BIFHSGO’s online meeting on Saturday features two presentations — Scottish valuation rolls and cholera

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa will host its monthly meeting online, featuring two presentations, this Saturday, January 11.

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. EST —  Education Talk
How Valuable are Valuation Rolls? by Robert Urquhart

From 1855 until 1987, assessors compiled an annual valuation roll for domestic and commercial property in each county and burgh in Scotland. Valuation rolls are often ignored by genealogists, who assume that they merely confirm what has already been established from census returns and civil registers.

This talk will explain that these rolls are worth a look, since they can provide details of the properties associated with ancestors (their houses, business premises, workplaces and wedding venues). These details can then be bridging information for access to other records (such as property registers, estate papers and employment records), and can help explain why some people apparently vanish from census returns and civil registers. Also covered in the talk will be precursors of the post-1855 valuation rolls, such as land tax rolls and assessment rolls compiled by parish heritors for poor relief purposes.


10:00 — 11:30 a.m. EST —  Feature Talk
The Time of Cholera (another favourite talk in the 30th Anniversary “From the Vaults” series of presentations) by Alison Hare

Alison Hare’s ancestor died of cholera in 1854 London, England. The source of the cholera epidemic was traced to a pump on Broad Street by Dr. John Snow, a legendary figure in the history of public health and infectious diseases. Ms. Hare’s genealogical research on families affected by the epidemic provides a human face on the tragedy. She is a BIFHSGO member who first presented this very popular presentation in 2009.

Register to watch online. Only one registration is required to attend one or both registrations.

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