30 November 2015

Call Letter: The Documentary Heritage Communities Program

For a second year, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) will continue to invest $1.5 million per year over five (5) years to implement the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP). Genealogical organizations/societies are specifically mentioned as eligible for support for qualifying activities.

The following is from Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the launch of the 2016–2017 funding cycle for the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP). This contribution program is a collaborative approach which will ensure the outreach of Canada’s local documentary heritage communities.
The contributions will support the development of Canada’s local archival and library communities and their professional associations by increasing their capacity to preserve, provide access to and promote documentary heritage, as well as provide opportunities for local documentary heritage communities to evolve and remain sustainable.
LAC invites all eligible organizations to apply at their earliest convenience. The deadline for the 2016–2017 funding cycle is February 26, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time).
Please note that the Guidelines, Application Form and Budget Form have been updated for the 2016–2017 funding cycle. Additional information on the DHCP, including eligibility criteria for organizations and initiatives, can be found on http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/contributions. Applicants are encouraged to contact LAC at (819) 997-0893 or 1-844-757-8035 (toll-free in Canada and the United States) prior to submitting an application for funding under the DHCP.

Old Ottawa Weather Records

"A Merchants' Weather Record Won a Court Case for Railway" is an article in the Ottawa Citizen of 17 November 1928.

The weather records  mentioned, kept by storekeeper Alex Workman and his accountant partner William Whillans, apparently start in the 1840s. That's long before the earliest official weather data for Ottawa which commences in April 1872.

Do you know if these records, or any other early Ottawa weather records, have survived and if so where?

British Newspaper Archive additions for November

The British Newspaper Archive now has 12,374,965 (12,055,155 last month) pages from 545 (530) titles online.
It appears the BNA is gingerly setting its foot in Norfolk. Lynn in the Wisbech Chronicle, General Advertiser and Lynn News refers to King's Lynn in Norfolk, Wisbeach is in Cambridgeshire. The Halesworth Times and East Suffolk Advertiser covers an area bordering on Norfolk. The full list of additions this month is:

29 November 2015

FreeBMD November Update

The FreeBMD Database was updated on Thursday 26 November 2015 to contain 250,740,216 distinct records, an increase of 515,206 records.
Years with major updates, more than 5,000 new entries, are for births:: 1963, 1966, 1971, 1973-75; for marriages: 1965-66, 1971-75; for deaths: 1973, 1976.

Where's your brickwall?

This is a repeat of a survey on the blog from May 2013 to see if things have changed.

As you work your genealogy back in time you eventually find an ancestor with parents, or one parent, you can't identify by first and last name. In my case my latest brickwall is a great grandparent who just seems to appear, gives conflicting information in censuses. W

Please take this quick one question where's your brickwall survey -- Click here to take survey?

Thank you.

Perth & District Historical Society 2016 Meeting Program

Check out the 10 events scheduled for 2016, the 200th anniversary of Perth and Region, by the Perth & District Historical Society at www.perthhs.org/events.html
Last time I tried to go to one of their meetings it was cancelled owing to a power cut. Maybe they'd like me to stay away!

28 November 2015

Remains of 204 people re-buried in Quebec City after extensive research

An interesting item from Gail Dever's Genealogy à la carte blog
"Earlier this month, a special ceremony took place at Mount Hermon Cemetery in Quebec City when 80 small caskets were buried. The caskets contained the remains of 204 unknown people, likely British immigrants or first-generation Canadians, who died between 1772 and 1848."
Gail's blog post summarises an article in French Dernier repos, in the Laval university’s journal on the research which has been conducted on the remains over the past decade.

There's a free session at Laval on 4 December which will describe some to the research.

27 November 2015

50% off Find My Past

Until the end of 30 November get 50% off subscriptions to Find My Past. The discount code BLACKFRIDAY15 should be valid at any of their sites including findmypast.com and findmypast.co.uk.

LAC temporary change in hours

If planning a visit to 395 Wellington between December 2 and 9 check out a temporary change in opening hours to facilitate renovations by Public Works and Government Services Canada. Different areas of the 2nd and 3rd floors are involved at various times so check out the situation for the area you want to visit here.
There's no official word but I suspect this may involve replacing carpets in which case you may not want to visit if you're sensitive to fumes outgassed.

26 November 2015

London, Watermen's records added at Findmypast

This week's additions at Findmypast are:

London, Watermen's petition for the King Charles I, 1648, a transcript for each of the 2,000 signees that lists their name, gender, the date they signed.

London, Watermen, birth register of contracted men, 1865-1921, a list of over 1,400 apprentices of the Worshipful Company of Waterman and Lighterman.

London, Watermen, Admiralty muster of the Port of London, 1628 is a register of employees of the Watermen Company who were considered for impressment into the Royal Navy recording the individual's name, age, number of naval voyages completed up to that time, residence and in some cases additional notes. There are 2,393 entries.

London, Watermen in Royal Navy, 1803-1809 consists of transcripts created from two nineteenth century documents held at the London Metropolitan Archives. 'Alphabetical list of Watermen in the Navy with the names of the ships on which they were serving when last heard of by their relatives' includes the names of 525 watermen, the names of the ships they served on and how many guns were on each vessel. Some entries include a waterman's rank and date of arrival on the ship. 'Alphabetical list of 105 members of the company killed in action in the Navy, or invalided in that service, naming their ships' lists the names of watermen who were discharged invalided, taken prisoner in France or killed in action.

London, Watermen, list of free watermen, 1827 is a 'mini census' of watermen that lists individuals' names and ages. The term 'free waterman' referred to members of the Worshipful Company of Waterman and Lighterman who had completed their apprenticeship and had been awarded "Freedom of the Company". More than 5,400 names are recorded on individual transcripts including the Freeman's name, birth year, age, the year they were added to the list and any additional notes.


More over-hyped Welsh genetic genealogy

In a post in May this year, Is Genetic Genealogy Being Over-hyped? I made reference to respected British genetic genealogist Debbie Kennett's critique of a TV programme Who are the Welsh broadcast on the Welsh language TV station S4C.
The station has now broadcast a second program which Debbie characterises as "a misleading mix of serious science and genetic astrology. You can read her blog post "My review of DNA Cymru Part 2 - the controversy continues:" Unfortunately for those of us outside the UK who would like to make our own assessment the program itself is only available on the BBC iPlayer.
Debbie's blog post contains interesting comments on phylogeography, the process of matching a genealogical lineage with its present-day geographical distribution.

US Thanksgiving

In Canada celebration of Thanksgiving is long gone. That doesn't stop me benefitting from the occasion of US Thanksgiving to give thanks to some favourite dedicated US genealogy bloggers.

The Legal Genealogist
Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
Genealogy's Star
Genea-Musings
Lisa Louise Cooke's Genealogy Gems
Genealogy Insider

There are many more, and not just US, at GeneaBloggers and Cindi's List blog category here,

Poverty in the East End

Annie Macpherson & The Gutter Children is a post on the Spitalfields Life blog drawn to my attending by Jane MacNamara. Macpherson may not be well known in the UK but certainly is in the Home Child research community of Canada.

I was unaware that the emigration of Home Children which started in 1869 could be linked to London’s 1866 cholera epidemic.

By coincidence Ancestry has just updated the database London, England, Selected Poor Law Removal and Settlement Records, 1698-1930 covering the Poor Law unions of Bethnal Green, Hackney, Poplar, Shoreditch, and Stepney. It now has 469,314 records, up from 290,134 when I last mentioned it in March 2014. 69,884 records are for Examinations, 240,968 for Orders of Removal and 158,457 for Settlement Papers.

Clicking on the browse facility there's an indication we may in the future be able to find records for Apprenticeship Papers and Poor Law School History Sheets for Bethnal Green; and Register of Lunatics for Hackney.




OGS Ottawa Branch November Meeting

The feature presentation on Saturday 28 November is Documenting the History of Rural Schools in Lanark County 
"After working for over 8 years to collect the stories, photos and records of the rural schools of Lanark County, the volunteers at Archives Lanark compiled and published books on 5 townships in 2010-2011. Their interest was renewed when they were successful in winning a legacy grant of $2500 in 2014 from the Ottawa Branch of the OGS to produce 3 more books within the next year.
The coordinators - Marilyn Snedden, Irene Spence and George Stewart - will described the problems and successes in producing their books on Ramsay, Drummond and Packenham as they fulfilled their mandate of the grant application."
The meeting will be simulcast  at http://genealogicalstudies.adobeconnect.com/ottawaogs/


The presentation is live at the City of Ottawa Archives, Tallwood Drive, at 1:30 pm preceded by networking and refreshments at 1 pm.

Further information at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/

Ottawa Genetic Genealogy Group Meeting


Saynine / Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Saturday 28 November at the Ottawa City Archives, 100 Tallwood Drive, Room 226,  at 9:30 am. will feature a presentation by Arthur Owen on use of autosomal DNA results.
"An autosomal DNA test can help you find distant cousins who may be able to assist you in extending your pedigree, breaking brick walls or finding you are researching the wrong family. However, sorting through
hundred of matches with thousands of matching DNA segments can be daunting for even the most dedicated genealogist.  While all three testing companies provide tools to assist you in your analysis, they are either incomplete or do not allow comparison with kits from other companies. This talk will provide an overview of third party tools that can assist you in taming the autosomal DNA data monster, in accessing tests from other companies that the owner has shared or in providing better analysis of your DNA matches and shared segments. While some of the tools are unique to tests from certain testing companies, the major ones can work with tests from any of the three autosomal testing companies in the United States."
The meeting will also discuss the future of our group regarding frequency of meetings and how to meet the requirements of both the new member segment and those who have acquired more experience in genetic genealogy.

All welcome.

25 November 2015

LAC images on Flickr

Since 2008 Library and Archives Canada has been adding photos to a collection on Flickr. There are now 4,343 photos in 147 categories. Here's the direct link to the LAC collection.The most viewed are:

Collection Views
Opening of the New Nitrate Film Preservation Facility 8,332
The Shamrock and the Maple Leaf 7,650
Sir John A Macdonald 6,100
Canada and the Second World War 6,014
Halifax Explosion 1917  5,797
Grosse Île 4,746
Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie 3,926
Vimy Ridge April 9, 1917  3,865
Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King 3,617
Kodachrome colour images of D-Day and Normandy 3,606
Canadian Women and the Peace Movement 3,450
D-Day 3,192
Trans-Canada Highway 3,028

This is a source for royalty free images so go ahead and use to illustrate your family history, but do credit the source.

Explore Flickr for many other sources, Canadian and otherwise, for creative commons licensed and no-cost images. For instance, the National Library of New Zealand just added 4,304 photos to The Commons.

HSO November Meeting: Alexander Mackenzie - Clear Grit

For November the Historical Society of Ottawa meeting welcomes John Morgan on the topic Alexander Mackenzie - Clear Grit
"If Sir John A. Macdonald helped define “what” we are, Alexander Mackenzie, Canada’s stonemason prime minister, helped define “who” we are. Drawing on family, archival and other records, John Morgan will shed some light on the character and accomplishments of Mackenzie, along with the influences that propelled him from his humble beginnings to the highest position in the land. This will begin with his early childhood in Scotland; immigration to Canada with his sweetheart; tragedies and triumphs as a young husband and stonemason in Upper Canada West; early political activities; time as prime minister; and later political years in opposition. In many respects, Alexander Mackenzie was the antithesis of Macdonald. Known for his utmost honesty, integrity and hard work, Mackenzie sought no recognition or reward for himself. A devout Baptist, he fought passionately for equality, democracy, the rule of law, and, honesty in government. A champion of Canada’s rights as a nation, Mackenzie declined three offers of knighthood, and almost came to blows with the Queen’s representative to Canada. Described at the time as “one of the truest and strongest characters to be met within Canadian history” and “the best debater the House of Commons has ever known”, his is a compelling story of duty and honour."
The date is 27 November at 1pm. As usual, the location is the Routhier Community Centre, 172 Gigues Ave, Ottawa. Further information at http://hsottawa.ncf.ca. Everyone welcome. 

24 November 2015

Call for Presentation Proposals - BIFHSGO Conference 2016

BIFHSGO's 22nd Annual Family History Conference is tentatively scheduled for September 9 - 11, 2016, to be held at Ben Franklin Place in Ottawa. Possible alternate dates of September 30 - October 2 will be confirmed by January 4, 2016.

The Conference committee is seeking presentation proposals for the conference which will focus on two main topics:

• Ireland — family history

• DNA in genealogy

Proposals on other topics relevant to British family history are also welcome. For more information about submitting proposals, please read the submission details. Deadline is January 31, 2016.

LAC launches online database, Carleton Papers―Loyalists and British Soldiers, 1772–1784.

This online database from Library and Archives Canada allows access to more than 54,000 references to names of Loyalists and British soldiers. Names were taken from the British Headquarters Papers, New York―also known as the Carleton Papers―which include a variety of documents about Loyalist soldiers, civilian refugees, as well as British and German soldiers who settled in Canada after the American Revolution (1776–1783).
The search form has fields for by Keyword, Given name(s), Surname, Rank, Regiment.
Results returned are Given Names(s), Surname, Rank, Regiment, Gender, Type of Document, Date (yyyy/mm/dd), Additional Information, Place where the Document was Created, Document Page Number, Fonds, Microfilm Number, Reference, Item Number.

Tony Robinson on Freemasonry

In connection with Ancestry's release of Freemason membership records Sir Tony Robinson takes us inside the United Grand Lodge of England in London to explore myth and fact of Freemasonry.

Unlocking the Past 2016 at Qualicom Beach

The Qualicum Beach Family History Society is out with an announcement of a one day event on Saturday, April 23, 2016.

Featured speakers are Colleen Fitzpatrick and Chris Paton.

Check out the details at www.qbfhs.ca/conference_2016/

Stereotypes

I'm Canadian.  Canada is mad about hockey. Therefore I'm mad about hockey.

The fallacy is obvious, especially to anyone who knows me.

In family history we often try to fill in gaps in our family stories by looking at what was typical in the larger community.

Robert went to the Yukon in the early 1900s. He must have been a miner exploiting the spoils of the Gold Rush. Right?

No.

Robert Service was a bank clerk, newspaperman and poet.

It helps avoid such errors if you think in terms of the Venn diagram and probabilities.

Don't get fooled by stereotypes.

23 November 2015

Call for Presentations: Ontario Genealogical Society Conference 2017

The annual Ontario Genealogical Society Conference in 2017 will be held in Ottawa on June 16-18 at Algonquin College. The theme of the conference is Our Canada – Your Family: Building a Nation. As 2017 will be the 150th anniversary of the birth of Canada, Ottawa Branch OGS will host the annual OGS conference and give the Conference a national flair, bringing together genealogists and family historians from all over Canada. We are looking for speakers and talks of interest to genealogists from all provinces.

     In keeping with this theme, we invite proposals for presentations on: family history from every region and territory of Canada (e.g. Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia); migration to and from Canada and also within Canada and how this helped to not only build our families, but also Canada; pre- and post-1867 research in Upper Canada; religious associations; military connections; the latest updates on computer, social media and genealogy database technology; the ever growing use of DNA testing for genealogy; and skill-building for family historians (e.g. use of the genealogy proof standard, getting more out of online resources).  Speakers from other related disciplines are welcome! Statisticians, demographers, archaeologists, researchers, archivists, librarians, geographers, cartographers, scientists, theologians, doctors, PhD candidates, software gurus, internet intellectuals, social media mavens, and historians of all kinds have information of interest to family historians and we would like to hear from you!
     Most sessions will be one hour long. Sessions may be streamed in or out of the Conference venue. Topics for interactive, hands-on workshops are also welcome (typically half-day sessions). Speakers will receive an honorarium, plus appropriate expenses and complimentary Conference registration. In early 2017, speakers will submit content for inclusion in a syllabus.
     Please submit your proposals by e-mail. Include your full name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, website address (if applicable) and biographical information including recent speaking credits. For each proposal, please provide a unique title, a summary of your presentation (250 words maximum), the intended audience (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and your A/V requirements. Multiple proposals are encouraged.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS IS FEBRUARY 15, 2016

To submit proposals or ask questions, please contact the Conference 2017 Program Committee at: program.conference2017@ogs.on.ca. For more information about OGS or Ottawa Branch respectively, please visit: www.ogs.on.ca or www.ogsottawa.on.ca.

Héritage Project moves to next phase

The following is an announcement from Canadiana.ca
The Héritage Project, a ten-year initiative to digitize and build online access to a vast range of microfilm records stored at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), recently completed its first phase with 39 million pages digitized since 2013 (including a record-setting 21 million pages in 2014).
During this first phase, Canadiana.org strove to make microfilm records available to the public as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, using mass digitization strategies that ensured a minimal interruption of the project workflow. As a result, many collections emerged from this first sweep incomplete, either because reels were out in circulation or otherwise unavailable at the time of scanning.
For more details on which portions of the project are (in)complete, please consult the index Héritage - Reels Online using Mikan numbers as a reference, or contact us at info@canadiana.org for more assistance. Please note that "completion" refers only to content included in the project parameters; in many cases, LAC holds additional material that was not selected for immediate digitization. You can also check for any specific reel by entering the reel number directly into the online Search box.
As of today, some 21,187 digitized reels are available out of a projected ~22,700, and work is ongoing to tackle incomplete collections systematically and locate the missing reels.
With digitization virtually complete, Canadiana.org has moved on to the next phases of the project: prioritizing collections of high public interest for transcription and generating linked metadata to enhance search and discovery.
The top twenty digitized catalogue items, in terms of number of pages, identified by Canadiana as of genealogical interest are:

Document Title Pages (1000s)
Canada. Immigration Branch. First Central Registry, 1873-1973 (subject and case files maintained in the first central registry system. The files relate to a wide variety of topics: settlement, ethnic groups, promotion of Canada abroad, immigration policy & procedure, illegal immigrants, administration, finances, etc. There are lists of names of individual immigrants on many of the subject files.) 414
Shipping Registers 222
Canada. Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Copyright Office. Copyright Indexes, 1868-1974 (indexes to the names of those who filed for registration of copyright, and a series of title indexes which are arranged according to the nature of the work in which the copyright was registered, for example, literary, dramatic, musical and artistic. For the period prior to April 1938, only nominal indexes are available.) 211
Land Documents, 1763-1952 (originals and registers containing copies of leases, releases, deeds, grants, surrenders, sales, letters patent of land and related documents for Crown and Clergy Reserves, Indian and Ordnance Land, Dominion Land, etc. The documents relate to Quebec, Upper and Lower Canada, Canada East and Canada West and Canada.) 150
Upper Canada. Civil Secretary. Sundries (consists of letters, petitions, reports, returns and schedules, certificates, accounts, warrants, legal opinions, instructions and regulations, proclamations and other documents received by the Civil Secretary of Upper Canada, 1791-1841. There is much material of genealogical interest: letters, character references, land and settler petitions, family histories, criminal charges, licenses, pardons, requests for war losses compensation, etc.) 150
North-West Territories Métis scrip applications, 1885- 1906 RG 15, D II 8(c) Volumes 1333-1372, Index (applications for scrip made between 1886 and 1906 by Métis living in the Northwest Territories and received by one of the Northwest Half-Breeds Claims Commissions. The applications give the name of applicant, his/her residence, place and date of birth, name of parents and origins, if married, etc.) 113
Canada. Industry Canada. Registrar General. Miscellaneous registers, 1850-1953 (The records contain a variety of documents such as copies of Bonds, Charters of Incorporation, Commissions, Contracts, Letters Patent of Invention, Licences, Proclamations, Warrants and Writs. Also, land records including Conveyances, Deeds, Grants, Leases, Releases, Quit Claims and Sales. The term "miscellaneous" was applied to registers in which one entered a variety of documents.) 112
Jacques-Henri Fabien collection (consists of genealogical information over the period 1657 to 1974, distributed on more than 250,000 cards, drawn for the majority from parochial registers. In general, the topic are marriages and cards indicate date, names of husbands and their fathers and mothers, as well as the parish where took place the event. The collection also contains information on marriage contracts, as well as newspaper cuttings and obituaries.) 105
Canada. Correctional Service of Canada. Kingston Penitentiary, 1834-1994 (records include; inmate history description ledgers (1886-1954); inmate personal effects ledgers; the Warden's letter books and daily journals; Inspector's minute books and letter book; liberation books; punishment books; duty rosters; daily reports of Keepers and Guards; and various medical registers.) 93
Upper Canada. Executive Council. Land Minute Books, 1798-1841, and indexes (consists of minute books which record the deliberations and decisions of the Executive Council, sitting as a land committee, concerning land business during the period 1787-1841. These records are commonly known as the "Land Books".) 57
Quebec, Lower Canada, Canada East. Civil Secretary’s correspondence, 1760-1841, “ S Series” (Incoming correspondence, petitions, reports and other documents received by the Civil Secretary on behalf of the Governor, with some drafts of replies, are the backbone of the "S Series". The drafts and copies of Minutes of Council, petitions and reports submitted to Council, and other records created or accumulated by the Clerk to the Executive Council run parallel to the Secretary's correspondence. The series also consists of 3867 postal covers covering the period from 1759 to 1846, which were in most cases mailed from villages in Lower Canada.) 51
Gaudet, Placide, 1850-1930, Fonds (consiste en généalogies acadiennes et en notes généalogiques préparées par Placide Gaudet) 33
Canada. Correctional Service of Canada. Stony Mountain Penitentiary (Winnipeg), 1872-1921 (consists mainly of letterpress copies of correspondence. Included are the Warden's letter books (1872-1913), Accountant's letter books (1878-1902), Surgeon's letter books (1885-1897) and Inspector's minute books (1882-1889). Also included are Inmate Admittance Books (1871-1921). 25
Miller, W. J. , Collection (consists of genealogies compiled by Miller relating to 1200 families of Leeds County, Ont., 1398-1983; consists of charts, correspondence, certificates, announcements, invitations, greeting cards, newspaper clippings, photographs, wills, land records, etc.) 22
Seigniorial Papers, 1733-1902. Series 2 (contains correspondence and papers relating to seigniorial lands; property transactions such as rents, mills, wills, roads, bridges and wills ) 20
Affidavits from Métis and Original ‘White’ Settlers, 1870-1885 RG 15, D II 8(A) Volumes 1319-1324 (Consists of affidavits by Métis children in support of their claim to participate in the special 1,400,000-acre land grant identified under section 31, 33 Victoria, chapter 3 (the Manitoba Act) and by Métis heads of family under 37 Victoria, chapter 20. In each case, the affidavits give the name of the claimant, date of birth, parents' names, parish affiliation, affidavit number, and claim number.) 15
Quebec (and Lower Canada). Civil Secretary. Applications for Commissions as Notaries, 1760-1852 (Submitted by persons wishing licences to practice as notaries or as advocate. A variety of supporting documents are found with the letters and petitions, attesting to the applicant's education, training and good character.) 15
Canada. Royal Canadian Mounted police. Crime Indexes and registers, 1902-1919 (consists of crime indexes and registers. Until 1918 most offenses such as theft, assault, drunkenness, cruelty to animals, rape and similar cases which came before NWMP magistrates, or in which a member of the force was laying the charge, are listed in these crime indexes and registers, together with a notation of the punishment or fine meted out to the offender. They also contain information concerning war classifications such as movement of aliens, prisoners of war, parole certificates, Military Service Act defaulters, Bolshevik activities and the seizure of drugs.) 13
France. Archives des Colonies. Série G2. Dépôt des papiers publics des colonies; greffes judiciaires, 1666-1758 (La série G2 regroupe des documents provenant de greffes judiciaires. On y retrouve des dossiers de procédures civiles et criminelles: requêtes, procès-verbaux d'enquêtes, d'interrogatoires, de perquisitions, de saisies et d'arbitrages, assignations, plumitifs d'audiences, arrêts, sentences, etc. On y trouve beaucoup de titres de propriétés et de pièces relatives aux successions, tutelles, faillites et ventes judiciaires ou même à la régie interne de ces tribunaux. Cette série regroupe les 5 sous-séries suivantes: Conseil supérieur de Louisbourg, Bailliage de Louisbourg, Conseil supérieur et bailliage de Louisbourg, Conseil supérieur de Québec et Contrôle de la Marine de Québec.) 13
Canada. Immigration Branch. Juvenile inspection report cards, 1920-1932 (Created by Immigration officials as they regularly inspected children brought to Canada by various organizations, including Barnardos. Arranged alphabetically by surname. Includes: name, age or date of birth, date of arrival, name of ship, name of Home/Union, dates and results of inspections, and name and address of employer(s). Many of the cards include informative follow-up comments.) 12

Registration opening for the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit

Have you heard about the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit, scheduled for October 21 - 23, 2016 at the Courtyard Marriott - Brampton, Ontario?
According to the website registration opens at 10 am on 23 November.
Check out the updated list of speakers at http://www.cangensummit.ca/

22 November 2015

Honouring the (really) elderly

Thanks to a note from Jane MacNamara I learnt of the Flickering Lamps blog, on the history of our (British) surroundings. The most recent post, The Centenarian in Brentford’s Workhouse: piecing together the life of Mary Hicks, is a fine example of a genealogical investigation prompted by a gravestone. Also admire the blog's photography.
Jane mentioned the story reminded her of a study she made while working on the Toronto Trust Cemeteries Project. Jane's blog post on that is here.
Taphophiles will likely also enjoy regular Monday posts on the Cemetery Club blog.

Findmypast adds England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1832-1932 Image Browse

On Friday 9 October Findmypast released a name indexed database England and Wales Electoral Registers 1832-1932, covered here on the blog.
This Friday's release England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1832-1932, Image Browse appears to be another way into the same data, useful if the name indexing isn't finding what you think should be there. Here's what's available:



County

# of Registers

First and Last Years

Bedfordshire

35

1885 - 1915

Berkshire

164

1853 - 1926

Buckinghamshire

210

1843 - 1931

Cambridgeshire

99

1873 - 1931

Cheshire

382

1885 - 1931

Cornwall

172

1832 - 1931

Cumberland

121

1841 - 1931

Derbyshire

41

1896 - 1931

Devon

463

1859 - 1931

Dorset

291

1851 - 1931

Durham

748

1885 - 1931

Essex

442

1859 - 1931

Glamorganshire

96

1851 - 1930

Gloucestershire

167

1849 - 1931

Hampshire

261

1844 - 1931

Herefordshire

112

1842 - 1931

Hertfordshire

193

1860 - 1930

Huntingdonshire

11

1857 - 1863

Isle of Wight

10

1854 - 1866

Kent

541

1842 - 1931

Lancashire

956

1847 - 1931

Leicestershire

349

1835 - 1931

Lincolnshire

200

1832 - 1931

London

386

1857 - 1932

Middlesex

415

1857 - 1932

Norfolk

426

1852 - 1931

Northamptonshire

108

1854 - 1931

Northumberland

214

1817 - 1931

Nottinghamshire

359

1843 - 1932

Rutland

67

1842 - 1931

Somerset

111

1844 - 1931

Staffordshire

213

1851 - 1915

Suffolk

257

1839 - 1915

Surrey

100

1864 - 1914

Sussex

152

1855 - 1931

Warwickshire

244

1855 - 1931

Westmorland

157

1860 - 1915

Wiltshire

190

1860 - 1915

Worcestershire

1

1886 - 1886

Yorkshire

652

1860 - 1931

-->
In both collections Monmouthshire and all Welsh counties except Glamorganshire are missing. The Glamorganshire registers are for Merthyr Tydfil.  Findmypast informs me the remaining registers for Wales have not yet been digitised and a date for the digitisation has not been set.