If you watched and enjoyed “The Hector: From Scotland to Nova Scotia” on BBC 2 yesterday (if you missed the programme it’s currently on the iplayer), you’ll have seen Neil Oliver viewing documents in our Historical Search Room. You may also have noticed he’s wearing white gloves – something we don’t generally require readers in … Continue reading White gloves
Connecticut Connection
National Records of Scotland is known for its records, research and other artefacts, but we also hold a number of antiques at various buildings around Edinburgh. One interesting example is a chiming clock which hangs on the wall in a meeting room at West Register House, Charlotte Square. This clock, a Chauncey Jerome, was recently repaired … Continue reading Connecticut Connection
How are households in Scotland changing?
Every year, National Records of Scotland estimates how many households there are in Scotland, and how many people live in the average household. Households can be groups of people living together in homes, or single people living alone in a home. Why is this important? Well, knowing how many households there are, and how many … Continue reading How are households in Scotland changing?
Weeding Scotland’s Courts
Every summer, a team of NRS archivists visits Sheriff Courts all over Scotland to collect historical records for preservation and storage. Case records must be retained for decades after the cases finish for future appeals, cold case reviews and police enquiries, so it’s vital they are kept safe and secure. Centuries from now, these cases … Continue reading Weeding Scotland’s Courts
Improving Mortality Statistics
In January 2017, NRS adopted new software for recording mortality statistics. This software – IRIS – will help us to improve data relating to deaths from certain diseases and disorders. It will also help to create statistics that allow for more accurate comparison with other countries, particularly with England and Wales. When a death is … Continue reading Improving Mortality Statistics
Estimating the number of homes in Scotland
Every year we estimate how many homes there are in Scotland, and also how many of those homes are either empty, or second homes. Our estimates are then used for planning things like housing and local services. Our latest estimates suggest there are now 2.58 million homes in Scotland. For every hundred homes in Scotland, … Continue reading Estimating the number of homes in Scotland
A 1920s family photograph album
As well as locating and surveying historical papers held in private hands, the National Register of Archives for Scotland (NRAS) is often in the position of trying to find a good home for archives. And sometimes this is not at all straightforward. Take for instance a photograph album bound in soft leather found in a … Continue reading A 1920s family photograph album
2021 – an online census
Did you know the Registrar General for Scotland is responsible for conducting the census in Scotland and has been since 1861?* And did you know the next census is due to take place in 2021? The role of Registrar General for Scotland sits with the Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS) and as … Continue reading 2021 – an online census
Birds nest manuscript
We have a number of curiosities in our archives, but one of the odder items is the contents of a birds' nest. No ordinary nest, this one, found in the roof of St Giles Cathedral in 1961, was lined with papers from Scotland's exchequer records. Keeper of the Records of Scotland from 1985-1990 Dr Athol … Continue reading Birds nest manuscript
Who was Thomas Thomson?
The names of some of our buildings may seem self-explanatory: it is fairly easy to understand why names like General Register House, West Register House, and New Register House were chosen. However, we are often asked about the name of our newest archive building, Thomas Thomson House, which is at Sighthill to the west of … Continue reading Who was Thomas Thomson?
