The Witch Trials of the Borders - a talk by Mary Craig

Our first talk of the 2011/2012 season is on Sunday 25 September at 2.30pm at the Corn Exchange, Market Square, Melrose, TD6 9PN. Map.

Mary Craig is the author of Border Burnings and she will be telling us about the witch trials of the Borders.
Her talk will outline the trial, torture and execution of hundreds of innocent people, (mainly women) in the Scottish Borders during the 17th Century at hands of the Church of Scotland and the local judiciary. Between 1600 and 1700, more witches were accused, tried and executed in the Scottish Borders than any other area of Scotland except Edinburgh and the Lothians.
The doors will be open at 2pm, with the talk starting at 2.30pm.
We warmly invite you to attend the talk whether you are a member or not.
There is no admission charge.
We'll have a range of family history publications available to buy.
If you have a problem with your family history, please discuss it (no charge) with one of our volunteers.

Speakers at Society meetings occasionally need to be changed at the last minute, due to circumstances beyond our control. Where possible, updates will be made on our What's On page.

Film Programme at Berwick Record Office Exhibition - Past, Present and Future at Berwick Guildhall, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September

My blog on 8 September mentioned the Berwick Record Office Exhibition.

The film programme has just been announced.

Saturday 24 September
11am Canney View of Berwick and the Investigator (1970s)

1pm Miscellaneous: - Queen Mother's Visit to Berwick, 1970s; Goswick Rail Crash, 1947; Mayor's Sunday, 1947 ; Snapshots of Berwick, 1929; Berwick Horse Procession and Fair, 1911

3pm Fred Stott's Berwick in the 1950s

Sunday 25th September 
11.30am Canney View of Berwick and the Investigator (1970s)

12.45 Miscellaneous - Queen Mother's Visit to Berwick, 1970s; Goswick Rail Crash, 1947; Mayor's Sunday, 1947 ; Snapshots of Berwick, 1929; Berwick Horse Procession and Fair, 1911

3pm Fred Stott’s Berwick in the 1950s


Films in the cells as part of the Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival
La Tristesse Riche  by Erwin Olaf
Netherlands | 2010 | 11min HD Video UK Premiere

In what appears to be a beautiful 19th century costume drama, the world of Sophie is invaded by intruders who are invisible to the rest of her family. Is poor Sophie mad, or simply a visionary?

Rammatik - by Marianna Mørkøre & Rannvá Káradóttir Mare
UK | 2011 | 6min | Super-8 transferred to Digital Video World Premiere

Commissioned by Northumberland County Council in partnership with the Festival, and featuring members of the Maltings' Youth Drama and Dance Company, Mare was filmed on the Berwick coastline, while the title refers to the ‘sea' and the folkloric meaning of the spirit in nightmares.

Unravel: The Longest Hand- painted Film in Britain (Berwick excerpt) UK | 2011 | 14min 16mm transferred to Digital Video by Maria Anastassiou, Kelvin Brown, Joanna Byrne, Chris Paul Daniels & Mark Pickles World Premiere

This time last year, over 100 people in Berwick participated in the first of many workshops all over the country to create the longest hand-painted film in Britain. This year, the Festival is proud to be premiering the resulting film.

Solar Sight : by Lawrence Jordan   UK Premiere
USA | 2011 | 15min | Video transfer from 16mm film

A dreamlike collaged landscape of free association, transformation and mythical symbolism. This latest work by the influential US avant- garde animator, Jordan, is a poetic reflection on the place of the human being in the cosmos. Courtesy of Lawrence Jordan & LUX, London.


The Golden Age  : by Toby Tatum
UK | 2010 | 6min | Digital Video

A return to the fabled Golden Age of antiquity where the inhabitants of a secluded utopia dedicate themselves to relaxation and artistic pursuits. Featuring British Sea Power's Abi Fry, who also composed the film's original score.

All the films will be shown on a loop.

Please do come along and support this event – it's free!

We hope to see some of you on the stand on the Saturday, but not on the Sunday !

Why ?

On the Sunday afternoon we hope to see you at the first of our new season of talks - Mary Craig will be talking about the witchcraft trials of the Borders.
This talk will be at the Corn Exchange, Market Square, Melrose, TD6 9PN and starts at 2.30 pm.

Digging Up Your Roots - Series 7

Transmission Dates: January 8th 2012 - February 26th 2012


The popular genealogy series, 'Digging up Your Roots', returns to BBC Radio Scotland in the new year.

You can tune in to 92-95 FM every Sunday at midday between 8 January 2012 and 26 February 2012 to pick up genealogy tips and hear interesting family history stories.


They are keen to hear from people who are researching their ancestry, so if you have a question about the life of one of your family members, or a great tale to tell, then get in touch with their genealogists for free expert help.


Write to: Digging Up Your Roots, BBC Radio Scotland, Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen, AB15 5ZT or email them at diggingupyourroots@bbc.co.uk or phone them on 01224 384 881.


For the first time, programmes will also be available as podcasts - simply log on to bbc.co.uk/radioscotland and follow the links to 'Digging Up Your Roots' to download all eight episodes week-by-week.


It's easy to forget, particularly around the New Year celebrations, so I suggest you put the dates in your diary now, as I have done.


To comment on this article, please click the 'comments' link below. 

R SMAIL & SONS: Family History

Do you have an interest in Smail family history? If so this may interest you:

R SMAIL & SONS: Family History

The Family History page summarises information gleaned from the archive at Robert Smail's Printing Works. The printing Works may have been in Innerleithen but relatives of Robert Smail ended up in New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.

Berwick Record Office Exhibition - Past, Present and Future at Berwick Guildhall, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September

To complete its celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the Record Office, the Record Office and the Friends are organising an exhibition weekend in the Guildhall on Saturday and Sunday 24th and 25th September – Berwick Record Office, Past, Present and Future.

As well as the exhibitions, they will be showing some of their archive films in the Council Chamber whilst the Film and Media Festival will be showing some of their films in the Old Gaol upstairs.

The Guildhall is in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, England, TD15 1BN. Map.

We hope to see some of you on the stand on the Saturday, but not on the Sunday !

Why ?

On the Sunday afternoon we hope to see you at the first of our new season of talks - Mary Craig will be talking about the witchcraft trials of the Borders.

That talk will be at the Corn Exchange, Market Square, Melrose, TD6 9PN and starts at 2.30 pm.

As an addendum to Peter’s post Find-my-Past have just announced that they have published 1 million 20th century Merchant Navy Seamen records on their web site.  These cards formed the Registrar General of Shipping and Seaman’s central index to seamen serving on British merchant navy vessels between the world wars. The front of the card contains some basic biographical information and the rear may contain a photograph or a list of ships the sailor served in.  The cards cover men and women, British and foreign seamen.  There’s a full description on the Find-my-Past website which incidentally is Pay-per-View.

European sailors in the East India Company in 1766

The Families In British India Society have transcribed more data, this time it's a list of 339 European sailors in the East India Company’s marine service at Bombay and Surat on the 25th January 1766. Details include their names, their station or job, the name of their ship (there were 26 of them), type of ship and the establishment (Bombay or Surat). More details on these sailors.