29/05/2008 08:37:00
A new Family History Centre has been opened in Perth, offering people hungry to learn about their ancestors access to a range of old records.
The centre, launched by Perth & Kinross Council, holds parish records from across the central Scotland area.
According to the BBC, the earliest document is dated at 1553 and is from Errol - a village situated between Dundee and Perth.
In addition, the centre offers digitised records of births, deaths and marriages dating from 1855 up to the present day.
The BBC states that the region has already attracted tourists from around the world, including Australia, the USA and Canada, hoping to find out more about their family history.
The Family History Centre was launched by Provost John Hulbert on Wednesday 28 May. He said: "Researching family history has become an increasingly popular pastime in recent years. This dedicated centre will be a valuable resource for people looking for information about their family tree.
"I am sure it will be a very well-used facility."
Access to the Perth centre is by appointment only, and trained staff members are on hand to assist budding genealogists with their research.
Ancestral tourism plays a large part in the Scottish travel industry, with the tourist board operating a variety of travel packages dedicated to genealogical research. Family research centres can be found across the country, especially in the Western Isles and Glasgow.