Berwick 900 Family History Day - Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick-upon-Tweed - Updated Programme

Family History Day is almost upon us !

Building on the success of the Berwick 900 Family History Festival held on 3rd and 4th October last year, we’re holding a Family History Day from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick Town Hall, Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Map.

Like last year, it’s free and there will be exhibitors, talks, displays about the research carried out, talks, refreshments, one to one family history surgeries where you can find out how to start your family history or overcome a problem.

There’ll be activities for kids and their parents, and the opportunity to see the Burgon family tree – please bring along your research, birth and marriage certificates and see if you’re connected.

Exhibitors
Berwick Freemasons Lodge
Borders Family History Society
Lothians Family History Society
North East War Memorials
Northumberland Archives
Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
Scottish Borders Council Archives (Hawick Heritage Hub)
All the above exhibitors are keen to help you with your family history.

Jura Consultants and Spence & Dower - Proposals for Berwick Barracks

Talks Programme
10am Northumberland & Durham Family History Society – North Northumberland branch
11am Ralph Holmes – My Weird & Wonderful Family
12 noon Paul Jardine and Tina Gough – Berwick Barracks Re-awakened
1pm Linda Bankier – The Berwick 900 Our Families Project
2pm Bill Stewart - A Century of Boatbuilders in Berwick and Eyemouth
3pm David Pye – Berwick War Memorial – personal stories of soldiers

Family History Surgeries
20 minutes with a specific expert in a quiet room to discuss your family history problem or interest.

We now have a fully booked schedule of family history surgeries.
However, there might be a cancellation, so if you need help and none of the exhibitors can help you, please ask at the Welcome Desk.

Maltings Youth Theatre Dramas - A Step Back In Time (to 1911)
11am Part 1 - outside the Town Hall (weather permitting)
11.45am Part 2 inside the Town Hall (upstairs in the Court area)
12.30pm Part 3 - outside the Town Hall (weather permitting)

Berwick 900 Family History Day - Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick-upon-Tweed - Revised Programme

Building on the success of the Berwick 900 Family History Festival held on 3rd and 4th October last year, we’re holding a Family History Day from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick Town Hall, Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Map.

Like last year, it’s free and there will be exhibitors, talks, displays about the research carried out, talks, refreshments, one to one family history surgeries where you can find out how to start your family history or overcome a problem.

There’ll be activities for kids and their parents, and the opportunity to see the Burgon family tree – please bring along your research, birth and marriage certificates and see if you’re connected.

Exhibitors
Berwick Freemasons Lodge
Borders Family History Society
Lothians Family History Society
North East War Memorials
Northumberland Archives
Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
Scottish Borders Council Archives (Hawick Heritage Hub)
All the above exhibitors are keen to help you with your family history.

Jura Consultants and Spence & Dower - Proposals for Berwick Barracks


Talks Programme
10am Northumberland & Durham Family History Society – North Northumberland branch
11am Ralph Holmes – My Weird & Wonderful Family
12 noon Paul Jardine and Tina Gough – Berwick Barracks Re-awakened
1pm Linda Bankier – The Berwick 900 Our Families Project
2pm Bill Stewart - A Century of Boatbuilders
3pm David Pye – Berwick War Memorial – personal stories of soldiers

Family History Surgeries
20 minutes with a specific expert in a quiet room to discuss your family history problem or interest.

Surgeries are currently available starting at 10.30, 11.00, 12.00, 12.30, 13,00, 13.30, 14.30, 15.00.
Book your preferred starting time now by email to

Please state brief details of your problem or interest, whether it’s English or Scottish and preferred time slot and provide your landline phone number.

Maltings Youth Theatre Dramas - A Step Back In Time (to 1911)
11am Part 1 - outside the Town Hall (weather permitting)
11.45am Part 2 inside the Town Hall (upstairs in the Court area)
12.30pm Part 3 - outside the Town Hall (weather permitting)

Berwick 900 Family History Day - Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick-upon-Tweed

Please note that this has been superseded by Berwick 900 Family History Day - Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick-upon-Tweed - Revised Programme.

Building on the success of the Berwick 900 Family History Festival held on 3rd and 4th October last year, we’re holding a Family History Day from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 16th April 2016 at Berwick Guildhall, Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Map.

Like last year, it’s free and there will be exhibitors, talks, displays about the research carried out, talks, one to one family history surgeries where you can find out how to start your family history or overcome a problem.

There’ll be activities for kids and their parents, and the opportunity to see the Burgon family tree – bring along your research, birth and marriage certificates and see if you’re connected.

Exhibitors
Berwick Freemasons Lodge
Borders Family History Society
Lothians Family History Society
North East War Memorials
Northumberland Archives
Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
Scottish Borders Council Archives (Hawick Heritage Hub)
All the exhibitors are keen to help you with your family history.

Provisional Talks Programme
10am Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
11am Ralph Homes – My Weird & Wonderful Family
12 noon Linda Bankier – The Berwick 900 Our Families Project
1pm Fred Kennington – Cross-Border Marriages
2pm Bill Stewart - A Century of Boatbuilders
3pm Peter Munro – Scottish Borders Poor Law Records

Family History Surgeries
20 minutes with a specific expert in a quiet room to discuss your family history problem or interest.

Surgeries are currently available starting at 10.30, 11.00, 11.30, 12.00, 12.30, 13,00, 13.30, 14.00, 14.30, 15.00.
Book your preferred starting time now by email to

Please state brief details of your problem or interest, whether it’s English or Scottish and preferred time slot and provide your landline phone number.

German Prisoners at Stobs Internment Camp (near Hawick) in Global Context, 1914-1919

During World War I, Stobs military training ground near Hawick was used as a mass internment camp for 4,500 prisoners; German civilian ‘enemy aliens’ who had settled in Britain before 1914 and were considered potential spies, civilian passengers and sailors from captured enemy ships, and military prisoners-of-war captured in Europe or at sea.

Stobs was the parent camp for a network of further facilities across Scotland and Northern England.

Although the majority of internees were German, there were some Austrians and some Turks.

There’s a free conference next summer about the Stobs camp, an opportunity to hear experts who have researched Stobs as well as camps in England, the Isle of Man, Ireland and others around the world, to see camp artefacts and perhaps to identify them, and visit the site with the Council’s archaeology officer, Dr Christopher Bowles.

If you have family members that worked at Stobs, or you’re descended from someone who was interned in one of the camps, I think you’ll find this conference especially interesting. Dr Bowles would also like to hear from anyone that has memorabilia relating to the camp.

Provisional programme.

The conference is on 18th and 19th June 2016 at Hawick. If you would like to attend, I suggest you register now at archives@scotborders.gov.uk

Thomas Emond Tait, World War I Soldier

Robina Burgon writes:
My grandfather, Thomas Emond Tait, originally from Selkirk, was in World War I, serving in Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine and the Western Front.

He re-enlisted with the 4th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) stationed at Berwick Barracks on 24 June 1919 aged 21. On his enlistment registration his next of kin was stated as Catherine Story, 16 Allars Crescent, Hawick.

His daughter's birth is listed in the Borders Chronicles, a newspaper that was specifically published for the barracks. These are held in the library at the barracks.

He was discharged on 1 October 1936 under section 383 Kings Regulations and became a constable for the War Department based in Irvine, Ayrshire.

He is buried in Berwick Cemetery.

Change to Borders Family History Society's Speaker for tomorrow, Sunday, 30 November at Melrose

Borders Family History Society have changed their speaker for tomorrow, Sunday, 30 November at Melrose.
Unfortunately, Mary Craig, who was to have spoken about Beggars, Thieves and Whores - the ultimate medieval outsiders, has suddenly fallen ill.

Instead, they will have two speakers:

• Enid Cruickshank: Walter and Andrew Haddon, solicitors, of Hawick
• Gregory Lauder–Frost: Earlier records including privy council records, exchequer rolls and regality records

It's at the same venue, the Corn Exchange & Ormiston Institute, Market Square, Melrose, TD6 9PN.  See this map for directions.
The talk is open to the public.

More information.

We wish Mary a speedy recovery.

Bygone Borderlands 2014 - 10am to 4pm on 6 and 7 September

I'm sure it'll be fun for both adults and children  - a celebration of Border heritage and history, reflecting on last year’s commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Flodden.

It takes place at The Haining, Selkirk from 10am to 4pm on 6 and 7 September.

There’ll be displays by Berwick Record Office, Borders Family History Society, the Hawick Heritage Hub, Jedburgh Grammar School, primary schools in Hawick, Lilliesleaf and Selkirk; an arts and crafts tent, a storytelling and quill writing tent, and a tent for talks and music. Refreshments will be for sale, too.



Programme of talks and music:

Linda Bankier will be fielding your Northumberland family history queries.

Please note: There’s room only for disabled parking (blue badge holders) at The Haining, so they’re asking people to park at Selkirk High School, TD7 4EW (enter from Hillside Terrace) and there’ll be a free shuttle bus to take visitors to and from the Haining.

Admission is free, so we hope that you’ll all come and see us sometime this weekend.

Download the Bygone Borderlands 2014 brochure.