ALT The door of the former Sasine Office at General Register House, seen past agapanthus flowers in the foreground - plants with small, delicate blue petals.

ALT Closeup on a row of red and brown registers of births from the late 1800s, on shelves.

ALT Screenshot of the search page on the NRS Web Archive.

ALT A woman looking at the Scotland’s People website on her phone, next to a branded pop-up banner.

ALT An interactive census map showing an area of the Scottish borders. Specifically, it shows the number of people in that area aged 16 and over who are in part time employment.

ALT Two women looking at a book in the Historical Search Room at General register House, Edinburgh. The book is sitting on a cushion to protect it from damage.

ALT Handwritten letter with large and neat but clearly childish handwriting. The words have archaic spellings. Text, in mostly modern English: “lady minny this is to show you that I have received your fruit & thanks you therefore & is ready for me when ye please to send them & shall give as few by me as I may. & I will not trouble you farther while meeting quick shall be as sowntlie as I may god willing and so fare ye weill as I do thanks to god. James R.

ALT Black and white illustration of a lighthouse in a raging sea at night. Text: For The Safety of All: Scotland's Lighthouses. A free exhibition. Wednesday 3 Aug - 25 Sep. General Register House, Edinburgh.

ALT An itemised list of jewellery owned by Queen Mary I, in archaic French script. The list details various items of jewellery garnished with rubies, diamonds, pearls, coral, amethysts and garnets. Exchequer records: E35/3/3

ALT Now hiring! Digital Imaging Unit Team Leader

ALT A handwritten cookbook, photographed with conservation tools. Ingredients are on the right, inside circles. Terms used here: A mutchkin – a Scottish unit of measurement of liquids used from the mid 17th century until the late 19th century. It is equivalent to 424 ml. Lights of a lamb – Lamb lungs. ‘Seck’, a variant of ‘Sack’ – a wine term referring to white fortified wine imported from mainland Spain or the Canary Islands. Curran – currant. Nutmug – Nutmeg.

ALT An internal memo from Michael Forsyth MP with a suggested answer to a question from Robert Hayward MP, about the conduct of football fans in Italy for the 1990 World Cup. Extract: “I suggest that Number 10 be offered for the Prime Minister’s use, should Mr Hayward’s question mention Scottish fans: “The 20,000 Scottish fans in Italy behaved very well and won the good opinion of their hosts. They were excellent ambassadors for Scotland and I am delighted to endorse the widespread praise which their behaviour has attracted.”