Carnoustie History - Resources For Researchers
Introduction
There are many resources available for the study of Carnoustie's past. Some are held in Carnoustie Library while others are housed in the Angus Archives in Montrose. There are also many sources available in the National Archives of Scotland, such as Kirk Session records.
Genealogy sources
Carnoustie Library holds a good range of genealogical sources such as Old Parish Registers and the census (1841-1901) on microfilm plus the IGI on microfiche. Carnoustie now encompasses 2 parishes: Barry and Panbride. You may need to search in both if you do not have a specific location. Barry is the most likely parish until the town began to expand into the neighbouring parish of Panbride in the late 19th century.
The Angus Archives holds the Valuation Roll collection for the whole of Angus. Carnoustie is covered from 1885 onwards.
Directory information such as voters, professions etc has been extracted from the Dundee Directory for many years in the 20th century. These are available in both the Library and Angus Archives.
Newspapers
Guide and Gazette
The main newspaper for Carnoustie is commonly referred to as the Guide and Gazette. It has a variety of longer and more formal titles such as the Broughty Ferry Guide and Carnoustie Gazette, dating mainly from 1906. Only more recent years are kept as unbound copies, the remainder being available on microfilm. These are available in Carnoustie Library only. Newspapers are an invaluable source of local history.
Newspaper cuttings
Carnoustie also has a series of newspaper cuttings albums, compiled by a private donor and reflecting their interests. They date from 1921 to the 1950's. Golf is a major topic but other topics are covered. Both Carnoustie Library and the Angus Archives have copies of these albums in their local reference libraries.
The newspapers and the newspaper cuttings albums are not indexed. You will require to set aside a reasonable amount of time to search out information.
Maps
Carnoustie Library holds a small collection of maps, mainly Ordnance Survey. Also included are Roy's Military Survey 1747 - 1755 and late 18th century boundary maps of local farms. The Angus Archives has a plan of Carnoustie estate from the late 18th century.
Archival sources
Town Council records
Carnoustie has a large collection of town council records, dating from 1895 to 1975. These records include Town council minutes, police commissioner records, police court records (100 years closure period applies), a good sequence of Dean of Guild plans and petitions, and other smaller, patchy sequences plus ephemera.
These records, except for the plans, must be booked 2 weeks in advance
The Dean of Guild plans for Carnoustie are not complete but do cover a great many buildings constructed or altered between 1895 and 1975. In all there are sets of plans for 316 properties, private and commercial. A street index is available to researchers.
Angus County Council records
Education
County council records are largely organised by parish, so to get a complete picture of Carnoustie, you need to consider searches in both Barry and Panbride parishes, or know in advance in which parish an ancestor lived.
School records, admissions registers and log books, have survived for both parishes.
Please check with Archives staff as these items have a closure period. Items out with a closure period must be ordered in advance.
Poor relief
Barry parochial records date back to the mid 19th century and include items such as the Register of Poor Persons in Barry dating from 1845. Barry Parochial Board records can be found at ACC 9/6 and those of Panbride at ACC9/45
Poor relief records are subject to closure periods. Items out with a closure period must be ordered in advance.
Miscellaneous Collection (MS)
There are some Carnoustie items in the Miscellaneous collection. These include:
Carnoustie Shopkeepers Plate Glass Insurance Association, 1890-1979, MS 255
Carnoustie Co-Operative Association, MS 511
Charles Jarvis, V. C. papers, MS 566
Carnoustie 200 Committee minutes, 1996-1998, MS 597
Carnoustie Music Club minute book, 1968-1998, MS 626
Carnoustie Townswomen's Guild 1964-1986, MS 636
Other sources
The Angus Archives holds a number of other sources for Carnoustie history.
The Carnoustie Chartulary which details feuing from the Carnoustie estate between 1823 to 1904. Copyright restrictions apply.
Carnoustie Photograph Collection
Angus Archives holds a variety of images of the town and its people from the late 19th century to more recently. Images include street views, Provosts, the golf courses and seafront and various Pierrot entertainers. The print collection of images amounts to 255 items at present.
New additions to this collection are always welcome. Reproductions of copyright free photographs are available. Please request a price list.
Carnoustie Research Files
Angus Archives has a growing collection of files on Carnoustie industry, commerce, personalities, historic buildings, recreation and many other topics.
© Angus Council 1998 - 2010