Come to a talk about John Hamilton Hall (1799-1865) at Kelso on 29 March

Part of the research I did for Berwick 900 last year was about a Coldstream lad, John Hamilton Hall, born in 1799, whose father was not only a general physician but also a Freeman of the Berwick-upon-Tweed Guild. 

Seeing his name and occupation in the Guild records led me on an interesting and puzzling hunt for information about his family, his career as an officer in the East India Company’s Bombay Infantry. 

On Sunday, 29^th March, at the Abbey Row Community Centre, The Knowes, Kelso, TD5 7BJ, I’ll be talking about his life and career, however, just as importantly, I’ll be discussing how I researched him, some of the problems I found and the difficulties in reading and understanding the records.  Map.

The talk has been widely advertised, including in Berwick, due to local Berwick interest, so come early to get a good seat. 

I warmly invite you to attend the talk whether you are a member or not. Doors open at 2pm; the talk begins at 2.30pm. 

We'll have a range of family history publications available to buy, and there’ll be light refreshments (donation expected) available after the talk. If you have a problem with your family history, please discuss it with one of our volunteers.

Berwick 900 Festival - Our Families Project

As part of the Berwick 900 Festival, there will be a complementary project called “Our Families” which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. This project will focus on finding out information about various families who lived in Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal in the past, particularly ones connected with the various themes represented in the overall Festival. 

The Berwick Record Office plays an important part in this project and is looking for volunteers to help it undertake the research required. We are looking for two types of volunteers – experienced family history researchers who can help us undertake the research straight away and those who have not done any family history before and want to learn how to do it. Training will be provided for both groups on types of sources for research, particularly in relation to different themes – Guild; maritime etc.

If you would be interested in getting involved in the project, there will be a short introductory meeting in the Council Chamber of the Guildhall, Berwick on Saturday 24^th January @ 11.30 am where you can find out more about what is involved. On the same day you can also find out about other projects and elements of the Berwick 900. 

  

If you can’t attend the meeting and would like to know more about the project, please contact Linda Bankier on (01289) 301865 or e-mail berwickarchives@woodhorn.org.uk.

This is a very exciting 16 month  project which will help increase our knowledge about Berwick people in the past. 

Watch out for news about the Bygone Borderlands event on 2nd and 3rd May.

Revive your Family's Connections with Berwick-upon-Tweed and Visit in 2015

The Old Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed

Throughout 2015, Berwick-upon-Tweed will be celebrating 900 years of its turbulent history and unique cultural heritage and they would like you to attend.

They're planning a dozen themed weekends running from Easter 2015 to the end of October and they'll be celebrating each theme with a mix of exhibitions, events, talks, workshops, plays and hopefully, even a bit of street theatre. The themes are churches and Christianity, the barracks and World War 1, the annual riding of the bounds, fishing, seaside and maritime activities, food and drink, family history, art and crafts, sport, and the Berwick Guild. 

There are many surnames which have had connections with Berwick-upon-Tweed, Tweedmouth and Spittal over the past 900 years. Some of them are ones which can still be found in the area today but many have now disappeared with their descendants living all over the world.  They’re planning to highlight family names and their connection with Berwick whilst fitting in with the overall themes. They want everybody to come to the themed weekends, especially people whose ancestors left the area – they want people to revive their family's connections with Berwick-upon-Tweed and visit in 2015.

Look at the main Berwick 900 website, their Berwick 900 blog,  and follow them on Twitter, @Berwick900. I suggest you subscribe by email to the blog (there’s a subscription box at the top of the blog under the picture) and follow them on Twitter.

Download the provisional Berwick 900 programme.