TIP OF THE WEEK –
PAY-PER-VIEW AT SCOTLAND’S PEOPLE
Set up an account, register for free and search for free! I often shy away from this offer, finding it to be more trouble than it’s worth. But not in this case. I truly like the National Records of Scotland – Scotland’s People website.
A list of records you will find there include :
• Statutory Records – Birth, Marriage, Death – 1855 to present
• Census Returns – 1841 to 1911
• Valuation Rolls – 1855 to 1935
• Legal Records – Wills, Etc. – some as old as 1513
• Old Parish Records – some as old as 1553
The search tool is very comprehensive. Check out all the search options – exact, fuzzy, wild card. Valuation rolls are tax rolls of structures showing owner/occupant data including occupation.
Sometimes you can take what information you can glean from the search results and use it to find additional information in your Ancestry, FindMyPast, or FamilySearch account, thus avoiding having to pay-per-view at Scotland’s People.
If you want to purchase the actual record image it’s a simple process. You buy “credits” with a credit card or PayPal. Remember currency conversion and fees may apply. These credits are good for a year. If you allow them to go inactive after a year, they will be reactivated when, and if, you purchase more credits. The cost of record types varies. One experienced user estimates a ballpark figure for the cost of a record averages less than $2.50 US Dollars. Certified copies are more expensive and usually unnecessary, is another good tip from experienced users. Once you have purchased an image it is stored on your account. There will be no need to purchase it again. A purchase buys you the entire page, not just the record of the individual you are researching.
At Youtube, there are four videos, about 15 minutes each, on using Scotland’s People by Amberly B. They are worthwhile in helping you get started and comfortable with the process. The urls you will need are listed below.
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIl94cdX_zU