News: Valuation Rolls for 1905 launched

Fully-searchable by name and address, the records list the names of owners, tenants and occupiers of each property - so genealogists, historians and other researchers can now discover fresh insights into their ancestors' lives through viewing these records. As the 1905 rolls appear between census years, they will be invaluable for genealogists who are trying to fill in gaps about their ancestors.

People from all social classes are included in the 1905 Valuation Rolls - from well-known land and property owners, to the tenants of Scotland's tenements. Some of the famous Scots whose property situation appears in the records are AJ Balfour, Keir Hardie, Sir Hugh Munro, Lady Gordon Cathcart, Baron Armitstead and Donald Stewart (head gamekeeper to Queen Victoria).

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said:

"ScotlandsPeople is a wonderful gateway to Scotland's wealth of archives that tell the story of our nation and its people. I welcome this latest addition to their digital resources, which can be enjoyed by the people of Scotland, and the people of Scottish descent everywhere".

Audrey Robertson, Acting Registrar General and Keeper of the Records of Scotland, said:

"The latest release of details about property owners and tenants in 1905 will be very useful for people researching the history of their family, or of their house or local area. The rolls can be searched alongside other records in ScotlandsPeople, and may help locate people who cannot be found in other sources".