2019 Conference
27 September 2019 (selected presentations)
Are You Doing Everything to Identify Your DNA Matches?
Blaine Bettinger
In this lecture, we examined numerous ways you can use a match’s profile to identify who they might be. We also examined ways to use the In Common With tool and the Shared Matches tool to estimate how that elusive match is related to you.
The National Archives Catalogue UK
Audrey Collins
The TNA Catalogue called Discovery holds more than 32 million descriptions of records held by The National Archives and more than 2,500 archives and institutions across the UK, as well as some archives and institutions abroad. Use Discovery to access records relating to Britain and British history―over 9 million records are available for download. Discovery provides contact details for all the contributing archives and institutions. This talk discussed the scope of the collection (not just England), how to find records in the collection, and some interesting finds.
NOTE: poor audio quality - mute speakers while watching video
Think Like an Archivist: Libraries and Archives for Genealog
Nancy Loe
Find (often hidden) genealogy resources held in libraries nd archives worldwide, using online archival portals and finding aids. Learn how to: 1) Find archival portals and gateways, 2) Use effective search terms and strategies for primary sources, 3) Prepare for research trips or request materials.
NOTE: poor audio quality - mute speakers while watching video
Chromosome Mapping
Blaine Bettinger
Chromosome mapping is a technique used to identify which segments of DNA you received from your ancestors. The technique assigns pieces of DNA you share with a known cousin to the ancestor or ancestral couple you share with that cousin. During this session we learned more about chromosome mapping and a third-party tool for chromosome mapping called “DNA Painter.”
Behind the Scenes: Census Records UK
Audrey Collins
The census has been described as a “snapshot in time,” recording the nation as it stands at midnight on one Sunday every ten years. But the preparation for each census started years before each census date, and the collating and publishing of the results continued long after. This talk looked at the army of civil servants, temporary clerks, registrars, enumerators and others, and the part they played in this astonishing feat of organization once a decade. Of course, there were incidents and accidents along the way, some of which are revealed in the talk, including the only time advertising was allowed on census material: it didn’t end well.
NOTE: poor audio quality—mute speakers while watching video
29 September 2019 (selected presentations)
Evaluating a Genealogical Conclusion including DNA
Blaine Bettinger
Someone tells you that they’ve proven their connection to a genealogical ancestor using DNA, but have they really proven it? Did they avoid the known pitfalls? Together we discussed the most common pitfalls when using DNA evidence, and proposed the minimum requirements for a genealogical proof comprising DNA.
Ten Skills Every Genealogist Needs
Nancy Loe
This lecture helped us master essential elements of genealogy research and information management. Enhance your research skills searching the “Deep Web.” Pinpoint geographic locations past and present with mapping resources. Find resources for reading old handwriting and translating records. Manage the information you find effectively using your family tree software as a hub. Learn how to insert information inside digital images. Discover ways to enter data consistently for better search results. Whether you’re just starting out or are an experienced researcher, these ten skills can improve your research results.
NOTE: poor audio quality—mute speakers while watching video
Behind the Scenes: Records of the General Records Office UK
Audrey Collins
The General Register Office is part of Her Majesty's Passport Office and oversees civil registration in England and Wales. The GRO maintains the national archive of all births, marriages and deaths dating back to 1837. This register can be an amazing source of information for genealogical researchers. This talk looked why the register was started, what has been collected and how to get the most out of the information it contains. Some interesting finds were highlighted to show the scope of the information.
NOTE: poor audio quality—mute speakers while watching video.
DNA and the Aftermath of Uncovered Family Secrets
Blaine Bettinger
Does a truth uncovered by DNA always trump secrecy, or can/should the truth have boundaries? If so, what are those boundaries? Together we dissected the roles of secrecy and openness as we examine real life examples of both the joy and the fallout from family secrets uncovered by DNA.
A Scottish Farmer's Ride Through England, 1802
Audrey Collins
It began with a chance find in a second-hand bookshop, a small soft-covered booklet of 64 pages, purchased for £3. A Scottish Farmer’s Ride Through England: 100 years ago was printed in 1906, and the journey in question took place in April and May of 1802. As a travel diary it makes interesting reading in itself, in the form of Andrew Blaikie’s observations as he travelled from his home in Bowdon, Roxburghshire, to London and back. This talk relived the ride, exploring the places along the route.
Monthly Meetings 2019
14 December 2019
Great Moments
I Was There: Growing up in Northeast England during the Depression
Wilf Tarbet (starts at 00:00)
Wilf Tarbet’s Great Moment is a firsthand account of life in Jarrow, North East England, growing up during the Depression in a town where there was very little work. He shared details of his grandparents’ appalling living conditions.
Treasures in the Attic
Gil Croome (starts at 19:08)
Gil Croome took a family story from his childhood, used the internet to confirm it … and then a came a great moment.
The Sail Maker's Palm . . .
Maureen Amey (starts at 31:55)
A tool, owned by a former merchant seaman, started as merely an object of a child’s curiosity, but subsequently connected to a distant ancestor's work, and an understanding of how it was adversely affected by the end of the Napoleonic wars.
Far From Home: Mission Accomplished
Glenn Wright, starts at 50:21
Twelve years ago, Diana Beaupre and Adrian Watkinson of Canterbury, England, launched Far From Home, a project to locate, record, research and visit all 3902 gravesites of Canadian Great War casualties who died and are commemorated in Great Britain. The project concluded in September 2019 with one last road trip to visit several gravesites and to place a memorial to all these Canadians in Scotland.
Unfortunately, there is audio distortion in places.
9 November 2019
Before BIFHSGO
Live Q & A: Tips for finding military records in the UK National Archives
Ken McKinlay & Glenn Wright
Several participants at a recent BIFHSGO conference mentioned they were having difficulty finding military records on the UK National Archives site. Bring your queries—Ken McKinlay and Glenn Wright will offer tips on navigating the site, and perhaps find that missing record!
(No video)
Main talk
The Commonwealth War Graves: In Perpetuity
Dominique Boulais
The Commission’s duties are to mark and maintain the graves of Commonwealth soldiers who died in the two world wars, to build and maintain memorials to the dead whose graves are unknown, and to keep records and registers. Dominique Boulais talked about the Commission’s history, fundamental principles, mandate and worldwide responsibilities. He outlined the Commission's Canadian Agency’s responsibilities within the Americas, with an emphasis on its work in genealogy.
12 October 2019
Before BIFHSGO
Hidden lives revealed: Mental Health and the Children looked after by the Waifs and Strays Society
Dr. Wendy Sims-Schouten
Dr Wendy Sims-Schouten provided an overview of practices and conditions of children cared for by the Waifs and Strays Society in the UK from its inception in 1881 till 1920, as well as examples of children who were sent to Canada during this time. Wendy specifically focused on correspondence, interventions and practices with a focus on mental health and wellbeing, and supported this with examples from the relevant case files. Wendy also gave tips and advice on how to access the records.
Main talk
Quakers in the Family: My Dickinson Ancestors of England and Jamaica
Sandra Adams
A pivotal moment in Sandra Adams’ family history research came when she discovered that one branch of her family tree joined the Quaker movement in England at the time of its inception. As the fervent evangelical Quaker faith of the 1650’s evolved into a quieter but uncompromising Quaker faith over the next 100 years, three generations of Sandra’s Dickinson family were shaped by Quakerism. Because Quaker records are so informative, and because one of Sandra’s Dickinson ancestors had a brother who kept every piece of paper that ever crossed his desk, Sandra has been able to compile the stories of these Dickinson ancestors in more detail than any other of her ancestral lines. She illustrated her talk with images of some family documents from the “Dickinson Collection”–a treasure trove held by the Somerset Archives.
14 September 2019
Before BIFHSGO
New and Updated Tools at LAC–Early Immigrants, Digilab, Co-Lab and Collection Search
Emily Potter & Sarah Chatfield
Emily Potter, a Genealogy Consultant at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and Sara Chatfield, a Project Manager, discussed recent improvements to the help page of the Immigrants Before 1865 database and discussed other upcoming changes to the immigration section of LAC’s website. As well, she offered a brief introduction to the new Collections Search and Co-Lab tools.
Main talk
25 Years of Storytelling
Susan Davis
When Wayne Walker hit a brick wall, it was a voice in his head that led him to a special find. “Go see Uncle Ted,” said the voice. He listened and flew to Halifax. From there, he and his father drove three hours to the old family home to see Uncle Ted. “Go look in the writing desk,” said the voice. Uncle Ted had cleaned it out. “Look in the box,” said the voice. Wayne found the box, but it was empty. “Lift the tray,” said the voice. There he found a piece of paper that had been tucked away since 1884.
During her talk, Susan Davis revealed what Wayne found written on the paper. She also shared some other memorable stories written by our members over the past 25 years; stories that can be found in our Anglo-Celtic Roots (ACR) archive.
8 June 2019
Great Moments
A Dark Chapter in a Successful Life (Best Great Moments Talk)
Nigel Lloyd (starts at 00:00)
Nigel’s great-great-grandfather, Edward Lloyd, was one of the 19th Century’s most successful publishers and newspaper proprietors. His paper, Lloyds Weekly News, became the only newspaper in Britain to have a circulation of more than one million copies in the nineteenth century. This talk focused on his private life: He had nineteen children by three different women. While sorting out these relationships, a dark chapter was revealed.
A Poor Racine
Michael Jaques (starts at 13:35)
The Times newspaper in 1854 published an article about poverty in Bethnal reen, London, and made mention of “a poor Racine.” Research to try to identify this Racine and determine whether he was a relative, resulted in an unexpected discovery.
Finding Frances
Gillian Leitch (starts at 25:55)
Wife of Jean Victor Baron and then John Inigo Wright, mother to Richard John Baron and John William Wright, daughter of Richard Guise and Elizabeth Windham, younger sister of Sarah Elizabeth Cutler: these have been the only ways of knowing Frances. She has been an enigma. Through a lot of research, spots of good luck and great help, her identity and her life in late 18th and early 19th century London became a “Great Moment” in research.
Family Fiction, Facts Found
Bobby Kay (starts at 39:46)
Family stories often suffer the fate of the "telephone game." There is usually some truth in the family legends, but they morph and take on a life of their own over the generations until it is sometimes difficult to discern the real truth of the matter. Unraveling the stories about the Swinn family of Lincolnshire produced just such twisted stories, interesting facts and delightful details.
11 May 2019
Before BIFHSGO
How to Create a Family Tree Heritage or Genealogy Photo Book using Picaboo
Dena Palamedes
Picaboo is a web-based printing service which allows you to create a variety of beautiful, archival quality, personalized photo products. It's personal. It's customizable. Photo books make family history accessible to all family members. This Before BIFHSGO presentation illustrated how easy it is to use Picaboo for your projects. It included tips for an efficient project, while maximizing the final effect. Most of these tips are applicable to other web-based printing services that are available.
Main talk
Expanding that Empty Branch on the Genetic Family Tree
Marianne Rasmus
Isobel (Ella) Moreland was born in July 1920 in Edinburgh, Scotland. After her birth, her mother placed her in the home of a childless couple to raise as their own. Then, in 1945, Ella came to Canada, the bride of a Canadian soldier. While Ella was always curious about her birth family, she never found the answers she sought. In this presentation, Marianne shared Ella's story as an adoptee and a war bride, and how her family came together to search for her birth family. Marianne also shared how DNA, a little luck and old-fashioned research, helped solve, at least part of, an almost 100-year-old mystery, and how the family has expanded beyond their wildest expectations.
13 April 2018
Before BIFHSGO
What is in the OBOGS Library for you?
Grace Lewis & Pam Cooper
Grace Lewis, the OBOGS Librarian and Pam Cooper of BIFHSGO provided an update on developments at the Ottawa Branch OGS library and what the library offers to genealogists.
NOTE: No audio due to technical issues with recording
Main talk
All My Worldly Goods: Murder, Mystery and A Personal Journey into the History of British Home Children
Maggie Wheeler
Maggie Wheeler described what she discovered about home children while researching her latest novel, the newest addition to her popular series of murder mysteries set in the Lost Villages of the St. Lawrence Seaway,
NOTE: Poor audio due to technical issues with recording
9 March 2019
Before BIFHSGO
Research Opens Doors
Gloria Tubman
During 30 years of genealogical research, many doors have opened for Gloria Tubman. Some of these doors, including genealogical brick walls, a public service career, and different ventures in retirement, will be highlighted to demonstrate how skills learned can transcend careers.
Main talk
A Trip to Northern Ireland - Research, Sightseeing and Ancestor Tracking
John McConkey
John Mcconkey shared his first two visits to Northern Ireland (2004 & 2006) in a presentation to a BIFHSGO meeting 3 years ago. This latest talk reprised his journey of ancestral discovery in the area and covered his third visit which took place in May 2016. John highlighted his favourite research stops in Belfast: PRONI and the Newspaper Library and provides other tips. He identified two persons of note in his tree and reports on some exciting finds in County Down cemeteries. Side trips to Carrickfergus and the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim are also featured in a display of photos he took. John concluded the talk with details of his latest research project—confirming a long-ago suspected relationship using documentary evidence and DNA.
9 February 2019
Before BIFHSGO
An Exciting Future for BIFHSGO: the next 25 years
Duncan Monkhouse
BIFHSGO President Duncan Monkhouse presents the Board's plans for the coming years
NOTE: audio quality poor in places
Main talk
Lord Bathurst’s Settlers to Murray Township 1815-1817
Brian Tackaberry
Many people are aware of the military settlements in Perth and Richmond established by Lord Bathurst, but a smaller settlement that also took place on the Bay of Quinte at the same time is largely forgotten. Brian Tackaberry talks about this settlement, which was focused on the Canal Reserve lands set aside by Simcoe in 1796. Disbanded soldiers from several regiments, including the Glengarry Fencibles and the 41st Regiment, were given lands for their service. A small group of loyal "Emigrants" and their families, mostly from London, England, were also settled on the land, to secure this important transportation site in case of future hostilities with the Americans.
12 January 2019
A Brief History of BIFHSGO: celebrating 25 years
Sheila Dohoo Faure
Based on interviews with current and former BIFHSGO members, reviews of online archived copies of Anglo-Celtic Roots and perusing lots of pictures of previous events, Sheila, a relative newcomer to BIFHSGO, developed an overview of the society’s first 25 years.
Main talk
The Cowkeeper's Wish: Transforming Famly History into a Great Story
Kristen den Hartog & Tracy Kasaboski
Gathering names and dates of ancestors is an addictive, exhausting task, and while it's satisfying to put the facts in order and fill in a tree's branches, what's more fascinating is exploring who these people were as individuals and how they fit into the times and places they occupied. Anyone who's snooped in their own tree knows that even the most ordinary family contains great stories. Kristen den Hartog and Tracy Kasaboski discuss how to create a rich and wonderful story from a family archive, drawing on official documents as well as personal treasures like photographs, letters, and passed-down memories, and weaving them with events of the times. The sisters' latest book, The Cowkeeper's Wish, spans nearly a century, and is set in both England and Canada. They talk about finding the thread of their story and putting several generations in context.