07 December 2017

BIFHSGO December Meeting

Great Moments in Genealogy is BIFHSGO's ever popular December session. I wouldn't miss it, this month it looks like another winner. 

In lieu of the regular Before BIFHSGO mini-education session, this month will feature holiday shopping and jolly social time. From 9am-10am there will be coffee, tea, a few holiday treats and an opportunity to shop for family history-related gifts with Global Genealogy (contact them ahead of time if you have any special requests) and Ubbink Book and Paper Conservation. We are also having a "Whose Ancestor Is This?" quiz. Photos of ancestors will be posted along with photos of our Board members and our members get to match them up. Look forward to a surprise quiz, maybe more, and cash-shopping opportunities too!

Starting at 10 am on Saturday, 9 December 2017.

In Killin
In October 2016 Brenda Turner traveled to Killin, in Perthshire, firstly, to finally see the highlands, and secondly, to do some family history research for a distant cousin whose family had come to Canada from there. Intending to stay only perhaps just overnight, she stayed for several days, and had great fun and success in her researches. Her cousin was delighted to receive her evidence of her research. But then, back in Canada, several months later, she had new reasons to research what had been going on in Killin in about 1815.

About the speaker
Brenda Turner is a retired former public servant with a long history of family history research. She has been visiting the UK for many years pursuing her family’s stories.

The Skeleton in my Closet
Dr. Robert George Clements was a cousin of John McConkey’s grandfather. Bertie (as he was known) seemed to be a successful physician, having started his career in Belfast and later moving to England. Bertie had several wives – sadly each of them became severely ill and died before their time. None of these deaths were regarded as unusual – except for that of his 4th (and final) wife who died in May 1947. The events following her death created sensational headlines in British newspapers. John’s talk tells the story – it has a surprising finale!

About the speaker
John McConkey was born in the UK - on the Isle of Wight. He earned his B.Sc. at King's College London and worked for International Computers Ltd for 5 years. In 1971 he and his wife immigrated to Canada, with the intention of spending 2 years seeing the country and getting to know relatives - but that 2 year period got extended! They both found computer work in Montreal and then moved the family to Ottawa in 1982 when John received an offer from Nortel. He stayed with Nortel for 17 years and then ran a small network consulting business for 10 years. Now retired, he (and his wife) spend a considerable amount of their time engaged in family history research. John has visited Northern Ireland 3 times and has had significant success with ancestral discoveries there. He organizes reunions for Canadian and British family, transcribes for Ancestry and the North of Ireland Family History Society and is volunteer technical coordinator at BIFHSGO meetings and conferences.

A Young Soldier
Follow the lives of the Thomas Moor family and in particular the life of his eldest son, young Tom Moor. Follow their story, as told by Sharon and Jeff Moor, from London, England to Montreal, Canada, and eventually to Toronto, after periods of time in Detroit and Brantford.  At the age 18, young Tom Moor would make a decision in his young life that would have an impact on his parent’s lives and leave his own mark on Canadian History during the North West Rebellion.

About the speakers
Sharon Moor is a 14-year member of BIFHSGO and a past membership director. She has researched her family tree and her husband’s family tree across Canada, US, England, and Scotland.

Jeff Moor is the son of Sharon Moor. Jeff is a 27-year veteran of the federal public service. His own roots started as a child in Saskatchewan. He has taken an interest in how his family roots link to key Canadian historical events.

Einstein, eBay and the Red Cross – How I Found Fame and Fortune Using my Genealogical Superpowers
When Matthew Harding was going through a box of old books one day, he made an unexpected discovery. Learn how years of genealogy Conferences, workshops and courses paid off as he set out researching an unusual inscription, and instead went on a fascinating voyage into history.

About the speaker
Matthew Harding first joined BIFHSGO in 1995, way back before the Internet was even popular, when doing genealogical research meant becoming an expert at threading filmstrips into the !@#@#!@#@! Microfilm reader. Born in Essex, England, he has lived all around the world but is proud to call Ottawa his home. Matthew runs an IT Consulting firm called The KTL Group. He also happens to be married to BIFHSGO’s new Program Director, and was made to promise not to embarrass her during this talk (good luck). Please don’t ask him about his genealogical tattoo.

As usual it's all in The Chamber, Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa, Ontario

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