RHP7041 – Architectural drawing of Dalkeith Parish Church, 1848, W Burn and D Bryce, architects. ScotlandsPeople is our ancestry research service and Scotland's leading website for genealogical research. In addition to records of births, deaths and marriages in Scotland going back centuries, you can also find many more record sets from the National Records of … Continue reading Archives Online – Maps and Plans
The Declaration of Arbroath: HES and NRS education resources
The Declaration of Arbroath "As long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with … Continue reading The Declaration of Arbroath: HES and NRS education resources
A Tumult in the City
Following the 'Glorious' or 'Bloodless' Revolution of 1689 , when William of Orange was crowned King of England and Scotland and displaced James VII and II , in Scotland, there was still resistance from the people. As fighting continued to break out, people were arrested and imprisoned for petty crimes, such as not praying for … Continue reading A Tumult in the City
Hellish Nell: Medium or Fraud?
On 25 November 1897 in Callander, Isabella Rattray and Archibald McFarlane welcomed a daughter named Victoria Helen Macfarlane. The birth entry for Victoria Helen Macfarlane, 25 November 1897Crown copyright, NRS, Statutory Register of Births 1897/336/44The above shows she was born at 3 am on 96 Main Street in Callander. Her father worked as a slater … Continue reading Hellish Nell: Medium or Fraud?
Doors Open Days 2021
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) is taking part in Doors Open Days (DOD) again this year, on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th September. The aim of DOD is to give everyone the opportunity to explore some of the most architecturally and culturally significant buildings in Scotland, places which are not usually open to the … Continue reading Doors Open Days 2021
250 Years On: Sir Walter Scott and Register House
On Sunday 15th August 2021 we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott, one of Scotland’s most famous poets and novelists. Although a record of his birth is not preserved in the National Records of Scotland (NRS), there is a wealth of material linking him to Register House in Edinburgh (or … Continue reading 250 Years On: Sir Walter Scott and Register House
Ancestry Research: Lightbulb Moments and False Trails
A chance discovery last year, in one of our registers inspired NRS Registration casework officer Rachael Lloyd to investigate the life of Malvina Wells – born into slavery in Grenada, and later making a life for herself in Edinburgh in the 1800s. Little did Rachael know that while she was researching her article Frances Macdonald, … Continue reading Ancestry Research: Lightbulb Moments and False Trails
Ethel Moorhead – ‘Scottish Leader of the Suffragettes’
National Records of Scotland (NRS) holds a wealth of records about suffragette activities in Scotland, including their prosecution, imprisonment, newspaper reports and cases of force-feeding. In 2018 we celebrated the centenary of some women gaining the parliamentary vote with the exhibition 'Malicious Mischief? Women's Suffrage in Scotland'. As part of the exhibition, a mini-website was … Continue reading Ethel Moorhead – ‘Scottish Leader of the Suffragettes’
PRSA Surgeries Move Online
The PRSA team are part of the Records and Archives Engagement Branch at National Records of Scotland, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Public Records Scotland Act (2011) (PRSA). The Act requires named Scottish public authorities to submit a Records Management Plan (RMP) for the Keeper’s agreement, which must then be implemented and regularly … Continue reading PRSA Surgeries Move Online
Food and Family
Food is a collective human need, and meals are symbolic of sharing and nurturing each other. Food stimulates all of our senses, evokes experiences of childhood, special occasions and can be a source of excitement and comfort. In this article we look at recipes found in National Records of Scotland's archives and how they represent … Continue reading Food and Family
Open Book 