Beyond the Old Parish Registers
Church Court Records, Kirk Sessions Records, Heritors Records,
Communion Rolls and the Records of the Heritors.
Society of Genealogists, London 28 May 2011
The Church Court Records of the Church of Scotland
Some Background Notes by William Cross, FSA Scot
This was a half-day workshop given by William Cross, FSA Scot, under the auspices of the Society of Genealogists, London.
William produced a series of handouts for the attendees at the event giving some comprehensive explanations on the vast subject but including these all important building blocks for the genealogists/ family historian contemplating using these important records.
NB Access to the digitised Church Court Records is currently available at the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh; Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives, Aberdeen; Highland Council Archives, Inverness; Highland Council Archives, Lochaber; Orkney Library Archive and Stirling Council Archives.
Topics covered in the SOG workshop ( which can be converted to a 1 hour lecture ( please contact Will by e-mail for details )) included the following headings:
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"Parishes" in Scotland, including the issue of " Quoad Sacra" parishes.
- The Church of Scotland :1560-1690.
- The Killing Fields : Covenanters
- Timeline of the Church of Scotland to 1929
- Issues of Patronage : 1712 Act.
- The Auchterarder Case, 1834.
- The Disruption: 1843.
- The Four Administrative Levels of Church Court” in the Church of Scotland.
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The role played of Elders, Deacons, the Session Clerk, Sexton, and the Heritors.
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Importance of Turnbull’s “ Memoranda of the State of the Parochial Registers of Scotland” ( 1849).
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Duties and responsibility of the Kirk Session.
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Records of the Kirk Session.
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Finding Ministers and Congregations.
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The Whereabouts of Scottish Church Court Records and Dates covered.
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Digitisation of Scottish Church Court Records. Now and Future Plans.
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References /Classes of Record to view/ check at National Records of Scotland / Local Archives.
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Printed / published records and their sources.
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Communion Rolls, Heritors Records and Mortcloth Records.
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The Scottish Way of Death, Walking Funerals, the Mort bell and parish biers.
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Likely names and events mentioned in the Records.
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Examples of How Money was raised in Scottish Parishes and how it was spent.
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Other religious denominations and their records.
Kirk Session Minutes
"serve to illustrate the morals and manners as well as to throw light on the history of previous centuries..."
OTHER TALKS
FROM WILLIAM CROSS, FSA SCOT
Lady Carnarvon’s Nursing Homes : A Bygone Relic of the National Wealth Service : An Illustrated Talk
William Cross, FSA Scot ( Lady Carnarvon’s biographer**) has made a special study of Almina, Countess of Carnarvon’s private nursing homes 1914-1943. Dubbed the founder of “The National Wealth Service”, Almina was first attracted to nursing wounded Officers in the Great War. Later her somewhat wayward homes treated the Royal Family, the rich, famous and Society’s scandalous figures. Who were Almina’s most noted patients? What famous folk were born or died under her tender care? The quirky, the sad, and the unbelievable, can all now be revealed.
** “ The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon.” A Candid Biography of Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon, was published on 22 April 2011. Click on the link below.
http://lifeandsecretsofalminacarnarvon.yolasite.com/
OR CONTACT WILL ( BY E-MAIL ) FOR MORE DETAILS
MORGAN FAMILY OF TREDEGAR HOUSE
William Cross, along with Monty Dart, are authorities on the Morgan women of Tredegar House, Newport, Monmouthshire. The Morgans were once known as " The Kings of South Wales". Will and Monty give a number of talks and presentations based on their many years of research and investigation.
TALKS AVAILABLE
Rosamond’s Six Daughters – The Six Daughters of Rose, the First Lady Tredegar
The Five Lady Tredegars – Rosamond Mundy, Lady Katharine Carnegie, Hon. Lois Sturt, the Princess Olga and Joanna Law Smith
Aspects of Evan - Short film and illustrated talk about Evan Morgan, the last Viscount Tredegar
Poor Gwyneth – Short film and talk about the life and death of Hon. Gwyneth Ericka Morgan
A Beautiful Nuisance : An Illustrated Talk A controversial biography by Monty Dart and Will Cross on Hon. Gwyneth Ericka Morgan ( who died in mysterious circumstances in 1924/25) will finally be published in 2011. This talk reflects on Gwyneth and the unvarnished truth about her death.