Anglo-Celtic Connections

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

Tuesday 05 Apr. 2:30 pm: Exploring Patterns in Your Family History Research, by Melissa Tennant for The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library. https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6421742

Tuesday 05 Apr. 7:30 pm: Canadian Resource Review by Sher Leetooze for Durham Branch OGS. https://ogs.on.ca/events/online-free-resources-review-durham-branchs-april-meeting/

Tuesday 05 Apr. 10 pm: My Top 20 Free Australian Genealogy Websites, by Shauna Hicks for Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/my-top-20-free-australian-genealogy-websites/

Wednesday 06 Apr. 2 pm: The Beginner’s Guide To DNA Testing For Genealogy, by Michelle Leonard for Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/the-beginners-guide-to-dna-testing-for-genealogy/

Wednesday 6 Apr. 2:30 pm: The Decade of Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, by Chris Paton for the Guild of One-Name Studies. https://one-name.org/ireland1912-1923/

Wednesday 06 Apr. Making Use of All Your Census, by Ken McKinlay for Huron Branch OGS. https://huron.ogs.on.ca/events/huron-branch-making-use-of-all-your-census-ken-mckinley/

Thursday 07 Apr. 8:30 pm: DNA Chat with Sara: Ethnicity Results, with Sara Allen for The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library. https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6430342

Thursday 07 Apr. 5 pm: Start of Legacy Family Tree 24 hour marathon. See the program and register at https://familytreewebinars.com/24

Thursday 7 Apr. 7 pm: Think Like an Archivist: Finding Genealogy Records in Libraries and Archives Worldwide, by Nancy Loe for OGS. https://ogs.on.ca/zoom-meetings/nancy-loe-think-like-an-archivist-finding-genealogy-records-in-libraries-and-archives-worldwide/

Friday 08 Apr. 7 pm: Tweedsmuir Women’s Institute, by Irene Robillard for Kent Branch OGS. https://kent.ogs.on.ca/events/kent-branch-tweedsmuir-womens-institute/

Saturday 09 Apr. 9 am: Introducing the 1921 Census of England & Wales , by Mary McKee for BIFHSGO.  https://www.bifhsgo.ca/events

Saturday 09 Apr. 10 am:  “Betty Jeans Story” Adoption, Forensic and Genetic DNA. by Mags Gaulden for BIFHSGO. ttps://www.bifhsgo.ca/events

 

Mostly derived from newspaper listings are the following updates.

Canada, Obituary Collection, 1898-Current now has 10,878,408 items, that’s up from 9,387,518 last June

U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current has 198,633,254 items, updated from 191,120,426 last June.

UK and Ireland, Obituary Index, 2004-2019 now with 6,700,836 records, up from 6,470,815 last June.

Australia and New Zealand, Obituary Index, 2004-Current 2,093,598 records, up from 1,982,265  last June.

Caribbean, Obituary Index, 2003-2019 with 97,330 records.

Also updated, based on scouring web postings, is:

U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-Current with 101,800,384 records.

 

According to this article from The Conversation the final 8% of our genome has now been sequenced thanks to long-read technology. Are there hidden properties in this formerly elusive part of our DNA that will be useful for genetic genealogy?

I was surprised to find a reference to this mural monument in a book I recently reviewed.  The image is from the Illustrated London News of 17 November 1855;  the monument in the Cathedral Church of St Paul in London, Ontario. It pays tribute to Lt. Col. Chester and the men of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers who fell at the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War (October 1853 – February 1856).

I was intrigued. The Crimea is 8,000 Km from London, ON. What’s the connection? Who was Lt. Col. Chester?

Henry George Chester purchased a commission as a 2nd Lt in 1830. He is mentioned on numerous index cards of the British Military and Naval Records (RG 8, C Series) at Library and Archives Canada, including that he succeeded to command of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers at London, Canada West, on 19 May 1850 when a Maj. and became a Lt. Col. before returning to the UK in 1853.

According to The Times of 17 October 1854, he was the youngest child of Maj. Gen. Harry Chester of the Coldstream Guards and his wife Harriet (nee Clinton), and brother of Sir Robert Chester, Master of the Ceremonies.

He died in battle leading his regiment, which was part of the Light Division, on 20 September 1854.

It’s not evident why he would warrant such a memorial in London.  Were there recruits while he was in London who also participated in the Battle of Alma?

Officers of the 23rd Regiment killed and wounded were: Lieutenant Col. H. G. Chester, killed; Captain A. W. W. Wynn, killed; Captain F. E Evans, killed; Capt. J. C. Conolly, killed; Lieutenant F. P. Radcliff, killed; Lieutenant Sir W. Young, killed; Second Lieutenant H. Anstruther, killed; Second Lieutenant J. H. Butler, killed; Captain W. P. Campbell, severely wounded; Lieutenant H. Bathurst, wounded severely; Captain E. C. Hopton, wounded slightly; Lieutenant F. Sayer, wounded slightly; Lieutenant Acting Adjutant A. Applewhaite, wounded severely. The killed and wounded of this regiment numbered over 400 men.

There’s what appears to be a partial list here starting at image 92. The losses were reportedly the most of any regiment involved and more than the casualties in Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade in which Toronto-born Lieutenant Alexander Roberts Dunn, saw action — the first Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Sharing a shortish opinion piece by Dan Gardner on his PastPresentFuture blog worth reading.

we should err on the side of keeping what exists and expressing ourselves through the creation of new memorials, if not to grant past generations the respect we hope future generations will accord us, then to allow memorials to accumulate over time, like the slow accumulations of silt that build a river delta — my favourite metaphor — and leave a record of the many generations that, collectively, made the place what it is.

You might also enjoy his post Statues Have Their Own Histories.

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

Forthcoming on Ancestry (new and updated)
UK, Women’s Royal Air Force Service Records, 1918-1920
UK, Women’s Land Army Index Cards,1939-1945
UK, World War II Records and Material, 1939-1945
Edinburgh, Scotland, Army Attestation Registers, 1796-1857
UK, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Service Records, 1917-1920
Newspapers.com UK Obituaries
Newspapers.com UK Marriages

Remains found in France identified as Canadian soldier who died in WW1
Good news. Unfortunately, the item lacks detail. Just how confident is the identification — 90%, 95%, 99.9999%?

Margaret McMillan: Alliances and the Outbreak of the Second World War

Improving the nation’s stock for ‘Great and Greater Britain’: Eugenics in the 1920s
Pseudoscientific and moraly corrupt. LAC’s biography of Nellie McClung continues to overlook her racist/eugenicist beliefs. That’s in contrast to the biography of Emily Murphy who “expressed stereotypical and prejudiced views about various racial and ethnic groups.”

Oldest surviving map of London, from 1633, to go on display

Need More?
There’s great content every week from Australia at That Moment in Time.

Thanks to this week’s contributors. Alison, Ann Burns, Anonymous, Barbara Di Mambro, Brenda Turner, jon ackroyd, Pamela Wile, Teresa, Toni, Unknown.

No travelling. No expensive hotels and restaurant meals. All the conveniences of home. Registration is now open. for the 24 -26 June Ontario Ancestors (OGS to its friends) conference.

Check out the interesting lineup of presentations and other features including MyHeritage Day, You wouldn’t want to miss out. See the speakers below, find out more and register here.

As people die, and some become centenarians, their records in the 1939 Register for England and Wales are opened. This addition is 117,965 records.

Also this week over 10,000 Sheffield baptism index records from Neepsend, St Michael & All Angels Church for 1867 to 1922. The church continued in operation until 1953. You may find two entries for the same event, one with an image of the original record.

And over 60,000 baptism transcription records are added for 82 Northamptonshire churches for a total of 213,197 for the county.

 

Here’s the lineup for the new issue, on sale on 12 April.

COVER: Genealogist, Beware!
Robbie Gorr warns of scams targeting genealogists and how you can avoid being the target

English & Irish Nonconformist Records
Michelle Dennis looks at records left by those who rejected the Established Church of England

Genealogy NFTs
Lisa A. Alzo discusses transitioning from family heirlooms to non-fungible tokens

Centurial
Diane L. Richard looks at an evidence-based application to create family trees

The Future of Genealogy Conferences
Lisa A. Alzo looks at futuristic possibilities for hosting family history meetings and events

Hidden in Plain Sight
Sue Lisk says don’t pass over information you think is unimportant!

Selkirk and His Settlers
Christine Woodcock examines the life of Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk

Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA)
Diane L. Richard reviews a fascinating resource covering a wide range of professions relating to the arts

Finding “Hidden Lists”
David A. Norris offers tips on how to better utilize the information found in lists

The Women’s Institute and the “Tweedsmuirs”
Sue Lisk looks at a valuable resource for genealogists with Canadian roots

How Do You Tell Your Stories?
A new regular column by Rick Voight about telling your family stories

Unusual, but Useful Record Sets at FamilySearch
Karen L. Newman looks at business and commerce records at FamilySearch

NetNotes
Internet Genealogy looks at websites and related news that are sure to be of interest

Genealogy Begins with a Question!
Experts from the Allen County Public Library’s
Genealogy Center offer tips based on questions
they receive from visitors.

Back Page: What’s in a Name?
Tell Your Stories… Now! Dave Obee stresses the importance of preserving your own stories for future generations,

A preview of the first page of longer articles is linked at https://www.internet-genealogy.com/issue_contents.htm

Meteorological April Fool.

On this date in 1939 Trans-Canada Air Lines inaugurated cross-Canada (if you ignore the Atlantic Provinces) service. The flight was from Montreal to Vancouver with lots of stops, most of them scheduled. The first was Ottawa.
The plane could accommodate ten passengers, three on the flight were women buyers from a department store, with three crew including the stewardess.

All did not go according to plan. Today, flight level is above the weather. Not so then. Icing developed as the plane started crossing the mountains. It had to turn back to Lethbridge.

The eastbound plane had to stop in Ottawa owing to a snowstorm. The passengers continued to Montreal by train.

It’s easy to overlook additions to FamilySearch collections. In March 206 indexed collections were added or had additions. For Canada, there were additions to a register of Chinese Immigration.  For England, additions were made to parish and Non-Conformist church records; Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988 now has over 5.7 million entries. Three Irish titles have additions.

COLLECTION TITLE	RECORDS	LAST UPDATE
Canada, Registers of Chinese Immigration to Canada, 1885-1949	12,244	14-Mar-22
England and Wales Census, 1871	Browse Images	16-Mar-22
England, Gloucestershire Non-Conformist Church Records, 1642-1996	137,933	29-Mar-22
England, Herefordshire Bishop’s Transcripts, 1583-1898	1,603,017	28-Mar-22
England, Lancashire Non-Conformist Church Records, 1647-1996	686,640	31-Mar-22
England, Lincolnshire, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1574-1885	117,807	31-Mar-22
England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988	5,761,662	23-Mar-22
England, Northumberland Non-Conformist Church Records, 1613-1920	411,621	31-Mar-22
England, Somerset, Church Records, 1501-1999	4,781,848	04-Mar-22
Ireland Census, 1841	15,850	28-Mar-22
Ireland Census, 1901	4,379,702	11-Mar-22
Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1740-1900	653,835	17-Mar-22

Those are not the only additions.

Go to https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/ and you’ll see a counter ticking up. Just since 17 March, there are 39 image collections added for England, 322 for Scotland, 3 for Ireland. None for Wales or Canada.

The Research Wiki was updated on 23 March.

This long-awaited paperback by English professional genealogist Celia Heritage was published this month by Pen and Sword. It provides a microscope and macroscope for the topic in space and time that will open your eyes to unappreciated possibilities. Case studies, many from her own family research, bring life to the presentation. There’s also practical advice for getting the most out of exploring a graveyard or cemetery, and related resources, where an ancestor is waiting for you to find them and elements of their story.

Chapter 1, A Brief History of Death and Burial, starts with the story of  Celia’s lucky find of a memorial to great-grandparents and their children. The chapter covers the history of the way people’s bodies were disposed of, not only burial (inhumation) from 10,000 years ago to the present day, including the influence of religion.
Chapter 2, The Parish Churchyard, notes that the origins and early history of parish churchyards are undocumented. Celia advises that even though you assume your ancestor was poor, not to ignore memorials in the church and intramural burial, beneath the church floor and in crypts. Placement in a churchyard may indicate prominence in the community, depending on the era. She uses the case of the burial of a relative at Westminster’s St Martin-in-the-Fields church to suggest resources to explore to find your own long-deceased ancestor.
Chapter 3, Ex-Parochial Graveyards, explores a wide range of burial sites: Nonconformist, foreign church, Roman Catholic, Jewish, private, armed forces, institutional, prison, workhouse, hospital, asylum and plague pits. Also covered is locating defunct burial grounds.
Chapter 4, Cemeteries and Crematoria – the Nineteenth Century and Onwards, explores cemeteries as a gateway to many topics of interest aside from genealogy and history, including horticulture, nature conservation and architecture and their development.
Chapter 5, Gravestones and Gravesites, covers graves, gravestones and memorial markers. There’s helpful coverage of the evolution of styles, hints on reading eroded inscriptions and cleaning (and not cleaning). Mentioned in passing is a memorial said to be at St Paul’s Church (Cathedral) in London, Ontario. It refers to an article in the London Illustrated News and a memorial to those who died at the Battle of Alma in the Crimean War, not at the Alamo!
The final chapters rehearse the records, from those you immediately think of, like burial registers and newspapers, to records of undertakers and monumental masons, and websites.
Two appendices are followed by notes, a resource list and an index.

Cemeteries and Graveyards (Paperback)
A Guide for Local and Family Historians in England and Wales
By Celia Heritage
Imprint: Pen & Sword Family History
Series: Tracing Your Ancestors
Pages: 248
Illustrations: 30 black and white illustrations
ISBN: 9781526702371
Published: 17th March 2022

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Cemeteries-and-Graveyards-Paperback/p/20462