Presentations & Talks


Is your family history society or heritage group looking for a speaker on genealogical subjects?  I love sharing what I’ve learned with like-minded family history enthusiasts.  In the last few years I’ve given presentations at events such as RootsTech, Family Tree Live, Scottish Family History Month, The Genealogy Show, and Scottish Indexes' Conference.  I've also delivered online talks to groups including the Virtual Genealogical Association, as well as the Glasgow & West of Scotland and Aberdeen & Northeast Scotland Family History Societies.

You can view my shorter presentations for RootsTech Connect on YouTube:
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Getting the Most Out of Scottish Vital Records on ScotlandsPeople
​The Riches of the Scottish Kirk Session Records
Where Are My Poor Scots Ancestors?
Secrets of ScotlandsPeople
Killing Off Your Ancestors 
Family History On A Budget
10 Sources for Researching Your Scottish Ancestors - Without Certificates!
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I speak to groups, online and in person, on a wide range of topics covering many aspects of Scottish family history research, including church, census, and poor law records.  If you have a specific topic in mind, do contact me to discuss your group’s particular interests and needs.  Each of these presentations can be tailored to suit required timings and content.  I’m happy to talk to genealogists of all levels of experience, or none, and have developed a special presentation aimed at those who are starting their family tree from scratch.

Please contact me with your speaking enquiry using the website form.

Some of the presentations I offer are
  • ‘Sailing to Philadelphia’: Where Did My Scots Ancestors Go?
  • 'Reclaiming the Ignorant and Profane People of This Parish': The Records of the Scottish Kirk Session
  • From the Hebrides to Mississippi: The Crofter's Son
  • Glasgow Highlanders in the Poor Law Application Records
  • Using ScotlandsPeople
  • Beyond ScotlandsPeople: Breaking Down Brick Walls in Scottish Research
  • Understanding Scottish Civil Registration Certificates
  • Three Essentials of Scottish Research: Church, Civil and Census Records
  • Getting More Out of FamilySearch.org
  • Killing Off Your Ancestors
  • Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors From Home and For Free
  • A Grand (Virtual) Tour of Scotland’s Archives
  • ‘There Shall Be A Record Kept’: Finding Scottish Ancestors Before 1855
  • Tools for Your Graveyard Research Kit
  • Family History For Free: Tips for Genealogy on a Budget
  • Build Your Own Family Tree: Start With What You’ve Got at Home