Issues with LAC Website

As of this morning there is no response from the LAC website. The request times-out. Yesterday response was extraordinarily slow. I suspect there has been lots of demand on military records.
As today is a public service holiday there's no point in calling LAC. I'm wondering if the site will be fixed today or if Shared Services Canada, responsible for web services, will leave it until Tuesday.

Update:  When I checked back in the early evening the problem had been fixed.

Dear Sadie: Love, Lives and Remembrance from Ontario's First World War

The Ottawa Public Library and Archives of Ontario join to commemorate the First World War centennial. The presentation  "Dear Sadie" highlights unique, personal stories underlying the war, based on a series of letters between a Canadian soldier fighting overseas and his sweetheart back home.

Nepean Centrepointe
Thursday 15 November, 7:00 - 8:30 pm

After the Armistice

The Armistice didn't mean the end of war deaths.

Not quite half of the 100 buried at Ottawa's Beechwood Cemetery with Commonwealth War Graves Commission First World War headstones died after 11 November 1918. For Ottawa's Notre Dame it's exactly half (22 of 44).

Those who died from war-related causes after 31 August 1921 did not qualify for inclusion in the CWGC database.

Canada's Books of Remembrance extends the period with entries for deaths until 30 April 1922. They record 640 deaths in 1921, and 187 in 1922 for only the first third of the year. How many later deaths were premature owing to war-related causes and not acknowledged?

Sunday Sundries

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

MyHeritage LIVE Videos
MyHeritage will be releasing videos of each one of the 25 main lectures last weekend in Oslo, Norway. Now available is the emotional keynote address given by MyHeritage’s Founder and CEO, Gilad Japhet. https://vimeo.com/299232829

Talk Genealogy Podcast: Episode #31 Churchwardens of Old England

The war that did not end at 11am on 11 November

John Dempsey’s Street Portraits
Via Spitalfields Life, colour portraits, likenesses of public characters, from the 1820s.

The St Louis Apology
Prime Minister Trudeau issued a long overdue apology in Parliament on Wednesday for the rejection by the Government of Canada for refuge in Canada of 907 German Jewish passengers fleeing persecution by the Nazi regime on the MS St. Louis.
There's context in the article Why did Canada Refuse to Admit Jewish Refugees in the 1930's? It makes the point that, while the percentage of Jews in the overall number of immigrants to Canada in the 1930's did not decrease compared to the period of 1896 to 1929, immigration levels were drastically reduced during the depression years, the government responded to a broad antisemitic sentiment in Canada, especially in Quebec, and had no refugee policy.

Meat tax: why taxing sausages and bacon could save hundreds of thousands of lives every year
The study calculated that in 2020 there will be 2.4 million deaths attributable to red and processed meat consumption. www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/news/health-meat-tax/. To put that in perspective, the military and civilian death toll during the First World War was about 3.6 million deaths annually (based on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties/).

Celebrating the Armistice

These days 11 November is a solemn occasion, Remembrance Day. A century ago it was different. The front page of the newspaper carried the facts; inside the paper covered celebration under a headline across a full page "OTTAWA CELEBRATES WAR'S END WITH UNPRECEDENTED ENTHUSIASM". The Armistice meant victory, the terms of the Armistice left no doubt, and the end of war.

"Within two minutes of the receipt of the news in Ottawa that the armistice had been signed, scores of whistles at industrial plants conveyed, as per arrangements made by The Journal Newspapers, the great news that the world war had come to successful conclusion in favor of the Allies. Even at the early hour of 3:01 scores of citizens arose from their beds and made their way down town. In front of The Journal building there was quite a demonstration.
The fire department, church bells, and citizens with guns and revolvers created a din that could be heard in the four comers of the city. Ottawa was awakened."

Sub-headings were:

Noise of all kinds let loose
Autoists disregarded traffic laws
Enormous Bonfire (at Sparks and O'Connor, also Wellington and Metcalfe)

Could a student help get that project moving?

The 2019-2020 Young Canada Works Campaign has launched offering eligible employers wage subsidies and access to a pool of talented youth with innovative ideas and competitive skills.

The summer job program lasts between six and 16 weeks, and supports organizations in Canada that have a heritage mandate.

Find out more about Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations.

The annual application deadline is 15 January 2019.

Served in the First World War

This would be a good time to remember those in your family tree who served during the war.

Here are those in my family tree who served.

Braham Cowen (Cpl, Royal Engineers, motorcycle dispatch rider, survived)
James Digby Reid (Pvt, 51st Provisional Battalion, Welsh Regiment, survived)
Edward Cohen, MC (T/2nd Lt, 12th,  Royal Fusiliers, killed 31 July 1917)
John Alfred Derby Barnett (Lt, 28th Battalion CEF, survived but totally blinded)
Edward Digby (Pvt, 1/14 London Regiment (London Scottish). killed 1 July 1916)
Albert Digby (CSM, 14th Battalion, London Regiment, survived)
Herbert Ordish Reid (Pvt, 29th Battalion. Middlesex Regiment, survived)
Bernard William Arthur Ordish (Pvt, 28th London Regiment, survived)

Also give a thought to those who lost a child, sibling or parent.

Genealogy Companies Marking 100 Years Since the End of the First World War with FREE Access

Here's how the various companies are marking the occasion.

MyHeritage is making all 47 million military records from around the world a free from 8 - 12 November. Find the free records here.

Ancestry.ca is providing free access (with registration) to Canadian service records, medal cards, casualty lists and much more – free until 11 November. Current subscribers should be receiving free access to Fold3 and Newspapers.com until 11 November.

Findmypast makes the entire collection of more than 9 Billion records and all historical newspapers free for three days. All UK, Irish, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and US records as well as all British, Irish and World Newspapers are free from the 9 (noon GMT) - 12 November 2018.

TheGenealogist has added to its Great War resources.

Findmypast adds Royal Air Force Lists 1919-1945 — and more

Digitised copies of the original  Royal Air Force List publications from 1919-1922 and 1938-1945 are added this week. Search by name and/or a keyword.
The Lists contain over 62,000 names and include the women's branches of the military including the WRENs, WAAF, and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.
The lists may give rank and branch. Initials appended show if they received a military medal; for example, DSO means the officer received the Distinguished Service Order.
Most publications have a table of contents and provide you with a list of symbols, abbreviations and letters denoting honours and awards which will help in understanding the somewhat cryptic content. The lists also include the names of those who had resigned and reasons such as ill-health.
These records are sourced from the National Library of Scotland where there's free access — 1919-1922 and 1938-1945.

Other additions this week are:

Queensland, Windsor Town Council Honour Roll 1914-1925

Billion Graves Cemetery Indexes:

• Over 68,000 new additions to the Canada Billion Graves Cemetery Index
• Over 61,000 new additions to the England Billion Graves Cemetery Index
• Over 4,000 new additions to the Ireland Billion Graves Cemetery Index
• Over 19,000 new additions to the Scotland Billion Graves Cemetery Index
• Over 5,000 new additions to the Wales Billion Graves Cemetery Index
• Over 296,000 new additions to the Australia Graves Cemetery Index
• Over 28,000 new additions to the New Zealand Billion Graves Cemetery Index

Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions 1485-2014: over 1,300 additional records for burial sites in Cowley

Family Tree Magazine: December 2018

Here are some of the articles featured

GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN IN CARE Find out how Bernadette McBride put the past to rest after uncovering more than 100 years of inherited trauma in her maternal line. Includes a list of web resources including www.motherandbabyhomes.com/
LOOK BACK A THOUSAND YEARS Steve Roberts guides us through Norman history, the succession of kings and queens following the Norman conquest, plus information about possible gateway ancestors, if you can research far enough back to link to them.
STEPS TO SMART SEARCHING
Stick to these 10 key points for success on the ancestral trail, advises Katherine Jenns. Tried and true steps, but no mention of DNA!
THAT SENSE OF BELONGING
Explore your sense of self and identity with Charlotte Soares. I liked the line "Possessions are nine-tenths of the floor."
THE MARRIAGE LOCATOR Julie Goucher shines the spotlight on a little-known web search "gem" — marriage-locator.co.uk/. It is far from complete.
BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS
Try Chris Paton's multi-disciplinary approach, such as using local history resources, and more, to grow your family tree
A CRIMINAL OR A VICTIM? Julie Watkins investigates the trials and tribulations of a 19th century ag lab who was transported to Australia
YOUR MILLING ANCESTORS
Explore the Mills Archive, a national collection of documents and images that could have been lost to the nation. Simon Wills finds out more
10 RULES TO LIVE BY IN WORLD WAR I
From letter censoring to buying a round of drinks, Ruth A Symes examines 10 wartime restrictions endured by ancestors on the Home Front to help win the war

Quebec Family History Society AGM

Saturday, 10 November Annual General Meeting  (Annual Meeting (Members Only)) 10:30 am Briarwood Presbyterian Church Hall, 70 Beaconsfield Blvd, Beaconsfield Annual General Meeting of The Quebec Family History Society (Presented before Lecture) Agenda Approval of Minutes of the previous meeting Presentation of Board of director's Report Presentation of Financial Statements Election of the Board of Directors for 2018 - 2019 Varia Lecture After AGM Subject: The Origin of "DIT" Names in Quebec What Are They? Presentator: Luc Lépine

TheGenealogist adds Great War records

The following is extracted from a news release by TheGenealogist

To mark the end of World War 1 that came to a close on 11 November 1918 with the signing
of the armistice, TheGenealogist has just released over 42,000 records of Officers that
died in the Great War, along with additional Rolls of Honour and over 30,000 War
Memorials, War Graves plans, maps and listings.
This new release will allow researchers to:
● Discover Officers who gave their lives in the First World War
● View images of the HMSO’s Officers Died in the Great War Part I & II 1914-1918
● Find an officer’s rank, cause of death, date of death and regiment.
● Look for names commemorated in Rolls of Honour and War Memorials
● See War Graves plans, maps and listings

Find out more in the article How to Find Officers that Died in WW1.

Family Tree LIVE: 26 - 27 April 2019

The program of talks for this event at Alexandra Palace in London is now released and there's a BIFHSGO surprise.

Each day features three streams of general family history with nine slots in each under the headings SoG Theatre, My Heritage Theatre and FFHS Theatre. That's a huge amount of choice, and an emphasis on UK speakers and UK topics making the event a worthy successor to WDTYTA Live.

Well known UK speakers include David Annal, Nick Barrett, Gill Blanchard, Paul Carter, Peter Christian, Else Churchill, Audrey Collins, Bruce Durie, Janet Few, Julie Groucher, Sharon Hintze, Diane Lindsay, Eric D Probert, Jayne Shrimpton, Ian Waller and, Simon Wills

There are also stars from Canada.

Donald W Davis from BC will speak on Seeing the UK Census with new eyes.

Christine F Jackson will make her award winning presentation Researching the life of a royal servant―from Ag Lab to the Queen’s coachman.

Speakers in an additional stream at the DNA Hub are TBA.

BIFHSGO November Meeting

Beechwood National Cemetery: Its History, Stories and Records is the topic for the main BIFHSGO presentation at 10 am on Saturday, 10 November*.

Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services was founded in 1873, on a 160-acre tract of land on the outskirts of Ottawa. It became a prime example of the type of rural cemetery that emerged in the U.S. and Canada in the nineteenth century, characterized by winding roads, picturesque vistas, wooded groves, and unique landscaping, as well as monuments and markers of considerable architectural and historical interest. Originally Ottawa's Anglo-Protestant cemetery, today Beechwood is a reflection of Canada’s identity as a multicultural, multi-faith society. Since the creation of its Foundation in 2000, it has grown in national significance: home of the National Military Cemetery (2001), recognized as a National Historic Site (2001), home of the RCMP National Memorial Cemetery (2004), given honorary recognition as the national cemetery of Canada (2009), and home of the Ottawa Police Service Memorial Cemetery (2011). With almost 400 famous burials, and over 75,000 total burials of people from all walks of life, Beechwood serves as a place of national tribute and remembrance for all Canadians.

About the speaker

Dr. André M. Levesque is a leading expert in history, heritage, commemoration and recognition. He served with the CAF Army Reserves for 35 years and retired in 2008 at the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In his civilian career, he worked in the area of planning and economic development with the City of Ottawa. In 2001, he became a public servant with DND and in 2006 was appointed Director Honours and Recognition for the CAF. From 2013 to 2016, he was DG Commemoration at Veterans Affairs and is currently a visiting scholar with the Royal Military College of Canada. André holds a B.A. and M.A. in geography from Carleton University and in 2013, he completed a Ph.D. in history from the National University of Ireland, Cork. Since 2016 he has been Chief Historian (volunteer) with Beechwood Cemetery. He was admitted in the Canadian Who’s Who, and is an Officer of the Order of Military Merit and a Knight of the French Legion of Honour.

At 9 am Marilyn Lindsay and Pam Cooper will give an Introduction to the Scottish Special Interest Group: who we are, how the group works, and some examples of what we do.

Marilyn Lindsay was born in Montreal and moved to Ottawa in 1982. Her four grandparents emigrated from the Edinburgh, Midlothian area between 1864 and 1905.  She became interested in her family's history when going through papers left to her by her family. She is a member of BIFHSGO, OGS, and several other family history societies, and is a member of the planning group for the Scottish SIG. She is interested in continuing to expand her family's story.

Pam Cooper has been actively working on her family history for about four years.  She had three Scottish-born grandparents who emigrated to Canada between 1907 and 1913, and her Ontario-born grandmother in turn had three Scottish-born grandparents who emigrated to Canada West in the 1840s. She is applying the skills honed during a career in the public service to researching her family history and is working towards her next research trip to Scotland in 2019.

The meeting is open to the public at The Chamber, Ben Franklin Place 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa, Ontario.

* Note that in the unlikely event the event has to be cancelled owing to adverse weather or other reasons emails will be sent to members by 8 am on the day.

Documentary Heritage Communities Program Extended

On Tuesday at an event in Ottawa Dr. Guy Berthiaume, the Librarian and Archivist of Canada, shared the news that the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP), which is dedicated to provides funding support to Canada’s local archival and library communities, is now extended beyond 2019. Eligible organizations will continue to share $ 1.5 million annually.

Although genealogical organizations have had limited success in obtaining funding from DHCP many organizations receiving funding have been able to enhance their local history programs of genealogical interest.

The event was a one-day session The Past Becomes the Future: Strengthening Communities Through Documentary Heritage in which representatives of some of the successful projects presented their achievements and remaining challenges, LAC reviewers of projects explained what they look for in proposals, and representatives of other federal funding programs explained them.

Material from those presentations should become available online in the near future, likely from www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/documentary-heritage-communities-program/Pages/dhcp-portal.aspx

Shannon Lecture: Good Intentions, Bad Archaeology

More Ontario Deaths on FamilySearch

On 5 November FamilySearch updated the catalogue entry for Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947 to contain 2,050,112 entries. They are linked to images of the original register, open without cost to anyone on the web.
While not specified these are likely the entries for 1937 — 40,841 of them.

Archives of Ontario Customer Feedback

In 2017, the Archives of Ontario conducted a public Customer Service survey to evaluate overall customer satisfaction. Over 500 responses were received. I just came across a summary of the result on the Archives website — it may have been posted for some while.

Overall, customer satisfaction ranked very high with 85% of respondents satisfied with the service. Not reported is how that broke down between those accessing service on site and elsewhere or online.

Increased digital content online was identified as an opportunity for improvement with 45% of respondents aiming to access records online. 80% of respondents rely on the website and online databases when searching for records.

AO accepted that clients want increased digital content online, especially for popular archival records.

AO point out that they have successfully completed another annual release of marriage and death records online through Ancestry.ca. Access to over 50 previously inaccessible sound and moving image records has been made available through YouTube. Also a review of services to determine ways of improving customer access is underway.

AO evidently is proceeding very cautiously toward providing access to popular archival records online.

Long time readers may recall the results of a survey on this blog last November. The results from 384 responses were:

In general are you in favour of greater online availability of Ontario records of genealogical interest?
YES - 99.2 per cent; MAYBE: 0.3 per cent; NO - 0.5 per cent

Do you favour the Ontario Genealogical Society advocating for online availability of Ontario materials of genealogical interest?
YES - 98.2 per cent; MAYBE - 0.8 percent; NO - 1 per cent

Specifically, do you favour Ontario probate indexes presently available on microfilm being made available online?
YES - 98.2 per cent; MAYBE - 1.6 percent; NO - 0 per cent

Specifically do you favour all Ontario probate documents presently available on microfilm being made available online?
YES - 94.5 per cent; MAYBE - 5 percent; NO - 0.2 per cent

Specifically, would you favour the Ontario Genealogical Society advocating for online availability of Ontario probate records now available on microfilm?
YES - 95.5 per cent; MAYBE - 3.4 percent; NO - 1 per cent

Would you accept Ontario probate indexes and documents being exclusively available online for a limited time, after which they would become freely available, through a commercial arrangement, such as with Ancestry, Findmypast or MyHeritage, in order to fund online availability and as long as the existing availability through microfilm was retained?
YES - 70.9 per cent; MAYBE - 21.7 percent; NO - 7.3 per cent

AO does not appear to have taken any action regarding probate records. I'm unaware if OGS did anything —  I'd hope so as Advocacy is one of the three core reasons OGS gives for membership.  Provided a draft of this post for comment OGS responded "the Society is listening and open to opportunities with partners to further genealogical research in Ontario."

Three talks from October 2018 Genetic Genealogy Ireland conference now on YouTube

Pre-famine Irish Newspapers Online

The British Newspaper Archive (BNA) has been placing emphasis on adding digitized Irish papers to its collection in recent months. While most content is for the last half of the 19th century, then the first of the 20th, earlier years are not overlooked.
As of early November the papers with most pre-famine content are for Northern Ireland: Northern Whig (1832-1919, 1921-1957); Belfast News-Letter (1828-1951, 1954-1956); Londonderry Sentinel (1829-1848, 1851-1852, 1854, 1856-1958); Derry Journal (1825, 1835-1885, 1891-1924, 1926-1942, 1950-1955); Belfast Commercial Chronicle (1805-1813, 1816-1817, 1819-1822, 1825-1829, 1831-1847, 1853-1855); Newry Telegraph (1829-1871); Enniskillen Chronicle and Erne Packet (1813, 1824-1880, 1882, 1884-1893).
For the Republic of Ireland: Freeman's Journal (1820-1821, 1830-1833, 1837-1924); Saunders's News-Letter (1773-1787, 1789, 1792-1797, 1799, 1802-1811, 1813-1815, 1817-1830, 1832, 1835-1837, 1839, 1843-1844, 1846, 1853-1871); Dublin Evening Mail (1824,1826-1828,1831,1833,1838, 1840-1871,1876-1907); Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier (1823, 1825-1870); Drogheda Journal, or Meath & Louth Advertiser (1823-1840).
There are several others with scattered pre-famine issues, too many to list. Check them out at www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/.
Another source, some covering many of the same publications is the Irish Newspaper Archives at www.irishnewsarchive.com/.
You are more likely to find items of interest for a townland or parish than an individual.
For those who fled to Liverpool the BNA has the Liverpool Mail (1836-1837, 1839-1858, 1860-1868, 1870-1874, 1877, 1880) and Liverpool Mercury (1811-1835, 1837-1871, 1873-1897, 1899-1900).