FreeBMD March Update

The FreeBMD Database was updated on Tuesday, 26 March 2024, to contain 290,487,882   unique entries, up from 290,239,705 on 22 February.

The years with more than 10,000 new entries are 1992-1995 for births, 1992 – 1994 for marriages, and 1991, 1993 – 1995 for deaths.

The Genealogist at Work – Old Style

During my regular check for new genealogy books in the Ottawa Public Library collection, one title stood out : “The Maker of Pedigrees: Jakob Wilhelm Imhoff and the Meanings of Genealogy in Early Modern Europe” by Markus Friedrich. This book, published by John Hopkins University Press last year, offers a unique perspective on the subject.

“The Maker of Pedigrees” delves into the role of genealogy in the cultural, social, and political history of Europe around 1700. It particularly focuses on the life and works of Nuremberg master genealogist Jakob Wilhelm Imhof, shedding light on how changes in Europe’s knowledge culture influenced genealogy and how the evolving nature of the genealogical imaginary shaped early modern Europeans’ perception of society, politics, and scholarship. 

I found the book hard going. It’s academic,  a translation, full of two-dollar words like bricolage, histographical, annalistic.

I persevered through chapter 5 “The Genealogist at Work.” His major effort was keeping up with current developments — births, marriages and deaths. This was done through collecting published materials, including newspapers, “diplomatic” documents circulated to keep peers aware of changes in the powerful, correspondance and oral communication.

His research was founded on previously published material, which he did his best to verify. To those he physically added information written on scarps of papers and clippings, using sissors and paste. He also wrote in corrections and additions — the bricolage. They were the working basis for his published works.

There are two circulating copies in the OPL collection. None were in the  public library collections in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal or Halifax. Toronto has one copy in its reference collection.

I can only recommend it to those who have an interest in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

New at Héritage

So far this month, 14 digital microfilms sourced from Library and Archives Canada have been added to the CRKN Héritage collection. Five are for Western Land Grants, five Second World War era Directorate of Movements : Marine files, three from the Department of Indian Affairs, and one from the Dominion Lands Branch. Here’s the list.

Title Publication Date Identifier URL (if online) Date updated
Central registry subject files created by the Dominion Lands Branch 1911-1926 T-12514 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t12514/1 2024-03-15
Department of Indian Affairs, Headquarters central registry system : Black Series 1913 – 1942 C-10205 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c10205/1 2024-03-06
Department of Indian Affairs, Headquarters central registry system : thousand series 1876-1937 C-12059 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12059/1 2024-03-20
Department of Indian Affairs, Headquarters central registry system : thousand series 1915-1954 C-12074 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12074/1 2024-03-20
Directorate of Movements : Marine files. Eastbound Personnel 1944 C-5694 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c5694/1 2024-03-06
Directorate of Movements : Marine files.
Westbound Personnel
1941-08-01 – 1943-08-04 C-5708 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c5708/1 2024-03-20
Directorate of Movements : Marine files.
Westbound Personnel
1943-06-01 – 1944-06-11 C-5710 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c5710/1 2024-03-20
Directorate of Movements : Marine files.
Westbound Personnel
1944-01-11 – 1944-04-28 C-5712 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c5712/1 2024-03-20
Directorate of Movements : Marine files.
Westbound Personnel
1944-03-27 – 1944-08-08 C-5713 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c5713/1 2024-03-20
Western Land Grants 1906-04-21 – 1907-07-06 C-6125 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c6125/1 2024-03-06
Western Land Grants 1909-03-11 – 1909-03-17 C-6217 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c6217/1 2024-03-06
Western Land Grants 1914-06-25 – 1914-07-11 C-6431 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c6431/1 2024-03-06
Western Land Grants 1918-06-06 – 1918-06-11 C-6572 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c6572/1 2024-03-06
Western Land Grants 1914-02-27 – 1914-03-03 C-6410 https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c6410/1 2024-03-20

Use Collection Search at LAC with the microfilm number for detail on its contents. A search for one of the  Directorate of Movements microfilms shows all the voyages recorded thereon. Download to a spreadsheet and sort by Item Number to get an idea of its position within the microfilm.

If you have the name of a ship a person travelled on, use LAC’s collection search and look for a date of interest. Hope the microfilm referenced is in the Héritage collection!

I’m told CKRN is working on a new interface that will show an array of thumbnails of the microfilm contents making it easy to spot the beginning of a new voyage. No date for implementation is promised!

This Week’s Online Genealogy Events

Choose from selected free online events in the next five days. All times are ET except as noted. Assume registration in advance is required; check so you’re not disappointed. Find out about many more mainly US events at Conference Keeper at https://conferencekeeper.org

A reminder that 7 Tips for Using AI as Your Genealogy Assistant, by Dana Leeds, is available for free to view until 27 March.

Tuesday, 26 March

2 pm ET –  Government Money: MyHeritage’s U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936–2007, by Sharon D. Monson for MyHeritage and Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/government-money-myheritages-u-s-social-security-applications-and-claims-1936-2007/

2:30 pm ET – Specifics of Genealogical Research in Russia, by Elena Burtseva for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9989453

7 pm ET – Basics of House History and Land Records Research, by Susan Arness for OGS Wellington County Branch.
https://wellington.ogs.on.ca/nextevent/

Wednesday, 27 March

2 pm ET – Which Hans Jensen is Mine? Navigating Patronymics in Scandinavian Research, by Jenny Hansen for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/which-hans-jensen-is-mine-navigating-patronymics-in-scandinavian-research/

Thursday, 28 March

6:30 pm ET – Discover Your Irish Ancestors Using the Periodical Source Index (PERSI)  by Elizabeth Hodges for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9958817

Friday, 29 March

Saturday, 30 March

2 pm ET  –  The Internet Archive: A Genealogist’s Dream Collection, by Taneya Koonce for the Guild of One-Name Studies.
https://one-name.org/internetarchive/

 

Family Tree Magazine: April 2024

Here are the contents of this latest issue, plus a couple of comments.

FAMILY HISTORY NEWS
Rachel Bellerby reports on the latest from the genealogy scene.

[It includes that “Sarah Bush, previously chief product officer at FindMyPast, has been named as the genealogy company’s new managing director; as part of closer integration with its parent company, DC Thomson”]

DISCOVER THE POWER OF A RESEARCH LOG
Professional genealogist Dr Sophie Kay explains why a research log is the family historian’s best friend and how to create one you’ll love to use.
[Sophie Kay uses the analogy between a research log and fastening one end of a ball of string at the entrance to a maze and unwinding as you proceed as a way to get out. Your genealogical maze may have more than one entry/exit that opens up the options of different approaches. Perhaps these days, repeating an online search may be more efficient than recording the previous search and searching the log.]

BILL EVERLEY’S WAR
Family Tree reader Mike Everley shares the story of his research into his father’s WW2 Royal Air Force war years

SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION – IT IS POSSIBLE
Stuart Valentine shows how to separate family tales and documented history to get to the truth of the matter

MAKE DNA DISCOVERIES
Discover the information you dearly seek about DNA at the upcoming DNA Discoveries event

DEAR PAUL
In this month’s genealogy gems, Paul Chiddicks takes a closer look at our ancestors’ last wishes

EDUCATING A NATION
Researcher Gaynor Halliday explores how the passing of the Elementary Education Act of 1870 sparked major disagreements.
[Interesting background]

BOOKS & CO
Rachel Bellerby & Helen Tovey share thoughts on a selection of family-history related reads. They are:
[Uncrowned: royal heirs who didn’t take the throne, by Ashley Mantle.
A Woman’s Will: The changing lives of British women, told through the things they have left
behind, Viki Holton.
From a rock to a hard place: the 1984-85 miners’ strike, by Beverley Trounce.
Family History Research Skills Workbook, by Dr Sophie Kay.
The Heavy Water War: beating Hitler to the bomb, by John Sadler.
Becoming a Historian: An Informal Guide, by Penelope J. Corfield & Tim Hitchcock. Downloadable as a free pdf from https://uolpress.co.uk/book/becoming-a-historian/.
The London Bookshop Affair: A Novel of the Cold War, by Louise Fein.]

RESEARCHING 19TH CENTURY MERCHANT SEAMEN
Family Tree Academy tutor David Annal shares the know-how you need to tackle a perhaps daunting set of historical records

HOW TO PRESERVE YOUR FAMILY HISTORY PHOTOS
Photogenealogist Ann Larkham looks at how to preserve those precious originals

IS THIS ‘BRIDGERTON’ CONTINUED?
Tree-tracing diarist Gill Shaw shares the latest slice of her deliciously entertaining family history research

ACCESS TO WILLS
Professional genealogist Richard Holt, the man behind the petition to #SaveOurWills, shares reflections on the situation so far

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE FAMILY HISTORY FEDERATION
We shine a spotlight on this remarkable genealogy organisation, going strong since 1974

PHOTO CORNER
Photo-dating expert Jayne Shrimpton helps to date and identify family photos from the past

YOUR QUESTIONS
Experts Dr Sophie Kay & Dr Simon Wills are on hand to help

DIARY DATES
Discover events to look forward to this April: online, in person & hybrid

YOUR LETTERS
Take a look at the heirlooms cherished by readers

THOUGHTS ON …
Diane Lindsay ties up the loose ends on a genealogical mystery and reminds us of the value of remembering

 

Last Minute: OGS Toronto Branch Meeting

The March Toronto branch meeting will be held on Monday, 25 March at 7:30 pm via Zoom.

Christine Cochran will present Forensic Genealogy: The New Frontier. Forensic genealogy is a new buzzword these days. But what exactly does it mean? How is it applied? Who needs a forensic genealogist and why? This talk will address these questions and provide some real-world examples.

To open the meeting Bonnie Bell will present The Baton and the Little “Black” Box. This tale of a small silver box and a policeman’s baton found amongst Bonnie’s late brother’s effects demonstrates how family history and genealogy are never done.

For more information and to register click here: https://torontofamilyhistory.org/event/forensic-genealogy/

Military Monday

A new book, Making Sense of the Great War, by Alex Mayhew, explores how soldiers coped with its horrors.

He believes that while WWI soldiers had no choice but to live in a state of constant crisis, they didn’t endure the horrors by focusing on them.

Amidst the bleakest of circumstances, they saw their fight as a defence of something invaluable: family, friends, community, nation, and way of life. 

Mayhew’s work, based in diaries, isn’t just about past wars. He points out that humans are masters of adaptation. This strength can help survive tough times, but it also highlights why larger, systemic changes (like combating climate change) are so difficult.

Mayhew A. Making Sense of the Great War: Crisis, Englishness, and Morale on the Western Front. Cambridge University Press; 2024.

The above is my TL/DR version. For a longer summary see https://www.lse.ac.uk/research/research-for-the-world/society/the-great-war-crisis

Sunday Sundries

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like the Duck Rabbit podcast at https://play.acast.com/s/duck-rabbit/duck-rabbit-relationships.

‘Majority’ of Irish Land Commission records to finally be transferred to National Archives

The Ottawa Public Library Surplus
In 2023 the OPL ran a surplus of $1.87 million, or 3 percent of total expenditures. Those are taxes for services paid for but not received.

Google researchers unveil ‘VLOGGER’, an AI that can bring still photos to life
Also see this. Much like the DeepStory facility that MyHeritage introduced a couple of years ago, it’s creepy!

Oats and oatmeal aren’t bad for you, as some claim
“A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.” Link.

A giant-sized enigma
April’s BBC History magazine has a short article on what my father’s cousin called “the rude man” when we stopped in to view the hillside calving at Cerne Abbas in Dorset. It reports that the snail shells that make up his white body may have been cut between AD 700 and 1100, which would make it the only known Anglo-Saxon creation of its kind.

Thanks to this week’s contributors:  Anonymous,  Brenda Turner, Friday’s Family History Finds, Sunday Thompson, susan Mills-Zorzes, Teresa, Unknown.

 

 

 

British History Online

A digital library, British History Online (BHO) offers a vast collection of primary and secondary sources on the history of Britain and Ireland between 1300 and 1800. Over 1,300 volumes of transcribed content, including Close Rolls and State Papers Domestic, are included.

They recently upgraded their website and are addressing issues with subscriptions, logging in, and searching the content. While most content is usually free, while they fix the problem they’ve temporarily lowered the paywall, allowing free access to all their material.

I suggest going to the website at https://www.british-history.ac.uk/, clicking on search, and entering a community name of interest, even a small one. Chances are the hits will be early, before your period of known interest, but you never know.