Homecoming for Highland archives

The first of hundreds of historic documents are being returned to the Highlands from the National Archives in Edinburgh. The Homecoming of the of archives to the Highlands was marked by Bruce Crawford, Minister for Parliamentary Business, during a visit to the new Highland Archive and Registration Centre in Inverness on 22 October.
 
Hundreds of volumes from 150 Church of Scotland Highland parishes and congregations as well as Custom and Excise, Fishery and JP court records are to be returned to the Highlands from the National Archives in Edinburgh by the Keeper of the Records of Scotland, George MacKenzie.
 
Mr Crawford said:  "Archives act as a magnet to attract people researching their family histories and bring tourists to the local area.  These records are of immense importance to the history and identity of the Highlands and I am delighted they are returning in this Year of Homecoming.

Archives of Inverness Presbytery minutes covering 1739-51 and Inverness Kirk Session minutes between 1688-1711 were received by Councillor Michael Foxley, Leader of The Highland Council’s Administration.

Councillor Foxley said:  “This state-of-the-art facility provides a bright, safe and spacious home for our archival heritage and it is fitting that it opens on the Year of Homecoming.  Linked to our archive centres in Fort William and Portree, it will not only allow us to store our own rich collection of archives inn the Highlands, but we will attract new material, providing a great facility for people searching their family history and Highland roots.”
 
The Highland Archive Registration Centre in Inverness was built at a cost £10.5 million is a state-of-the-art building and uses sophisticated environmental monitoring and security systems to protect its records. It opens to the public on Monday 26 October.
 
The services provided at the new centre replace the archive service at Inverness Library, Farraline Park, and the registration service at Moray House, Bank Street, Inverness, which will be closed on Thursday afternoon and Friday to allow the flit to Bught Road.
 
The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £4,312,000 towards the cost of the centre, which was built by Morrison Construction.
 
The new archive will eventually hold hundreds of historic and modern records covering the local government areas of Inverness, Ross and Cromaty, Nairn and Sutherland under the charge and supervision of the Keeper of Records.
 
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