Saturday, March 20, 2010

Swedish Genealogy - Arkiv Digital free this weekend

Swedish postcard, dated 1908.

If anyone is doing Swedish research, Arkiv Digital (aka AD Online) is free till Sunday night (but Swedish time, I think): http://www.arkivdigital.net/

See this link first: http://www.arkivdigital.se/download/images/nyhetsbrev/719/AD_Newsletter_20100319_english.pdf

'My Own Swedes'
AXNER, BROSTRÖM, ERIKSSEN, JOHANSON, LOFHOLM, RYDBERG & ZETTERBERG: SWEDEN TO CANADA: http://www.tribalpages.com/tribes/swedesinbc

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Genealogy/Family History Events Coming Up in BC - Free Draw

The sun is shining, spring is almost here, and so many genealogical and family history events are coming up soon in British Columbia. All are reasonably priced or even free.

Since these will be great events (and I'm involved in a number of them - one way or another), I want to highlight them. And already there are several interesting events scheduled for the fall, so watch for more about those later.

The first event, sessions on using the One-Step Webpages for genealogy research with Stephen Morse, is SOLD OUT!

But I have two tickets to give away. If you're a local reader, and you comment on any of my blog posts, including this one, by Sunday, March 21, your name will go in this draw. No spam though! Let me know you're interested in attending the seminar, and let me know how to reach you too. (You can e-mail me at canadagenealogy@shaw.ca with contact info, but be sure to comment on the blog too.)

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 28, 2010, Sunday, Stephen Morse Seminar, BC Genealogical Society and the Jewish Genealogical Institute of BC, Vancouver, BC.

SOLD OUT! Afternoon seminar with Stephen Morse, creator of the One-Step Webpages searches for genealogy. His One-Step Webpages are a must for many kinds of genealogical research, for instance, passenger lists and census searches, as well as for more specialized searches, for example, in Eastern European research. Information: http://www.bcgs.ca/

April 8, 2010. Thursday, "Destination Canada", Victoria Genealogical Society.

"Destination Canada: A genealogist’s guide to immigration records". Dave Obee will discuss his new book, (now available from the BC Genealogical Society Boutique), and Victoria material not in the book. 7:30 pm. Visit Dave Obee’s website at http://www.daveobee.com/ and the Victoria Genealogical Society: http://www.victoriags.org/

April 13, 2010, Tuesday, Canadian Church Records, Central Branch, Vancouver Public Library.

Canadian Church Records - learn about a very useful source of information in Canada, especially for research before civil registration begins in Canadian provinces. Tuesday, April 13, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Central Branch, Vancouver Public Library, Meeting Room 492, Level 4. Register ahead; telephone 604-331 3716. More information - www.vpl.ca/cgi-bin/api/calendar.cgi


April 10, Women’s History Fair, Vancouver, Women’s History Network of British Columbia. Free!

Over 20 displays illustrating British Columbia women’s history – with participation from museums and archives, women’s organizations, historical societies and cultural groups. The BC Genealogical Society will be there with a display on Researching Female Ancestors. Free; no registration needed. 1-4 pm. Promenade, Central Branch, Vancouver Public Library. Co-sponsored by the Vancouver Courier newspaper, the Special Collections Department of the Vancouver Public Library and the Herstory Cafe. More information: http://www.whnbc.ca/

April 10, 2010, Saturday, Ukrainian Cultural Afternoon, Cloverdale Branch, Surrey Public Library.

Ukrainian Roots session with speaker Vera Shpolyansky. 12:30 to 2 pm. Pre-register. Call 604-598-7328 or see more information at: www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Programs+and+Services/Programs+and+Classes/Genealogy

April 17, Saturday, Finding Your Female Ancestors, Cloverdale Branch, Surrey Public Library.

Finding Your Female Ancestors: Paper Trails and DNA.

Morning seminar - speakers M. Diane Rogers and Laurie J. Cooke. Diane Rogers, President of the British Columbia Genealogical Society and Secretary of the Women's History Network of BC, is a well experienced sleuth when it comes to tracking down elusive female ancestors. Laurie J. Cooke, Cloverdale Genealogy Librarian, is quite obsessed with DNA for Genealogy – especially if it can help establish maternal lineage without the advantage of surnames.
Learn how to locate and honour your own female ancestors with some excellent research tips and the latest on using DNA for maternal lines. 10:30 am-12. Pre-registration required. Call 604-598-7328 or see more information at: www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Programs+and+Services/Programs+and+Classes/Genealogy

April 17, 2010, Saturday, Family History Fair, Nanaimo Family History Society.

Family History Fair with speaker Else Churchill of the Society of Genealogists, London, England, and as well a session on Legacy Family Tree software. More than 20 exhibitors from BC including the BC Genealogical Society’s Boutique. All day, Beban Park Social Centre, Nanaimo. Register now – details: www.members.shaw.ca/nfhs

May 2-4, 2010, Family History Weekend with Dave Obee, at Painter's Lodge, Vancouver Island.

A three day course with Dave Obee, well known British Columbia genealogist and regional historian. Dave will teach you how to add to your family history with research in local history and social history, as well as how to use a wide variety of family history sources. At Painter’s Lodge on Vancouver Island near Campbell River. May 2 – 4. Register now – see www.painterslodge.com/specials/live-and-learn

May 6-8, 2010, BC Historical Federation Conference, Vancouver.

Family History in British Columbia Workshop, with Dave Obee.
Be better prepared to research the rich history of British Columbians. Of interest to
historical researchers as well as genealogists, this workshop will identify the most important sources for family historians, and help to explain some of the differences between British Columbia and the rest of Canada, as well as the differences between regions of the province. It closes with a session on how to compile information, making it more accessible to others.
To register, see the BC Historical Federation conference webpages: http://www.bchistory.ca/ or call 604-466-2636. See Dave Obee's website as well: http://www.daveobee.com/

Conference - May 6-8. Transportation is the theme! Streetcar tour, behind the scenes visits to museums and archives, Mountain View Cemetery tour. Plaza 500 Hotel, Vancouver. To register, see the BCHF conference webpages: http://www.bchistory.ca/ or contact Barbara Coles:
info@vancouver-historical-society.ca or 604-878-9140.

Free conference Book Fair, featuring authors, book sellers, publishers and heritage groups. Co-ordinated by the BC Genealogical Society, Thursday, May 6th from 6-10 pm and Friday, May 7th from 8 am-5 pm, Plaza 500 Hotel. See http://www.bchistory.ca/ for more details.

May 8, 2010, Saturday. Learn to make Digital Collages. Cloverdale Branch, Surrey Public Library.

Fast and Easy Digital Collages using Picasa, with Laurie J. Cooke, 10:30-11:30 am. Call 604-598-7328 or see more information at: www.spl.surrey.bc.ca/Programs+and+Services/Programs+and+Classes/Genealogy

May, 2010, Victoria Genealogical Society Seminar, Victoria.

Featuring Lady Teviot of Census Searches, and a Fellow of the Federation of Family History Societies. Details soon: http://www.victoriags.org/ Census Searches website: http://www.census-searches.co.uk/

June 3-6, 2010, United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada conference, Vernon, BC.

The UELAC conference includes a look at British Columbia’s pioneer history and the role of United Empire Loyalist descendants in the province. Conference webpage:
www.uelac.org/BTM2010.html

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Mum's Secrets - Treasure Chest Thursday


Long ago, when I was a youngster, this book of my mum's was in our house. At some point, like most of the books in our house, it ended up in my room on the bookshelves Dad made for me. As far as I remember, it was in poor shape then, and at some point was taped together as you can see now. (Not by me, I swear!)

My Mum was already 31, almost 32, when she had me, and I never heard many stories about her as a young woman. Her possession of this well worn book on palmistry added a bit of mystery to her personality for me. I always knew her as quite a practical, clear-headed, little nonsense type person, although we did have a Ouija board - all for fun - and I remember we had our fortunes told in the tea leaves at a tea room on Granville Street in Vancouver once when I was a child . Now I don't even remember what was said. I just remember us having tea out together, maybe as this was something a little unusual.

The pressed flowers were hers. Now I wonder what they meant to her...

Cheiro's last words of 'Advice To The Student'

Lastly, do not be for ever on the look out for faults and failings in the subject whose hands you may be examining, remember no one is perfect, and that faults and failings may in the end be as stepping stones "by which we rise from our dead selves to higher things."




Palmistry For All by Cheiro (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, Limited, 1920).

Cheiro, aka William John Warner, Count Louis Hamon, biographical information at the Astrologers' Memorial, developed by Donna Cunningham.

Some of you know me; I just have to look people up. I took a quick look, but didn't see a mention of where Cheiro was buried (or not). I wondered if he had an interesting gravestone. Does anyone know?