SCOTLAND

Tracing Your Scottish Family History by Anthony Adolph SCT 929.3 ADO

Robert Burns, Scotlands famous Ploughman Poet, was born in 1759.  This book has been written to mark the 250th anniversary of his birth, to try and get Scots from all over the world to come back to their ancestral homes.  For this to happen though, they need to know where they come from which is where this book comes in.   It is for those people who want to be able to point to a spot on a map of Scotland and say ‘this is where I came from, this is home’.

This book will help those who do know where ‘home’ is as well as those who don’t know but wish to know more.  There are chapters on Getting Started, where to find Main Records, How the people lived, Emigration and origins of Scotland’s people, some useful addresses and with a comprehensive index in the back.

Interesting and informative photos and paintings dot most pages with clear explanations.  DNA is increasingly becoming a most talked about subject amongst genealogists, this book is no exception.  One of the chapters discusses the genetic mapping of Scotland, which is still in its infancy, but already has had some interesting results.   The chapter on the Origins of Scotland’s people is a fascinating insight on where everyone originated from, I do not know much about the history of Scotland but this is a good book to learn from.

Scottish Genealogy by Bruce Durie SCT 929.3 Dur

This is also a detailed reference on researching Scottish family history, and has Chapters on Scottish Census 1841-1911; Old Parish Registers; Trades, Crafts; Courts and the Scottish legal system; local records; Scottish wills and testaments; feudal land tenure, baronies and titles; DNA testing and genealogy; clans, families, crests and tartans.  As well as all this, there is an extensive chapter purely for Resources, including Internet Resources.  Part of this resource includes a large section of Irish and Scottish Gaelic words and phrases with their English meanings, and a Latin glossary for genealogy and history, with lists of occupations in Latin and English.

 At the back of the book there is a section on Scottish Monarchs and family history with family trees of the Houses of Macalpin and Moray, Dunkeld, Steward, Stuart, amongst others.  Finally, the last chapter shows how you organise your research, with lots of help to get you started.

I should practice what I am preaching here, my research is very disorganised!  But these books are a great help for those searching in Scotland.

VICTORIA

Days of Violence by Gavin Brown and Robert Haldane VIC 363.2 HAL

I was told about this book mainly because one of the authors shares our family name; I have not yet worked out if he is related.  An interesting book, it is the story of the 1923 Victorian Police Strike which caused rioting on the streets of Melbourne for three days, killed three people and destroyed valuable property in the city.  Both of the authors are retired policemen so they have the background to discuss this strike.  The Government and the Police Association were in the middle trying to sort out the problems but with a breakdown in communication between a weak and inept Chief Superintendent, and a spiteful constable determined to make trouble, the strike went ahead.

One of the main causes was the supervision of the uniform branch by plain clothed Senior Constables.  This was bitterly resented by the uniform branch.  Another cause was the abolition of police pensions in 1906 and the putrid barrack accommodation for single officers.  Anyone with an interest in the police force or with police in their families would find this an informative and interesting read.

Cops and Robbers by Helen Doxford Harris and Gary Presland Vic 364.994 HAR

Really, this is a guide to researching 19th Century Police and Criminal Records in Victoria. But with many drawings and photographs; and with little witticisms before each chapter, it is not merely a dry text book.  An informative easy to read book it explains the inner workings of the Police Force in Part 1, with Part 2 being a guide on seeking, catching, and sentencing criminals. Part 2 includes many letters, and reports relating to the crimes committed.  There are appendixes at the back detailing addresses, lists of members and files; including one on Kelly sympathisers.  A comprehensive alphabetical index is also at the back of the book; unfortunately not one of our families was mentioned!

Happy hunting!