Summa Genealogica

No man is an island, Entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.   - John Donne When researching our ancestors, especially as amateurs, it can be easy to focus on records that pertain to our family alone - birth, marriage, and death certificates; censuses; parish registers; wills, and so forth. These documents are the backbone of genealogy, and that process of finding records directly concerning our ancestors can often feel the most productive and rewarding. However, we may be overlooking a goldmine of genealogical insight if we neglect to study local and social history! This first part of the article will discuss why  we should be interested in local history, the second part will discuss where  we can look for sources of local history. Why Local History Matters Without understanding the world as a whole, and the localities our ancestors inhabited, especially as we go further back to pre-census and -statutory times, we can only ever have p...

The Edinburgh Central Library and the National Library of Scotland have organised another Family History Fair, taking place this October, Friday 24th, in the George Washington Browne room of Edinburgh Central Library. This year the Fair and the talks take on a miltary theme: " Using archive material which documents aspects of Edinburgh during the 1940s & 50s, we'll have a look at life in the city as it recovered in aftermath of World War Two. In these years much new housing was needed for the growing population, as were schools. Rationing remained for some time but there was growing hope, as the capital began to boom." (From VisitScotland ) There will also be tables with various organisations, including the Scottish Genealogy Society. You can find tickets to the event at the Scottish Genealogy Society's website, here . It is a great opportunity to come along, meet some interesting people, and learn some local history, something of vital importance to genealogical ...