Donald McMillan Death at Dunkirk

[Albufera32]

For a few minutes there you had my hopes up. I didn't know there were other "hubs" elsewhere in Scotland. I thought the only way to view recent records was at the Scotland's People Centre in Edinburgh, and when I saw that there were hubs elsewhere I thought I would be able to go somewhere closer.

Alas, after some 20 minutes searching on Scotland's People it appears that for those of us living North of the Forth the only options are Alloa or Inverness, both involving longer travel times than Edinburgh.

I can't help feeling Aberdeen or Dundee might have been better choices if the intention is to make the service easily available to more people.

[IMBER]

I sympathise. I see they suggest that other hubs are planned.

Imber

[maggbill]

Hi Imber and Albufera,

Can u tell me where to access the total list of "Hubs"?  I didn't realise that what is online is not the full SP records (apart from the obvious 100/75 etc year issue).  I live in Australia, but am hoping to make a trip back and would be very interested as to where the hubs are!

[Albufera32]

It is the records that are not available online because of the 100/75/50 rule that we are talking about. Using the internal systems in the Scotlands People Centre, you can literally view those records, though you cannot save, copy, photograph etc any of them.

As for the hubs, I found the list on the National Records of Scotland website in the bit at the bottom where it says Practical Information and the list below includes "Where to find us" then click Research on the purple bar at the top, then "Family History" on the side bar on the left, and finally Local Family History Centres. (I did mention it took me 20 minutes searching to find it, right?)

There appear to be 5 centres at present, in Kilmarnock, Alloa, Glasgow, Hawick and Inverness. Plus of course the main Scotland's People Centre in Edinburgh.

As Imber mentioned, it does say they hope to add more, so maybe they might manage to put one within 100 miles of the third largest city in Scotland at some point.

[IMBER]

Albufera32, it's somewhat ironic that I spent several hours at the Inverness hub looking at records relating solely to Aberdeen. You surely must be top of the queue for the next hub?

Imber

[Albufera32]

It's even better than that - although I now live in Aberdeen, my Father's family are from around Kilmarnock (Riccarton really) as well as other parts of Ayrshire and Argyll whilst my Mother's family are from West Lothian, Stirlinghire and Lanarkshire.

[Forfarian]

There appear to be 5 centres at present, in Kilmarnock, Alloa, Glasgow, Hawick and Inverness. Plus of course the main Scotland's People Centre in Edinburgh.
As Imber mentioned, it does say they hope to add more, so maybe they might manage to put one within 100 miles of the third largest city in Scotland at some point.

I think the establishment of a hub requires a local initiative. In other words if Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire Council takes the initiative, Scotland's People will be happy to provide the access, but SP has not itself created any standalone hubs.

[Albufera32]

Aberdeen City Council ... initiative... Yeah, I won't be holding my breath waiting for that to happen.

[Archivos]

You can visit the Registrars in Aberdeen (and in other places!) to look at the records, though it's not quite the same service as at the Scotland's People Centre as there is someone there with you.  It's £20 per hour (a nationally agreed amount, not one picked by the local councils) and you can view records which are within the closure periods.

See https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/births-deaths-and-ceremonies/family-history-registrars