Dr Alan Borthwick is giving a talk today at the Declaration of Arbroath International Conference at Newbattle Abbey College. Today, Alan updates us on the most recent work with the Declaration – and demonstrates that, even after seven centuries, conservation work and research on items in our archives are still revealing new surprises… The only surviving … Continue reading Old Declaration, New Discovery
Best laid plans: why I don’t work at a desk
Today, we revisit the NRS Conservation studio with conservator Jackie Thorburn, who tells us about the unique challenges that her team deal with – including conservation of gigantic maps of Scotland and historic plans … I’ve worked in the NRS Conservation department since 1992 and am no stranger to working on maps and plans. They … Continue reading Best laid plans: why I don’t work at a desk
What’s in a name?
Trends in baby names in Scotland It’s fascinating to see how the names people choose for their babies can tell us about changes in our society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daDJ_1QMS-I In Scotland, parents have the freedom to get creative when choosing the name of their new baby. Unlike in some countries, there is no formalised list of names … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Church records – Reform, dissension and coals for the poor
National Records of Scotland recently added over one million images from the kirk session records to our ancestry research service ScotlandsPeople, now free to search and view. With over 6,000 volumes now online, these church records offer a fantastic insight into the lives of people in Scotland spanning almost 350 years. Our colleagues work with … Continue reading Church records – Reform, dissension and coals for the poor
Conservation of a Sketchbook
Detail: Ilan Dun from the Village, showing the cragsmen of St Kilda (NRS: GD41/598) Sir Thomas Dick Lauder was an administrator in manufacturing and fisheries during the 1840s, required to travel extensively around Scotland’s coasts. In his journeys, he sketched detailed scenes of the coastlines and fishing villages he visited. NRS Conservator Jackie Thorburn has … Continue reading Conservation of a Sketchbook
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
Conserving Christmases
Conservator Gloria Conti looks at a fun item from our archives and tells us about the challenges of conserving a poster that would have been designed for use for only a short period of time... Sometimes jobs can feel like a treat, and what’s better than a fun job just before Christmas? In preparation for … Continue reading Conserving Christmases
Tartan on TV
Today, Ross Truslove looks at tartan designs in the Scottish Register of Tartans, which was created by the Scottish Parliament in 2008 as a single independent register to promote and preserve information about historic and contemporary tartans from Scotland and throughout the world… This design is the MacDuck tartan - recorded with a predecessor of … Continue reading Tartan on TV
What’s in an archive?
For this year’s Explore Your Archive (#EYA, #exploreyourarchive) campaign, Outreach archivist Jocelyn Grant explains what an archive is, what makes them unique, and explains some of the terms and techniques archivists use to make records accessible... “The outstanding feature of the Archive, putting this also at its simplest, it… by its nature… represents some measure … Continue reading What’s in an archive?
What is Conservation?
Today, NRS Head of Conservation Linda Ramsay explains what her team's role is and looks back at the history of paper conservation in Scotland... Public interest in objects and their conservation and preservation has never been stronger. ”Before and afters“ are endlessly fascinating, connecting us to our past and history, and next to cookery and … Continue reading What is Conservation?
Open Book 