BIFHSGO November Meeting

The next meeting of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa on Saturday, 12 November is a gala event. It starts with the 9:00 a.m. launch of the new book Great Canadian Expectations: The Middlemore Experience, by long-time member Patricia Roberts-Pichette. It's one many of us have been looking forward to having the opportunity to read.
The regular Before BIFHSGO Education Talk will start at 9:10 a.m, on the topic 10 Ways Social Media Can Help Your Genealogy, by Anne Moralejo and Lisa-Dawn Crawley.
That will push back the 30 minute break to 9:45 a.m. when Global Genealogy will provide a selection of products, and Patricia will sign copies of her book.
The main presentation, beginning at 10:15 a.m. is First in, Last out: But What Came Between 1914 and 1919? — Irene Ip's father served in the Royal Field Artillery, which left no written account. She will explain how she was finally able to trace where her father had been for four-and-a-half years and how he became one of the few surviving Old Contemptibles.

As usual, the location is The Chamber at at Ben Franklin Place, Nepean Centrepointe.

What's coming in 2017 from TheGenealogist

The following is a press release from TheGenealogist.


2017 is going to see millions of new records added to TheGenealogist across a wide variety of collections. 

New Data Sets

We are adding millions of new and unique Parish Records and Bishops’ Transcripts are being added for many more counties. 

A new and unique record set covering detailed records of our ancestors houses, which will be searchable by name, address and area, with high resolution maps showing the property.

Our ongoing project with The National Archives is set to release yet more detailed Colour County and Tithe Maps with tags to show where your ancestors lived.

We are releasing a 1921 census substitute, using a wide variety of records including Trade and Residential Directories of the time.

New decades of BT27 Passenger Lists and Emigration Records will become available.

Our International Headstone Project will be expanded with more Commonwealth Cemeteries added.

More worldwide War Memorials added to our comprehensive database.

Following on from our release of over 230 million U.S. records in 2016, we will be launching more U.S. records in 2017.

New & Improved Census Images
Thanks to new technology and new Silver Halide Film provided by The National Archives, we have now been able to re-scan the 1891 census with improved resolution and quality. This combination of improved readability and new transcripts will help locate your ancestors and view the relevant images with a superior grayscale format. Our “Deep Zoom” images have over 5 times the resolution of previous images. They will be lightening fast to view thanks to the  technology used in our new image interface. We will launch these new images in early 2017.

Look out for these exciting new developments and more in 2017 at TheGenealogist.co.uk

QFHS AGM and Home Child Presentation

A reminder for members that the Quebec Family History Society Annual General Meeting is being held at 10:30 am at the Briarwood Presbyterian Church Hall, 70 Beaconsfield Blvd, in Beaconsfield

Following that, and open to all, is a presentation on home children by Deborah Robertson.

Rev. John Chisholm, Immigration Chaplain at the Port of Montreal, was inspired to create the Montreal-based British Immigration and Colonization Association. Their primary vision, to encourage British settlement across the Dominion, resulted in over 5,500 British boys being brought over to work on farms. BICA’s records touch on innumerable tales of drama and adventure.

BICA is one of the agencies that sullied the reputation of home child immigration. Operations were halted for a while by the Department of Immigration and Colonization in August 1925.

MyHeritage DNA

Israel-based internationally active MyHeritage has entered the genetic genealogy business, a market that getting increasingly crowded.

Here's information from the company

Our mass-market home-testing kit is simple, affordable and will help millions of people around the world uncover their ethnic origins and make new family connections.

The kit consists of a simple cheek swab and takes only a minute to complete, with no need for blood or saliva. The sample is then mailed to MyHeritage DNA’s lab for analysis and the user is invited to view the results on the MyHeritage website. In its initial version, MyHeritage DNA provides two main features: detailed ethnicity reports that map the user’s ethnic and geographic origins, and DNA Matches for finding relatives. Additional features and capabilities are planned for the future.

The initial reports currently include 25 ethnicities, but this will improve dramatically thanks to MyHeritage’s unique Founder Population project unveiled today — the largest of its kind ever conducted. More than 5000 participants have been handpicked for this project by MyHeritage from its 85 million members, by virtue of their family trees exemplifying consistent ancestry from the same region or ethnicity for many generations. In the next few months, the project will be completed, resulting in a rich DNA data set of more than 100 ethnicities that will enable MyHeritage to show users their ancestral roots with far greater resolution than other services. To this end, the company has been sending its DNA kits to project participants far and wide, from Uzbekistan to Fiji, from Greenland to South Africa, and every corner of the globe. Standard ethnicity reports are currently available, with the expert reports to be released at no additional cost to users following the completion of the Founder Population project. 

MyHeritage DNA is seamlessly integrated with the other services provided by MyHeritage on all web and mobile platforms, as well as offered on a dedicated standalone mobile app released today named MyHeritage DNA.

MyHeritage DNA kits are available at the affordable introductory price of $79 + shipping (prices vary by location). MyHeritage has already amassed a significant number of DNA kits uploaded by its users from other DNA services, providing valuable matches on MyHeritage from day one. Users who have already tested their DNA on other services are welcome for a limited time to upload their DNA data to MyHeritage at no cost to benefit from free DNA Matches.

To learn more about MyHeritage DNA please visit https://www.myheritagedna.com.

If you've already taken an autosomal DNA test with another company you can upload those results to MyHeriatge DNA, seemingly without charge. However, unless you have a MyHeritage subscription you won't be able to contact any matches.

Bloggers who specialize in genetic genealogy have already posted on their experience.  Start with this post by Debbie Kennett and follow her links.

Webinar: Publishing a Genealogy E-Book.

Whether you're crying over the results of the US election, or preparing to inundate the GRO with orders for uncertified birth or death certificates, consider taking an hour at 8pm EST on Wednesday, 9 November, to catch Thomas MacEntee's Legacy webinar Publishing a Genealogy E-Book.

After years of genealogy research, are you ready to share your work with family, friends and the general public? Consider converting your manuscript to various e-book platforms. In this session you'll learn the various e-book types, the best ways to convert a manuscript, how to create a book cover, and even how to market your e-book to the genealogy community and beyond. Participants will learn how to convert a manuscript to various e-book formats including PDF, Amazon Kindle and more. In addition, we'll cover how to market your genealogy e-book using social media and other platforms.

 Registration is free at http://familytreewebinars.com/webinar_details.php?webinar_id=391

Pater Calver advises on limited opportunity to save on GRO certificates

In his priceless (free) Lost Cousins newsletter Peter Calver breaks the news that from 9th November on a limited trial basis uncertified PDF copies of previously digitised entries in the birth and death indexes will be available for £6. That's more than 1/3rd off.  Years covered are: for births: 1837 -1934, and for deaths: 1837 -1957.

I've found no official GRO reference to this trial which would/will likely be posted here.

Peter informs that only 45,000 PDFs will be made available and the trial will last for only 3 weeks unless the limit is reached before that.  You can save money, be part of history and demonstrate there is a demand by taking advantage, that's unless you really need the pretty paper of the certified copy.

Essex Electoral Registers Online

Essex Archives Online, the subscription service of the Essex Archives, is starting a project to provide digital images of Essex electoral registers.
The first phase, digital images of electoral registers from 1833-1868 is complete and available. Registers for 1918 and 1929 have been available for some time. Adding all the available Essex electoral registers to 1974 is expected to take until January 2018.
Read details at www.essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk/essex-archives-online-update-digitising-our-electoral-registers/

Thanks to Gail Dever of Genealogy à la carte for the tip.

Is NEW stretching the truth in Ancestry's CEF Personnel Files, 1914-1918 collection?

Ancestry.ca shows 259.718 entries in a collection Canada, WWI CEF Personnel Files, 1914-1918 marked as NEW. It was added on 3 November. This CEF collection, exceptionally, has no pop-up giving brief details including date added and updated so I'm guessing the date from those of the previous and subsequent databases.

Here's what Ancestry provides on the collection:

This database consists of service files for men who enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) of the First World War. The database currently contains records for surnames beginning with A through G, and for most surnames beginning with H. As more service files are digitized and indexed, additional records will be added to this database.
Details available in a service file vary depending on the soldier, but typically include:

Name of enlisteeAddressBirthplaceBirth dateAgeName of next of kinRelationship to next of kinRegimental number

Additional information about the enlistee, such as their occupation, marital status, religion, and/or physical description is often included as well.

This is the information returned for a well-known Canadian. He was an officer so no regimental number.
That same page gives a link to Ancestry.com's Fold3 military database where, for an additional subscription, you can read the whole service file as digitized by Library and Archives Canada.
Naturally Ancestry hopes you will purchase a subscription and don't inform you that you can view exactly the same information at the LAC site for free. See Diefenbaker's file at https://goo.gl/2Y2nXd/.
Previously Ancestry.ca had a large collection of CEF attestation papers, which included images and all the information above and more, as part of the regular Ancestry.ca subscription. It covered the entire A-Z range of surnames. I couldn't find that attestation paper collection now so your Ancestry.ca subscription is degraded. I suppose that's NEW too!
It appears the attestation paper collection I couldn't find at Ancestry others can! I'd searched the Ancestry catalogue using military and Canada as search terms. Maybe I should have taken that extra hour in bed instead of in front of the computer!

First World War Canadian Veterans Claim Cards

The Canadiana.ca Heritage Collection is a bit like Mrs. Gumps box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.
There are nine reels called World War One Veterans Claim Cards. The description is "veterans claims card indexes arranged alphabetically by name of claimants. The information consists of the land location number, file number and the ex-regimental number of claimant."
The alphabetical arrangement by reel is:
T-1322: Aalrust (image 20) - Carson (image 6747)
T-1323: Carson (image 30) - Forsyth (image 6891), preceded by Fortier (image 2) - Forsyth (image 18)
T-1324: Fosbery (image 10) - Johnson (image 7109)
T-1325: Johnson (image 10) - Munro (image 6916)
T-1326: Munro (image 11 ) - Rhyno (image 7402)
T-1327: Redman (image 10) - Thoms (image 6801), a section of cards from the end of previous reel repeated.
T-1328: Thomsen (image 10) - Zygmont (image 4667), followed by a series of cards arranged by province and county or district relating to land transactions and loans.
T-1329: Continuation of  cards arranged by province and county or district relating to land transactions and loans.
T-1330: Continuation of  cards arranged by province and county or district relating to land transactions and loans.

Up to mid-way through T-1328 the cards are for veterans who sought land from the Soldier Settlement Board (SSB).  Carrying the Gump analogy too far, it's as if the top layer of chocolates are as advertised. But the layer below? What's in your chocolate box could be a surprise!

Included are people brought out from the UK under the 3000 British Family Scheme (BFS), not necessarily veterans. Some cards also marked as "CIVILIAN" seemingly not everyone in the cards was a veteran.

Some named on cards were women and very unlikely to be First World War "veterans". See T1324, image 31 for Mrs Emma Foster with the notation "on file of Wm Foster" and better still, she is described as a "Brit. Imm." Maybe the cards for the purchasers of the land or those who lived on the land.

It  is also apparent that many land holders could not maintain the payments, land was subsequently sold to others or even back to the SSB.

Thanks to Glenn Wright for insight into the contents.

Five Tips to Make Sense of your DNA Testing

Online for a limited time only, until 17 November, this presentation by Diahan Southard at Genetic Genealogy Ireland 2016, will help you understand autosomal DNA test results and provides strategies on how to turn your list of genetic cousins into ancestral discoveries.
Diahan puts a lot of thought and preparation into her presentations, and the visuals are a model for anyone.

Canadian Veterans Death Cards: First World War

Although placed online in mid-2012, Library and Archives Canada's online collection of First World War Veterans Death Cards is not widely known,
As described here, there are approximately 130,000 cards, nothing like comprehensive as the 640,000 who served in the CEF. Arranged alphabetically by surname in 99 sections there are approximately 1300 cards each. Those who died during the war are not included.
According to LAC each death card includes some or all of the following details:

Regimental service number
Rank
Unit, Battalion or Regiment
Date and place of death
Cause of death
Place of burial
Name and address of next-of-kin

Select the name range of interest from here or the following page.

GRO Puts Birth & Death Indexes for England and Wales Online

FreeBMD, Ancestry and Findmypast have had indexes to England and Wales civil registration available for years.
Now the General Register Office has added a little extra value in their birth and death indexes just made available online.
Births, from mid-1837 to 1915, include the mother's maiden name, not previously available before mid-1911.
Deaths, to 1957, include the age at death, previously only available after 1865.
To search you will need a free account, so another user name (email address) and password to remember. Start at www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/
Searches require a minimum of last name, gender and year with, and this is a handicap, a range of only up to +/-2 years.
You can specify other information, such as registration district and mother's maiden name for birth searches. It would be helpful to be able to search on mother's maiden name without specifying a child's last name. Alas.
Results are presented in a tabular form which can be cut and pasted into a spreadsheet although each result occupies two lines. An option to download the data in a single line per result fully spreadsheet compatible format would be nice
Owing to the limit in year range available I will likely continue to prefer searching on FreeBMD moving over to the GRO site for the additional information available, and access to ordering certificates.

George McDonald: Ottawa CEF Beechwood Burial

Private George McDonald, Service No:1042244, died on 4 November 1916 and is buried in Sec. 29. Lot 6. Grave 35 of Beechwood Cemetery. The CWGC records him as the son of Mrs. Katherine McDonald, of 2, Quinn St., Ayr, Scotland.

His Ontario death certificate records the cause of death as a street railway accident. Details are in a Perth Courier,  the 10 November edition.

Pte. George McDonald of the 240th Renfrew battalion whose home is in Brockville, was struck by an electric car on the Ottawa side of the Chaudiere bridge at Ottawa Friday night and terribly injured his left leg below the knee being almost completely severed.  A doctor was quickly secured who rendered first aid and then had the injured man taken to the Rideau Street Hospital. According to persons who were passing near the scene of the accident the soldier appeared suddenly in front of a Chaudiere car which was running at a pretty fast pace and just about to leave the street to go on the bridge.  There was absolutely no escape for the man although the motorman did his utmost to bring the car to a stop.  The soldier was struck heavily and thrown under the wheels which passed over his left leg below the limb.  Passengers in the car said they felt a very noticeable jolt and then the car came to a halt.  On running back the driver found the man lying on the track with his leg mangled.  He had not lost consciousness.  At 4:45 a.m. Saturday Pte. McDonald died the limb having been amputated and loss of blood and shock causing his demise.

There is no attestation paper online.

AncestryDNA at 2.5 million

"Ancestry has more than 2.4 million paying subscribers across its core Ancestry websites and more than 2.5 million DNA samples in the AncestryDNA database."
That's a statement for a 2 November press release Ancestry.com LLC Announces Participation in J.P. Morgan Leveraged Finance Conference.
The Ancestry database is growing by leaps and bounds. It was only back in June the two million mark was announced. As the number of DNA tests now exceeds the number of conventional subscribers Ancestry is becoming even more a DNA/technology company.
There's an informative discussion on the ISOGG Facebook group (a closed group, but anyone can join through ISOGG) comparing the size of the various company databases. Exact figures are often commercial confidential, only estimates can be made for some including FTDNA. That company may have half a million "Family Finder" tests. AncestryDNA's substantially larger number of autosomal tests than any other company is significant for finding matches, as blogged previously in database size is essential.

Using STRs and SNPs to study male line ancestry

If you need convincing of the hazards of using Y-STR results as a way of organizing to find ancestry, akin to organizing books in a library by cover colour, listen to the latest presentation posted on YouTube The DNA of the Dál gCais & subclades discovered with Big-Y presented by Dennis Wright.

A War Bride of Ill Repute

Australians rejoice in the outlaw. Ned Kelly, a national icon, and the Kelly Gang are celebrated in literature and music. To have a convict ancestor is to be Australian Royalty.
That was reinforced for me when I contacted Chris Goopy in Australia about war brides. Canadian servicemen marrying European women was only one aspect of the phenomenon as men from many nations travelled overseas in connection with the war.
Australians training under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada during the Second World War were as liable to meet up with and marry a local as Canadians servicemen stationed in Europe. There weren't as many Australians in Canada, only a few score of marriages according to one newspaper report.
While browsing some of the links Chris sent I was surprised to find an article on the official Australian government website about a First World War bride: Tilly Devine: a war bride of ill repute. I doubt an official Canadian government site would have been so forthcoming.

Free Family History Library classes/webinars

The following presentations, selected from a broader range offered, are free online from FamilySearch.
The notice states the times are Mountain Standard Time (MST), EST times would be two hours later. Remember to adjust for Summer Time where applicable.

November 3 
1:00 P.M. British Case Studies Webinar

November 8
1:00 P.M.   Lessons on English Life: A Fun Look at English Parish Registers

November 14
1:00 P.M. Reivers and Relatives: Ancestors Along the Anglo-Scottish Border Webinar

November 16
1:00 P.M. Lost in London: Tracing Elusive Ancestry in England’s Largest City Webinar

November 17
1:00 P.M. Your British Questions Answered Webinar

Access the online webinars directly at this link or go to FamilySearch.org. Click on Search, and select Wiki. Type Webinars and choose the second entry. Click on Upcoming Classes and Seminars, then the name of the month. Scroll to find the desired class.

A Blue Plaque for a Home Child in his Home Town

On 26 October a motion was passed by the Borough of Hastings, Sussex, “That Hastings Borough Council will support the placing of a new Blue Plaque on 447 Bexhill Road, St. Leonards on Sea to commemorate Claude Nunney, the most decorated ordinary private soldier in the Canadian Army in WW1 and the only Great War soldier who was born in this town to be awarded the Victoria Cross.”

Stephen Sargent Claude Nunney travelled to Canada on the SS Tunisian in October 1905. Part of a 42 member party from the Catholic Emigration Association, he landed at Quebec and then on to St George’s Home at Hintonburg, Ottawa, Ontario. He was age 13,  Known by the name Claude, he was placed with Mrs Donald Roy McDonald of Pine Hill, North Lancaster, Ontario. He enlisted in August 1915, the information on his name and birthplace is confused. There's comprehensive information on his life and actions for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Nunney

The initiative leading to the adoption of the motion was that of Peter Silk, a resident of St Leonards on Sea who has been researching Nunney for many years. See more at the Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/298649253676161/members/.

Thanks to Glenn Wright for drawing this to my attention.

November Backup Reminder

Time for the monthly backup nag. If you didn't do so on the 1st it's now past time to make a backup of your hard drive.
There's extra safety in having a backup stored remotely, with a friend or in a bank safety deposit box where it can quickly and conveniently be recovered.

Ancestry.ca on Twitter

Lesley Anderson emailed to tell me she and the Media Profile team have opened a Twitter stream for Ancestry.ca.

We hope that @AncestryCA will become your trusted source for curated genealogy, Canadian history and DNA-related news shared through a uniquely Canadian lens, sprinkled in with some fun facts, good humour, and captivating images. We’ll also be sure to keep our followers updated on the latest Ancestry news.

Furthermore, we hope to create and grow a community where we can learn from each other and celebrate family history together.
We encourage you to follow us at: www.twitter.com/AncestryCA and join in the conversation on launch date.  

Twitter is an essential resource. For example, when no feed of the Queen's Lecture given by Dr Turi King appeared on the page I linked in a previous blog post I searched Twitter and found an alternate link which worked. If you missed it the presentation was much like that in the YouTube video below.