Family history research projects go on display

Jun 12 2009 by Sharon Liptrott, Dumfries Standard Friday

THE WORK of hundreds of children from 37 schools across the region in tracing their ancestors will go on display later this month to mark the Year of the Homecoming.

Members of the Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society have been working with pupils to introduce ancestry research.

And Learning and Teaching Scotland has arranged free access to the Scotland’s People website for pupils working on the local history projects.

Their work will be displayed at the Homecoming Family History and Local History Fair in Dumfries Academy on June 27 from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Prizes will be awarded for the best exhibit from each of the four areas and all participating schools will be awarded £100 and a certificate.

Family history societies from throughout Scotland and the north of England will be represented at the fair, together with the registrars service and the libraries, information and archives service. There will also be a number of commercial outlets with antiquarian books and postcards.

Elizabeth Carmichael from Glasgow’s Mitchell Library will give a talk on graveyard research; Dr Marjorie Harper, Aberdeen University will speak about emigration from southern Scotland and Prof. Ted Cowan, Glasgow University will give a talk on The Lowland Clearances. Admission to the fair will be free but there will be a charge of £3 for attending each talk or £7.50 for a ticket to all three talks.