Scottish civil birth records

QMargaret Woodhall (née Smithson), born c1827 Liverpool (according to the 1851 census), was the sister of my great grandfather, James Murray Smithson, born c1835 in Edinburgh. Their father was William

The British merchant service was renamed the Merchant Navy after World War 1 to mark the vital role its sailors played in wartime. That role continued in World War 2 as merchant ships carried troops a

To some of us, post-1945 seems like yesterday – but if you are a younger researcher, this era could encompass several generations of your ancestors. More recent research is an important part of everyo

Efforts to prohibit abortion down the ages

It all started with an argument. One day in November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver enjoyed a shooting session in County Wexford, south-east Ireland. The quarrel arose over a discussion which developed among S

Our annual summer camp for many of my East Kilbride Scouts in 1977 was a choice between an expensive long distance coach trip to Switzerland or a cheaper and fun district camp at Glentrool, just an ho