West Lothian visit .. August

[New Zealander]

From New Zealand I will be visiting Scotland in August. 

Staying at Falkirk for three days from 17th - 19th August  I intend visiting the Uphall, Oakbank Kirknewton, Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire Districts checking out church yards, archives centres, museums, addresses etc looking for any records, evidence and photographs of locations where my family originated or once lived.

I have an extensive history already of names, towns and places I would like to visit. Family names are mostly Miller and Bryce with some of Graham and Whyte.

Is there a interested person out there who would be able to guide me around the towns and districts advising with local knowledge, information and directions?

My accomodation is already booked and I will have a rental car for transport. 

Any assistance would be deeply appreciated and much valued.

Alex G

 

[mosstrooper]

Alex,
          I answered your other post on Uphall, I live local to all the places you mention and
would assist you in any way I can while you are in Scotland. For information on Burials in the district you need to visit Linlithgow Council Offices, its on the way to all your destinations.

http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/2050/Family-History

So it might be better to allocate time for that during the day, and site visits in the evening. Searches are free, you only pay for any print outs.

James.

[Ruskie]

Hi Alex,

Sorry I can't advise specifically on the places you are visiting, but to me three days doesn't sound very long to try to fit all of that in.

If I were you I would gather together as many addresses, burial locations and whatever else you can, before your trip, and then try to fit in visiting as many as you can. For example if you are looking for the address of your family on a census, you can try to locate this on a google map to see if it still exists, and even look at it on streetview. This is not something you would need to spend time looking up in record offices once you arrived.

Similar with burials - you could enlist the help of rootschatters to locate your ancestor's graves and then drive directly to visit them.

There may be some things you cannot find without visiting local offices, but I would advise you to do as much research and detective work before your trip. I imagine you could easily spend a whole day in a records office and although the places you are visiting appear relatively near one another, you do need to make allowances for traffic. (I'm sure James will be able to advise on those details)

Just some thoughts. Have a wonderful trip - Scotland is lovely.

Added: I just noticed your other thread, and see you are already chasing up burials ... 

[New Zealander]

James and Ruskie

Thank you for your interest and advice. 

At this time I have the names and was trying to identify exactly where in the cemeteries the Millers are buried .. hence a map to make my task easier when I visit.

It does appear that my great grandparents in the Uphall and St Nicholas cemeteries are buried in common ground without a headstone.  I am yet to confirm the precise location or a record of burial of Margaret Miller if she is in the St Nicholas Cemetery at all .. this was only a suggestion from the West Lothian Council. Her Death Cert. records that she died at Broxburn on 08.06.1881.   Perhaps I should generate another post?

I have made contact with the Almond Valley Museum re the Oakbank Oil Works and including Birth records of children and census records have some addresses and will be checking these out on Google Earth etc.  Even if the addresses are gone it it is my intention to visit the towns and districts where they came from if at all possible.

As regards the family that originate in Alva, Stirlingshire, Muckhart, Alloa and Dollar in Clackmannanshire I  have the names of the towns / parishes they originate from and the names of the persons but not their birth, marriage or dates of death.  These later details have proved near impossible with any accuracy to identify.  However for me it is still desirable to visit these localities.

Unfortunately I have to make the best with what time I have available even if only 3 days in the district.  I am then going onto Strathdon and Aberdeenshire for another week followed by Lossiemouth and Inverness before returning to Edinburgh for the flight home.

To save time and make it easier I am trying to obtain as much information as I can prior to my visit.   This I do know,  there will never be enough time to do everything I want !!

Alex G

[IMBER]

"As regards the family that originate in Alva, Stirlingshire, Muckhart, Alloa and Dollar in Clackmannanshire I  have the names of the towns / parishes they originate from and the names of the persons but not their birth, marriage or dates of death.  These later details have proved near impossible with any accuracy to identify.  However for me it is still desirable to visit these localities."

Have you tried ScotlandsPeople?

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Imber

[New Zealander]

Imber

Good evening from NZ. 

Yes I have certainly used Scotland's People ... heaven forbid if my wife ever discovered what I have spent there !!


Alex G

[New Zealander]

Having spent the previous 4 days in Cornwall this visit to West Lothian will be a "homecoming" if you like before I move onto other areas of Scotland.  While the time will never be enough I am fortunate to have the opportunity to venture so far from home and will make the best of what I have.

James has kindly offered show me taking me about while in West Lothian.  Thank you all for your interest and advice.  It is much appreciated.

Alex G

[osprey28]

You seem very excited at the prospect of your visit to West Lothian - hope you have a great time and fruitful research.

Well done to Mosstrooper James for volunteering his time to assist.

Osprey

[isk]

Hello New Zealander
Having read your posts, I see that you are still looking for proof of births, marriages and deaths.  I am going to the Genealogy Centre, at the Mitchell Library, on Wednesday 27 May and if you would like to send me some of the names places and possible dates I will see what I can find.  Frankly it will give me a break from the search for my lost great-great grandparents who seem to have been taken away by aliens after they left Mull in the 1840s.  Even great- grandma just suddenly re-appears at the time of her marriage in 1867.  Looking for someone else's lost souls will be a bit of light relief.

If you would prefer send by pm.  Either way I would be happy to help.

isk