The Book of Scottish Connections

Post by **Tracey** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:53 am

Posted this here as its not a problem or an answer (yet !)

This may be old news to some but ive just signed into SP - first time in a while and saw this.

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/conte ... .aspx?1263

Tracey

Post by **Anne H** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:00 pm

Sounds interesting, Tracy...I wonder what the fee would be and if it would be searchable online. They don't give an awful lot of information but it would be interesting to know what kind of response they'll get from the survey?

Regards,
Anne H

Cathy · Post by **Cathy** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:48 pm

Hmmm. Maybe SP could pay the applicants.

Post by **Tracey** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:22 pm

To be honest i didnt quite understand what they wanted then i assumed it was something like.......................

My great grandmothers husband married (after she died of course) and subsequently died in New Zealand. I assumed it was this type of thing with dates and places they are wanting people to submit ?

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:36 pm

Hi Tracey

I think what they are looking for is for a couple with clear Scottish connections who have a baby baptised to send a copy of the baptismal certificate along with any other eviodence required and they will - after the money arrives of course - send a beautiful certificate to say that the event has been recorded in the Book of Scottish Connections.
The same will apply to Marriages, etc.

I wonder if the Privacy Law will apply or if it is waived so that us seekers can access it - for a price of course.

Russell

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:54 am

An amazing lack of detail, what do they mean by ‘Scottish connection’, and do they verify it right back to when your family left Scotland?, what will it cost?, do they check that the ‘real’ registration has taken place?

People will be paying for the ‘real’ registration, then again for the ‘pretend’ registration, and later on you pay again for the commemorative certificate.

If there is no verification you could register the birth of your pet Collies pups, if you were so inclined. Perhaps this could be made a Pedigree requirement.

Why would you want a commemorative certificate of a divorce except as a joke?

I haven’t seen such a complex and well thought out survey in years. If I remember correctly, and it was some time ago, the previous one was a SP survey sent to me after I first registered asking me if I agreed that they were the most wonderful site ever and where the only available box was “yes”. That way every reply they get is in agreement.

What GROS should do is a survey asking if you will always agree to any old thing they ever come up with and just a “yes” box. That way they will get 100% agreement and will be able to fire the survey person.

Scots still at home wont need them, so this is directed at Scots or descendants of Scots living elsewhere, such as myself. Many of these people have ancestors from a range of countries.

If this idea really takes off you could have them for your Scottish, English, Irish and other connections, and for each event register half a dozen times and additionally purchase half a dozen certificates. The mind boggles - you could paper the wall with them.

Maybe it will be a nice commemorative certificate in the form of a plastic ID card, complete with photograph. You could use it to prove your bone fides at Highland Gatherings and the like. (If it’s for Lassie you could punch a hole in one corner to attach to the collar.)

It could just as likely be something you print out at home using your printer, your paper and your ink. Your guess is as good as mine, maybe it’s as good as GROS’s. I think it’s a bit early for a survey asking who would be interested in buying this pig in a poke.

Thank you GROS, but as far as I am concerned, I can do all this myself, I can do without your gimmicks and your half-baked money-making schemes.

Alan

Post by **joette** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:28 pm

But on the other hand Alan I myself married abroad & am now living back in UK.I have no registration or record of the event in this country & if my descendants have no idea of the location will be scratching their heads.Especially as I have never changed my name.
I also have relatives who married had children abroad before returning to Scotland.Remember that such events used to be recorded& did exsist of British Citizens born,married & dying abroad.Actually I think my Marraiage is probably recorded at the Embassy in the country where I was married.
I agree it could turn into a tacky money making event but if it was a genuine attempt to keep a record of those with strong Scottish connections life events I would be very happy.I am thinking specifically of my nephew married & first child born Scotland.Expecting that any future children will be born USA & I think he would love such events recorded in Scotland too.
GROS have to make a profit in order to carry on their sterling work & I suppose they are always looking for marketing opportunities.

Post by **emanday** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:06 pm

Two of my uncles went to New Zealand in the 1950's. Of their four children, two were born over there.

I'd imagine those two and possibly the children of all four would be delighted to have their "distant" life events registered in this way.

I agree with Joette that GROS are doing a brilliant job of providing Scots around the world with access to the treasure of our ancestry. If this extra income will help them to increase our access to all that, then I say they should go for it!

My own two children were born in England, not exactly overseas, but I'll be in line to get their births and marriages duly registered and proudly give them their certificates, (although I wonder if my son will ever take the matrimonial plunge

)

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 3:36 pm

Hello Joette and Mary,

The content of the survey and the paucity of information invited scorn and I didn’t mind at all delivering a couple of bucket loads. In the process I did skip over the sentiments of those born in Scotland, had life events, including birth of children, overseas, and who still had strong ties to their homeland. I’m a sentimental sort of a fellow, I agree with what you say and would feel exactly the same way if I were in a similar situation.

However, in my view, any extension of the scheme beyond that would merely be an incursion into the souvenir business.

I don’t see GROS as anything more than just another Registry Office whose function is to register life events as required by law and to supply evidence of those events as required. That’s their function, they don’t deserve good wishes, praise, encouragement or sentimental thoughts any more than does any other Government Department. You will be charged for any service purchased from them just the same as you are for anything else and I doubt that they need any prompting in that regard.

The Book of Scottish Connections is due to be up and running by the end of 2008 and has been on the boil since 2001. Here’s a couple of links to references to it on the GROS site.

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/press/ne ... ke-up.html

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/press/ne ... tions.html

All the best,
Alan

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:20 pm

The Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006 received Royal Assent on 1st August 2006.

The part relating to Registration Services is Part 2, Sections 37 to 60. The sections relating to the Book of Scottish Connections are 54 and 55 and are viewable here

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scot ... 60014_en_6

I cannot understand why this information was not made available by GROS and SP and for the Survey.

Alan