Research topics FAQs
- Census records
- Days, dates and calendars
- Death and disposal of the dead
- Emigration
- Friendly societies
- Heraldry
- Kirk records
- Lighthouses
- Liquor licensing
- Minute books
- Money
- Passenger lists
- Passports
- Parliamentary papers
- Poor law and poor relief
- Police and policing
- Postal records
- Prisons
- Property
- Schools and education records
- Scottish local government
- Trust sederunt records
- Valuation rolls
- Vehicle registration
- Wills and testaments
Why is my ancestor missing from the census?
If you find the correct family but one individual is not recorded, then the individual probably was not present in the household on the exact date of the census. It is hard to draw any firm conclusions without further research, and it is likely that you will not be able to find out exactly why someone is not there. Could they have been away travelling, for work or caring for sick or elderly relatives or visiting distant friends or other reasons? If the husband is absent, then can you find them at another address for that night and does their name continue to appear on the valuation rolls for the family address? If the wife is absent, look for them with known relatives. If they are a child or young person, could they be lodging with neighbouring family or could they be apprenticed to someone else? Try looking through the indexes to see if the name appears in another household. Check whether the age, place of birth and occupation match any other records you have of the individual and be careful not to assume you have found the right person without corroboration.
What date was each census taken?
From 1841 onwards the censuses were taken on the following dates:
- 1841 – 7 June
- 1851 – 31 March
- 1861 – 8 April
- 1871 – 3 April
- 1881 – 4 April
- 1891 – 5 April
- 1901 – 31 March
- 1911 – 2 April
- 1921 – 19 June
Was the census taken during the Second World War?
No, a census was not taken in 1941 in the UK.
Why are census schedules closed for 100 years?
The primary purpose of the census is to compile statistics. The information contained in census schedules is deemed to be confidential, as it consists of answers to personal questions.
How can I find out which censuses have been indexed?
Complete indexes for the open censuses are available on the Scotland’s People website. Online access to the indexes is free but there is a charge for downloading the schedules: for further details see the Scotland’s People website. Alternatively, there is a daily charge for in-person visits to the ScotlandsPeople Centre or to one of the local family history centres, which covers access to all the information: for more details on see the Scotland’s People website.
Indexes to the 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses have been compiled by family history societies, other bodies and individuals for most Scottish counties or parishes. Some microfilm copies are available for sale. For a full list of what is available, arranged by county and parish, consult Peter Ruthven-Murray, Scottish Census Indexes: covering the 1841-1871 civil censuses (Scottish Association of Family History, 3rd edition, 1998), or contact the family history society for the area concerned.
Why might a place ‘disappear’ between one census and another?
The most likely explanation for this is that the place concerned has been affected by a boundary change. Changes to parish, county and burgh boundaries were made throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, but the principal changes were made by Boundary Commissioners set up after the 1889 Local Government (Scotland) Act. Over 3000 settlements in Scotland were affected by either parish or county boundary changes, or both, in the period 1890-91. In addition, many suburban settlements were annexed by burghs between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. If a place appears to have ‘disappeared’ between censuses (or, indeed, between years in other records, such as valuation rolls) you should check Francis H Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer for Scotland (1896 or later editions), which contains information derived from the Boundary Commissioners reports. If the place itself is not mentioned because it is quite small, check under the parish concerned to see if it was affected by a boundary change. Alternatively check the General Register Office for Scotland’s Index of Scottish Placenames from the 1971 Census (HMSO, 1975) or Index of Scottish Placenames from the 1981 Census (HMSO, 1985) – both of which give the civil parish and county for settlements with a population of 100 or more.
How do I find population statistics etc for a particular place?
The statistics compiled during each census are published, currently by HMSO. These are available online at http://www.histpop.org [accessed 26 April 2024]. Reference libraries and some university libraries hold the original published volumes, but not necessarily for every census. If your local reference library does not hold census reports for the census or area of Scotland that you want, you should try one of the major reference libraries such as the Mitchell Library, Glasgow or the National Library of Scotland, in Edinburgh. 19th century population figures for towns and many other settlements, as well as parishes and counties in Scotland can also be found in a variety of publications, most notably the Ordnance Gazetteer for Scotland, published by Francis H Groome in 1884, 1896 and 1901.
How can I find out what weekday a certain date fell on?
There are three main options: calendars on software packages, newspapers and directories or the Handbook of Dates.
Calendars on software packages
Some personal organiser packages for computers include calendar or diary functions which are back-dated by several centuries. However, these simply extend the current (Gregorian) calendar back to the earliest date in the package. This means that the calendar on your computer diverges from the calendar which operated in Scotland prior to 14 September 1752. For dates prior to 14 September 1752, you will need to consult Handbook of Dates for Students of English History ed. by C. R. Cheney (Cambridge University Press, 1995).
Newspapers and directories
If it is a date in the 19th or 20th centuries you should look at the back copy of a newspaper for that date. Many newspapers are now available through the British Newspaper Archive website (available free of charge in the National Library of Scotland or with a subscription elsewhere) https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
Alternatively, you could consult a Post Office Directory for the year in question. Post Office Directories include calendars for the year of publication, and these also include the dates of local holidays. Runs of Post Office Directories from the late 18th century to the 1970s are held by large reference libraries, such as Edinburgh City Libraries and the Mitchell Library, Glasgow.
Handbook of Dates
- Handbook of Dates for Students of English History ed. by C.R. Cheney (Cambridge University Press, 1995) is one of the most useful books for historians in Britain. Pages 83-160 allow you to work out a calendar for any year using fixed tables for all possible dates for Easter. Cheney’s tables will also allow the calculation of any date from 500AD onwards, but pay attention to discrepancies in the calendars of different parts of Europe between the 16th and 20th centuries.
How can I find out what national and local events happened on someone’s birthday?
National and local newspapers for the day in question (and the days following) should provide news reports on contemporary events. Some national newspapers can supply back issues, or facsimiles of front pages on a commercial basis. Many newspapers are now available through the British Newspaper Archive website (available free of charge in the National Library of Scotland or with a subscription elsewhere) https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
What were the Scottish quarter days?
Quarter days were the four days dividing the legal year, when rent and interest on loans were due, and when contracts and leases often began or ended.
In Scotland the quarter days were Candlemas (2 February); Whitsun (15 May); Lammas (1 August); and Martinmas (11 November).
The names recall saints’ days and festivals which pervaded medieval life. Candlemas was the feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, which was celebrated with the lighting of candles. Whitsunday is the seventh Sunday after Easter, but in Scotland the legal Whitsun was fixed on 15 May. Lammas was a harvest festival day, the name comes from the Old English hlafmaesse, meaning ‘loaf mass’. Martinmas was the feast of St Martin of Tours.
For a discussion of the use of saints’ days and festivals to date medieval documents see Handbook of Dates for Students of English History ed. by C.R. Cheney (Cambridge University Press, 1995). Some of the quarter days, and other feast days, were important occasions for markets, sports and popular entertainments. For more information about this see John Burnett, Riot, Revelry and Rout: sport in Scotland before 1860 (East Linton, 2000).
How can I decipher a date written in the form beginning ‘Jaj . . .’ in a 17th or 18th century document?
these are sometimes referred to by palaeographers as ‘Jaj dates’. The ‘Jaj’ part is a corruption of the Latin ‘i m’, meaning ‘1000’, the ‘vj’ is the Latin numeral for ‘6’, the ‘C†’ is an abbreviation of the Latin word ‘centum’ (‘one hundred’). Hence,
Jaj = 1000 vjC† = 600 and threttie twa yeiris = 32
= 1632
In image 3 the date 1663 is rendered: the year of God Jajvj C& saxti three
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Jaj dates were still being written in the first decades of the eighteenth century, as image 4 shows: Jajvijc and eight yeares
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Note that, in this case, the C is not capitalised and does not have a mark of abbreviation for ‘centum’.
This form of dating is easy to learn by breaking it down into component parts:
The Jaj part (= 1000)
The v, or vj, or vij part (remember that the last i is usually a j)
The abbreviation for Centum and, which might appear as ‘C† and’ or ‘C†&’ or ‘C&’ or ‘C and’
The rest of the year written longhand, usually in Scots
Where should I look for information about, or records of, mortcloths?
References to payments for mortcloths (along with payments for coffins or digging the grave of named persons may appear in kirk session minutes and accounts, heritors’ minutes and accounts, and old parish registers. By recording a payment for a mortcloth, these may provide the approximate date of death for the deceased.
There are occasional references to mortcloths in kirk session minutes. Kirk session minutes have been digitised and are available to browse free of charge on the ScotlandsPeople website (there are fees for downloading). The National Records of Scotland (NRS) online catalogue shows the location of the original records, including those held by local archives services, along with any access conditions. Several hours might be required to read through the minutes, looking for references to mortcloths.
Heritors’ minutes and accounts may also contain records of mortcloths. Almost all surviving heritors’ minutes are held by the NRS. Although heritors’ minutes and accounts are not usually as voluminous as kirk session minutes, they also require a lot of research time, in searching through unindexed volumes.
Prior to 1855 the principal source of information about deaths in Scotland is the collection of Old Parish Registers (OPRs) of baptisms, marriages and burials held by NRS. For more information about OPRs and how to search for these online, go to the ScotlandsPeople website.
What was a mortcloth?
A mortcloth (from the Latin word mors, mortis, meaning ‘death’) was a form of pall, i.e. a large cloth (usually black) thrown over a coffin or corpse at a funeral. Mortcloths were kept by kirk sessions (church courts in each parish). Some were more elaborate than others, and a wealthier parish might have more than one (including a small one for corpses of children). They were hired, usually by the family or next of kin of the deceased, to cover the coffin (if a coffin could be afforded), or the corpse itself (if a coffin could not be afforded).
As the kirk session was responsible for poor relief until 1845, it might allow use of a mortcloth without charge, if the deceased or his family were paupers. For example an act of the kirk session of Penicuik (National Records of Scotland, reference GD18/3980) records that a velvet mortcloth was purchased in 1670 for £192 and 19 shillings Scots, and that those who contributed to the cost were allowed use of it for free. Otherwise it was hired out for 2 shillings and 6 pence Scots for burials in the parish, and 40 shillings Scots for burials outwith the parish.
In the 18th and 19th centuries some people formed or joined friendly societies, paying subscriptions which paid for future funeral expenses. For example, the rules of the Haddington Mortcloth Society, 1833, survive in the National Records of Scotland (reference GD302/142).
References to payments for mortcloths (along with payments for coffins or digging the grave of named persons may appear in kirk session minutes and accounts, heritors’ minutes and accounts, and old parish registers. By recording a payment for a mortcloth, these may provide the approximate date of death for the deceased.
What was a mortsafe?
A mortsafe was an iron grill or cage placed over a grave until decomposition started and the body was in no danger of being stolen by resurrectionists.
What was a morthouse or a watch box?
A morthouse (from the Latin word mors, mortis, meaning ‘death’) or watch box was a structure erected for the temporary security of the dead, until decomposition started and the body was in no danger of being stolen by resurrectionists. In 1818 an undertaker, Edward Bridgman, patented a wrought-iron coffin, to deter bodysnatchers. However, it met with controversy, as people were worried that iron caskets would block burial plots.
Where should I look for information about, or records of, mortsafes, morthouses or watch boxes?
Recourse should first be made to published parish histories and the best place to look for these is normally the local studies library for the area concerned. Historic Environment Scotland has information about buildings, monuments and other structures in over 1,000 graveyards in Scotland, some of which is accessible on Canmore, <https://canmore.org.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
The best place to look for references to mortsafes in original records would be either in kirk session records or heritors records, although in both cases references are rare.
Minute books survive for most kirk sessions. There are occasional references to mortsafes in kirk session minutes. Kirk session minutes have been digitised and are available to browse free of charge on the ScotlandsPeople website (there are fees for downloading). The National Records of Scotland online catalogue shows the location of the original records, including those held by local archives services, along with any access conditions. Several hours might be required to read through the minutes, looking for references to mortsafes, morthouses and watch boxes.
Heritors’ minutes and accounts may also contain records of mortsafes, morthouses and watch boxes. Almost all surviving heritors’ minutes are held by the NRS. Although heritors’ minutes and accounts are not usually as voluminous as kirk session minutes, they also require a lot of research time, in searching through unindexed volumes.
Where should I look for information about, or records of, churchyard watching societies?
Look first in published parish histories. The best place to look for these is normally the local studies library for the area concerned. The best place to look for references to churchyard watching societies in original records would be either in kirk session records, heritors’ records, and private records, although in each of these references are few and far between.
There are occasional references to watching societies in kirk session minutes. Kirk session minutes have been digitised and are available to browse free of charge on the ScotlandsPeople website (there are fees for downloading). The National Records of Scotland (NRS) online catalogue shows the location of the original records, including those held by local archives services, along with any access conditions. Several hours might be required to read through the minutes, looking for references to watching societies.
Heritors’ minutes and accounts may also contain records of watching societies. For example, the records of the Heritors of Liberton parish contain an advertisement for a watchman (ref: HR153/1/1). Almost all surviving heritors’ minutes are held by the NRS. Although heritors’ minutes and accounts are not usually as voluminous as kirk session minutes, they also require a lot of research time, in searching through unindexed volumes.
There is a small chance that information about watching societies in a particular area may survive among the records of families, estates and legal firms from that area deposited at the NRS or at local authority or university archives. For example in a bundle of 39 items in the Strathern & Blair WS collection in the NRS (ref: GD.314/114) there is material on the Traquair Churchyard Waiting Society, later the Traquair Watch House Society 1821-1879. Advice should be sought from staff at the NRS and local archives as to which collections should be checked.
Do records of coroners’ inquests survive in Scotland?
The Scottish system of investigating sudden deaths differs from the system of coroner’s inquests in England and Wales. Sudden deaths in Scotland are investigated by procurators fiscal (local state-funded prosecutors). The findings of investigations by the local procurator fiscal are recorded in the Register of Corrected Entries maintained by the National Records of Scotland (NRS), but few other records of the Procurator Fiscal service are deposited in Scottish archives. NRS hold records of Fatal Accident Inquiries held by sheriff courts (since 1895). There are fewer sources for fatal accidents before 1895. For more information about these, and for further details about Fatal Accident Inquiries, sheriff court records and the records of procurators fiscal go to the National Records of Scotland website. <https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024] and see also the Knowledge Base entry on Procurators Fiscal records and Fatal Accident Inquiries.
What are bills of mortality?
Bills of mortality are abstracts from death registers showing the numbers of people who have died in a place, parish, burgh, island, country, or some other part of the country, during a given year or some other period of time. Examples survive from the 17th century onwards. The form that these take and the amount of information within any bill of mortality depended on the purposes of the bill and the practice of the body or individual who compiled it. Some bills of mortality are purely statistical and were devised and published to provide information on the progress of certain diseases. Some parishes in Scotland kept separate bills of mortality in the form of a list of those who died in the parish in any given year, giving the date of death, the name and sometimes the designation and age of each of the deceased. They survive (for some parishes) among old parish registers (OPRs), in some cases as an alternative to registers of death or burial. Prior to 1855 the principal source of information about deaths in Scotland is the collection of OPRs of baptisms, marriages and burials held by National Records of Scotland. For more information about OPRs and how to search for these online, go to the ScotlandsPeople website. <https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024]
My ancestor emigrated from Scotland. How can I trace information about him/her?
If you have not already done so, you should check out the Knowledge Base family history pages. These give advice on how to start tracing Scottish ancestors and some things you should bear in mind.
Information you will need.
Before coming to Scotland to research an emigrant ancestor, you should gather as much information about him or her from the country he or she emigrated to.
To trace your ancestor in Scotland, you will need to know his or her name, when he or she left Scotland, and as much associated information as you can assemble, such as the name of the parish he or she came from or married in, the names of other members of the family in Scotland, and your ancestor’s occupation.
Join a family history society.
Before coming to Scotland or hiring a Scottish researcher, you should consider joining a family history society. There are many of these in different parts of Scotland. Their members undertake a small amount of research on behalf of members abroad, and this help (by experienced local genealogists) may be crucial to tracing a family tree quickly and efficiently in Scotland. The Scottish Association of Family History Societies (SAFHS) is the umbrella organisation which provides links and contact details for all the family history societies on their website. <https://safhs.org.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Passenger Lists and Immigration records
Try to obtain information about the journey to the new country from passenger lists or immigration records in the country of arrival. Look at the Knowledge Base entry on Passenger Lists for further information.
Transportation
If your ancestor was sentenced to transportation, after being convicted of a criminal offence, look at the FAQs How do I find the trial records and other records of someone transported to Australia or New Zealand? and How do I find the trial record of someone transported to North America? for further information.
Where will I find information about emigration societies and other bodies which assisted emigrants?
Very few records of emigration societies survive. However, it is possible to compile information about the activities of emigration societies and other similar bodies through a variety of sources.
Glasgow City Archives hold the records of Glasgow Parish Council, which collected the reports of charitable and other bodies, including emigration societies. There are more than 30 volumes of these collected miscellaneous reports (reference T-PAR1) on open access in the search room, and the contents of each volume are worth checking. They include examples of the Emigrants Information Office circulars, a pamphlet of 1906 giving the text of a lecture by General Booth on Emigration and the Salvation Army. The emigration to Canada of poor law children is addressed in a pamphlet produced by the State Children’s Association. A report on the Child Emigration Society includes details of farm schools in Australia. Further sources of information can be found by searching under the word ‘emigration’ in the Archives’ card-file index and on the computer index. The History and Glasgow Room (the local studies library for Glasgow, in the same building as Glasgow City Archives) holds copies of handbooks for emigrants and a copy of Robert Lamond, A Narrative of the Rise and Progress of Emigration from the Counties of Lanark and Renfrew to new settlements in Upper Canada on Government Grant (Glasgow, 1821).
National Records of Scotland hold the records of the Highland and Island Emigration Society (HD4/5) and these are available on the ScotlandsPeople website <www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk> [accessed 24 April 2024]. The records include a list of nearly 5,000 emigrants to Australia who were sponsored by the between the years 1852 and 1857. The NRS online catalogue can be searched for material in privately deposited records using the terms ‘emigration’, ‘emigrant’, ‘emigrants’ and other terms you think relevant. Details of a state-aided scheme to encourage emigration from Lewis and Harris to Manitoba in the period 1888-1889, survive in the records of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department records (AF51).
Local newspapers contain adverts placed by some emigration societies and other bodies assisting emigration. These can be searched through the British Newspaper Archive (available free of charge in the National Library of Scotland or with a subscription elsewhere) <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024]. Local archives or libraries may have collections of other local newspapers.
How do I find the trial records and other records of someone transported to Australia or New Zealand?
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) will, in most cases, hold records of the trial of a Scottish transportee, but you may be able to augment these with details of the voyage from records held by The National Archives in London, and newspaper reports of the trial. Prior to visiting the NRS, or hiring a record agent to carry out research there, it is best to assemble as much information as possible about the person you are researching (particularly when he or she arrived in Australia or New Zealand and which part of Scotland he or she came from) and to read the sections dealing with transportation and criminals in Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors 7th edition (Birlinn, 2020). To locate and read through the court and prison records, described below, for one individual case, will require more than one day’s work in the historical search room at the NRS. Separate visits may be required to The National Archives in London.
If your ancestor was transported from Scotland in the period 1812 to 1867, you may be able to see the prosecution papers in the case, in the form of the precognitions in the Lord Advocate’s records (AD) in the NRS. Hardly any survive for the period before 1812. Those for the period 1812-1900 (AD14) are listed under the name of the accused in the NRS online catalogue: <www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/catalogues-and-indexes> [accessed 24 April 2024]. The records of the Advocate’s department also has a register of returns of pardoned or ticket of leave convicts committed on new charges (AD12/8). The High Court of Justiciary, the supreme criminal court in Scotland, passed sentences of transportation. For details of how to search through Justiciary Court records (JC) at the NRS, you should read the chapter on criminals in National Records of Scotland Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors 7th edition (Birlinn, 2020) and/or look at the research guides for court and legal records on the website. <www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/research-guides/research-guides-a-z/court-and-legal-records> [accessed 24April 2024]. Personal details of the transportee should appear in the registers of the prison which served the court where the trial took place. Prison registers survive in the Home and Health Department records (HH) in the NRS. Most prison registers begin only from the 1840s. They include a register of convicts under sentence of transportation (HH21/5/16).
Ships carrying transported prisoners to Australia sailed from England, and Convict Transportation Registers survive among the Home Office records in The National Archives in London (HO 11). These cover the period from 1787 to 1871 and give the names of all the convicts who sailed on each ship along with the place and date of the conviction and the length of sentence. A microfilm copy is held by the NRS (RH4/160/7). The registers are arranged chronologically by the date of departure of each ship. The names of Scottish prisoners occur towards the end of each list. Two other classes of record in The National Archives in London contain information about transportees. A census of convicts 1788 – 1859 among the Home Office papers (HO10) lists convicts and their families in New South Wales and Tasmania. The census for 1828 is the most complete. A number of lists of convicts for the period 1801 – 1821 are among the New South Wales Original Correspondence (CO 201), and these are indexed.
Once you know which court the trial took place in, you should be able to find a report of the trial in a local newspaper for the period. To locate back copies of local newspapers for particular areas of Scotland consult:
British Newspaper Archive <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024] (available free of charge in the National Library of Scotland or with a subscription elsewhere)
Ferguson, J. P. S. Directory of Scottish Newspapers (National Library of Scotland, 1984).
How do I find the trial record of someone transported to North America?
Scottish convicts sentenced to transportation before 1776 were sent to North America. A published list of these, based on Scottish sources such as the records of the Privy Council, High Court of Justiciary, Treasury, etc can be found in David Dobson, Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations 1650-1775 2nd edition (Clearfield, 2010). For other published lists of Scottish settlers in North America see below.
Information about individual cases should appear in the records of the High Court of Justiciary, the supreme criminal court in Scotland, at the National Records of Scotland (NRS). To locate and read through the court records for one individual case, will require more than one day’s work at the NRS. Before you visit the NRS or hire a record agent to carry out research there, you should assemble as much information as possible about the person you are researching (particularly when they arrived in North America) and which part of Scotland they came from) and read the sections dealing with transportation and criminals in Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors 7th edition (Birlinn, 2020).
Published lists of Scottish settlers in North America
Coldham, Peter W Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607-1660 (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1987).
Coldham, Peter W Complete Book of Emigrants in Bondage, 1614-1775 (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1988)
Dobson, David Directory of Scottish Settlers in North America, 1625-1825 (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1993)
Dobson, David Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations 1650-1775 2nd edition (Clearfield, 2010)
Filby, P W & others, ed., Passenger and Immigration Lists Index (Gale Research Co, 1981 – present, 21 volumes, continuing) is an index of names in published passenger lists and other lists of arrivals in North America in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Whyte, Donald Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to the USA (Magna Carta Book Co, 1972)
Whyte, Donald Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to the USA Vol 2 (Magna Carta Book Co, 1986)
Where can I obtain photographs and other illustrations of emigrants and emigrant ships leaving Scotland?
For photographs of the ports of Glasgow and Greenock, which handled the vast majority of Scottish passenger steamer sailings, the fullest source is the Clyde Navigation Trust collection, which is held by Glasgow City Archives. Many of the Clyde Navigation Trust images have been published in John F Riddell, ‘Clyde Navigation: a history of the development and deepening of the river Clyde’ (Edinburgh, 1979).
Other photographs of Glasgow’s docks, especially the Broomielaw, which was the starting point for many transatlantic voyages, can be viewed online in the Virtual Mitchell website at: <https://www.mitchelllibrary.org/virtualmitchell/> [accessed 24 April 2024].
Perhaps the largest selection of photographs and other illustrations of emigrants, particularly to the USA, is the Bettmann Archive, of New York; founded by an emigrant from Germany. Many of the Bettmann Archive images have been published. Online access is available at: <https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/bettmann> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Where can I obtain a photograph or illustration of a specific emigrant-carrying ship?
If you do not know the name of the ship concerned, you should find this out from passenger lists or emigration records in the country of arrival. For more information see the Knowledge Base entry on Passenger Lists (under ‘Record Types’).
Once you know the name of the ship you should find out more details from Lloyd’s Register of Shipping. <Lloyd’s Register Of Ships Online | Archive & Library | Heritage & Education Centre (lrfoundation.org.uk)> [accessed 24 April 2024]. This is published annually and includes the name of each ship, the date of launch, the name of the shipyard that built her, the yard number (this helps you find information about a ship from shipyard records), and any previous names the ship had. Once you have the date of launch, the name of the shipyard, and the yard number, you should look in one of three places for a photograph: records of the shipbuilder (if they survive), records of industrial photographers, and composite collections in libraries and archives.
Shipbuilders’ records
If the ship was built in a shipyard outside Britain you should take the advice of archivists in the country concerned. If it was built in Britain then look for the relevant archives by using the Archives Hub <https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/> and Discovery <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [both accessed 24 April 2024]. An older book may also help but records may have been deposited in other archives services since it was published: L A Ritchie, The Shipbuilding Industry: a guide to historical records (Manchester University Press, 1992).
Industrial Photographers
If your ship was built in Scotland after the 1920s there may be photographs of her among the records of industrial photographers, who covered ship launches, trials and refits. The largest collection in Scotland is that of the firm of William Ralston & Co, which covered many of the launches, refits and trials of ships built in Glasgow and in other yards on the river Clyde. The collection is held by Glasgow City Archives. To check this collection you will, in most cases, need to know the name of the shipyard that built or refitted the ship. Other collections are held by Historic Environment Scotland.
Composite Collections
Photographic collections assembled by shipping enthusiasts or maritime institutions sometimes find their way to archives and libraries. For Scottish built ships the following repositories may be worth checking:
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich <https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine <https://www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org/collections/> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Glasgow University Archives, especially the Adamson Robertson Collection (DC101) and the Photomarine Collection (DC113) <https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/archivespecialcollections/> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Glasgow City Libraries (the Langmuir Collection and Wotherspoon Collection)
Glasgow City Archives holds the photographic collection of the Clyde Navigation Trust and maintains a card-file index of Clyde-built ships, with notes on photographs and illustrations). <https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries/city-archives/collections> [accessed 24 April 2024]
How do I cash in an old funeral policy from a friendly society which has been wound up?
The Financial Conduct Authority (formerly the Financial Services Authority) took over the functions of the Central Office of the former Registry of Friendly Societies and those of the Assistant Registrar for Scotland in December 2001. This function is now known as Mutual Societies Registration, and includes registering industrial and provident societies, building societies, friendly societies and certain other mutual societies. The Mutual Societies Registration unit of the Authorisation Division of the FSA is now responsible for these functions, and can be contacted at <https://www.fca.org.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
How do I trace the records of a Scottish friendly society?
The records of Scottish friendly societies are held by a wide variety of business, university, local and national archives and other bodies. It is best to start your search with the main websites that link to a range of archives such as Your Scottish Archives or The National Archives <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> or the Archives Hub <https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/ > [both accessed 26 April 2024 If the Friendly Society still exists then they may have their own archives. You can also consult Ian MacDougall, ed., A Catalogue of Some Labour Records in Scotland (Edinburgh: Scottish Labour History Society, 1978) and find many friendly society regulations and publications mentioned in the catalogue of the National Library of Scotland.
Rules and regulations for friendly societies and similar bodies (such as building societies, industrial and provident societies, and some trades unions) dissolved before 1929 are held by the National Records of Scotland. They are listed under the reference FS. This is subdivided into:
- FS1 – Friendly Societies, 1st series (early friendly society rules and regulations lodged under the Friendly Society Acts, 1829 to 1852, deposited alphabetically under counties and towns).
- FS2 – Building Societies, 1st series (rules lodged under the Benefit Building Societies Act, 1836, deposited and arranged as FS1).
- FS3 – Friendly Societies, 2nd series (as FS1).
- FS4 – Friendly Societies, 3rd series (rules of societies removed from the register before 1920).
- FS5 – Industrial and Provident Societies, 1st series (rules of societies removed from the register before 1920).
- FS6 – Building Societies, 2nd series (rules of societies removed from the register before 1920).
- FS7 – Trades Unions, 1st series (rules of societies removed from the register before 1920).
- FS8 – Obsolete registers (names of societies and unions registered offices, and dates of certificates of registration – the information was transferred to register cards in 1922.
- FS9 – Friendly Societies collected rules (bound volumes containing copies of rules and regulations of friendly societies).
- FS11 – Building Societies, 3rd series (rules of societies removed from the register between 1920 and 1929).
- FS12 – Industrial and Provident Societies, 2nd series (rules of societies removed from the register between 1920 and 1929).
What is my family/clan coat of arms?
In Scotland all arms and crests are personal property – i.e. the right to wear a coat of arms and use it (for example on stationery, building ornamentation, flags etc) belongs only to the person or corporate body which matriculated it at the Lyon Court. There is no such thing as a ‘family’ coat of arms or crest. An heir can use the matriculated arms without re-recording them in their own name although it is suggested that title to the arms be made up every third generation or thereby. However, it is not unknown for people to seek re-matriculation of arms which were recorded centuries ago. Younger members of the family bearing the same surname can record the arms with minor differences.
Odd though it may seem, if you use the arms of someone else in Scotland then you are usurping arms, and if you make up your own arms, then you are using bogus arms. In both cases you are committing an offence. In the first instance a possible offence would be investigated by the Procurator Fiscal to Lyon Court, an independently appointed official, and if it was thought there was an offence he could seek to bring the offence to the notice of Lyon Court. This is a very rare occurrence as it is usual that when the potential offence is pointed out the individual or organisation seeks to put matters right.
If a person, or a shop or some other commercial enterprise offers to sell you “your coat of arms” or “your family’s coat of arms” you will probably get a cheaply produced version of the arms of a clan chief or of someone with your surname who has matriculated arms.
The position regarding clan heraldry is more complicated. The origins and extent of the clan system are fiercely debated by historians and research has shown that the ‘clan’ of a Highland chief or landowner did not equate with everyone in Scotland with the same surname. What most people regard as the clan system (the elaborate organisation by surname of tartans, mottoes, and heraldic accoutrements) was largely a 19th century phenomenon. Those who profess allegiance to a chief and wish to demonstrate their association with a clan may wear the crest of the chief within a strap and buckle bearing the chief’s motto (but not the full coat of arms) as a badge but it should not be used on personal items such as stationery, cutlery or signet rings.
What is the difference between a crest and a coat of arms?
A crest is the element of an armorial achievement which appears above the helmet and a crest cannot exist unless associated with a shield of arms. It is incorrect to call an heraldic achievement “a crest”.
How do I obtain a coat of arms?
This is a legal process but is relatively simple and does not normally require a lawyer. The procedure was made much simpler by the publication of templates of the ‘prayer’ to the Lord Lyon for the matriculation of arms in Scots Heraldry by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney (see bibliography). The granting of new arms is normally straightforward, and very little information about an individual is required, but any genealogical claims must be proved by documentary evidence sufficient for a court of law. Provided that you are a person considered reputable and ‘deserving’, a coat of arms will normally be granted, painted onto vellum together with details of personal and family history and recorded in the Lyon Register. If you bear the surname of a Scottish family of which others of the name have recorded arms your arms may be devised to reflect in some way the arms of others of that name. The arms of those for whom there is a chief of name will have their arms based on those chiefly arms even though you may have no provable genealogical connection. The process of matriculation is different from the granting of arms and proof of your connection with a previous member of the family bearing the same surname is required before the Lord Lyon can authorise your own distinct coat of arms. In 2021 the cost of a new grant of shield and crest was around £2800 whilst a re-matriculation of previously recorded arms was around half that sum. For further details on acquiring arms, see the website of the Court of the Lord Lyon.
Where can I find information about the arms of a burgh, county or local authority?
The pre-eminent historian of Scottish burghs, Roderick Urquhart, published guides to the armory of local authorities in three volumes, which discuss the arms matriculated to burghs and counties (before 1975) and regional, district and island councils between 1975 and 1996, and a third volume discusses the arms of current local authorities. In these volumes, the arms of each local authority is accompanied by a black and white illustration of the arms, details of the matriculation in the Lyon Register, and historical notes on each local authority, especially where local events, individuals or traditional industries have influenced the choice of arms. The arms of pre-1975 burghs and counties are described in R M Urquhart, Scottish Burgh and County Heraldry (Heraldry Today, 1973). The arms of district, regional and island councils 1975-1996 are described in R M Urquhart, Scottish Civic Heraldry (Heraldry Today, 1977) and Scottish Civic Heraldry 2 (Scottish Library Association 2001)
Where can I find information about the history of the royal arms of Scotland?
The evolution of the royal arms of Scotland and of the United Kingdom are discussed in Royal Heraldry by J.H. and R.V. Pinches (Heraldry Today 1974).
There is some information under ‘Symbols’ in the section on ‘The Monarchy Today’ in the website of the UK monarchy <https://www.royal.uk/royal-banner-royal-arms-scotland> [accessed 26 April 2024].
Can I date a building which features royal arms?
The royal arms have not changed since 1837, so a building which features these arms must either (a) have been built after 1836 or (b) have been built earlier than this, but had the royal arms added later. If the royal arms featured belong to a monarch before 1837, then, in theory, the building might date from the reign concerned, but, again, there is always the chance that the building might be earlier, and the arms added later.
Where can I find kirk session records for a parish?
kirk session records are the responsibility of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland. The records of most kirk sessions are held at the National Records of Scotland (NRS). However, some are then sent back (the NRS use the term ‘retransmitted’) to local archives under what is known as ‘charge and superintendence’: that is, they are kept by local archives under certain conditions. To find out whether the kirk session records for a parish survive, and where they are held, look at the NRS online catalogue or contact the relevant local archives. Many kirk session minutes dated before 1900 have been digitised and can be seen on the NRS Virtual Volumes area of the ScotlandsPeople website.
Are kirk session minutes indexed?
Where the minutes of a parish have been published these may be indexed, but in the vast majority of cases kirk session minutes are not indexed.
Where can I find information on lighthouses?
Information about the history of lighthouses in Scotland is relatively easy to get hold of through published books and the Internet, and by visiting lighthouse museums. Books to look at include R W Munro, Scottish Lighthouses (Thule, 1979); K Allardyce and E Hood, At Scotland’s Edge (Collins,1986); K Allardyce, Scotland’s Edge Revisited (Collins, 1998); B Bathurst, The Lighthouse Stevensons (Flamingo, 1998); J Hume, Harbour Lights in Scotland (Scottish Vernacular Buildings Working Group, 1997); J Leslie and R Paxton, Bright Lights: The Stevenson Family of Engineers 1752-1971 (1999); C. Mair, A Star for Seamen: the Stevenson Family of Engineers (J Murray, 1978); R L Stevenson, Records of a Family of Engineers (1896).
The most useful websites are those of the Scottish Lighthouse Museum <https://lighthousemuseum.org.uk/> Northern Lighthouse Board and Trinity House. All accessed 24 April 2024] Two lighthouses have visitor centres: the Scottish Lighthouse Museum at Fraserburgh (in the north east of Scotland) and the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse (in the extreme west of the British mainland).
Where can I find information about Robert Stevenson and his family?
Firstly, look at published histories: R L Stevenson, Records of a Family of Engineers (1896); B Bathurst, The Lighthouse Stevensons (Flamingo, 1998); J Leslie and R Paxton, Bright Lights: The Stevenson Family of Engineers 1752-1971 (1999); C. Mair, A Star for Seamen: the Stevenson Family of Engineers (J Murray, 1978).
If you need to consult original records, start at the National Library of Scotland, which holds the business records of Robert Stevenson and Sons (Acc. 10706).
Where can I find plans of a particular lighthouse?
Firstly, try the Northern Lighthouse Board Drawings Collection, which is held by the National Monuments Record for Scotland. Another source for plans of lighthouses is the Register House Plans series in the National Records of Scotland (RHP). For some lighthouses on the Clyde there are lighthouse drawings among the records of the Clyde Lighthouse Trust, in Glasgow City Archives (reference: T-CN40-44). The Robert Stevenson & Sons business papers in the National Library of Scotland contains a few lighthouse plans.
Where can I find original records and other information about the Flannan Lighthouse disaster?
Most of the information about the event is contained in the records of the Northern Lighthouse Commission, at the National Records of Scotland. In addition, most national newspapers at the time covered the story. The Northern Lighthouse Commission records (all at the National Records of Scotland) which relate to the incident are: NLC3/1/1 Secretary’s department correspondence and reports (1 Jan 1901 to 31 March 1902) includes: a letter from County Clerk, Dingwall, granting permission to place a winch on Breascleit Pier; copy telegrams and letters from the master of the Hesperus and others reporting the disaster and steps taken; correspondence with the Board of Trade and Crown Office; reports by Superintendent Muirhead and others; correspondence regarding insurance payments, pensions and the deceased keepers’ families; letters and reports regarding analysis of water in the well at Breascleit and an inspection voyage in1901. NLC 2/1/87-88, minute books of the Commissioners (1899-1903) includes minutes concerning the lighthouse in the years leading up to the disaster, the disaster itself, and subsequent enquiries, reports and events.
What does ‘off-licence’ mean?
The term ‘off-licence’ came into being under the Licensing (Scotland) Act of 1853, often referred to as the Forbes Mackenzie Act, (16 & 17 Vict. c.67). This established two types of liquor licence – one was for sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, the other allowed grocers to sell alcoholic drinks strictly for consumption off the premises (hence ‘off-licences’). This was done to bring grocers’ shops under the licensing acts. Previously many shops had offered liquor along with snacks (such as bread and cheese). The act provided that pubs, inns, hotels etc should not operate as grocery shops and grocery shops should not operate as pubs.
How can school board minutes help me trace the title to a school building?
if these survive for the parish concerned back to 1873, the opening pages usually list the schools being taken over by the Board and their status beforehand (for example, if the school was run by a church), and sometimes the owner of the property). Any subsequent dispositions in favour of the School Board (for example, land for a playground or an extension to the school) are often engrossed in the minutes. In searches of this kind, it is quite common to find that no title was drawn up, i.e. that neither the owner of the property on which the school building stood nor the school board went to the trouble of drawing up or registering a title deed. In other cases, where a formal conveyance was made, the title deed may include restrictions as to the use, such as a reversion to the previous owner if the building is no longer required for educational purposes.
What is a scroll minute book?
a scroll minute book is a book of minutes in rough draft, to be written up later for the official version. Occasionally both the scroll and official minutes survive for corporate bodies (e.g. kirk sessions), and slight discrepancies can be found between them.
Do parochial board/parish council minutes contain information about individual paupers?
they contain a brief record of new applications brought to the board by the inspector of the poor for each parish. Typically, these contain the name of the applicant, the reason for the application (e.g. old age, illness, injury at work) and the decision of the parochial board. In some cases, there will be additional information, such as the age and residence of the individual. It is rare to find detailed information on the family of the individual claimant. However, if poor relief applications do not survive for that parish, then the minute books of the board/council may be the only record of a pauper’s application.
What does the word ‘sederunt’ mean?
‘Sederunt’ is a Latin word, meaning ‘there sat down’, i.e. when a record of a meeting begins ‘sederunt’ followed by a list of names, it indicates that those named sat down to hold a meeting or to form a court.
Why do the letters ‘L., s., d.’ or the abbreviations ‘lb., s., d.’ in Scottish documents signify pounds, shillings and pence?
The abbreviations stand for the Latin words ‘libra’ (meaning ‘pounds’), ‘solidi’ (meaning shillings) and ‘denarii’ (meaning pennies).
What was the merk?
The merk (2/3 of a Scots pound, i.e. 13 shillings and 4 pence) was mostly a unit of account, but was occasionally minted prior to 1707.
Where can I get information about Scottish bank notes?
The Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank issue banknotes. No normal issue notes bear an image of the Queen, although she has appeared on some special-issue commemorative notes. None of the other banks operating in Scotland issue their own banknotes. A general guide to Scottish banknotes is James Douglas, Scottish Banknotes, (London: Gibbons, 1975) or Jonathan Callaway and Dave Murphy, Paper Money of Scotland (English Paper Money, 2018). Other useful published works are James Douglas, Twentieth Century Scottish Banknotes, vols. 1 & 2 (Banking Memorabilia,1984-1998); T Jones, Twentieth Century Scottish Banknote: Clydesdale Bank plc and its constituent banks (Banking Memorabilia,1998); Banknote Yearbook published annually by Token Publishing, Honiton, Devon. Other information about banknotes can be found at the websites of Royal Bank of Scotland <https://www.natwestgroup.com/heritage.html > and the Bank of Scotland <https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/our-heritage/our-companies.html > [both accessed 24 April 2024].
How do I find out which banks operated in my town/village etc?
Look in contemporary records or publications. The local studies library and/or local authority archive should have postal directories and/or valuation rolls, and these should confirm the name of the bank(s) that operated within the location you are interested.
The bank I am researching no longer exists. How do I find its history and the name of the bank which took it over?
Consult J Orbell & A Turton British Banking: a guide to historical records (Ashgate, 2001); which contains a brief history for all banks which had surviving records at the time of publication. This is the quickest way to trace bank take-overs and mergers.
I want to find out about the history of Scottish banking, or a particular bank. Where do I start?
There are several useful publications on the history of banking and most of the main bank groups operating in Scotland: Bank of Scotland, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank, and Lloyds TSB. Each bank is the result of a number of amalgamations over the last 300 years. General reference books on the subject include:
Checkland, S., Scottish Banking, A History, 1695-1973 (Collins, 1975)
Cameron, Alan, Bank of Scotland 1695-1995: a very singular institution (Mainstream Publishing, 1995)
Durie, A J. ed., The British Linen Company 1745-1775 (Scottish History Society, 1996)
Kerr, A. W., History of Banking in Scotland (D Bryce & Son, 1884)
Malcolm, C. A., The Bank of Scotland 1695-1945 ([1948])
Malcolm, C. A., The History of the British Linen Bank, 1746-1946 (Edinburgh, 1950)
Moss, Michael & Anthony Slaven, From ledger book to laser beam: a history of the TSB in Scotland, from 1810-1990 (Trustee Savings Bank Scotland, 1992)
Moss, Michael & Iain Russell, An Invaluable Treasure: A History of the TSB (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1994)
Munn, C., The Scottish Provincial Banking Companies, 1747-1864 (John Donald, 1981)
Orbell, J. & A. Turton, British Banking: A Guide to historical records (Ashgate, 2001)
Rait, Robert S., The History of the Union Bank of Scotland (Glasgow: 1930)
Saville, R., Bank of Scotland: A History, 1695-1995 (Edinburgh University Press, 1996)
Tamaki, Norio, The Life Cycle of the Union Bank of Scotland 1830-1954 (Aberdeen University Press, 1983)
If you are researching the history of the Bank of Scotland or The Royal Bank of Scotland (or one of their constituents) look at the respective websites: <https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/our-heritage/our-companies.html> [accessed 24 April 2024] for the Bank of Scotland and <https://www.natwestgroup.com/heritage.html> [accessed 24 April 2024] for the Royal Bank of Scotland. The National Archives website <http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk > [accessed 24 April 2024] will help you locate the archives services which hold records of other banks.
Where can I find information about the architecture and history of a particular bank building?
There may be clues on the building itself, such as building dates, former bank names, or initials in the stonework. There is a general guide to banking architecture: John Booker, Temples of Mammon: the Architecture of Banking (Edinburgh University Press, 1990). For published information about the specific building you are interested in, consult the Historic Environment Scotland website <https://canmore.org.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024] and architectural guides to the area in question. Of these, the most comprehensive are the Buildings of Scotland series (Penguin & Buildings of Scotland Trust), and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland’s Illustrated Architectural Guides, (Mainstream Publishing), both of which cover most areas of Scotland. These usually devote a few sentences to each building of architectural interest.
You may be able to verify what you have found in published sources by looking at contemporary records or publications. The local studies library and/or local authority archives service should have postal directories and/or valuation rolls, and these should confirm the name of the bank(s) that operated the branch. If a newspaper covered the opening of the bank, the report might include details of the architect and building contractors.
If the bank was eventually taken over by The Royal Bank of Scotland look at the NatWest Group Heritage website <https://www.natwestgroup.com/heritage.html> [accessed 24 April 2024] which lists all 250 companies now part of the Group. For the Bank of Scotland look at the Lloyds Group website <https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are/our-heritage/our-companies.html> [accessed 24 April 2024]. Staff at the relevant bank archives service may be able to check their property records, architectural plans and photograph collections to give you the name of the architect, the date of erection and alterations and copies of any photographs of the interior and exterior.
How can I find details of the career of a bank employee?
It is essential that you have the full name of the member of staff and the name of the bank he or she worked for. The archives of The Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland and TSB Scotland hold comprehensive sets of staff records (including the records of a few banks which later merged with them) from around the time of World War 1 (1914-18). Some are organised by branch or office name, others are arranged alphabetically by surname. From these it may be possible to obtain information about the member of staff, including date of birth, home address, position in the bank, salary and progress in banking exams. Photographs are harder to trace, but it was usual to have a photograph taken when you became an official of the bank. Staff records are subject to data protection legislation and are likely to be closed to public access until they are more than 100 years old.
How can I convert the pound Scots to its sterling equivalent?
From 1600 onwards the exchange rate was stabilised at 12:1, so one pound Scots = 1s. 8d sterling, and one pound sterling = 12 pounds Scots. Prior to 1600 the conversion is more difficult, as it depends on the exchange rate. The pound Scots and pound sterling were probably at parity in the 1360s, but subsequent debasement of the pound Scots led to devaluation. The exchange rate was 4:1 by the late 15th century, 5:1 by 1560, and 12:1 by 1600.
4:1 1 pound Scots = 5s sterling £1 sterling = 4 pounds Scots
5:1 1 pound Scots = 4 s sterling £1 sterling = 5 pounds Scots
12:1 1 pound Scots = 1s 8d sterling £1 sterling = 12 pounds Scots
How do I convert an amount of money in a previous century into today’s equivalent?
If the amount of money is in sterling, to find the ‘purchasing power’ (the equivalent amount of money today, taking into account inflation) for this amount, go to the Economic History website <https://eh.net/howmuchisthat/> [accessed 24 April 2024].
If the amount of money is in pounds Scots you must first of all convert the amount to pounds sterling. For the approximate exchange rates at different times, see the FAQ ‘How can I convert the pound Scots to its sterling equivalent?’ Answer: the important point to grasp is that this is not a decimal currency. 12d = 1 shilling: 20 shillings = 1 pound.
How can I calculate in pounds, shillings and pence?
To add pounds, shillings and pence manually, columns of figures should be added as follows:
Start with the pence (d.) column. Add up the pence, and, using long division, divide by 12. The result will be a whole number and a remainder (a number between 0 and 11). The whole number represents the number of shillings to be carried over to the shillings (s.) column. The remainder is the number of pence in the total.
Add up the shillings (s.) column (including the figure carried over from the pence column). Divide this number by 20. The result will be a whole number and a remainder (a number between 0 and 19). The whole number represents the number of pounds to be carried over to the pounds (L) column. The remainder is the number of shillings in the total.
Add up the pound (L) column (including the figure carried over from the shillings column).
For example: the sum of the amounts below:
| L. | s. | d. | |
| 4 | 7 | 3 | |
| 0 | 19 | 8 | |
| 4 | 12 | 7 | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1 | 15 | 2 | |
| Totals | 12 | 16 | 8 |
| Divide 20 pence into shillings = | 1s. 8d | ||
| Carry over the 2s. to shillings column | 1 | 8 | |
| Add to previous shillings total | 56 | ||
| Divide 63 shillings into pounds | 2L 16s. | ||
| Carry over £3 to pounds column | 2 | ||
| Add to previous pounds total | 10 | ||
| Final total | 12 | 16 | 8 |
I have an old bank passbook, which records a small balance. How do I trace the account and find out how much it is worth?
The website <www.mylostaccount.org.uk> [accessed 24 April 2024] provides a central point for enquiring about a lost account with any British bank. The service is free to use.
Banks normally paid no interest on sums of money under one pound, irrespective of whether it was a current or savings account. Also note that the final balance in a passbook may not be significant, as this may be the balance when an account information was changed to electronic form in the 1960s. Thereafter, the account holder may not have used the passbook, relying instead on monthly, quarterly or annual statements.
Where will I find the passenger list for someone who emigrated to America?
The basic rule of thumb is that, for the period prior to 1890, expect the passenger list to have gone with the passenger and ended up in the port of arrival. This means that you should not expect to find a passenger list for an outgoing ship in Scotland and you ought to check sources in the United States first.
First you may be lucky enough to find a record of your ancestor in published passenger lists (which account for about 1% of emigrants to North America).
Next try the US National Archives and Records Administration where all surviving passenger lists for vessels arriving in the United States are kept. They are divided into two types of record: Customs Passenger Lists, 1800-1890, which give the name, age, sex, occupation, country of origin and country of destination of each passenger, but do not cover all American ports; and Immigration passenger lists, from 1890, giving all of the above information, along with place of birth, last place of residence and sometimes the address of a relative in the country of origin. <https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/overview> [accessed 26 April 2024].
The UK National Archives in London holds passenger lists for vessels leaving the UK between 1890 and 1960 (among the records of the Board of Trade). For further details consult the Discovery website. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
Where will I find the passenger list of someone who emigrated to Canada?
The basic rule of thumb is that, for the period prior to 1890, expect the passenger list to have gone with the passenger and ended up in the port of arrival. This means that you should not expect to find a passenger list for an outgoing ship in Scotland and you ought to check sources in Canada first.
First, you may be lucky enough to find a record of your ancestor in published passenger lists (which account for about 1% of emigrants to North America).
Next try Library and Archives Canada, who hold passenger manifests from 1865 (and some earlier records). For further details consult <https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/passenger-lists/Pages/introduction.aspx> [accessed 26 April 2024].
The UK National Archives in London holds passenger lists for vessels leaving the UK between 1890 and 1960 (among the records of the Board of Trade). For further details consult the Discovery website. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
If your ancestor emigrated from Lewis or Harris to Manitoba in the period 1888-1889, it may be worth searching the records of a state-aided scheme, which survive in the records of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department records (AF51), held in the National Records of Scotland. These record various details of each applicant and members of his or her household. The records are not indexed.
Where will I find the passenger list for someone who emigrated to Australia?
The basic rule of thumb is that, for the period prior to 1890, expect the passenger list to have gone with the passenger and end up in the port of arrival. This means that you should not expect to find a passenger list for an outgoing ship in Scotland and you should instead check sources in the Australia first.
Emigrants to Australia were categorized according to the method by which their passages were paid and the arrangement of surviving records reflects this categorization:
- Free (passage paid by government)
- Assisted (fare partly paid by authorities)
- Unassisted (passage paid by passenger)
- Bounty (fee paid by agent, who received a bounty from the government)
- Nominated/remitted (friends/relatives in Australia paid for passage)
Passenger lists for ships arriving in Australia are held by the various state record offices [all links accessed 26 April 2024]:
State Records of New South Wales
Public Record Office of Victoria
State Records of Western Australia https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/state-records-office-of-western-australia
State Records of South Australia
Passenger lists after 1924 are held by the National Archives of Australia https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/immigration-and-citizenship/passenger-arrival-records
The National Archives in London holds passenger lists for vessels leaving the UK between 1890 and 1960 (among the records of the Board of Trade). For further details consult the Discovery website. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/>
If your ancestor emigrated from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to Australia as an assisted passenger between 1852 and 1857, there is a chance that there may be details of the emigrant’s origins in the records of the Highland and Island Emigration Society. These are held by the National Records of Scotland among the records of the Highland Destitution Boards (HD4/5) and can be viewed on the ScotlandsPeople website <www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk>
Where will I find the passenger list of someone who emigrated to New Zealand?
Answer: The basic rule of thumb is that, for the period prior to 1890, expect the passenger list to have gone with the passenger and end up in the port of arrival. This means that you should not expect to find a passenger list for an outgoing ship in Scotland and you ought to check sources in the New Zealand first.
Surviving passenger lists of ships arriving in New Zealand are held by the National Archives of New Zealand.
The UK National Archives in London holds passenger lists for vessels leaving the UK between 1890 and 1960 (among the records of the Board of Trade For further details consult the Discovery website. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [all links accessed 26 April 2026].
Where will I find the passenger list of someone who emigrated to New Zealand?
The basic rule of thumb is that, for the period prior to 1890, expect the passenger list to have gone with the passenger and end up in the port of arrival. This means that you should not expect to find a passenger list for an outgoing ship in Scotland and you ought to check sources in the New Zealand first.
Surviving passenger lists of ships arriving in New Zealand are held by the National Archives of New Zealand.
The UK National Archives in London holds passenger lists for vessels leaving the UK between 1890 and 1960 (among the records of the Board of Trade For further details consult the Discovery website. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [all links accessed 26 April 2026].
How can I find out if someone who travelled abroad from Scotland was in receipt of a passport or letter of safe conduct issued in Scotland?
The National Archives (TNA) in London has records of passports issued for the period 1795-1948 (indexed for the periods 1851 – 1862 and 1874 – 1898), in Foreign Office records (reference: FO610-611). For details go to the TNA website <http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C7912> [accessed 26 April 2024]
For passports issued in Scotland before the 18th century, first try published sources, such as the register of the Privy Seal (Registrum secreti sigilli regum Scotorum), the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, and the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum), or published minutes or acts of the burgh concerned, if the individual came from a town. The family papers of the individual concerned might be with the National Records of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, or with a local archive or university library, or held privately. You should ascertain from the National Register of Archives for Scotland where, if anywhere, the relevant family papers are held. You might also search the National Records of Scotland’s catalogues, using the terms ‘passport’, ‘safe conduct’ etc, for examples occurring in family papers.
Where can I find copies of parliamentary papers in Scotland?
Copies of Parliamentary Papers come in different formats – mainly bound volumes and microfilm. The National Library of Scotland, the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and other large reference libraries hold sets. Some university libraries also hold sets and a few local authority reference libraries hold partial sets. Parliamentary Papers are also available online through ProQuest which is a subscription service used by university libraries and some large reference libraries.
For other options go to <https://archives.parliament.uk/online-resources/parliamentary-papers/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
How can I find Scottish evidence in parliamentary papers on particular subjects?
Look at J.A. Haythornthwaite N. C. Wilson and V. A. Batho, Scotland in the Nineteenth Century: an analytical bibliography of material relating to Scotland in Parliamentary Papers 1800-1900 (1993). This describes the content of evidence presented to parliamentary committees and commissions and is arranged thematically in broad subject groupings (e.g. ‘agriculture’, ‘crime and punishment’, ‘education’, ‘industry’ etc), and an index. In each case there is a reference to the year, volume, sessional number etc.
Where in parliamentary papers is the (oft-quoted) evidence relating to child labour in Scottish mines?
The evidence is contained in the First Report of the Commissioners on Children’s Employment (Mines) and appendices, 1842. Vol. XV, 269p. (Sessional no. 380), Vol XVI, 886p. (Sessional no. 381), and Vol. XVII, 937p. (Sessional no. 382).
Where in parliamentary papers are the ‘returns’ giving information about each school in Scotland in 1838?
the returns are in the Abstract of Answers Made by Schoolmasters in Scotland to Queries Circulated, in 1838, by order of the Select Committee on Education in Scotland. Accounts and Papers, 1841. Vol. XIX, 1109p. (Sessional no. 64).
Poor relief records
Where can I find parochial board, parish council and poor relief records for a parish?
The records of most parochial boards and parish councils have passed to local authorities in Scotland. Many are now held by local authority archives, some are with local authority library services and a few are with the National Records of Scotland. In some areas (e.g. Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire) the survival rate is very good. In other areas (e.g. Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire) very little survives. In general, very little survives for the parochial boards of the major cities, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, except Glasgow, where huge runs of application registers survive for Glasgow City, Barony and Govan parishes (held by Glasgow City Archives). The National Records of Scotland hold parochial board and parish council records for some parishes in East Lothian (CO7/7, DC4/4-12, DC5/4-5, DC7/4), Midlothian (CO2/77-91), and Wigtownshire (CO4/30-47). For parochial board and parish council records for other parishes you should contact the appropriate local authority archive, in the first instance.
The responsibilities of heritors, kirk sessions and parochial boards overlapped to some extent, and this is reflected in the surviving records of many parishes. Some heritors’ records survive among kirk session records and vice versa. For example some kirk session minute books contain minutes of heritors’ meetings, and the minute books of some parochial boards predate 1845, and begin as the minute book of heritors’ meetings before becoming the minute book of the parochial boards. Many kirk sessions continued to provide for the poor out of church collections for several years after 1845. For example, the minutes of the kirk session of Greenlaw contain lists of poor who received contributions after communion services until 1881. The records of the heritors of Dirleton parish contain poor rolls from 1825 until 1847. For any given parish the researcher should check the catalogues to the kirk session, heritors’ and parochial board minutes.
Where can I find heritors’ records for a parish?
Heritors’ records are the responsibility of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland and heritors’ records for most parishes are held at the National Archives of Scotland. The responsibilities of heritors, kirk sessions and parochial boards overlapped to some extent, and this is reflected in the surviving records of many parishes. Some heritors’ records survive among kirk session records and vice versa. For example some kirk session minute books contain minutes of heritors’ meetings, and the minute books of some parochial boards predate 1845, and begin as the minute book of heritors’ meetings before becoming the minute book of the parochial boards. Many kirk sessions continued to provide for the poor out of church collections for several years after 1845. For example, the minutes of the kirk session of Greenlaw contain lists of poor who received contributions after communion services until 1881. The records of the heritors of Dirleton parish contain poor rolls from 1825 until 1847. For any given parish the researcher should check the catalogues to the kirk session, heritors’ and parochial board minutes.
Where can I find kirk session records for a parish?
Kirk session records are the responsibility of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland. The records of most kirk sessions are held at the National Archives of Scotland. However, some are then sent back (the National Archives use the term ‘retransmitted’) to local archives under what is known as ‘charge and superintendence’ (that is, they are kept by local archives under certain conditions). To find out whether the kirk session records for a parish survive, and whether they are held at the National Archives of Scotland or a local authority archive contact the National Archives of Scotland or the local archive concerned. The responsibilities of heritors, kirk sessions and parochial boards overlapped to some extent, and this is reflected in the surviving records of many parishes. Some heritors’ records survive among kirk session records and vice versa. For example some kirk session minute books contain minutes of heritors’ meetings, and the minute books of some parochial boards predate 1845, and begin as the minute book of heritors’ meetings before becoming the minute book of the parochial boards. Many kirk sessions continue to provide for the poor out of church collections for several years after 1845. For example, the minutes of the kirk session of Greenlaw contain lists of poor who received contributions after communion services until 1881. The records of the heritors of Dirleton parish contain poor rolls from 1825 until 1847. For any given parish the researcher should check the catalogues to the kirk session, heritors’ and parochial board minutes.
Why might the information in a register of the poor contradict information in other records?
There are several reasons why this may be so.
Where an individual was ill or elderly he or she might have been able to give only vague information to the Inspector of the Poor.
Some applicants gave false information in order to qualify for relief (for example someone born in Ardrossan parish but applying in Glasgow might state that he or she was born in Ireland, in order to obtain relief rather than being sent to Ardrossan or his or her application being referred to Ardrossan).
Clerical error might result in a place name being mis-spelt or located in the wrong parish or county.
I have seen the term ‘General Register of the Poor’ used. Does this refer to a central register of the poor, kept nationally for the whole of Scotland?
No, the term ‘general register of the poor’ refers to a type of poor relief register kept by individual parishes. In 1865 the Board of Supervision introduced new General Registers of Poor and Children’s Separate Registers. Where poor relief registers survive they generally are found among county council and civil parish records in local authority archives and libraries.
If poor relief registers do not survive for a parish, is it worthwhile looking in parochial board/parish council minutes for information on a pauper?
The amount of information in parochial board or parish council minutes relating to individual applicants varies from parish to parish. The minutes for some parishes, particularly rural parishes, contain a lot of information, including the residence of the applicant and their living conditions, the reason for application, reasons for the application being accepted or rejected, other members of the applicant’s family and their earnings, and other comments by the Inspector of the Poor. However, for many parishes the minutes include very little information on each applicant, often containing the name and the decision of the board or council and little else. After the 1920s the minute entries may be anonymised by referring to case numbers and not to surnames. In addition, remember that searching through minute books can be very time-consuming.
Poor law and poor houses
What is the difference between a poorhouse and a workhouse?
There were some differences between Scottish and English legislation regarding the funding and appeal system of the Poor Law, but there does not appear to have been any tangible difference between English ‘workhouses’ and Scottish ‘poorhouses’. It is not clear why the English, by and large, preferred the term ‘workhouse’ and the Scots, by and large, preferred ‘poorhouse’.
What do the terms ‘indoor relief’ and ‘outdoor relief’ mean?
‘Indoor relief’ meant admission to a poorhouse. ‘Outdoor relief’ meant another form of poor relief, usually a single or regular money payment, but sometimes outdoor relief was in the form of medicine, clothing or the payment of school fees.
What is meant by the terms ‘test case’ and ‘test ward’?
A ‘test case’ refers to an application for relief where the Inspector of the Poor suspected that the applicant could be supported by himself/herself or by his/her family. The applicant would be offered ‘indoor relief’ in the ‘test ward’ of a poorhouse. Those admitted to the test ward had to endure a tougher, more restrictive regime than those in other wards. The assumption was that many applicants would either refuse indoor relief in the test ward or, if admitted, would not endure the test ward for long: either discharging themselves or absconding.
Where can I find parochial board, parish council and poor relief records for a parish?
The records of most parochial boards and parish councils have passed to local authorities in Scotland. Many are now held by local authority archives, some are with local authority library services and a few are with the National Records of Scotland. In some areas (e.g. Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire) the survival rate is very good. In other areas (e.g. Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire) very little survives. In general, very little survives for the parochial boards of the major cities, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, except Glasgow, where huge runs of application registers survive for Glasgow City, Barony and Govan parishes (held by Glasgow City Archives). The National Records of Scotland hold parochial board and parish council records for some parishes in East Lothian (CO7/7, DC4/4-12, DC5/4-5, DC7/4), Midlothian (CO2/77-91), and Wigtownshire (CO4/30-47). For parochial board and parish council records for other parishes you should contact the appropriate local authority archive, in the first instance.
The responsibilities of heritors, kirk sessions and parochial boards overlapped to some extent, and this is reflected in the surviving records of many parishes. Some heritors’ records survive among kirk session records and vice versa. For example some kirk session minute books contain minutes of heritors’ meetings, and the minute books of some parochial boards predate 1845, and begin as the minute book of heritors’ meetings before becoming the minute book of the parochial boards. Many kirk sessions cointinued to provide for the poor out of church collections for several years after 1845. For example, the minutes of the kirk session of Greenlaw contain lists of poor who received contributions after communion services until 1881. The records of the heritors of Dirleton parish contain poor rolls from 1825 until 1847. For any given parish the researcher should check the catalogues to the kirk session, heritors’ and parochial board minutes.
Why might the information in a register of the poor contradict information in other records?
There are several reasons why this may be so.
Where an individual was ill or elderly he or she might have been able to give only vague information to the Inspector of the Poor.
Some applicants gave false information in order to qualify for relief (for example someone born in Ardrossan parish but applying in Glasgow might state that he or she was born in Ireland, in order to obtain relief rather than being sent to Ardrossan or his or her application being referred to Ardrossan).
Clerical error might result in a place name being mis-spelt or located in the wrong parish or county.
I have seen the term ‘General Register of the Poor’ used. Does this refer to a central register of the poor, kept nationally for the whole of Scotland?
No, the term ‘general register of the poor’ refers to a type of poor relief register kept by individual parishes. In 1865 the Board of Supervision introduced new General Registers of Poor and Children’s Separate Registers. Where poor relief registers survive they generally are found among county council and civil parish records in local authority archives and libraries.
If poor relief registers do not survive for a parish, is it worthwhile looking in parochial board/parish council minutes for information on a pauper?
The amount of information in parochial board or parish council minutes relating to individual applicants varies from parish to parish. The minutes for some parishes, particularly rural parishes, contain a lot of information, including the residence of the applicant and their living conditions, the reason for application, reasons for the application being accepted or rejected, other members of the applicant’s family and their earnings, and other comments by the Inspector of the Poor. However, for many parishes the minutes include very little information on each applicant, often containing the name and the decision of the board or council and little else. After the 1920s the minute entries may be anonymised by referring to case numbers and not to surnames. In addition, remember that searching through minute books can be very time-consuming.
Where should I look for information on poorhouses?
If you are interested in looking for the records of a particular poorhouse, you should contact each of the following, who might hold the records:
- your local authority archives service,
- your local health board archives (possibly within a university archives)
Bear in mind that substantial records do not survive for most poorhouses
A useful website is <http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Scotland/> [accessed 26 April 2024]. This website focuses mainly on poor relief in England but has helpful information about the Scottish law and systems.
Policing and police forces
Where should I look for statistics on crime and police activity for a particular year or years?
There are two main sources of statistics on crime: parliamentary papers and chief constables’ annual reports.
Parliamentary Papers
From 1836 onwards within Parliamentary Papers there are Annual Criminal and Judicial Statistics. These deal only with crimes which resulted in a trial (until 1868 they deal only with serious crimes – i.e. those tried in the High Court on circuit). Therefore, care has to be taken when using these, as they do not cover all crimes committed. For a discussion of the problems with these official statistics, see M. A. Crowther, ‘The Criminal Precognitions and Their Value for the Historian’ in Scottish Archives 1 (1995). Larger reference libraries, such as the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and the National Library of Scotland, hold Parliamentary Papers.
Chief Constables’ Annual Reports
In the mid-19th century, chief constables (or the equivalent title, depending on the force) made annual reports to the committee which supervised them (police commissioners in most burghs, and police committees or standing joint committees in counties). To begin with these were recorded in the minute books of the committee, and they give statistics for certain types of crime, as well as an account of the work of the police over the previous year. By the late 19th century, the chief constables of cities, counties and larger towns had the annual reports printed and made more publicly available. By the early 20th century most forces issued printed reports, and these contained tables of statistics. Local studies libraries and some local authority archives keep runs of chief constables’ annual reports for forces in their areas.
What was a police burgh?
Police burghs were towns where a local or general act of parliament provided for services (such as water supply, drainage, sewerage, policing, paving, street lighting and refuse disposal) to be supervised by an elected body of commissioners and funded by local rates. Not all police burghs had police forces.
In the second half of the 18th century and the first decades of the 19th century many burghs and other towns faced problems coping with industrial pollution, sewerage, water supply, public health and crime. In 1800 Glasgow obtained a local act of parliament to set up a system of policing, whereby a body of police commissioners, elected by householders, oversaw a police force, and the maintenance of paving, lighting and cleansing the streets. Other Scottish burghs obtained similar local acts in the next few years. In 1832 and 1833 legislation converted royal burghs and many burghs of barony and regality into parliamentary burghs with elected councils. The Burgh Police (Scotland) Act allowed burghs to adopt policing, paving, lighting and cleansing powers through a sheriff court process (which was much less expensive than an act of parliament). Under the Police of Towns (Scotland) Act 1850 and the General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act 1862 these (and further public health) powers were extended to populous places, and the result was the creation of over 100 ‘police burghs’. The Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1890 ended the anomaly whereby some burghs had an elected body of police commissioners and a town council and granted further powers to burghs.
What are (or were) special constables?
Special constables are individuals who carry out limited police duties on a part-time and voluntary basis. Most forces now use special constables. In the past, particularly in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century they were used extensively by Scottish police forces in times of emergency, such as wartime and at times when fear of invasion or civil unrest was threatened. Special constables do not receive a police pension, and do not appear in police personnel registers, although separate registers of special constables sometimes survive in police records.
I am doing a school project on the history of the police. Where should I go for information?
Libraries, Police Museums and Archives.
Visit your local library for advice on published histories of the police in your area, annual reports of the chief constables of local police forces, and other material.
There are two police museums, one in Glasgow and one in Kirriemuir, which hold collections of police uniforms, memorabilia and equipment.
<https://taysidepolicemuseum.org.uk/about/> [accessed 25 May 2024]
<http://www.policemuseum.org.uk/museum-overview/> [accessed 25 May 2024]
Eleven archive services hold collections of police records: Aberdeen City Archives, Angus Archives, Dumfries & Galloway Archives, Dundee City Archives, Edinburgh City Archives, Fife Archive Centre, Glasgow City Archives, the Highland Archive, Perth & Kinross Council Archive, Scottish Borders Archives and Stirling Council Archives. See Police Records Locations for further details. Contact details for each of these archives are available in the directory pages of Your Scottish Archives
Where can I identify or obtain information about the award of a police medal?
Most police medal enquiries concern two distinct types of medals: awards for gallantry and medals awarded at the coronation of British monarchs.
The King’s Police Medal was created in 1909 by Edward VII, for issue to members of a recognised police force or fire department throughout the British Empire for acts of gallantry or long and dedicated service. In 1954 the King’s Police Medal was replaced by the Queen’s Police Medal and the Queen’s Fire Service Medal.
Medals have been awarded to some classes of people in public service (including certain grades of police personnel) on the occasion of coronations and jubilees of monarchs since 1887.
The most comprehensive public collection of police medals in Scotland is in the Glasgow Police Museum. <http://www.policemuseum.org.uk/> [accessed 25 May 2024]
Alternatively you could ask the Police Insignia Collectors Association of Great Britain. <http://www.pica.co.uk/> [accessed 25 May 2024]
If the medal was awarded for an act of bravery, a good source for what occurred is a local newspaper. For information about which newspapers were current at the place and time in question consult Alice Mackenzie, NEWSPLAN: report of the NEWSPLAN project in Scotland (British Library, 1994); or J P S Ferguson, Directory of Scottish Newspapers (National Library of Scotland, 1984). You can also search the British Newspapers Archive <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/> [accessed 25 May 2024] for a fee or subscription. For details about the service record of a policeman who received an award, go to the FAQ How can I find the service record of an individual police officer?
Where can I obtain information about police badges, uniforms or equipment?
The most comprehensive collection of police insignia, uniforms and equipment in Scotland is in the Glasgow Police Museum. <http://www.policemuseum.org.uk/> [accessed 25 May 2024]
Alternatively you could ask the Police Insignia Collectors Association of Great Britain. <http://www.pica.co.uk/> [accessed 25 May 2024]
Where can I obtain photographs or illustrations of police?
The chances of obtaining a photograph of an individual, named policeman or policewoman is practically nil before the 1960s, as it is only then that police forces kept personnel files with photographs. For the photograph of a policeman during this period advice should be sought from the force in question or its successor.
For photographs relating to policing in general there are two main sources: police museums and heritage societies; and local authority archives and libraries.
If there are little or no surviving photographs of police personnel etc, it may be worthwhile looking through street photographs for the period in question, if you have the time, as these sometimes include policemen directing traffic or on the beat, photographed by chance or design by the photographer.
Where can I find information about Harbour or Canal Police?
Under the Police (Scotland) Act 1858 (21 & 22 Vict., c.65) the sheriff of a county in which a canal or other public work was in the course of construction was empowered to direct the chief constable to appoint additional constables to keep the peace and ensure the security of persons and property from crimes and unlawful acts within the limits of such public works and a radius of one mile therefrom. Under the Harbours, Docks and Piers Act, 1847 (10 & 11 Vict., c.27), provision was made for the appointment of special constables within the limits of a harbour, dock or pier and a mile beyond, but in the larger Scottish ports police duty in the harbours was normally undertaken by constables supplied by the chief constable of the burgh. Therefore, you should look for information in the records of the burgh or county constabulary concerned. Two forces on the River Clyde briefly operated in the mid-19th century. The Clyde River Police was formed 1862 and merged with the Glasgow City force in 1867. The Greenock Harbour Police operated between 1817 and 1822, and, again between 1825 and 1843. It was absorbed by the Greenock Burgh Constabulary.
Is there a complete list or index of Scottish police officers?
No. Scottish police forces were organised on a local basis until 2013. Before 1975 they were organised as county and burgh forces (or amalgamations of these). From 1975 until 2013 they were organised as 8 regional forces. Each force was responsible for keeping its own personnel records.
How can I find the service record of an individual police officer?
If you are researching the career of a senior police officer, such as a former chief constable, go to the FAQ Where should I look for information about a former chief constable or senior officer of a force?
For other police officers, you need to find out which police force the officer served in and whether and where any records of that police force survive.
If you do not know which police force the person served on – go to the FAQ If I know someone was a police officer but not which force they served on, how do I find out which force?
Once you know police force concerned, check which of the eight regional police forces was the successor force in 1975 and ought to have inherited the records. Do this by checking the Knowledge Base List of police forces in Scotland. Then go to the Knowledge Base on Police Records Locations to find out which archives service holds the surviving records and contact that archives service to find out whether personnel records and other useful records have survived and how you can get access to them.
If you are fairly sure which force the individual served on, but he or she does not appear in the relevant personnel registers, see the FAQ Why might I be unable to trace a service record of a police officer?
Where should I look for information about a former chief constable or senior officer of a force?
Start with a recent publication, which attempts to provide dates for the careers of chief constables of British police forces: Martin Stallion and David S Wall, The British police: forces and chief officers 1829-2012 (Police History Society, 2011)
The minute books of the relevant police committee should provide some information about the appointment of a chief constable and, in some cases, other senior officers, such as dates of appointment and leaving, and some details about their background, such as their previous constabulary. If further details are required, such as major events during the period in office, more lengthy research might be required in minute books, scrap books, memoranda books and letter books, if any or all of these survive.
If I know someone was a police officer but not which force they served on, how do I find out which force?
If you do not know which part of the country he or she lived in you require to find out more basic information about the individual from other records – statutory registers, census returns, civil registers of births, marriages and deaths, etc. For basic advice go to the Family History pages.
If you know where someone lived you need to work out which forces operated in that area. Bear in mind that police forces were arranged into burgh, county or amalgamated forces until 1975. Also, some small burgh forces, in the suburbs of cities, were annexed later by Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Someone who lived in Glasgow may have served on a number of forces, for example Glasgow City Police, the Lanarkshire Constabulary, Clyde River Police, or the constabularies of one of Glasgow’s many small burghs (e.g. Govan, Maryhill, Calton, and Partick). You can do this by finding out which county and/or burgh the place concerned was in before 1975. You could ask the relevant local authority archivist or police museum which forces were in operation in or around a particular place at the time in question.
Once you have a list of forces in that area go to the FAQ How can I find the service record of an individual police officer?
If you have searched all the surviving police personnel records for that area go to the FAQ Why might I be unable to trace a service record of a police officer?
Why might I be unable to trace a service record of a police officer?
Archives which hold police registers frequently receive enquiries where someone researching a police officer does not find an entry on them in the personnel registers concerned. There are several possible reasons why this might be the case:
- The individual was a special constable, not a permanent member of the force.
- The individual served on another force, e.g. the person lived in Glasgow but served on a county or suburban burgh constabulary.
- The individual was not a police officer but worked for the police commissioners in some other capacity (e.g. fireman, clerk, typist).
- The individual began service before personnel register was started, and an earlier register is not extant.
- The personnel registers do not survive for that force.
- The individual did not progress beyond the status of ‘probationary constable’ (i.e. he or she did not complete a probationary period and merit enrolment in the register of constables).
- Clerical error – although this is unlikely, since personnel registers were carefully kept, as they were the main source of information for police pension purposes.
Police records
What sources of information are useful for the study of the history of policing in Scotland?
Researchers with plenty of time to research, should read the entry on police records and select those which best fit their needs, then consult local archives staff and/or National Records of Scotland staff, as well as their advisers. Things to bear in mind are (a) records relating to the police are held in a variety of archives, (b) some records are held under closure rules of up to 84 years.
For researchers who have more limited time and ability to travel to a variety of archives, a project should be limited in one or more ways: geographically (looking at one or two areas or forces, e.g. a burgh or a county), time period (one century or decade), by subject (e.g. looking at one aspect of policing, such as recruitment, criminal investigation, etc). Above all consider which kinds of record are available easily and how much time and technical ability it will require to carry out research with these – on this take the advice of a local archivist. In particular, if your study is statistical, bear in mind the effects of boundary changes and police force amalgamations on statistics arranged by parish, burgh and county.
Do police records include records of prisons and prisoners?
police records sometimes include records of detainees in police cells (see under police station records), but these are not records of prisons and prisoners in the true sense. There are exceptional cases of prison records reaching archives via police records, and one of the earliest forms of prison in Scotland consisted of cells in the tollbooth of burghs. Records sometimes survive for these in the form of books of arrestments and incarcerations among burgh records held by local authority archive services. However, the administration of prisons in Scotland was primarily the responsibility of central government. Records relating to prisons and prisoners in Scotland are mainly held by the National Records of Scotland.
The passing of the Habitual Criminals Act of 1869, required police to supervise convicts in the latter stages of their sentence, following their release from prison. The names, addresses and other details of these individuals, sometimes referred to as “ticket of leave prisoners”, were sometimes recorded in “Registers of Returned Convicts”. An example of such a register is held by Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives under the reference POL/AC/6/6 which covers the period 1869 to 1939. 60 of the 260 entries within the volume are also accompanied by mugshot-type photographs.
Where can I find information about parish constables?
First read Ann E. Whetstone, Scottish County Government in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries (John Donald, 1981), which has chapters on the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Supply – the two bodies which administered the parish constable system in Scotland. If you wish to look in details at the work of parish constables in a particular county, you should look at Justice of the Peace records and Commissioners of Supply records for that county. Depending on the county these may be with a local authority archive or the National Records of Scotland (NRS). You might also consult J. A. Haythornthwaite Scotland in the Nineteenth Century: An Analytical bibliography of material relating to Scotland in Parliamentary Papers 1800-1900 (Scolar Press, 1993) for material in parliamentary commissions.
Where should I look for statistics on crime and police activity for a particular year or years?
there are two main sources of statistics on crime: parliamentary papers and chief constables’ annual reports.
Parliamentary Papers
From 1836 onwards within Parliamentary Papers there are Annual Criminal and Judicial Statistics. These deal only with crimes which resulted in a trial (until 1868 they deal only with serious crimes – i.e. those tried in the High Court on circuit). Therefore, care has to be taken when using these, as they do not cover all crimes committed. For a discussion of the problems with these official statistics, see M. A. Crowther, ‘The Criminal Precognitions and Their Value for the Historian’ in Scottish Archives 1 (1995), pp. 75-84. Larger reference libraries, such as the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and the National Library of Scotland, hold Parliamentary Papers.
Chief Constables’ Annual Reports
In the mid-nineteenth century, chief constables (or the equivalent title, depending on the force) made annual reports to the committee which supervised them (police commissioners in most burghs, and police committees or standing joint committees in counties). To begin with these were recorded in the minute books of the committee, and they give statistics for certain types of crime, as well as an account of the work of the police over the previous year. By the late nineteenth century, the chief constables of cities, counties and larger towns had the annual reports printed and made more publicly available. By the early 20th century most forces issued printed reports, and these contained tables of statistics. Local studies libraries and some local authority archives keep runs of chief constables’ annual reports for forces in their areas.
Why might someone go on appearing in a Postal Directory after they have moved from a property, or even after they have died?
Information within postal directories was either paid for by subscribers or collected by employees of the publisher who produced the directory. It is possible that someone may have paid for several years’ entries in a directory and died before the publication date. Alternatively, information about the inhabitants of a building may not have been updated promptly by the publisher.
Why might a property not be listed in a Post Office Directory?
In many cases because the owner or resident of the property did not subscribe to the directory. Another possibility is that the property is known by two addresses (e.g. occupies a corner site with an entrance at each street, and the directory only includes one of the addresses).
Why might there be only one or two persons listed at a tenement property (which should have had 6 or more households)?
Usually because the tenement had commercial properties (e.g. shops, store-rooms or workshops) on the ground floor, and it is the proprietors of these businesses who paid to be included in the directory.
Where can I find information for a school project on the history of prisons?
You can find useful information in books, museums and websites.
Books
Cameron, Joy, Prisons and Punishment in Scotland (Canongate, 1983)
Markus, T. A. ‘Buildings for the Bad, the Sad and the Mad in Urban Scotland, 1780-1830’ in Order and Space in Society: Architectural Form and its Context in the Scottish Enlightenment ed. by T. A. Markus, (Mainstream, 1982)
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Tolbooths and Town-Houses: Civic Architecture in Scotland to 1833 (HMSO, 1996)
Museums
There are two museums which offer detailed experience of prison conditions: Inveraray Jail (in Argyll) and Stirling Old Town Jail. Both are open to individual (paying) members of the public, and to group visits. The contact details for each are:
Inveraray Jail, Church Square, Inveraray, Argyll, PA32 8TX <https://www.inverarayjail.co.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Stirling Old Town Jail, St John Street, Stirling, FK8 1EB <https://oldtownjail.co.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024]
In addition, it may be possible to visit the cells in the tolbooths of former burghs Tolbooths and Town-Houses cited above will provide details of tolbooths in your area which have been preserved. You will need to contact the local council to arrange access, where this is possible.
Where can I find information about someone imprisoned in Scotland?
There are several answers to this question depending on when, where and why the person was imprisoned. Consider the following question and link to the appropriate FAQ:
Was the prisoner:
- (a) convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment or penal servitude after the year 1800?
- (b) awaiting charge, trial or sentencing before the year 1800?
- (c) awaiting charge, trial or sentencing after the year 1800?
- (d) a prisoner of war
If : (a) then there is a good chance that the prisoner’s details should be recorded in a prison register held by the National Records of Scotland. Go to the FAQ on ‘How do I trace the record of a prisoner in prison registers?’
(b) then, the individual was probably incarcerated in a burgh tolbooth or jail. Go to the FAQ on ‘How do I trace the record of a prisoner in warding and liberation books of a burgh tolbooth or jail?’
(c) then, the prisoner may have been held on remand in a prison, a burgh tolbooth or jail, or a police cell or lock-up. Look at the FAQs on prison registers, warding and liberation books and ‘How do I trace the record of a prisoner in a police cell or lock-up?’
(d) then go to the FAQ on ‘Where can I find information about prisoner of war prisons and camps in Scotland?’
How do I trace the record of a prisoner in prison registers?
From 1839 onwards prison administration was increasingly brought under central government control, and most registers of prisoners kept by Scottish prisons after 1800 are now held by the National Records of Scotland. Most are among Home and Health Department records (HH21 and HH12), but some are among Sheriff Court records (SC). These mainly cover the period from the early 1800s onwards, and consist of registers maintained by at least 49 prisons, generally containing name, date of admission, committing magistrate and court, age, height, where born, nationality, occupation, religion, health, offence, particulars of trial, sentence if convicted, and date liberated or removed. Some prison registers have been digitised and more details can be found in the ScotlandsPeople Guide to prison registers <https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/guides/prison-registers> [accessed 24 April 2024]
Using prison registers
In the late 19th century, many prisons adopted a registration system, whereby prisoners received a two-part number based on the year of admission and a running number – for example, the 498th prisoner admitted to a prison in 1908 would have the number 498/08, and his or her details would be recorded under that number in the register. The registers may be indexed internally, indexed in separate volumes, or not indexed at all, depending on the prison. Look at the appropriate catalogue for the prison registers concerned (HH21, HH12 and/or SC). In the case of the HH21 and HH12 catalogues, the arrangement is rather haphazard. Registers for a prison may appear in more than one place in the catalogue. Prisons in larger towns and cities which had more than one prison are problematical. In some cases, registers ascribed to one prison (e.g. Aberdeen East) may be from another (e.g. Aberdeen West). Where a town or city had more than one prison, the registers for all the relevant prisons should be searched. Another problem is that some of the indexes to registers are described as registers. In general, be prepared for a lengthy search.
How do I trace the record of a prisoner in warding and liberation books of a burgh tolbooth or jail?
Records relating to burgh prisons and tolbooths consist mainly of warding and liberation books, which record the incarceration and release of individual prisoners with few other details. These are rarely indexed, except where they have been indexed by staff or volunteers in the appropriate record office or published and indexed by an antiquarian society. Warding and liberation books for burgh tolbooths and prisons tend to be with the burgh records, normally held by the appropriate local authority archive service. In the case of several Fife burghs, the records are held by St Andrews University. Another exception is the case of Edinburgh Tolbooth, whose warding and liberation books, 1657-1816, are held by the National Records of Scotland (HH11).
The search may be time-consuming depending on the number of prisoners handled by each tolbooth or jail, and records prior to 1750 can be difficult to read because of the nature of the handwriting for that period.
How do I trace the record of a prisoner in a police cell or lock up?
The records of police stations sometimes include detention books, bail books or registers of persons held in police cells. If your enquiry concerns a police cell or lock-up, the first task is to find out which police force would have operated at the time and place in question, and where (if at all) the station records survive. For further details go to the Knowledge Base entry on Police Records Locations.
Where can I find information about Prisoner of War prisons and camps in Scotland?
The accommodation of significant numbers of prisoners of war first became an issue in the second half of the 18th century, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. Edinburgh Castle held French prisoners at times between 1756 and 1814, and French prisoners of war were employed in a variety of places, including the lead mines at Strontian in Argyll in the late 18th century. From 1796 prisoners of war, irrespective of service or nationality, were the responsibility of the Admiralty’s Sick and Hurt Board (later called the Transport Board). Most French prisoners of war were housed in England, especially in Dartmoor Prison, which was built between 1806 and 1809. By 1814 there were two prisoner of war camps in Scotland: at Penicuik and Perth. The site of the latter, including some of the buildings originally erected for the Napoleonic prisoners, were incorporated into the General Prison, built in Perth from 1839 onwards. For further details see William Sievwright, Historical Sketch of the Old Depot or Prison for French Prisoners of War at Perth (Wright, 1894).
During the First World War (1914-18) the War Office and the Foreign Office both had POW departments, but the former was attached to the Home Office, which ran internment camps, of which there were about 25 in Scotland. During the Second World War (1939-45) the War Office was responsible for all POWs, including those in over 20 camps and prisons in Scotland.
For records relating to Scottish POW camps and prisons, go to the website of The National Archives in London. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024]. Look for the research guide on Prisoners of War in British Hands and this will help you use the catalogue for this topic.
Where can I find information about Scottish Prisoners of War abroad?
If your research concerns a Scottish POW abroad since the 18th century go to website of The National Archives in London. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024] Look for the research guides for prisoners of war.
Where can I find architectural drawings of a particular prison or prisons in general?
Apart from publications on Scottish prisons, which reproduce plans of prison buildings, there are three places to try for these: Historic Environment Scotland, the National Records of Scotland, and local archives and libraries.
Published works
The following published works reproduce plans of prisons:
Cameron, Joy Prisons and Punishment in Scotland (Canongate, 1983)
Markus, T. A. ‘Buildings for the Bad, the Sad and the Mad in Urban Scotland, 1780-1830’ in Order and Space in Society: architectural form and its context in the Scottish Enlightenment ed. by T. A, Markus, (Mainstream, 1982)
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Tolbooths and Town-Houses: Civic Architecture in Scotland to 1833 (HMSO, 1996)
The (printed) First Report of the Board of Directors of Prisons in Scotland (1840) has an appendix with architectural drawings of Perth Prison.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
Use the Canmore website <https://canmore.org.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024] to look for the drawings of the prison, and then follow the instructions for contacting HES. If your research is on prison buildings in general, remember to search using the terms ‘prison’, ‘jail’, ‘gaol’, ‘Bridewell’ and ‘tolbooth’.
National Records of Scotland
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) hold several hundred architectural drawings of prisons in the Register House Plans (RHP) series, mostly extracted from the records of the Scottish Home and Health Department. Over 300 of them can be found by using the search term ‘prison’ and the reference RHP, but, once again, if your research is on prison buildings in general, remember to search using the terms ‘jail’, ‘gaol’, ‘Bridewell’ and ‘tolbooth’ as well.
Local authority archives
Local authority archives occasionally hold architectural drawings of prisons and similar buildings. If you are researching a particular prison you need to find out the appropriate local archives service(s) for that area. You should not expect to find drawings of prisons in Dean of Guild plans collections, because many central government buildings (including prisons) were exempt from building regulations.
Where should I look for photographs of prisoners?
This FAQ refers to titles of acts which includes terminology which is now obsolete.
Criminal registers or collections of photographs of prisoners survive in police records in Scottish archives and among the records of prisons in the National Records of Scotland. They include:
- Albums of criminal register entries compiled by a police force. In most cases, where there is a photograph, it is part of a much larger entry, running to several pages.
- Albums of photographs. With the minimum amount of information about the criminal, compiled by a police force, possibly using the photographs supplied by prison authorities as part of the criminal register entries, or, more likely, from photographs taken by the police force itself of each prisoner at the time of arrest.
- Printed notifications under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1903. Details of a person convicted of three or more offences mentioned in the first schedule of the Inebriates Act 1898 were circulated to licensed premises and secretaries of clubs and police forces in counties, etc.
Examples of the above are held by several archives. Perth & Kinross Council Archive holds photographic and conviction records for Perthshire, Perthshire & Kinross-shire and Perth & Kinross constabularies for the periods 1875-1906 and 1915-55. Glasgow City Archives hold four registers among the records of Strathclyde Police: two for Glasgow, covering 1910-33 (SR22/63/11-12) do not contain photographs. Two for Dunbartonshire, covering 1903-14 (SR22/77/8-9) do contain photographs. The National Records of Scotland hold several albums, including one for Greenock prison, 1872-88. (HH12/56/7). Aberdeen City Archives hold two criminal registers compiled by Aberdeen City Police: the first covers prisoners liberated from Perth Prison, 1882-84, and the second is a ‘register of returned convicts’, 1869-1938, containing notes on the whereabouts of released convicts, and including photographs of prisoners between 1869 and 1897. Among the records of Dunbarton County Constabulary (held by Glasgow City Archives) are three ‘notifications of inebriates’ under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1903 supplied to the Colquhoun Arms Hotel, Rhu (SR22/77/23).
Where should I look for information about suffragettes in prison?
Whether you are researching a particular suffragette or the imprisonment of suffragettes in general you should first read all or some of the following:
Purvis, June, ‘The Prison Experience of the Suffragettes in Edwardian Britain’, Women’s History Review, 4 (1) (1995), pp. 103-33
Leneman, Leah A Guid cause: the women’s suffrage movement in Scotland (Mercat Press, 1991)
King, Elspeth, The Hidden History of Glasgow’s Women: The Thenew Factor (Mainstream, 1993)
If you are researching an individual suffragette prisoner go to the FAQ Where can I find information about someone imprisoned in Scotland? but see also a register of suffragettes received into prison in Scotland, 1909-14, among the Home and Health Department records of the National Records of Scotland (HH12/22).
If you are researching the treatment of suffragette prisoners in general, there are criminal case files among the Home and Health Department records in the National Records of Scotland (HH16/36-47). It may also be worth looking through the catalogues to the Criminal Justice and Procedure files, 1888-1995 (HH60).
Where can I find the employment record of a prison warder?
Staff records in the true sense for the Scottish prison service begin only in 1893. From then until 1946 staff registers were compiled and these are now held by the National Records of Scotland (HH87 – Prison service staff registers).
For the period prior to this the search for details of prison staff will be time-consuming and probably unrewarding. The ‘Prisons – Administrative Records’ series (HH12) in the National Records of Scotland should be examined for possible records. The most likely source among these records are the Governors’ Journals of individual prisons, which ought to record members of staff starting and leaving (or being dismissed), and absences due to illness or other causes. However, as the journals are a form of logbook, the search through these for details of individual staff members can be tedious.
For the period prior to 1839 the main source of information on burgh jails, tolbooths, lock-ups, etc., will be the minute books of the burgh or town council concerned. A search through these for information on the appointment of individual warders is likely to be even more tedious and unrewarding than the search through Governors’ Journals for prisons after 1839.
How do I find the trial records and other records of someone transported to Australia or New Zealand?
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) will, in most cases, hold records of the trial of a Scottish transportee, but you may be able to augment these with details of the voyage from records held by The National Archives in London, and newspaper reports of the trial. Prior to visiting the NRS, or hiring a record agent to carry out research there, it is best to assemble as much information as possible about the person you are researching (particularly when he or she arrived in Australia or New Zealand and which part of Scotland he or she came from) and to read the sections dealing with transportation and criminals in Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors 7th edition (Birlinn, 2020). To locate and read through the court and prison records, described below, for one individual case, will require more than one day’s work in the historical search room at the NRS. Separate visits may be required to The National Archives in London.
If your ancestor was transported from Scotland in the period 1812 to 1867, you may be able to see the prosecution papers in the case, in the form of the precognitions in the Lord Advocate’s records (AD) in the NRS. Hardly any survive for the period before 1812. Those for the period 1812-1900 (AD14) are listed under the name of the accused in the NRS online catalogue: <www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/catalogues-and-indexes> [accessed 24 April 2024]. The records of the Advocate’s department also has a register of returns of pardoned or ticket of leave convicts committed on new charges (AD12/8). The High Court of Justiciary, the supreme criminal court in Scotland, passed sentences of transportation. For details of how to search through Justiciary Court records (JC) at the NRS, you should read the chapter on criminals in National Records of Scotland Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors 7th edition (Birlinn, 2020) and/or look at the research guides for court and legal records on the website. <www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/research-guides/research-guides-a-z/court-and-legal-records> [accessed 24April 2024]. Personal details of the transportee should appear in the registers of the prison which served the court where the trial took place. Prison registers survive in the Home and Health Department records (HH) in the NRS. Most prison registers begin only from the 1840s. They include a register of convicts under sentence of transportation (HH21/5/16).
Ships carrying transported prisoners to Australia sailed from England, and Convict Transportation Registers survive among the Home Office records in The National Archives in London (HO 11). These cover the period from 1787 to 1871 and give the names of all the convicts who sailed on each ship along with the place and date of the conviction and the length of sentence. A microfilm copy is held by the NRS (RH4/160/7). The registers are arranged chronologically by the date of departure of each ship. The names of Scottish prisoners occur towards the end of each list. Two other classes of record in The National Archives in London contain information about transportees. A census of convicts 1788 – 1859 among the Home Office papers (HO10) lists convicts and their families in New South Wales and Tasmania. The census for 1828 is the most complete. A number of lists of convicts for the period 1801 – 1821 are among the New South Wales Original Correspondence (CO 201), and these are indexed.
Once you know which court the trial took place in, you should be able to find a report of the trial in a local newspaper for the period. To locate back copies of local newspapers for particular areas of Scotland consult:
British Newspaper Archive <https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/> [accessed 24 April 2024] (available free of charge in the National Library of Scotland or with a subscription elsewhere)
Ferguson, J. P. S. Directory of Scottish Newspapers (National Library of Scotland, 1984).
How do I find the trial record of someone transported to North America?
Scottish convicts sentenced to transportation before 1776 were sent to North America. A published list of these, based on Scottish sources such as the records of the Privy Council, High Court of Justiciary, Treasury, etc can be found in David Dobson, Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations 1650-1775 2nd edition (Clearfield, 2010). For other published lists of Scottish settlers in North America see below.
Information about individual cases should appear in the records of the High Court of Justiciary, the supreme criminal court in Scotland, at the National Records of Scotland (NRS). To locate and read through the court records for one individual case, will require more than one day’s work at the NRS. Before you visit the NRS or hire a record agent to carry out research there, you should assemble as much information as possible about the person you are researching (particularly when they arrived in North America) and which part of Scotland they came from) and read the sections dealing with transportation and criminals in Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors 7th edition (Birlinn, 2020).
Published lists of Scottish settlers in North America
Coldham, Peter W Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607-1660 (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1987).
Coldham, Peter W Complete Book of Emigrants in Bondage, 1614-1775 (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1988)
Dobson, David Directory of Scottish Settlers in North America, 1625-1825 (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1993)
Dobson, David Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations 1650-1775 2nd edition (Clearfield, 2010)
Filby, P W & others, ed., Passenger and Immigration Lists Index (Gale Research Co, 1981 – present, 21 volumes, continuing) is an index of names in published passenger lists and other lists of arrivals in North America in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Whyte, Donald Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to the USA (Magna Carta Book Co, 1972)
Whyte, Donald Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to the USA Vol 2 (Magna Carta Book Co, 1986)
What forms of hard labour were used in Scottish prisons?
In the course of the 19th century the addition of hard labour was increasingly used by judges for certain offences. The treadmill, the hand crank and picking oakum were all used in Scottish prisons. The treadmill was a large drum with projecting wooden treads on its outside and connected to something to provide resistance, which had to be turned by tramping on the treads. The hand crank consisted of a handle projecting from a large box, which had to be turned a prescribed number of times a day to overcome the resistance of gravel or sand in the box. Both were hard but totally unproductive work. A more productive form of hard labour was picking oakum, i.e. teasing out old tarred rope into strands, which were used for caulking ships. The treadmill and hand crank were abolished in Scottish prisons in 1898.
What was a Bridewell?
The term ‘Bridewell’ originated in London in the 16th century when a ‘house of correction’ was set up at St Bride’s Well to make vagrants and the unemployed work towards their keep in harsh conditions. In Scotland larger towns, such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Aberdeen, began building ‘houses of correction’, which were sometimes called ‘Bridewells’ in the 17th century, but these could hold prisoners awaiting trial, and also, by the early 19th century, individuals sentenced to short periods of imprisonment.
What was the ‘General Prison’ and where can I find information about it?
The term ‘General Prison’ was first used in 1839 to refer to the new prison being built at Perth, whose primary purpose was to house the increasing numbers of prisoners being sentenced by courts all over Scotland to longer terms of imprisonment. It was built as a result of the Prison (Scotland) Act 1839, which placed the superintendence of all Scottish prisons in the hands of the General Board of Directors of Prisons in Scotland. County Boards were established to manage all 178 Scottish prisons, except the General Prison, which was administered directly by the General Board of Directors until the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1860. This entrusted the running of the General Prison to four managers – the Sheriff of Perth, the Inspector of Prisons in Scotland, the Crown Agent and a stipendiary manager. The General Prison at Perth housed convicts serving sentences exceeding 9 months and prisoners suffering mental ill-health. It was on the site of the former Prisoner of War depot, which had housed French soldiers captured in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1882, Barlinnie Prison, near Glasgow, opened and served partly as a General Prison. By 1904 most long sentences were served in Peterhead Prison (for men) and Duke Street Prison, Glasgow (for women).
For further details see:
Sievwright, William, Historical Sketch of the Old Depot or Prison for French Prisoners of War at Perth (Wright, 1894)
Sievwright, William, Historical Sketch of the General Prison for Scotland at Perth: with notes on Crime & Criminals (Wright, 1894
When did the last public execution of a man take place in Scotland?
The last public execution of a man in Scotland took place in Dumfries on 12 May 1868, when Robert Smith was hanged for the rape and murder of an eleven-year-old girl.
When did the last public execution of a woman take place in Scotland?
The last public execution of a woman in Scotland took place in Dumfries on 29 April 1862, of a ‘feeble-minded’ woman named Mary Timmey, who had battered a female neighbour to death. There were strenuous public efforts to save her from the gallows, as it was felt by many that she did not deserve to die. Nevertheless, the execution attracted a large crowd.
How is the word ‘sasine’ pronounced and what does it mean?
Strictly speaking, the word ‘sasine’ is pronounced ‘sezin’, but in archive search rooms in Scotland you are most likely to hear it pronounced ‘say-zeen’.
Sasine means ‘possession’, especially with regard to property. It is similar to the English word ‘seize’, and it medieval times, when property was granted there was a ritual seizing of a clod of earth (or some other symbolic part of the property) in front of witnesses. Further information about this can be found in the website of the Registers of Scotland <https://www.ros.gov.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
What do the abbreviations in the Sasine Abridgements stand for?
The abbreviations mainly concern types of legal document being registered and commonly occurring legal terms. The Scottish Council on Archives is grateful to Andrew Jackson for permission to reproduce this list.
| assig. | assignation |
| bar. | barony |
| bond and disp | bond and disposition in security.
The commonest form of heritable security in the 19th century. It combines a personal bond by the borrower with a disposition of the lands on which the sum was secured |
| bond corrob. and disp. | bond of corroboration and disposition.
A heritable security where the bond is intended to corroborate an obligation already undertaken (for example by an ancestor of the obligator) |
| ch. | charter |
| ch. conf. | charter of confirmation
(from a feudal superior) |
| ch. conf. and novodamus | charter of confirmation and novodamus.
A charter of confirmation also containing a new grant (novodamus) or a change in the incidents of tenure of the previous grant. |
| ch. resig. | charter of resignation
(from the feudal superior) |
| ch. resig. and adjud. | charter of resignation (by a superior) on an adjudication (i.e. a judicial process to attach heritable property for debt) |
| ch resig G. S. | charter of resignation under the Great Seal |
| comp. | comprising |
| con. excamb. | contract of excambion, for the exchange of properties, for example to rationalise boundaries. |
| con. fee and liferent | conjunct fee and liferent. A joint fee in two or more persons during their lives, the survivor taking a fee of one half and a liferent of the other. |
| con. of ground annual | contract of ground annual
A form of heritable security. |
| decr. arb. | decreet arbitral.
The award of arbitrators on a point or points jointly submitted to them by parties in dispute. |
| disch. | discharge |
| disp. | disposition |
| disp. and assig. | disposition and assignation |
| disp. in impl. | disposition in implement.
A disposition granted in implement of a previous imperfect conveyance. |
| disp. of tailzie | disposition of tailzie
(i.e. constituting an entail). |
| eod. die | eodem die
(on the same day) |
| extract sp. service | extract of special service
(see ret. gen. serv.) |
| feu. ch. | feu charter |
| feu. con. | feu contract |
| feu. disp. | feu disposition.
In the 19th century the distinction between the charter and the disposition was that a charter was used to create a new feu, and a disposition to carry one forward to a new proprietor. A form of disposition was also used for the former purpose, however, and was known as a feu disposition. |
| G.R. | general register (of sasines) |
| G.S. | great seal |
| mar. con. | marriage contract |
| not. instrument. | notarial instrument
Strictly, any instrument drawn up by a notary. The document referred to as such in the late 19th century normally concerns trustees, either their assumption of the new trust, or the addition of new trustees. |
| oblig. | obligation |
| par. | parish |
| post nupt. mar. con. | post nuptial marriage contract |
| P.R. | particular register (of sasines) |
| pr. chan. | precept furth of chancery.
A deed similar in effect to a precept of clare constat q.v., used where the crown was the superior |
| pr. cl. con. | precept of clare constat.
A deed granted by the superior to the heir of a deceased vassal, reciting that it ‘clearly appears’ (clare constat) that the recipient is the lawful heir, thus enabling him to take sasine. |
| proc. resig. | procuratory of resignation.
The appointment of one or more procurators to resign property into the hands of the superior. By the 18th century this was usually a clause in a disposition rather than a separate document. |
| ratif. | ratification |
| ren. | renunciation |
| resig. ad. rem. | resignation ad remanentiam.
Resignation into the hands of the superior was either for the purpose of a regrant to a third party (resignation in favorem), or to remain in the superior’s own hands (resignation ad remanentiam). |
| ret. gen. serv. | retour of general service.
The verdict of an inquest establishing that a claimant was the heir of a deceased person. A retour of general service merely established his character as heir. A retour of special service detailed the lands in which the deceased died infeft. |
| seq. | sequestrated |
| Latin phrases | |
| eod. die | on the same day |
| loco tutoris | in place of a tutor |
| pro indiviso | undivided |
| propriis manibus | with his own hands |
| vide | see |
How do I convert the legal jargon into who is doing what with which bit of property?
You need to familiarise yourself with the different types of transaction. Compare the entry you are interested in with these various types to see which is the closest. The most common types are:
- Outright sales and gifts
- Family settlements
- Succession
- Rights in security
- Bankruptcy
- Notarial Instruments
You can see typical examples from the sasine abridgements for the first four of the above categories in the Knowledge Base entry for Property Records – Sasine Abridgements.
To see a full entry in the General or Particular Register of Sasines, what information will I need from the sasine abridgement?
You require several bits of information from each abridgement. Firstly the county involved. Secondly whether the entry is in the Particular Register or the General Register. Thirdly the reference number to the corresponding volume in the register.
At the end of each sasine abridgement is a numerical or alpha-numerical reference. If this begins with the letters G. R., then the full sasine entry will be found in the General Register of Sasines prior to 1868, held by the National Records of Scotland (reference RS.3). If the reference begins with the letters P. R. it refers to a full sasine entry in the Particular Register of Sasines for a county or group of counties. If the reference has no letters prefixing it, then it refers to a sasine entry in one of the county divisions of the register after 1868.
Whether or not the reference has a P. R. or G. R. prefix, the remainder of the reference consists of two numbers. The first refers to a volume in the relevant series of registers. The second refers to a folio number within that volume. Once armed with these reference numbers, the next step is to consult the catalogues to the sasine registers at the National Records of Scotland, and then the sasine entry itself.
The example below is taken from the sasine abridgements for Aberdeenshire. The reference at the end of the entry, ringed in red, reads ‘P. R. 249. 114.’ This shows that the full sasine entry will begin on folio 114 of volume 249 of the Particular Register for Aberdeenshire.
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Are sasine abridgements a good source for genealogy?
Sasine abridgements can be a very good source of information for genealogy for those whose ancestors owned land in Scotland from 1781 onwards. They record successions to property, which help establish death dates and family relationships, and they are easily searched by county by personal name.
However, there are limitations. Do not think of the sasine abridgements as an annual list of property owners in Scotland. Rather they are a record of property transactions each year. The limitations of using sasine abridgements for genealogy are that they:
- concern owners of property, not tenants or other occupants
- record a majority of, but not all, property transactions in any given year
- contain legal jargon
- require a working knowledge of Scotland’s feudal land law
School administration
I require evidence that I attended school for higher education/emigration/employment purposes. Where can I find this?
This depends on when you left school and whether you need confirmation of attendance or confirmation of exam results.
Exam certificates, 1948-present
If you require confirmation of any formal examinations, such as ‘O’ Grades, Standard Grades, National 4, National 5, Highers, Certificates of Sixth Year Studies or Advanced Highers, you should apply to the Scottish Qualifications Authority <https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/70972.html> [accessed 26 April 2024]
1908-48
If you sat the Higher Leaving exam in Scotland between 1908 and 1948, the records are held by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) under the reference ED36 and ED40. They survive in the form of bound volumes of returns by each school listing the names of the candidates, subjects, grades and marks. The volumes are arranged alphabetically by the parish or burgh in which each school was found. There is a closure period of 75 years. Therefore, if you sat your exams after the mid-1920s you should make your enquiry by letter or by e-mail to NRS, who will treat it as a subject access request under the Data Protection Act.
School Attendance
If you require confirmation that you attended secondary education and left school because you reached the statutory school leaving age, the position is more complicated. If you left school less than 5 years ago, the school or the Council education service will still have an electronic record of your school career.
If you left school more than 5 years ago but after about 1995 it is likely that your school records would have been held in an electronic system. These may have been destroyed 5 years after you left school.
If you left school before about 1995, it is likely that your individual school record (known as a pupil progress record) will have been confidentially destroyed. However, most schools kept admission registers, which record the name of each pupil, date of birth, last school attended, date joined school, date left and reason for leaving. If the head teacher recorded details of each pupil properly in the admission register and the register still exists, then it should provide you with the information you need.
There are three places to contact:
(a) Council Contact Centres. Councils all have contact centres which can refer your request to the relevant person to advise on whether they still hold any electronic or paper admission records of your time at school. This may be the Council’s records manager whose contact details will be found in the Council’s Records Management Plan, or it may be a relevant person in the Council’s education or children’s services.
(b) Archives. Some older paper admission registers have been deposited in the local archives service. If the archives service does not have this register they may be able to tell you who to contact.
(c) Schools. Some schools still hold older paper admission registers. If the school itself survives you may want to contact it directly. If the school still has the admission register for the years you attended school, staff there may be able to send you a letter confirming your attendance, or else will pass your details to the relevant office in the council’s education service, which will send you official confirmation. If the school does not have the register concerned, the head teacher may be able to tell you whether this has been destroyed or whether it has been passed to a local archives service.
If the school admission register does not survive, the council’s education service may be able to give you written confirmation that your school attendance cannot be confirmed because the records have been destroyed.
Are school admission registers a good source for family history or biography?
School admission registers typically contain information about individual pupils (such as date of birth, and the name and address of parent/guardian). However, this is information which can usually be more easily ascertained elsewhere, for example from civil registers of births, marriages and deaths. Access is restricted for 100 years. In most cases, therefore, information from school admission registers will not help you trace your family tree back further but will help ‘flesh out’ a family history by adding details of the life of an individual ancestor. They may confirm the date of migration of the family, whether moving to another area within Scotland or to or from another country.
How do I find out where the school records of a pupil are, if I don’t know the name of the school he or she attended?
For pupils who left school before about 1995 you will need to work out which school they are most likely to have gone to. There are a number of options, depending on the period you are searching.
For the period prior to 1873, the most comprehensive list of schools in Scotland is contained in the questionnaires returned by schoolteachers in each parish and burgh of Scotland to the Parliamentary Education Select Committee of 1838. These form part of official parliamentary papers, series of which are held by the National Library of Scotland, the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, and some university libraries.
For the period after 1873, there are several options. Postal Directories for each county and town have, in many cases, an appendix with a list of educational establishments. In the case of cities, such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, these are subdivided by district. Francis H Groome’s Ordnance Gazetteer for Scotland (various editions) mentions how many schools were in each place (in most cases) but does not name the schools.
If the education authority (e.g. school board, county council, etc) published a diary or annual handbook, these might be held by the local authority archive service or local studies library for the area concerned, and these usually list the schools and other educational establishments in the area. The local archives or library may have other resources or might have compiled lists of schools to help with these kinds of enquiries.
If the minutes of the school board for the area concerned survive for the period beginning 1873, it is worth looking at the minutes, as these usually contain information about the various schools in the parish run by the various churches, charitable organizations and so on, usually because the school board would, be discussing which ones to take over themselves.
Once you know which schools were operating in the area concerned, you can use maps to work out which school was nearest to where the pupil lived. If the pupil was Roman Catholic, look for the nearest Roman Catholic School.
School log books
Will I find details of pupils in a log book?
In most cases, no. Individuals named in log books are principally members of staff. Occasionally pupils may be mentioned, for example as prize winners in end-of-term or end-of-year award ceremonies, and sometimes the annual dux of the school (i.e. the pupil with the best academic record) is mentioned. The main record kept by a school of individual pupils is the admission register. For further details see the Knowledge Base entry on admission registers.
How do I find log books and other school records for a particular school in Scotland?
If you know the name of the school then you should first contact the local archives service. You can find contact details in Your Scottish Archives. You may also find up to date details in the published Records Management Plan of the relevant local Council. Every Council in Scotland is required to make proper arrangements for its archives and other records. Many Councils run their own archives service or support an arms-length organisation to run the archives service on their behalf, but some Councils run a joint service with another Council or have deposited their older records with one of the larger archives services.
If you do not know the name of the school, then for the period after 1873, there are several options. Postal Directories for each county and town have, in many cases, an appendix with a list of educational establishments. In the case of cities, such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, these are subdivided by district. Many are online at <https://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/> [accessed 26 April 2024]. Francis H Groome’s Ordnance Gazetteer for Scotland (various editions) mentions how many schools were in each place (in most cases) but does not name the schools.
If the education authority (e.g. school board, county council, etc) published a diary or annual handbook, these might be held by the local authority archive service or local studies library for the area concerned, and these usually list the schools and other educational establishments in the area. The local archives or library may have other resources or might have compiled lists of schools to help with these kinds of enquiries.
Once you know which schools were operating in the area concerned, you can use maps to work out which school was nearest to where your ancestor lived. If your ancestor was Roman Catholic, look for the nearest Roman Catholic School.
Education records
Will I be able to get hold of essays, artwork and other class work I did at school?
Almost certainly not. By and large, a school will destroy class work done by a pupil, which does not count towards examinations, within a few years of that pupil leaving school. Normally, archives in Scotland will accession head teachers’ school log books, admission registers, and occasionally a few other types of school records, but certainly not large quantities of pupils’ class work. Sometime school magazines, where they survive, will include examples of prose, poetry and artwork.
Where will I find photographs of schools and old school class photographs?
There are a few options you can try.
School Buildings and Classroom Scenes.
Most local authority archives have collections of photographs which are likely to include photographs of school buildings and may also have some classroom scenes.
Class Photographs
Each year photographs of classes and individual pupils is carried out in most primary schools and some secondary schools. Usually a local photographer is hired by the school (or by the education authority) to take the photographs. Copy prints are offered to parents of the children. Sometimes the school keeps copy prints of group photographs of classes. The negatives and the copyright, in general, are retained by the photographer. There is no general archive of school class photographs in Scotland. Therefore, apart from the occasional class photograph which finds its way to an archive or local studies library, there are four possible sources for individual and group photographs of school pupils. The first is the family of the school pupil. The second is the school itself (but there is no guarantee that the school will have kept photographs, and even if it has, these are likely to be framed prints of group photographs). The third is a former pupil association, if one exists, which may have maintained collections of photographs. The fourth is the local photographer who did the work. In the case of recent photographs, it may be possible to track down the photographer, if the school staff remember which photographer carried out the work and the photographer is still in business. For photographic work carried out beyond the living memory of staff in the school concerned, it would be time consuming to find out the name of the photographer through the school log books (if they survive, and if the head teacher has recorded the name of the photographer – most do not). Even if the name of the local photographer was found, there is little chance that the firm will still be in existence, and even less chance that an archive will have received the firm’s negatives. If these do survive, against all odds, the collection may be listed in John Wall (ed.), Directory of British Photographic Collections (1977).
How can I find out which schools operated in a particular place at a particular time?
For the period prior to 1873, the most comprehensive list of schools in Scotland is contained in the questionnaires returned by schoolteachers in each parish and burgh of Scotland to the Parliamentary Education Select Committee of 1838. These form part of official parliamentary papers, series of which are held by the National Library of Scotland, the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, and some university libraries.
For the period after 1873, there are several options. Postal Directories for each county and town have, in many cases, an appendix with a list of educational establishments. In the case of cities, such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, these are subdivided by district. Many directories are available at <https://digital.nls.uk/directories/> [accessed 26 April 2024]. Francis H. Groome’s Ordnance Gazetteer for Scotland (various editions) mentions how many schools were in each place (in most cases) but does not name the schools.
If the education authority (e.g. school board, county council, etc) published a diary or annual handbook, these might be held by the local authority archive service or local studies library for the area concerned, and these usually list the schools and other educational establishments in the area. The local archives or library may have other resources or might have compiled lists of schools to help with these kinds of enquiries.
If the minutes of the school board for the area concerned survive for the period beginning 1873, it is worth looking at the minutes, as these usually contain information about the various schools in the parish run by the various churches, charitable organizations and so on, usually because the school board would, be discussing which ones to take over themselves.
Where will I find records relating to a pupil who attended a private school after 1872?
The records of most private schools are held by schools themselves, but the surviving historical records of some have been deposited in the National Records of Scotland. Others, held privately, have been surveyed by the Business Archives Council (Scotland) and the National Register of Archives for Scotland.
You should
- check the Discovery website <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024] using the name of the school. This will tell you whether the records of the school are held by an archives service (such as the National Records of Scotland) or have been surveyed by the National Register of Archives for Scotland;
- check if the records have been surveyed by the Business Archives Council (Scotland);
- if the school itself still exists, check with the School Secretary or Head Teacher.
Where will I find records relating to a pupil who attended a public school after 1872?
From 1873 onwards schools in Scotland fell into two categories: public schools (publicly run schools funded partly by local taxation), and private schools (funded by fee-paying pupils or by charitable or religious bodies). if you know the name of the school the pupil attended then you should
- Look at the online catalogues of the local authority archives service which covers the location of the school. (See YSA contacts)
- If you cannot find a reference for the school in these online catalogues, contact the relevant local authority archives service
- If the school still exists, check with the School Secretary or the Head Teacher
If you do not know the name of the school go to the FAQ How can I find out which schools operated in a particular place at a particular time?
If the pupil went to a private school (i.e. a school funded by fee-paying pupils or by a charitable or religious body) and you know the name of the school go the FAQ Where will I find records relating to a pupil who attended a private school after 1872?
For more information about the content of school records see the Knowledge Base entries on School Admission Registers and School Logbooks.
Where will I find records relating to a pupil who attended school prior to 1873?
If you know which part of Scotland someone came from, but not the name of the school(s) the pupil attended go to the FAQ How can I find out which schools operated in a particular place at a particular time?
Records created by schools themselves for this period are very rare, but some pupil records exist in the form of subscription lists (those pupils for whom school fees were paid in any given term or year). The records of most private schools are held by schools themselves, but the surviving historical records of some have been deposited in the National Records of Scotland. Others, held privately, have been surveyed by the Business Archives Council (Scotland) and the National Register of Archives for Scotland.
You should :
- Look at the online catalogues of the local authority archives service which covers the location of the school or contact relevant the archives service. (See YSA contacts);
- Check the Discovery website <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ > [accessed 26 April 2024] using the name of the school. This will tell you whether the records of the school are held by an archives service or have been surveyed by the National Register of Archives for Scotland;
- Check if the records have been surveyed by the Business Archives Council (Scotland);
- If the school itself still exists, check with the School Secretary or Head Teacher.
Where can I find information about Scottish schools in parliamentary papers?
Parliamentary papers are a good source of information about schools and education in Scotland. They include evidence presented to parliamentary commissions and statistical returns by the head teachers of schools. For example, schoolteachers’ returns to the 1838 Education Select Committee’s questionnaire gives information about all the schools in each parish in Scotland at that time. There is a very good guide to the contents of 19th century parliamentary papers in J. A. Haythornthwaite, N. C. Wilson and V. A. Batho, Scotland in the Nineteenth Century: an analytical bibliography of material relating to Scotland in Parliamentary Papers, 1800-1900 (Scolar Press, 1993).
Parliamentary papers are held by large reference libraries (such as the National Library of Scotland, the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, Edinburgh City Libraries, and some university libraries). Parliamentary Papers are also available online through ProQuest which is a subscription service used by university libraries and some large reference libraries. For other options go to <https://archives.parliament.uk/online-resources/parliamentary-papers/ > [accessed 26 April 2024].
Where can I obtain confirmation of University examination results?
Information about university graduations and internal exams are held by individual universities.
Where can I obtain information about the examination results of another person (e.g. an ancestor, or the subject of a biography)?
Records of examination results are subject to the Data Protection Act 2018. Information about the Higher Leaving exam in Scotland between 1908 and 1948 are held by the National Records of Scotland under the reference ED36 and ED40. They survive in the form of bound volumes of returns by each school listing the names of the candidates, subjects, grades and marks. The volumes are arranged alphabetically by the parish or burgh in which each school was found. There is a closure period of 100 years.
Where can I obtain confirmation of my own school examination results?
There are different places to check depending on when you sat your exams.
1948-present
If you require confirmation of any formal examinations, such as O Grades, Standard Grades, National 4, National 5, Highers, Certificates of Sixth Year Studies or Advanced Highers, you should apply to the Scottish Qualifications Authority. <https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/70972.html> [accessed 26 April 2024].
1908-48
If you sat the Higher Leaving exam in Scotland between 1908 and 1948, the records are held by the National Records of Scotland under the reference ED36 and ED40. They survive in the form of bound volumes of returns by each school listing the names of the candidates, subjects, grades and marks. The volumes are arranged alphabetically by the parish or burgh in which each school was found. The records are subject to the Data Protection Act 2018, so you should make your enquiry by letter or by e-mail. <https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/> [accessed 26 April 2024].
Where can I see minutes of the meetings of a current local authority or its committees?
Most councils in Scotland provide online access to their minutes and committee minutes and have placed older minutes in their archives service. Check the council’s website or ask its contact centre about access.
Where can I see minutes of the meetings of a regional or district council or its committees?
The most likely source for these is the archives service of the successor local authority.
Did a particular town or suburb have a police force at one time?
Not all Scottish towns had separate police forces. Here is a list of those which did (with their dates of operation and the force which succeeded them). If the town concerned is not on this list it almost certainly did not have a separate police force, and was most likely served by the relevant county constabulary.
Aberdeen 1818-1975, successor force: Grampian.
Airdrie 1821-1967. Successor force: Lanark County.
Alloa 1822-1930. Successor force: Clackmannan County.
Anderston 1824-1846. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Annan 1858?-1881. Successor force: Dumfries County.
Arbroath 1836-1949. Successor force: Angus County.
Ardrossan 1859- ? Successor force: Ayr County.
Ayr 1845-1968. Successor force: Ayrshire.
Banff 1859-1886. Successor force: Banffshire.
Blairgowrie 1857-1875. Successor force: Perthshire.
Brechin 1859-1930. Successor force: Angus.
Broughty Ferry 1888-1913. Successor force: Dundee City.
Burntisland 1859-1861. Successor force: Fife.
Calton 1819-1846. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Campbeltown 1858-1863. Successor force: Argyllshire.
Coatbridge 1886-1867. Successor force: Lanarkshire.
Cromarty 1859-1868. Successor force: Cromarty County.
Cullen 1840-c.1861. Successor force: Elginshire.
Cupar 1859-1864. Successor force: Fife.
Dingwall 1859-1865. Successor force: Ross-shire.
Dumbarton 1855-1949. Successor force: Dunbartonshire.
Dumfries 1811-1932. Successor force: Dumfries-shire.
Dunbar 1844-1869. Successor force: East Lothian.
Dundee 1824-1975. Successor force: Tayside.
Dunfermline 1811-1949. Successor force: Fife.
Dysart 1858-1859? Successor force: Fife.
Edinburgh 1805-1975. Successor force: Lothian and Borders.
Elgin 1850-1893. Successor force: Morayshire.
Forfar 1857-1930. Successor force: Angus.
Forres c.1859-1867. Successor force: Morayshire.
Fraserburgh 1859-1866. Successor force: Aberdeenshire.
Galashiels 1850-1930. Successor force: Selkirkshire.
Gorbals 1808-1846. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Govan 1864-1912. Successor force: Glasgow.
Glasgow 1800-1975. Successor force: Strathclyde.
Greenock 1801-1967. Successor force: Renfrew and Bute.
Greenock Harbour 1817-1822, 1825-1843. Successor force: Greenock Burgh.
Haddington before 1857-1874. Successor force: East Lothian.
Hamilton 1855-1949, 1958-67. Successor force: Lanarkshire.
Hawick 1840-1930. Successor force: Roxburghshire.
Helensburgh 1846-1875. Successor force: Dunbartonshire.
Inverkeithing c.1859-1885. Successor force: Fife.
Inverness 1847-1968. Successor force: Inverness-shire.
Jedburgh 1857-1861. Successor force: Roxburghshire.
Johnstone 1857-1930. Successor force: Renfrewshire.
Kelso Burgh ?-1881. Successor force: Roxburghshire.
Kilmarnock 1846-1968. Successor force: Ayrshire.
Kilsyth 1840-? Successor force: Stirlingshire?
Kinning Park 1892-1905. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Kirkcaldy 1877-1949. Successor force: Fife.
Kirkintilloch 1838-1872. Successor force: Dunbartonshire.
Kirriemuir 1859-1891. Successor force: Forfarshire.
Leith 1859-1920. Successor force: Edinburgh City.
Lerwick 1892-1940. Successor force: Zetland.
Macduff 1859-1870. Successor force: Banffshire.
Maryhill 1856-1891. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Maxwelltown 1863-1890. Successor force: Kirkcudbrightshire.
Maybole 1859-1861. Successor force: Ayrshire.
Millport ? – ? Successor force: Bute?
Montrose 1833-1930. Successor force: Angus.
Motherwell & Wishaw 1930-1967. Successor force: Lanarkshire.
Musselburgh 1835-1841. Successor force: East Lothian.
Nairn 1859-1866. Successor force: Nairnshire.
Newburgh 1859-1969. Successor force: Fife.
North Berwick ? – 1857/8. Successor force: East Lothian.
Paisley 1806-1969. Successor force: Renfrew and Bute.
Partick 1858-1912. Successor force: Glasgow City.
Perth 1811-1964. Successor force: Perth and Kinross.
Port Glasgow 1857-1895. Successor force: Renfrewshire.
Pulteneytown 1858-1902. Successor force: Caithness-shire.
Renfrew 1857-1930. Successor force: Renfrewshire.
Rothesay 1846-1923. Successor force: Bute.
St Andrews 1858-1859? Successor force: Fife.
Stirling 1857-1938. Successor force: Stirlingshire.
Stranraer 1857-1870. Successor force: Wigtownshire.
Thurso 1841-1873. Successor force: Caithness-shire.
Wick Burgh Formed 1841-1858. Successor force Caithness-shire. Re-formed 1863-1873. Successor force Caithness-shire.
Wishaw ?- 1859. Successor force Lanarkshire.
What was a police burgh?
Police burghs were towns where a local or general act of parliament provided for services (such as water supply, drainage, sewerage, policing, paving, street lighting and refuse disposal) to be supervised by an elected body of commissioners and funded by local rates. Not all police burghs had police forces.
In the second half of the 18th century and the first decades of the 19th century many burghs and other towns faced problems coping with industrial pollution, sewerage, water supply, public health and crime. In 1800 Glasgow obtained a local act of parliament to set up a system of policing, whereby a body of police commissioners, elected by householders, oversaw a police force, and the maintenance of paving, lighting and cleansing the streets. Other Scottish burghs obtained similar local acts in the next few years. In 1832 and 1833 legislation converted royal burghs and many burghs of barony and regality into parliamentary burghs with elected councils. The Burgh Police (Scotland) Act allowed burghs to adopt policing, paving, lighting and cleansing powers through a sheriff court process (which was much less expensive than an act of parliament). Under the Police of Towns (Scotland) Act 1850 and the General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act 1862 these (and further public health) powers were extended to populous places, and the result was the creation of over 100 ‘police burghs’. The Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1890 ended the anomaly whereby some burghs had an elected body of police commissioners and a town council and granted further powers to burghs.
What does the word ‘sederunt’ mean?
‘Sederunt’ is a Latin word, meaning ‘there sat down’, i.e. when a record of a meeting begins ‘sederunt’ followed by a list of names, it indicates that those named sat down to hold a meeting or to form a court.
Are trust sederunt books a good source for the study of middle class women?
Along with testaments, trust sederunt books are valuable as sources of information on the property and lifestyles of middle class women, and provision for them by family trusts. A small proportion of trusts were set up by women (which are obviously useful for studying women who owned and disposed of property in their own right), while the majority of family trusts will deal with provision for widows and children of the person who set up the trust.
Are trust sederunt books a good source for family history?
Bear in mind that the proportion of people who left trusts is small, and the proportion of trust sederunt books which have survived from the 19th century is even smaller. If you are fortunate to find a sederunt book surviving for an ancestor, then it will be a valuable source of information, but principally about his property and lifestyle. It is unlikely to give you information about the family which is not available from other sources.
How do I find out if a trust sederunt book survives for a particular individual?
What you are hoping for is that the sederunt book(s) for the individual, family or trust you are interested in survives among the records of a firm of solicitors (or, less likely, within family or business papers) deposited at an archives service which is open to the public. The National Records of Scotland, Glasgow City Archives and the National Library of Scotland all hold large collections of solicitors’ records. Other local authority archives and university libraries and archives also hold smaller collections.
Most archives services have cataloguing systems available online and you should start by using these systems or Your Scottish Archives to search for the name of the individual, family or trust. If you do not find anything and you have some evidence that the individual or family used a solicitor and set up a trust, contact the relevant archives service and ask for assistance. Always remember, however, that many solicitors have not deposited records with an archives service and that only a few people set up such trusts, so be prepared to be told there is nothing relevant in the collections.
Were valuation rolls compiled during wartime?
Yes, valuation rolls were compiled during wartime
Why are valuation rolls for Lanark County (with few exceptions) available only in Edinburgh?
One copy of each valuation roll produced by the Lanark County Assessor was sent to Edinburgh to be kept for historical and legal research at Register House (now the National Records of Scotland). Another copy was kept by the Assessor’s office in Lanarkshire. When the Scottish counties and burghs were abolished in 1975, the surviving valuation rolls (and voters’ rolls) Scotland’s city, district and regional archive services attempted to preserve the valuation rolls and voters rolls for their areas. In most cases they were successful. In the case of Lanark County, the valuation rolls and voters’ rolls belonging to Lanark County Council were removed or destroyed, either by staff in the outgoing County Assessor’s office or by local officials in the successor authority, Strathclyde Regional Council, before staff from the newly created Strathclyde Regional Archives could secure them for preservation. Among the Lanark County records held by Glasgow City Archives there is a valuation roll for Lanark County for 1894, and among the records of several civil parishes with the Lanark County records there are series or individual rolls for those parishes. The National Records of Scotland hold valuation rolls for Lanark County from 1855 until 1975.
If I don’t know someone’s address, can I find his or her details in a valuation roll?
Not very easily. Firstly, the person must be the head of the household (as far as the Assessor is concerned): either the owner or tenant of the property. Secondly, the roll is arranged by the address of the property. The indexed digital records will be helpful for those years that are currently available, but for the unindexed original records you would have to search through randomly occurring surnames (i.e. the surnames are not in alphabetical order). Thirdly, the only distinguishing information between people with the same name is their occupation and it is easy to confuse individuals: it may not be possible to tell the difference between a father and son with the same occupation. It may therefore take about an hour or two to work through the roll for a small community – a village or small town. For larger towns and cities, it would require several days to search through the whole roll.
How do I find an address in a Glasgow valuation roll?
For the period 1913-1989, Glasgow valuation rolls survive at the National Records of Scotland; at Glasgow City Archives; and at the History and Glasgow Room of the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. Valuation rolls for this period are arranged by ward, but every few years there were changes to the boundaries and numbering of wards. You need to consult a street index to find out which ward a street was in at any given year. Glasgow City Archives have street indexes for the period 1913-1995. The National Records of Scotland have a street index for 1875. For the period 1855 – 1912 valuation rolls for Glasgow survive only at the National Records of Scotland. The Glasgow rolls are divided into volumes for Glasgow Burgh, Glasgow Barony, Govan Parish and Gorbals Barony. There is an index of streets compiled from the 1875 valuation roll, which tells you which of the volumes a street is in, but the index is not entirely accurate for the period after 1878, because of boundary changes involving Glasgow burgh. Glasgow City Archives have a database index of owners and occupiers from valuation rolls for 1861, 1881 and 1891. For further details contact Glasgow City Archives.
What information does a valuation roll contain?
A valuation roll records details about each property which was liable for domestic rates (local taxation) for a particular year, in the period 1855-1989. It records the address of the property, the type of property (e.g. a house, factory, hotel, inn, shop etc), the owner, the tenant (if the property is not occupied by the owner), and, sometimes, other occupants (for example where a tenant has sub-let the property). In 19th century rolls and rolls for the first half of the 20th century, the occupation of most tenants and occupiers are given. The roll also records the rateable value and gross annual value of each property: these were used to calculate the level of rates (local taxation) paid for each property.
Are valuation rolls useful sources of information for family history?
If your prime interest is in obtaining dates of birth, marriage and death for ancestors, valuation rolls will not be much use. If you are ‘putting flesh on the bones’ of your family tree, valuation rolls might be useful, as they contain information about individuals such as whether they owned or rented their houses, what their occupations were, and what sort of house and neighbourhood they lived in (by comparing the address and its occupants with others nearby). However, research in valuation rolls can be time-consuming and may simply confirm information about an individual you already know from other sources. There is, however, one use which valuation rolls can be put to with good effect in family history, and that is to identify the nature of a building recorded on a birth or marriage certificate. For example, the marriage or birth certificate might simply state an address, which the valuation roll might confirm was a hotel, church, private house, hospital or poorhouse.
Are valuation rolls useful for tracing missing persons?
Not really. Valuation rolls for domestic properties have not been compiled since 1989, so are now out of date. Secondly they are usually arranged by street, not by personal name. Electoral rolls are slightly better, because they are updated annually and include the names of more people, although Electoral Rolls, again, are arranged by street name. It is possible to buy databases of voters rolls, produced commercially. For further advice on tracing someone you have lost track of read Colin D Rodgers, Tracing Missing Persons: an introduction to agencies, methods and sources in England and Wales (Manchester University Press, 1986).
If I am having trouble finding an address in a valuation roll, why might this be?
Valuation rolls can be difficult to search through. Often a particular address or building does not seem to appear where it should in the roll.
See below for details of common problems and what to do.
Odd and even street numbers
Valuations rolls almost always record the properties on one side of the road and then the other. In most cases, therefore, the odd numbers will be recorded then the even numbers. Before 1975 most valuation rolls record properties in each street by running up the odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7 etc) and, once the end of the street has been reached, running back down the even numbers (e.g. 36, 34, 32 . . . etc).
What to do: double-check the numbering to make sure you haven’t missed a street number.
Street intersections
In the 19th century and early 20th century, Assessors enumerated streets as far as an intersecting street, then enumerated the intersecting street before continuing with the first street. For example, if Main Street was intersected by Kirk Street, the relevant part of the valuation roll might look like this:
45 Main Street
47 Main Street
49 Main Street
1 Kirk Street
3 Kirk Street
5 Kirk Street
6 Kirk Street
4 Kirk Street
2 Kirk Street
51 Main Street
53 Main Street
55 Main Street
What to do: Double check the numbering, taking into account intersecting streets
Municipal boundaries
A street might start in a city, burgh, parish (or post 1975 local government unit) and continue in another. For example, in the 1890 valuation roll for Glasgow numbers 2-156 Argyle Street were in Glasgow City, while Argyle Street from number 158 onwards were in Barony Parish. Each part of the Street was in a different valuation roll. In some cases a whole town or village straddles a boundary. The town of Barrhead, for example, was partly in Neilston Parish and partly in Abbey Parish, in two separate divisions of the Renfrewshire valuation roll. The village of Busby was partly in East Kilbride Parish, Lanarkshire, and partly in the parishes of Mearns and Cathcart, Renfrewshire.
What to do: refer to a contemporary map or gazetteer to find out if a place was divided by a municipal boundary.
Ward boundaries splitting streets
Streets make ideal physical features for ward boundaries, so it is common to find a street where one side (the odd numbers) are in one ward, while the other side (the even numbers) are in another ward, in different parts of the valuation roll. In addition, a street might be bisected by a ward (or parish or burgh) boundary and appear in two or more parts of the valuation roll.
What to do: if there is no street index available, check if the valuation roll for the parish/burgh/city is divided into wards and check each ward for different parts of the street.
Boundary changes
The boundaries of cities, burghs and parishes change periodically, and this can affect valuation rolls, much as it affects other records such as census returns. A street or place might appear in the valuation rolls for a certain parish for several years, then apparently disappear. This may be because a boundary has changed and the street or place is now within a different parish, or been annexed by a burgh or city.
What to do: refer to contemporary maps and gazetteers to find if a place has been affected by a boundary change.
Local government reorganisation
The local authorities which were required to appoint assessors changed several times due to local government reorganisation. In 1889 there were boundary changes to the counties. From 1855 to 1930, royal burghs and parliamentary burghs had their own assessors who compiled separate valuation rolls while other burghs were included in county valuation rolls. From 1930 to 1975, a new system of cities, large burghs and small burghs was set up, and only cities and large burghs appointed their own assessors to compile valuation rolls, while all other burghs were included in county valuation rolls.
What to do: Check the history of a burgh to find out if it was a royal or parliamentary burgh before 1930 and if it was not, then look at the county valuation rolls. For burghs after 1930, look at the List of Counties, Cities, Large burghs, Small burghs to identify which burghs created valuation rolls and which were included in county valuation rolls. County and burgh boundaries can be seen on historic Ordnance Survey maps many of which can be accessed online through the National Library of Scotland website.
Street name changes
Sometimes the name of a street changes. This may reflect the way a street is commonly referred to, or else the change may be the decision of the municipal authority for the place concerned. Where city boundaries expand and bring in streets, whose name already occurs elsewhere in the city, one of the streets may be renamed in order to prevent confusion.
What to do: refer to contemporary maps and postal directories, or, where available, published guides to street names.
Multiple frontages
Where a large building (especially commercial and industrial properties) occupies a site which fronts onto two or more streets, the valuation roll may record the property under only one address (what the Assessor regards as the postal address). For example, a shop may have entrances at Main Street and Kirk Street, but may appear in the roll only under Main Street.
What to do: refer to contemporary maps.
Terraces and courts
The recording of terraces, courts and other minor streets may change over time in the rolls. A row of houses, or cluster of buildings, might begin life under one name, but eventually be classed as part of a longer street. For example, a row of five houses might originally be recorded as 1-5 Kirk Terrace, but these might be renumbered 54-62 Kirk Street, when the numbering of the street is simplified.
What to do: refer to published street name guides, where available, or else contemporary maps and postal directories. If the street involved appears in the valuation roll for one year, but not the next, check the names of the owners and occupants of the street in the first year, and try to find the matching names in the next year’s roll.
Building not rated
Only buildings over a certain value (originally an actual or theoretical value of £4 in annual rent) were liable for local rates. If the building was a comparatively modest one, therefore, it may not appear in the valuation roll. The building would have to be very modest indeed, however, since categories of buildings which were rated and do occur in valuation rolls include advertising hoardings and garages.
Unnumbered buildings
Sometimes buildings (particularly newly built buildings) are not given a street number in the rolls until the numbering of the street has been formally determined. The property may be known now as ‘175 Kirk Street’, but until fairly recently it may be referred to in the rolls as ‘cottage, Kirk Street’.
What to do: check the valuation roll carefully about the street number in question, looking for buildings without a number which might fit the description of your property.
Administrative time lag
New buildings take time to appear in the valuation roll. A building completed in November 1875, say, would not appear in the 1876 valuation roll (because the Assessor’s survey for that roll was carried out in the Autumn of 1875). It might make its first appearance in the valuation roll in 1877.
What to do: bear in mind the time lag for information reaching the valuation roll.
Subdivisions, e.g. railway, government property etc
Some valuation rolls have separate divisions for different types of property, for example, railway property, central government property, local authority housing and other buildings, and agricultural and sporting property.
What to do: check the valuation roll thoroughly, particularly the final pages of each parish, burgh, or ward.
The source of your information might be wrong
If you cannot find a property in a valuation roll, you should consider whether the information you have about the building is correct. For example, it is not uncommon to find erroneous information in published architectural guides (for example, giving erroneous dates for the construction of a buildings), or for someone to muddle a street number, street name or building name.
What to do: valuation rolls are difficult to search without accurate information about street names and numbers. Consider other sources of information, including postal directories.
Clerical Error
As with any official record, the possibility of clerical error cannot be ruled out. An error could be made at the point of survey, or while the roll was prepared for printing, or in the printing process.
What to do: check the valuation rolls for the following years to see if an error is rectified later.
Why might a person not appear in a valuation roll at an address he or she was resident at?
There are five main reasons why someone may not appear in a valuation roll.
Not the householder or owner
Remember that the purpose of a valuation roll was not to record the names of all residents at a property, but to record merely those liable for local rates: the owner and – if appropriate – the tenant. A person may have been resident at a property but not mentioned in a valuation roll because he or she was not the owner of the property or the tenant. For example, a married couple might have been resident but if the husband or wife was the tenant, the other spouse will not be named. If the person concerned was a subtenant he or she would not be mentioned.
Unofficial house swap
Sometimes the tenants of two houses swap houses informally, between themselves, without changing the lease. This happened particularly between tenants of council houses. Tenants might swap to be nearer family or because a bigger or smaller house is required. If this is done without formal permission from the owner of the property, the valuation roll will not be changed to reflect the informal arrangement.
Administrative time lag
Because valuation rolls were almost always published once per year, they do not take into account changes until the following year. In general county and burgh surveyors surveyed properties in the Autumn and published the roll based on this survey the following Whitsun (15 May). So, for example, a roll published on 15 May 1925 contains information about properties gathered in the Autumn of 1924. A new tenant might move into the property in December 1924, but not appear in the valuation roll until May 1926.
Clerical Error
As with any official record, the possibility of clerical error cannot be ruled out. An error could be made at the point of survey, or while the roll was prepared for printing, or in the printing process.
False information
Owners or occupiers might give false information at the point of survey, deliberately (for example to avoid taxation) or accidentally (for example, a husband or wife giving his or her name as tenant, when, strictly speaking the tenant was the other spouse).
How can valuation rolls help me prove I was a tenant for a number of years?
Because valuation rolls record the name of the tenant and the owner of each property, they are accepted as evidence of a tenancy for some purposes.
To use valuation rolls in this way, someone has to search back through the valuation rolls for period concerned. This typically takes an hour or two but becomes more complicated and time-consuming if the tenant rented several houses in succession. There will be charges for providing copies and there may be charges for the search.
Valuation rolls do not provide exact dates of tenancy. There are, however, limitations, which should be borne in mind:
(1) Valuation rolls record only heads of household (in theory, the person whose name was on the lease). If the spouse of a tenant, or some other member of the household, wishes to prove residence, they may need to use voters rolls in addition to the valuation roll: i.e. the valuation roll proves that the house was a council house, but only records the head of the household, while the voters roll records the names of the other adult members of the household.
(2) Valuation rolls were published once a year (in May, until 1975; in April thereafter).
The information was gathered in the Autumn of the previous year. So, it takes a valuation roll a year or two to catch up with a change of tenancy. For example: a council tenant moves into 999, Letsby Avenue in January 1968 he then moves to 45, Rebellion Street in October 1975.
In the 1968 roll (compiled Autumn 1967) he is not listed at either address.
In the 1969 roll (compiled Autumn 1968) he is listed at Letsby Avenue.
In the 1975 roll (compiled Autumn 1974) he is listed at Letsby Avenue.
In the 1976 roll (compiled Autumn 1975) he is listed at Letsby Avenue.
In the 1977 roll (compiled Autumn 1976) he is listed at Rebellion Street.
Thus, the valuation roll appears to take two years to catch up with his change of address. In exceptional cases, local archives sometimes hold supplementary rolls, compiled by local Assessors, which record the date that a property appeared for the first time in the roll during the previous year. This is useful where the tenant was the first tenant in a new property
For further reasons why someone may not appear in a valuation roll, see the FAQ – Why might a person not appear in a valuation roll at an address he or she was resident at?
What is the difference between a voters’ roll and a valuation roll?
There are several differences because they were compiled for different purposes:
| Valuation Rolls (1855-1989): | Voters’ rolls (electoral rolls): |
| · Record owners and tenants of property who were liable for local taxation in a particular place.
· Are arranged by local authority area (county/district/burgh/parish/ward) and address · Are no longer compiled for domestic addresses (the last domestic valuation roll was for 1989) · Were usually published each year on 15 May until 1974, then 1 April from 1975 until 1989. · List more addresses than corresponding voters’ rolls, but (since the 1880s) fewer people |
· Record all those eligible to vote in a particular place.
· Are arranged by parliamentary constituency, polling district and (in most cases) address. · Are still compiled annually · Were, and are still, usually published in February each year · List more people than the corresponding valuation roll (at least since the late 19th century), but the valuation roll will mention more properties (since it will include commercial and government property which contain no residential voters). |
Do valuation rolls tell you who owns land?
Land tax (cess) rolls compiled by the Commissioners of Supply from the early 17th to the early 19th century record the names of owners of property worth more than £100 Scots worth of annual rent in each parish. Valuation rolls compiled by county and burgh Assessors, for the period 1855-1974, and by Regional Assessors, for the period 1975-1989, do not include details about the ownership of land directly. They record, on the whole, the ownership of occupied buildings. However, they also include details of shooting and fishing rights on sporting and agricultural estates, some commercial grazing land, and some land used for commercial purposes (for example coal yards).
How do I find the valuation roll for an island or a property on an island?
For the period 1855 – 1974 you need to find out which county and civil parish(es) the island was in. You can do this by closing this box, going to the Knowledge Base home page, and selecting the Gazetteer in ‘Places’.
Why do some valuation rolls have separate lists of ‘service voters’ at the end of the rolls for each parish?
From 1946 onwards ‘service voters’ have been defined as members of HM Armed Forces and their spouses, plus crown servants and British Council employees and their spouses residing abroad. They do not register in the same way as residents and may not necessarily reside in the area of registration. Armed forces’ spouses have the option of registering as residents while in the UK. There were 18,686 service voters registered on the 1999 register.
However, prior to 1946 ‘service voters’ were individuals who occupied properties as part of their conditions of service (e.g. some categories of agricultural employees and domestic servants, such as gamekeepers), and who were enfranchised under the Representation of the People Act, 1884. Separate lists of these appear in the valuation rolls for some counties in the late nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, as laid down in the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889, viz.:
Special provisions as to service franchise occupiers – Notwithstanding section nine, sub-section (5), of the Representation of the People Act, 1884, there shall be entered in such column and with such heading as the deputy clerk register may approve, in the valuation roll of each county in the manner and subject to the provisions of the Valuation Acts, the annual value of every dwelling-house, the situation or description of which is entered in the said roll under the provisions of section nine, sub-section (2), of the Representation of the People Act, 1884. No person shall be liable to be rated in respect of such an entry, but the person rated in respect of the occupancy of the lands and heritages which include such dwelling-house shall be entitled to relief against the person (in this Act referred to as a service franchise occupier) occupying the same under him by virtue of any office, service, or employment, in respect of so much of the occupiers consolidated rate paid by him as is applicable to the amount entered in the valuation roll under the provisions of this Act as the annual value of such dwelling-house: Provided that where an arrangement has been made under which a deduction is expressly made in name of rates from the wages or emoluments of any service franchise occupier, this section shall not confer any right of relief as hereinbefore provided.
Why are photocopies of valuation rolls sometimes more expensive than copies of other records?
The cost of photocopying extracts from valuation rolls is sometimes set by Assessor’s offices which deposit the valuation rolls in the local authority archives and library services.
Where can I find registration records for former (pre-1978) Scottish vehicle licensing offices?
Not all the vehicle registration records still survive. Some can be found in local authority archives services and the Kithead Trust holds some records. <https://kitheadtrust.org.uk/ > [accessed 26 April 2024]. The following information is taken from Philip Riden, How to Trace the History of Your Car: a guide to motor vehicle registration records in Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and The Channel Islands (Merton Priory Press, 1998). In most cases the records listed are registers, but some are the registration cards (compiled under the 1920 Roads Act). For further details see Riden
County vehicle registration records
Aberdeenshire
Records for index marks AV and SA, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Angus
Registers for index marks SR, 1903-74, are with Dundee City Archives, other records for index marks SR, 1921-48 with Kithead Trust.
Argyllshire
Registers for index marks SB, 1903-20, with Argyll & Bute Archives, other records for index marks SB, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Ayrshire
All registration records for index marks AG, CS, and SD presumed destroyed.
Banffshire
Registers for index marks SE, location unknown.
Berwickshire
Records for index marks SH, 1903-46, with Kithead Trust.
Buteshire
Registers for index marks SJ, 1903-31, with Glasgow City Archives.
Caithness
Record cards index marks SK, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust. Registers for index marks SK are believed to be in private hands. Enquiries to Highland Archive Service.
Clackmannanshire
All registration records for index marks SL presumed destroyed.
Dumfriesshire
Registers for index marks SM, 1903-70, with Dumfries & Galloway Archives, other records for index marks SM, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Dunbartonshire
Records for index marks SN, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
East Lothian
Records for index marks SS, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Fife
Records for index marks FG and SP, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Forfarshire (see Angus)
Haddingtonshire (see East Lothian).
Inverness-shire
Registers for index marks ST, 1903-75, with Highland Archive Service, other records for index marks ST, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Kincardineshire
Records for index marks SU, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Kinross-shire
Registers for index marks SV, 1904-52, with Perth & Kinross Archives. But note that SV is a popular registration because it appears to have been issued for re-registered vehicles for vehicles before 1931 (vintage) and for vehicles between 1931 and 1963. Perth & Kinross Archives do not hold information on re-registrations.
Kirkcudbrightshire
Registers for index marks SW, 1903-76, with Dumfries & Galloway Archives.
Lanarkshire
Records for index marks VA, 1922-48, and VD, 1930-48, with Kithead Trust. All records for index marks V presumed destroyed.
Linlithgowshire (see W Lothian)
Midlothian
Records for index marks SY, 1949-52, with Edinburgh City Archives.
Morayshire
Registers for index marks SO, 1903-46, with Moray Heritage Officer.
Nairnshire
All records for index marks AS presumed destroyed.
Orkney
Registers for index marks BS, 1904-76, with Orkney Archives. Other records for index marks BS, 1904-60, with Kithead Trust.
Peebleshire
All records for index marks DS presumed destroyed.
Perthshire
Records for index marks ES, c.1904-1920s, with Perth & Kinross Archives. Other records for index marks ES, 1904-45, with Kithead Trust. All records for index marks GS presumed destroyed.
Renfrewshire
Registers for index marks HS, 1903-49, with Glasgow City Archives.
Ross & Cromarty
Records for index marks JS, 1974, Highland Archive Service, other records for index marks JS, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Shetland
Registers for index marks PS, 1904-72, with Shetland Archives.
Stirlingshire
Registers for index marks MS, 1903-20, with Stirling Council Archives. All records for index marks WG presumed destroyed.
Sutherland
Registers for index marks NS, 1904-26, with Highland Archive Service, other records for index marks NS, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
West Lothian
Records for index marks SX, 1904-21 and 1934-58, with Edinburgh City Archives, other records for index marks SX, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.
Wigtownshire
Registers, 1904-1973, are held by Stranraer Museum, The Old Town Hall, George Street, Stranraer DG9 7JP.
Burgh vehicle registration records
| Burgh (Index mark) | Surviving Dates | Location of records |
| Aberdeen (RG) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Aberdeen (RS) | Presumed Destroyed | |
| Coatbridge (XB) | Destroyed | |
| Dundee (TS) | 1904-81 | Dundee City Archives* |
| Dundee (YJ) | 1932-1964 | Dundee City Archives |
| Edinburgh (FS) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Edinburgh (S) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Edinburgh (SC) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Edinburgh (SF) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Edinburgh (SG) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (G) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (GA) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (GB) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (GD) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (GE) | 1928-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (GG) | 1930-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Glasgow (US) | 1933-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Greenock (VS) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Kirkcaldy (XA) | Destroyed | |
| Motherwell & Wishaw (GM) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
| Paisley (XS) | 1921-48 | Kithead Trust |
*Published as Dundee Motor Registrations TS1 – TS1000, ed. by J.G.L. Wright, (Friends of Dundee City Archives, 2003)
How can I tell where a car was registered from its pre-1978 registration plate?
The following is a list of Scottish motor vehicle registrations. For other British and Irish vehicle registration index marks consult Philip Riden, How to Trace the History of Your Car: a guide to motor vehicle registration records in Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man And The Channel Islands (Merton Priory Press, 1998).
| Vehicle Registration | County, City or Burgh |
| AG | Ayrshire |
| AS | Nairnshire |
| AV | Aberdeenshire |
| BS | Orkney |
| CS | Ayrshire |
| DS | Peeblesshire |
| ES | Perthshire |
| FG | Fife |
| FS | Edinburgh City |
| G | Glasgow City |
| GA | Glasgow City |
| GB | Glasgow City |
| GD | Glasgow City |
| GE | Glasgow City |
| GG | Glasgow City |
| GM | Motherwell & Wishaw Burgh |
| GS | Perthshire |
| HS | Renfrewshire |
| JS | Ross & Cromarty |
| MS | Stirlingshire |
| NS | Sutherland |
| PS | Shetland |
| RG | Aberdeen City |
| RS | Aberdeen City |
| S | Edinburgh City |
| SA | Aberdeenshire |
| SB | Argyll (but note that there was a fashion for owners of cars manufactured by the Argyll Motor Company of Glasgow to register them in Argyll regardless of where their owners lived) |
| SC | Edinburgh City |
| SD | Ayrshire |
| SE | Banffshire |
| SF | Edinburgh City |
| SG | Edinburgh City |
| SH | Berwickshire |
| SJ | Buteshire |
| SK | Caithness |
| SL | Clackmannanshire |
| SM | Dumfriesshire |
| SN | Dunbartonshire |
| SO | Morayshire |
| SP | Fife |
| SR | Angus |
| SS | East Lothian |
| ST | Inverness-shire |
| SU | Kincardineshire |
| SV | Kinross-shire (But note that SV is a popular registration because it appears to have been issued for re-registered vehicles for vehicles before 1931 (vintage) and for vehicles between 1931 and 1963. |
| SW | Kirkcudbrightshire |
| SY | Midlothian |
| TS | Dundee City |
| US | Glasgow City |
| V | Lanarkshire |
| VA | Lanarkshire |
| VD | Lanarkshire |
| VS | Greenock Burgh |
| WG | Stirlingshire |
| XA | Kirkcaldy Burgh (from 1960s, previously allocated to London) |
| XB | Coatbridge Burgh (from 1960s, previously allocated to London) |
| XS | Paisley Burgh |
| YJ | Dundee City (from 1932) |
What sort of information will a vehicle or licensing register for a county or burgh tell me about a vehicle and its owner(s)?
If the vehicle licensing register for a county or burgh survives, it may contain quite a lot of useful information, or it may contain very little. The problem is that, after the Roads Act of 1920, record keeping by licensing authorities became gradually less standardised. Some authorities kept registers faithfully, while others merely listed the registration number without any other details (putting more efforts into keeping the card record system).
The registers themselves are usually quite bulky. Where information has been entered consistently and competently, there are lots of details, such as the name and address of the licensee, the type of vehicle, and subsequent changes in registration.
Will I be able to read a testament?
Those written in the 16th and 17th centuries will be difficult to read unless you have had some instruction in palaeography, (that is, the study of old handwriting). The script may appear undecipherable and, as they are written in the Scots language, they contain many words and expressions with which you may be unfamiliar. Most 18th century testaments, however, are relatively easy to read, and those from the 19th century even easier. As with most things, the more practice you get the easier it becomes, so do not be put off if you find things difficult at first.
If I am struggling to make sense of a testament where can I go for help?
First read the research guide on the ScotlandsPeople website <https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/wills-and-testaments> [accessed 26 April 2024]. This will give you an understanding of what you can expect to find in the testament itself and be able to look out for the key elements.
The ScotlandsPeople website has a guide to Scottish Handwriting and includes a tutorial on an 18th century will which takes you through the various elements of a testament dative. <https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/scottish-handwriting> [accessed 26 April 2024].
Your Scottish Archives provides a Glossary of legal terms and Scots words.
I have been tracing my family tree using statutory registers of births, marriages and deaths, the Old Parochial Registers and census returns. I would like now to widen the scope of my research. Will I be sure to find a testament for my ancestor?
Not necessarily. There was no legal requirement for individuals to make a will. Indeed, comparatively few Scots actually bothered to do this. And even if they died intestate (i.e. without having made a will) there was no obligation for their family to go to court to have the deceased’s affairs settled. Many families sorted things out amicably among themselves. Having said this, however, it is certainly worth checking the indexes to the testaments. Even if your ancestor did not leave a will it is still possible that an executor had had to be appointed by the court to administer the estate, in which case there will be some record of his or her possessions. There are sometimes testaments recorded for persons who lived and died in the lowliest situations, whose inventories might include such things as bottomless chairs and haystacks! So do not be put off if you think your ancestor was too humble to appear in the registers.
Am I right in thinking that, in Scotland, there was a difference between a will and a testament?
Yes, you are. A will was the document drawn up by an individual wishing to settle his or her affairs prior to death. As such, it clearly sets down instructions as to the disposal of the deceased’s possessions. It was variously termed ‘Last Will and Testament’, ‘Latter Will and Testament’, ‘Disposition’, ‘Settlement’ and ‘Disposition and Settlement’. A testament, however, was the legal document drawn up after a person died, and its sole purpose was to enable the court to confirm an executor who would be responsible for winding-up the deceased’s affairs. In other words, if there was a will there would definitely be a testament, but there could be a testament without a will.
What is the difference between a ‘testament testamentar’ and a ‘testament dative’?
Briefly, a ‘testament testamentar’, as well as containing the statutory clauses, includes a full copy of the will made by the deceased – if one was drawn up – and confirms executor(s) appointed by him or her in it. If for any reason a copy of the will is not actually included, reference is made to it having been recorded elsewhere, probably in the court’s Registers of Deeds. This sometimes happened after 1804 when statutory changes came about. A ‘testament dative’, on the other hand, was the document drawn up entirely by the court for the sole purpose of appointing and confirming executor(s) to administer the deceased’s estate. It does not include a copy will (because no will was written), and therefore does not indicate how the deceased’s possessions were to be disposed of.
What exactly will I find in a typical 16th – 18th century testament?
If it is a ‘testament dative’ you will find three distinct parts, that is, the introductory clause followed by the inventory of the deceased’s possessions and thirdly the confirmation clause. In the case of a ‘testament testamentar’ you will find four parts, all of these plus a copy of the deceased’s will, which is inserted between the inventory and the confirmation.
Is one type of testament ‘better’ than the other from a genealogical point of view?
Yes. You will find a ‘testament testamentar’ much more informative. As this includes a copy of the will of the deceased, you will be able to discover exactly how your ancestor wished to dispose of his or her possessions, and who was chosen to wind up the estate. This was usually a member of the family. A ‘testament dative’, on the other hand, does not contain any indication of the wishes of the deceased with regard to the disposal of his or her property since it was not drawn up until after the death. But the person appointed by the court as the executor could well have been the next of kin, so this will supply you with at least one genealogical detail.
Are testaments a useful source for social and economic history?
Yes, the inventory clause in particular, unless the inventory was drawn up specifically to satisfy the demands of the deceased’s creditors, in which case it will deal only with sums of money. Otherwise, it should contain a list of the deceased’s moveable estate, that is, his or her possessions, or ’goods and geir’. ‘Moveable’ property, as opposed to ‘heritable’ property (i.e. land, buildings, minerals in the ground and mining rights) included household possessions, articles of clothing, livestock, machinery, farming implements, a tradesman’s tools and machinery, etc. From an examination of inventories it is thus possible to build up a picture of what social and economic conditions were like in a particular locality at a particular time. Each inventory supplies, as it were, a snapshot of the deceased’s lifestyle.
Does a testament tell whether the deceased owned land and buildings?
The short answer is no, certainly for the pre-19th century period. In Scotland, an individual’s property was divided into two types, ‘heritable’ and ‘moveable’. The former consisted of land, buildings, minerals in the ground and mining rights, while the latter included the rest of his or her possessions, basically anything that could be moved. Testaments were concerned only with moveable property. Having said that, copies of some 19th century wills (alternatively named dispositions, settlements and latter wills and testaments), to be found in sheriff court registers may well include references to the deceased’s heritable property. However, since the rules of inheritance differed in respect of the two types of property (with records relating to the disposal of heritable property to be found elsewhere), you should not expect to find anything here.
Does a testament testamentar include the names of all the deceased’s children?
Not necessarily. If the deceased owned heritable property, that is, land, buildings, minerals in the ground and mining rights, this would be inherited by his eldest son, in accordance with the Scottish rules of succession. Therefore, unless he was also to receive a legacy under the terms of his father’s will (a copy of which will appear in the testament) do not expect to find any reference to him. Even if the deceased did not own any ‘heritage’, you may not be furnished with the names of all his offspring. This is because his children were, by right, entitled to a third part of his estate if their mother was still alive, or a half if she had pre-deceased her husband, and there was no need to make mention of this share (termed the ‘legitim’) in the testament. The father only had a third or a half part of his estate to dispose of as he pleased under the terms of his will, (termed the ‘dead’s part’) and he may well have decided to include other relatives or friends in this distribution as his children were already catered for. The beneficiaries of the ‘dead’s part’ will be named in the will, however, so if any children were to benefit over and above their ‘legitim’ share you will find them here.
Are 19th century testaments different from those of preceding centuries?
Yes, the 19th century saw changes in the format and character of testaments. Until 1824 testaments were confirmed by commissary courts, but after that date they became the responsibility of the sheriff courts. So inevitably there were some changes. But even before 1824 you may notice some differences. These came about as a result of clauses in the Revenue Acts of 1804 and 1808. Briefly, separate registers of inventories, confirmations and settlements (wills) were kept, and it was possible for an executor to register an inventory with the court without seeking confirmation. And, of course, you should find 19th century testaments much easier to read.
If I know the date of death for someone, should I restrict the search for his or her testament to a few years on either side of the date of death?
No, it is worth checking the indexes well beyond the date-range you are considering searching. Occasionally, the intervention of the court to settle the deceased’s affairs was not required until many years after the death, possibly as a result of a dispute.
Is there any point in searching for the testament of an Englishman or Englishwoman in Scottish records?
Probably not, unless you think there is a chance that he or she might have held some assets in Scotland, in which case you should definitely undertake this search. The registers of the principal commissary court in Edinburgh will be the ones to try. This court had responsibility in testamentary matters not only for Scots who died ‘furth of the realm’ but also for English people who may never have resided in Scotland but who held Scottish assets, even if it was only money in a Scottish bank account.