FREE Access to Ancestry.ca and FindMyPast

Recently, Ancestry.ca took a survey, with the results showing that 36% of Canadians didn’t know if they had ancestors who fought in either the First or Second World War.

In an effort to help rectify this, from November 8 to 11, Ancestry is giving Canadians the chance to discover the military heroes in their family by providing free access to more than 3.6 million online military records at http://www.ancestry.ca/cs/ca/world-war-1?o_iid=63120&o_lid=63120&o_sch=Web+Property.

This year, Remembrance Day is especially poignant for those with ancestors who fought during the First World War, as 2014 marks the 100th Anniversary of the start of the conflict.

And if your Canadian ancestor was from Britain, which many were, FindMyPast is also offering free access to you this weekend.

“To commemorate Veterans weekend, from today until 7am on Monday (EST) our records are FREE to access. If you’ve already got a World subscription, we’ll credit your account with 3 extra days. 

There’s never been a better time to explore your family history and bring your past to life.”

The link is at www.findmypast.com/freeweekend

Postscript:  Wayne Macvicar from Cape Breton has written to say that he has just completed an update to his Cape Bretoners in World War One website at https://sites.google.com/site/cbinww1/.

“The site now includes enlistments to the end of 1915. It contains an additional 557 individuals for a total of 2732. The time between updates this time has been exceptionally long due to the increasing amount of information going online, in particular Library and Archives Canada, which I am trying to include in my database. Hopefully the next update will come much sooner. The website is still limited to a nominal roll and chronology but in time I hope to include as much detail as I can find on each individual. 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 site <https://sites.google.com/site/cbatwar/>.”

If you have additional information, you can write to Wayne at cbww2@seaside.ns.ca

Reminder: Each year, GenealogyCanada sponsors a contest, and this year in honour of the 100th anniversary of the First World War, the question is – Which province in Canada sent the largest number of men and women to fight in the First World War?

Send your answer to genealogyresearch@aol.com

Hint: You will find the answer in this week’s Canadian Week in Review post at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/11/canadian-week-in-review-03-november-2014.html

I am offering the winner of the contest a detailed research consultation report on an ancestor who fought for Canada in the Great War, or who was involved in the war effort.

The winner will be announced November 12th.

OGS First World War Heritage Society

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

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, OGS has launched a new Heritage Society. The First World War Society is a lineage Society open to anyone who can show direct descent from a person who served in a documented capacity on the Allied side of the First World War.

To qualify for this Society, your research must show that your named ancestor(s) fits in the category above, and then show the line of descent from that ancestor(s) to you or the person you wish named on the certificate.

For more information and an application form, visit the Heritage Societies area on the OGS website http://www.ogs.on.ca/heritage_societies.php#WW1

And here is a heartwarming story —

It is how social media is being used so that Canadian flags can be placed on soldier’s graves in Italy.

Read about it at http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2014/11/social-media-helped-place-flags-on-canadian-soldiers-graves-in-italy.html

And they have a Facebook page called Flag from Home at

https://www.facebook.com/flagsfromhome?fref=photo

Reminder: Each year, GenealogyCanada sponsors a contest, and this year in honour of the 100th anniversary of the First World War, the question is – Which province in Canada sent the largest number of men and women to fight in the First World War?

Send your answer to genealogyresearch@aol.com

Hint: You will find the answer in this week’s Canadian Week in Review http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/11/canadian-week-in-review-03-november-2014.html

I am offering the winner of the contest a detailed research consultation report on an ancestor who fought for Canada in the Great War, or who was involved in the war effort.

The winner will be announced November 12th.

Canada - Strong, Proud and Free!

From November 5 to November 11th, and for the fourth year running, GenealogyCanada is showcasing Veterans’ Week.

It is an opportunity for all Canadians to recognize the contribution that our veterans have made, and to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of Canada.

Here are some ways to mark your remembrance -

• You can buy and wear a poppy
• You can attend a local Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11th
• You can talk to a friend or relative who served with the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan or in other areas of conflict.

You can watch the Heroes Remember videos and listen to veterans talk about their experiences at http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/those-who-served/heroes-remember

Each year, GenealogyCanada sponsors a contest, and this year in honour of the 100th anniversary of the First World War, the question is – Which province in Canada sent the largest number of men and women to fight in the First World War?

Hint: You will find the answer in this week’s Canadian Week in Review http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2014/11/canadian-week-in-review-03-november-2014.html

I am offering the winner of the contest a detailed research consultation report on an ancestor who fought for Canada in the Great War, or who was involved in the war effort.

The winner will be announced November 12th.

Good luck to all!

Canadian Week in Review - 03 November 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 28 – November 03, 2014)

In 1899, the first 1,300 Canadian troops left Quebec City to fight with the British in the Boer War in South Africa.

To read about Canada in the Boer War, see http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/boer/boerwarhistory_e.shtml

=============================================

In 1915, Sir Charles Tupper, the last surviving Father of Confederation, died in England at age 94. He took part in the Charlottetown, Quebec, and London conferences, and was prime minister for a short period in 1896.

To read a short history of Charles Tupper, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Tupper

Nova Scotia

WWI propaganda posters on display at Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1246895-wwi-propaganda-posters-on-display-at-art-gallery-of-nova-scotia

Vivid, colourful posters urged Canadians to enlist or put money into victory bonds.

New Brunswick

Hope Restored announced as theme for Heritage Week 2015

http://www.sackvilletribunepost.com/News/2014-10-31/article-3923363/Hope-Restored-announced-as-theme-for-Heritage-Week-2015/1

The theme for Heritage Week 2015 will be Hope Restored, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Canada’s national flag, as well as the 50th anniversary of New Brunswick’s provincial flag.

Quebec

(Press Release) Gilmour Hill to Be Open Year-Round

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/gilmour-hill-to-be-open-year-round-1963240.htm

Gilmour Hill is a 1.1-kilometre steeply sloped path running through Battlefields Park between Champlain Boulevard and Québec's Upper Town. Built around 1910, the road was not designed for winter travel.

Ontario

Shaw Media to Honour Canada's Veterans

http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/news/shaw-media-to-honour-canadas-veterans/1003327251/?&er=NA

This November, Shaw Media commemorates 100 Years of Remembrance with a commercial-free hour-long live Global News special on Remembrance Day, and four days of special programming on the HISTORY Channel.

C.P. Champion: How the Crimean War of 1853 helped shaped the Canada of today

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/10/28/c-p-champion-how-the-crimean-war-of-1853-helped-shaped-the-canada-of-today/

It was the world’s first “media war,” with extensive reporting on the battles, and therefore quite interesting to follow in the newspapers. Thousands of Canadians did exactly that.

Stratford, Ontario cenotaph gets security cameras to curb vandalism

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/10/20141028-090506.html

City officials have installed three security cameras at the cenotaph in this southern Ontario town to help curb vandalism at the site.

Manitoba


Students learn about Canada's history, people at city cemetery

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/stories-in-the-stones-281037472.html?cx_navSource=d-tiles-2

Go along with the students of Iyvan Michalchyshynès social studies class as they tour a cemetery in the city.

Ancient Thule site in northern Manitoba still used by Kivalliq Inuit

http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674ancient_thule_site_in_northern_manitoba_still_used_by_kivalliq_inuit/

Because of the abundance of animals, Hubbard Point, as it’s known in English, is a popular hunting ground and stopping point for Inuit on the west coast of Hudson Bay, an eight-hour boat ride south of Arviat, and just north of Churchill, in northern Manitoba.

Saskatchewan

Remembering WW II: new television series about Sask. vets premieres

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/remembering-ww-ii-new-television-series-about-sask-vets-premieres-1.2816067

World War II veterans gathered at the provincial legislature on Tuesday for the premiere of a video series documenting a special part of Saskatchewan and Canadian history.

Walking With Our Sisters installation opening in Saskatoon

http://ckom.com/story/walking-our-sisters-installation-opening-saskatoon/437535

More than 1,700 beaded moccasin tops representing missing and murdered indigenous women at Wanuskewin Heritage Park.

Top 10 historic Canadian moments
http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/News/Local/2014-10-26/article-3916768/Top-10-historic-Canadian-moments/1Canada has had its fair share of attention-grabbing moments, with many of them etched into the memories of Canadians far beyond when they occurred.

New memorial near Saskatoon honours First World War internees

http://ww1.canada.com/after-the-war/new-memorial-honours-first-world-war-internees

On Tuesday, that daughter, 69-year-old Pat Mialkowsky, helped helped unveil a plaque at the Saskatchewan Railway Museum commemorating the 8,579 Western Canadians of Eastern European and German descent who were interned during and after the First World War. A larger concrete memorial will replace it in the spring.

Alberta

11 Days of Remembrance: Citizens of Burdett fought hard in First World War

http://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2014/10/31/citizens-of-burdett-fought-hard-in-first-world-war 

When the call came to fight for King and Country, small rural communities in Alberta were on side, perhaps accounting for proportionately more soldiers than larger towns and cities, because of their close ties to Britain, says a historian.

British Columbia


Spy who intercepted Nazi communications retired to Saltspring Island

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/spy-who-intercepted-nazi-communications-retired-to-saltspring-island/article21356839/ 

Records released by the British National Archives reveal the identity of the spy code-named Jack King as Eric Roberts, an unassuming banker who retired and came to Canada in 1956. He died on the island in 1972 at the age of 65.

Story of the Week

Veterans' Week

Just a reminder that I will be featuring Veterans' Week (November 5 to November 11th) on the blog from November 5 to November 11^th, as I have done for the past three years.

Please use the blog archives link on the right side of this blog - choose the year, month, and day you wish to view the post. Here are links to a few of the archived postings -

• Veterans' Week 2011 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/11/canadas-veterans-week.html and http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/11/blogger-showcases-canadas-veterans-week.html

• Veterans' Week 2012 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2012/11/animals-in-war.html

• Veterans' Week 2013 - http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2013/11/contribution-of-aboriginal-peoples-in.html

This year is special since it honours the men and women who served in the First World War.

To get us started, I will be offering a contest which will involve your direct line Canadian ancestor who was involved in the First World War.

You will, of course, have to answer a skill-testing question which will appear November 5^th.

For more on Veterans' Week in Canada, please visit http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance and http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/get-involved/remembrance-day

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 the country!

The next post will be on 10 November 2014.

2015 membership drive has begun

 
November is the beginning of the 2015 membership season for the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS), and it is time every year when I take a look at my genealogical needs and budget for the next year.

There is no question that I will continue my membership at the OGS, but I think that I will expand my membership to include a number of branches that I have not previously belonged to – at least three more branches that I am considerating.

To learn more about the benefits of membership, go to http://www.ogs.on.ca/joinogs.php

Your membership is valid until December 2015. New members take advantage of a bonus two months of membership by joining now and activating your membership immediately.

And there is news for renewing members who renew before Dec. 31, 2014 . They will be entered into a draw for $900 worth of courses from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies at http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/

You can join online by going to http://www.ogs.on.ca/integrated/integrated_account_new_step1.php or you can mail in your membership by downloading the membership form at http://www.ogs.on.ca/integrated/integrated_account_new_step1.php 

I will also renew my membership in the British Isles Family History Society of Great Ottawa (BISFHGO) at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/, the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS) http://www.novascotiaancestors.ca/, and I already belong to the Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) http://www.qfhs.ca/. 

To what societies are you planning to join.  

Genealogy Workshop

There will be a starter genealogy workshop at The Grange called Beginning Genealogy will be presented by the Halton-Peel Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society and Heritage Mississauga on Thursday, November 6th, 2014 from 10 am to 3 pm. 

The workshop leader will be professional genealogist and lecturer Ruth Blair 

The cost is $25.00, and register early because space is limited. 

The Heritage Mississauga website is at http://www.heritagemississauga.com/ 

The Halton-Peel Branch OGS is at http://www.haltonpeel.ogs.on.ca/ 

The Halton-Peel Branch OGS Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/HaltonPeelBranchOGS

Meanwhile, I am attending the Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research for the next two Saturday's where I will take the four-course session Writing Logical Proof Arguments with Michael Hait, CG.

The website of the Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research is http://vigrgenealogy.com/

Happy Halloween!

One of the first places I visited after moving to Ottawa in the 1980s was Watson’s Mills in Manotick. The mill is where the ghost of Ann Crosby Currier, the second wife of Joseph Currier, co-owner of the mill, supposedly haunts it to this day. 

Here are a couple of sites which tells the story about Watson’s Mill 

The Ghost of Watson's Mill 

http://www.rideau-info.com/canal/tales/ghost-watsons.html

Watson’s Mill

http://www.watsonsmill.com/Home.html