Wednesday, August 17, 2011

NIGS - GRADUATION CEREMONY

Even though it is still a month away, things are starting to happen for the 17th annual BIFHSGO conference! Their website is at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/

I just got this notice last night from The National Institute for Genealogical Studies, and it says that there is “Only one month to go for our GRADUATION CEREMONY. Join us in Ottawa to honour our 'Graduates'. Everyone is welcomed......

If you have not yet let us know you are attending, please do so as soon as possible. The instructions are below or you can send an e-mail to: admin@genealogicalstudies.com to indicate the number of people. Here was the original announcement:

THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO EVERYONE. The National Institute for Genealogical Studies and the Continuing Education unit of the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto, invites you to come celebrate with us, with our students and our graduates. The graduation ceremony will take place at 4:00 pm, just prior to the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO)'s opening ceremony at Library and Archives Canada. You will hear from a few of our graduates and mingle with our students and instructors. Graduates, remember to invite your family and friends to attend - everyone is welcome!

Friday, 16 September 2011 at 4:00pm
Library and Archives Canada
Room 156, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario

To reserve your complimentary tickets:
please go to http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/
click on LOGIN (top right hand corner), type your e-mail address and your password, click OK,
click on SERVICES & TIPS (on the left under Other Products),
click on National Institute for Genealogical Studies,
Click on Graduation Ceremony,
click on ADD TO CART, click on SHOPPING CART,
in Quantity: change the number of tickets you would like, click on UPDATE,
click on CHECK-OUT STAND, Click on PAY BY CHECK/CHEQUE.
There will no charge. This will simply complete the request.
Or if you prefer, or have any questions, call us at 1-800-580-0165 or if local, to Toronto 416-861-0165.

Hope to see you in Ottawa...”

Bruce & Grey Branch Fall Event

The annual Bruce & Grey Fall Event will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the Ayton Centennial Hall, 818 Albert St. Ayton, Ontario.

The speakers will be Kathleen LaBudie-Szakall who has spent over 30 years researching her Polish ancestors, and lectured for over 25 years on various Polish, Michigan and Ontario resources, and along with Jan Zaleski developed an on-line genealogy course & companion textbook, "Finding Your Polish Ancestors", and Steve Fulton as a Network Admin/Compter Tech., is the Chair of the Niagara Penninsula Branch, and the Technical Support and Innovation Committee as well as Webmaster and Tech Support for Niagara.

In addition to the Conference, you are invited to visit the Bruce County Cultural Centre and Archives and Grey Roots to see what they have to offer. There will be two free days of research to Fall Event participants on Thursday, September 23, and Friday, September 24. You must pre-register to take advantage of this offer.

You can send the registration form to Bruce & Grey Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society (BGOS), Att: Korleen Halbert, P. O. Box 66, Owen Sound, ON. N4K 5P1

The Registration Fee is $30.00 before Sept.10th or $35.00 at the door (includes a hot lunch of Chicken & Beef with Homemade Pies.-

Their website is at http://tiffanyweb.bmts.com/~bgogs/calofevent.html

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

FREE Genealogy Workshop in Windsor, Nova Scotia

Members of the West Hants Historical Society are holding a FREE Genealogy Workshop on Saturday, 20 August, 2011 from 10 a.m. until everybody gives up!

The workstations will be -

- Locating and using on-line sources

- Demonstration of a 'typical' genealogy package (Legacy)

- Thinking of writing a book?

- Hants County Cemeteries

- WHHS Library resources (try them)

- Care and storage of photos and documents.

- Lots of handouts.

They ask that you join them at the West Hants Historical Society, 281 King St., Windsor, NS

Their website is at http://www.westhantshistoricalsociety.ca/

National Acadian Day

August 15th was National Acadian Day.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday that “The Acadian people endured early hardships with great resolve and courage to emerge a proud and determined community that continues to make significant contributions to Canada, in every area of endeavour. Their customs, traditions and way of life have become a distinctive part of Canada’s social fabric”.

They have just finished the Acadian Festival and Cyr Family Reunion http://www.acadianfestival.com/

Read about the Congress in 2014 The Acadian World Congress http://www.acadian.org/congres5.html

Acadian Arts & Crafts in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia http://www.yarmouthandacadianshores.com/

They have just had the festival The Acadian Festival of Caraquet http://festivalacadien.ca/en

Former Titles for Canadian Forces

There is news in Ottawa this morning that Canada will return the titles of the Maritime Command, Air Command and Land Force Command to their former title of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Royal Canadian Navy today.

It will happened 100 years to the day that the British granted Royal Consent to the Naval Service of Canada that it could call itself the Royal Canadian Navy.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay is announcing the name changes in Halifax today.

If you want to read of their history, the websites are -

Canadian Forces http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces

The History and Heriitage of the Royal Canadian Air Force http://rcaf.com/

Royal Canadian Navy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Navy

Monday, August 15, 2011

Tall Ship “Pride of Baltimore II” in Amherstburg, Ontario

The "Pride of Baltimore" will make its grand arrival at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2011, and will stay overnight until Sunday, August 27, 2011 in Amherstburg.

The 157-ft "Pride of Baltimore II" is a reproduction of an 1812-era Baltimore-built topsail schooner privateer. The original "Pride", Chasseur, defended America's freedom during the War of 1812 by serving as an offensive weapon of war and blockade-runner, capturing or sinking 35 British vessels. The British attacked Baltimore in 1814 in an attempt to destroy the Fells Point shipyards where privateer ships were built. During the September 13, 1814 Battle of Baltimore, Francis Scott Key wrote the words that became the United States national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner”.

Amherstburg welcomes the "Pride II" as part of the celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.

Complimentary tour times are as follows at Duffy’s dockside -

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Dockside Deck Tours: 2 p.m. to 7:00 pm

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Dockside Deck Tours 11:00 am to 7:00 pm

You can go to the website http://www.1812amherstburg.com

Stories of a Canadian Family

A new blog appeared yesterday, and it is named “Stories of a Canadian Family”.

It is by Lianne Lavoie, and it explores her “French, English, Scottish, and Swedish ancestry”. Genealogy is right up there with the things she likes to do (right after computer science, languages, and philosophy), and she says that most of her “research so far has been on my dad’s side of the family, simply because it is the French Canadian side, and there are ample resources available. However, I do plan to discover as much as I can about my mom’s side, which is English, Scottish, and Swedish, as well. There are many gaps still in my family tree, and I intend to fill them in”.

She has the surnames of her paternal side, which are -

Bard
Daineault
Deshaies
Ducharme
Gagne
Lavoie
Levasseur
Ouellet
Paradis
Richard
Voyer

And the surnames of her maternal side, which are -

Angus
Aspinal
Fretwell
Jackson
Johnson
Pehrsson/Peterson
Prince
Watts

So if you have any of these names in your family, be sure to drop Lianne a note, and help her along the way.

The website is http://storiesofacanadianfamily.blogspot.com/