What We Do

Anglo-Scottish Branch Annual Report for 2023

I started my 2022 report stating that we were looking forward to a return to normal after Covid, but that normal was rather different from the normal we had left behind. Speakers preferred Zoom presentations and members seemed reluctant to travel to Central library for meetings.

The situation has not altered, the same preferences and reluctance remains, but there have been some changes.

Our programme secretary has done a wonderful job and the 2023 programme proved as interesting as ever. Because of the way the day fell, we did not have a meeting in January. Our Zoom meetings covered subjects ranging from Kate Keter and her presentation ‘Mother dead, father in prison’, showing how Kate used multiple databases to trace a family through much adversity and across the world, Scottish Prisons and their Records by Emma Maxwell, Scottish sources at the Society of Genealogists Library in London by Sue Gibbons, maps at the National Library of Scotland by Laragh Quinney and Transportation and Banishment by Ken Kisbet. Several of these subjects interested both Society members and non-members across the country.

Our visit this year was a visit to Manchester Art Gallery where we were promised a viewing of works by Scottish artists held there. It proved not to be quite as promised but a very enjoyable visit by those members who attended.

Our meetings in Central Library included our Annual meeting followed by a discussion of member’s brickwalls and suggestions to knock through them. Another was a short presentation on tracing Scottish miners in Canada and another on the need to validate and double check the accuracy of your research findings. Our year ended with our usual get together and a rather different quiz arranged by Hilary. It was a ‘guess who/where this is’ quiz when we were shown images of members at a very young age or of landmarks from a slightly different angle. And of course, there was the opportunity for members to chat.

When meeting at Central Library we organised a helpdesk in the morning. However these sessions have not had the attendance we would have liked and we have reluctantly decided to discontinue the practice in 2024.

Our Scottish Marriage Index continues to receive contributions, and requests for more details of entries, but with less frequency that previous years.

Hilary Hartigan continues to work maintaining our section of the new Society website. We are all extremely grateful to have such a computer savvy person as a member of our committee.

For all these activities I am indebted to the contribution given by the Branch committee members, who were unanimously re-elected at our Annual Meeting. Yvonne Gill-Martin, who does a wonderful job organised all our speakers, Hilary Hartigan for the items in the Journal,
Mark Campbell for writing and distribution of our newsletter, Ina Penneyston as our representative at SAFHS, Linda McInness for keeping a record of our committee meetings and with support from David Muil and John de la Cruz. However, we are always looking for new committee members so we can share these responsibilities, so essential for the running of this Branch.

Exchange Journals

Our members can access a range of Exchange Journals by logging in and, when they reach the Members Welcome Page, choose Exchange Journals. There they will find journals, in alphabetical order from all over the world. Scottish researchers will spot Aberdeen, Caithness, Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and West of Scotland, Highland, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Maryborough, Orkney, SAFHS, Scottish Records Association and West Lothian

Scottish Archives Journal

Our friends at the Scottish Records Association have advised us that, in addition to being able to view their newsletter online in our 'Exchange Journals' section of the Member Documents, they also have their own Journal, 'Scottish Archives' available for our members to read.

At present, it is more practical to follow this link SRA Journals where they have their most recent volumes available for reading online.

Our Quarterly Magazine

We also encourage our members to record their research, their methods and their results, in the MLFHS quarterly magazine, ‘The Manchester Genealogist’. Every volume in the archives has now been digitised and indexed creating a treasure trove of information that could provide that elusive clue to a family mystery, whether you are looking for ancestors in Scotland or Scots in Manchester and Lancashire, have a look at The Manchester Genealogist.

Scottish Marriage Index

Over the centuries there have been several huge movements of Scots from their homeland. The Scottish Marriages Index was set up to record marriages of people born in Scotland but married elsewhere - whether it be just south of the border, in any part of England, in Ireland, Australia, North America or anywhere else. Out Scottish Marriages Page gives more information on how to search and how to contribute to the Index. Start your search at Scottish Marriage Index

Scottish Resources

If there is one thing that the Manchester Central Library is not short of – it’s books! And if that is not enough, we also have a collection of our own books and records at the library including histories and transcriptions written before the arrival of personal computers. Our holdings of physical books are all recorded as part of the MLFHS Resources database - try searching for ‘Scotland’ or ‘Scottish’ to see what the Anglo Scottish FHS has to offer.

Our Meetings

Our meetings are our highlights; recently we were proud to be the first society outside of Scotland to welcome representatives from ScotlandsPeople and Scottish Records to our meeting. This was made into a special double-feature weekday meeting and the meeting room at the library was full to capacity.

Our Newsletter

e-Scotia - delivered digitally

Our monthly newsletter brings you the latest news and views on Anglo Scottish research, together with some lighter moments, and is free to all! Follow the link to the Newsletter page where you can view the current newsletter, sign up to receive a copy every month by email and browse our newsletter archives.

Our Helpdesk

The Anglo Scottish helpdesk is open for a few hours before our monthly meetings, using reserved computers on the third floor of the Manchester Central Library where experienced members of the society are available to help and advise on Anglo Scottish research. Please see our Anglo Scots Helpdesk page for up to date information.

Members of the Anglo Scottish branch also volunteer at the Society's main helpdesk in the library on weekdays, up to date information on opening hours and availability can be found here.

Manchester Central Library: Hilary Hartigan

Books, records, transcriptions

If there is one thing that the Manchester Central Library is not short of – it’s books! And if that is not enough, we also have a collection of our own books and records at the library including histories and transcriptions written before the arrival of personal computers. Our holdings of physical books are all recorded as part of the MLFHS Resources database - try searching for ‘Scotland’ or ‘Scottish’ to see what the Anglo Scottish FHS has to offer.

Over the years we have tried to source and make available information that will help our members trace their Scottish family in the Manchester area. Our volunteers have digitised some of those earlier transcripts and documents, some of which contain hundreds of names of Scots in this area, a valuable resource for our members. Most of these documents have not been indexed and do not appear in the society’s databases, but they are listed on the Anglo Scottish resources page where members can access the transcripts.

Speakers who inspire

Our meetings are our highlights; recently we were proud to be the first society outside of Scotland to welcome representatives from ScotlandsPeople and Scottish Records to our meeting. This was made into a special double-feature weekday meeting and the meeting room at the library was full to capacity.

Anglo Scottish meetings are open to all members of the society and often to non-members, too (there is usually a charge of £3 to non-members, refundable if you join the MLFHS at the end of the meeting, but do check booking arrangements on Eventbrite first).

We invite speakers who are both entertaining and knowledgeable in their subjects, whose experiences enhance our own knowledge and inspire our continuing research. A wide range of subjects have been covered at recent meetings including DNA and Irish research, when we welcomed Jill Williams to tell us about the Irish records that are available to researchers, a very popular speaker. Some of our meetings are more causal and social in nature and give members a chance to exchange information and ideas, views and opinions, and to find those more nuanced ways of developing their skills or sharing their knowledge and experience. Find out more about our upcoming meetings.

The MLFHS also runs series of beginners talks throughout the year – follow the society’s calendar to find dates and timings of beginners talks on Scottish and Irish family history research.