This 4-week course is designed for genealogists who want to make the most of the array of maps available to help with family history.
1: Getting the Most from The National Library of Scotland Maps with Chris Fleet
Do not let the name deceive you – the National Library of Scotland’s website holds maps of Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales and beyond. Over 420,000 maps are accessible for free including Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s onwards. Discover how to navigate the website and make the most of its impressive features.
2. Maps for Genealogy with Cathy Soughton
Discover the joy of maps for genealogy and how to unearth more about your ancestors’ lives and the places where they lived. Find out where to find maps online and in archives and how to use them. We'll take a look at a variety of maps and associated records from the 17th century to the 20th century including parish and estate maps, enclosure maps and awards, poverty maps and sales maps and catalogues.
3. Pinning Down Your Ancestors with Mark Bayley
Discover how to time-travel through your family’s landscape. Watch a village evolve, trace a forebear’s path from farm to city, and uncover the stories buried beneath familiar streets. In this talk you’ll learn how to use The Genealogist's Map Explorer to overlay tithe, Ordnance Survey and Lloyd George Domesday maps onto today’s satellite imagery and see pins linking to census returns and other key records, turning static data into vivid geography. All course attendees will be offered a fantastic offer of a discount for The Genealogist.
4. Mapping Alchemy for Genealogists with Sophie Kay
Maps really can be genealogical gold! Focusing on the Outlier Method and Ancestral Walks techniques, learn how to unite historical maps with historical records to spot research errors, understand our ancestors and bring their worlds to life, all using freely available OS maps. Examples will focus on U.K. towns 1800-1950.
Each class will be recorded and available to those that book a place until 24 November 2025. All course attendees will be offered a fantastic offer of a discount for The Genealogist.
Programme details
| Getting the Most from The National Library of Scotland Maps | Online | 20/10/2025 | 19:30 - 20:30 | |
| Maps for Genealogy | Online | 27/10/2025 | 19:30 - 20:30 | |
| Pinning Down Your Ancestors | Online | 03/11/2025 | 19:30 - 20:30 | |
| Mapping Alchemy for Genealogists | Online | 10/11/2025 | 19:30 - 20:30 |
About the Speaker
Sophie Kay
From DNA to historical maps, from research methods to historical occupations, Dr. Sophie Kay is a professional genealogist and geneticist at Khronicle® who tackles all manner of family history research challenges from the medieval era to modern day. She’s the Ancestry and Genealogy Expert for popular archaeology show, Time Team, and the Scientist in Residence for The Mixed Museum, where she delivers educational sessions and content in genetic genealogy. A qualified research scientist, Sophie is also a Member of AGRA, a UK organisation of professional genealogists, and works on a variety of projects in both DNA and archival research for private clients and public organisations. Sophie’s family history blog can be found at The Parchment Rustler, where she shares tips, tricks and strategies for making the most of your ancestral research journey.
About the Speaker
Chris Fleet
Chris Fleet worked at the Bodleian Library, Oxford and the National Library of Wales before joining the National Library of Scotland in 1994. His main responsibilities at NLS relate to modern and historical digital mapping and making historical maps available online. He has researched, written and spoken widely on these subjects and is a co-author of Scotland: Mapping the Nation (2011), Edinburgh: Mapping the City (2014), Scotland: Mapping the Islands (2016), and Scotland: Defending the Nation (2018).
About the Speaker
Mark Bayley
Working as the head of online development for TheGenealogist and also as a Director of S&N British Data Archive, Mark has been involved in many aspects of genealogy and the family business from an early age. During his time at university, Mark followed a passion for technology, studying Computer Science. A combination of interests in web design, social networks and genealogy led him to develop TreeView for his dissertation. http://treeview.co.uk/ is a free online family tree builder that lets you record, display, chart, import, export and share genealogical information. Mark graduated with a first-class honours degree and joined the company full time. Mark doesn’t just develop new genealogical research tools. At evenings and weekends, he can be found giving talks on breaking down brick walls using these tools along with alternative record sets at events across the country.
About the Speaker
Cathy Soughton
Cathy Soughton is a qualified professional genealogist and house historian who specialises in researching the history of properties for both private homeowners and commercial clients. Homes researched have been as diverse as Victorian Gothic mansions, Georgian townhouses, converted schools, pubs and medieval manor houses and she particularly enjoys finding out more about the lives of the previous owners and occupants. Cathy is a Member and the current Secretary of AGRA, the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives which maintains and promotes high standards of professional conduct in the field of genealogy and historical research.
