A FREE Concert in Ottawa on Canada Day!

The Central Band of the Canadian Forces will perform a free outdoor Canada Day concert, July
1st, 11am - noon, on the National Arts Centre Terrace, corner of Elgin and Queen. 

 

In case of inclement weather, the concert will move to the main lobby of the NAC.

 

The National Arts Centre is honoured to be displaying the seventh Book of Remembrance in Le Salon at the NAC from 10am - 5pm.

 

Visitors will be able to view this unique work of art, containing the names of all Canadians who have
died in service since the end of the Second World War. 

Toronto History Branch Fall Meetings

Gwyneth Pearce has sent information about the Toronto History Branch meetings, and workshops to be held this fall.  

DATE: 22 September 2012: Saturday (9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.)
LOCATION: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF COURSE: "Ancestry Day"
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Lesley Anderson
BRIEF INFO: This course will provide detailed information about the most effective strategies for searching Ancestry’s growing number of databases with special emphasis on some of the newer features. Participants will also learn how to create and share their online tree.

DATE: 3 October – 21 November 2012: Wednesdays (2:00- 4:00 p.m.)
LOCATION: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF COURSE: "Basic Genealogy and Family History"
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Jane E. MacNamara
BRIEF INFO: Designed for those just beginning to research or looking to upgrade basic research skills, this course will cover terminology, types of sources, the use of on-line resources, libraries and archives, and record-keeping – to help you “think like a genealogist”.

DATE: 17 November 2012: Saturday (9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.)
LOCATION: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF WORKSHOP: "Irish Family History Workshop"
NAME OF INSTRUCTORS: TBA
BRIEF INFO: This full-day workshop will cover a comprehensive range of topics of interest to family historians with Irish research interests. Detailed information about the program, speakers and registration to come.

For a full schedule, go to www.torontofamilyhistory.org

Ancestr.ca is FREE!

To celebrate Canada Day on July 1^st, Ancestry.ca is offering FREE access to more than 40 million historical records that is available now to July the 2^nd.

Free access includes -

 Canadian Passenger Lists and Ocean Arrivals - outlining the masses of people who arrived by ship -- the only form of international travel available to people at the time -- at port cities across Canada

The 1871 Census of Canada - the first Census Canada conducted as a nation, which gives a snapshot of the life of the people living at the time, including who they lived with, their ages, their jobs, the birthplaces of their parents, their neighbours and more

Vital records (i.e. birth, marriage and death records) from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia - outlining the significant moments in the people’s lives like children born, marriages and deaths.

Visit http://www.ancestry.ca/ to search all of the records being made available for free this weekend.

Stewiacke Valley Museum present Genealogy Day

 If you are interested in genealogy or family history of Stewiacke Valley, Nova Scotia, you should plan to attend the Genealogy Day on July 28^th.

Local family researchers will be present to talk and share their

information, and their methods of research and documenting their family

Trips to local cemeteries will be arranged for those who request them.

Please notify us in advance (if possible) which cemetery you wish to visit.

Starter kits will be available for those wanting to begin their research

The resources of the Museum, including nearly 2000 photographs, community history books,Genealogies, Obituaries, Scrapbooks, School Registers,

Diaries, house histories and much more will be available to help with your research.

Photocopies available at a nominal charge.

Genealogy Day will be held on Saturday, July 28 from 10a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Stewiacke Valley Museum, 5445 Highway 289 in Upper Stewiacke

Light refreshments available

For more information, call Judy at 671-2929

"Classic FamilySeach.org" No Longer Exists

They have finally closed the Classic FamilySearch.org, which to many of us was where we cut our teeth on doing Internet genealogy research.

I know there were many problems with the information that the Classical FamilySearch.org had, and some of it was downright incorrect – but one can say it was an admirable first attempt to put the information online.

I started my research on my ancestor Andrew Barclay on the site, and became a regular visitor, and user when I first went on the Internet in the mid-1990s.

One fellow who continues to write about FamilySearch.org is The Ancestor Insider at  http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/2012/06/classic-familysearch-is-no-more.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AncestryInsider+%28The+Ancestry+Insider%29.

Read his posting “Classic FamilySearch is NoMore” posted on June 25, 2012.

OGS President Interviewed

Read Shirley Sturdevant’s interview in the 21 June edition of the Chatham Daily News at http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2012/06/20/connecting-ancestors-to-the-present called “Connecting ancestors to the present.”

She gives her own story of how she became president after joining the OGS five years ago, and the OGS thoughts on the current Library and Archives Canada situation.

It’s worth a read - quite a good interview.

Genealogy Sessions Part of Jubilee Celebrations

                                                                          The  Alberton Historical Preservation Foundation is marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with two days of special events at the Alberton Arts and

Heritage Centre in Prince Edward Island.

The celebration starts with a genealogy seminar with George Sanborn from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11.

Sanborn is an eminent researcher who has worked in the field of genealogy for over 51 years. He will discuss the connections of Prince Edward Islanders who went to work and live in Maine and other New England states.

From 7 to 9 p.m. the Centre will play host to well-known genealogist and CBC Radio Noon personality, Terry Punch, who will speak on Irish and Scottish ncestry and name origins. A question and answer session will follow his

presentation.

Admission to both sessions is free, but seating islimited. Individuals can reserve a seat by calling the museum at 853-2275, or e-mailing the museum at alac@bellaliant.net.

Seven experts in various fields of antiques have been confirmed for an Antique Fair, which will get underway at the centre on Thursday, July 12, starting at 10 a.m.

Areas of expertise include furniture, silver, china, jewelery, books and paintings, military, tools and musical instruments.  Interested persons are

encouraged to bring their special possessions along to be identified, evaluated and explained.

To close out the special Diamond Jubilee celebrations, a giant fireworks display will take place on the Prince County Exhibition grounds just after dusk.