Friday, August 26, 2011

Abbotsford Sikh Temple

From 1901 until 1911, about 5,000 Sikhs (the majority who were young single men), came to Canada. They mostly settled in British Columbia to work in the logging, farming and railway industries.

In 1911 they built the Abbotsford Sikh Temple or Gurdwara. It is the oldest surviving Sikh temple in Canada.

In 2002, Parks Canada designated it as National Historic Site of Canada.

Parks Canada website http://www.pc.gc.ca/culture/ppa-ahp/itm1-/page04_e.asp

East Indians http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-905.015-e.html

A Walk to Remember

On the 24 & 25 of September there will be a tour of St. Ann's Cemetery (established 1835) in Penetanguishene, Simcoe County, Ontario.

The press release says to “Join Deb and Pam for a walk through this historic cemetery and meet sinners and saints, the famous and infamous. We've uncovered some fascinating and interesting facts about the citizens of Penetang and we'd like to share them with you.”

The Walk starts at 2 PM each day.

Tickets are limited to 25 for each day and must be paid for in advance.

Tickets are $8.00 each, and you call the museum at 705-549-2150.

All proceeds are for the Cemetery Board for the upkeep of the grounds.

The Penetanguishene Centennial Museum and Archives website is http://www.pencenmuseum.com/events-exhibits/

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The 35th Norfolklore Genealogy Fair

Simcoe is a town located in the southwestern part of Ontario, and every fall it hosts the oldest genealogy fair in Ontario – The Norfolklore Genealogy Fair.

The resource providers/exhibitors for 2011 included Colonel John Butler Branch UELAC, Elgin County OGS, Grand Erie Education Archives, Grand River Branch UELAC, Haldimand County OGS, Hamilton Branch OGS, Heronwood Enterprises, Kent County OGS, Kinfolk Finders, Log Cabin Publishing, Mayholme Foundation, Niagara Branch OGS, Norfolk Historical Society, Norfolk County OGS, Norwich and District Historical Society, Oxford County OGS, Ruthven Park National Historic Site, Waterford Townsend Historical Society.

It will be held on September 24th, and tickets will be available for $5.00, and this includes admission to both the Norfolklore Fair as well as to the Eva Brook Donly Museum and Archives where you can do some local research with volunteer help. Usual admission to the Archives is $10.00.

It will be held ay the Simcoe Seniors Centre, 89 Pond Street, Simcoe from 10 am to 4pm.

The website is http://www.norfolklore.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=20

Biographical Research for Ontario Genealogists

Do you need help in learning the stories behind your ancestor's life? What was the historical events in their life at that time?

Then you need this course to help you answer the questions -

This course is for experienced genealogists who want to learn the stories behind their Ontario ancestors’ names, places and dates. Whether your ancestors were county farmers or city merchants, you can learn more about their lives using the records and techniques taught in this class. This class is ideal preparation for writing the family history book.

Schedule: Tuesdays, 6:15-8:15 PM, September 13,20, 27 and October 4, 2011 (a four week course)

Location: Toronto Reference Library, Learning Centre 1.

Instructor: Janice Nickerson

Janice is a professional genealogist based in Toronto. In addition to her private client work, she assists the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee in locating missing heirs, was the “behind the scenes” genealogical researcher and coordinator for the CBC’s genealogical TV program, Who Do You Think You Are? and is the author of the recent OGS/Dundurn publication, Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada: A Researcher’s Guide (For readers of Families, an excerpt, and review of the book was published in the February 2011 edition.)

Fee: $66 ($60 for OGS members.

Their website is at http://www.torontofamilyhistory.org/courses.html

For further information, to discuss prerequisite equivalents and to check before mailing a late application: email: courses@torontofamilyhistory.org or call (416) 733-2608 (voicemail)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

120th Anniversary of Ukrainian Settlement

Over 1.2 million Ukrainian-Canadians are celebrating this year's events in the 120th Anniversary of settling in Canada.

They have completed the Historical Train of Ukrainian Pioneers from Halifax stopping in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Edmonton where they traced the steps of the people who came here in 1891; yesterday they honoured the annual Black Ribbon Day in which they remembered the victims of Communism and Nazism in Europe, and on the 24th of October of this year they will celebrate Ukrainian Day on Parliament Hill.

To view the history of Ukrainian-Canadians, the website is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_Canadian

To view the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, visit the http://www.history.alberta.ca/ukrainianvillage/default.aspx


BIFGSGO Begins Fall Meetings

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO)first fall meeting will be Saturday, Sept 10, 2011 at Library and Archives Canada Auditorium, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa from 9:30 - 10:00 a.m.

Tom Rimmer has done research on the Fancy Railway Stations in Westmorland. His great-grandfather was absent from his Lancashire home as shown in the 1871 Census of Rainford, Lancashire. When Tom eventually found his great-grandfather, he was building railway stations in the Lake District. Tom's granddaughter, Anne Rimmer, will present the talk.

Come early, have a coffee, and explore the Irish, English, and Scottish Discovery Tables before the talk.

The website is http://www.bifhsgo.ca/

Digging up the Parliament Building (Montreal)

On Tuesday, the CTV News http://m.ctv.ca/topstories/20110823/archaeologists-montreal-dig-110823.html had a story about archeologists digging up the Parliament Building which was burnt down by rebels of the Rebellions of 1837 in Montreal.

Reports say that they are starting to find items including a tea set, and a pair of glasses which was probably left behind by someone when the building burnt to the ground.

The ground will be turned into a green space in time for Montreal's 375th birthday, which will take place in 2017.

Read the history of the Parliament Building http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Parliament_Buildings_in_Montreal

For a history of Montreal, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal

For the Rebellion of 1837 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_Losses_Bill