Saturday, October 18, 2014

Oxford County Branch is now on Facebook!

Another Ontario Genealogical Society Branch has joined Facebook and it’s the Oxford County Branch in Southwestern Ontario. 

And it’s looks like they are of to a rousing start! 

They have lots of events to attend, and on their website, there are lots of information, for instance, there are wills, directories, and there is an index to obituaries online. So check them out! 


Thursday, October 16, 2014

LAC Update: Digitized Canadian Expeditionary Force personnel service files are starting to go online

Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1983-28-826

We have just received this notice from Library and Archives Canada(LAC) that they are finally putting digitized Canadian Expeditionary Force personnel service files on their site.

Here is the notice -

"In January 2014, we announced a project to digitize 640,000 Canadian Expeditionary Force personnel service files as part of the First World War commemoration activities of the Government of Canada. The goal of this project is to provide free access to high-quality digital copies of all service files in PDF format, anytime and anywhere.

Close to 100 years old, these personnel files are quite brittle. Additionally, over the years, service files have been consulted many times, so they are extremely fragile. It was time to take concrete steps to ensure their preservation for future generations.

To achieve this goal, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) will have to close portions of this collection as they undergo preparation, conservation, and digitization. The entire process is complex because each file must be examined: staples, paper clips and glue must be removed, and in some cases, the files must be treated for mould. After this preparation is completed, digitization is next, starting with box No. 1 and going up. Once digitized, the service files will be stored in a permanent, safe environment. We estimate that 32,000,000 pages will be available online once digitization is finished.

We are happy to inform you that we have started posting the digitized files online. They are accessible via our Soldiers of the First World War: 1914–1918 data base. As of today, 76,330 files are available online. Regular uploads of about 5,000 files will take place every two weeks. All digitized files are searchable by name, regimental number and rank. We will inform you as more digitized files are added to the database.'

So the website is at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/canadian-expeditionary-force.aspx 

Two “brick walls” meetings in Canada in November



Two genealogical societies at opposite ends of the county are going to tackle Brick Walls - the British Columbia Genealogical Society (BCGS)  in Vancouver and the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS) in Halifax in the month of November! 

The first meeting Brick Walls Seminar 2 – Sharing Strategies on Tough Genealogy Problems by the British Columbia Genealogical Society (BCGS) will be Saturday, November 1, 1:00 – 5:00 pm.  

The panel members - M. Diane Rogers, Brenda L. Smith, and Peter Whitlock will then meet with attendees who have submitted questions in advance for 1-on-1 fifteen minute consultations. While this is happening special guest speaker Eunice Robinson will give a talk on planning a trip to Salt Lake City.

A delicious light meal and refreshments will be provided. And there are great door prizes for lucky participants, including a year’s subscription to FindMyPast.com and a year’s membership in the BC Genealogical Society!

There will be an end-of-the-day wrap-up plus lots of opportunities to ask questions and share experiences!

The fee will be $20.00 (includes food), and an additional charge of $10 for 1-on-1 meeting with an Expert.

Contact the BCGS for details and tickets: bcgs@bcgs.ca or call Susan Snalam at 604 273 8209. Pay at a meeting in person or through PayPal. We will ask for your phone number and an e-mail address, if applicable. These will only be used in case we need to contact you about this Seminar.

The website is at http://www.bcgs.ca/

The Genealogical Association of Novaa Scotia (GANS) will hold the second brick wall meeting on Tuesday, November 25, and it will be the 5th Annual Brick Wall Busters (Monthly Meeting) from .7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. It will be held at the Nova Scotia Archives, Akins Room, 6016 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

Ginny Clark, CG(C), Dr. Allan Marble, CG(C) and Doug Cochrane CG(C) will provide information found on submitted brick wall questions. The deadline for receiving questions will be midnight October 25th, 2014.

Please include all pertinent available information such as surname and given name, approximate dates, area of Nova Scotia, the piece of information you would like to find, sources you have already checked, and your contact information. You should a present a specific question in which you require an answer or are most interested. We must receive adequate information in order to properly assist you with your query otherwise it may not be accepted.

Eight queries will be selected to be addressed at our lecture on November 25, 2014: four from local members who will be attending the meeting and four from members outside of the Halifax Regional Municipality who are not able to attend the meeting.

At the event, the local members will read their queries for the benefit of other attendees. A member of the GANS Executive will read the queries from the members from “away”.

To get details of the meeting, go to http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca/

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Goenovium Conference updates


Last month, we first heard about the Goenovium Conference which was to take place on October 7 in Leiden, Netherlands. Their blog is at http://www.gaenovium.com/

The conference took place, and one of the participants was Winnipeg’s and Canada’s own Louis Kessler, and his talk was on Reading wrong GEDCOM right.

He has posted his thought of the conference on his Behold Genealogy blog at http://www.beholdgenealogy.com/blog/, and the slides of his talk is at http://www.gaenovium.com/presentations/2014/Gaenovium%202014%20-%20Louis%20Kessler%20-%20Reading%20Wrong%20GEDCOM%20Right.pdf

He also has Tweets from the conference, plus lots of pictures.
You can also hear about the conference from Sue Adams, a British genealogist, on Dear Myrt’s My Tube channel called Mondays with Myrt at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDtuSF9sZVo&list=UUZlX5znu6d7CCz6xobwMXOA.
She was on the panel discussion at the end of the day which was called Panel Discussion: Current & Future Genealogical Exchange Standards. 
They had an interesting discussion on the role of GEDCOM, GEDCOM X, FHISO, FamilySearch, Genealogy APIs, Sync and Market Forces. 
This is of particular interest to me because of the role that FHISO can play in this. I think it goes beyond GEDCOM and GEDCOM X to the heart of having a standard by which information is synced between the different platforms.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 13 October 2014


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

History Week in Canada (October 7 – October 13, 2014) 


In 1668, Canada's first institution of higher education, The Quebec Seminary, later called Laval University, was founded by Bishop François de Laval. 

François de Laval was made a Saint by Pope Francis in April 2014.

=============================================
In 1811, Sir Isaac Brock became president and administrator of the government of Upper Canada. 

For the biography of Sir Isaac Brock, go to http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/brock_isaac_5E.html 
=============================================
In 1877, the first steam locomotive on the Prairies, the "Countess of Dufferin," arrived in Winnipeg by barge down the Red River.

The history of the “Countess of Dufferin” is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countess_of_Dufferin.  

Social Media


(Video) Editorial: Naming bridge worth effort 
Read about the effort to name a bridge in Saskatoon
=============================================
(Video) Moncton's Castle Manor to be converted into high-end condos 
The new owners of Moncton's Castle Manor plan to convert the historic landmark into high-end condos.

Newfoundland

Locals included in oral history collection project
Some Grand Falls-Windsor residents got to share their reflections of home today as part of a national project.

Nova Scotia

Home for Colored Children apology: N.S. says sorry to ex-residents 
The province has formally apologized to former residents who faced years of abuse at the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children, a former Halifax orphanage.

Digby municipality accepts Bear River, Point Prim and Boars Head lighthouses
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) formally and officially offered the Bear River lighthouse, the Point Prim lighthouse, and the Boar’s Head lighthouse properties to the Municipality of the District of Digby in September.

Prince Edward Island

Winners of the 2014 National Heritage Awards announced
The recipients of the Prince of Wales Prize, the Leadership Awards, and the Ecclesiastical Insurance Cornerstone Awards were formally nominated by Canadians from across the country.

A man who left his mark on our Island
Capt. Holland was ordered by the Crown to survey British North America, including P.E.I. He and his determined crew, who arrived on the survey ship Canceaux, spent a year surveying what was then called St. John’s Island.

Ontario

A group pressing to have images of famous women included in the next set of banknotes learned that their petitions and letters have apparently fallen on deaf ears.

The First World War: Excerpts from the diary of Woodman Leonard
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/10/08/the-first-world-war-excerpts-from-the-diary-of-woodman-leonard
The excerpts from Lt. Col. Woodman Leonard's diary of November 1916.

Canadian War Museum launches national Supply Line program for schools
Supply Line, an educational program, is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

Canadian War Museum earns TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award
The Canadian War Museum has just won a 2014 Travelers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor in the category of Top Museums.

A Queen And Her Country
The 60-year reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has paralleled Canada’s development as a modern, diverse country. Through her numerous visits, she has kept our British heritage and traditions alive.

Editorial of the Week



Is it time we have a Family History Month in Canada? 

Australia had their very successful Family History Month in September, and the United States is now celebrating their Family History Month this month (October), but where is Canada’s Family History Month?

The closest we come to this designation is having Family Day in February in some of the provinces (which may or may not feature genealogy), but what about a month-long celebration of this country’s family history? 

Are there enough people who would be interested in doing this? Could we keep it interesting year after year? Do you think we need a Family History Month in Canada?

All the genealogical societies would have to come together year after year to make this a success, and are we capable of making this happen? With social media so prevalent these days, it should be easier now than it was even a few years ago.

Leave a comment (below), and let me know what you think. Do you think we should start a conversation about this, or is it too much for Canadian genealogists to take seriously?

Now, word has filtered up to Ottawa that there are some people who are thinking of having a national genealogy conference in Halifax next year. Notice the proposed word ‘national’ in the title of the convention. Will this be the beginning of a new convention in Canada?

They have national Canadian speakers who are interested in attending, and maybe this could become a viable thing to start in Canada. Maybe it could be the crowning glory to a month-long genealogy Family History Month.

There are lots of ways this could be approached, but I think it’s time that we start a national conversation about this. If not, we are being left behind again. We complain when other people seem to overlook us because we don’t celebrate our own genealogists and websites, but what do we do to promote our own people?

What do you think of this idea?

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! 

The next post will be on 20 October 2014.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Reminder: Canadian Week in Review

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


It has the most up-to-date news items covered in New/Updated Websites, History, Social Media, and Newspaper Articles. 

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

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

Trent Valley Archives

“Without archives, there is no history” is the tagline used by the Trent Valley Archives located in Peterborough, Ontario. I like this tagline, because it defines archives in one easy sentence. 

This archives is very active in its programming, has a great site, and a local history library. 

The research library has books on emigration, and ‘everyday life’. If you’re looking to learn about the history, people, sources and events that are linked to the area, this is a great place to start.

The website says that “This group offers many fascinating tours throughout the year, mostly in the summer and fall. From ghost walks, to pub crawls, to tours that focus on specific people or neighbourhoods, their tours are sure to delight any history or culture buff. You can stop by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitor Centre to pick up a list of their upcoming events or go to their website to see which tours are available.”

In September, they had an open house, where they displayed, for example,  their holding of the First World War.

To read about the open house, you can go to http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2014/09/14/about-75-people-attend--trent-valley-archives-open-house

And next weekend, on October the 18th, they will present the Little Lake Twilight Cemetery Tour and Pageant, and the tours and pageant will begin at 6:00 pm. Reservation are required.

And on November the 6th, they will celebrate their 25th year anniversary. They will have a special dinner that night.

So it is clear that they are a very dynamic, engaged archives in the city of Peterborough, and if you have ancestors who are from there, this is one place that you should check for background information.

Their website is at http://trentvalleyarchives.com/

Their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/trentvalleyarchives

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!


Well, it must be the fall season! The leave are finally turning colour, and that lets us know that fall is here. It is Thanksgiving weekend is Canada, so it’s time to take a break away from genealogy, and rest and relax with our families.

In the meantime, Ancestry.ca has just notified me that they are offering 40% off their Canada Deluxe Memberships for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Go to Ancestry.ca if you wish to take advantage of this offer!

Friday, October 10, 2014

Canada GenWeb is ten years old!

This completely skipped my mind – the Canada GenWeb was 10 years old October the 1st. Congratulations to Sherri Pettit and to all of those who contributed and still contribute to the website today!

Sherri says “Initially our plan was to offer a cemetery directory and list of available cemetery resources for genealogists. It quickly became a repository for photos, indexes and transcripts. 

Over the past ten years hundreds of volunteers have offered their time, expertise, and passion to help this project grow. Because of their efforts CanadaGenWeb's Cemetery Project now offers a directory of 20,000 known Canadian cemeteries, over 1,000,000 indexed names, and more than 600,000 photographs.” 

I am at the site nearly every day to look at their maps, their cemeteries, their pioneer's profiles and I have never been disappointed. It’s one of my “go-to” sites when I am doing research. 

Thursday, October 9, 2014

FamilySearch is looking for more indexers

I watched and listened to the Legacy Family Tree Webinar on Tuesday with Devin Ashby, Community Advocate for FamilySearch as he gave the talk Welcome to FamilySearch Indexing! The news is they are still looking for indexers. The webinar is free for the next seven days, so be sure to catch it at http://www.familytreewebinars.com/download.php?webinar_id=213

You can go to https://familysearch.org/indexing/ to register to be an indexer, and there are projects that you can choose from at https://familysearch.org/indexing/projects/country/ca 

Meanwhile, British Columbia Death Registrations (1871-1986) at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1538285 , and British Columbia Marriage Registration (1859-1932) at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1307718 have been updated.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

FREE Family History Fair

There is going to be a FREE Family History Fair in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Family History Centre on Saturday, 15 November 2014 from 9:30 am until 4 pm. 

Learn how to search for your ancestors and build your family tree. It will be a day of fun, music, discussions and great teachers. Presenters include Dr Allen Marble, the president of Genealogy Association of Nova Scotia (GANS) and other well known and experienced genealogists.

To see the schedule for the day, click on the following link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx5QmHTtDVKmWXNDNGljdzlzRVU/edit?usp=sharing  

Registration is totally free. Everybody will be provide with a free lunch. To sign up, click on the link http://www.lds.org/familyhistoryfair  

The location is Dartmouth Family History Centre, 44 Cumberland Drive in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Google Maps gets you to the door: https://goo.gl/maps/FQ0MD 

For more information contact Doug Williams at ddoug.williams10@gmail.com 

LiterASIAN 2014: A Festival of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian Writing

The LiterASIAN 2014: A Festival of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian Writing begins October 9 to 12 at the Richmond Library and Cultural Centre, British Columbia, and it will feature the following authors

  • Fred Wah

  • Louise Bak

  • Tom Cho

  • Corinna Chong

  • Doretta Lau

  • Edwin Lee

  • Serena Leung

  • Kim Fu

  • Souvankham Thammavongsa

  • Yasuko Nguyen Thanh

  • Elsie Sze 

  • and Lily Chow. 

There will be author readings, book launches and book signings, a special poetry reading evening with open mike, book fair, outreach event at Richmond Library and Cultural Centre, British Columbia and our second annual celebration dinner fundraiser at the Pink Pearl Restaurant.

LiterASIAN: a Festival of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian Writing is a community-building initiative by the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop and Ricepaper Magazine. 

To see the full program, go to http://www.asiancanadianwriters.ca/

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Newly Reopened Museum and Archives

The newly renovated Lennox & Addington County Museum and Archives located in Napanee, near Kingston, Ontario has just reopened, and I hear that it is just wonderful. 

The expansion consists of a new addition featuring a large research room, archival storage, and display areas.

The museum and archives is a research library and extensive local archives documenting county history, as well as genealogical files for those who want to find their personal connection to the past. 

For example, the Genealogical Research Collections contain published and unpublished genealogies, published genealogical reference works, micrographic sources, card indices and family files. 

For historical background, there are municipal papers from the County of Lennox and Addington, the old Town of Napanee, villages of Newburgh and Bath, and townships within the County. 

The museum holds the Napanee Standard, Napanee Express, Napanee Beaver, The Heritage and other local newspapers. The archives has over 700 reels of microfilm, and over 10,000 original images. 

The museum and archives will be open from Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm, but they will be closed on holidays. They are open 3rd Tuesday of the month until 8 pm for "Tuesday Nights at the Museum" 


Monday, October 6, 2014

Canadian Week in Review - 06 October 2014


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

History Week in Canada


In 1871, British garrison troops throughout Canada were called home, to be replaced by Canadian militia.There were two types of militia, and they were -
===================================================
In 1907, Alexander Graham Bell formed the Aerial Experiment Association at Baddeck, N.S. The group built several successful gasoline-powered biplanes. John McCurdy made the first manned flight in Canada on Feb. 23, 1909. The group also worked on hydrofoil boats.

To learn more about the Silver Dart, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEA_Silver_Dart
===================================================
In 1953, John Galt's Canada Co. was formally liquidated at London, England. Chartered in 1826, the company played an important role in colonizing the western part of Upper Canada.

To read more about the Canada Company, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Company

Social Media


(Video) The First World War: Excerpts from the Diary of Woodman Leonard   
If war wasn’t enough to endure, Canadian soldiers had the Battle of the Somme, ammunition shortages, low rations, and the rain that turned everything into mud! 
===================================================
Elgin County Ontario Canada and Talbot Times Genealogy Blog  
Researching Elgin Roots in the Tweed Area

Nova Scotia


Glasgow to get direct flights to Nova Scotia
WestJet, the Canadian airline, has announced a new, direct service from Glasgow to Halifax in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia farm declared heritage property
Two years after purchasing Janice's family homestead, the Durham (Nova Scotia) couple had Thorbank Farm officially declared a heritage property by the two levels of government during a special ceremony.

Ontario


West Niagara churches commemorate War Measures Act
Two west Niagara churches were among just 100 across the country to celebrate the unveiling of memorial plaques to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the War Measures Act.

Hologram Coin Celebrates Canadian Space Agency's 25-Year Legacy
Commemorating a quarter-century of Canadian astronaut and robotic achievements in space, the Royal Canadian Mint has released a new collector coin for the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Space Agency.

Franklin ship found in Arctic was HMS Erebus
The shipwreck located by researchers last month was HMS Erebus, which Sir John Franklin sailed on during his doomed 1845 quest to find the Northwest Passage to Asia.

Canada's Lancaster bomber returns home after historic U.K. tour
Canada’s only operational Second World War-era Lancaster bomber plane was met by hundreds of cheering onlookers and a Scottish marching band as it touched down in Hamilton Sunday after a historic aerial tour in the U.K.

Cobham Parish Magazine helps Canadian man uncover family history
A Canadian man discovered his historic links to Cobham through parish magazine and newspaper clippings dating back to 1914.

Manitoba


Hudson's Bay Company announces donation of historic mural to The Manitoba Museum
The Pioneer at Fort Garry, a 16.5-metre by 3-metre oil-on-canvas mural, which had been a fixture in the Hudson's Bay Winnipeg Downtown store since 1927, was removed in January 2014 in preparation for donation to The Manitoba Museum.

Saskatchewan


Canadian History Ehx: The early settlers of Grenfell
In the early 1870s, the area of Grenfell was open prairie, with a few missionaries and fur traders passing through every so often.

Saskatoon's Knox United asking for help with roof repairs
Church makes case for grant under heritage program using historical work records for money to help fix the roof.

A piece of Saskatoon history finds a new home
The Bedford Road Collegiate gymnasium has found a new home at the Brainsport.

Alberta


Legacy of Heroes looks at history of aircraft used in criminal pursuit
The new issue is called “Flight into Danger”, and Jeff Awid, Writer/Producer with EPS Corporate Communications Branch, says it chronicles the first time in Canadian history that aircraft was used in a criminal pursuit.

British Columbia


Arson suspected in Keefer Street heritage house fire
Property damage appears to have been deliberately set.

Story of the Week


Women’s History Month 2014

As a person who owns my own business at www.elrs.biz, I read the facts that are on the Status of Women Canada webite at http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/whm-mhf/facts-faits-eng.html with interest, because October is Women’s History Month.

The first fact that is on the page is that women represent 47.3% of the Canadian labour force today, which is good news. And the good news for people who are involved in the genealogy business is that in 2011, women held the majority ownership of 16% of small- and medium-sized businesses – although women were more likely to own small- rather than medium-sized businesses.
They have a 31-day-challenge this year, and it is to share historic and recent information about Canadian women in business, every day, on your favourite social media platform. That sounds like a really good idea!

Reminder: Check the Canadian Week in Review next Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in country! 

The next post will be on 13 October 2014.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Reminder: Canadian Week in Review

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


It has the most up-to-date news items covered in New/Updated Websites, History, Social Media, and Newspaper Articles.

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

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

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Creepy Alberta!

  


The Alberta Archives during Archives Week will be holding Creepy Alberta! events all this month from October 5 - October 11, 2014 in deference to it being Halloween on October the 31st! And all events are open to the general public. 

For instance, these events will be held - 

Creepy Alberta: Archives Week Launch - “Buildings with a Past?”

When: October 5, 1 pm

Where: Selkirk Grille, Heritage Park, 1900 Heritage Dr SW

Join Harry Sanders for a look at forgotten uses and events in Calgary buildings and sites that might otherwise have been forgotten—if not for available sources in local archives and libraries. 

Grande Prairie

Film and Story Tea

When: October 5, 2 – 4 pm

Where: Golden Age Centre (10222-101 Avenue)

The theme of the event is “the other side of government and politics” and the event includes five storytellers as well as a 16 mm film titled, “Grande Prairie, A Way of Life”, which was produced in 1981. It is sponsored by the 100th Anniversary Committee of the City of Grande Prairie. 

Edmonton

Exhibit: The Eerie Battle of Ortona

When: October 6 – 10, 10 am – 4 pm

Where: Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum, Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre (118, 10440-108 Ave)

The exhibit features a temporary graveyard at Ortona, Italy for fallen soldiers of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment. Sixty-three men died in the grueling Christmas week battle in 1943.

Exhibit: Tonight’s the Night

When: Beginning October 6, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm M-F

Where: City of Edmonton Archives (10440-108 Ave)

Halloween has been celebrated in Edmonton since the early 1880s, and the holiday’s roots can be found in centuries old traditions. Come explore the celebration of Halloween in Edmonton from 1900 to 1950 through the City of Edmonton Archives' new exhibition "Tonight's the Night!". Parties and costumes, tricks and treats. You won’t be disappointed.

Law and Original Order: Discovering Alberta’s Court Records

When: Tours will be available Wednesday, October 8, 7-9pm, and Thursday, October 9, 1:30-4:30pm

Where: Provincial Archives of Alberta (8555 Roper Rd)

The Provincial Archives of Alberta is please to present “Law and Original Order: Discovering Alberta’s Court Records”. 

St. Albert

Open House and Exhibit

When: October 7 to 10, 10 am to 5 pm

Where: Musée Héritage Museum (5 St. Anne Street)

The Musée Héritage Museum Archives will be commemorating Archives Week with a special display in the foyer of the museum. The display will showcase a variety of the donations to the archives over the past year, with a special highlight of materials related to Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel. 

Hinton

Creepy Stories from Hinton’s Past

When: October 8, 7-8 pm

Where: Teck Coal Room, Hinton Public Library (803 Switzer Dr)

An evening of Ghost Stories during Archives Week 2014

To find out more about these events, go to http://www.archivesalberta.org/

Friday, October 3, 2014

AFHS Beginner’s Course in Genealogy

The Alberta Family History Society (AFHS) will have a Beginner’s Course in Genealogy where you will learn how to get started, organizational skills, and where and how to look online. 

The course will be on Sunday October 19, 2014 from 2 pm to 4 pm and this course will be FREE for all AFHS members. All other non-members will be requited to buy a membership which is $40.00. It will be held at the AFHS library at 712-16 Avenue NW in Calgary, Alberta.

If you wish to attend, please contact Kay Clark at 403.279.1036, or by email at clarkegk@telus.net 


Their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaFHS 

Their blog is at http://afhs.ab.ca/blog/

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Update: Nova Scotia Births, 1864-1877



FamilySearch have updates the Nova Scotia Birth 1864-1877 which includes indexes and images of Nova Scotia county births . These records are the registration of births, not birth certificates

Birth registers may contain the following information:

  • Name of child 
  • Gender 
  • Birth date and place 
  • Father’s name, occupation and residence 
  • Mother’s name and maiden name 
  • When and where parents were married 
  • Informant’s name and residence 
  • Date birth was registered 
  • Name of witness 
It covers the counties of
  • Annapolis 
  • Antigonish 
  • Cape Bretonp 
  • Colchester 
  • Cumberland 
  • Digby 
  • Guyborough 
  • Halifax 
  • Hants 

You can go to 

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

All Aboard!

The Kent County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society meeting will be held on Friday October 10, 2014 at 7 pm.

Take a trip back in time to explore the history of the railroad in Kent County and its impact on local families with the Chatham Railway Museum in a talk entitled All Aboard!

This talk will be held at the St. Andrew’s Residence, 99 Park St., Chatham.

Members of the Kent Branch have been working on indexing branch and library publications, and an index is now available on-line for searching.

This index was updated on March 1st, 2014. The Master Index presently includes an index to 11,988 persons. And it is housed at http://www.kent.ogs.on.ca/master_index/index.php

Their blog is at http://kentcountyogsblog.blogspot.ca/

Their site is at http://kent.ogs.on.ca/

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Update: For King and Country Project

WW1 Memorial at Queen Alexandra Public School Credit given to Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto Branch

Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has sent a report to those people who are interested in the For King and Country Project, and it says  -

Toronto Branch has reached a milestone in its project to index war memorials in the city’s schools! The number of schools in our For King and Country database now stands at 100.

The latest additions are 

  • The Bishop Strachan School
  • Davisville Public School
  • Eastern High School of Commerce
  • George Syme School
  • Humbercrest Public School
  • Keele Street School
  • Maurice Cody School
  • Roselands Public School
  • Victoria College
  • York Memorial Collegiate Institute. 

That’s 10 more schools… and 3,378 more names of students, former students and teachers who volunteered for active service in the World Wars and other conflicts.

The database now contains a total of more than 38,000 names, along with descriptions and transcriptions of memorials, photos and school histories, all fully searchable on-line.

Visit the For King and Country pages at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/kingandcountry/ to explore this growing collection.