Tuesday, April 30, 2013

New 1881 Canadian Census Database on-line at LAC

A new version of the 1881 Canadian Census Database at Library and Archives Canada has been released. This includes "suggestions for corrections that were received from users in recent months". This is great news as it's frustrating to submit corrections and never see them.  Good to know new searchers will benefit from this process. Altogether there are 4,278,327 records in this database.

Revised district and sub-district information has also been added.

This is one of the projects Ancestry.ca has assisted with. A similar database is available there.

FamilySearch.org also has an 1881 Canadian Census Index. 


Sunday, April 28, 2013

Sally Herbert, Somerset, England - a photograph

Among other things, I do collect stray photographs and other images. Since I have family from Somerset, England, this photograph caught my eye recently. It's identified in ink as "Sally Herbert" and was taken by Sydney Smyth of Waterloo Street, in Weston Super Mare, Somerset. Love her dress!



If you have a connection to Sally Herbert, or to the photographer Sydney Smyth, I'd like to hear from you.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Active History - at the National Council on Public History Conference, Ottawa, Canada, April 2013

ActiveHistory.ca is one of my favourite reads. Jim Clifford has now written an interesting post on "Active History at the National Council on Public History Conference: held last week in Ottawa, Canada. 

Jim has included brief notes on several of the projects shown or discussed. One of these is the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre at Algoma University in Ontario, Canada, a joint project with the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association.

The Shingwauk and Wawanosh Indian Residential Schools, operating from 1873 to 1970, were on the now university grounds. This looks to be a great example of what's being done in Canadian genealogy and history with digital on-line archives. See a brief history of Shingwauk Schools here.

The National Council on Public History (NCPH) aims to make the past useful in the present and encourage collaboration between historians and their public. The 2014 NCPH conference will be in California, USA.

Sounds like an energizing conference. Reading a little more about these projects has made me feel so much more optimistic than last week. I'll be watching ActiveHistory.ca for more news and views from the conference.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Tell Us a Childhood Memory

Last night's Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun (SNGF) challenge at Genea-Musings was to "Tell Us a Childhood Memory". 

I haven't written too much yet about my childhood, although I have quite a few memories :-)  but last week the topic of school reunions came up several times in conversation and I said ok - I'd post my 'grad photo' to show off my then hairdo. 

So here I am. I've previously posted on Facebook the few photographs I had from the high school graduation ceremony I attended (even though I was never graduated since I left and went to university early). 

M. Diane Rogers

Now this photo my kids will laugh at - in however many decades they've known me, they've rarely seen me with my hair 'done'. But back then hairdressers, big rollers, henna, even occasional beer rinses that my dad reluctantly provided the beer for were the thing. (Was that beer supposed to make our hair shine? or give it body...?) 

Now seriously I did like beehive hairdos - they made me taller! As did those potentially lethal spike heeled shoes I liked to wear. And no, I didn't feel strongly then about any contradictions between great shoes and being a feminist. It was all just me.

But what I really notice about this picture is - no glasses. 

I've worn glasses since Grade 3. My mother did tell me once that she was embarrassed that she hadn't realized I needed them till a teacher pointed it out. One of my favourites from my mum's stories was that on the bus coming home with my first pair of glasses on, I was excitedly reading out loud all the ads on the bus! 

Before that I must have squinted a lot as really since I started wearing glasses I hardly get out of bed without them. (And I've always thought having to look at fuzzy blackboards was why I didn't like arithmetic in grade school.) 

But despite their usefulness, apparently for this photo, I was vain enough to take my glasses off. Never since as far as I can see.  Perhaps this pretty much marks the end of my childhood. 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Waiting, hoping...for the 1921 Canadian Census

We've had a long wait so far for any real information about the open access release of the 1921 Canadian census to researchers - which should be scheduled for the first few days of June 2013 - this year. Statistics Canada is by law supposed to release the 1921 census to Library and Archives Canada June 1, 2013.

In March 2012, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) initiated a discussion about the release of this census in an LAC blog post with an enthusiastic title "1921 Census countdown!" .  A number of us have been (fruitlessly) asking for details ever since.

I haven't posted much about this here as - to tell you the unhappy truth - what's happened and may be happening to Library and Archives Canada and apparently to some of our national treasures, documentary and otherwise, has made me heartsick - and very often angry.

The 1921 census release is now the most immediate concern however.  LAC said originally that there was only a microfilm copy of the census extant and that "Library and Archives Canada (LAC) will digitize the microfilms for the 1921 census and make them available online as JPEG and PDF images."  Library and Archives Canada Blog,. That sounded good in itself, and we could accept a delay in on-line release for digitizing, but a little birdie may have let one cat out of the LAC bag since however; John D. Reid at Anglo-Celtic Connections reported yesterday that the census may already have been digitized. LAC has not commented on this, as far as I know.

Then, in response to one of my LAC Blog comments, yesterday Library and Archives Canada posted a note that the indexing of this census "will be done through a similar process such as partnerships" as has been done before. ( )

I believe my own opinion on the question of partnerships with Library and Archives Canada is well known.

As I commented on the LAC Blog, and similarly elsewhere:

" I certainly hope to see the 1921 Canadian Census available free on-line as soon as practical after its release this year – and with a free (and useful) nominal index. Volunteer indexing and access at AutomatedGenealogy.com would be my first choice, but perhaps Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has lost that relationship. Canadian genealogical societies and groups could step in too. While I am not against LAC *in addition* allowing or facilitating indexing, etc. by other organizations or companies, even if commercial or non-Canadian, I maintain that these relationships and agreements must be open to view and transparent and must *not* preclude free access, in this case, on-line, to our own Canadian historical resources as soon as practical after acquisition." (Library and Archives Canada Blog response, mdianerogers, )

And I should add for clarity, that online access should be at Library and Archives Canada's website as with other censuses.

In the past, as in the case of the 1916 Canadian prairie census, LAC 'partnered', and a free index of the census and even access to the census images on-line was delayed a long time, in favour of an apparently exclusive commercial agreement (or agreements). This kind of agreement has no place at all in the case of our Canadian documentary treasures - and any past agreements made by Library and Archives Canada still need to be opened to public scrutiny, as any proposed new LAC agreements or arrangements need to be opened up for public discussion ahead of time.


My ROGERS-SAGGERS grandparents, with their sons, George (standing) 
and David (the baby). All should appear in the 1921 Canadian census, listed likely 
       in South Vancouver. David, born in 1919, died in 1927 so this will be his only census entry.


If you'd like to know more about the 1921 Canadian census, or indeed any or all of the national Canadian censuses, I recommend you read Dr. Dave Obee's latest book, Counting Canada: A Genealogical Guide to the Canadian Census (2012). In fact, I think this should be mandatory reading at Library and Archives Canada too. Since LAC handles Canada's Legal Deposit of publications, pretty sure they must have one copy there at least!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Reminder - BCGS Seminar - Glenn T. Wright and Lesley Anderson - 27 April, 2013

I'm looking forward to this seminar as, since next year will be the anniversary of the beginning of World War I,  many of us are planning our 2014 research goals to include World War I interests.

I highly recommend speaker Glenn Wright's book Canadians at War 1914-1919: A Research Guide to World War I Service Records. This book will be available for sale at the BCGS seminar, and the BCGS Boutique will offer many other useful books and research aids.


The British Columbia Genealogical Society will present Glenn T. Wright and Lesley Anderson in an all day seminar, 27 April, 2013, Burnaby BC at the Danish Lutheran Church.

Glenn T. Wright was formerly with Library and Archives Canada (Public Archives of Canada) and assistant historian of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Lesley Anderson is Director of Education for the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa and is a Content Acquisition Consultant for Ancestry.ca.

Seminar Topics:

The British Army in Canada 1750-1871
Canadians at War – 1885 Rebellion,
South African 1899-1902, First &
Second World Wars
Pre 1865 Immigration
What’s new at Ancestry?

Door Prizes, including a one year subscription to Ancestry.ca

For details and ticket info, see the British Columbia Genealogical Society website: http://www.bcgs.ca/?page_id=2511

Researching in England - free session - VPL Central Branch, Vancouver

Reminder -

The next BCGS/VPL event will be a session on Researching in England with Lorraine Irving & Judith Ueland, Wednesday, April 17, 2013 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm.

Central Branch, Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia St.,
Lower Level. Pre-registration is not required.

See the Vancouver Public Library event calendar:  http://www.vpl.ca/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi
or call the BCGS at 604 502 9119. 

Watch for news of more BCGS/VPL talks in 2013.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Naomi's Road - concert performance - Friday, April 19th, West Vancouver

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERTS: NAOMI'S ROAD 

West Vancouver Memorial Library, Main Hall
Friday, April 19, 2013
Doors open at 7 p.m.

Rooted in one of Canada's most painful and complex social periods, the internment of Japanese-Canadians during World War II, Naomi's Road celebrates the power of hope, cultural understanding and compassion.

Based on the novel by Joy Kogawa, composed by Ramona Luengen, libretto by Ann Hodges.

Funded by the generous bequest of Robert Leslie Welsh.

Refreshments will be served by the Friends of the Library.

For more information, including a study guide, visit the West Vancouver Memorial Library website: http://www.westvanlibrary.ca/event/music_event.php?event_id=75

Monday, April 01, 2013

College for the Retired Open House, April 5, 2013




The Community College for the Retired (CCCR) in Burnaby, BC celebrates its 40th anniversary this Friday, 5 April 2013 with an Open House, 10 am - 3 pm. And the heritage building that houses the College is also celebrating its 100th. Here's a recent news article about the College - "College schools seniors on staying young" by Mario Bartel - Burnaby NewsLeader, published: March 12, 2013 9:00 AM. (Note that the date for the Anniversary in that article is incorrect.)

Come and check out the entertainment, displays and demonstrations.  And while you're there or before you go, check out the great variety of programmes offered throughout the year - music, art, history, computer skills, crafts and much more. CCCR website

For anyone interested in genealogy and family history, I regularly teach two 8 week courses, one for beginners and another for those wanting to learn more about using the Internet for genealogy.

I can also personally recommend the 'Prepare for the Unexpected' Workshop with F. Woodward about putting your life's papers in order and 'Stories from Things' with Sultan Somjee, the author of stories from things: write your memoir in 10 steps.  New this season is 'The History of Local Rail' with B. Vogler too.

Community College for the Retired, 6650 Southoaks Crescent,
Burnaby, B.C. V5E 4M7

604 517 8732