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Genealogy is very much about sources – finding them, understanding them, citing them. Not all sources are equal though: a family story, passed down the generations, is still a source, just not necessarily a reliable one. Statutory registers of births, deaths and marriages on the other hand are usually much more reliable, although the accuracy of the information they contain is still dependent on the knowledge of the informant. This is particularly a problem with death registers, as the person providing the information is by definition not the subject of the information, and may not know the correct information. Scotland is unusual, in that it has a system allowing information recorded in statutory registers to be corrected after the event has been registered. This is the Register of Corrected Entries (RCE). One of the most common types of RCE entry is found when a single mother obtains a court order against the father of her child. In such cases, the court (usually a Sheriff Court) issued what was known as a Schedule (F) notification, instructing the registrar to insert in the RCE an entry recording the court’s decree and adding the name of the father to the official record. In theory, there is no time bar on adding to the RCE – the most extreme example we’ve encountered in our research was a birth record being amended more than 60 years later to record a change of name. Statutory registration was introduced in Scotland under the Registration Act of 1854. The government took the accuracy of information contained in statutory registers very seriously. Section 60 of the Registration Act reads: Every Person who shall knowingly and wilfully make or cause to be made, for the Purpose of being inserted in any Register of Birth, Death, or Marriage, any false or fictitious Entry, or any false Statement regarding the Name of any Person mentioned in the Register, or touching all or any of the Particulars by this Act required to be registered, shall be deemed guilty of an Offence, and on Conviction shall be punishable by Transportation for a Period not exceeding Seven Years, or by Imprisonment for a Period not exceeding Two Years. Despite the risk of a prison sentence, people did sometimes continue to lie – about their age, about their family background – and those lies are made official by the act of registration, and might never be corrected in the registers. Fast forward three and a half years, and on 24 April 1884, James Shaw registered the birth of a baby girl, Barbara Cochrane, born on 4 April 1884 at 13 Weaver Street, Newton on Ayr. The informant was the child’s mother, Barbara Cochrane, who informed James Shaw that the child’s father was her husband, Hugh Cochrane, a general labourer. The original register entry gives no indication that anything is amiss.  However, on 8 December the following year, the Sheriff Court at Ayr issued a criminal libel against Barbara Aitken or Cochrane, accusing her of contravening Section 60 of the Registration Act, alleging that she had visited the registry office in Ayr and she “knowingly and wilfully” made, or caused to be made “false statements … in order that the said statements … might be entered … in the register of births for the said district of Ayr”. The libel then includes a facsimile of the entry in the Register of Births, and explains how the statements were false:  When Barbara appeared in court on 8 December, she pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to one month in prison. Six weeks earlier, on the 27 October, John James Love alias Ryan alias Ryans appeared in court on similar charges. John’s case related to a different child though, one Eliza Jane Ryans:  The criminal libel issued by the Sheriff Court, alleged that Eliza Jane was the daughter not of Margaret Toy, but of Barbara Aitken or Cochrane:  John pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to two months in prison.  Perhaps surprisingly, neither birth record has an associated RCE entry, resulting in a situation where an official record which operates a correction system continues to this day to contain information that the authorities knew to be false. All of this serves as a cautionary tale: genealogists should always treat every source – even those normally considered to be the most authoritative and reliable – with reasonable scepticism - don't always believe what you read. Sources:
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Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 4 - 10 June 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. Saturday, June 4 2016, 10 am - 12 pm Pre-1841 Censuses Bruce Bishop Venue: Scottish Genealogy Society Library, 15 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL Bruce Bishop will talk about where to find these rare records, what they contain and how they can assist your research. Saturday, June 4 2016, 9 am - 4.30 pm South Ayrshire History and Family History Fair
Venue: Walker Halls, Troon, Ayrshire 9.00am – Registration 9.45am – Councillor Bill Grant Chairman – Dauvit Broun 10.00am “The Smuggling Coast from Stranraer to Girvan” Frances Wilkins 11.00am “Ayrshire before history: a personal view of early sites and their archaeology” Tom Barclay Lunch 2.00pm “Men at War: securing Burns’ memory in the West of Scotland, c 1859-c1896 (the race between the towns of the region to have a statue of Robert Burns)” Chris Whatley 3.00pm “A Founder’s Workshop from the Bronze Age? Excavations from the shadow of Hunterston” Thomas Rees Monday, June 6 2016, 10 am - 4 pm Day with Mary Queen of Scots
Venue: John Gray Centre Friends of the John Gray Centre Mary Queen of Scots still fires imagination of many people, and her story is closely interlinked with that of Haddington and East Lothian. Spend a fascinating day listening to talks about Mary and her links with the county viewing original documents and artefacts from the JGC collections and participating in the hands-on workshop. Monday, June 6 2016, 7 pm for 7.30 pm AGM and Members' Night
Venue: Drummond Community High School, Bellevue Place, Edinburgh
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 9 - 15 May 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. Monday, May 9 2016, 7 pm for 7.30 pm James Craig and the New Town Tony Lewis Venue: Drummond Community High School, Bellevue Place, Edinburgh Monday, May 9 2016, 7.30 pm Open Evening
Venue: Luncarty Church Centre West Stormont Historical Society Non-members: adults £3, concessions £2. (Open discussion meetings at Luncarty are free) Monday, May 9 2016, 7.30 pm 1884 Reform Protests in Ayrshire Dr Mark Nixon Venue: John Knox Church Hall, High Street, Stewarton Stewarton and District Historical Society Part of the largest political demonstration in Britain's history - "Our legislators should be chosen for the people by the people" as stated on a banner in Hawick Monday, May 9 2016, 7.30 pm AGM followed by A Local Topic and Refreshments
Venue: Dalkeith Baptist Church, North Wynd, Dalkeith Tuesday, May 10 2016, 7.30 pm Crail Fishing Disaster Alan Runciman Venue: Volunteer House (Vonef Centre) in 69 Crossgate Cupar KY15 5AS Tuesday, May 10 2016, 7.30 pm 1901 Census May & Alisdair Venue: Public Library, Airds Crossing, Fort William Lochaber and North Argyll Family History Group Tuesday, May 10 2016, 7.30 pm Listen Up! A WW1 Experimental Station in Fife Diana Maxwell Venue: Dining Hall, Dollar Academy Tuesday, May 10 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm The Original Olympics Valerie Reilly Venue: Masonic Halls, Collier Street, Johnstone Wednesday, May 11 2016, 2.30 pm Reconstructing Presbytery: Stirling and Dunblane Presbyteries 1688–1700 Andrew Muirhead Venue: Edinburgh Theological Seminar, The Mound, Edinburgh Scottish Church History Society Wednesday, May 11 2016, 6.00 pm ‘Fair hotchin’ wi conchies’: Dundee war resisters and conscientious objectors 1914-1919
Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee Thursday, May 12 2016, 7.30 pm Members Night and Forum AGM
Venue: The Shawl Gallery, Paisley Museum, High Street, Paisley Renfrewshire Local History Forum Thursday, May 12 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.00 pm AGM
Venue: Johnnie Walker Bond, Strand Street Kilmarnock East Ayrshire Family History Society Friday, May 13 2016, 4.00pm-5.30pm The Female World of Love & Empire: Women, Family & East India Company Politics at the End of the 18th Century Professor Margot Finn, University College London Venue: Gannochy Room, Wolfson Building, - Glasgow University, Glasgow, G12 8QQ University of Glasgow Free tickets can be booked here Saturday, May 14 2016, 2.30pm-4.30pm Bereavement Services & Customs Ian Burnett Venue: Unitarian Church Centre Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 18 - 24 April 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. Monday, April 18 2016, 7 pm Ayrshire's Great War: an overview Tom Barclay, Ayr Venue: Newton Lounge Cumbrae Historical Society Followed by AGM Monday, April 18 2016, 7.30 pm AGM & Illustrating Glasgow Bill Black Venue: Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow Glasgow & West of Scotland Family History Society Monday, April 18 2016, 7-9 pm Elsie Inglis and Birth Records
Venue: Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh Tuesday, April 19 2016, 7.30 pm Scottish Historic Buildings
Venue: Leith Community Education Centre in the New Kirkgate Wednesday, April 20 2016, 2 pm A look back at Monifieth
Venue: Monifieth Community Cabin, South Union Street, DD5 4JG Monifieth Local History Society Viewing of the MLHS Video filmed in 2002. Entry to talks followed by afternoon tea £4 Wednesday, April 20 2016, 6 pm Glasgow's Architectural Legacy: Practice and Conservation Prof Robin Webster and Andrew Wright Venue: GCHT, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow Andrew Wright OBE will be discussing the philosophy of conservation underlying work within the heritage building sector. Professor Robin Webster OBE will speak about his practice, Cameron & Webster, and how it demonstrates the application of the practice’s conservation philosophy. Wednesday, April 20 2016, 7.30 pm Photo Album of Falkirk Jean Jamieson Venue: Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church Wednesday, April 20 2016, 7.30 pm AGM
Venue: Volunteer Hall, Galashiels Wednesday, April 20 2016, 7.30 pm Vanished railways of West Lothian Harry Knox Venue: Ecclesmachan Village Hall West Lothian History and Amenity Society Wednesday, April 20 2016, 7.30 pm Crimes of an Henious Nature - Looking at some High Court Trials Margaret Fox Venue: Selkirk Parish Church Hall Selkirkshire Antiquarian Society Thursday, April 21 2016, 2.30pm Convicts and Transportation Ken Nisbet Venue: Moulin Hall, Moulin North Perthshire Family History Group £3 for visitors Thursday, April 21 2016, 7 pm AGM
Venue: Rothesay House, Cumnock Thursday, April 21 2016, 7.00 pm From Hudson Bay to Surinam: Scots in the Americas, 1600-1707 Dr David Dobson Venue: Sandeman Room, AK Bell Library Thursday, April 21 2016, 7.30 pm Captain Orr – Battle of Waterloo Lady Rosslyn MacPhail Venue: Paisley Museum, High Street, Paisley Renfrewshire Family History Society Thursday, April 21 2016, 7.30 pm Campaign for Women's suffrage in the Highlands Susan Kruse Venue: Council Chamber, Carnegie Building, Dornoch Thursday, April 21 2016, 7.30 pm An East Lothian soldier of the Great War, August to October 1914 Peter Ramage Venue: Haddington Town House Thursday, April 21 2016, 7.30 pm The Reading of Brochs John Barber, AOC Archaeology Group Venue: Brora Community Centre Saturday, April 23 2016, 1.30 pm - 4 pm Become An Urban Detective
Venue: Central Library, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GW If you enjoy solving history mysteries, attend our workshop for Urban Detectives and discover how you can contribute to Canmore, the online catalogue of Scotland’s archaeology, buildings, industrial and maritime heritage. During the afternoon, you'll investigate the history of spaces and places through maps, historical documents, directories and online database and build your confidence in starting your own historical research. Suitable for heritage newcomers. Familiarity with the internet is required. Due to limited capacity of the venue, booking in advance is essential. Please note, a photographer may be present at Scotland's Urban Past events and the images may be used for promotional purposes. Saturday, April 23 2016, 10 am - 12.30 pm Exploring Archives
Venue: Aberdeen Town House, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB11 1FY Embark on a step-by-step investigation of the architectural and social history of Aberdeen in an interactive event from Scotland's Urban Past and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives. This guided journey through maps and historical documents will give you the skills and confidence to use archives for research purposes and gain a new understanding of Aberdeen through the years. Suitable for heritage newcomers. Booking in advance is required for this half-day workshop. Please note, a photographer may be present at Scotland's Urban Past events and the images may be used for promotional purposes. Sunday, April 24 2016, 2.00 pm Members' Short Talks and Questions and Answers
Venue: Corn Exchange & Ormiston Institute, Market Square, Melrose, TD6 9PN Borders Family History Society An opportunity for members to give a short (5 to 10 minutes) talk on a subject of their choice.
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 28 March - 3 April 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. 
Monday, March 28 2016, 7.30 pm Glasgow Humane Society George Parsonage Venue: Caldwell Halls, 16 Campsie Road, Torrance, G64 4BN Torrance Heritage and History Group Monday, March 28 2016, 7.30 pm Perthshire monasteries and their local communities Prof Richard Oram Venue: Bankfoot Church Centre West Stormont Historical Society Non-members: adults £3, concessions £2. (Open discussion meetings at Luncarty are free) Monday, March 28 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm Finlaggan, Islay – excavation at the center of the Lordship of the Isles Dr David Caldwell Venue: Alloa Town Hall (Tommy Downs Room) Clackmannanshire Field Studies Society Speaker Society of Antiquaries Scotland, Fife Cultural Trust Thursday, March 31 2016, 7.30 pm Clyde Upper Reaches : Imports & Exports Iain Quinn Venue: Glen Halls, Neilston Barrhead & Neilston Historical Association Thursday, March 31 2016, 7.30 pm Blackfriars Monastery Dig Bob Will, Guard Archaeology Venue: Smith Museum and Art Gallery Stirling Local History Society Thursday, March 31 2016, 7.30 pm Glasgow's Bridges Tom Marchmont Venue: FCCS Office, Soutbank Marina, Kirkintilloch Thursday, March 31 2016, 8 pm Ayrshire's Railway Heritage Alasdair Wham Venue: Chapel Hall, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, 2 Crummock Street, Beith, Ayrshire Beith Historical Society
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 14 - 20 March 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. 
Monday, March 14 2016, 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm Living and dying at Auldhame, East Lothian Dr Anne Crone, Project Manager, AOC Archaeology Venue: Auditorium, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Excavations on the headland at Auldhame have uncovered a millennium of burial activity, from the 7th century to the 17th century AD. The earliest phase saw the establishment of a monastic settlement probably associated with the Anglian saint, Balthere. A grave with Hiberno-Norse connections signaled the end of this settlement, possibly violently, and the site subsequently became a parish church and graveyard, finally ending up as a family burial aisle or mortuary chapel for Adam Otterburn, four times provost of Edinburgh. Monday, March 14 2016, 7 pm The Old Turkey Red Textile Industry in West Dunbartonshire Katy West, Glasgow Venue: Newton Lounge Cumbrae Historical Society Monday, March 14 2016, 7.30 pm The Innocent Railway Jim Waugh Venue: Dalkeith Baptist Church, North Wynd, Dalkeith Monday, March 14 2016, 7.30 pm Open Evening
Venue: Luncarty Church Centre West Stormont Historical Society Non-members: adults £3, concessions £2. (Open discussion meetings at Luncarty are free) Monday, March 14 2016, 7.30 pm Reflections on 45 Years of Making Pots Archie McCall Venue: Partick Burgh Hall, room 1, 3-9a Burgh Hall Street, Glasgow, G11 5LN Monday, March 14 2016, 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm Underground with Jules Verne in Scotland and Iceland Julian Ward Venue: Alloa Town Hall (Tommy Downs Room) Clackmannanshire Field Studies Society Tuesday, March 15 2016, 7.30 pm Great Wall of China Dr Raymond Shaw Venue: West Kilbride Community Centre, Corse Street, West Kilbride, KA23 9AX Under the reign of Emperor Qin, China was united. In about 217BC in an attempt to keep out the invaders from the north he ordered the different regions to build a wall from the coast in the east to the Gobi desert in the west, some 21,196 kilometres long. Hear the fascinating stories of the materials used, life in the forts, and its use as a supply route along difficult terrain, and the rebuilding in subsequent dynasties. Tuesday, March 15 2016, 7.30 pm History of Brewing in Scotland Forbes Gibb Venue: Kilmarnock College, Holehouse Rd, Kilmarnock Kilmarnock & District History Group Tuesday, March 15 2016, 7.30 pm The Archaeology of Leith Fort
Venue: Leith Community Education Centre in the New Kirkgate Tuesday, March 15 2016, 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm Living and dying at Auldhame, East Lothian Dr Anne Crone, Project Manager, AOC Archaeology Venue: Regent Building Lecture Theatre, Regent Walk, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Excavations on the headland at Auldhame have uncovered a millennium of burial activity, from the 7th century to the 17th century AD. The earliest phase saw the establishment of a monastic settlement probably associated with the Anglian saint, Balthere. A grave with Hiberno-Norse connections signaled the end of this settlement, possibly violently, and the site subsequently became a parish church and graveyard, finally ending up as a family burial aisle or mortuary chapel for Adam Otterburn, four times provost of Edinburgh. Wednesday, March 16 2016, 7.00 pm St Mary's Cathedral and Giles Gilbert Scott Dr Eleanor Harris Venue: Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh Wednesday, March 16 2016, 7.30 pm The Celtic Monastry of Old Melrose - St Cuthbert's First Monastic Homey Dr Margaret Collin Venue: Selkirk Parish Church Hall Selkirkshire Antiquarian Society Wednesday, March 16 2016, 7.30 pm The Glory of Stained Glass Ros Mitchell Venue: Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church Wednesday, March 16 2016, 7.30 pm The Flemish in Scotland John Irvine Venue: Acredale House, Mid Street, Bathgate West Lothian History and Amenity Society Wednesday, March 16 2016, 7.30 pm Local Lawyers in Early Modern Scotland John Finlay Venue: Supper Room, Town House, Haddington East Lothian Antiquarian & Field Naturalists' Society John Finlay, Professor of Scots Law, Glasgow University, will introduce us to local lawyers in early modern Scotland. Thursday, March 17 2016 Pilgrims and Fife Nick Cooke Elie & Earlsferry History Society Nick Cooke of Scottish Pilgrim Routes Federation presents developments of the Fife Routes Thursday, March 17 2016, 2.30pm Simply a Jacobite Heroine Margaret, Lady Nairne 1673-1747 Dr Nicola Cowmeadow Venue: Moulin Hall, Moulin North Perthshire Family History Group £3 for visitors Thursday, March 17 2016, 7 pm Ayrshire Place Names Ian McVey Venue: Rothesay House, Cumnock Thursday, March 17 2016, 7.30 pm Broken sword: The excavation of a ritual deposit of Bronze Age metalwork on the Isle of Coll Natasha Ferguson and Trevor Cowie, National Museums of Scotland Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Boyd Orr Building, University of Glasgow University Avenue Glasgow Archaeological Society Thursday, March 17 2016, 7.30 pm My Early Working Life on the Highland Railways John MacDonald, Rogart Heritage Society Venue: Brora Community Centre Also AGM Thursday, March 17 2016, 7.30 pm Evidence of Prehistoric People In & Around Kirkcaldy Steve Liscoe Venue: Kirkcaldy Old Kirk, Kirk Wynd Thursday, March 17 2016, 7.30 pm Glasgow City Archives – Family History Dr Irene O'Brien Venue: Paisley Museum, High Street, Paisley Renfrewshire Family History Society Thursday, March 17 2016, 7.30 pm Skibo and The Great War Victoria Connor Venue: Council Chamber, Carnegie Building, Dornoch Thursday, March 17 2016, 7.30 pm Place-names of the original John Muir Way: a journey through time Liz Curtis Venue: Haddington Town House Friday, March 18 2016, 7.30 pm New Life for an Old Place, Falkland Palace Estate Trust Ninian Stuart, Chairman, Falkland Palace Estate Trust Venue: Aytoun Hall, High Street, Auchterarder Auchterarder and District Local History Association Saturday, March 19 2016, 2.00 pm Family Search Brian McKechnie, Patron Services Manager LDS Venue: Manchester Central Library Anglo-Scottish Family History Society Saturday, March 19 2016, 2.00pm-4.30pm Characters Associated With Taranty Ha Albert Thomson Venue: Unitarian Church Centre Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society Preceded by AGM
Upcoming family history talks and events in Scotland, 29 February - 6 March 2016
Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list. 
Monday, February 29 2016, 7.30 pm These Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines Leonard Hart Venue: Millennium Room, Cramond Kirk Hall Leonard Hart, the Aircraft Preservation Society, on the rebuilding of a Sopwith Strutter from scratch Monday, February 29 2016, 7.30 pm Glasgow's Magnificent Mansions Bill Black Venue: Caldwell Halls, 16 Campsie Road, Torrance, G64 4BN Torrance Heritage and History Group Tuesday, March 1 2016, 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm White, Black and Grey: recent discoveries in Aberdeen’s friaries Alison Cameron Venue: Regent Building Lecture Theatre, Regent Walk, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Alison Cameron of Cameron Archaeology will present this lecture at the Regent Building Lecture Theatre hosted by the Aberdeen and North East Section of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Tuesday, March 1 2016, 6.45 pm for 7.15 pm Film Evening Ian Rintoul Venue: Morningside Parish Church Hall Morningside Heritage Association Tuesday, March 1 2016, 7 pm AGM
Venue: Shetland Family History Society, 6 Hillhead, Lerwick Shetland Family History Society Tuesday, March 1 2016, 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm Exploring and using the 1911 Scottish Census Ken Nisbet Venue: Lanthorn Community Education Complex, Kenilworth Rise, Livingston EH54 6JL West Lothian Family History Society Tuesday, March 1 2016, 7.30 pm The Southern General Hospital in the 20th Century: From Poorhouse to Powerhouse Alistair Tough Venue: Fairweather Hall, Barrhead Road, Newton Mearns, G77 6BB Tuesday, March 1 2016, 7.30 pm Old Ayrshire Farming John Stevenson Venue: Kilmarnock College, Holehouse Rd, Kilmarnock Kilmarnock & District History Group Thursday, March 3 2016, 1.00 pm The Memoirs of Captain Boyd Capt John Watson Fraternity of Masters & Seamen Venue: Glasite Hall, St. Andrew’s Church, King Street, Dundee Friends of Dundee City Archives |
Old ScottishGenealogy and Family History - A mix of our news, curious and intriguing discoveries. Research hints and resources to grow your family tree in Scotland from our team. 
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