred years of church history in Scotland, and discuss its impact for the family historian in locating relevant records for research.

Registration is £10, via https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_enWsWNSfSeOZgNZlEmep9g #/registration (A recording will be available for a week after, and there will be a handout)

16/11/2025

Have you ever found a family member in a Second World War War Diary? Find out how to search these fascinating war records with our guide:

12/11/2025

Join us for a fascinating look at one of Aberdeen’s most historic sites!

Come along between 11 am and 3 pm on Friday 28 November to explore the story of St Fittick’s Church — a medieval site with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages.

Volunteers from ANESFHS will be on hand to demonstrate how to read and record gravestone inscriptions in the churchyard and share insights into the lives commemorated there.

📍 Location: Saint Fittick’s Road / Coast Road, AB11 8TJ
📅 Date: Friday 28 November
🕓 Time: 11 am – 3 pm
📍 What3Words: cigar.pirate.aura

This open day is part of the ETZ Community & Coast programme, in partnership with Cameron Archaeology and ANESFHS.

It’s a great chance to explore this historic site and meet others with a shared curiosity about Aberdeen’s past.

12/11/2025

12/11/2025

The next regular monthly Scottish GENES Webinar will take place on Saturday 29 November at 7pm (UK time) and is entitled "The Godly Commonwealth: Discover Scottish Church Records". If you're curious about the various splits and mergers from and with the Kirk, and how that affects the location of records, this one is for you! You can register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_enWsWNSfSeOZgNZlEmep9g the sign up fee again being £10. There will be a handout for this one, and also a video of the recording available for a week after. I'll hopefully see you there!

11/11/2025

Happening this evening, still time to register 👇

10/11/2025

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday 11th), in remembrance of the civilians who also endured hardship and loss in the First World War, the story of one Scottish family who endured the German occupation of Belgium. The "Trapped in Brussels in the First World War: A Civilian Story" webinar will be run at 7pm UK time, with a recording available for registrants for a week after.

The talk will discuss the story of their four year long ordeal, covering how they came to be in the Belgian capital, the difficulties faced in the occupation, and the tragedies endured whilst there, and by one family member in military service.

Using resources from Glasgow City Archives, the National Records of Scotland, the UK National Archives, the Belgian archives, oral history, and a research trip to Brussels, it will show how such a story can be reconstructed in detail, as well as highlight the difficulties of finding out about individuals in occupied territories in a time of war.

The family was that of my great grandparents from Inverness and Blackford, Perthshire, including the ordeal of my young grandfather, aged just 9 when the war commenced. Pictured below is part of a letter from 1918 written by my great grandmother, showing how the war was impacting him.

I hope you can join me. Registration is £10 at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pdods8ZeQyeE2vpBATEDEg

09/11/2025

This Tuesday, in remembrance of the civilians who also endured hardship and loss in the First World War, the story of one Scottish family who endured the German occupation of Belgium. The "Trapped in Brussels in the First World War: A Civilian Story" webinar will be run at 7pm UK time, with a recording available for registrants for a week after.

The talk will discuss the story of their four year long ordeal, covering how they came to be in the Belgian capital, the difficulties faced in the occupation, and the tragedies endured whilst there, and by one family member in military service. Using resources from Glasgow City Archives, the National Records of Scotland, the UK National Archives, the Belgian archives, oral history, and a research trip to Brussels, it will show how such a story can be reconstructed in detail, as well as highlight the difficulties of finding out about individuals in occupied territories in a time of war.

The family was that of my great grandparents from Inverness and Blackford, Perthshire, including the ordeal of my young grandfather, aged just 9 when the war commenced. I hope you can join me. Registration is £10 at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pdods8ZeQyeE2vpBATEDEg