Genealogy Chat

Hey MHAIRI :) Thanks, again! I owe you lunch sometime! It would be great if you ever did get the chance to have a look, but I am aware that you do a great deal of research for other people as well as your own stuff, so don't do it unless you really do have the time/energy. After all you know what a pain in the rear this lot can be, the more I look at them the more convinced I am that I am chasing smoke and shadows. And I was thinking, Scotlands not so far from Bristol and the Easter holidays loom large, so you never know! Look after yourself Jan

Hey Jan Got this reply today Dear Ms Cunningham Your inquiry regarding the above has been forwarded to the archives for reply. In East Dunbartonshire we hold an incomplete set of the electoral regsiter for Campsie from 1975 onwards when it became part of Strathkelvin District. Prior to that date it was part of Stirlingshire and the electroral registers from 1885-1973 (with many gaps) are now with Stirling Archives. The contact details are as follows: Stirling Archives 5 Borrowmeadow Road Springkerse Industrial Estate Stirling FK7 7UW Scotland Tel: 01786 450 745 Fax: 01786 433 005 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.stirling.gov.uk/index/access-info/archives.htm I do not know of any other source for voters rolls in either Edinburgh or Glasgow. I thought that the National Library Scotland might have some electoral registers but I have searched their website without success. We cannot undertake detailed research on your behalf but providing you can supply us with accurate details then we should be able to check these for you. Alternatively we are open to the public Monday to Thursday from 10am to 8pm and Fridays and Saturdays 10am to 5pm in the reference section of the William Patrick Library at the address below. We also hold valuation and assessment rolls for Campsie Parish from 1858 to 1880 if these are of any interest to you. Regards Jane Jamieson Archivist/Records Officer East Dunbartonshire Council William Patrick Library 2-4 West High Street Kirkintilloch G66 1AD Tel: 0141 775 4573 Fax: 0141 776 0408 Email: [email protected] If you would like me to look at some of the stuff from Stirling archives then that should be no problem, i should also be able to make it to the William Patrick Library if the valuation and assessment rolls are of interest to you. Let me know Mhairi

Thanks OC I think that I may try and look at them Jan :)

Hi Jan Rates Books are lists of people who paid Household Rates - bit like Council Tax today. Again, the coverage varies, and in the early days, it was always the OWNER of the house who paid the rates, so not much use if your relatives were very poor tenants. However, towards the end of the 1800s, more houses were brought under the Rates system, and more Tenants started to pay rates. The older ones will be in the County Records; some of the later ones are in local Archives, or even still with the relevant councils. OC

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Hi O.C Post Office Street Directory seems pretty self explanatory, but what's a Rates Book? Jan :)

Unless your ancestors were fairly wealthy, then Electoral Rolls pre 1909 won't be much use to you - not many people had the vote before then. And of course, they only show the people entitled to vote at an address, no one else. I have found that a useful alternative, when you can get hold of them, are Rates Books and Post Office Street Directories. OC

Sorry to break into your thread but you mentioned Ireland --are there Electoral rolls for there -Co. Mayo about 1860`s?Ros

nudge - never thought of electoral rolls - sounds like a good tip for future reference.

MHAIRI Absolutely sure about the offer. Deepest gratitude, as always. It's the thought of you having hysterics about my affliction (C.O.C.D) that the 'I think' refers to. Jan :) p.s just in case you're wondering, COCD is a rare form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, characterised in this case with an over riding desire to trace untraceable and extremely irritating relly's from the Campsie area :))))))))))))

You Think? :) Have sent an email of to East Dumbartonshire libraries, will let you know what they say. Campsie is not too far a way from Stirling, where i will returning to in a weeks time. I may be able to do some local searching. We shall see... Mhairi

Thanks MHAIRI. I think!!!!!!!!! :))))

I promise not to scream...i dont however promise not to laugh :) I'll try to find out where the rolls would be. MHairi

Hey MHAIRI :) If I whispered ............campsie.......do you promise not to scream? Jan :)))))))))))))))))) Hi CHRIS mid 1800', to mid 1900's, (wide area huh!) Jan :)

Jan Do you mean 1835 - 1945 or 1935 - 1945? The replies/guidance you receive will vary as to what time frame you are asking for. :) Chris

Hey Jan :) If you know the address and approx years, write to the local library as they usually have them and are willing to do lookups sometimes as long as you have certain information (sometimes there is a small fee, really small). Which area's of Scotland are you looking for? Mhairi

Dawn and Sam. Thanks for getting back to me. I think I'll have a bit of a problem because the people that I wanted to know about were around in 1835 - 1945, in the North-East of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland Thanks again for taking the time to answer Jan :)

I'm pretty sure that the only electoral rolls you cab search online are from the last two or three years. For historic ones, you have to visit the Records Office or Archives for the place in question. Sam x

Hi, The electoral role, as you say, gives details of people eligible to vote. This means that if you know where someone lived you can follow that address to see if they stay in the same place and who else lived with them - you may get 2 generations etc. The current electoral role can be accessed at the Ref & Info Libraries in town centres. I think you can access past elec roles online as pay per view but not gone into this myself - someone else may be able to advise better.

Hi, Please don't think I'm an idiot, it's just that I'm pretty new at this.......... I've been looking through some of the threads posted and I keep finding references to the Electoral Rolls, and I wondered how it could help me in my search for relatives............... So far I have found out that electoral registration started in 1832 and that it was limited to land owners for the main part until 1918 when Universal Suffrage came into force. at which time women over 30 were also included..............Obviously I know that the register is a list of people eligible to vote in this country.............but I have no idea how to access these lists or in what way they can be of use to family historians.....It would be great to be enlightened......Thanks for looking at this.Jan