British Slave-owning Ancestors?

Using a new website from University College London, http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/

you can look up the names of those who received compensation, and the amount, from the British government for freeing their slaves. Check the surnames in your family tree to get an idea of how widespread slave-ownership was.

For example, 79 individuals with surname Reid received compensation, some with just a couple, two with more 1000 slaves.

According to an article at http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/2013/02/27/database-lets-britons-find-slave-owning-ancestors/WGcxMmzgTxFpkjiTJ7jlDL/story.html "about 46,000 people were paid a total of 20 million pounds — the equivalent of 40 percent of all annual government spending at the time — after the freeing of slaves in British colonies in the Caribbean, Mauritius and southern Africa."

 

Ancestry adds Vancouver, British Columbia, Mountain View Cemetery Index, 1887-2007 and "death takes a holiday"

Ancestry.ca now facilities searching index entries for Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery, 1887-2007. Located west of Fraser St, between 31st Ave and 43rd Ave it's made up of 106 acres of land with approximately 92,000 grave sites and 145,000 interred remains. Background information is at http://vancouver.ca/your-government/mountain-view-cemetery.aspx

 

Searching is by name and date of death with incomplete information acceptable.

The original database can also be searched through the iCemetery app for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, where you can also zoom in on a map to pinpoint the grave site.

 

The exact number of people in the database is 139,892, so with 365.25 days per year the average number for deaths for a given day, irrespective of year, should be 383. You sometimes hear of the "death takes a holiday" effect where people postpone their death until after a holiday. What's the evidence from this Vancouver database?

 

22 Dec 402

23 Dec 446

24 Dec 372

25 Dec 304

26 Dec 286

27 Dec 347

28 Dec 382

29 Dec 469

30 Dec 474

31 Dec 989

1 Jan 502

2 Jan 405

3 Jan 416

 

The data looks suspicious. Looking at the database on the iPhone many entries have either a death or interment date, not both. I suspect Ancestry may have sometimes mistakenly entered the interment date in their database in place of the death date. Beware.

 

Not Wanted

It used to be that using the smaller rooms in the Library and Archives Canada building was free to community group with a purpose related to that organization's mandate. Then Public Works and Government Services Canada took over. The “advertised” price for a meeting room is $25.

BUT

 

add $125 for Internet access

add $250 for a staff member to supervise

add $60 administrative fee

TOTAL $460

And add HST

The message could not be clearer.

 

That's how it is in Harper's Canada.

 

UPDATE

I'm now informed that if the meeting is less than two hours the cost would "only" be $375.84 including tax.

Canadians at WDYTYA Live

 

BIFSGO President Glenn Wright photographed on the upper level of the event building, one where the RCMP Musical Ride first performed internationally in the 1930s.

Ed and Elizabeth Kipp lining up for sausage on a bun, a popular midday snack for Canadians

Lesley Anderson prepares for a presentation for Ancestry (removed at Lesley's request).

 

 

Memorial University of Newfoundland weee present and continually busy with folks looking to find records for their mariner ancestors.

Only in the US

In a press release from Ancestry.com "AncestryDNA Test Provides An Affordable, Easy Way to Learn About Your Past and Family" we learn that "Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced the public availability of its AncestryDNA test to U.S. residents."

 

Ancestry continues to hype their test and confuse clients with statements such as "Whereas older consumer DNA tests utilized only 46 DNA markers, this new test analyzes more than 700,000 DNA marker locations and cross-references them with its one-of-a-kind comprehensive worldwide catalogue of DNA samples." The former refers to a Y-DNA test of STRs, the latter to SNPs from across the DNA.

 

AncestryDNA still does not release raw results to clients, offers 200,000 fewer markers than 23andMe with less sophisticated analysis, and at twice the cost for Ancestry non-subscribers.

 

And only available to US residents.

 

FreeBMD February Update

The FreeBMD Database was last updated on Saturday 23 February 2013 and currently contains 226,280,181 distinct records.

Significant updates, more than 5,000 records, are: for births for the years 1943, 1945, 1955, 1958-1966; for marriages 1952, 1956, 1961-1968; for deaths 1964-1968.

1911 Census now with Nominal Index at LAC

Once again Library and Archives Canada has released a nominally indexed census on their website, this for 1911.
There is a good discussion of the census and its contents at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1911/Pages/about-census.aspx
Once again you have to go to the bottom of the help file to read that LAC "gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Ancestry.ca, without which this project would not have been possible."  That means that Ancestry funded most of the work.

Drastic Cut at Library and Archives Canada

Main Estimates tabled in the House of Commons on Monday reflect the Harper government's continued low priority for Canada's documentary heritage.

 

For 2013-14 the allocation for LAC is $98.3 million, down more than 16% from $117.7 million in the present year. Budgetary allocations for Exploration of Documentary Resources fall from $34.3 million to $29.9 million; for Preservation of Continuing Memory from $31.9 million to $21.3 million; and for Documentation of the Canadian Experience from 15.9 million to $14.2 million.

 

Ottawa-based federal cultural institutions all see decreases in Main Estimates allocations.

 

A substantial increase for the Halifax-based Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, from $9.9 million to $18.5 million, and a tripling of the allocation for the Winnipeg-based Canadian Museum for Human Rights, from $10 million to $31.7 million are accounted for by allocations for accommodation (capital construction.)

 

The Department of Canadian Heritage sees a 2.9% increase, from $1,280 million in the current year to $1,317 million in 2013-14. This includes a one-time allocation of $122.3 million for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto so expenditures on other cultural activities are being reduced.

Looking for a Genealogical Professional?

I'm sometimes asked to do genealogical research for a fee - it's not something I accept. I'm also asked to recommend people to do such genealogical research and hesitate to do so. Instead I refer them to lists from an accreditation organization.

In my view full membership in such an organization should only be granted to those who have a track record of relevant experience.They should have demonstrated to the organization through impartial peer-evaluated work samples a professional standard of practice, and must continue to keep up to date with evolving knowledge with periodic renewal of their accreditation.

The organization should provide a procedure whereby complaints about a member's activity can be resolved.

It is not good enough that the organization rely on a person's commitment to perform under a code of conduct without any test,

Nor is it good enough that a renewal be granted based on work which does not demonstrate knowledge of recent research developments.

 

There appears to be no such active Canada-wide organization.

In the UK the organization that comes closest is AGRA, The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives. However it does not appear there is a renewal process so skills could become dated while remaining accredited.

In Ireland The Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland seems to be very much parallel to AGRA.

In the USA the Board for Certification of Genealogists appears to meet all my criteria. For renewal they must demonstrate that their knowledge and ability have kept pace with genealogical standards and that they are still working to those standards. It is unclear whether that includes knowledge of DNA-based techniques.. The US-based International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists is a similar accreditation organization and while it does require familiarity with new electronic and digital resources there is also no mention of DNA-based techniques.

The Association of Professional Genealogists conducts no test of member's skills. Although there are certainly well qualified members I would be especially hesitant to hire someone solely on the basis of their membership in APG.

 

Overall the lists of members of these organizations can be regarded as providing candidates for someone wanting to hire a professional genealogist rather than names of people one can be assured will meet your particular requirements.

Blogging Pause

You may find the pace of blogging here slows for a few days. I'll be back.

WDYTYA Day 3

I didn't get to the show on the third day. Every indication was it would be quieter as was the case the previous two years I attended. Several attendees the two previous days told me they we're not attending including Dick Eastman pictured here on day 1 with Debra Chatfield and Ian the Judge from Find My Past dressed to reflect the significance of the newly released criminal records from the TNA collection. Debra filled me in on Friday on the bidding process by which companies get to digitize and release TNA record sets, something the LAC could learn a lot from.

WDYTYA? Live Handout

For those who were not able to pick up a handout from the talk Glenn Wright and I gave on Saturday, here is the text.

Researching English Emigrants to Canada and their Descendants

Before looking at Canadian records ensure you have established a unique identity of the migrant in the UK and the latest date they are found in UK records. Did they leave as part of a group or family?

If after 1890 check the UK outgoing passenger lists at FindMyPast or Ancestry. Check the Canadian incoming passenger lists if available at Ancestry. Consider checking US passenger lists.
Books

Finding Your Canadian Ancestors, by Sherry Irvine and Dave Obee

Seeking a Better Future: the English Pioneers of Ontario and Quebec, by Lucille Campey

Planters, Paupers and Pioneers: English Settlers in Atlantic Canada, by Lucille Campey

Online Education

National Institute for Genealogical Studies - genealogicalstudies.com

Societies

ffhs.org.uk/members2/overseas/canada.php

==================
Websites to Browse for Canadian Genealogy (alphabetical order)
ancestry.ca anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com
archive.org/details/Toronto archivescanada.ca
automatedgenealogy.com bccfa.islandnet.com
bifhsgo.ca canadianheadstones.com
cangenealogy.com collectionscanada.gc.ca
familychronicle.com/25_can_sites.htm
familysearch.org genealogyintime.com
gravemarkers.ca icon.crl.edu/digitization.htm#A
jubilation.uwaterloo.ca/~marj/genealogy
ogs.on.ca/services/indexes.php  olivetreegenealogy.com/can
ourontario.ca/ ourroots.ca
thatsmyfamily.info/Metamoteur/explications_en.html
veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/virtualme

When all else fails: cyndislist.com and google.ca

WDYTYA Live Day 2

Although it seemed a bit quieter on Saturday than Friday all exhibitors I spoke with seemed happy with the traffic. Ancestry said they were as busy as on Friday. The Guild of One Name Studies seemed to be doing well and the Family Tree DNA stand continues to be crowded and their lectures popular. Glenn Wright and I gave presentation on the Researching the English in Canada and their descendants. Every one of the 100 seats was taken with people standing around the edge of the area. Lots of questions afterwards and follow on to Lesley Anderson at the Ancestry stand.. 

SAFHS Conference and Family History Fair 11th May 2013

The 24th Annual Conference of the Scottish Association of Family History Societies will be held within the Scottish Borders Campus, Nether Road, Galashiels, TD1 3HE, Scotland from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 11th May, 2013.

The theme is "Comings and Goings, Migration and Scotland".


More info at http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/BFHSConference.asp

It has online booking at http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/BFHSConferenceBooking1.asp

Thanks to Peter Munro of the Borders Family History Society for the tip.

East Anglia Group of FHSs

Some of the smaller family history societies find it too costly to exhibit independently at the Who Do You Think You Are Live event. Several East Anglia Societies band together to be represented. One, the Essex Society for Family History, will be celebrating 40 years in operation with a weekend conference, 29-31 August 2014. They anticipate having a session delivered remotely from Salt Lake City and are actively seeking presentation proposals. Register your interest at events@esfh.org.UK and watch WWW.each.org.UK for details.

A Genealogy of Genealogy

Julia Creet, an Associate Professor of English at York University in Toronto, is currently working on a genealogy of genealogy, a documentary and book project that looks at the industry behind the “innate” need to know one’s past.

In 2011 she received a grant of $52,870 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for that study.

The proposal made in obtaining the grant is not online. There is a YouTube video of interest at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgcr7y2ACRw&sns=em

Other articles by Prof Creet that give an indication of her thinking are: The Archive and the Uncanny (pdf) and Transnational archives: the Canadian case.

WDYTYA Live Day One

It was a busy day on the first day of the Who Do Think You Are Live event at Kensington, Olympia. Most of the exhibitors from previous years were back, there were a few people missing including Louise St Denis. Her UK-based colleagues from the National Institutes for Genealogical Studies were there.
Helen Osborn from Pharos Teaching and Tutoring mentioned that Sherry Irvine is preparing a course which will be particular interest to BC residents.
BIFHSGO president Glenn Wright and I had conversations with two potential speakers for the next BIFHSGO conference - more soon. BIFHSGO members Ed and Elizabeth Kipp seemed to be enjoying the event. Lesley Anderson was busy in her role with Ancestry.ca including as part of a group presenting a session streamed online.
The National Library of Wales is preparing to launch their digitized newspaper collection free online on March 9th, funded by a grant from the EU.

All records for Manor Park Crematorium now available at deceasedonline.com

Manor Park Crematorium, located in Forest Gate, East London, has now made all records available through www.deceasedonline.com
Register scans from the opening in 1955 until 1991 are available together with computerised records from 1991 to 2010
There are now 145,000 records available for Manor Park Cemetery and Crematorium and all 420,000 records will be on Deceased Online within the next few weeks

100 Days to the 1921 Census of Canada

The end of the 92 year embargo on release of the original 1921 Canadian census schedules is approaching The census was taken on 1 June 1921 so in 100 days they officially pass into the custody of Library and Archives Canada.

LAC informs that only microfilm copies of this census exists and they will digitize the microfilms and make them available online as JPEG and PDF images "shortly after their release date."

Peer organizations internationally are able to arrange very prompt, same day, availability. The credibility of LAC with all its emphasis on digitization and online availability of records is on the line. How will they take advantage of this opportunity to raise the organization's profile?

What are your expectations?

Direct from WDYTYA Live

On Friday and Saturday you can watch the Ancestry academy lectures streamed live from Who Do You Think You Are? Live. They are every hour starting on the half hour on Friday, on the hour on Saturday and a mixture on Sunday. The first is at 5:30am on Saturday - London is five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

 

All being well the presentations will be streaming at http://t.co/9xq4ArKgCr

 

The schedule for these and other presentations, not available online, is at http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com/workshop-schedule-full