Research: Information needed on abandoned or deserted buildings

Esther Pilon, a journalist and researcher from Quebec, is working on a documentary series produced by Baroque (a production company in Quebec), and she wants information on abandoned or deserted buildings in the province. The series will be broadcasted on the Historia channel in 2015.

She is looking for abandoned or deserted buildings that have either been closed recently or for some time some examples are: farms, houses, factories, country homes, chapels or churches, stores etc…

Her goals is to hopefully be able to show these places in their historic and anthropological perspective. The documentary series will present these places with the input of antique specialists and historians. Also, she would like to meet and talk with people who have worked as employees in the factories or lived in the houses and or country homes, or know the places as past clients, student or attended the churches. 

For every abandoned place there are human stories.

This documentary series is a project of Baroque, a documentary producer from Montreal. Their recent projects include a history of taverns that will be broadcasted on Historia in 2014.

To send your information or to contact Esther, please either write to her at  6255 St-Vallier, Montréal, H2S 2P6, or at estherpilonrecherchiste@gmail.com . Her  . telephone number: 514-967-9541.

Historia TV Channel is at www.historiatv.com

UPDATE: TONI (The Ontario Name Index)

Since last reporting on TONI (The Ontario Name Index) earlier this spring, nearly 2 ½ million entries have been added.

TONI, as an index, is FREE for everyone the world over. In order to access information found in the databases you must pay a small fee. All proceeds from those fees support Ontario's heritage community.

Go to www.ogs.on.ca/integrated/toni_database1.php to read more about TONI, and to see if the name who are researching, is there.

IRISH COMMUNITY SUMMER PARTY

The Federation of Irish Societies invites you to a Cross Community Get Together and the Special Guest will be Dr. Ray Bassett, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada

Bring your friends and meet new ones. There will be traditional Irish music and it will be provided by SIAMSA. Happy hour prices and complimentary finger food.

It will take place on Tuesday, June 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the The Irish Embassy Pub & Grill, 1234 Bishop Street, Montreal (on the back patio).

The website of the United Irish Societies of Montreal is www.montrealirishparade.com/gallery/index.php

Their Facebook page is www.facebook.com/pages/United-Irish-Societies-of-Montreal/102884813130606

Ancestry.ca - Life Before Canada

Ancestry.ca has just released Life Before Canada, in which their “collection of Canadian Pre–Confederation Records can help paint a picture of life in the years leading to the birth of our nation. Remarkable in their detail, you may even find out what your ancestor looked like! Learn about officers and soldiers in the British Army and Navy, early emigrants from Ireland, Scotland and England, Rideau Canal workers in the first years of Bytown (Ottawa) and prisoners of the War of 1812”.

Get to know the history of Canada through Canadian Pre–Confederation Records and discover even more about the country you call “home”.

Go to www.ancestry.ca/150years?o_xid=55887&o_lid=55887&o_sch=Email

to start searching.

Contest - Your Canadian Brick Walls

To celebrate Canada Day on July 1^st — the 146^th anniversary of Canada as a country — I am running a contest to do a free research consultation for each of the winners.

All you have to do it to submit one of your Canadian brick wall questions to me at genealogyresearch@aol.com

I will choose four lucky winners to help breakdown that brick wall. It must concern your Canadian genealogy, from anywhere in Canada, and at any time, and, of course, contain a Canadian ancestor.

Please note that having an ancestor land and/or pass through Canada also counts, as my research speciality is inter-migration between Canada and the United States, and also immigration to Canada from “across the Pond”.

For more information on my research business, please visit www.elrs.biz  

So, why am I picking four winners?

Well, because you must first answer this skill-testing question – name the four provinces that made up the country of Canada on July 1^st, 1867, the date of Canada’s Confederation.

So send me your Canadian brick walls now, and on July 1^st, I’ll choose four of them to work on.

Good luck!

Elizabeth

Update on the 1921 Canadian Census

It is being reported that the Canadian House Of Commons has adjourned for the summer as of this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/18/house-of-commons-adjourns_n_3462799.html?ref=topbar

Also, word has been received that Heritage Minister James Moore has gone on leave until June 24th.

Do not despair, and keep writing those letters and making those phone calls to Minister Moore over the summer, to see if we can get this census released as soon as possible.

His contact information is available here - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2013/06/breaking-news-1921-census-of-canada.html

Meanwhile, I would like to thank all my readers who have written, called, and sent emails to his office so far. The response has been outstanding.

And my thanks, as well, to all those who have shared, or will share, this valuable information.

Please keep posted for further updates as I receive them.

Summer schedule at QFHS

Susan writes to tell us about the summer hours at the QFHS -

The Quebec Family History Society in Montreal is gradually assuming our summer

schedule, please note the following open and closure dates.

The library and office will now be closed on Sundays until after Labour Day - Sept 2nd.

The library and office will be closed Monday, June 24 for the St. Jean Baptist holiday, and Monday, July 1 for Canada Day holiday.

Our complete summer schedule will start Tuesday, June 25,(with the exception of the above mentioned holidays) the Quebec Family History Society will be open weekdays, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 am to 3:00 p.m.

For full details of our fall schedule of events please refer to our Fall issue of our journal, Connections, or refer to the Events page at QFHS website.

Have a safe and happy summer.

The website is at www.qfhs.ca