Christmas is now well established in Scotland as a time for giving, enjoying the company of loved ones, decorating the Christmas tree and of course, indulging in some Christmas feasting! But until relatively recently, Scotland did not celebrate Christmas, at least, not openly. For over 400 years, Christmas was frowned upon in Scotland and its … Continue reading Christmas: Banned in Scotland!
Please Sir, may I be excused?
Have you ever asked to be excused from jury service? Well you're not alone! For centuries potential jurors have sought to escape their civic duty on grounds of health, work or simple inconvenience. Here are some such requests which survive within the High Court of Justiciary held by the National Records of Scotland. Ill Health … Continue reading Please Sir, may I be excused?
Conservation – A Volume 500 Years In The Making
From today until the end of November, a facsimile of the 500-year-old Halyburton Ledger will be on display and free to view at General Register House. Ahead of his free talk about the Ledger this Friday, NRS Conservator Peter Dickson tells us how he made a facsimile of the volume and what he learned about … Continue reading Conservation – A Volume 500 Years In The Making
A Very Arduous Period – The Register Houses During WWI, with Dr Tristram Clarke
In the last of our three World War One podcasts, NRS Head of Outreach Dr Tristram Clarke looks at the forgotten stories of the men who exchanged their pens and desks in Edinburgh's Register Houses for rifles and helmets in France, Flanders and the Dardanelles, some never to return. He also explores the contribution of those who … Continue reading A Very Arduous Period – The Register Houses During WWI, with Dr Tristram Clarke
The Register House Roll of Honour, 1914 -1918
Inside General Register House at the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh, there is a small plaque which commemorates Charles Whitehead Yule, an assistant curator in the historical department who was killed in action during the First World War. While researching an article about Charles Yule, Dr Tristram Clarke – Head of Outreach here at … Continue reading The Register House Roll of Honour, 1914 -1918
Behind The Wire: Scottish POWs 1914-1918, with Dr Tristram Clarke
In this week's Open Book podcast Dr Tristram Clarke, Head of Outreach at NRS, looks in detail at the people, the items and the stories that inspired our current exhibition, For You The War Is Over: Scottish POWs 1914-1918. Each soldier tells a different story - some of them were imprisoned in 1918 and others were captured during the war's … Continue reading Behind The Wire: Scottish POWs 1914-1918, with Dr Tristram Clarke
A Royal At A Wedding
This wedding entry is for Victoria Alberta McDonald and Alfred Blaker, who married in Crathie, Aberdeenshire on 4 November 1897. It's particularly notable for the identity of one of the witnesses - Victoria R. I. The initials stand for "Regina et Imperatrix" or "Queen and Empress". The bride at this wedding, Victoria McDonald, was the … Continue reading A Royal At A Wedding
“I Am What You Would Call Done” – Lynn Bruce & Olivia Howarth on the Scottish Pension Appeals Tribunal Records
We're now approaching the centenary of Armistice Day in 1918, so this seems like an appropriate time to take stock of the cost of World War I for Scots who fought in it. In this week's podcast, we hear from project cataloguers Lynn Bruce and Olivia Howarth, who are currently cataloguing and preserving Scottish Military … Continue reading “I Am What You Would Call Done” – Lynn Bruce & Olivia Howarth on the Scottish Pension Appeals Tribunal Records
Voices From Our Archives: George & Elizabeth Davidson, 1918
In every exhibition there are documents and items that we have to leave out. We’re usually sad to do so, since each one tells another piece of a story that we couldn’t tell you about. One story that features in our WWI Prisoners of War exhibition is that of Private George Davidson, a soldier captured … Continue reading Voices From Our Archives: George & Elizabeth Davidson, 1918
Estimating Local Populations
What is the population of your local area? The answer depends on what area you want to know about. Is it an entire town or city? Is it a neighbourhood, or a few streets? At National Records of Scotland (NRS) we produce population estimates for various different geographies covering local populations, each using different ways … Continue reading Estimating Local Populations
