For those of you with an interest in Scotland, you may have noticed in recent months an increase in material appearing on the shelves in the family history section at Central Auckland Research Centre. However, those of you who may not visit the Research Centre as frequently or the check the catalogue regularly from afar will have missed what we have been adding to the collection.

Auckland Libraries, Sir George Grey Special Collections, 601-2835A.

A number of local histories have been added to the collection which range from picture books to stories about a street in a town, a guide to closes, squares, lanes etc in old Dundee and a small work on the Kirk Yetholm gypsies are among the works added to local histories.

We have also purchased transcripts of parish registers, amongst which is the Lady Glenorchy Free Church baptisms 1843-1856; monumental inscriptions (gravestones), several family histories, items relating to occupations such as two on fishing in Fife.  There is also the Records of Glenprosen [Glenprossan], Angus which includes christening extracts, monumental inscriptions, entries for marriages and deaths, communion rolls and a list of subscribers to the library from 1841.  Not to be outdone, there is also the two volume work of Scottish Studio Photographers to 1914 which gives details not only of different addresses the photographers worked from but potted biographies that can include other members of the family, census returns and value of estate on death.

So if it has been a while since you checked out our Scottish collections (call number - 4 SCT) take a little time to do so and you may be lucky and find that entry that has been eluding you.

Marie 

The Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand (1868-1961) is one of the New Zealand's most important research publications, particularly for science.

Website:  rsnz.natlib.govt.nz

It is another rich resource for historians that can now be accessed online. The database is browsable by topics, images and includes an A-Z list of authors. The coverage is beyond the science world as  it event contains obituaries of individuals who have contributed to the New Zealand scientific community.

As an example of the content in these volumes read the descriptions given by clicking these links to the Old Redoubts, Blockhouses, and Stockades of the Wellington District or about the weather for 1896 or Notes on the Derelict Ship in Facile Harbour, Dusky Bay by T.M. Hocken.

Murchison Glacier in the Southern Alps, 1901 Auckland Libraries AWNS-19011107-9-2

The Hon J.B.A. Acland and Messrs C.G. Tripp and Charles Harper climbed the Rangitata (and Murchison) glaciers in the Southern Alps in 1860.  G. E. Mannering's article provides a historical account of the time but it also of relevance to those individuals wishing to fill out the stories of their ancestors and provide context to their adventures.
Bridget

CD-Roms form a very valuable and often under-rated part of the family history collection at the Central Auckland Research Centre. We have 6 sets of 8-drawer cabinets filled with them.

Typically they hold databases, or they might be published family histories saved as pdfs. Either way they are very searchable and hold a mine of information often not found online or in a book.

Sometimes these CD-Roms have replaced the microfiche of old.

Here are a selection of CD-Roms that have recently been added to our collection:

New Zealand

Call number                    Title

• 2 NZL BDM CBY: Lyttelton Times’ births, deaths and marriages 1851-1891
• 2 NZL ELE: New Zealand Elections: Five Significant Rolls 1881, 1893, 1896, 1911, 1925 
• 2 NZL MIL: New Zealand World War I Service Personnel & Reserves Index

You'll note that, as with other New Zealand family history resources, these CD-Roms are also available at our other Research Centres, and also some of our community libraries.

Non-New Zealand CD-Roms form part of the international family history collection held within the Central Auckland Research Centre at Central City Library:

England

Call number                      Title

• 4 ENG BDM SFK: Little Saxham Parish Registers 1559-1850
• 4 ENG BDM WLT: Wiltshire Parish Registers, Marriages 
• 4 ENG CEN DOR: 1891 Dorset Census

14 directories of Yorkshire (Leeds, Bradford, the Ridings, Hull) including these highlights: 

• 4 ENG DIR YKS: 1863 Mercantile Directory of Bradford
• 4 ENG DIR YKS: 1851 History & Directory Of the Woollen & Worsted Trade

Ireland

Call number                   Title

• 4 IRL CEN: Census reports for all the counties 1851-1911 (search using call number for a list of each county)
• 4 IRL CIV: Numbers of Persons Committed or Held to Bail for Trial, 1852
• 4 IRL WIL: Index of Irish Wills, 1484-1858

South Africa

Call number                   Title

• 7 RSA: The Transvaal in War & Peace

An overview of the Transvaal and the Boer War, including the history of the Boers, and hundreds of photos.

As well as our catalogue, we also have a pdf index of our CD-Rom collection that is kept regularly updated. Please feel free to download the full list.

LR