Braes & Burghs Genealogy

21/08/2026

Ever wondered about the history of your home? 🏡

There are lots of records that can help uncover the people, stories and history connected to a property. There’s also a great BBC programme on iPlayer exploring the history of a property in Edinburgh — well worth a watch!

If you’d like to discover the story of your own home, Braes & Burghs Genealogy can help with the research.

Five ways to trace A House Through Time in Scotland

It was great to have a small part in researching for the first Scottish ‘A House Through Time’.

1 - Old Maps:

I like to start with the georeferenced maps on the National Library of Scotland. Move the transparency overlay to 0%; find the house of interest on the modern map or satellite image then slide the transparency overlay back to 100%; you can now see the same house on an old map. You can change the year of the map and travel through time.

The NLS have guides to help you get the most out of their website. There is also a tutorial available on our website: https://www.scottishindexes.com/pastconferences.aspx

2 - Valuation Rolls:

From 1855 to 1989 valuation rolls were created annually for the purpose of taxation. They tell us the ‘Proprietor’,‘Tenant’ and Occupier’ as well as the rental value.

This is a quick way to find out who owned a property and who lived in a property from 1855 to 1989.

Every tenth valuation roll is available to search on the government website ScotlandsPeople commencing with 1855 and 1865 up to 1915. From then on they are available for every 5 years until 1940.

Searching on ScotlandsPeople is free, and you can search by name or/and place. You can pay a small fee to see the original image.

This is usually the best place to start your search. Of course, you may also want to look at intervening years such as 1857 or 1892. You can do this in person in the National Records of Scotland. Also, county libraries usually have a set of Valuation Rolls for their respective counties.

Now you have a list of owners, tenants, and occupiers; what next?

3 - Sasines:

Sasine comes from the Old French word ‘seisine’, meaning to seize or take. When property was transferred a ceremony took place. Symbols of ownership (such as a clod of earth and some stones) were given on the ground of the property being transferred, and written proof of the transaction was made. This written proof was called an instrument of sasine. There were variations on this ceremony which dates back to at least the 1200s.

A complete record of land ownership for Scotland has been compiled since 1617. There were some earlier attempts to establish records but these are not complete.

The good news? From 1781 there is an index to most sasines. This index is available in the Digital Archives Search Room of the National Records of Scotland.

There are also some indexes to pre-1781 sasines. Find out more, including links to online indexes in our Learning Zone article ‘Sasines - Scottish Property Records’: https://www.scottishindexes.com/learningsasines.aspx

Valuation Rolls and Sasines will give you the basic information, the names of owners and when the property changed hands.

4 - Census Records

The census is another useful tool. It gives us a snapshot of each household every ten years from 1841 to 1921. (The 1931 census will be released when it is 100 years old). The census will tell us who lives in each house, not who owns it.
On ScotlandsPeople, you can view the original census enumeration books but you cannot search the census by address. On Findmypast, you can search by address but you can only view a transcription of each entry.

A word or two of caution: Street names change, and many house numbers have changed over time. The census may only name a village or street with no specific information about which household lived in each house. You can sometimes work this out, but not always. Don’t confuse the household schedule number with a house number.

5 - Valuation Office (Scotland): Field Books 1910 & 1915:

As well as local rates, duty was charged on property when it was sold or transferred, just as it is today. For this reason, the government wanted to know the accurate value of all properties. The Valuation Office (Scotland): Field Books 1910 & 1915 contain detailed information for 99.7% of all land in Scotland. This makes it very important if you want to find out the history of a building that was in existence at this time.

The records give us a description of the property, the terms of the lease, as well as the name of the owner and the tenant. For some properties, there is also a diagram giving details of the property.

The boundary of each property was marked on an Ordnance Survey map. This means that even in an urban area, you can pinpoint each property accurately.

The Valuation Office (Scotland): Field Books 1910 & 1915 have been digitised but are not available online. You can view them for free in the Digital Archive search room of the National Records of Scotland.

What next?

That’s just five helpful sources. You will also find information about Scottish houses and the people who lived in them in estate records, tax records, Post Office directories, electoral rolls, newspapers and on the Trove Scotland website.

Keep learning by reading related articles in the Learning Zone of the Scottish Indexes website.

17/08/2026

📜 Discovering William Hall – Part 5: William Hall the Blacksmith

William Hall didn't just live in Eaglesham — he worked here too.

Records show William working as a blacksmith, while he and his family lived in Gilmour Street, Cheapside Street and Montgomery Square.

For a period, the family lived at Smithy House, where William ran the smithy. The family later built a new smiddy at the Cross in Eaglesham, on the site where the garage now stands. Although the building has been redeveloped over the years, parts of the original structure still remain.

But William's story reaches beyond Eaglesham.

After his success at the St Fillan's Games in 1826, William's measurements were taken and used to create a life-size statue of him.

A newspaper advertisement in the Glasgow Constitutional on 25 June 1853 announced that the statue was being exhibited at Jail Square in Glasgow, now known as Jocelyn Square.

As William was still alive when the statue was exhibited, this gives us a fascinating glimpse of the recognition he received during his lifetime.

📜 The video includes some of the records I've used in researching William's story. Want to take a closer look? Pause the video to view the documents.

And there is still more to discover about William's story...

📖 Sources:
1861 Census, National Records of Scotland, accessed via Scotland's People. © National Records of Scotland.
Glasgow Constitutional, 25 June 1853, p. 3, accessed via Findmypast.

16/08/2026

☀️Summer is winding down… and genealogy is picking up again! 📜

Summer can be a quieter time for professional genealogy research, as people are busy with holidays, days out and spending time with family. And that's completely understandable!

I've also made the most of the summer months by working on my own family tree and researching other family lines, as well as getting out and exploring some of Scotland's historic places. 🎥 The video includes a few of the places I've visited over the summer.

But as September approaches, thoughts often turn back to those family history projects that have been waiting patiently.

If you've been meaning to find out more about your ancestors, uncover a missing branch of your family tree, or simply don't know where to start, now is a great time to get in touch.

📅 My diary is now open for September onwards.

A research project can take around a month or more, depending on its depth and complexity, so booking ahead can help make sure there is enough time to give your research the attention it deserves.

📩 Get in touch if you'd like to discuss your research.

09/08/2026

📜 Discovering William Hall – Part 4: William Hall Remembered

What was William Hall like as a person?

So far, I've followed William through the records of his birth, marriage, and some of his life in Eaglesham. But one source gives us something very different—a glimpse of William from someone who actually met him.

John Kelso Hunter, an artist, included William in his autobiography, The Retrospect of an Artist's Life. Hunter described William as the “strong blacksmith” with “a big heart, kindly, humane, and considerate.”

Hunter also recorded William's feats of strength, including his success at the St Fillan's Games in 1826, where he won first prize for throwing the heavy stone.

But what stands out is Hunter's description of William's kindness. William encouraged Hunter when he was starting out as an artist and later asked him to return to paint his portrait.

The original painting remains within the family today, while a photograph of the portrait can be viewed at the East Renfrewshire Heritage Centre in Giffnock.

This account gives us something that census and parish records cannot—a glimpse of William Hall the man.

📖 The pages shown in the video are from John Kelso Hunter's The Retrospect of an Artist's Life. The photographs aren't the clearest, but I've included them to show the original source.

If you'd like to read the text in full, please feel free to get in touch with me.

Source: John Kelso Hunter, The Retrospect of an Artist's Life. Printed in 1912.

Have you ever found a personal account that gave you a different insight into one of your ancestors?

03/08/2026

🎥 Some places have a way of making us pause and reflect.

From the Scottish Crannog Centre to the ancient Fortingall Yew and the Cairn of the Dead, each has witnessed countless generations come and go. Long before us, people lived, worked, celebrated, grieved and left their own mark on these landscapes.

As genealogists, we trace our ancestors through records. But visiting places like these reminds us that behind every name on a family tree was a real person with a life, a story and a place they once called home.

Imagine those who have passed this way before...

💬 Has visiting a historic place ever made you feel more connected to the past? I'd love to hear where it was.

30/07/2026

📜 Discovering William Hall – Part 3: A New Chapter in Eaglesham

By the autumn of 1826, William Hall's journey had taken an important turn.

On 20 October 1826, William married Jean Hamilton. Before the marriage took place, their intention to marry was proclaimed on 1 October 1826. In Scotland, these proclamations were normally read on three successive Sundays, allowing any legal objections to be raised before the marriage.

The marriage record states that both William and Jean were residing in Eaglesham at the time of their marriage, although Jean was born there, making Eaglesham her lifelong home.

This record provides the earliest evidence that William had settled in Eaglesham. Although no record has been found to explain why he moved there, it is likely that he came to Eaglesham to work as a blacksmith. Here, William and Jean established their home and raised a family.

Together, they had nine children, eight of whom reached adulthood. Their family became firmly rooted in Eaglesham.

In the next post, I'll explore what an artist who knew William Hall wrote about him, along with some of the local stories associated with his life. ⭐

Have you discovered where your ancestors began their married life? Sometimes a single marriage record can unlock the next chapter of a family's story.

📷Image: William HALL and Jean HAMILTON's Old Parish marriage record. Copyright Scotland's People.

27/07/2026

📜 Discovering William Hall – Part 2: Where the Story Begins

Every family story has a beginning, and William Hall's starts in the parish of Douglas, Lanarkshire.

Old Parish Records reveal that William Hall was born at Langhill on 13 July 1800, the son of John Hall and Irvine C**k. He was one of five children born to the couple.

Very little is known about William's childhood. Despite further research, no records have been found that provide details of his early years. This is not unusual, as the first census to record individuals was taken in 1841. Census records provide valuable information about households and families, but by the time William first appeared in one, he was already an adult.

One record, however, offers a fascinating glimpse into William's life before he settled in Eaglesham. On 30 August 1826, he was recorded as being "from the Borders" when he competed at the St Fillans Highland Games. Although the record does not identify a specific town or parish, it does reveal that William won first prize for Best Thrower of the Putting Stone—an early indication of the remarkable strength for which he would later become famous.

While these early records leave many questions unanswered, they begin to reveal the man behind the statue.

In the next post, I'll explore how William's life brought him to Eaglesham and the events that shaped his future there.

Have you ever found a single historical record that answered one question but left you with several more? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

📷Image 1: Old Parish birth record for William Hall. Copyright Scotland's People.
Image 2: Excerpt from St Fillans Highland Games Society. https://stfillans.scot/heritage

23/07/2026

📜 Discovering William Hall – Part 1: The Man Behind the Statue

As well as researching family histories for clients, I also enjoy exploring my own family's past. Over the coming weeks, I'd like to share the story of my 4× great-grandfather, William Hall, through the historical records that have helped me uncover his life.

In the Scottish village of Eaglesham, just south of Glasgow, stands the sandstone statue of William Hall, one of the famous Gemmell statues carved by William Gemmell in the 1840s. Remembered as a blacksmith and strongman, William is an important figure in the village's history. For me, he is also a member of my own family.

Although I'd always known about this family connection, researching William's life has allowed me to discover much more about the man behind the statue.

Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing William Hall's story through the historical records and exploring the history of the Gemmell statues. I hope you'll enjoy following the series.

Have you discovered an ancestor with an interesting story? I'd love to hear about them in the comments.

📷 Photo: The William Hall statue, one of the Gemmell statues, on display in the Carswell Centre, Eaglesham. Photo courtesy of East Renfrewshire Council.

19/07/2026

📖 Hello everyone. While on holiday, I was reading a book that mentioned how many people know very little about their family before their great-grandparents. It really made me stop and think.

Although my paternal great-grandmother is no longer with us, I feel incredibly fortunate that I knew her. She was funny, cheeky, and always had a glint in her eye!

The photograph below shows her as a wee girl with her parents and brothers. It's one of those precious family treasures that reminds me why genealogy is so important. It's not just about discovering names and dates—it's about remembering the personalities, stories and lives behind them.

Do you have any photographs of your great-grandparents or earlier generations? I'd love to hear about them in the comments.

Follow for more Scottish genealogy, history and heritage stories.

📷 Photograph taken circa 1910 from private family collection.

12/07/2026

If you have Scottish roots, a walk through the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore will give you major chills.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Standing inside the actual stone crofts, workshops, and schoolhouses where everyday people built their lives really puts things into perspective. Life was incredibly tough, but the grit and craftsmanship of these communities was next level.

​Do you know where in Scotland your ancestors came from? Drop their home regions or surnames below! 👇

Ps....please excuse the typo in the video😆

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