Anglo-Celtic Connections

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

Free Family Stories Resource Kit
Just fill out the form and sign up for the free Family Tree newsletter to receive your ‘Collect your family stories resource kit’ featuring interview sheets, suggested questions, pedigree charts, ancestor fact sheets, and more.

The last month has transformed the state of AI
A blog post by AI guru Ethan Mollick

OC Transpo Transit Routes
From Carleton University, OCTranspo route maps back to 1929.

Australia, Names & Stories in Newspapers from OldNews.com™
MyHeritage has added this collection, with over 1.2 billion records.

Season’s Greetings
As in previous years, I mostly take a break during the holidays, but not without having prepared daily Yuletide R&R items for the remainder of 2024.

After the first post on Canada’s Anglo-Celtic Connections, eighteen years of blogging have passed. In the past year, there has been one post or more every day. I don’t intend to maintain that pace in 2025.

I wish everyone joy, peaceful moments, and good memories this season. See you in the New Year.

Thanks to Alison Hare, Ann Burns, Anonymous, Barbara May Di Mambro, Brenda Turner, Christine Jackson, Lesley Anderson, Teresa, and Unknown for this week’s contributions.

There are currently 4,096 items in LAC’s Collection Search identified as Co-Lab-only contributions, up from 4,092 in November.

Here is the progress on the challenges since November. One challenge shows progress.

Games of the XXI Olympiad, Montréal 1976 remains at 80.8% complete.

Treaty 9, with 27 images, remains 3.7% complete.

Mary Ann Shadd Cary is 66.1% complete, up from 50%.

Expo67 remains 6.8% complete.

Summiting Mount Logan in 1925: Fred Lambart’s personal account of the treacherous climb and descent of the highest peak in Canada remains 13.4% complete.

Women in the War remains 1.4% complete.

Arthur Lismer’s Children’s Art Classes remains <1% complete.

John Freemont Smith, RG10, Volume number: 4079 remains 88.5% complete.

Molly Lamb Bobak remains 94.7% complete.

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 98.5% complete.

Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 remains 94.7% complete.

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

Japanese-Canadians: Second World War remains 2.8% complete.

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

You can read the first Family Tree Magazine (UK) issue from Nov-Dec 1984 here. It included an article, “How to Trace Your Family Tree.” How things have changed!

1. Digital Archives and Search Capabilities
The article describes research at locations like St. Catherine’s House in London, where researchers kept fit by lifting large red, black and green books to a desk for searching. Today, most records are digitized and searchable. Advanced online platforms provide powerful search engines, keyword filters, and algorithmic matching. There’s instant access to millions of historical documents.
2. DNA Testing
This article does not mention genetic genealogy, which has revolutionized family history research in the past two decades. DNA matching allows people to identify genetic relatives, confirm family connections, and trace ancestral origins in ways impossible 40 years ago.
3. Global Interconnectivity
The article suggests hiring local researchers or travelling to different locations to access records. Modern genealogists collaborate internationally through online forums, social media groups, and genealogy websites. Resources from different countries are increasingly digitized and shared across borders. However, visiting is still often required, and a pleasure, to go in-depth
4. Computer-Based Organization
The author recommends a “loose-leaf folder” for organizing family history information. Today, genealogists use specialized software, cloud-based platforms, and complex family tree management tools that allow for instant updates, linking of sources, and sophisticated data management.
5. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Modern genealogy research increasingly employs AI technologies to help researchers. These include automated record matching, predictive ancestor suggestions, handwriting recognition for old documents, and advanced algorithms that can suggest potential family connections based on complex data analysis. Some capabilities unimaginable when the article was written remained so even a couple of years ago.

From  20 to 24 December, Généalogie Québec offers a 25% discount on annual subscriptions.

It is available only through the link
https://www.genealogiequebec.com/en/subscription-offer-noel2024

 

 

Searchable records for the City of London Cemetery, comprising 492,465 burials, are now available on TheGenealogist.  There’s access to comprehensive information from 1856, including:

● Full name of the deceased
● Precise cemetery plot location
● Occupation
● Date of burial
● Age at time of death
● District of death registration
● Residential address.

The 200-acre cemetery is located in Manor Park in East London.

If you know the approximate date of burial, there’s free access to images of the register books at https://col-burialregisters.uk/

The City of London Cemetery is not to be confused with the nearby Manor Park Cemetery and Crematorium (records available at deceasedonline). See the area map here.

 

 

5. Leverage AI and Machine Learning

Utilize AI tools to analyze and cross-reference family history data for patterns and correlations. Advanced algorithms can identify relationships, migration trends, and historical context that might be missed during manual research. For example, AI might highlight connections between distant relatives or suggest areas of further investigation based on shared linguistic or locational traits in family records.

Pros:
– Efficiently analyzes large datasets for patterns and connections.
– Reveals insights that may not be apparent through manual research.
– Continuously improves with advancements in technology.

Cons:
– May require subscription fees or access to specialized tools.
– Results depend on the quality and completeness of input data.
– Potential for over-reliance on automated interpretations.

In case you’re wondering, this is the fifth and final response, raw and unedited, in an experiment with ChatGPT. I prompted it with “Suggest a disruptive approach or five to investigating your family history.  Please add pros and cons for each of the five items.”  Share your thoughts, please.

 

How about a bit of fun at MyHeritage?

“LiveMemory™ turns any still photo into a short video clip using AI. At launch, LiveMemory™ reenacted the scene shown in each photo. Now, in addition to reenacting the scene, we’ve added a set of 10 custom animations so that if you wish, you can choose what happens in the video and have fun. You can choose from emotional gestures such as hugging or laughing, which is perfect when you upload a favourite photo of your parents, or if you’re feeling more playful, try out fun effects like underwater, zero gravity, or balloons.

In addition to the custom animations, it’s now easier to view and share your LiveMemory™ videos. All LiveMemory™ videos you generate are now stored in your MyHeritage account and can easily be accessed through the app gallery.”

See samples at the blog post here.

Ancestry.ca has updated Find a Grave® indexes and obituary collections from various regions. Here are the increases in the past year,

Find a Grave® Indexes

Country/Area	December 2023	December 2024	Increase	% Increase
Canada	10,080,603	10,804,249	723,646	7.2
Australia & New Zealand	11,436,526	11,998,479	561,953	4.9
Mexico	69,789	82,716	12,927	18.5
Germany	3,017,935	3,504,483	486,548	16.1
Italy	343,946	388,662	44,716	13.0
Brazil	189,211	203,549	14,338	7.6
Global	15,649,165	21,387,512	5,738,347	36.7
U.S.	175,802,716	187,251,174	11,448,458	6.5
UK & Ireland	19,341,965	21,175,720	1,833,755	9.5
Sweden	1,116,071	1,142,654	26,583	2.4
Norway	223,985	235,841	11,856	5.3

Obituary Collections
These collections can provide biographical information about individuals, including their life stories, accomplishments, and family members. They are updated frequently and likely incorporate more recent deaths.

The Canadian Obituary Collection, 1898-Current, now has 11,851,411 items.

The UK and Ireland Obituary Index, 2004-Current, contains 7,769,954 entries.

4. Genealogical Hacking with Non-Traditional Sources

Go beyond the usual genealogical resources and delve into unconventional archives such as meteorological records, old maps, land-use documents, or hyper-local newspapers. These sources can reveal critical events, like extreme weather or epidemics, that influenced your ancestors’ decisions and shaped their lives in ways traditional records don’t capture.

Pros:
– Sheds light on unique factors influencing ancestors’ lives.
– Often uncovers information unavailable in standard genealogical records.
– Adds depth and context to family stories.

Cons:
– Requires creative thinking and extensive research.
– Access to non-traditional sources may be limited or costly.
– Interpretation of data can be complex or subjective.

In case you’re wondering, this is the fourth response, raw and unedited, in an experiment with ChatGPT. I prompted it with “Suggest a disruptive approach or five to investigating your family history.  Please add pros and cons for each of the five items.”  Share your thoughts, please.

3. Question the Narrative by Seeking Contradictions

Challenge family lore by actively searching for contradictory evidence. Investigate claims of nobility, indigenous ancestry, or notable historical involvement by seeking documentation that disproves these stories. This contrarian approach can help uncover overlooked or misinterpreted evidence, providing a more nuanced and accurate family history.

Pros:
– Encourages a more critical and accurate understanding of family history.
– May uncover overlooked or hidden truths.
– Helps dispel myths or inaccuracies passed down through generations.

Cons:
– Can be emotionally challenging for family members.
– Risk of alienating relatives attached to family lore.
– Not all family stories can be fully disproved or verified.

In case you’re wondering, this is the third response, raw and unedited, in an experiment with ChatGPT. I prompted it with “Suggest a disruptive approach or five to investigating your family history.  Please add pros and cons for each of the five items.”  Share your thoughts please.

Choose from selected free online events today. All times are ET except as noted. Assume registration in advance is required; check so you’re not disappointed. Find out about a few more, mainly US events, at Conference Keeper.

Tuesday, 17 December

2:30 pm: Finding and Using Alien Registrations for 20th Century US, by Ryan Johnson for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/12190831

8 pm: Lost and Found: Locating Ancestral Origins with FAN Club and DNA, by Mary Kircher Roddy for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/lost-and-found-locating-ancestral-origins-with-fan-club-and-dna/

Wednesday, 18 December

2 pm: I (Think I) Have a DNA Network: Now What?, by Diahan Southard for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/i-think-i-have-a-dna-network-now-what/

7 pm: Thunder Bay – Library Spotlight: New Chapters & Exciting Updates, by Amy Ongaro for OGS Thunder Bay District Branch.
https://thunderbay.ogs.on.ca/events/thunder-bay-library-spotlight-new-chapters-exciting-updates/

Thursday, 19 December

6:30 pm: The Widow Won, the Barkeep Lost: Using Historical Context and the FAN Club to Enrich Your Family Stories , by Candace Marx for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/12190839

Friday, 20 December & Saturday 21 December

Online presentations will be scarce until the new year.

 

 

 

80th anniversary: Battle of the Bulge.

Canada’s role.