A Practical 4-Week Online Course

Scottish Poor Law records are a powerful but often underused resource for family historians. While they may look similar to English and Welsh records, the Scottish system worked very differently—and understanding those differences is essential for successful research. This highly practical four-week online course focuses on Scottish Poor Law records that are accessible online, helping you develop the skills to find, interpret, and use them confidently. Throughout the course, we will highlight key differences between Scottish and English/Welsh records, enabling you to avoid common assumptions and get the most from Scottish sources.

Each two-hour session includes time for questions and discussion. Learners are encouraged to complete a pre-course questionnaire (included with booking confirmation) to help tailor the course to participants’ experience and interests.

Week 1 – How Scottish Poor Relief Worked.  This session sets the scene by explaining how poor relief operated in Scotland before and after the Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845. You will learn who administered relief, how applications were handled, why records were created, and the key terminology genealogists need to recognise.

Week 2 – Understanding the Record Series.  Explores the main types of Scottish Poor Law records, including applications, registers, parochial board minutes, and poorhouse records. Practical guidance will be given on interpreting handwriting, abbreviations, and marginal notes commonly encountered in these sources.

Week 3 – Using Poor Law Records in Genealogy.  This session focuses on applying the records to real research problems. You will learn how to identify the correct parish and time period, link Poor Law records to other Scottish sources, use catalogues and finding aids, and develop strategies for working with missing or incomplete material.

Week 4 – Casework, Interpretation, and Sensitive Material. The final week brings everything together through real case examples. You will explore what Poor Law records can reveal about family relationships, health, work, and migration, while also learning best practice for handling sensitive information, documenting sources, and reporting findings responsibly.

Is this course for you? This course is ideal for genealogists who have previously attended “Beginning Scottish Research” or who already have experience using Scottish records and want to deepen their understanding 

What else?

• Each two hour class will have an opportunity for Q&A
• A Facebook group to chat to fellow students
• 20% Discount for all Society of Genealogists Members
• Recordings available until 14 June 2026 for everyone who pre-books

Click here for information about our events.  Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.