Thursday, April 30, 2009

Sampling of Provincial & Federal Legislation Affecting Women in Western Canada

Sampling of Provincial & Federal Legislation Affecting Women in Western Canada

• 1871 Manitoba, wife controls her property, but not her earnings, unless husband proved ‘unfit’.

• 1885 Manitoba, newly married woman must get a new certificate of title in her husband’s name for any property she owns. (Similar legislation, Alberta 1906)

• 1885 Manitoba, wife’s right to share of husband’s property (her dower right) abolished. Same provisions in North-west Territories, 1887. (Dower rights still recognized in Ontario & in British common law.)

• 1894 North-west Territories, unmarried women allowed municipal vote, but cannot hold office.

• 1900 Manitoba Married Woman’s Property Act, wife responsible for own property, wages & jointly responsible for children’s support.

• 1902 Manitoba, if husband dies intestate, wife allowed 1/3 of estate if children, or all, if no children. No legislative protection if husband had a will.

• 1915 Alberta, Married Woman’s Home Protection Act, wife can prevent sale of home site. Under federal naturalization legislation, new provision for wife's name to be on a certificate of naturalization granted to husband. (And, if her name appeared before 1947, she became a Canadian citizen 1 January, 1947, as long as she was not an alien on that date.

• 1918 Manitoba Dower Act, wife can stop transactions involving homestead, home & some property, even after husband’s death. Widow guaranteed 1/3 of husband’s estate no matter his will’s provisions.

• 1919 Canadian Naturalization Act, women who were British subjects could keep citizenship, if they married aliens.

• 1920 British Columbia, widow allowed to go to court for variation, if husband’s provisions for her in will are ‘inadequate’.

• 1921 Alberta, women may be called as jurors, except in criminal cases, but do not have to serve. However, a female defendant has a right to women on her jury.

• 1925 British Columbia, inheritance rules for men & women now same; surviving spouse given larger share of intestate’s estate. Federal divorce legislation changes - women could divorce on same grounds as men.

• 1929 British Privy Council rules Canadian women are ‘persons’ & thus entitled to act as judges & sit in the Canadian Senate. That date, October 18, 1929, is celebrated as 'Persons Day' in Canada.

• 1947 Canada Citizenship Act, married women given full authority over own citizenship status.

• Women’s Rights to Provincial & Federal Vote: first Manitoba, then Saskatchewan & Alberta 1916; B.C., 1917; Canada 1917, (if over 21 & a soldier’s wife, widow, mother, sister or daughter) & 1918, if met same provincial vote requirements as men, including property ownership.

In 1920, new federal requirements---British citizen, over 21, 1 year Canadian residence, etc., but still racial restrictions. Racial and religious restrictions on voting and holding public office were in place, at various times, against those of Japanese, East Indian, native Indian or Chinese backgrounds, and against Doukhobors, Mennonites, and some Roman Catholics.

Not till 1963 were all racial and religious restrictions removed.

Voting in Canada: How a Privilege Became a Right, CBC Archives: http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/elections/topics/1450

Women Winning The Vote in Canada, Parks Canada: http://www.pc.gc.ca/canada/proj/fcdv-wwv/index_e.asp

Walking Tour - Maillardville - Coquitlam, BC - Sunday May 3, 2009

Walking Tour of Maillardville, in Coquitlam, BC
- Sunday, May 3, 2009

Maurice Guibord will lead a walking tour of Maillardville, British Columbia's historic Francophone settlement, in Coquitlam, BC - Sunday, May 3 from 1-3pm.

You will hear about both sides of this community, the Anglophone bosses and the Francophone workers. You will also learn about the much publicized 1931 mill strike and the explosive school board strike of 1951, two events that galvanized this young community.

Maurice Guibord's presentation to the British Columbia Genealogical Society in March 2009 on Francophones in the Lower Mainland was very well attended and Maurice is now offering this historical tour of Maillardville in Coquitlam.

Maurice has been involved in museums for over 25 years, both in the curatorial and programming spheres. In that context, he has researched many themes and collections, and enjoys the surprises that historical research brings. He is involved in the city's Francophone community, both on radio and television, as an historical correspondent.

As a founding member of Heritage Vancouver and the Programs Coordinator at Burnaby Village Museum, he remains active in providing walking tours of various Vancouver neighbourhoods and Burnaby cemeteries. He is also a member of the British Columbia Genealogical Society.

Details:
1-3 pm, Sunday, May 3, rain or shine. $10/person. Pay there.
Meet in front of Place des Arts, on Heritage Square,
Brunette and King Edward Ave., Coquitlam.

British Columbia Genealogical Society: www.bcgs.ca

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Canada's National Day of Mourning - Jonas Hilmer Eriksson 1891-1926

Today is Canada's National Day of Mourning for workers killed while on the job.

I'm taking this opportunity to remember Jonas Hilmer Eriksson, born in 1891 at Hamrånge, Gävleborgs in Sweden.

He was killed by a falling log while working as a longshoreman on Vancouver's waterfront in 1926.

The National Day of Mourning was started by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), and recognized officially by the Canadian government in 1991. Since that time, the Day of Mourning has been recognized by about 80 countries around the world and adopted by the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the International Confederation of Free Trade.

Sadly Canada still has a long way to go in improving workplace safety. When you hear the CLC radio ads today, or see a memorial event, please take the time to listen and reflect, then let your MPs and MLAs and others know how important workplace safety is.

The British Columbia Federation of Labour has a list of today's events in British Columbia here.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Jewish Genealogy - Linking the Past to the Present - May 5 2009 - Vancouver British Columbia Canada

The Jewish Genealogical Institute of British Columbia

Tuesday, May 5 at 7:30 pm

Jewish Museum and Archives (third floor),
Jewish Community Centre,
950 West 41st Ave., Vancouver, BC

Talk and slide show - “Linking the Past to the Present”

Vancouverite, Brett Lieberman , uncovers his family’s Hollywood connections after a 27-year search while tracing his roots.

For more information call 604-321-9870

The Jewish Genealogical Institute of British Columbia now has a Facebook group. If you are interested, you can request to become a member. If you are not on Facebook.com already, you will need to register.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Dr Daniel J Caron Canada's new Librarian and Archivist - April 2009

Dr. Daniel J. Caron has now been appointed as Canada's new Librarian and Archivist.

Ian E. Wilson, the retiring Librarian and Archivist will be Librarian and Archivist of Canada Emeritus as President of the International Council on Archives, as announced by the Prime Minister.

Dr. Caron was with the National Archives of Canada as the Director General of the Corporate Management Branch and remained with Library and Archives Canada after the amalgamation of Canada's national Archives and Library. In 2006, he became the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for Corporate Management and the Government Records Sector. Most recently, he has been the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the Corporate Management and Horizontal Integration Sector. He is also an associate professor at the École Nationale d'Administration Publique.

Prime Minister's announcement

Library and Archives Canada announcement and biography of Dr. Caron

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Burnaby - Earth Day 2009

City Park, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Earth Day, 22 April, 2009
Photograph, M. Diane Rogers

Jewish Genealogy Presentation - May 13 2009 - British Columbia Genealogical Society - Burnaby BC Canada

Jewish Genealogy Presentation, British Columbia Genealogical Society

May 13, 2009, Wednesday at 7:30 pm, Edmonds Community Centre, 7282 Kingsway (Kingsway at Edmonds), Burnaby B.C.
Visitors are always welcome.

Guest Speakers – Janine Johnston, Archivist, Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia and Catherine Youngren, President, Jewish Genealogical Institute of British Columbia

– Janine will outline JHSBC projects, collections and resources and Catherine will talk on Jewish genealogy and techniques for finding Jewish ancestors.

BCGS website: www.bcgs.ca
BCGS Library Telephone: 604 502 9119

Monday, April 20, 2009

Dentistry - 1874 - Victoria, BC Canada

DR BARNARD

....Persons not born with a gold tooth in their mouth can readily have a Gold Crown built on a decayed tooth or solid portion thereof that will LAST FOREVER.

OFFICE: Douglas Street south of Fort, first house on the right....


Source: British Colonist, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, 20 December, 1874, p.4 www.britishcolonist.ca


A dentist, Ch F Barnard, was listed in the 1871 census of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, taken by municipal officials in April, a short time before BC joined the Canadian confederation. This census list was later published in the Canadian Parliament's Sessional Papers.
Source: viHistory.ca: www.vihistory.ca

Friday, April 17, 2009

Queen's Avenue United Church, New Westminster, British Columbia - 150 Years Ago

A British Columbia Genealogical society member, Janet White, is in the news this week - the Record newspaper from British Columbia's Royal City, New Westminster.

On April 3, this year, she took the part of Caroline Kennedy, the only woman present at the original service, in a re-enactment of the first Christian religious service in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. Actor David Adams played the part of Janet's great-great-grandfather, the Reverend Edward White.

Many members of the Vancouver Branch of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada witnessed the re-enactment; most were dressed in costume which certainly added more of a historical air to the event.

This was just a part of the anniversary celebrations for Queens Avenue United Church, New Westminster which continue this weekend with these events:

Open House - Saturday afternoon, April 18, featuring Will Wilding, the architect of the newest Queens Avenue United Church, Janet White, descendant of the church's first Minister, Reverend Edward White, and the well known local historian, Archie Miller.

Sunday Worship - Sunday, April 19 at 10:30 am. The Choir will include past and current members of Queens.

Organ Concert - Sunday, April 19 at 7:00 pm featuring current and past organists of Queens Avenue United Church.

For details, please see the church website.

Article Link

"Reliving a piece of history: Crowd gathers for re-enactment of the city's first worship service" by Theresa McManus, The Record (New Westminster, BC). Originally published, Saturday, April 11, 2009: http://www2.canada.com/newwestrecord/news/community/story.html?id=7acb5a9b-1342-4f05-b931-49224ffaf0a9

Thursday, April 16, 2009

LibraryThing - My Genealogy and Books



Some of you will notice I've added a LibraryThing widget on your right here. You'll see the covers of many of the books from my genealogy shelves there.

I've been using LibraryThing for some time to catalogue and to 'tag' those books I associate closely with my genealogy research and teaching. I update my LibraryThing catalogue fairly regularly. It's been a great help, especially when I'm away and want to buy more books.

I suggest you have a look if you have a genealogical library at home. Here is a LibraryThing.com Video Review from PCMAG.com emphasizing the 'social networking' benefits of LibraryThing. Yes, there are various genealogy groups there and even a 'cemeteries & gravestones' group you can join. This video might look a little out of date as LibraryThing has added a lot of bells and whistles recently, but it's still a good introduction to the idea.

Ian Wilson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, Retires

Ian Wilson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, has announced his retirement effective almost immediately - April 24, 2009. He has been in this position since 2004 and was the first head of Canada's amalgamated national Library and Archives, now known as Library and Archives Canada (LAC).

Mr Wilson was Canada's National Archivist from 1999. Before that he was the Provincial Archivist for Ontario (1986 to 1999) and for Saskatchewan (1976 to 1986). Both he and Canada's previous National Librarian, Roch Carrier, were instrumental in the reorganization of Canada's national Archives and national Library into the one institution - an achievement of which both men can be proud, I am sure.

Ian Wilson may also be remembered for the emphasis on commercial and other partnerships that LAC has developed in recent years - LAC as a 'catalyst' for digitization and indexing projects (rather than as a 'leader').

However, Mr. Wilson was a strong supporter of the grass roots Canadian historical census access campaigns and he has always been a promoter too of keeping up with changes in technology and communication and in recognizing the value of Canada's historical resources as his speech in December to the West Beyond the West: British Columbia Digitization Symposium made clear.

Mr. Wilson will be continuing as President of the International Council on Archives.

His letter advising of his retirement is here.

A brief biography and texts of some of his speeches are here.

In December of 2008, he was the keynote speaker at the West Beyond the West: BC Digitization Symposium. A webcast of his presentation is here.

No announcement regarding a successor has been made yet.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

FamilySearch Begins Indexing of British Columbia, Canada Marriage Records 1859-1932

FamilySearch.org is now indexing British Columbia, Canada marriage records and registrations including the Colonial marriage records, British Columbia and Vancouver Island clergy records sent to the Colonial Secretary from 1859 to 1872, as well as the province's civil registration forms for marriages from 1872 to 1932.

While I know that most British Columbia records relevant to genealogy have no indexes at all, and accurate indexes for these marriage records already exist, there are no other province wide indexing projects on-line right now, so please have a look and assist if you can.

My understanding is that only Canadians are eligible to index these. I'm not sure why that is, as many Canadians index other countries' records, and, as far as I remember, past Canadian projects, like those at http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/

were open to all. Perhaps someone knows if this is correct and if so, why? (Just can't help but wonder.)

To see all the FamilySearch projects, go to:
www.familysearchindexing.org/projects/current_projects.jsf

If you then click on 'British Columbia Marriages 1859-1932' in the list, you will see more information about this project, and links to an example of a record and to instructions.

To volunteer if you're not already registered, go to http://www.familysearch.org/
click on 'Index Records', then click the 'VOLUNTEER' button. If you've registered as an indexer with Familysearch before, simply click on 'START INDEXING'.

The current indexes available on-line and on microfilm from the BC Archives include bride and groom's names, place (city or town) and date of marriage and registration numbers, etc. for civil registrations from 1872-1933. The Colonial marriage record index from 1859-1872 also gives the church or parish name.

In addition, FamilySearch is indexing each bride and groom's birthplaces (town and province or country), their Indian band, reserve or tribe, if applicable and if recorded, their parents' names as given and whether the marriage was by banns or license. I am however sad to see that marriage witnesses are not apparently going to be indexed as this would have added considerable value to this index.

Internet-Genealogy Blog - New Today

There's a new genealogy blog in town - just one you say?

This is the Internet-Genealogy Blog, from Moorshead Magazines Ltd., a Canadian company originally founded by Halvor Moorshead, which publishes the well known Family Chronicle and Internet Genealogy, History Magazine and the newest, Discovering Family History.

I've long been a fan of the 'Case Study' style articles often featured in this group of magazines and, of course, each issue usually includes Canadian, material, as well as international resources, particularly, but not exclusively, for the United States.

Internet-Genealogy will be DearMYRTLE's "take" on articles published from Moorshead. I'm a tad surprised that a Canadian blogger wasn't chosen for this task, but Myrt, I know, does have Canadian connections.

I'm not sure her announcement letter [today's post on her own blog] really made it clear that this must be a commercial arrangement, but still I doubt DearMYRTLE will ever shrink from letting it be known when something isn't up to scratch. I'll be reading Internet-Genealogy regularly.

Tuesday's Treasures - From My Library


In The Springtime, edited by Mrs. Herbert Strang, (London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, no date)

The cover illustration is for a story “Signal Number 52” by Brenda Girvin in which "the girl" in the Decoding Office at Hallam Naval Base, Rachel Forsyth, a member of the United Kingdom's Women’s Royal Naval Service, (known as Wrens 1),
saves a ship and its crew.

Alas, the author of this World War I era book, Mrs. Herbert Strang, was really two male English writers, George Herbert Ely and Charles James L'Estrange. They used the pseudonyms Herbert Strang for boys’ books, Mrs Herbert Strang for girls’. 2

As an adult, I had my doubts about the authenticity of Brenda Girvin too — but a copy of a book from her personal library collection was up for auction recently, so she must have been real. 3 She's mentioned in a couple of books about British women writers, Women Writers of the First World War by Sharon Ouditt and On her their lives depend: munitions workers in the Great War by Angela Woollacott. 4

As Angela Woollacott says, Girvin only strikes a "muffled blow for women's participation in the work force" in her stories, 5 but quite honestly, even in the 1950s, decades after this was written, I appreciated this story and the subtle messages.

And I expect it and other stories like it influenced my mother years earlier. Yes, Rachel was timid about taking charge in an emergency, but she did it none the less, didn't she!

I, of course, had the benefit of a mother who'd been in uniform during World War II. Mum was never shy about saying how vital women's war work was — and how little appreciated.

This book was likely new when my mum read it, but as a girl, I read mostly 'old' books. Some like this, had been my mum's; most came from church 'rummage' sales. I've always been a book collector, but it's really because I'm a voracious reader. I do have a few older books in good condition, but most are like this — clearly well read, well loved.


If a member of your family was a World War I Wren, you may want to look at some of these stories. And, you will want to look for records at the National Archives of the United Kingdom. In Women's Royal Naval Service - Profile, you'll see an example of the kind of information you may find from the service file of Evelyn Mary Mackintosh (1895-1918) who worked for at least a while decoding.

NOTES

1. Strang, no date, no page numbers. "Signal Number 52", 13 pages, illustrated with colour plate and cover, also sketches. Colour plate signed C.E. Brock, 1919; sketches initialled CEB. (Charles Edmund Brock? See The Regency World of Author Lesley-Anne McLeod: http://lesleyannemcleod.homestead.com/brock.html

One of Brenda Girvin's books was called Jenny Wren and was about another Women’s Royal Naval Service decoder (London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1920)

2. "A Hundred Years of Oxford University Press Children’s Books" by Ron Heapy. Books for Keeps, Number 167, November 2007
www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issues/167/27161

3. Women and the Book, the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association and the Women’s Library. A selling exhibition on women and the printed word. "Brenda Girvin was another pioneering female journalist, and we have her copy of Arnold Bennett’s 1898 work Journalism for Women (Ash Rare Books £250).": www.abasummer.com/pressrel.html

4. Women writers of the first World War: an annotated bibliography, Sharon Ouditt (Abingdon Oxfordshire, England: Routledge, 2000 ). Google preview: http://books.google.ca/books?id=GLlggUSVj_8C

On her their lives depend: munitions workers in the Great War, Angela Woollacott (Berkeley, California, USA: University of California Press, 1994 ) Google preview: http://books.google.ca/books?id=7AjaXYiBMb0C

5. Woollacott, 1994, p. 206

Herstory Cafe Talk - April 22 2009 - Vancouver BC

"Representing a Culture of Violence: American Discourse of Violence Against Women in Northern Mexico, 1910-2007"

A talk by Kendra Gill about her Master's project. Kendra is originally from Saskatchewan and holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Archaeology from the University of Calgary and recently completed her Master of Arts degree in History at Simon Fraser University.

When: Wednesday April 22, 2009, 7 pm
Where: Rhizome Cafe, 317 East Broadway

Free. Limited Seating. Food and beverages available for purchase.
More info: www.herstorycafe.ca

Sunday, April 12, 2009

History on the Streets - Burnaby British Columbia Canada


Since June 2008, the city I live in, Burnaby, in British Columbia, Canada, has been wrapping traffic signal boxes as an anti-graffiti measure. There's one at the pedestrian crossing I use most days. It's very pleasing to my eyes as it's covered in irises - one of my favourite flowers.

But lately historically wrapped boxes have appeared around Burnaby. These traffic boxes feature references relevant to the area they're placed in. Excellent idea!

I live a block away from historic North Road, built along a trail laid out by the Royal Engineers in 1859 - 150 years ago - from Sapper town (Sapperton, New Westminster) on the Fraser River to the Burrard Inlet near Port Moody. All the boxes in my area illustrate North Road history - with a rather large picture of Colonel Richard Clement Moody who commanded the Royal Engineers while they were posted here.

Quite a number of Royal Engineers stayed in British Columbia (but none of the officers, I believe). Many became well known locally. There is a lot of interest in their history here.

Over the last two years, researchers Jacqueline Gresko and Anita Bonson have been tracing the families of the Royal Engineers who did settle in BC. An article in The British Columbia Genealogist (Volume 37 #2, June 2008) discussed their project. They'll be speaking about their research to the New Westminster Historical Society in November, 2009. And, the Royal Engineers Living History Group, a lively group of re-enactors, is "dedicated to keeping alive the memory of the Royal Engineers and their times." Members are often seen in New Westminster and beyond. It's well worth attending one of their events.

While the Colonel is not one of my own favourite characters from British Columbia's history, I certainly appreciate having these very visible historical references in my city. If you live in Burnaby, don't just walk (or worse, drive) by a traffic box. Stop carefully and have a look.

Congratulations go to those who thought up this project, to those who approved it, and to those who put it all together!




Photographs taken by M. Diane Rogers with her little telephone, April 2009.

Easter, 1945 - Zion United Church, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada



My grandparents, Amy (IRWIN) and Walter SCOTT, attended Zion United Church in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in the 1940s.

According to this programme, dated Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, and subtitled "VICTORY FOR CHRIST", the service was broadcast on CKOC.

The minister was the Reverend George R. SERVICE, B.A.

Mrs Alex THOMSON was the soloist, singing "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth"

and the flowers in the church that day were

"in loving memory of Mrs Fred. HIGHLAND by daughter, Mary".

Other names mentioned in the programme for the coming week's activities are:

Miss Helen SNEDDON, Superintendent of the Hamilton Branch of the Victorian Order of Nurses, Speaker, Women's Association

Miss Margaret COUTS, Speaker, Fidels Class

Miss WALTERS, Piano Solo, Fidels Class

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

BC Genealogical Society - March 2009 Meeting

Just home from the BC Genealogical Society meeting in Burnaby tonight - lots of good information and good news. Tonight we had some extra sweet treats at our refreshment break as a thank you to all the BCGS volunteers who keep our Library open, and our research, education and publishing programmes running.

Some of the good news concerned our own BCGS Library in Surrey, BC. We've had our old lights all replaced with energy efficient ones and we've had a water meter installed so our costs for both light and water will likely decrease. The light's so much better too.

And the Family History Library in Surrey now has access to The Genealogist website. This is very good news for those researching English families. We consider that Surrey has a genealogical research triangle - there's our BCGS Library, now with over 13,000 genealogical publications, the Cloverdale branch of the Surrey Public Library with its extensive collection of Canadian research materials and the Family History Centre with access to the Salt Lake City collections of the Family History Library there.

Some interesting activities coming up - a walking tour of Maillardville in Coquitlam May 3rd and group trips to both Scotland and Salt Lake City in the fall. See the BCGS blog for details of the Maillardville tour.

Tonight three BCGS Special Interest groups met - the Canadian, Scottish and Discussion group. I attended the Scottish session which was a very interesting one about looking for records on those who stayed or died or perhaps worked in a 'lunatic asylum'. This session was sparked by a discussion in a previous meeting.

The National Archives of Scotland holds Mental Welfare Commission records, including a "General Register of Lunatics in Asylum" which is open to access after 75 years.

One person mentioned that he is waiting to see records of the Tayside Health Board held at Dundee University. These aren't allowed to be released for 100 years and even then apparently must be transcribed, not copied.

The Scottish Records Association's Agony Aunt, R K Vyst, had a most useful answer to a question about mental health records. I will be following up on this information as a family connection did die in a private asylum in Scotland. One of his children came to Canada as a 'home child'.

BCGS Walter Draycott Library
Unit 211, 12837 - 76th Avenue, Surrey BC
Telephone: 604 502 9119
www.bcgs.ca
Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays 10-3 pm.
Call before visiting to check. The Library is not open on holiday weekends.

Surrey Public Library, Cloverdale Branch
5642 - 176A Street, Surrey, BC
Telephone 604 - 576-1384

Family History Center
6270 - 126th Street, Surrey, BC
Telephone 604- 597-9695
Call for hours before visiting.

Tuesday's Treasures - A Paperweight Ad


Here is something you don't see everyday anymore - a paperweight. Perhaps just what's needed for some of the current piles on my desk. This was once very useful in my parents' office - it does have a few scratches and blemishes to show for it.

Now it's a bit of a curiosity and sits on a bookshelf all by itself.

This paperweight advertises the Vancouver Sun newspaper of British Columbia, Canada, which is still in business. My parents read the paper most every day. I do too, and not only for the obituaries!

Sunday, April 05, 2009

2009's 25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs



CanadaGenealogy is #21 on 2009's 25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs list now
posted by Heather Henderson at
ProGenealogists.

Overall content, Technorati rating, and industry experience were the criteria used to select the top 25.

Thanks, Heather and ProGenealogists! We intend to keep both information and ideas coming here!

CanadaGenealogy is in very good company. These are blogs all genealogists should keep an eye on. Genealogy news, ideas, tips, family histories and genealogical true confessions - it's all in the blogs nowadays.

To view the 2009 25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs list, go to ProGenealogists.

And to keep up you will want to review weekly Randy Seaver's Best of the Genea-Blogs and the GeneaBloggers group compilation of new genealogy blogs. Randy's choices for last week are here and April's new Geneabloggers are shown here.

You will also want to check out the 50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites for 2009, recently
announced by ProGenealogist, Kory L. Meyerink, MLS, AG, FUGA.

Somber Sunday - 5 April 1882, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Somber Sunday, or, here in Canada, Sombre Sunday, a day to post obituaries or sad stories, is the idea of Brenda Kay Wolfgram Moore who writes at Day-ly Genealogy Blogposts.

I am posting deaths from British Columbia, Canada the first Sunday of each month – today from The British Colonist, 5 April, 1882

PARALYZED – We regret to hear that Captain JACK, chief wharfinger 1 of the Hudson Bay Company, has been stricken with paralysis and is lying seriously ill at his residence. p.3

WHAT SOME PEOPLE SAY – That John KENNEDY, a Victoria pioneer, is dying at Seattle of pneumonia. p. 3

Also Legal Notices

Re Estate of Thomas LEWIS of Sumas; contact Mrs Thomas LEWIS of Sumas BC p.1
Re Estate of David Latimer BALLANTINE; John James BALLANTINE, Adminstrator p.1
Re Estate of James LOWE, late night watchman at the Albion Foundry; Mr Joseph SPRATT, Administrator p.1
Re Estate of John LEWIS, late of the town of Yale. Also concerning James CAMPBELL, Frank CROTTY, George STUART p.1
Re Estate of Hugh ROSS, late of Barkerville; Alex MUNRO, Executor, Victoria p.1
Re Estate of Peter BROWN; Joseph MASON, Administrator, Barkerville, p.2

And from page 1, an intriguing note:

Mr HAYWARD begs to intimate that he (sic) coffins lately seized by the customs authorities were not imported by him. 2

Further regarding James JACK, from The British Colonist, 6 March, 1882, p.3

DEATHS
In this city, on the 5th inst., James JACK, a native of Paisley, Scotland, aged 51 years.
The funeral will take place on SUNDAY at 2 p.m. from the residence, Superior street, and from the Presbyterian Church, Courtenay street at 2:30 oclk.
Friends are invited to attend.

DEATH OF A WORTHY CITIZEN
Capt. James JACK, wharfinger for the Hudson Bay Company, who was stricken with paralysis on Monday evening, died early yesterday morning. On Monday he was in excellent health and spririts and attended to his duties on the wharf as usual. Between 7 and 8 o’clock, while in his own house, he was suddenly paralyzed. Mrs. JACK conducted him to a sofa, but he never spoke intelligibly and scarcely moved after. Capt. JACK was a worthy and greatly respected citizen. Faithful, energetic and assiduous there was no employee of the great corporation in whose service he was for fifteen years, who was more entitled to their esteem and confidence. Capt. JACK leaves a wife and daughter to lament his untimely decease. 3

Notes:
1 wharfinger – from my big 1958 Oxford International Dictionary – 1552 – old form wharfager – an owner or manager of a wharf
2 I believe this would be Charles HAYWARD, undertaker (and carpenter, contractor). He was later a Mayor of Victoria, as was one son, Reginald. The company is still in business.
3 James JACK’s death registration gives the cause of death as: cerebral apoplexy 3 days. James’ Jack’s wife was Ángela (also indexed as Angalah/Anglah) GURARO (d 1912); the daughter was Helen Louisa (d 1886). Angela was born in Mexico, Helen Louisa in California. Both died in Victoria, BC, Canada. If anyone has a connection, I do have additional information about their life in British Columbia. I am not related and as far as I know there are no descendants for any of the three. They are buried together in Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria.

Newspaper references, all from The British Colonist, Victoria, British Columbia, on-line: http://www.britishcolonist.ca

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Show Us Your Genealogy Space

Over at GeneaMusings, Randy Seaver has come up with another challenge for
Saturday Night Genealogy Fun. Tonight, it's:

Show Us Your Genealogy Space: Take a digital picture of your Genealogy Space -
whether it is a table, desk, bookcase, whatever.

Introducing one of my research partners, Gilles Rogers.

You may not be able to see too clearly but tonight Gilles is keeping a few of today's Library research trip notes warm for me. He'd really prefer to be sitting on my chair, rather than the desk, but I need that myself tonight. The blinds are mostly closed at the moment, but usually there is a view of the courtyard below so that Gilles, and Odette Rogers too, when she's here, can keep track of any cars, or dogs, entering our apartment complex, or any crows or other birds daring to sit near the windows.

This rather beaten up looking, but well loved desk is in my library which is walled with bookshelves and yes, houses binders and boxes of paper in files (and, to be honest, a few piles too). Some of these files are like Randy's "fine collection of mostly useless genealogy paper" but I am slowly going through things and chucking duplicates, etc. Sometimes I find a gem though - something interesting that I can now follow up on.

My desk is old - when I was a kid it was the 'telephone desk' in my parents' bedroom. Our house phone was on one end, a business phone on the other. My backup drive isn't usually there. Its place is on the floor at the side, but I have a new toy - a Clickfree Transformer - which I'm going to try when I next backup. A friend recommended this - apparently it searches for photos, music, video and email files. Since I just had an e-mail problem this week, I'm interested to see how it works. I do back up my e-mail, but hope this will be easier. Then I can and will do that more often.

What does your genealogy space look like - or, what would your 'dream' genealogy research space look like, if you could have anything you wanted?

Friday, April 03, 2009

Tartan Week Events, Vancouver BC Canada

It's Tartan Week in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Aye, get your plaid on!


Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver
Doors open at 6:30 pm; concert starts at 7 pm


A Musical Celebration of Burns in North America
Jon Bartlett and Rika Ruebsaat, 
“Burns Songs in BC”
Kirsteen McCue and David Hamilton, 
“Burns Songs Set by Serge Hovey”
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Performers
And,

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
3-3:30 pm
Room 1425 at Simon Fraser University's Harbour Centre
515 West Hastings, Vancouver, BC

Michael Russell, Government of Scotland Minister for Culture,
 External Affairs & The Constitution will speak on the linkage between Scottish emigrants and their old homeland.
His talk is entitled

“ Connecting Scotland and the Scottish Diaspora”

After Minister Russell’s talk there will be a break for coffee,
followed by a forum (3:45 pm to 5 pm) on

“Robert Burns in British Columbia”
featuring a number of well-known locals,
Jon Bartlett and Rita Ruebsaat;
Raymond Eagle;
Robert Barr;
Todd Wong of Toddish MacWong fame.

And,


Wednesday, April 8, 2009 Room 1400,
SFU’s Harbour Centre (as above)
at 7pm

Dr. Robert Crawford will present a lecture

“Writing Burns’s Biography”

Dr. Crawford is Professor of Modern Scottish Literature at St. Andrews University.
He has published collections of poetry and prose and,
in January of this year his book “The Bard” was published.

Reception to follow.

To register for this lecture: Contact Ron Sutherland
More information, Simon Fraser University Scottish Studies Department