What is the partnership between the LAC and Ancestry?

Yesterday, the president of the Ontario Genealogical Society, Shirley Sturdevant offered the opinion of the society on the release of the 1921 census.  This was done by releasing a statement on their blog, entitled Library and Archives Canada and Ancestry Partnership Results in Release of 1921 Canadian Population Census.

In part, the statement says -

“Although The Society is very pleased that these images are finally available to the public, we are concerned about its release through a subscription site. The lack of consultation with Canadian heritage organizations ignored their skills, experience and offers of assistance. Details of the arrangement are still unfolding and we hope that answers to our questions will be forthcoming regarding the arrangement between Library and Archives Canada and Ancestry.

• Was there no Canadian organization that could handle this?
• Is this deal exclusive to Ancestry?
• Has LAC given away its rights to use the digitized images later on their own web page, indexed or not?
• Might other organizations have access to the images and produce their own indexes as has been done successfully in the past, perhaps then making the information free to all?
• For how long will there be free access to the raw images or indexed information on the Ancestry.ca site?
• Is there a limit to the number of years Ancestry will have the sole rights before the census might appear elsewhere or is this material solely in their hands?
• What of access to the other census schedules?
• Why have the microfilms or images not been available at Library and Archives Canada until now?

There are many unanswered questions being asked by our members and others in the heritage community. We look forward to more details”.

To read the full statement, go to the web site at www.ogs.on.ca/ogsblog

So what is the nature of the partnership between the LAC and Ancestry? Does it give such societies, as the OGS, any room to have their say? Or are they looked upon as outsiders? Interesting questions, to say the least.

The waters on releasing the census issue is starting to get muddy. Let us hope that the OGS receives answers to their questions.

Disclaimer: Although I am employed by the OGS as editor of their journal Families, the views expressed in this statement are strictly by the OGS.   

Newfoundland is NOT in the 1921 Census

I have had a number of people ask what has happened to Newfoundland. It’s not in the 1921 Canada census on Ancestry.ca.

No, it isn’t there because it didn’t become a province until 1949.

However, they did have a 1921 census of Newfoundland and Labrador, and it has been opened for a number of years. 

You can access it at the Library and Archives Canada on microfilm , and the transcript is at the Newfoundland Grand Banks website at http://ngb.chebucto.org/C1921/121-dist-idx.shtml

The districts of Bay de Verde, Bonavista, Fogo, and Labrador have not survived.

1921Census updates

There have been a number of questions on the 1921 Census  -

First of all, please be reminded that it is FREE, either as a fourteen day or a month trial period at Ancestry. It is free to Ancestry subscribers (if they have a subscription to Ancestry.ca in their package), and is free to people who go to a library - if the library subscribes to Ancestry services. 

On http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/news, you can read the press release at Library and Archives Canada, and that should answer some of your questions. 

The National Registration File of 1940

Here is something else that could help you to fill in your family history during the 1940s from the Library and Archives Canada -

"Are you looking for a Canadian ancestor or someone who was living in Canada during the Second World War?

Since most sources for that time period are still subject to access or privacy restrictions under Canadian legislation. However, it is a  census records that can provide you with some answers. This very valuable source for genealogists and family historians is the result of the compulsory registration of all persons, 16 years of age or older, between 1940 and 1946.

If the person has been dead for more than 20 years, and you can provide proof of death, you can order a search of these Statistics Canada records. Please note that research fees, based on an hourly rate, apply.

If you cannot provide a copy of a death certificate, other types of documents indicating the date of death are accepted, such as obituary notices published in newspapers.

The registration included all persons who were 16 years of age or older, except for members of the armed forces and religious orders, or those confined to an institution. If a person died between 1940 and 1946, their questionnaire might have been destroyed. A different form was used for men than was used for women.

The questionnaires provide particulars such as address, age, date and place of birth, general health, and occupation. For immigrants, key details such as the year of arrival in Canada and their parents’ country of birth are given.

A similar national registration was undertaken during the First World War, in June 1918; however, those records have not survived".

Information is at http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?lang=eng&catno=93C0006

The hourly rate is $72.68!

The Mystery Quilt

The Argyle Shore Women's Institute was presented with a quilt that had a number of names embroidered from the years 1903 – 1904.  

The mystery is to find out why all the names appeared on the quilt and    for what was the purpose.  If anyone has a clue to this mystery please contact Beverley MacHail at 902.675.2851 or e-mail macphailbr@hotmail.com

Belle Campbell, Boston, Mass.
Grace Melinda Campbell,  Argyle Shore
Mary Campbell, Argyle Shore
R.W. Deamon, Birmingham, England
Samuel Deamon, Birmingham, England
Annie Gordon, Appin Road
John A. Hains, R.C.H.I. - SA, Charlottetown
Rosslin McDougall, Summerside
Mack McKenzie
Aussie McLean, Boston City Hospital
Grace MacLean, Argyle Shore
Katie Murchison, North River
Bessie Jemina McNeill, 9 Mile Creek,
Josephine Alexandria McNeill, 9 Mile Creek
Neil MacNevin,    Argyle Shore
Euphemia Eliza McPhail, Argyle Shore
Goodwill MacPhail, Argyle Shore
Harry MacPhail
Lulu Grace McPhail, Argyle Shore
Malcolm MacPhail, Brookville, Mass.
Portia MacPhail, Bonshaw
Selina MacPhail, Argyle Shore
Cassie McRae, Bonshaw
Jemina McRae, Bonshaw,
Maggie Martin, Brookville, Mass.
E.B. Robertson, North River
Archibald Steward, Argyle Shore
Lulu Stewart, Westville
Isabel Stewart, Westville
James Earnest Smith, Argyle Shore
Eliza Webster, French Fort
Archie Vessey, Little York
Eliza Vessey, Little York

Note:  Teachers:  Lulu Sewart 1903 and Cassie McRae 1904

1921 Census is finally here!

It’s finally here!

Have you taken a look at it yet? What do you think?

The 1921 Canada Census was the first census taken after the end of the First World War, and Canada was not in the best of shape. There was a mini-depression after the war was over, and in a few years, the Great Depression would take hold. Many of the soldiers could not find work, and so many of them were hired as enumerators of the 1921 census. Maybe your ancestor was an enumerator.

So the census was put on www.ancestry.ca/cs/ca/census?o_iid=55940&o_lid=55940&o_sch=Web+Propertyline 

But you will not be able to search an every name index, only browse the census district and sub districts. It will continue this way until the index is ready, in as much as three months, so that would make it the middle of November.

And you will have to be a subscriber to Ancestry to get access to it, too. After three years, the Library and Archives Canada will put it on their site for free.

District and sub-districts are defined as “the districts for the representation of the people in the House of Commons at Ottawa, and Census subdistricts to the cities, towns, incorporated villages, townships and parishes which constitutes an electoral district”. ¹

So you will have to know the district and sub-districts in which your ancestor lived in 1921. If you know those two things, then you should be able to find them.

Let me know what you think

1. Instructions to Commissioners and Enumerators in the Sixth Census of Canada, 1921 Government Printing Bureau, Ottawa 1921 p. 4

The 1921 Canada Census will be released August 8th

I have just received notice at 3:07 this afternoon (Aug 7th) from the LAC that the 1921 Canada Census will be released to Ancestry.ca tomorrow afternoon at around 2 pm Eastern Time. At first, it will be available, with the geographic index ONLY, free of charge, on Ancestry.

Ancestry should be releasing a FULL NOMINAL INDEX this fall. This index will be available to Ancestry.ca subscribers for 3 years. At the end of three years, the  LAC will get a copy and will make it available for free off of our census platform that was entirely redesigned recently.

So folks, that is the story.

It will appear tomorrow afternoon at http://www.ancestry.ca/census

I would like to thank everyone for all the letters that were written to the Heritage Department, and the petition that was signed with over 2,000 signatures, and were sent to the office of Minister Moore. Thank you all.  

I can hardly wait ...