Canadian Week in Review 12 October 2015

I have come across the following Canadian genealogy, history and heritage websites, social media, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

This Week in Canadian History

In 1920, the Canadian Air Board, a forerunner of the Royal Canadian Air Force, began its first flight across Canada. Wing Cmdr. Robert Leckie flew from Halifax to Winnipeg, arriving Oct. 11. From there, Air Commodore A. K. Tylee and three other pilots flew to Vancouver, arriving Oct. 17. Total elapsed time was 45 hours, 20 minutes for 5,488 kilometres, as opposed to 132 hours by rail.

And in 1927, the first air-mail service in Canada was inaugurated.

To find out more information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Board_(Canada)

Social Media

(Blog) An Interesting Find on Ontario, Roman Catholic Church Records, 1760-1923 online 

http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/10/an-interesting-find-on-ontario-roman.html#ixzz3o4yzczU3

(Photos) Whitney Pier mural remembers steel plant and its workers

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/steel-plant-mural-1.3265006

(Blog) How TTC subway stations got their atypical names

http://www.blogto.com/city/2015/10/how_ttc_subway_stations_got_their_atypical_names/

Newspaper Articles

Nova Scotia 

Sinclair Inn's hidden murals offer glimpse of Acadian past

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/sinclair-inn-s-hidden-murals-offer-glimpse-of-acadian-past-1.3260666

Hidden murals in Canada's oldest surviving Acadian building may turn the walls of the museum into windows onto the past. 

Wayne Morgan helps manage the Sinclair Inn Museum in Annapolis Royal, N.S. He says the building's hidden murals lie beneath layers of peeling wallpaper.

Shearwater Aviation Museum final resting place for 1916 flag

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/shearwater-aviation-museum-flag-resting-place-1.3259117

It's a flag with a long history.And now the Union Jack that has been through war will have its final resting place at the Shearwater Aviation Museum.

A presentation for the well-worn and much loved flag was held on HMCS Sackville on Tuesday. 

Prince Edward Island 

Elmira Railway Museum on the right track

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/elmira-pei-railway-museum-increase-1.3265689

The Elmira Railway Museum saw a whopping 30 per cent increase in visitors this year, in part because the tourist attraction increased its hours. 

August alone saw a 55 per cent increase compared to the same month last year, marking the biggest increase of any of the provincially-run heritage sites.

New Brunswick

Fredericton looks at altering rules for building in heritage area

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-heritage-bylaws-meeting-1.3262042 

Fredericton is looking for ways to change the city's bylaws for developing in the St. Anne's Point Heritage Preservation Area after a subdivision on Waterloo Row prompted anger from many people in the neighbourhood. 

Ontario

My London: Visual records an eye-opener 

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/10/09/my-london-visual-records-an-eye-openerThe 

Archives of Ontario shares some of its treasures at the London Public Library later this month.

Separate sessions on Oct. 26 at the Central Library showcase Ontario photographs over a century and the legacy of CFPL-TV.

GENEALOGY WITH JANICE: Celebrating Family History Month in October

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5952869-genealogy-with-janice-celebrating-family-history-month-in-october/

October is family history month. How will you celebrate? 

Manotiba

Manitoba RCMP #tbt photo offers look at police dog history

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-rcmp-tbt-photo-offers-look-at-police-dog-history-1.3263073

This #throwbackthursday photo posted by Manitoba RCMP is estimated to have been taken sometime in the 1940s.

The image of two dogs on a car is from the personal collection of E.B. (Ted) Bailey, a former RCMP officer who was posted to Headingley. RCMP believe Bailey, who passed away in 1991, was an early dog handler for the force.

Manitoba club goes to court after dispute over allowing women to join 

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/06/manitoba-club-goes-to-court-after-dispute-over-allowing-women-to-join_n_8248692.html

A private society is heading to court hoping to settle an internal dispute over its decision to allow women to join its ranks. 

Alberta

Sculpture helps heal history

http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2015/10/07/news/doc561464df758db775444162.txt

Carver Ivan Rosypyske went to Alert Bay with his sister on his birthday last February to witness the demolition of St. Michael’s Indian Residential School, a place where his mother had been forced to spend much of her young life. 

Alberta

Maccoy Cabin approved for long term restoration

http://www.highrivertimes.com/2015/10/08/maccoy-cabin-approved-for-long-term-restoration

As a new provincially designated property, Sheppard Family Park’s historic Maccoy Cabin will receive restoration work to repair damages from the 2013 disaster.

At town council in September, it was unanimously voted that the Maccoy Cabin would be restored for long term use after two proposals were submitted regarding what restoration avenues could be taken.

Canadian news stories this week

October 12th is a day for Canadian to give thanks

It's a tradition that dates back to when Martin Frobisher gave thanks after he and his crew successfully navigated through a treacherous journey from England to the Northwest Passage. 

In genealogy terms, I am thankful that my father, in 1993, phoned me shortly after my husband and I had moved to Ottawa, to ask me if I would go to the Public Archives (the name of the Library and Archives Canada back in the olden days), to see if I could find out any more information about our family name – BARCLAY. My father was hoping that I could find something so that he could give whatever I found to our cousin, who was researching the name.

My father and I know that Andrew BARCLAY was a Loyalists who had come to Shelburne, Nova Scotia, in 1783, but that was about all we knew. 

Shortly after his phone call, I ventured to the archives, and after arriving on the third floor, I was directed to the Port Roseway Associated Loyalists, and there was Andrew Barclay's name as one of the loyalists recorded in the registry.

I subsequently read every book that I could find on the subject, and with a visit to the Shelburne County Archives and Genealogical Society, I was able to put it all together into quite a story. 

So I am thankful that an innocent phone call put me on the road to doing research for others, and my continuing interest in finding out more about Andrew BARCLAY.

And that was the week in Canadian news!

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

If you missed last week’s edition, it is 

at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/10/canadian-week-in-review-05-october-2015.html

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

"Thanksgiving" for my American Cousins

I have American cousins on both sides of my family, even though I was born and grew up in Nova Scotia.

On my paternal side (BARCLAY), I have three great-great aunts, one great-great uncle, and one aunt who went to the “Boston States”, either to find work, or they got married and then moved to the "Boston States” with their husbands.

My great-great aunts were the issue of John and Roseanne (WATT) BARCLAY of Jordan Falls, Nova Scotia –

Josephine Peterson BARCLAY (b. 1880 – d. 1935) She emigrated in c1911 to Massachusetts to work as a teacher, but quickly became married to George Wallace GELLATLY (who had emigrated from Scotland) in 1916.

He was a Baptist minister who travelled around Rhode Island, to New Hampshire, and on to Vermont, were they eventually settled in Newfane.

They had two sons – John, who died at a very young age due to a car accident, and George, who died in California.

Alma Leah BARCLAY (b.1890 - d.1935) She emigrated to Boston, and worked as a bookkeeper. She married William Eben CURRY from Nova Scotia, and he worked on the railroad. They did not have children.

Louise Beatrice BARCLAY (b. 1880 – d. 1967) Great-Aunt Louise emigrated to Boston c1910 to Massachusetts, where she went to cooking school, and worked as a servant in various homes.

She married Martin NYE, and she had two children – Alma and John.

Harold Glenburn BARCLAY (b. 1892-d.1984) He emigrated to Boston in 1910, fought for the US in the First World War, and later, worked as a motor mechanic.

My aunt was the daughter of Cecil and Laurie (TURNER) BARCLAY of Jordan Falls, Nova Scotia -

Mary Augusta BARCLAY (b.1915 - d. 1970) The last relative on my paternal side to emigrate to the “Boston States” was Aunt Mary. She emigrated c1940s, married Samuel WALL, and had two daughters – Florence and Beth. We used to visit them quite often when they lived in Upper Kennebunkport, Maine.

If you would like to read more about Canadians who migrated to the United States, a good place to start is -

The Boston States Migration Links Page http://bostonstates.rootsweb.ancestry.com/BostonStatesindex.htm. It is THE site for Migration to the Boston States.

I would like to wish our American friends a "Happy Thanksgiving!"

If you want to see whimsical and interesting material on Thanksgiving, including "Were Cats and Dogs on the Mayflower?", check out this post (along with links to animated dancing and football-playing turkeys on my blog and website) - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-thanksgiving.html.

Be sure to click on all the links - there are a few to go through!

Enjoy!

Elizabeth

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, please let me offer a "Happy Thanksgiving!" to our American Cousins! (I have first cousins in Maine, first cousins once removed in Texas, and first cousins three times removed in California).

Canada, in 2005, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants, and is still going strong <www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canms/canada.html>.

There are four "colonies" in the country (in Toronto, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Alberta), with the Canadian society being the first formed outside of the United States.

They published a book for their 25th anniversary detailing their history, and it has many pictures which cover the events and meeting of their four colonies.

The site, which has had over 20,000 visitors since the website first started eight years ago, has an index on Mayflower Research Articles, Mayflower Families Corrections and Additions, and Upcoming Events & Society Meetings.

There is a List of Mayflower Passengers Who Left Descendants, Society Dues & Fees, and Application Procedure & Documentation Requirements.

They have also put online Reports of our Past Guest Speakers, Mayflower Research Articles (Index), and Mayflower DNA Projects.

For a change of pace, please read this interesting article entitled, "Were Cats and Dogs on the Mayflower?", at <http://www.petplace.com/cats/were-cats-and-dogs-on-the-mayflower/page1.aspx?utm_source=catcrazynews001et&utm_medium=email&utm_content=petplace_article&utm_campaign=dailynewsletter>.

And finally, for a bit of fun, knowing that watching football is paramount in any household this weekend (we watch it, too!), visit our Canadian Thanksgiving page at <http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-thanksgiving.html> and check the graphic at the bottom.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This weekend, Canada celebrates Thanksgiving!

A holiday in which we give thanks for the year we have had, and in traditional terms - for the harvest of the field.

It is always on the second Monday of the month of October - having been decided in 1931. Before that, it had been observed on the same day as Armistice Day - both being on November 11th.

This weekend has been nice, sunny and warm. A lot different from that Thanksgiving in 1993 when it snowed and snowed, followed by the coldest winter that had been seen in these parts in years. I remember it well because it was the first year in our new house, and to see the grounds covered in snow was more like Christmas than Thanksgiving.

It has always been a family holiday with turkey, dressing, and all of those roots vegetables - potatoes, carrots, turnips, and a pumpkin or apple pie.

The dinner was usually eaten on Sunday or Monday (it was always on Sunday in my house), and the drive on Monday to my maternal grandparents (Blades) house, and to see my maternal aunts and uncles and cousins who all lived in the town of Barrington Passage, Nova Scotia.

Today, I am staying home to proof an article I have coming out on Chinese-Canadian Immigration in the early 1880s to 1900s, and then tomorrow I will go for a drive to the beautiful Gatineau Hills - which are so colourful this time of year.

So whichever way you celebrate your Thanksgiving weekend, may it be a pleasant one!

And to our American cousins, we wish you the same, just a bit earlier. Enjoy the playoffs!

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