Scottish Family History Research Tour

September 20, 2009 - September 27, 2009

Discover the origins of your Scottish ancestors with the inaugural NEHGS research tour to Edinburgh. This weeklong intensive research program will be based out of Scotland’s two premier genealogical repositories, the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) and ScotlandsPeople Centre. Together these neighboring repositories house the major collections of government and vital records for more than 700 years of Scottish ancestry.

The main holdings of NAS include records created by the government of Scotland beginning in the twelfth century, including records of the crown, parliament, legal registers, court documents, and records of the Church of Scotland. Vital records including birth, marriage, and death records from 1855 and parish registers from 1553 to 1854 are maintained at ScotlandsPeople Centre.

Add-ons such as castle tours, whiskey tours and a three-day extension for culture visits are also available.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE*

Sunday, September 20
After 3 pm     Check-in at Sheraton Grand Hotel
6 pm              Reception and Opening Dinner at the Sheraton Grand Hotel

Monday, September 21
9 am               Lecture: Scottish Geography for Genealogists
11 am             Lecture: Scottish Estate Law
12:30 pm        Lunch
1:30 pm          Rosslyn Chapel Tour

Tuesday, September 22
9 am              Orientation: ScotlandsPeople Centre
10:30 am       Orientation: National Archives of Scotland
11:30 am—5pm     Personal Research & Consultations

Wednesday, September 23
9 am—5 pm   ScotlandsPeople Centre Personal Research & Consultations
9 am—5 pm   National Archives of Scotland Personal Research & Consultations
6:30 pm          Heraldry Dinner with W. David H. Sellar, Lord Lyon King of Arms at the George Hotel.

Thursday, September 24
9 am—5 pm   ScotlandsPeople Centre Personal Research & Consultations
9 am—5pm    National Archives of Scotland Personal Research & Consultations

Friday, September 25
9 am—5pm    ScotlandsPeople Centre Personal Research & Consultations
9am—5pm     National Archives of Scotland Personal Research & Consultations

Saturday, September 26
10 am—6pm Day Tour to Stirling
Stirling Castle, museum of the Argyll & Sutherlands Regiment, Wallace and Bruce Monuments
7 pm   Reception and Closing Dinner

Sunday, September 27
Before 11am  Check-out of Sheraton Grand
Hotel Transportation to Airport

OPTIONAL PROGRAMMING

Tuesday, September 22
11 am—5pm  Half-day visit to St. Abbs, east coastal harbour, and St. Mary's parish church in Haddinton
£10 per person
 
Wednesday, September 23
11 am—4pm  Half-day visit to Thirlestane Castle
£14 per person

Thursday, September 24
11 am—5pm  Half-day visit to Culross
£10 per person

Friday, September 25
11 am—5pm  Half-day visit to Traquair House
£14 per person

Sunday, September 27--Tuesday, September 29
Specially designed  by Cornelia Bush & McleanScotland, join a three day tour add-on. Depart Edinburgh by luxury small coach for the Highlands, staying two nights in Inverness. The tour will include many stops for visits for whisky, castles, historic and scenic pleasures! The third night will be back for a final overnight at the Hilton Edinburgh Airport Hotel. Each accommodation will be minimum 4 star. Pricing pending.

*Subject to Change

GENEALOGISTS

CORNELIA W. BUSH, CG, FSA Scot ( http://www.corneliabush.com/) is the Genealogist to the Society of Scottish Armigers, and a frequent lecturer at Highland Games. Her professional practice includes connecting American back to their Scottish roots, and petitions to the Court of Lord Lyon. Cornelia is a contributor to Highlander Magazine, the former historian of Clan MacRae; and author of MacRaes to America!!

DAVID C. DEARBORN, FASG is an NEHGS staff genealogist. A frequent speaker at NEHGS and national genealogical conferences, David is an expert in eighteenth and nineteenth-century English and Scottish genealogy. In 1982, he was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists.

DAVID ALLEN LAMBERT is the NEHGS Online Genealogist. He is the Society’s foremost expert on military records and military history. David has authored several books and numerous articles on New England and Atlantic Canadian research, military records, and Native American and African American genealogical research