Scotland's Greatest Story - professional Scottish genealogy research

23/11/2025

If interested in doing my Scottish Research Online course, which starts Monday 5th January 2026, there is currently a 15% discount on ALL Pharos Tutors courses as part of a Black Friday sale, until December 1st. For details on the course, please visit https://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2025/11/scottish-research-online-course-returns.html and for details on the discount, please visit https://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2025/11/black-friday-sale-on-pharos-tutors.html

I hope to maybe see you in the New Year for the course!

From Scotland, a daily news blog about genealogy, family history and personal heritage.

22/11/2025

Just a week to go!

Think you know the difference between your Episcopalians, Presbyterians of various flavours, Covenanters, Catholics, Swedenborgians, Baptists, and more?!

At 7pm (UK time) on Saturday 29 November I'll be discussing three hundred years of Scottish church history, and how it affects our research when it comes to looking for records. Not everything is online, and not everything has survived, but I'll show you how to determine what is available, and how to find it!

To register, please visit https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_enWsWNSfSeOZgNZlEmep9g - registration is £10, a recording of the presentation will be available for a week after, and there will be a handout. I hope you can join me! Chris

21/11/2025

Black Friday sale on Pharos Tutors genealogy courses - including my Scottish and Irish courses

From Scotland, a daily news blog about genealogy, family history and personal heritage.

17/11/2025

If you're thinking of a book for your genealogy pals (or yourself!) for Christmas, I have various titles that might help, including:

- Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet
- Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records
- Sharing Your Family History Online
- Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors
- Researching Ancestral Crisis in Ireland
- Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records

in the UK the books are available from https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Chris-Paton/a/1799 - in the USA from https://www.penandswordbooks.com/search-grid/?contributor=chris-paton - and of course from many other distributors worldwide!

17/11/2025

Scottish GENES Webinar -The Godly Commonwealth: Discover Scottish Church Records
Saturday 29 November 2025, at 7pm (UK)

From 1560 until the mid 19th century, the Kirk was Scotland’s shepherd, moral guardian and disciplinarian, its records today providing one of the key resources for genealogical research. But in trying to establish a Calvinist Godly Commonwealth on Earth it defied the Stuart monarchs for well over a century, and through its democratic and Presbyterian zeal constantly split into denominational factions over endless points of doctrine. In the immediate aftermath of its greatest crisis, the ‘Disruption’ in 1843, its ancient theological enemy, Roman Catholicism, was once again back in force in Scotland, as a consequence of the Irish Famine. By this point the dream of the Godly Commonwealth was finally over, with the state taking many of the Kirk's former functions, including poor relief, policing, and the registration of vital events.

In this session family historian Chris Paton will provide a broad sweep of three hundred years of church history in Scotland, and discuss its impact for the family historian in locating relevant records for research.

Registration is £10, via https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_enWsWNSfSeOZgNZlEmep9g #/registration (A recording will be available for a week after, and there will be a handout)

16/11/2025

Have you ever found a family member in a Second World War War Diary? Find out how to search these fascinating war records with our guide:

12/11/2025

Join us for a fascinating look at one of Aberdeen’s most historic sites!

Come along between 11 am and 3 pm on Friday 28 November to explore the story of St Fittick’s Church — a medieval site with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages.

Volunteers from ANESFHS will be on hand to demonstrate how to read and record gravestone inscriptions in the churchyard and share insights into the lives commemorated there.

📍 Location: Saint Fittick’s Road / Coast Road, AB11 8TJ
📅 Date: Friday 28 November
🕓 Time: 11 am – 3 pm
📍 What3Words: cigar.pirate.aura

This open day is part of the ETZ Community & Coast programme, in partnership with Cameron Archaeology and ANESFHS.

It’s a great chance to explore this historic site and meet others with a shared curiosity about Aberdeen’s past.

12/11/2025

12/11/2025

The next regular monthly Scottish GENES Webinar will take place on Saturday 29 November at 7pm (UK time) and is entitled "The Godly Commonwealth: Discover Scottish Church Records". If you're curious about the various splits and mergers from and with the Kirk, and how that affects the location of records, this one is for you! You can register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_enWsWNSfSeOZgNZlEmep9g the sign up fee again being £10. There will be a handout for this one, and also a video of the recording available for a week after. I'll hopefully see you there!