On 4 May 1822, the body of Dugald Cameron, Exciseman and veritable terror of the illicit distiller, was discovered lifeless and in a putrid state on the grounds of a farm in Kippen. Why was he so feared and hated? Why was he was so fervent in his pursuit of illicit distilling, persisting despite the obvious danger to his own life?
Our Smallest Will
This tiny photograph is both the smallest and one of the most unusual items in our extensive collection of soldiers’ wills and testaments. The photograph belonged to Thomas Walker, who had been an Edinburgh wood machinist living at his brother’s residence before he enlisted to fight in World War I. Walker was killed in action … Continue reading Our Smallest Will
A Private Matter? Robert Burns, Agnes Maclehose & the Court of Session, by Professor Hector MacQueen
We head back to the law courts this week for a nineteenth century court case with some surprisingly modern themes about privacy and the public interest. On Valentine’s Day this year, Professor Hector MacQueen of the University of Edinburgh joined us at General Register House to share his observations about a court case arising from … Continue reading A Private Matter? Robert Burns, Agnes Maclehose & the Court of Session, by Professor Hector MacQueen
Voices from our Archives: Oscar Slater (1872-1948)
Crime writer Denise Mina recently joined NRS archivist Bruno Longmore at General Register House to research the 1909 trial of Oscar Slater, who was charged with the murder of an elderly woman in Glasgow. Slater’s trial was highly controversial at the time, attracting critical comments from across the United Kingdom including from Sir Arthur … Continue reading Voices from our Archives: Oscar Slater (1872-1948)
The sinking of the Tuscania, 1918
On 5 February the United States troopship ‘Tuscania’ was torpedoed by a German U-boat while sailing in convoy through the North Channel, between the north-east tip of Ireland and the Isle of Islay. She was carrying about 2,000 American troops as part of the build-up of forces on the Western Front to increase the Allies’ … Continue reading The sinking of the Tuscania, 1918
From Disorder to Order: Cataloguing the 19th Century Criminal Case Papers of the High Court of Justiciary, with Simon Johnson
Have you ever wondered what an archivist does? In this week’s podcast, NRS archivist Simon Johnson opens up the case papers of Scotland’s supreme criminal court in the early 19th Century. Case papers from the High Court of Justiciary provide endless research potential, both as a record of individual cases and as a tremendous … Continue reading From Disorder to Order: Cataloguing the 19th Century Criminal Case Papers of the High Court of Justiciary, with Simon Johnson
Trailblazers: The world’s first football club, with John Hutchinson & Andy Mitchell
Long before there was an Edinburgh derby; before the offside rule and the Wembley Wizards or pies and Bovril there was the Football Club, founded in Edinburgh by John Hope in 1824. It was the world’s first dedicated football organisation, active until 1841, and John Hope’s meticulous records have been preserved among his personal papers here … Continue reading Trailblazers: The world’s first football club, with John Hutchinson & Andy Mitchell
Scottish Archives For Schools
Are you a primary or secondary school teacher? Would you like to find out more about how you can use records from the National Records of Scotland archives as teaching tools? Our Outreach & Learning team provide a flexible service with workshops designed to support a wide range of Scottish Curriculum areas and National Qualifications. … Continue reading Scottish Archives For Schools
Population projections and depopulation across Scotland
NRS have published the latest Population Projections for Scottish Areas. They are based on the latest mid-2016 population estimates and provide an indication of the future population size and age structure of Scottish areas based on a set of assumptions about future fertility, mortality and migration. The projections show that overall, the population of Scotland … Continue reading Population projections and depopulation across Scotland
In From The Cold…
National Records of Scotland recently welcomed a group of staff and history students from the University of Iceland at General Register House, Edinburgh. The visit involved an introduction to Scotland’s archives and a seminar to consider Scotland and Iceland’s respective national histories, and the nature and survival of historical records. As part of the visit, our Heads … Continue reading In From The Cold…
