Anglo-Celtic Connections

Today, 23 March is World Meteorological Day as proclaimed by the World Meteorological Organization. While meteorology, the science of weather and the atmosphere, may not feature in your family history it could. There are 3,165 entries in Ancestry’s Canada Voters Lists, 1935-1980 collection with occupation meteo*.

More likely of interest is the weather on a special day, birthday, graduation, marriage or a memorable extreme weather event, like the 1998 Ice Storm, or one that changed the course of someone’s life.

Historical weather data for Canada may be found starting at https://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_e.html

For the UK check the Daily Weather Report /Daily Weather Summary (METDLA/6/1/1) back to 1860 along with other resources at the Complete Archive from the Digital Library and Archives of the British Meteorological Office.

Scottish prison registers

ScotlandsPeople now have admission entries of thousands of prisoners indexed to be searched using the prison registers search page. People from a broad range of backgrounds can be found in the prison registers and there is a wealth of information in these volumes for the genealogist and social historian alike.

The first set of released records concern admissions to Perth Prison between 1867-1879 and 1888-1921 which can be searched for free on ScotlandsPeople and the images viewed and downloaded for a small fee. This equates to over 50,000 indexed entries for Perth Prison over this period and includes details of both male and female prisoners.

Bibliography of Edinburgh History

You know of New Edinburgh, Ottawa. What about Old Edinburgh?

The Old Edinburgh Club is Edinburgh, Scotland’s local history society, concerned with all aspects of the city’s history and development.

They have a free online Bibliography of Edinburgh History to help anyone interested in exploring the city’s rich heritage, culture, economy, politics and society across the city. Inevitably, much of the history of Edinburgh as capital city is that of Scotland itself. The content ranges in time from prehistory to modern times.

Explore the Bibliography 

Today marks the 162nd anniversary of the birth of Canada’s longest-serving and most distinguished National Archivist. While the Dictionary of Canadian Biography still hasn’t published one there are biographies in The Canadian Encyclopedia and Wikipedia. I’m told a dedicated website is in preparation with some unique content.

The National Archives, and later Library and Archives Canada, has thrived under inspired leadership, survived not-so-inspired leadership, and on more than one occasion had its reputation tarnished by unfortunate and lacklustre appointments to the role.

If you pass by Ottawa’s Notre Dame Cemetery today I hope you’ll find Sir Arthur resting in peace and not hear him turning in his grave. You’re unlikely to find his statue behind 395 Wellington marching to the front in protest as one recent commenter suggested could happen.

Choose from free online events in the next five days. All times are ET except as noted. Those in red are Canadian, bolded if local to Ottawa or recommended

Assume registration in advance is required; check so you’re not disappointed.T

Tuesday 22 Mar. 2 pm: Virtual Genealogy Drop-In, from Ottawa Branch of OGS and The Ottawa Public Library.
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/

Tuesday 22 Mar, 2 pm: A Deep Dive into Deep Nostalgia™, by Masha Novak for MyHeritage and Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/a-deep-dive-into-deep-nostalgia/

Tuesday 22 Mar, 2:30 pm: Jumping the Pond: Beginning to Research Your European Immigrant Ancestors, by Allison Singleton for Allen Country Public Library Genealogy Center. https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6235265 

Tuesday 22 Mar, 3:30 pm: The Life & Legacy of George Bradshaw: how Bradshaw’s company produced guides and handbooks, by David Turner for NorthWest Kent FHS http://www.nwkfhs.org.uk/events/overview/all-upcoming-meetings/zoom-talks/the-life-legacy-of-george-bradshaw

Tuesday 22 Mar, 7 pm: The Geography of Genealogy, by Dave Obee for OGS Wellington County Branch. https://wellington.ogs.on.ca/upcoming-events/

Wednesday 23 Mar, 2 pm: Get ‘Grammin’! How to Instagram Your Family History, by Elizabeth M. O’Neal for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/get-grammin-how-to-instagram-your-family-history/

Thursday 24 Mar. 6:30 pm: Preserving Your Ancestor’s Textiles and Handmade Treasures, by Melissa Barker for Allen Country Public Library Genealogy Center. https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6235264

Saturday, 26 Mar. 1 pm: Arnprior McNab/Braeside Archives Update, by Kristen Mercier / Irene Robillard for Ottawa Branch OGS.
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/ottawa-branch-presentation-2022-03-26/

Saturday 26 Mar. 24 hour event. History For Ukraine. https://historyforukraine.co/

Saturday 26 Mar. All Day. Legacy Irish Genealogy Conference, with Natalie Bodle, John Grenham and David Ouimette. Pre-recorded at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/Conference

The latest edition of the Guild of One-Name Studies Journal, Vol 14-6, Apr-Jun 2022, has an article Marriage mining & the Loach tables. It relates to the civil registration index of marriages in England and Wales with relevance to the West Midlands.

In compiling the GRO indexes clerks followed a set pattern. Within each quarter of the year and within each Registration District, they arranged Anglican marriages before all others, followed by Register Office ones. Non-conformists followed. The Anglican churches were arranged in alphabetical order although an ancient parish church may have been given precedence.

So what’s a Loach table? Referring to the article that is the basis of the Guild article, Marriage mining in the West Midlands, given the GRO reference for a marriage in the area the page number in the Loach table for that Registration District, and entry for the year and quarter will indicate the church where the ceremony was performed.

It worked for me for an 1837 marriage.

These days you may well find Ancestry already has the information and an image of the marriage certificate so the technique will be of most interest if you don’t have that access.

New presenters Gus Casely-Hayford and Natalie Haynes join team members old and new to investigate an Iron Age settlement in Cornwall with mysterious underground passages, known as a fogou. Suspend judgement.

Of Library and Archives Canada’s Co-Lab Challenges progress is reported on two projects since last month.

Women in the War remains 0% complete.

First World War Posters, with 140 images, is 99% complete, 96% last month.

Arthur Lismer’s Children’s Art Classes remains 0% complete.

John Freemont Smith remains 93% complete.

Canadian National Land Settlement Association remains 98% complete.

Molly Lamb Bobak with 226 images, is 89% complete, 88% last month.

Diary of François-Hyacinthe Séguin remains 99% complete.

George Mully: moments in Indigenous communities remains 0% complete.

Correspondence regarding First Nations veterans returning after the First World War remains 99% complete.

Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 remains 96% complete.

Legendary Train Robber and Prison Escapee Bill Miner remains 99% complete.

Japanese-Canadians: Second World War, remains 3% complete.

The Call to Duty: Canada’s Nursing Sisters remains 92% complete.

Projects that remain 100% complete are no longer reported here.

Other unidentified Co-Lab activities not part of the Challenges may have happened.

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

What do the British call their grandparents?

Canadian Research Knowledge Network
As of 1 April CKRN, including Canadiana, are consolidating operations in space at 395 Wellington Street. “Since March 2020, most CRKN staff have been successfully working remotely. Staff who do need to use office space to complete portions of their work, such as our digitization staff, typically use the equipment available at our Wellington St. office.”

Ukraine: Putin isn’t mad – he’s following a long-established great power playbook for conquest

London Trivia Questions
How many of these can you answer correctly? Answers next Sunday

1. What’s the title of the song by Coldplay with London in the title?

2. Which cemetery was also known as The London Necropolis?

3. What work did a resurrection man do?

4. Which cemetery was across the road from the London Metropolitan Archives

5. Which railway station had a platform dedicated for funeral trains? What was it used for in more recent years?

6. True or false? From 1760 to 1777 under George the Third it was illegal to transport a dead body across London Bridge.

7. Which London park has a pet cemetery?

8. Which notorious burial site was close to St Catherine’s House and the LSE?
Enon Chapel.

9. What was the Metropolitan Sepulchre?

10. True or false. The underground deviated from straight lines to avoid plague pits?

Support #History for Ukraine

Thanks to this week’s contributors. Ann Burns, Anonymous, Brenda Turner, Don Ross, Elizabeth Vincent, Gail Dever, Glenn Wright, Gloria Tubman, Jean A Paterson, Karen Prytula, Nancy Frey, Patti Mordasewicz, Paul Marsden, Phyllis Chapman, Rob Bennie, Timothy Dubé, Unknown.

This update has 128 additions since May 2020, now totalling 565,481 burials. At the last update the additions were from the latest period.
The bar chart shows the distribution in +/-5 year blocks. The decline since the 1870s likely reflects those not choosing a Church of England burial as well as the unavailability of registers currently in use.

A shoutout for this UK initiative.

History For Ukraine is like Live Aid for history lovers. There’s a stellar line-up of leading historians and genealogists from all over the world, and over 24 hours, they’ll be live-streaming their talks for your entertainment.

There’s no charge to watch, and throughout the live stream, we’ll be inviting you to donate to our JustGiving page, with all funds being passed to the British Red Cross Society’s DEC Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal.

If you prefer to donate to a Canadian charity go to https://www.redcross.ca/

You get a history fix, AND the opportunity to do something positive for the people of Ukraine.

The  24-hour history marathon will be delivered by some of the world’s biggest names in history and genealogy. Show your appreciation of the speakers by donating what you can.

UPDATE
Today’s (Saturday) Globe and Mail includes an article by Bill Waiser on The Legacy of Ukrainians in Canada. He mentions descendants of pre-WW1 immigrants, Ray Hnatyahyn and Roy Romanow, as prominent contributors to Canada and that “the next wave of Ukrainian immigrants is coming … we must do all we can to ensure they find here the same opportunities to enable them to make … contributions.”

Now announced, the program for Ontario Ancestors (OGS) Virtual Conference 2022, beginning on Friday 24 June with MyHeritage Day. It will require a separate registration. The Friday evening opening session promises “a first of its kind.”

The program on Saturday and Sunday will offer a total of 28 presentations of 14 sessions each day over two streams. Attendees will have access to recorded sessions until 31 July 2022.

I’m pleased to be among the presenters and looking forward to informative, interesting and inspiring presentations, most new to me. One that I’ve heard before I would highly recommend to anyone is Kyla Ubbink’s talk Canadian Wildflowers: A tale of pioneering women.

Registration opens on 1 April.

 

Waterford County Burial Records 1850-1950
Records from three burial grounds – St. Carthage’s (Lismore), St. Declan’s (Ardmore), and St. Otteran’s (Waterford) with over 17,000 transcript records have an exclusive index from Findmypast. The information varies between records, but you may be able to discover death date, burial date, age, and more.

Unindexed burial records for these, and for St. Patrick’s (Tramore) and St. Mary’s (Butlerstown) are here where you’ll also find Funeral Books from
Thompson Funeral Directors in Waterford for 1874 to 1918.

The Waterford City and County website also provides various other useful resources such as pdf archives of the Dungarvan Leader, Dungarvan Observer, Waterford Chronicle, Waterford Mail and Waterford News at https://www.waterfordcouncil.ie/departments/library/local-newspapers.htm

Views of Ireland
Find 117 colourized photos and illustrations, from 12 counties in the 19th century in this free-to-view collection.  There is no location information other than the county.