AMBA New Archivist

Kristen Mercier started this month as the new archivist for The Arnprior & McNab/Braeside Archives.

Kristen — who grew up in Pembroke and Chapeau, Que. on Allumette Island — will be returning home from the UK where she worked as an assistant archivist for St. George’s Chapel Archives and Chapel Library at Windsor Castle. She is a graduate of the University of Glasgow, Humanities Advanced Technology & Information Institute.

“Loves the Middle Ages – would never use a time machine to go there.”

Kristen will soon be re-opening the Archives to researchers and welcome back dedicated volunteers.

https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/10422948-arnprior-mcnab-braeside-archives-wins-ontario-archives-association-award/

Free Access to MyHeritage Immigration and Travel Records: 24-28 June

MyHeritage has opened up, for a limited time, 57 collections with 181 million passenger arrival, naturalization, border crossing, emigration, passport, and convict transportation records.

They include 12,398,842 records of United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956. 

As many people travelling to and from Canada went through  New York the largest collection, Ellis Island and Other New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 with 113,439,585 records, and smaller collections for other US East Coast ports, are of Canadian interest.

Ancestry’s Lesley Anderson Likes to Cook Too

Joining the promotion of Food Day Canada which is 31 July, here are the first couple of paragraphs from an Ancestry.ca press release.

CANADIANS EMBRACE HERITAGE THROUGH FOOD

New survey reveals 67% of Canadians feel family recipes bring them closer to their heritage and almost half are concerned family history will be lost if recipes aren’t passed down

TORONTO, ON. June 22, 2021 – Ahead of Food Day Canada, a new Leger Marketing[i] survey, conducted on behalf of Ancestry®, the global leader in family history, reveals that seven in ten Canadians state their most memorable family moments involve home-cooked meals and eating together. However, almost half (44%) of Canadians feel that part of their family history will be lost if family recipes are not passed down.

Food heritage is one of the first and most prominent traditions passed down from previous generations, with nearly three-quarters (72%) of Canadians saying that they first learned to cook at home with their parents or grandparents. In fact, according to the Ancestry survey, 67% still cook at least one recipe that has been passed down by another family member and 58% feel family recipes give insight into how their ancestors lived.

The press release continues with a story about Ancestry spokesperson Lesley Anderson, one of the best-known family historians in Canada, who credits her family First World War-era “Cookery Book” as the catalyst for her foray into the world of family history.

It includes this image from the book — quantities given by weight the British way. I’m imagining Lesley preparing these in her newly renovated kitchen.

My own hand-written cheese scone recipe, a family favourite I copied from my mother’s dictation, substitutes cheese for the sugar and currants, reduces the butter and leaves out the egg. It may be her Second World War rationing-era recipe had to skimp on the ingrediants.

News from OurDigitalWorld

The Lake Scugog Historical Society and OurDigitalWorld have digitized more than 20,000 pages of Port Perry area newspapers dating from 1857-1933. The newspaper site was officially launched just in time to celebrate Port Perry, Ontario’s 150th anniversary! Now online:
Ontario Observer (1857-1873)
Port Perry Standard (1867-1868)
North Ontario Observer (1873-1919)
Port Perry Star (1907-1933)

Likely of broader interest is the Digitized Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, a collection of 10,000-15,000 newspaper clippings that provide substantially verbatim transcripts of Parliamentary debates and committee proceedings.

If your looking for other dates consult the Debates (Hansard) of the Legislative Assemblies of the Province of Canada and of Ontario, a pdf from the Archives of Ontario.

FamilySearch Updates

The following titles for the UK (England) and Canada (Ontario) have received updates on FamilySearch in the past week.

Title Records
England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988 2,346,857
England, Herefordshire Bishop’s Transcripts, 1583-1898 1,545,030
Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899 975,342
England, Essex Non-Conformist Church Records, 1613-1971 138,716
England, Gloucestershire Non-Conformist Church Records, 1642-1996 134,296
England, Northumberland Non-Conformist Church Records, 1613-1920 130,699
England, Lincolnshire, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1574-1885 72,594
England, Lancashire, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1746-1799 11,014
England, Hertfordshire, Marriage Bonds, 1682-1837 8,828
England, Surrey Marriages Bonds and Licenses, 1536-1992 909

100 Digital Files Added at Canadiana Héritage

It’s good to see LAC getting back to digitizing these files for loading to Canadiana Héritage. They include material from 24 microfilms. Two-thirds of the files come from three microfilms.

35 files from the Department of Indian Affairs, Headquarters central registry system, microfilms C-12060 and C-12777.

31 files from the Directorate of Movements : Marine files, all for July 1945 and all from microfilm C-5630. These likely include war bride arrivals.

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/

 

 

How did Library and Archives Canada Rate in the 2020 Public Service Employee Survey

The results of the 2020 Public Service Employee Survey are posted at https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/innovation/public-service-employee-survey.html

The survey was conducted during the pandemic from November 30, 2020 to January 29, 2021 — not normal working conditions. About 700 employees of Library and Archives Canada responded.

The results posted are detailed, and a challenge to analyze if you’re interested in a particular department.

Based on the overall scores here are the 20 questions that received the most favourable responses from LAC employees —  discrimination is the least significant issue for them within LAC out of all questions posed.

Question 43c. To what extent have the following adversely affected your career progress in the federal public service over the last 12 months? Discrimination
Question 43d. To what extent have the following adversely affected your career progress in the federal public service over the last 12 months? Accessibility or accommodation issues
Question 70r. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Harassment or discrimination
Question 79e. I feel that the information I receive from my department or agency related to the COVID-19 pandemic is… Available in both official languages.
Question 70u. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Issue(s) with individual(s) working for me
Question 2. The material and tools provided for my work, including software and other automated tools, are available in the official language of my choice.
Question 70q. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Accessibility or accommodation issues
Question 35. Senior managers in my department or agency use both official languages in their interactions with employees.
Question 70v. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Issue(s) with other individual(s) (e.g., members of the public, individuals from other departments or agencies)
Question 70s. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Issue(s) with my co-worker(s)
Question 70t. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Issue(s) with individual(s) with authority over me
Question 29. During the COVID-19 pandemic, my immediate supervisor supported the use of flexible work hours.
Question 21. In my work unit, individuals behave in a respectful manner.
Question 12. I am proud of the work that I do.
Question 30. I am satisfied with the quality of supervision I receive.
Question 80. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, my department or agency has clearly communicated the mental health services and resources that are available to me.
Question 10. I know how my work contributes to the achievement of my department’s or agency’s goals.
Question 22. The people I work with value my ideas and opinions.
Question 49. Overall, my department or agency treats me with respect.
Question 20. In my work unit, every individual is accepted as an equal member of the team.

The issues of most concern, with those of greatest concern further down the list, were:

Question 70a. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Risk of exposure to COVID-19
Question 41. My department or agency does a good job of supporting employee career development.
Question 40. I feel I can initiate a formal recourse process (e.g., grievance, complaint, appeal) without fear of reprisal.
Question 70c. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Heavy workload
Question 72. Overall, my level of work-related stress is…
Question 33. Senior management in my department or agency makes effective and timely decisions.
Question 37. I feel that change is managed well in my department or agency.
Question 18f. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… high staff turnover.
Question 95. I am satisfied with the support (e.g., regular information, follow-up, making enquiries on my behalf, offering emergency or priority pay) I received from my department or agency to help resolve my pay or other compensation issues.
Question 86. My department or agency has provided me with adequate training and/or resources to manage a remote team during the COVID-19 pandemic. (for supervisors who manage employees who have been working remotely)
Question 18h. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… unreliable technology.
Question 18b. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… lack of stability in my department or agency.
Question 18a. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… constantly changing priorities.
Question 18g. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… overly complicated or unnecessary business processes.
Question 73. After my workday, I feel emotionally drained.
Question 18c. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… too many approval stages.
Question 70e. Overall, to what extent do the following factors cause you stress at work? Not enough employees to do the work
Question 42. I believe I have opportunities for promotion within my department or agency, given my education, skills and experience.
Question 18e. I feel that the quality of my work suffers because of… having to do the same or more work, but with fewer resources.
Question 96. I am satisfied with the support I received from the Pay Centre to help resolve my pay or other compensation issues.

Note that the two issues regarding pay received significantly fewer responses than the others. Is it the Pheonix Pay System still causing problems for those employees?

 

This Week’s Online Genealogy Events

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. Assume registration in advance is required; check so you’re not disappointed.

Tuesday 22 June, 2 pm:  Virtual Genealogy Drop-In, from Ottawa Branch of OGS and The Ottawa Public Library. https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/.

Tuesday 22 June, 2 pm: Top tips for reviewing Smart Matches™ and Record Matches, by Daniel Horowitz for MyHeritage Webinars.  https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar_details.php?webinar_id=1695

Tuesday 22 June, 2:30 pm: Anabaptist and Mennonite Materials in the Genealogy Center, by John Beatty for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. https://acpl.libnet.info/event/5173693

Tuesday 22 June, 7 pm: United Empire Loyalists: A Case Study of Daniel Rose, by Stephen Bowley for Wellington County Branch OGS. https://wellington.ogs.on.ca/events/wellington-county-branch-united-empire-loyalists-a-case-study-of-daniel-rose-with-stephen-bowley-u-e/

Wednesday 23 June, 2 pm: Angel Island’s Immigrants from 80 Countries: Stories from the West Coast Counterpart to Ellis Island, by Grant Din for Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar_details.php?webinar_id=1632

Thursday 24 June, 6:30 pm: Jamaican Genealogy: Tracing Your Enslaved & Free People of Color Ancestors, by Phillip Nicholas for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. https://acpl.libnet.info/event/5177317

Saturday 26 June, 1 pm: AGM and presentation The mitoYDNA Project, by Mags Gaulden for Ottawa Branch OGS. https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/the-mitoydna-project-ottawa-branch/

Coming

19 – 26 September 2021: BIFHSGO Conference. Irish Lines and Female Finds: Exploring Irish records, female ancestors and genetic genealogy. www.bifhsgo2021.ca/.

Free Community History Web Archiving Program Launches in Canada

The following press release may be of interest to Canadian genealogical and family history organizations.

Internet Archive Canada is thrilled to announce that Community Webs <https://communitywebs.archive-it.org/>, the Internet Archive’s free community-based web archiving program, is now open to cultural heritage organizations in Canada. Community Webs is fully funded and administered by non-profit Internet Archive. There is no cost to participating organizations.Community Webs empowers cultural heritage organizations to work with their communities to build community-focused web archives documenting local histories and underrepresented voices. The program offers free web archiving services and technical support via a multi-year subscription to Archive-It <https://archive-it.org/>, as well as resources for networking, professional development and in support of scholarly research. Community Webs currently has over 100 participants from across the US and we are excited to be expanding into Canada. Some examples of what our current participants have been up to include:

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture @ NYPL <https://archive-it.org/home/schomburgcenter> web collections on the #Syllabus Movement and other aspects of the Black experience in the US
Athens Regional Library System <https://archive-it.org/home/ARLS> web collections on local contemporary art, music, literature and food culture, as well as local politics and community activism
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library <https://archive-it.org/organizations/1153> web collections on local Mardi Gras celebrations, police violence and demonstrations, and COVID-19.

To find out more about the program, visit the Community Webs website <https://communitywebs.archive-it.org/> and view our program announcements <https://communitywebs.archive-it.org/news.html> and recent blog post <https://blog.archive.org/2021/06/10/community-webs-seeks-applicants-from-the-us-canada-and-around-the-world/>. Canadian cultural heritage organizations that apply now may be eligible to join our next cohort kicking off in late-Summer 2021.

The deadline for applications is August 2, 2021. Apply <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5ZwPGeNUqpueUCiJqoxi0ZLyeVppc_v0MyfvpFU2vlpNV7Q/viewform> online today.

Have questions? Please reach out by emailing the Community Webs team at commwebsinfo@archive.org <mailto:communitywebsinfo@archive.org>. Interested in archiving and data services other than local history web collecting? Visit the Archive-It website <https://archive-it.org/blog/products-and-services/>.

Presentations coming online from TNA

Here are four online presentations bring streamed free by the UK National Archives in July.

Tuesday 5 July: Top Level Tips: Using Discovery
Friday 16 July: Arthur Conan Doyle and the case of the Indian Lawyer
Wednesday 21 July: Musical Truth: A Musical History of Modern Black Britain in 28 Songs
Friday 23 July: Testimony of the Victorian English and Welsh Poor.

Still to come in June are:

Tuesday 29 June: Rebel Countess: Eleanor de Montfort and the Second Barons’ War, 1264-5

Find details at https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/whats-on/events/all-events/

Ancestry Adds Westminster, London, England, Cemetery Registers, 1855-1990

Registers for Hanwell, Mill Hill, St Marylebone, and Willesden Lane Cemeteries, with a total of 281,988 records are now available on Ancestry. For each there are Deed of Grant Books and various others.

Hanwell, formerly City of Westminster Cemetery, which opened in 1854, has 95,837 records.
Mill Hill, formerly Paddington New Cemetery, has about 120 entries between 1984 and 1987.
St, Marylebone, open in 1855 and now called East Finchley Cemetery, is where conductor Leopold Stokowski and artist, cartoonist specializing in complicated designs, Heath Robinson are interred.
Paddington Cemetery has a Burial Plot Book for 1939-1950 and three Deed of Grant Books from 1964 to 1969.