Anglo-Celtic Connections

DNA analysis initially used blood samples, later and now commonly a buccal (cheek) or saliva sample. DNA is also now recovered from hair and ancient bones. An article, Using FastID to analyze complex SNP mixtures from indoor dust , describes a study that used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and massively parallel sequencing (MPS) to analyze human DNA from indoor dust samples.

Samples of dust from five locations in a house were compared with buccal samples. They found that 93% of known occupants were detected in at least one dust sample. Non-occupant alleles were present in 54% of dust samples. They concluded that analyzing SNPs from indoor dust could be a potential forensic tool to identify past presence of individuals and envisaged the technique being used for investigative leads, to refute a suspect’s alibi, or link a suspect with a crime scene.

In genetic genealogy one can imagine taking an ancestor’s old dusty album, stored away for decades, yielding dust that could be analysed to reveal their DNA profile. It might be possible to trace their ancestry and physical characteristics based on their SNPs.

Technical challenges remain, such as the degradation, contamination, and complexity of the DNA mixtures in the dust samples, as well as ethical and legal issues.

When Ancestry updates a collection, we’re rarely, if ever, informed if it’s substantial.

England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1936 is advertised as now containing 5,730,258 records sourced from RG4, RG5 and RG8 at the UK National Archives.

Birmingham, England, Calendar of Prisoners, 1880-1913 now has 12,454 records. The printed calendars are indexed for convicted persons and include summaries, more or less detailed, of the offence. The collection now includes years to 1922.

There are many convictions for bigamous marriages. For instance, on 15 October 1918, 40-year-old William Chester, Lieutenant with the RAF, was convicted that “On the 4th Sept., 1918, did marry Lilhan Nora Baird, his former wife being then alive.” There’s more detail on the circumstances in an article in the Birmingham Daily Post of 16 October 1918.

For almost 40 years, harvest excursions were organized in Eastern Canada to assist prairie farmers with the grain harvest. Thousands of men and women were recruited, no experience necessary, and transported out west to work in the fields, to ensure that Canada maintained its reputation as the breadbasket of the world.

That’s the opening paragraph of an article published in Legion magazine in 2001, authored by Glenn Wright. about a little-known aspect of Canada’s history.

Starting with Canadians on Vimy Ridge, April 1917: Resources and Research last Saturday, Glenn has three presentations in one month. A recording of that will become available to BIFHSGO members soon.

Early May has two opportunities to learn from Glenn.

On Monday 1 May, a special day, Glenn will present The Printed Page: Online Newspapers and Books during the Ottawa Public Library Genealogy Day at Ben Franklin Place. It’s a free event, no registration. More information here.

On Thursday 4 May Always Get Your Man: Researching the Men of the Mounted Police, 1873-1920 will be his presentation for the Ontario Genealogical Society monthly webinar. OGS webinars are free to view live.

Remembering — on 9 April 1917 Allied troops launched an attack on Vimy Ridge. At the end of the day, 2,400 troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force lay dead.

Here is a probably incomplete list of those born in Ottawa who died that day.

FIRST NAMES	LAST NAME	Age	Regiment
JOHN DOUGLAS	ARMSTRONG	28	Canadian EngineersCanadian
CHARLES ANDREW	BUTLER	19	Canadian InfantryCanadian
ALEXANDER ALLEN	HALKETT	29	Canadian InfantryCanadian
GORDON RUTHVEN	HERON	33	Canadian InfantryCanadian
FRANK CAMERON	JAMIESON	26	Canadian InfantryCanadian
GEORGE GEOFFREY	MAY	23	Canadian InfantryCanadian
ALBERT EDWARD	MOSS	32	Canadian Machine Gun CorpsCanadian
GEORGE EDGAR	RUSSELL	28	Canadian InfantryCanadian
REGINALD LAWRENCE	SLADEN	19	Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
GEORGE ARTHUR	THORNE	21	Royal Canadian RegimentCanadian

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

Emily Carr Canada, via Bing and DALL-E

Le Hibou

Leaders of the all-woman gang from the Elephant and Castle

The man in the monkey nut coat

Monument as Method: Transforming Collective Memory in Canada

Every Canadian Prime Minister as the lead singer of a 1980s metal band

Thanks to this week’s contributors: Anonymous, Bonnie, Brenda Turner, Christine Jackson, Chuck B., Ed Chadwick, Jane Down, Nick McDonald, Teresa, Unknown

Montgomeryshire Monumental Inscriptions
7,413 records are added from 16 chapels, churches, and cemeteries in the county. The county total is now 138,429 records from 76 places, 29 of which have the initial letter L. Dates range from 1286 to 2019. The records are transcriptions by the Mongomeryshire Genealogical Society containing background information on the cemetery.

Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions
This update is 6,233 additions from Hounslow Cemetery between the years 1839 and 2022. There are both transcriptions and images in this Middlesex MI collection, totalling 77,100 entries,

Essex Baptisms
122,464 additional transcriptions, ranging from 1638 to 1922 from 154 churches across the county, from Abberton to Writtle, All Saints, make the total collection 2,955,525 entries. Information includes father’s name and occupation, mother’s first name and residence.

Before you can access this collection, updated with more recent years, you now have to specifically agree to Terms and Conditions totalling 2,924 words. What’s in it?

In summary, you agree to:

Only access and use the information for valid historical and genealogical research purposes
Follow the rules and expectations set by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage
Pay any fees required for certain transactions using a credit card or similar means
Respect the intellectual property rights of the Province and others
Accept the risks and limitations of using the Service
Comply with applicable laws and regulations
Accept the use and disclosure of your personal information as described in the Privacy Statement.

Agree and you have access to:

Nova Scotia, Canada, Marriages, 1763-1945 — 567,153 records.
Nova Scotia, Canada, Deaths, 1864-1877, 1890-1970 — 974,206 records
Nova Scotia, Canada, Births, 1840-1921 — 401,920 records

The Globe, Wednesday 19 April 1865. The death was registered in the June quarter.

Saturday, 8 April 2023 – Meeting is HYBRID!

Live at Knox Presbyterian Church (Lisgar & Elgin). For online attendance register HERE

9:00 am – 10:00 am:  Education Talk
Practical Tips for Repair and Care of Family Treasures – Presenter: Kyla Ubbink 
Whether your collections consist of documents, photographs, artwork, or heirlooms, applying archival principles safeguards their preservation for future generations.  Kyla will provide some handy and practical methods to help ensure the longevity of your collections.  These will include archival enclosure and housing options, guidelines for storage, and methods for basic cleaning, de-acidification and dealing with mould and musty odours.  Kyla operates Ubbink Book & Paper Conservation which provides professional conservation, restoration and preservation consultation services to institutions, galleries, antiquities dealers, collectors, researchers and genealogists.  Find out more on bookandpaperconservation.com.

10:00 am – 11:30 am:  Feature Talk
Canadians on Vimy Ridge, April 1917:  Resources and Research – Presenter: Glenn Wright
It has been more than 100 years since Canadian troops captured Vimy Ridge on Easter weekend 1917, a victory that resonates with Canadians to this day.  Glenn will review the common and not-so-common resources for researching and documenting your ancestor’s role in what was one of the most significant battles of the First World War.  Glenn is a frequent speaker at family history and genealogical meetings throughout Ontario and beyond.  His primary interest is the Canadian men and women who have served in our wars. He is a past president of BIFHSGO.

Note that Kyla will be an exhibitor, and Glenn a speaker at Ottawa Public Library Genealogy Day, Monday 1 May

Hot off the Press…

Crawford Cemetery, Dalhousie Township, Lanark County, Ontario
By Iva Hendrick and Barbara Griffith
Originally published by Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1977

Souvenir of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Commemorating OLD BOYS’ REUNION at Cornwall August 11-15, 1906 [Stormont County, Ontario]
By The Freeholder (newspaper)
Originally published by The Freeholder, Cornwall, 1906

Highland Line Cemetery, Dalhousie Township, Lanark County, Ontario
By volunteers from Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society
Originally published by Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1978

Also added this week…

Africa’s Children: A History of Blacks in Yarmouth Nova Scotia

Places of Worship Peterborough County [what records exist for churches of all denominations, where records are, etc]

 

The (UK) Police Gazette, published  under various titles, has many references to personal names of missing persons, criminals, army deserters and those deported and imprisoned make it a useful source for genealogical purposes. Surviving coverage is spotty.

TheGenealogist has now added issues for the years 1901, 1911, 1921 and 1931 with over 56,000 individuals and 20,802 further aliases.

Ancestry has the same years, plus 1834 and 1885.  Also the Supplement “A” to the Police Gazette, issued fortnightly,  containing names and aliases, short criminal histories, descriptions and methods of persons who were considered to be expert and travelling criminals between 1914 and 1931.

The British Newspaper Archive, and Findmypast, have issues for 1829, 1858, 1880, 1898, 1916-1918.

According to the wikipedia article Police Gazette (Great Britain and Ireland) at least 61% of the total run of issues from 1772 to 1900 survives, archived by the initiative of local police forces, as well as by the British Library. Many of the Supplements between 1914 and 1965 also survive

According to an entry in its catalogue, the British Library has copies for 1858, and 1877-2003. Issues for the past 75 years are closed.