Scotland’s property records go online

THE release of property records dating to 1905 has given an insight into the changing social fabric of Scotland through t he century.

The papers record the names of owners, tenants and occupiers of every kind of building, structure or property in the country which were assessed as having a rateable value.

An examination of the documents show the growth in women owning property and running businesses, the rise in sports and recreation clubs, the development of music halls and theatres, and the expansion of railway hotels.

The names of more than two million Scots are featured, including former prime minister Arthur James Balfour and mountaineer Hugh Munro.

The Valuation Rolls for 1905 are released for the first time via scotlandspeople, the official Government family history website, and could prove a useful tool for genealogists, historians and other researchers.

Culture and External Affairs Secretary 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 people of Scottish descent everywhere.”

The Valuation Rolls are available to view online at scotlandspeople.gov.uk and at the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh.