Anglo-Celtic Connections

If you don’t participate in genealogy special interest groups you’re missing out on a benefit offered by many if not most family history societies.

BIFHSGO has several SIGs, free and open to all. In alphabetical order: British Colonial America, DNA, Irish Research, London, Scottish Genealogy, Writing. Meetings often feature shorter presentations and an opportunity to seek advice on your knotty problems. Find out more at www.bifhsgo.ca/special-interest-groups/.

The Ontario Genealogical Society has various members-only SIGs listed at https://ogs.on.ca/branchessigs/branch-sig-locator/. They require an additional annual fee of $5 – 10. Ottawa Branch of OGS offers a free user group for The Master Genealogist http://ottawa-tmg-ug.ca/.

If the live interaction of a SIG isn’t your thing, BIFHSGO has a Facebook presence. Gail Dever has a comprehensive list of Canadian Facebook Groups, and links to other Facebook lists, at https://genealogyalacarte.ca/?page_id=10169/.

A further 700,000 records are added to the National Burials Index of England and Wales, bringing the total to 17 million. The additions are for Kent, Staffordshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland.

The top counties and number of records are Yorkshire (West Riding) 1,688,205; Suffolk 1,317,469; Essex 1,277,853; Lincolnshire 886,242 and Staffordshire 882,271.

The National Burial Index began in 1994 as a project of the Federation of Family History Societies (now the Family History Federation) and was first published in 2001 with 5.4 million records. The burial records are derived from parish registers, bishop’s transcripts, earlier transcripts or printed registers by local family history society volunteers.

The version of the NBI sold at the FHF website on CD has 18.4 million records. 

Also added on Findmypast this week are nearly 4,500 records detailing the manumission (release from slavery) records of enslaved Jamaicans between 1747 and 1779.

Updated UK

Essex Parish Indexes 1538-1994

Updated Canada

Canada, Selected School Yearbooks, 1901-2010

New Global

New Zealand, South Anglo Boer War, 1899-1902

South Australia, Australia, Incoming and Outgoing Passenger Lists, 1845-1940

South Australia, Australia, Supreme Court Criminal Records, 1837-1918; Reports to the Police Coroner, 1842-1967

South Australia, Australia, Destitute Asylum Ledgers and Admissions to Industrial and Reformatory Schools, 1849-1913

South Australia, Australia, Select Tax and Financial Records, 1838-1928; Returns of Census, 1841

South Australia, Australia, Select Tax and Financial Records, 1838-1928; Returns of Census, 1841

South Australia, Australia, Prison Registers, 1838-1912

South Australia, Australia, Adelaide Hospital Admission Registers, 1841-1946

Springfield, Missouri, U.S., St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Employee Cards, 1940-1980

Updated Global

United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) Records, 1943-1947 (USHMM)

New South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files, 1859-1958

Kraków, Poland, ID Card Applications for Jews During World War II, 1940-1941 (USHMM)

Stanislav, Ukraine (Poland), List of Residents by Street, 1939-1945 (USHMM)

Ukraine, Applications for ID for the Citizens of Stanislav, 1939-1945 (USHMM)

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)

Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850

South Carolina, U.S., Death Records, 1821-1969

Rhône, France, Birth, Marriages and Death Registers, 1793-1917

On Tuesday, much delayed, the government tabled Departmental Results Reports for the period ended March 31, 2021. Included was the report for Library and Archives Canada.

At the start of their introductory material, both the Minister and the Librarian and Archivist reference the exceptional challenges of COVID-19.

Our interest as clients is LAC’s core responsibility of providing access to documentary heritage, while acknowledging LAC’s important core responsibility of acquiring and preserving documentary heritage.

The wordcloud above from the providing access part of the report is notable for the frequent occurrence of the word indigenous. It’s fifth most frequent after LAC, access, also, and collection, and before Canada and heritage. This likely reflects earmarked funding LAC received for indigenous initiatives.

Delving further into the document, the results achieved table reveals that for the departmental result Canadians increasingly access Canada’s documentary heritage, the performance indicator “Amount of LAC holdings digitized” was 2.2 million images in 2020-21 compared to a target of 3.5 million which was the achievement in 2019-20. While the decline could be attributed to COVID-19 impacts it continues a decline — 4.8 million in 2018-19, 10.1 million in 2017-18.

The performance indicator Number of downloads from Library and Archives Canada’s website was 2.7 million, exceeding the target of 2 million. No prior year stats are provided.

Unsurprisingly many other targets were missed, attributable to the exceptionally challenging circumstances.

During the period LAC undertook a pilot project to develop its flagship collection, which will include some 20,000 titles highlighting the scope and variety of Canada’s published documentary heritage. This collection will be accessible to the public on the dedicated shelves of the future LAC consultation room.

I have sent a request to LAC to identify these 20,000 titles, perhaps by class. Will the published genealogies and genealogical reference sources in the present genealogy area, other reference materials, city directories, open shelf microfilms (including newspapers), maps and photographs be available in the new facility?

Finally, there are 23 mentions of histor*, 22 of digitiz*, eight mentions of genea*, and one of newspapers, specifically to indigenous newspapers.

OPINION

Librarian and Archivist of Canada, Leslie Weir includes in her opening statement that “Our strength as an institution resides in our capacity to preserve, promote, reflect and showcase Canada’s past and present in all its diversity, in an equitable and inclusive manner from both within and outside.”
Should we be concerned that LAC aims to “promote, reflect and showcase” material via exhibits and social media? Isn’t the proper role of an archive to preserve and make available original materials, and these days to make a broad selection widely accessible through digitization, enabling Canadians to make their own interpretation?

Canada’s broken Access to Information system is at the heart of the recognition of LAC with a dishonourable mention for the huge delays it has sought for completing requests made under the Access to Information Act.

The 65 year delay, originally 80 years, when one researcher sought old RCMP records is a prominent case. Almost everyone who has made an application to LAC has experienced delays, often months and more.

The dishonourable mention is in a news release from The Code of Silence Awards presented annually by The Canadian Association of Journalists, the Centre for Free Expression at Ryerson University (CFE), and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE).

The release also mentions that LAC has made cuts that have left its archival reading room open just three days per week.

We all recognize the huge potential of handwriting recognition using artificial intelligence. The major part of most archives comprises handwritten documents. We all recognize the huge challenges. Major initiatives like Transkribus are encouraging.  While it was tested at TNA — TNA tests handwriting recognition in PROB 11 will collection  I didn’t find any conclusion from that pilot project. Perhaps it wasn’t ready for prime time in 2018.

What’s new in 2022?

A 28 January 2022 news release from FamilySearch, “What to Expect from FamilySearch in 2022” included the following.

FamilySearch Handwriting Recognition Artificial Intelligence

FamilySearch works with archives all over the world to help digitally preserve and expand online access to their genealogical records. In 2022, FamilySearch will be unveiling some exciting developments utilizing handwriting recognition artificial intelligence and records access technology to make impressive additions to the number of searchable ancestor names found in genealogical records at FamilySearch.org.

These emerging technologies will enable FamilySearch to make ancestral information hidden in its billions of digital images of historical records more discoverable—in a fraction of the time currently required.

“We’ve been implementing our new records access technologies in Spanish-speaking countries for the past year. We are very pleased with the results. We’ve been able to produce in one year what would have otherwise taken us a hundred years to do with previous technology.  We are excited to unveil it at RootsTech 2022 along with our expansion plans,” said John Alexander, a FamilySearch product manager for the emerging technology.

Alexander said the new handwriting recognition technology, coupled with the new online volunteer experiences and integration with a patron’s FamilySearch Family Tree, will dramatically increase personal discoveries and access to the world’s records.

On 27 January Ancestry posted Ancestry® to Apply Handwriting Recognition Artificial Intelligence to Create a Searchable Index of the 1950 U.S. Census

Using new, proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) handwriting recognition technology, Ancestry® today announced it will deliver a searchable index of the 1950 U.S. Census to customers faster than ever before.

The 1950 U.S. Census is set to be released to the public in early April. With handwriting recognition technology, what previously took years to index, now will only take weeks. Ancestry anticipates the indexing of the 1950 Census to be completed and available on Ancestry.com this summer, with states released in real time upon completion.

(paragraph omitted)

Cutting-Edge Technology to Power Discoveries

Ancestry developed machine learning algorithms to power our proprietary AI handwriting recognition technology. Ancestry created AI software that reads handwriting from historical documents and transcribes the data, enabling our community to easily and quickly search historical records. The technology uses a unique and iterative blend of machine and human evaluation which is based on an Ancestry-developed confidence score framework.
Given the unique nature of the 1950 U.S. Census and the unavailability of images in advance, Ancestry used a novel approach to simulate sample document images to ensure it is representative of anticipated variation in aged, inconsistent or damaged historical documents that may be encountered in order to train the AI. Employees recreated full-size census forms in a variety of handwriting styles before intentionally damaging some of these forms by ripping, burning, and pouring liquid on the forms in order to simulate the wear and tear that historical documents go through over time. Ancestry then re-scanned these forms, using them in our sample set to ensure our unique algorithms are prepared to support the anticipated condition of these 70-year-old historical documents.

Calling All Family History Buffs
Ancestry and FamilySearch volunteers are partnering to evaluate the handwriting recognition extraction and ensure a complete and accurate index. Those interested in volunteering to help should visit familysearch.org/1950Census to learn more.

Keep an eye out for additional details around the 1950s U.S. Census and the AI handwriting recognition technology at RootsTech 2022. To register, go to www.RootsTech.org.

Apparently, FamilySearch and Ancestry believe AI handwriting recognition technology is ready for an outing in 2022, perhaps not prime time but as a starting point for human correction. I’ll be interested to attend the RootsTech presentation and the reaction of the community to the experience with the US 1950 census. If successful perhaps LAC will be adventurous enough to consider a similar initiative with the 1931 Canadian census when released next year?

A Canadian Friends Historical Association virtual lecture series began Saturday, January 15th, and will run every second Saturday. All lectures will take place at 0900 Pacific / 1200 Eastern / 1700 UK on Zoom. Following the chapters of the volume, each short lecture will run for thirty minutes followed by a question and answer period.

The forthcoming talks are:

February 12 — Andrew Fincham, “Friendly Advice: The Making and Shaping of Quaker Discipline.”
February 26 — Emma Lapsansky-Werner, “Family, Unity, and Identity-Formation: Eighteenth-Century Quaker Community-Building.”
March 12 — Richard C. Allen, “Industrial Development and Community Responsibility: The Harford Family and South Wales, c.1768-1842.”
March 26 — Geoffrey Plank, “Quakers, Indigenous Americans, and the Landscape of Peace.”
April 9 — Jon Mitchell, “Three Methods of Quaker Worship in Eighteenth-Century Quakerism.”
April 23 — Erin Bell, “’Mrs Weaver being a Quaker, would not swear’: Representations of Quakers and Crime in the Metropolis, c.1696-1815.”
May 7 — Rosalind Johnson, “Quakers and Marriage Legislation in England in the Long Eighteenth Century.”
May 28 — Robynne Healey and Erica Canela, “’Our dear Friend has departed this life’: Testimony Writing in the Long Eighteenth Century.”

Registration is via EventBrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cfha-lecture-series-quakerism-in-the-atlantic-world-tickets-241366051357

Be sure to note the date of the presentation(s) of interest as the titles are not on the EventBrite page.

More information is available at: https://cfha.info/2022/01/upcoming-lecture-series-quakerism-in-the-atlantic-world/

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.

Tuesday 1 Feb. 2 pm: Virtual Genealogy Drop-In, from Ottawa Branch of OGS and The Ottawa Public Library.
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/.

Tuesday 1 Feb, 2:30 pm: Downeast Ancestry: Tracing Your Family Tree in Maine, by B.J. Jamieson for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6114697

Tuesday 1 Feb, 7:30 pm: Finding Your Ancestors in the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, by Claire Wilton for Durham Region Branch OGS.
https://durham.ogs.on.ca/

Tuesday 1 Feb, 8 pm: Education in Australia, by Cathie Sherwood for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/education-in-australia/

Wednesday 2 Feb. 7:30 pm: Maritime Disasters on Lake Huron, by Colleen Maguire for Huron County Branch OGS.
https://huron.ogs.on.ca/events/huron-branch-maritime-disasters-on-lake-huron-colleen-maguire/

Thursday 3 Feb. 6:30 pm: Using the Genealogical Proof Standard and DNA as Power Tools and Problem Solvers, by John Beatty for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/6109928

Thursday 3 Feb. 7 pm: Diaries, Journals and Calendars: Preserving and Documenting Your Ancestor’s Day-to-Day Life, by Melissa Barker for OGS/Ontario Ancestors.
https://ogs.on.ca/zoom-meetings/melissa-barker-diaries-journals-and-calendars-preserving-and-documenting-your-ancestors-day-to-day-life/

Friday 4 Feb. 2 pm: Control: the dark history and troubling present of eugenics, by Adam Rutherford for The Royal Institution.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/control-the-dark-history-and-troubling-present-of-eugenics-tickets-230860709597?_eboga=2123610036.1642611488

Saturday 5 Feb. 10 am: Why Did the Welsh Leave Wales, by Penny Walters for London and Middlesex Branch OGS. 
https://londonmiddlesex.ogs.on.ca/events/london-middlesex-branch-why-did-the-welsh-leave-wales/

Here’s the table of contents for the forthcoming issue.

Crowdsourcing Revisited!
Diane L. Richard continues her look at this growing phenomena

Courting in Days Gone By
Sue Lisk looks at the courtship traditions of our ancestors

Jehus and Teamsters
David A. Norris looks at the drivers of stagecoaches, wagons, and horse cars

E-Book Review: Sources for Irish Family History 2021 edition
Joe Grandinetti reviews a new e-book for Irish sources!

A Recipe for Romance
Robbie Gorr looks at the origins of our ancestors relationships

Focus: Viewing Images from Multiple Angles
Sue Lisk provides some strategies to help identify relatives in family photos

John Galt and the Huron Tract
Christine Woodcock looks at the colonization of Canada in the early 19th century

Transforming Ancestral Photographs into Digital Art
Lisa A. Alzo offers suggestions for breathing new life into old family photographs

Three Brothers, Three Surnames
Melody Amsel-Arieli looks at how some immigrants changed their names after moving to America

The Ongoing Story of Charles Wood: Australian Lawn Bowling Champion
Gabrielle Morgan investigates the free NLA Newspaper site for more information on her ancestor in Australia

Unusual, but Useful Record Sets at FamilySearch
Karen L. Newman looks to FamilySearch for some unusual but useful record sets

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?
Dave Obee Says: Plenty – and Allan vs. Allen gives more reasons to be careful

This issue will be available on 9 February. Find a preview of the longer articles here.

The British Newspaper Archive now has a total of 47,533,433  pages online (46,849,782 last month).

This month 136 papers had pages added (123 in the previous month). There were 17 (16) new titles. Dates range from 1837 to 1999. There are several single-year updates for 1915.

The 13 journals with more than 10,000 pages added are:

TITLE	DATE RANGE
Deal, Walmer & Sandwich Mercury	1865-1871, 1873-1888, 1890-1896, 1898-1900, 1902, 1908, 1914-1920
Diss Express	1971-1985, 1994
Irish Emerald	1877-1888, 1890-1912
Langport & Somerton Herald	1855-1896, 1898-1937
Liverpool Journal of Commerce	1886-1887, 1889, 1896, 1906-1909
Lynn Advertiser	1945, 1950-1951, 1963, 1967, 1995-1997, 1999
Magnet (London)	1837-1888
New Milton Advertiser	1970-1979, 1986, 1995-1998
Newark Advertiser	1994-1996, 1998-1999
Nottingham Evening Post	1951-1952, 1961, 1970-1971
Skegness News	1909-1962
Skyrack Courier	1886-1893, 1895-1898, 1900-1917, 1919-1923
Witness (Belfast)	1880, 1882, 1894-1900, 1902-1929, 1931-1941

In From the Cold (IFCP) seeks to find all casualties missing from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Roll of Honour for casualties from both world wars.

During January the following finds were verified by CWGC and are now an official war grave in their care.

The following Canadians (Newfoundlanders) served with the Merchant Navy, perished in the sinking of S.S. Caribou on 14 October 1942 and are buried at Port aux Basques (St John) Cemetery, Nfld, Canada

CARTER, Llewellyn
Age 24 years 
Husband of Alma Carter, of Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland.

TAVERNER, Harold Graham
Age 24 years
Son of Benjamin Taverner, Captain of the S.S. ‘Caribou’, and Mrs. A. Taverner; brother of Stanley Taverner who also went down on the S.S. ‘Caribou’.

GALE, Jerome
Age 18 years
Son of George and Jane Gale of Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland.

CREW, George 16.03.20
Buried in Reading Cemetery, Berks

HINDLEY, John Walter 29.11.18
Buried in Bradford (North Bierley) Cemetery, Yorks

DEAN, James 05.02.20
Buried in Bradford (Scholemoor) Cemetery, Yorks

GINGER, Albert Humphreys 09.08.14
Buried in Drayton Parslow (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, Bucks

MERENDA, Emile 30.10.20
Buried in St. Pancras Cemetery, Middx

The following have been identified by IFCP during January. Verification by CWGC is pending

LEWIS, Francis George 21.05.19
Buried in Chepstow Cemetery, Mon

FOSTER, John Thomas 12.02.19
Buried in Hampstead Cemetery, London

CHILDS, Frank James 11.03.19
Buried in Nunhead (All Saints) Cemetery, London

WRIGHT, Edward 02.04.21
Buried in Londonderry (or Derry) City Cemetery

COPP, Alfred John 19.01.20
Buried in Londonderry (or Derry) City Cemetery

BEYNON, Thomas Campbell 10.05.16
Buried in Greenham (St. Mary) Churchyard, Berks

NOAKES, Frank 05.06.16
Buried in Hendon Cemetery, Middx

MORGAN, Clarence Edgar 11.11.18
Buried in Hendon Cemetery, Middx

I’m hearing that on the days when LAC is open to researchers most of the seats aren’t taken.

The problem comes from having to book two weeks ahead. Sometimes other things happen in the interim meaning places remain vacant, while people who could use them are denied the opportunity.

While the present limited opening hours are in operation LAC could implement a mechanism to reassign seats of people who cancel or don’t show up on a last-minute basis. That would be particularly helpful for those with material already in lockers or in open access.