Basic family tree research - using many private records in Scotland not available
online, expanding the detail to be found from the International Genealogical
Index, and more.
Overcoming brick walls - including Scottish church records not available online
(Roman Catholic and non-established churches); using DNA in genealogy, etc
Site visits to photograph ancestral homes and relevant gravestones
Heraldry - visits to the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh to identify Scottish
coats of arms and heraldic devices used by your ancestors
Contextual research - tracing articles and publications written by or about your
ancestors, providing an understanding of the times in which they lived, etc.
Surname research - explaining the origins of your name
Relatives tracing - searching for historic descendants in Scotland or current
relatives within Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Palaeography - transcribing 17th and 18th century documents of relevance to your
family history written in the old form of Secretary Hand.
Recent Investigations
Our service has been responsible for making some extraordinary discoveries on behalf of many of our clients, including the following:
An American based client was shocked to discover that two of her cousins had been
brutally murdered in 1911 by their father, for which he was subsequently hanged.
A full account of this investigation was published in the Scotsman newspaper in June
2007, with shocking consequences involving one of Edinburgh's most influential
institutions, which resonate to this day (the article can be read online at Stolen Lives). An update to the story was also featured on the BBC's Reporting Scotland news programme in January 2008, as well as extensive coverage in the press. The BBC piece can be viewed at the following link: Plea for Return of Stolen Remains
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A Largs based client was amazed to find out for the first time that her grandmother had been awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1919 for her help in sending parcels to military and civilian prisoners of war in Germany, during the First World War.
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A Stirlingshire based client was delighted when we were able to confirm a long
held family tale that her husband was related to the famous 18th century Scottish
poet
James Hogg, also known as the Ettrick Shepherd.
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During research for BBC Radio Scotland's "Digging Up Your Roots" series, we made
an emotional discovery for one of the programme's contributors, when he learned
of the existence of an aunt that he had never heard of. The Poor Law records for
Glasgow showed that she had spent her whole life institutionalised, and had sadly
passed away in the 1940s.
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An Egyptian based client was found to be found to have roots in the 15th Century pre-Reformation Cupar Abbey, with ancestors from both the
distinguished Playfair and Rogers families.
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An English based client had a mystery solved when we were able to prove that her grandfather was not her real grandfather, but in fact the brother of the
supposed ancestor in question. We were able to build up a picture of the circumstances that
led to the informal adoption, which included the story of her grandfather's death in
the First World War and her real grandmother's disability, forcing her son to be
adopted by the extended family.
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A current life peer was discovered to have strong connections to several merchant families in
19th century Glasgow, though a bankruptcy by one of these firms would set his family on a
course that would see him eventually reach the House of Lords.
Whatever your requirements, Scotland's Greatest Story can
uncover and preserve the unique stories of your Scottish
ancestors for the generations to come
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