NEWS
Have you Looked at Scotland’s People Lately?
In April, 100,000 prison records for Ayr and Inveraray jails were made available.
Those from Edinburgh, Barlinnie (Glasgow), Perth and Largs have been online for some time; the dates vary but the ultimate is 1924.
Under Prison registers, the site provides help in understanding what is there and how to search.
The record will give: –
Dates of entry, when examined and by whom (sheriff or magistrate etc.), when sentenced, sentence if convicted and outcome (fine paid or time served), names and any alias, number of times that they have been in that prison before, married or single, age, height, weight on entry, where born, late residence, where spent greater part of life, marks (scars, tattoos etc), offence, occupation, religion, education, apparent state of health on admission and more.
The majority of offences are – assault, drunk and incapable, breach of the peace and theft. Most do not attract extra records but there may be more information on prisoners who committed more serious crimes or were more disturbed.
Photographs exist in some cases.
If it relates to your family, see under Poor Relief and Migration Records, Crofters and Cottars (Napier Commission) which was the first crofting commission, set up in the 1880s and which came online at the beginning of November 2025. Aberdeenshire, Nairnshire and Banffshire were excluded but otherwise the Highlands plus Orkney and Shetland constitute the crofting counties.
RENFREWSHIRE CEMETERIES: SAFETY INSPECTIONS
Notice to all Cemetery Users / Lair Owners
Members should be aware that headstones and monuments in Renfrewshire may be affected by a programme of safety inspections. If family lairs are affected and there is no registered contact headstones may be moved or other risk control measures applied without family being informed. Renfrewshire Council’s notice displayed in cemeteries reads: –
A 5 YEAR ROLLING PRGRAMME OF MEMORIAL SAFETY INSPECTIONS IS DUE TO COMMENCE IN ALL RENFREWSHIRE CEMETERIES AND CHIRCHYARDS. THESE WORKS ARE NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY ANY MEMORIAL DEFECTS AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL CEMETERY USERS.
WHILST MEMORIALS REMAIN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LAIR OWNER, IF DURING THESE INSPECTIONS ANY MEMORIAL IS FOUND TO BE IN A DANGEROUS / UNSAFE CONDITION IT WILL BE MADE SAFE BY THE MOST APPROPRIATE METHOD AND THE LAIR OWNER WILL BE ADVISED OF THIS ACTION WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
SHOULD YOU WISH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE INSPECTION PROCESS PLEASE CALL THE CEMETERY OFFICE ON: 0141 618 7535 / 7508
OLDER NEWS
BOOK BY RFHS MEMBER ROSSLYN MACPHAIL
Based on Captain John Orr’s previously unseen campaign diary and personal documents, this is the first biography of the man who would become Superintendent of the Scottish Naval & Military Academy (SNMA).
John Orr was born in Greenock on 3rd April 1790 and we follow him during his eighteen months during his eighteen months in Portugal and Spain, informed by his first-hand accounts of the Battle of Salamanca, the siege of Burgos and fighting in the Pyrenees. Later he fought at Quatre Bras and was wounded at Waterloo. He was retired on full pension in 1821.
Through John’s letters, the history of the Academy is interwoven with a description of the Orr family. John died in 1879, aged 89 years old. He was the last surviving member of the Black Watch who had fought at Waterloo.
The book is brought to life with paintings and photographs of John, his family, his uniform and pages from his Peninsular War diary. It is an intimate portrait of a soldier who served his country on and off the battlefield.
Order online at www.pen-and-sword.co.uk, by phone 01226 734222, or by post Pen & Sword Books, George House, Beevor Street, Off Pontefract Road, Hoyle Mill, Barnsley, S71 1HN.
REQUEST FROM THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS WISH CAMPAIGN
We are delighted to announce that, having collected a grand total of 5,611 tokens we have received a cheque for £74.52 from the Wish campaign, which will be put to good use by the society.
We would like to say a huge thank you to our members and everyone else who collected tokens for us, and of course to the Trinity Mirror Group of Newspapers for organising this campaign to support local community groups.
Member Jim Smith with the letter from Trinity Mirror Group, and the all important cheque!
WOODSIDE FIRST AID POST DISASTER 75th ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL SERVICE
Photographs from the Woodside First Aid Post Disaster 75th Anniversary Memorial Service can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/its-all-pretty-cool_dot-com/albums/72157668046555246. Photographs courtesy of David Cameron, Paisley Photographer who retains all copyright to the images.