Tracing Your Ancestors in Scotland

This afternoon I had a couple of hours free as tonight's guests weren't arriving until 5pm. They're now settled and getting ready to go out for an evening meal so I've time to tell you about my exploits.

In August I have visitors from New Zealand arriving. They're on a tour to trace their ancestry in Scotland.  Now I know lots of Scots emigrated to New Zealand back in the 'old days' and many continue to do so because of the quality of life offered, but my visitors are young New Zealanders and both are of Scots descent. The amazing fact they themselves have discovered is that both their great-great-grandparents came from this area of Scotland and both were named Robertson! Both were single when they arrived in New Zealand.

What a work they've put into this research but it appears neither great-great-grandparent knew each other before they emigrated and it's still not known if they knew each other in New Zealand. Mind you, they started sheep farms quite a few hundred miles apart (still in existance today) so they may well have 'heard' of each other without meeting. The woman emigrated with her brother and, of course, it's her brother's name that is on the documentation for the land purchase!

Back in those days Blairgowrie was a small and successful town with farming being one of the strong industries.

Anyway, back to my activities. I've been wandering around the old Blairgowrie cemetery at the top of the town but with little success. Many of the stones have been vandalised since the ground was deconsecrated but also a majority of the stones are readable.

I did have success at Bendochy churchyard though and have forwarded them photos of 7 gravestones with the name Robertson. Hopefully they will help in some way even if it's only to eliminate some leads.

These young people want to do a joint 'Ancestry' book and video to present to their respective parents later this year as a thank you for helping them purchase their new house.

I can see tears in the eyes of four parents already and all because a young couple want to trace their ancestry to the Scots and Scotland!

Member of Ancestral Tourism

Ancestral Tourism is an accredited qualification given to a small number of Scottish bed and breakfast or guesthouse businesses who have proved their ability at helping visitors with the time consuming and enjoyable interest of tracing their ancestors. Indeed I am most fortunate to be a member of this initiative and learn something myself most days.

Genealogy (the tracing of ancestors) has become most popular in the past 5 - 10 years and as a 4 star bed and breakfast in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland I have attracted my share of these most delightful guests who pursue their interest in a most enthusiastic and cheerful manner. The tenacity of most would shame lesser mortals!

Being a member of Ancestral Tourism ensures any guest staying at Heathpark Lodge will be given as much help as possible with regard to places (such as graveyards, record libraries etc) and at times help finding people. It's so much easier to speak to people local to an area than attempt to find details even on the internet.

Most of my guests have done a great deal of research prior to visiting Scotland, or indeed Perthshire, but usually there are one or two loose ends which can be tied up to make a picture complete. Perhaps I'm lucky because guests from as far a field as Australia, New Zealand, Canada plus the US have stayed with me and before their trip I've known about their quest thanks to the technology of email. Of course that helps me because I can do a little research of my own prior to their arrival and at times save them hours of slogging round churchyards.

So if your desire is to trace your Scottish ancestral roots, do try to stay with someone who is a member of this initiative as they could be quite valuable in your search. I never knew so many of Scottish descent worldwide are still so deeply interested in their roots. It's a pleasure to be part of their quests.