Each year since 1855, National Records of Scotland has published the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends, an overview of all the statistics we have gathered. NRS statistician Amelia Brereton summarises our findings on Scotland’s households, as found in Scotland’s Population 2016 - the 162nd Annual Review. Scotland’s population is growing and ageing. This … Continue reading Annual Review – Scotland’s Households
Scotland’s Changing Population
National Records of Scotland (NRS) today publishes ‘Scotland’s Population 2016 – the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends’, alongside an infographic booklet which summarises the key trends in Scotland’s population. Tim Ellis, the Registrar General of Scotland, said: “The population of Scotland is at its highest ever at 5.4 million. It has grown by … Continue reading Scotland’s Changing Population
New PRSA Assessment Mechanism
Under the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011(PRSA) the Keeper of the Records of Scotland, NRS' chief executive Tim Ellis, assesses and agrees records management plans submitted by public authorities. Over 150 plans have been agreed to date, the majority under improvement. The PRSA Assessment Team, in consultation with our stakeholders, have now developed a user-friendly tool … Continue reading New PRSA Assessment Mechanism
Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587)
“The daughter of debate that discord aye doth sow” Elizabeth I, from her sonnet ‘The Doubt of Future Foes’ referring to Mary Queen of Scots During her lifetime Mary Queen of Scots was a highly controversial monarch and she continues to divide opinion today. When we consider her reign, we often focus on the … Continue reading Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587)
Sir William Arrol (1839-1913) – The Engineer
A titan of engineering and construction, William Arrol established his company in the early 1870s, when Glasgow was developing as an industrial city and the revolutionary Siemens Martin process was enabling the mass production of cheap steel. Arrol made his name with the construction of the Forth Bridge (1890), and is also known for the … Continue reading Sir William Arrol (1839-1913) – The Engineer
Madeleine Hamilton Smith (1835-1928) – The Accused
On 30 June 1857 the trial of Madeleine Smith began. A young woman from a prosperous Glasgow family, Smith was charged with, on three separate occasions, administering arsenic or other poison to Pierre Emile L’Angelier with intent to kill, twice in February and once in March 1857. It was this accusation and the subsequent … Continue reading Madeleine Hamilton Smith (1835-1928) – The Accused
The Scottish Longitudinal Study
You may have seen recent media coverage on the employment prospects of young people in Scotland from different social backgrounds. What you might not have realised is that this piece of research – and many others – relies on the Scottish Longitudinal Study in which National Records of Scotland is a partner. The Scottish Longitudinal … Continue reading The Scottish Longitudinal Study
Getting started with digital preservation
Our Digital Records Unit is launching two new digital preservation tools this summer. These guidance and capacity planning tools have been specifically developed for Scottish local authorities. They are the product of a 12 month project and will assist local authority archivists and record managers get started with digital preservation. The guidance tool will help … Continue reading Getting started with digital preservation
Trudeau’s Scottish family
You may well be aware that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Edinburgh this morning to meet the Queen. During his visit, he also visited the National Museum of Scotland, where he saw Canadian artefacts, as well as documents on his family history from National Records of Scotland which show his Scottish ancestry over … Continue reading Trudeau’s Scottish family
WW1 and the Census
Preparations are now under way for Scotland's Census 2021 but a hundred years ago the First World War had a dramatic impact on the people who planned and delivered the census in 1921. This photo shows Census staff in 1911 in what is now the Archivist's Garden between General Register House and New Register House … Continue reading WW1 and the Census
