Do you belong? Seeking to fit into a group, maybe even a group of misfits, meets a human need. Online social networking has taken this to a new level of technological sophistication, if not profundity.
Our ancestors, handicapped as they were without Facebook, were still able to make do. The Sons of England and Beechwood Cemetery, by Glenn Wright, an article in the Winter 2007 issue of Anglo-Celtic Roots, BIFHSGO's quarterly chronicle, explores one such group.
As explained in the article, the Sons of England were founded in Toronto in 1874. By 1896 there were 13,000 members in hundreds of lodges across Canada. Membership required payment of a weekly fee for which medical attendance, medicine and, if required, a funeral allowance were paid.
Membership directories, other publications, and lists of people attending events are sources in which you may find an ancestor's name. The fact that a grandfather or great-grandfather was a member of such a society is not the kind of information that is often known by later generations. A search in records of this and similar societies, often found in local archives, may reveal an unanticipated aspect of your ancestor's interests.
11 December 2007
Sons of England
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2 comments:
I know that my great-great grandfather was the president of the Kent lodge, Sons of England. But that's all I know. How do I search for more info related to this?
Beth: If you know the location try contacting the local archives, genealogy society or public library. The organization may be listed in a city directory.
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