Genealogy Genies!

Genealogy Genies! They're real! They're free!

"On Saturday, June 4, 2011, the Stratford-Perth Archives will partner with the Perth County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society to host 'Genealogy Genies', a Stratford Heritage Week-End event.

Ask the volunteer experts about anything, from explaining the mysteries of finding an Ontario vital statistic record to tips about researching overseas, making the best use of on-line sources, how to access records here that you may not have thought of using, what's the best software for genealogists, and, of course, swapping stories about family history research.

This free event will take place June 4, 2011 at the Stratford branch of the Archives at 24 St. Andrew St. from 8:30 – 4:30.

http://www.perthcounty.ca/page/stratford_perth_archives"

Genealogy Series

Lifetime Learning Centre presents "Your Genealogy Goals", the first of a series of four programs on genealogy by John Herl, on Wednesday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to noon at 32444 Seventh Ave., Mission. BC. Cost for the 4-part series is $25/members, $30/non-members.

Also, take a minute and look at the Virtual Quilt that is on their site at www.lifetimelearningcentre.org/oral-history.html.

The website says that "The virtual quilt is a multimedia format using the Internet and our website to access Mission history. By clicking on a photograph within the quilt you are accessing our collection of Mission histories.

To date we have collected more than 125 Oral Histories showcasing our diversity, distinctiveness, and determination as a community".

What an inventive program for every genealogical society to try to do!

If your society has done an oral history project like this one, contact me at genealogycanada@aol.com, and let me advertise it to the world that such a project exists.

Canada's Royal Wedding Gifts

Here is a press release from the Government of Canada concerning the country's wedding gifts to His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton.

April 28, 2011
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement to announce the Canadian wedding gifts for His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton:

“I am pleased to announce the Government of Canada will make a donation to the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary in honour of the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton. The Government of Canada will offer this wedding gift on behalf of all Canadians.

“The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary was chosen by Prince William and Miss Middleton to be the Canadian beneficiary of a special charitable fund that was set up to celebrate their wedding. The donation of $50,000 by the Government of Canada will allow the organization’s volunteers to carry out their mission, which is to offer—day and night—a permanent search and rescue program to meet the needs of Canada’s marine services, as well as to prevent injuries or loss of human life at sea. Through its search and rescue and nautical safety programs, this not-for-profit organization assists the Coast Guard and the Department of National Defence.

“Canada is proud to offer a wedding gift to a family member of our Head of State, Her Majesty The Queen. This gift was chosen specifically for the occasion and represents Canadians and the pride they have in their country.

“The selection of this worthy cause is symbolic of Canada’s affection for the Royal couple. Canadians are eager to welcome the Royal couple to Canada for their first Royal Tour as newlyweds and share the best of our great land.”

The Prime Minister and Mrs. Harper have also arranged for a personal gift of outdoor equipment for use when the Royal couple experience Canada's natural splendour later this year.

From June 30 to July 8, 2011, the newlyweds will undertake a Royal Tour of Canada, their first visit outside the United Kingdom as a married couple. They will visit Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and the National Capital Region. A detailed itinerary will be released at a later date.

For more information on the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, visit www.ccga-gcac.com.

Toronto's Genealogy Summer Camp 2011

There are only five days left to register for Genealogy "Summer Camp" in Toronto. Registration has to be sent in by May 1st.

From their website comes this news -

"The 2011 Genealogy "Summer Camp" will be number 15! More than 100 participants from England, right across Canada and many US states have attended the 14 previous Summer Camps - some more than once!

Genealogy "Summer Camp" is a unique program that brings out-of-town family historians to Toronto for an intensive week of tutorials and hands-on research, with the guidance of local experts, at the many archives and reference libraries in Toronto. We take full advantage of Toronto's great public transit system and we keep the group small to allow lots of help from our local experts.

Some tutorials will emphasize Toronto sources, but most repositories have holdings from a much broader area. Researchers with ancestors anywhere in Ontario will benefit from Summer Camp.

We've also welcomed many local participants as "day campers". It is an excellent way to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with the libraries and archives in our city. It is also a great excuse for a week of concentrated research.

This year's Summer Camp is scheduled for June 5 to 10, 2011.

For more information, please go to http://www.torontofamilyhistory.org/summercamp.html or send an email to info@torontofamilyhistory.org, or leave a voicemail message at 416-733-2608."

Hudson's Bay Company Biographical Material

Hudson's Bay Company formed in 1670 as a company which—at one time—covered the central and far western part of North America. Its archives is located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. and some of the records (in part) are online at
www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/about/hbca.html.

Besides photos, maps, sound recordings, and textual documents, it has "biographical sheets" online of various people who use to work for the company at www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/biographical.

The website says that "Biographical sheets outline the person's employment history and may also include the parish of origin or place of birth; positions, posts and districts in which the person served; family information, if available; and references to related documents, including photographs or drawings".

For more information, you can contact them at hbca@gov.mb.ca.

Genealogy Corner

Do you know that Statistics Canada has a "Genealogy Corner" webpage on its site at http://census2011.gc.ca/ccr03/ccr03_000-eng.htm? On the website is this quote: "The 2011 Census questionnaire contains a question that permits you to be part of the history of Canada. If you check yes to this permission question, your descendants will be able to do family and genealogical research on you and your family in the future".

If you go on the "Release of personal information after 92 years" webpage at http://census2011.gc.ca/ccr03/ccr03_002-eng.htm, you will see where they held "citizen focus groups and "Town Hall" meetings" before they decided to take the course that they have now adopted, and have passed as law (against the wishes of the Canadian genealogical community) as the "new" standard for Census Canada.

Make sure that YOU answer YES to the question on the Census Form so that 92 years from 2011, your census information will appear on the forms that are released to Library and Archives Canada.

Brant Branch Blog

The Brant Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has a new blog at http://brantcountyogs.blogspot.com.

It just recently started, and already in their second posting of the blog this month, they have put on what is available at their library! A good way to start!

I look forward to following their blog, for it looks like it could be asset to the Branch, and may encourage more people to take a look at the website to see what is available.