Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Tallest Lighthouse in Atlantic Canada Protected

Point Amour Lighthouse (Newfoundland and Labrador) has been designated as a heritage lighthouse under the Canadian Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. (CNW Group/Parks Canada)

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, has designated an iconic landmark of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Point Amour lighthouse, as a heritage lighthouse under the Canadian Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (HLPA).

The HLPA, which was adopted in 2008, allows for the protection of federally-owned lighthouses on Canada's coastal and inland waters that have significant heritage value. Administered by Parks Canada, the HLPA helps ensure Canada's maritime history is protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Canadians have nominated hundreds of lighthouses to be considered for designation under the Act

Quick Facts

Point Amour Lighthouse is the tallest in Atlantic Canada, and the second tallest in the country.

Located at L'Anse Amour, on the Strait of Belle Isle, this lighthouse was built in 1857 to increase the safety of transatlantic shipping.

The lighthouse is associated with the most famous marine disaster in the history of the Strait of Belle Isle, the wreck of HMS Raleigh, a British warship, in 1922.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has agreed to acquire this lighthouse and protect its heritage character.

There are two sitye you may like to check, and they are

HeritageLighthouses of Canada
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/index.aspx

Designated Lighthouses http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/page01.aspx

Friday, December 20, 2013

Meagham's Atlas (1880) of PEI

 

The P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation has commissioned a reprint of Meagham's Atlas (1880), the most comprehensive property atlas ever published on Prince Edward Island. It goes on sale today at various museums, and bookstores around the island.

Meanwhile, you can search the atlas by surname and town/lot number online at the following websites -

Names Appearing in Meagham's Atlas (1880) http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mvreid/pei/35atl80.html

Searchable database of the Patron's List/Directory of the 1880 "Meacham's Illustrated Historical Atlas of Prince Edward Island". Searchable by town/lot and surname http://www.islandregister.com/meachams/patronindex.html

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Caledonian Club of PEI~ annual Burns Concert

Next year marks the 255th anniversary of the birth of Robbie Burns, and celebrations will be taking place all over Canada. One of the celebrations will be at the Caledonian Club of P.E.I. where they will present the 125th annual Robbie Burns concert -

"The Caledonian Club of PEI will present the 125th annual Robbie Burns Scottish Concert, on Friday, January 24, (storm date Jan. 25th), at 7 pm at the Carrefour Theatre, 5 Acadienne Drive in Charlottetown.

The 150th anniversary of the Caledonian Club of Prince Edward Island will be held throughout 2014, with special events to mark its sesquicentennial of Scottish culture and Island traditions to complement the history of the Club.

This year also marks the 255th anniversary of the birth of Burns (Jan. 25, 1759), known as Scotland’s favourite son, the Ploughman Poet and the Bard of Ayrshire, where many referred to him as The Bard.

The club is overjoyed to welcome back Tom MacDonald who makes his home in Arisaig, N. S., with his wife, Maria, and family. MacDonald and his guitarist, Rob Wolfe, have built up a considerable following on the Island, and are always delighted to performing on this side of the water.

In his day job, MacDonald is a lobster fisherman on the Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore. But his real love is the wonderful music of his Scottish ancestors and the great songs of the sea.

In addition to MacDonald, Burns’ songs, music, poetry, and Highland dancing will be performed at the concert on Jan 24th".

Tickets will be available at the door.Adults $10 and children under 12 admitted free. Tickets are also available by calling the following club members: Cecil MacPhail, 892-2181; John Bryanton, 566-2082; Bill Acorn, 892-1666; Douglas MacKenzie, 394-0669; or Eleanor Boswell, 368-7378.

The grand finale will include club members and performers on stage for the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

Tom’s website is https://sites.google.com/site/tommacdonaldceltictenor/home

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Burleigh Papers Online

Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario and its archives has just announced the public launch of their latest digital initiative - the digitization of the Dr. Herbert Clarence Burleigh fonds.

I took time and checked certain family names, and found quite a bit of information - especially Loyalists families of the area. For example, it just doesn’t pertain to people in Kingston, there was information on the townships of the Bay of Quinte area too.

They say that “Through the Burleigh Family, and in particular, Peter and Evelyn Burleigh, whose generous donation has made this exciting initiative a reality, and in collaboration with the Internet Archives of Toronto the research amassed by Dr. Burleigh on approximately 1,000 families, who have roots in the Kingston region, is now available on-line”.

You can go to the website at http://archives.queensu.ca/databases/genealogy/burleigh.html

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Are you curious about your Finnish origins?

The Library and Archives Canada has a blog about tracing your Finnish Ancestors.

Do you want to know who your first Finnish ancestor was and when he or she left Finland and arrived in Canada? Are you curious about your Finnish origins?

That say that “If so, our website is a great place to begin your research. Here you will find a page dedicated to genealogical research at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-905.009-e.html This page provides you with historical information, archival documents and published material from the Library and Archives Canada collection, as well as links to other websites and institutions”.

If your ancestor came to Canada between 1865 and 1935, you might find his or her name on http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-908.003-e.html

You can also check these websites -

Finnish Canadian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Canadian

The Genealogical Society of Finland http://www.genealogia.fi/sss/indexe.htm

Finland's Family History Association http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Gwyneth Pearce, Secretary of the Toronto Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, has sent the winter meeting schedule, and it is -

Tracing Your African Heritage in the British West Indies
Saturday, February 1, 2014, 1 – 5 p.m.
This half-day course will cover the basic principles of research, how to read and interpret slave registers, what to look for in vital records, church records, parish registers and much more.
Instructor: Pooran Bridgelal
Where: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto

The Social History of Medicine in 19th Century CanadaTuesdays, February 4 & 11, 2014, 2 – 4 pm
This two-part lecture series will examine life and death and the role of medicine in Canada in the nineteenth century, as well as the revolution in Canadian medical education from 1875 to 1920 that extended life span and professionalized medicine and medical training.
Instructor: Dr. Marianne Fedunkiw
Where: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto

Making the Internet Work for GenealogyWednesdays, February 12, 19 & 26 & March 5, 2014, 6:15 – 8:15 pm
This four-week course is aimed at those who have considerable experience already with using the Internet for genealogy, but who are interested in learning how to fine tune their search abilities and how to take advantage of the social networking opportunities the Internet provides.
Instructor: Marian Press
Where: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto

Tracing Your East Indian Heritage in the British West IndiesSaturday, February 15, 2014, 1 – 5 pm
This half-day course will cover the basic principles of research, how to understand indenture contracts, what to look for in vital records, church records, parish registers and much more.
Instructor: Pooran Bridgelal
Where: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto

The Social History of Dress in 19th Century CanadaTuesdays, February 18 & 25, 2014, 2 – 4 pm
This two-part lecture series is intended as a primer to the social history of dress seen in 19th century photographs, with a special emphasis on Canadian history. The course will cover the period from 1840 to 1910.
Instructor: Ingrid Mida
Where: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto

Introduction to Genealogy and Family History
Saturday, February 22, 2014, 10 am – 3 pm
A fast-paced one-day course that introduces some of the type of records and techniques needed for researching your family tree. It highlights vital records (civil and church), census records and probates (wills), showing how to extract and evaluate data.
Instructor: Linda Reid
Where: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
They are parented by the OGS and the North York Central Library.
To learn more, you can go to http://torontofamilyhistory.org/

Saturday, December 7, 2013

IMPORTANT: Ontario Genealogy Society Open Forum

This notice has just come into the office

The Ontario Genealogical Society invites members and non-members to join in an online discussion with President, Shirley Sturdevant. Ask questions and make comments about the changing face of OGS and volunteer opportunities with the Society.

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014

Time: 7:00 p.m.

More information will follow.

This forum is open to anyone who is interested but you may express your interest and receive a reminder and your own copy of the login information by contacting the OGS provincial office at provoffice@ogs.on.ca.

Please use the subject line “GS Open Forum.”

I will be there. Will you?

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location! Location! Location!

Have you been involved in doing Ontario research lately, and have come across a town, and you are having a hard time to find what county it is in - where it is located?

Now, you can go to the Ontario location website at http://www.ogs.on.ca/branches/ontariolocator.php It lists every municipality in Ontario (city, town, village, township, regional municipality) and all of the geographic townships which have belonged to a municipality.

You can find the township, and there are two types of townships –

1.     A geographic township (G Twp) is a piece of land. You need to know this to find land records and to find where people lived.

2.     An administrative township (A Twp) is a form of government, often administering several geographic townships. You need this to find local records.

And you can find out what county you are in, and the Ontario Genealogical Society Branch the municipality is in.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Snow!

We are in the middle of the first major snowstorm of the season here in Ottawa today, and the Museum of Civilization will soon open its exhibit about snow which will run from December 6, 2013 to September the 28th 2014.

The exhibit will feature some 300 articles, and more than 400 photos that Canadians have taken of snow.

To find out more about the exhibit, go to http://www.civilization.ca/event/snow/

Saturday, November 23, 2013

York Region Ancestors Newsletter

The York Region Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) has just issued its November newsletter, and in this issue they have an article A View of Markham Township in 1799 in which Surveyor Augustus Jones lists the people in the township and the land they held.

There is also an article on the Early Lutheran Deaths in the Twp of Markham (1834 – 1841), and Confirmations in the Lutheran Church 1834 and 1836.

There is the family tree of John Stiver and Mary Ann Shutz, and a list of
Tavern Licenses Granted from 1855 to 1860, and a list of innkeepers for Whitchurch Township from 1803 to 1841.

Please be reminded that they have all the back issues of Ancestors from 1996 to 2006 which includes a subject index for sale, in addition to over 150 cemetery transcripts on their publications page at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onyrbogs/pub_001.htm

You can visit their webpage at www.rootsweb.com/onyrbogs

Postscript: December is the yearly membership drive by the OGS. This year the basic membership is $61.20 which is a deal for all the benefits that you can receive from the Members Only pages at http://www.ogs.on.ca/index.php

Friday, November 22, 2013

PEI Genealogical Society upcoming event

The PEI Genealogical Society will hold its next general meeting on Saturday November 23 at 2:00 pm at Beaconsfield's Carriage House, located at the corner of Kent and West Streets in Charlottetown.

Guest speaker Dr. Ed MacDonald will present a talk on Our Fathers: A Brief Introduction to PEI's Fathers of Confederation. He will answer the question - Who were the PEI Fathers of Confederation? The public is invited to attend and find out more than just a name.

Admission is free.

If you would like more information, go to http://www.peigs.ca/

101st Grey Cup Football Game this Sunday

Library and Archives Canada / C-017372

The Grey Cup Game is this weekend in Regina, Saskatchewan, but do you know that the Library and Archives Canada has the papers of Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey. He was the Governor General of Canada from 1904 to 1911 and he actually wanted to donate the cup to the champion hocked team – not the football team!

They hold many resources relating to the history of the Governor General and the Grey Cup.

To learn more about the life and activities of Lord Grey himself, you can consult the Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey fonds at http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayItem&lang=eng&rec_nbr=105479

Thursday, November 21, 2013

WWI Memorial Wall at OGS

Have you checked the WWI War Memorial Wall at OGS lately? It is starting to get populated with photos from the First World War, but the Ontario Genealogical Society is looking for more photos.

So they are asking “Do you have family members who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI? As we approach the 100th Anniversary of the Great War, the Ontario Genealogical Society invites you to share their stories and photos on our newly created WWI Memorial Wall on the OGS Soldphotos flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ogsphotos/sets/

If you would like to share your scanned photos, letters, diaries, or require more information, please contact our Digitization Manager at scanning@ogs.on.ca

We also welcome photos and stories from all of our Canadian War Veterans, and as always, those popular Mystery Photos”.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Two workshops at the Windsor Public Library



The Central Branch of the Windsor Public Library in Windsor, Ontario invite people who have an interest in family history at two workshops presented by Tom Vajdik, WPL Genealogy and Local History Librarian.

The two workshops are –

Introduction to Genealogy will take place at 7:00 pm on Monday, October 28 in WPL’s Fred Israel Auditorium (lower level of Central Branch, 850 Ouellette Avenue) This workshop will be an introduction to the methodology and cover the basics of genealogy as well as offer resources that assist in learning to trace your family history.

Genealogy on the Internet will be offered at 7:00 pm on Monday, November 18, in WPL’s Computer Lab (main floor near Dufferin Entrance at Central Branch, 850 Ouellette Avenue). This workshop will examine the many free web sites devoted to genealogy.

“At Windsor Public Library, we have noticed there’s been a resurgence in people’s desire to know their ancestors as people and learn more about their roots,” says Vajdik. “People visit us from far and wide to avail themselves of our resources. Solving puzzles and being the Sherlock Holmes of their own family stories satisfies a desire to tie their past to their present. Windsor Public Library is pleased to offer these genealogy workshops. All are welcome to attend and there is no fee to register.”

For more information and to register for either of these free workshops, please call 519-255-6770, ext. 4434 or email tvajdik@windsorpubliclibrary.com.  


Please register early for the November 18 workshop to ensure you get a seat!

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Remembering the Fallen in Canada

A new app for the iPad has been created for Remembrance Day as an interactive experience, giving Canadians a way to remember those who have given their lives in service to our country.

Click on the red poppy (I clicked on the poppy on Halifax, and discovered the story of The Sisters of Mercy – the Canadian Nursing Sisters, part of the Canadian Army Medical Corps of the First World War), but they have graves from the Boer War, through the World Wars, Korean War, our Peacekeeping Missions and Afghanistan.

The website is http://www.thefallen.org/

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Canada Remembers – 30 Ways to Remember

A fellow Canadian blogger has started a new blog called The Rising Village and it’s about her family – John and Lizzie McCluskey who settled in the St. Andrews East area of Quebec in the 1800s. Today the area is known as Saint-André-d'Argenteuil - just south of Lachute.

And she has started a new project to coincide with Canada Remembers – 30 Ways to Remember, and she is taking one person per day who is listed on the Honour Roll at Veterans Affairs Canada and is telling their story.

She is asking anyone who has more information on the people she has put on the blog to write her, and if you have information on her family to do the same – she would like to hear from you.

The address is http://therisingvillage.blogspot.ca/

Friday, November 8, 2013

Contribution of Aboriginal Peoples in the First World War (1914-1918)

Above is the Attestation Paper of Private Henry Norwest, a Métis from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, was one of the most famous snipers.

The Library and Archives Canada has sent this email to me so that I could alert my readers that they have a new post called the Contribution of Aboriginal Peoples in the First World War (1914-1918).

In part, the post says that “Aboriginal peoples have a long tradition of military service in Canada dating back several centuries. Although not legally required to participate in the war, an estimated 4,000 Status Indians, and an unrecorded number of Métis and Inuit enlisted voluntarily and served with the Canadian Corps in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF).

Almost all of the young men on many reserves enlisted for service. For example, approximately half of the eligible Mi’kmaq and Maliseet from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia volunteered for overseas duty. In other provinces, the number was even higher. In the small Saskatchewan community of File Hills, nearly all of the eligible men signed up to fight.

The exact number of Aboriginal soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War is not known. It is estimated that at least 300 men were killed during battles or died from illness, such as tuberculosis”.

Read the full blog post at http://thediscoverblog.com/tag/aboriginal/

Postscript: Am I correct in thinking that the LAC is changing the design of its website again? I am starting to get frustrated as I flip back and forth between the old-old site and the new site. Some records are still at the old-old site, and then some are on the new site, and …

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Military Great Moments in Genealogy

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) is having a special monthly meeting in honour of Remembrance Day on Saturday November 9th, when they will feature seven 15-minute talks.

The meeting will take place at Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa.

Come early and browse the Discovery Tables, and meet with family history experts.

9:00 to 9:15 am
Over the Top: Researching our First War Ancestors in Fifteen Minutes Glenn Wright

9:15 to 9:30 am
Finding a Family Member on the Western Front Jane Down

9:30 to 10:00 am
Discovery Tables — Military Memorabilia Helen Garson

10:00 to 10:15 am
BIFHSGO Monthly Business Meeting Glenn Wright

10:15 to 10:30 am
Sam Cromie: Canadian Private to British Officer Wendy Croome

10:30 to 10:45 am
A Family in Service Mark Lloyd

10:45 to 11:00 am
Slipping Backward: A Canadian Prisoner of War, 1915-18 Brian Watson

11:00 to 11:15 am
William Sterling Lamb (1894-1918): A Promising Life Cut Short Anne Sterling

11:15 to 11:30 am
What Did He Do for Armistice? By Brian Glenn

If you want to hear speakers Glenn Wright, and Anne Sterling as they are interviewed by Dave Cross about the subjects of their talks, go to http://www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=106


The BIFHSGO website is http://www.bifhsgo.ca

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Veterans Week - Cape Bretoners in World War Two

Wayne Macvicar, from Cape Breton (Nova Scotia), has emailed that
his site - Cape Bretoners in World War Two has just gone through an update.

The site contains an additional 16 individuals for a total of 16, 077 and 261 new pages for fatal casualties in the period Jan-Jul 1944, with photos for 19 individuals that are not on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial site.

He says that “Although I feel I'm getting close to completing the number of individuals that served I only have the bare information for many of them, including those that died in service. I invite everyone to have a look at my site and if they have any information they would like to share to fill out the form I have provided on my general Cape Bretoners at War https://sites.google.com/site/cbatwar/ site”.

To visit his sites, go to Cape Bretoners at War: https://sites.google.com/site/cbatwar/ and
Cape Bretoners in World War Two: https://sites.google.com/site/cbinww2/

Wayne thanks you for your input. It is very much appreciated.

(C) Veterans Affairs Canada

Postscript: This year during Veterans Week (November 5 – 11th), we remember Canada's Veterans - Brave and Proud.

Thank a Veteran by sending a Postcard for Peace at http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/veterans-week/postpeace

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Canadian Week in Review 05 November 2013

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2013

Veterans Week November 5 - 11

Today is the beginning of Veterans Week in Canada. This year’s theme is I Remember – Canada's Veterans, Brave and Proud.

They have an Honour Roll at their page at
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/virtualmem/honour-roll

Yesterday, they honoured 281 people who died in war on that date, and each person has burial information, a photo of the soldier if it is available, and a summary of their military service.

Some of the stories that have caught my eye this week were –

‘Give a Vimy for Vimy:’ Fundraising campaign highlights battlefield image on $20 bill http://www.canada.com/Give+Vimy+Vimy+Fundraising+campaign+highlights+battlefield+image+bill/9119175/story.html Montreal-based Vimy Foundation is launching “a centennial campaign to convince the country to adopt the nickname “Vimy” for the new polymer $20 bills, which feature an image of the towering Vimy Ridge battlefield memorial in France”.

Libraries and Legion work together for literacy this Remembrance Day http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Local/2013-10-01/article-3413507/Libraries-and-Legion-work-together-for-literacy-this-Remembrance-Day/1In order to promote Remembrance Day this year, the Legion and the libraries in Nova Scotia are giving away 6,000 copies of Norman Leach’s award winning book Passchendaele,an illustrated history.

`Victory in Europe's 70th anniversary and the liberation of the Netherlands http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canadian-students-and-teachers-to-join-dutch-citizens-in-celebrating-victory-in-europes-70th-anniversary-and-the-liberation-of-the-netherlands-229744371.html Students from Canada will go to the Netherlands May 2015 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe and the liberation of the Netherlands.