Partnership Working

Ancestral Tourism - Latest News June 2009

The Ancestral Tourism Newsletter is sent out on a quarterly basis to businesses and individuals interested in keeping up to date with developments in the ancestral market. It contains news from the ancestral tourism community, updates on the work of the Ancestral Tourism Initiative, plus details of events which may be of interest to ancestral tourists.

Cowalfest encourages visitors to walk in the footsteps of their ancestors

The organisers of Cowalfest, Cowal’s popular walking and arts festival, have recognised the potential of the ancestral tourism market by developing and launching a comprehensive and informative ancestral section on their website www.cowalfest.org.

The site contains information on clans and families

linked to Cowal and the buildings associated with them; local history; emigration; links to relevant online research resources, and local information sources including archives, records offices and family history societies.

In a further development, walks in the Cowalfest programme that feature places of ancestral interest will be marked with a special symbol, allowing visitors to easily identify the walks that most closely relate to their own particular interest.  

Dorothy Bruce, Vice Chair of the Cowalfest organising committee says, ‘Cowalfest in 2009 will be a very special festival, reflecting our rich heritage, drawing on the peninsula’s fascinating history, telling of links with Burns, celebrating our outstanding and innovative contributions to the world, highlighting global links, remembering ancestors who left these shores in search of new challenges and new lives. Whether visitors are celebrating their Scottish roots, are a frequent visitor, or have never visited before, Cowalfest will welcome them home’.

Organisers are also keen that the local tourism trade uses the information on the site as part of its own marketing effort. ‘It’s the first time this type of information has been pulled together in this way in Cowal, and hopefully it will make tourism businesses more aware of the great strengths the area has so that they can go out and sell the stories to visitors,’ Dorothy added.

Cowalfest takes place from 9th – 18th October 2009. Further information from www.cowalfest.org

Update from the ScotlandsPeople Centre

Family History Fairs

In support of Homecoming Scotland, ScotlandsPeople Centre will beattending a number of family history events this summer, including:

  • Royal Highland Show, Ingliston – 25th to 28th June
  • StrathclydeUniversity International Festival of Genealogy, Glasgow – 21st to 24th July
  • The Gathering, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh – 25th to 26th July.

At each of the events there will be a stand wherevisitors will be able to:

  • Meet knowledgeable staff from ScotlandsPeople
  • Find out how to starttheir family history
  • See a demonstration of the unique ScotlandsPeople website
  • Try outthe ScotlandsPeopleonline service for free
  • Find out more about the new ScotlandsPeople Centre
  • Find out how to do more detailed research in the National Archives of Scotland

Famous Scots Exhibition - Shirley Manson

Therock singer and actress Shirley Manson is the latest Famous Scot to feature in theyear- long exhibition at ScotlandsPeople Centre. From now until 17th July visitorscanfind out lots more aboutShirley's family history.The exhibition isfree and is open Monday to Friday, 9am and 4.30pm. Therewill also bespecial weekday evening opening on 23rd June and 7th July, 6.30pm – 9pm. On these dates the exhibition will close at 4.30pm and re-open at 6.30pm. Additional dates may be added, so please check the web site http://scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk for updates.

New Interactive Beginners Guide

A new interactive guide on theScotlandsPeople Centre website has been launched. The guide consists of a slideshow of images introducing aspects of family history research and is ideal for beginners.To see an interactive demonstration of how to carry out family history research, go to http://www.scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk/Interactive/interactive-experience.html

Family History Summer Fest at Hawick Heritage Hub

The Heritage Hub in Hawick opened in May 2007 as the Scottish Borders Archive & Local History Centre. In July, staff from the Heritage Hub, supported by the Borders Family History Society, are holding family history surgeries in libraries throughout the Scottish Borders:

Duns (6th July from 5pm to 7pm), Peebles (14th July from 4pm to 7pm), Kelso (15th July from 4pm to 7pm) and Eyemouth (16th July from 2pm to 6pm).  Kristian Pedersen, the Heritage Hub’s Ancestral Tourism Worker, is also available to give talks and surgeries on family and local history at events and meetings.  

In addition, the Heritage Hub is hosting a number of research visits throughout the summer months for family clans and associations including the Turnbulls, Scotts and Elliots.  

To complement the surgeries and research visits, a new exhibition about Border Family Names opens on 1st July at the Heritage Hub and runs till 25th August.  Featuring fact sheets on some well known local surnames as well as privileged access to family items and documents from the archive, this new exhibition provides a chance to learn about local people from the past  - an example being the story of the Police Force career of an Armstrong man revealed through old documents from Kelso.

Further information from www.heartofhawick.co.uk/heritagehub

North East Clan Fortnight and Aberdeen’s Tartan Day

The North East Clan Fortnight, from July 18th to August 3rd, will showcase Aberdeen and Grampian’s clan ancestral homelands, history and traditions.

Designed to complement a visit to The Gathering, the two-week programme of events will give visitors the opportunity to:

  • Discover more at Heritage conferences, or by taking coach tours with Blue Guides.
  • Research their family history at archives and registrar offices.
  • Watch a performance of the only Burns’ Opera “Ae Fond Kiss”, or see legends Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham.
  • Sip whisky at five Distilleries, or enter two Golf competitions.
  • Join the March of the Clans at Aboyne Highland Games and enjoy fellowship afterwards at their Clan’s Tent where they may meet their Chief.
  • Enjoy the spectacle of Aberdeen’s Tartan Day Parade with pipe bands, celebrities and international youth festival performers – including the first ever Gordon Highlanders’ International Beating Retreat with affiliated bands from Canada, Australia, South Africa and Europe.
  • Complete their stay by visiting Turriff Show – Aberdeenshire’s premiere farming, food and country life showcase.

For booking and ticketing information go to www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/homecoming

International Genealogy Festival at University of Strathclyde

Wondering what to advise your clients to do in July? The International Genealogy Festival (21-24 July, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow) is the answer!

Sitting neatly between the Open Championship and The Gathering, the festival is four days of geographically-themed events and activities

including stands, exhibitions, Ask the Expert sessions, Family History workshops, lectures on family history topics, library and archive visits, historic walks plus whisky tasting, a comedy night and a ceilidh.

A special feature is two Celebrity Genealogy recordings by BBC Radio Scotland before a live audience – the subjects are newscaster Gavin Esler and singer/songwriter/composer Dougie MacLean.

This will be an ideal event for anyone of Scots ancestry, those have relatives who moved or now live abroad and are interested in tracing roots in Scotland, or anyone who loves the place and the people.

More information, events listing and online ticket sales at: www.strath.ac.uk/homecomingscotland

e-mail: homecomingscotland@strath.ac.uk Tel: 0141 548 4147

And don't forget……

The University of Strathclyde has a range of genealogy courses from introductory daytime and evening up to professional postgraduate qualifications.
Contact: 0141 548 5778 for details or go to www.strath.ac.uk/genealogy .

Agenda for Diaspora Conference Announced

The 2009 Homecoming Scotland Leadership Conference, jointly hosted by the American-Scottish Foundation and the Illinois Saint Andrew Society, will take place at Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh on Monday 27th July.

The Conference, which has the theme of ‘Scotland and her Diaspora – Partners for the Future’, will provide an opportunity for those in the Scottish Diaspora to meet representatives of Scottish governmental and other bodies that are actively seeking to engage with the Diaspora, and to exchange views, values, experiences and best practices. The Conference will also afford a similar opportunity for Scots to engage with the Diaspora.  

The programme for the day has just been announced. Further information from http://www.homecomingscotland2009.com/news/
leadership_conference_agenda.html

Evening Castle Tour with Sir Lachlan Maclean

Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull will be offering a unique opportunity to meet the 28th Chief of the Clan Maclean, and to hear fascinating stories of his heritage and the history of the castle, in Evening Castle Tours with Sir Lachlan Maclean taking place on 9th and 22nd July.  

These will be small group tours and will include parts of the private side of the castle.  The ticket price of £20 includes the tour, refreshments plus a guidebook.

Further information from www.duartcastle.com

The Hidden Jewel

This summer, as part of the Homecoming Scotland programme of celebrations, Oban will play host to a unique theatre event, The Hidden Jewel, from 17th to 23rd July 2009.

The Hidden Jewel is better known as The Brooch of Lorne and is the main focus of this unusual outdoor walking theatre event. The Brooch was believed to have been taken from the cloak of Robert the Bruce by loyal MacDougall clansmen at the Battle of Dalrigh, near Tyndrum, in 1306.

This iconic jewel of the MacDougall Clan - fashioned from pure Scottish silver, crystal, and Scottish freshwater pearls - is of national significance, with the original being securely kept at all times in a bank vault.

The Hidden Jewel drama follows the fortunes of the Brooch through the ages – from its seizure in 1306 and on through dangerous times of sieges and loss through the centuries.

The Hidden Jewel will be performed over 7 nights at Dunollie, Oban, from 17th to 23rd July 2009, as part of the Year of Homecoming programme. Tickets are available online at www.dunollie.org

The theatre performances are at the heart of a whole week of events at Dunollie, which include the presentation of a new Clan flag by the US Clan society and a formal dinner hosted by the Clan Chief.

New Pipe March celebrates 50th anniversary Homecoming for Clan Currie Society

Members of the worldwide Clan Currie Society taking part in the Homecoming Scotland Gathering event in Edinburgh this summer will celebrate the Homecoming and the 50th anniversary of their Society in a most unique way – with a new pipe tune specifically commissioned for the occasion! The tune, also commemorating the Highland Review of 1822 when the tartan was designed and first worn, was composed for the Society by award-winning piper Stuart Samson MBE.

Robert Currie, president of the Society, said, ‘We are so excited to have been able to commission one of the top pipers in the world, Stuart Samson MBE, to compose “The Currie Tartan” for the 50th anniversary of the Currie Clan Society – and I’m delighted that it will also mark our visit to The Gathering in this Year of Homecoming. Stuart is very well known and well respected in the piping world, having achieved some of the highest accolades in the piping world’.

‘I would like to extend a very warm invitation to all Curries, wherever they may be, to join us in Edinburgh at The Gathering on 25 and 26 July. Whatever the spelling of your name - Currie, Curry, McMhuirich, MacMureach, MacVurich or another derivative - if you are part of our clan network, we’d love to hear from you. And if you are not able to come to Edinburgh, please get in touch through our website on www.clancurrie.com to find out more and register for updates on all of our activities.’

Discover your Ancestors at Blair Castle

To mark the Year of Homecoming, Blair Castle is hosting a special family history day on Wednesday 8th July. Visitors are invited to find out more about the historic associations of Clan Murray, Clan Stewart, Clan Robertson and Clan Ferguson with the castle in a Clans talk led by Castle Archivist Jane Anderson.

Her talk will explore different themes around the four clans including where they lived in the local area, the marriages and alliances they made and information about notable individuals. There will also be a special opportunity to view original maps and documents relating to the clans that are not normally on public display.

The Clans display in the Castle’s Banvie Hall will include displays of Clan tartans, maps and the wild man of Atholl from the Murray coat of arms. To complete the family history theme, visitors will be treated to live costumed performances of The Stewarts by Historic Scotland throughout the day.

Further information from www.blair-castle.co.uk

Homecoming Pass

To celebrate Homecoming 2009, Historic Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland and selected members of the Historic Houses Association have created a 7-day entrance pass that gives visitors access to over 130 historic properties throughout the country.

Famous attractions including Edinburgh Castle, Culloden Battlefield, Culzean Castle, Glamis Castle, Scone Palace, Stirling Castle, Blair Castle and Urquhart Castle are all included. Available only via the travel trade, the Homecoming Pass allows visitors to experience the very best of Scotland’s built heritage.

Passes can be used until 30th September 2009 and are valid for 7 consecutive days. 20% commission is offered on all sales. Passes are supplied on a ‘sale or return’ basis, with no payment required until the passes expire, making them ideal for groups or FITs. An added benefit to visitors is that the pass will give ‘fast-track’ entry at many of the larger attractions including Edinburgh and Stirling Castles.

More information from Donna Laidlaw, Historic Scotland Travel Trade Sales Manager, hs.explorer@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Schools involved in Island Emigrants Conference

Children throughout the Western Isles are being encouraged to get involved in a competition arranged by The Islands Book Trust to coincide with their 3-day Homecoming Scotland conference on ‘Island Emigrants – Emigration from the Outer Hebrides’ in Harris from 10-12 September 2009.

Book token prizes will be awarded to the winning entries by Scottish Government Minister Mike Russell - eligible projects include a painting, poem, or short essay or report on the theme of emigration  – by Scottish Government Minister Mike Russell on the final day of the conference. The competition is open to children in the Outer Hebrides on either an individual or group basis, and separate prizes will be given for primary and secondary school children. The closing date is 31 August.

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The conference will be attended by a mixture of academic experts, local people, and returning emigrant families from places such as Canada, the United States, and Patagonia. As well as the more formal sessions, there will be films of emigration, a ceilidh, a major exhibition put together by internationally-renowned genealogist Bill Lawson, plus a visit to places in Harris from which emigrants left.  

Further information from www.theislandsbooktrust.com

Ancestral information added to Scotland.org website

The Scottish Government’s online gateway to Scotland, www.scotland.org, has been enhanced by the addition of a new page on ancestry. The page, which aims to aid people researching their Scottish roots and potential ancestral tourists alike, contains ancestry features, information on ancestral Homecoming events, and links to further sources of help and information.

Check out the new page at www.scotland.org/homecoming2009/ancestry/

My Scottish Heritage

My Scottish Heritage is a new family history research company set up by Charles Currie, following 20 years in the tourism and heritage industry with the area tourist boards, VisitScotland and the National Trust for Scotland.

Charles says, ‘While I was working on the promotion of Culloden Battlefield I wondered whether any of my ancestors had fought at the battle and this led me to research my Isle of Arran and isle of Tiree family trees. The resulting family trees led me to follow my ancestors around Scotland and abroad to Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand’.

‘I now have brought my professional experience in the history and geography of Scotland to My Scottish Heritage to make finding your family more than just a list of names’.

The company can help people find out more about their family, who they were, how and where they lived and facts about their lives and those of the communities in which they lived.

More information from www.myscottishheritage.co.uk

Mapping Scotland’s Heritage Paths

The National Library of Scotland (NLS) has launched a new website on heritage paths in Scotland.

The site documents heritage paths with information about their history and heritage value, surveys of the route, photographs and maps.
Many rights of way in Scotland have a very colourful and interesting past. Using the site you can find pilgrimage routes, minister's roads and coffin roads, trading routes including salters' ways, miners' ways, smugglers' ways and peat cutting paths.

The website showsheritage paths ascoloured overlays using NLS historical mapsto create dynamic Google 'mash-ups.'

View the website at www.heritagepaths.co.uk

Gunnister Man: A Life Reconstructed

Shetland Museum and Archives are to hold a fascinating exhibition about a body discovered in a peat bog at Gunnister, Shetland in 1951.  Dated to around 1700, although little remained of the man, his clothes and the things in his pockets were perfectly preserved. These items provide many clues about late 17th century life in Shetland. The exhibition, which runs from 12th September – 1st November, will feature the original items on loan from National Museums Scotland, as well as a full set of replicas commissioned by the Shetland Museum, to show how this man looked in life.

At a conference on 19th September, speakers will explore theories surrounding the Gunnister man: who was he?; how did he die?; why was he buried in a bog?  Historians will consider the wider context of life in the north 300 years ago and curators from Shetland Museum will explain the process of creating accurate replicas of the items found.

Further information from www.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk

Tourism Intelligence Scotland

Two new guides have been published by Tourism Intelligence Scotland, the initiative which aims to drive innovation through the use of market intelligence.

‘Listening To Our Visitors’ has beenlaunchedto help Scottish tourism businesses understand their customers and look at ways of adapting products and services to

meet increasing customer expectations.  The project aims to encourage companies to enhance their business and improve the visitor experience by better capture andutilisation of customer feedback, and includes a practical guide, a dedicated web space with templates and a series of workshops which are being delivered across Scotland.

‘Knowing Our Markets….Scotland’s Visitors’ looks at how well we really know our visitors and helps businessesunderstand who comes to Scotland and why. It looks at how to get the basics right, how to attract the right visitors for your businessand how to market to them.

Both guides are available via www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk