Chris Paton
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- Business Name
- Scotland's Greatest Story
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- Non-Research Specialties
- Author/Writer
- Blogger
- Columnist
- Instructor
- Lecturer/Presenter - On-site
- Lecturer/Presenter - Virtual
- Transcriber
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- Research Specialties
- Anglican/Church of England/Episcopalian
- Catholic
- Court Records
- House Historian
- Land Records
- Paleography (ancient/historical handwriting)
- Presbyterian
- Scots-Irish
- Scottish Clans
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- Research Counties
- Aberdeen City, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Argyllshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Caithness, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- County Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Dunbartonshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Dundee City, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Edinburgh City, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Eilean Siar, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Glasgow City, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Inverclyde, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Inverness-shire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Kincardineshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Kinross-shire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Nairnshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- North Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Peeblesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Perth and Kinross, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Perthshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Roxburghshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Selkirkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Stirlingshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Sutherland, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Wigtownshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
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- Research Provinces / States
- Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- Scotland, United Kingdom
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- Research Countries
- England
- Ireland
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
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- Research Time Periods
- 17th Century
- 18th Century
- 19th Century
- 20th Century
- 21st Century
Originally from Northern Ireland, but with both Scottish and Irish roots, I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies from the University of Strathclyde, and today work as a professional genealogist, running my research service from the Scottish coastal town of Irvine, North Ayrshire.
As well as teaching Scottish based courses for Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd (www.pharostutors.com) I have also tutored for the University of Strathclyde's Genealogical Studies Postgraduate Programme. In addition I am a published author of several genealogy book titles and guides (see https://scotlandsgreateststory.wordpress.com/books) and am a regular contributor to genealogy magazines in the UK and Ireland, such as Who Do You Think You Are?, Family Tree, and Discover Your Ancestors, as well as the ISBGFH's British Connections. I currently edit the monthly APG eNews.
Since October 2012 I have been a regular attendee of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) stakeholder forum, and from May 2013-May 2017 I was a director of the Scottish Archive Network Ltd trust (www.scan.org.uk). I previously worked as a researcher, producer and director for 12 years in factual television for both the BBC (Bristol and Glasgow) and STV, on various documentary series, including Coast, Meet the Ancestors, Secret History, War Walks and Time Flyers.
Services
As a genealogist I specialise in family tree research and problem solving for ancestral brick walls. I am able to access most archives and genealogy centres on the Scottish mainland, particularly within the Central Belt, including the National Records of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, Glasgow City Archives at the Mitchell Library, and many other county based archives across the country, such as the magnificent Burns Monument Centre at Kilmarnock.
Beyond the basic vital records and censuses, useful resources I can consult include land records (sasines and estate papers), inheritance records (testaments, Services of Heirs, ultimus haeres records), dissenter and nonconformist church records, newspapers, directories, court papers, and considerably more. I am equally able to carry out Irish or English research on your behalf.
For Northern Irish research I regularly travel to Belfast from the west of Scotland, to visit PRONI, Northern Ireland's national archive, and the General Register Office for Northern Ireland, for the same costs as a trip to Edinburgh. The methodology for English research is very different to that for Scottish research, requiring the ordering of various certificates by post, and may therefore take a wee bit longer to research.
As a former TV producer/director I understand broadcast media requirements, and have carried out research for several genealogically themed television productions, including the Australian version of Who Do You Think You Are? and a production for TG4 in Ireland.
Please contact me to discuss your requirements.
Geographic Specialties
Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, England, British Isles
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- Degrees
- Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies (University of Strathclyde), HND Design/Communication (University of Ulster), BA Hons Time-Based Media (University of the West of England)
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- Languages
- French (working proficiency), Irish (working proficiency), Scottish Gaelic (working proficiency)
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- Repositories
- National Records of Scotland
National Library of Scotland
Glasgow City Archives/Glasgow Genealogy Centre
University of Glasgow Archives
The Burns Monument Centre, Kilmarnock
Ayrshire Archives
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast
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- Testimonials
- I commissioned Chris to provide us with a history of our house as a Christmas present for my husband, we received an amazing book filled with information going back around 400 years. We are absolutely delighted and would highly recommend Chris. (Diane Thomson, Maybole)
I met Chris at a Canadian genealogical conference and quickly knew that his expertise was what I needed for my family research. I was stumped! Sure enough, he did extensive research, identifying documents that I would never have been able to access and drew a complete picture of our family history in Scotland. I highly recommend him! (Barbara Bowes, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
If you are looking to hire someone to do some work on your family tree, I highly recommend @ChrisMPaton who finished a great report for me! (Colin MacDonald, Greenock);
Just a wee note to thank you so much for all of your hard work on our behalf in connecting my husband to the 18th Century poet James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd. We had always suspected there was a link but could never get through our brick wall. Thank you so much (Janet McQueen, Clackmannan)
Hi Chris, I just can't thank you enough for all the wonderful work you have done on the Rose Family. I am absolutely delighted!! You so obviously know just where to find everything and it is a pleasure to read (Bronwen Tickner, England)
The package arrived on Christmas Eve and was a great hit with my nephews who are interested in their forbears. They were fascinated when I handed them the folder and said, this is your family tree on your Playfair side, and you're in it! Two hours later and all I heard was look, we were here, and we were there, and I didn't know?! it was great! (Susan Playfair, Cairo, Egypt)
Thanks for everything so far. I've enjoyed hearing from you. Your reports are intelligent and informative a rare combination today when most people seem to have forgotten how to write! (Carol Fritz, Alabama, USA)
You are worth your weight in Laphroaig and dark chocolate!! I can't believe you found those baptisms, I really wasn't holding out much hope. Thank you once again I havent stopped smiling yet. My husband says he will toast you tonight with a large dram of 10 year Laphroaig (duty free)! (Ruth Blair, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
That was definitely an entertaining read!! (Scott Fleck, Nova Scotia, Canada)
I was immediately impressed with your accessability, and your prompt and detailed responses to my questions. Within an hour or two of each message sent off, you would respond with helpful information, and I really enjoyed reading the information you unearthed for me (Michael McQuary, Washington State, USA)
A wonderful research team, leaving no stone unturned. I recommend them highly to anyone who is looking for family in Scotland. Some things have been answered and as in Genealogy, some new questions have arisen. It's what makes this adventure so much fun (Maureen Marella, Las Vegas)
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- Lectures
- Scotland:
1) The Godly Commonwealth - Discover Scottish Church Records
2) Scottish Kirk Session Records
3) Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records
4) Instantly Buckled for Life - Scottish Marriage Records
5) Discover Scottish Land Records
6) Discover Your Scottish Ancestors
7) Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis
8) Scottish Burgh and Trade Incorporation Records
9) Scottish Research Resources Before 1800
10) Understanding Scottish Inheritance Records
11) There's Been a Murder - The Mount Stewart Murder of 1866
12) The Weavers of Perth
13) Tracing the Irish in Scotland
14) Finding Ancestors with Scottish Censuses
15) Scottish Church and State Records
16) British and Irish Newspapers
Ireland / Northern Ireland:
1) Irish Family History Resources Online
2) Discover Irish Land Records
3) A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy
4) A Decade of Remembrance: Researching Ireland 1912-1923
5) An Irish Farm History
6) Using the internet and PRONI for Northern Irish research
7) Tracing the Irish in Scotland
8) British and Irish Newspapers
9) Civil Registration in the British Isles
10) What is Ireland? Understanding the Lay of the Land
11) Discover Ireland's Vital Records
12) Researching Irish Occupations
13) Records of Daily Life in Ireland
14) Finding the Irish in British Records
13) Tracing the Irish in Scotland
UK / General:
1) A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy
2) British Censuses and Substitutes
3) British Civilian POWs in the First World War
4) Genealogy Without Borders
5) Writing Family History Articles
6) Sharing Your Family History Online
7) More Than Just Doing Research! The Many Ways a Genealogist Can Work
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- Publications
- 1) Researching Scottish Family History
2) A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy
3) A Decade of Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-23
4) British and Irish Newspapers
5) Discover Irish Land Records
6) Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition)
7) Discover Scottish Land Records (2nd edition)
8) Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records
9) Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis
10) Irish Family History Resources Online
11) Irish Family History Resources Online (2nd edition)
12) Tracing Your Family History on the Internet
13) Tracing Your Family History on the Internet (2nd edition)
14) Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet
15) Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed)
15) The Mount Stewart Murder: A Re-Examination of the UK's Oldest Unsolved Murder
17) Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records
18) Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet
19) Sharing Your Family History Online
20) Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records
21) Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors (Mar 2023)
22) A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy (2nd ed) - coming soon
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- Certificates
- Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies (University of Strathclyde)
Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical Studies (University of Strathclyde)
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- Affiliations
- Member of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland's stakeholder forum.
Member of the Scottish Genealogy Network.
Director at large on APG Board of Directors.
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- Blog
- scottishgenes.blogspot.com
Contact
- Business site: www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk
Work Contact
| Phone: | 0044 1294 650349 |
| Email: | enquiry@scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk |
| Street Address: | 11 Broomlands Gate |
| Address 2: | Irvine |
| City: | Ayrshire, Scotland |
| State/Province: | |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Zip/Postal Code: | KA11 1HB |