An incredible number of letters!!!

Ancestry.com has put on a great First World War record set – Canadians who fought under the Imperial Army, Navy, or Air, and who were entitled to payment under the Imperial War Service Gratuities, 1919-1921.

You may ask - Why would a Canadian enlist in England? Why wouldn’t he enlist in Canada?

Yes, normally he would enlist in Canada. But what if he was in England at the time that the First World War broke out? What would happen then?

He would enlist in the British troops, and this is exactly where Edward Barcley, from Debert, Nova Scotia, found himself. He was in England visiting his parents at the time.

The record set contains letters. Many letters!

And if you are a descendent of Edward Barcley of Debert, Nova Scotia, you will know, as it is written in one of the many letters you can search at Ancestry.com, that he was sent as an ‘immigrant boy’ - from a Middlemore Home to Canada in 1906! He came with his brother and sister (although he doesn't name them).

This is incredible information – right from the immigrant’s mouth, so to speak.

It just goes to show you, that when you start to search records - you will never know what you will find!!!!!!!!!!

So if you can't find them in the Canadian records, but you know he or she was in the First World War, then check these records. They might be here.

The website is at http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9149



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.


 

 

Boxing Day

Borrowed from Britain, and adopted in Canada as a Christmas holiday, Boxing Day is the day after Christmas Day.

 In Britain, it was customary for employers to give their employees "Christmas boxes" of money or presents as thanks for good service throughout the year.

A Genealogical Day in Quebec: 1621-2012

A seminar will be held on Saturday, September 29 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the QFHS Heritage Centre and Library, 173 Cartier Avenue, Pointe-Claire. It will be presented by Sharon Callaghan and Gary Schroder.

This seminar will examine the main sources used in Quebec genealogical research regardless of whether your ancestors originated from France, the British Isles, or any other part of the world.

They will explain church records, civil registration records, censuses, notarial records, ship lists, newspapers, land and judicial records. There will also be emphasis on the most important websites used in Quebec genealogical research and how to use the website and databases of the Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Québec.

The registration fee is $30.00 members, and $40.00 for non-members. Reservations are required.

Call 514.695.1502 or contact Jackie Billingham at qfhs.communications@bellnet.ca.

For more information, go to www.qfhs.ca

2014 Will Be The Centennial of the First World War

One place where Canada is starting to plan commemoration of the First World War in 2014 is Kenora, Ontario.

Canada declared war on Germany August 5, 1914 following Britain who had declared war a day earlier.  

Over the next four years, 620,000 Canadians, and over 400,000 would serve overseas on the battlefields of France. 67,000 Canadian servicemen, and women died, and 173,000 were wounded. There were over a thousand local men from Kenora who joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The Lake of the Woods Museum, in conjunction with the Kenora Public Library, and local genealogy group Ancestor Seekers of Kenora are undertaking a huge project of producing a data base where they will list every local man and woman who served in the First World War. They will also make biographical sketches on the soldiers, and put any other information that can be supplied by the public for each man and woman.  

Right now, there are over two dozen people who are working on the project, but more are needed.

Tomorrow at 7 p.m. the museum will be hosting an information, and training session for volunteers who would like to help with research.

If you want more information, you can go to the Ancestor Seekers of Kenora webpage at http://askgen.ning.com to read more about the project.

OGS Conference 2012 - Update

This year's OGS Conference — entitled Borders & Bridges: 1812-2012, and to be held in Kingston, Ontario from June 1-3 — celebrates the War of 1812, fought between Britain, Canada, and the United States.

The conference website, www.ogs.on.ca/conference2012, offers info on accommodations, registration, the program, and Kingston-area research facilities.

On the "Program" page, check out the speakers - their bios, and which lectures they are giving at the conference.

On the "Conference News" page are podcasts featuring interviews with the speakers, and the latest news on Conference events and happenings.

There is still time to register, so if you have been thinking about going but haven't decided as yet, take a moment to read about all the goings-on planned for Conference, and make your decision to join us. You won't be disappointed!

My booklet, Canada and the United States: War of 1812, will be on sale at the Marketplace. Divided into Canada and United States resources, it is full of quick facts, lists of battles fought, timelines, links to informative websites, and includes a guide of must-have books and suggested readings for both sides of the War. Available from vendors Rick and Sandra Roberts of Global Genealogy, and Louise St. Denis of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, drop in and see for yourself why this booklet should be in every researcher's toolkit.

If the War of 1812 is too specific for your family research, try my booklet on Canada/US migration, Migration: Canada and the United States, also available from Global and NIGS. And if you can't wait until Conference to buy a copy of these booklets, visit them online. Booklets are also available from our American vendor, Leland Meitzler of Family Roots Publishing Company.
See you at Conference 2012!