Image. Photograph. 22 June 2022. Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland. Photographer: Phyllis Zumwalt, personal collection.
Yes! I’ve booked my flights and made my plans! I intend to visit these archives and other institutions below – let me know if you want to order something that I can pick up for you (minimal fee + their fees). See the contact section at the bottom.
In early April, I’ll be visiting a wonderful friend, Diane, a former University of Strathclyde alumni in London. We plan to go to the National Archives of the UK and The (Royal Botanic) Kew Gardens, both in the same area. We may also visit The British Museum, which is on the same train line.
In the South Kensington part of London, we plan to tour The Royal Albert Hall, visit The Science Museum and The Natural History Museum, as well as the V&A (Victoria & Albert) Museum. A very full day (or two?)
On a previous trip to London, I visited the Natural History Museum, where they shared the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition winners; I’m eager to see this year’s winner!
<<<—- My late husband, Fred, and me in front of the Natural History museum in November 2019. We were enjoying several sites during a trip to visit my daughter, who worked in London for almost 4 years.
While visiting her, we had a wonderful time visiting and eating at the Shard and walking along the Thames to see The Eye and Big Ben and the UK Parliament (from the Waterloo Bridge). All three of us also took the train to Bath, England, where we enjoyed the sites and ate at Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House!
The next week, I’ll take the train from London to Winchester to visit a former IBM colleague who I last visited in November 2021. We’ve always enjoyed each other’s company whether on global business calls or during the last trip! I’m eager to meet her family and chill out with them at their home. While I’m there, I hope we can do some research at The Hampshire Genealogical Society in Winchester, England.
—>>> Becky and I both took trains and met in Oxford, England, where we visited the famed Bodleian Libraries. The one on the right is called the Radcliff Camera and is an iconic Oxford landmark. Students and faculty study here sometimes entering it from an underground tunnel from the Bodleian Old Library. It is known for the History Faculty Library and is closed to the public. It is one of many, many amazing buildings within this immediate area – all a must-see if you’re in Oxford.
The next week, I’ll visit another wonderful friend and former University of Strathclyde alumni in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Many of my genealogy friends may remember Ciara, her website Shamrock Roots, and her presentations on researching Irish records. While there I will visit the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). I also hope to visit the Game of Thrones sets and the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Belfast City Centre via a walking tour. I’m excited to explore Belfast!
I’ll fly back from Belfast to Birmingham, England where I’ll be attending a Register of Qualified Genealogists (RQG) Conference April 25th (all day), with some of my University of Strathclyde alumni and many fellow RQG members. I’ll be leaving the next day, so Birmingham sites will have to wait for next time! Incidentally, the Midlands area was the origin for a migration study for a family who left the area (left Liverpool 4 January 1879, arrived in New Orleans 7 February 1879). They settled in Caldwell, Bastrop, and then Travis Counties, in Central Texas. If you are interested in this type of research and reporting, please contact me below.
For a couple of days that week, I’ll be visiting another University of Strathclyde alumni near the Scottish Borders in Town Yetholm. Although Phil and I have not met in person, we stay in touch, talk NFL football, and share our genealogy business updates. I’m excited to hang out with him and his wife. I’ll be staying in a room above the local pub close by! I’m excited to learn more about this area and his research. Maybe someday, I’ll hike the St. Cuthbert’s Way (which comes by this town) (in honor of my “Scotch-Irish” Cutbirth ancestors, including my 6th great-grandfather, Benjamin, a close friend of Daniel Boone).
I’ll be taking the train from Berwick-Upon-Tweed (pic above) to Edinburgh, Scotland. While in Edinburgh, I plan to visit the National Gallery of Scotland (at top of page) and the National Records of Scotland (which serve up the online ScotlandsPeople records). I hope to find records which I may not have gotten from their online portal.
I’ll also visit the National Library of Scotland (pic to the right; remember those Ordnance Survey maps?!). While I am in Edinburgh, I plan to have coffee with Sylvia, another RQG member (and former director). I’ve not met a local in the previous times I’ve been there, so I’m excited to glean her expertise!
Fred, Katie, and I visited Edinburgh in June 2022. We spent the day checking out the Royal Mile, rubbing Greyfriars Bobby’s nose (for good luck) and having afternoon tea in Edinburgh Castle. We had a wonderful time making cherished memories together. See pictures below.
The final part of my trip is also very exciting! My daughter, Katie, the traveler and photographer, will meet me in Edinburgh where we will embark on a trip to the Isle of Mull where she has friends, Lara and George. She has attended two of their photography workshops where she took wonderful photos of otters and puffins! Later in the week, I’ll return to Edinburgh and fly back over the pond.
If you want to hear more about my plans, join me at one of my Coffee Chats, or visit with me after the Genealogy & Java session this Wednesday, Jan 28th, 2026 (register on the event to the right).
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If you have any questions regarding the information in this blog, please reach out to me. You can also follow SYFT on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, or LinkedIn, fill out the Contact SYFT form, or email us directly at shapingyourfamilytree@gmail.com. Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on genealogy events, news, and tips and techniques. You can also read past newsletters on that sign-up page. Let’s share our experiences!