There is exceptionally good news for researchers with interests in Banffshire! A successful application to the Strathmartine Trust has enabled Banffshire Field Club to carry out digitisation of its archive of Transactions dating back to 1880. These printed papers represent a treasure-house of knowledge about historical Banffshire. Hitherto they existed only as hard-copy pamphlets, their assets known only to a few scholarly devotees. Among the contributors were respected personalities such as William Cramond, renowned local historian, as well as Alistair and Henrietta Tayler, whose research into Jacobites of North-East Scotland is highly regarded.

As a result of the digitisation process, website users can now carry out a text search of over 6,000 pages of archive material, all available free of charge. A search, for example, using the term “Braco” brings up 45 different titles, the topics of which include the history of Banffshire’s roads, the Regality of Strathisla, traditional music and, unsurprisingly, family history. All these articles can be viewed as PDF files and freely downloaded and printed for private use.

Visitors to https://www.banffshirefieldclub.org.uk also have the opportunity to participate in a discussion forum on topics of relevance to Banffshire. Another feature of the new website is an online shop, where a selection of Banffshire Field Club publications is available for purchase.

The formal launch event was held in June 2019 at Strathisla Distillery in Keith, in the presence of Banffshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Clare Russell, and other invited guests.