I hope you will not mind me posting this to your list. It concerns Sutherland, Scotland and as a subscriber to your list for a long time I feel sure there will be some who will be as shocked as we are to read what is being done with original records. We need your help to save the original records of Sutherland, Scotland. A move to take historical records relating to parishes across Sutherland, Scotland, away from the recognised area repository in Brora and store them in Thurso, Caithness, instead, is being opposed by Clyne Heritage Society. The records, listing births deaths and marriages dating back to 1855, are being moved because of the closure this weekend of the former Brora registrars office in Gower Lane where they have been stored in five safes for years. The family history research service offered by former part-time registrar Stuart Maclean in the Gower Lane office has now been moved to a room in the Brora Library, shared with the East Sutherland Village Advisory Service, and his hours have been reduced. Clyne Heritage Society is bitterly opposed to the new arrangements and in particular the removal of the original records outwith the area to which they apply, although the information they contain has been made available in Brora on microfiche. They are critical of the cramped library accommodation given to Mr. Maclean and claim it is farcical that the microfiche copies of the records which he now needs have been placed not in the library but in the nearby Service Point. Heritage Society vice-chairman Willie Gunn says the Highland Council has missed a golden opportunity to maintain and extend its family history research service in response to a growing demand both at home and abroad. Folk who are interested in researching their ancestors want every scrap of detail they can lay their hands on, and there is nothing like seeing and touching the original page ones ancestors have actually signed. If the registers are removed, then the bottom line is that family history research for Caithness and Sutherland will be conducted from Thurso and an opportunity to attract visitors to Brora has been lost. The heritage society has now enlisted the support of constituency MSP Jamie Stone and MP Lord Thurso, and are also lobbying local councillors. They are calling for the removal of the registers to be deferred pending discussion by Sutherland County Committee, in the light of news released this week of changes to bring the registration system into the 21st century including the development of family history centres by local authorities. (Northern Times, 9th November 2001) I run an internet mailing list which has over 200 members from all around the world. Our joint interest is our ancestors in Sutherland. Many of our members have already visited the county and many more plan future visits. Now they will have to travel to Caithness to see the original documents relating to their families! This is a thoroughly bad decision and one which I fear Sutherland will come to regret. Come on people of Sutherland and all those who have interest in the county, stand up and create such a fuss that the powers who made this stupid decision are left with no choice but to revert it. Through my work with fellow enthusiasts we recently formed our new group, Preserving Our Sutherland Heritage. All around the world, at this very moment, people are organising fund raising events to save the old graveyards of Sutherland from ruin. Currently we are working closely with Clyne Heritage Society and plan to donate a large sum to aid their work at Clyne Kirkton. How do I tell our members, who are working so hard for this, that Sutherland cares so little for heritage that they have allowed the original records to be hidden away in Thurso? If you feel like we do then please write to any or all of the following people and demand that these records stay where they belong in SUTHERLAND. Please do it NOW as this decision must be reversed. Write to: The Editor, Northern Times, Golspie, Sutherland northern.times@btinternet.com <mailto:northern.times@btinternet.com> Francis Keith, Convener, Sutherland County Committee, e-mail: francis.keith.cllr@highland.gov.uk <mailto:francis.keith.cllr@highland.gov.uk> Rita Finlayson, Highland Councillor, Kildonan, Loth & Clyne, e-mail: rita.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk <mailto:rita.finlayson.cllr@highland.gov.uk> Jamie Stone, Member of Scottish Parliament jamie.stone.msp@scottish.parliament.uk <mailto:jamie.stone.msp@scottish.parliament.uk> Please also send a copy to myself I plan on finding others who can help the more people who write the better. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Christine Stokes Chairperson Preserving Our Sutherland Heritage www.p-o-s-h.co.uk <http://www.p-o-s-h.co.uk/> email me on chris@northants26.freeserve.co.uk <mailto:chris@northants26.freeserve.co.uk> --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). 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