Ontario Genealogical Society call for conference papers

One good turn deserves another! The OGS in Toronto recently brought me out to give a few talks, and are now looking for speakers for their 2017 conference. Here's the announcement:

Call for Presentations OGS Conference 2017

The annual Ontario Genealogical Society Conference 2017 will be held in Ottawa on June 16-18, 2017 at Algonquin College. The theme of the conference is Our Canada – Your Family: Building a Nation. As 2017 will be the 150th anniversary of the birth of Canada, Ottawa Branch OGS will host the annual OGS conference and give the Conference a national flair, bringing together genealogists and family historians from all over Canada. We are looking for speakers and talks of interest to genealogists from all provinces.

In keeping with this theme, we invite proposals for presentations on: family history from every region and territory of Canada (e.g. Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia); migration to and from Canada and also within Canada and how this helped to not only build our families, but also Canada; pre- and post-1867 research in Upper Canada; religious associations; military connections; the latest updates on computer, social media and genealogy database technology; the ever growing use of DNA testing for genealogy; and skill-building for family historians (e.g. use of the genealogy proof standard, getting more out of online resources). Speakers from other related disciplines are welcome! Statisticians, demographers, archaeologists, researchers, archivists, librarians, geographers, cartographers, scientists, theologians, doctors, PhD candidates, software gurus, internet intellectuals, social media mavens, and historians of all kinds have information of interest to family historians and we would like to hear from you!

Most sessions will be one hour long. Sessions may be streamed in or out of the Conference venue. Topics for interactive, hands-on workshops are also welcome (typically half-day sessions). Speakers will receive an honorarium, plus appropriate expenses and complimentary Conference registration. In early 2017, speakers will submit content for inclusion in a syllabus.

Please submit your proposals by e-mail. Include your full name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, website address (if applicable) and biographical information including recent speaking credits. For each proposal, please provide a unique title, a summary of your presentation (250 words maximum), the intended audience (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and your A/V requirements. Multiple proposals are encouraged.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS IS FEBRUARY 15, 2016

To submit proposals or ask questions, please contact the Conference 2017 Program Committee at: program.conference2017@ogs.on.ca. For more information about OGS or Ottawa Branch respectively, please visit: www.ogs.on.ca or www.ogsottawa.on.ca.

(With thanks to Jane Down)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.

Scottish genealogy webinar on records of ancestral crisis

On Saturday, 12 December 2015, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EST in Canada (about 6.00pm-7.30pm UK), I will be giving an online webinar entitled Down and Out in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Interest Group of the Ontario Genealogical Society, as part of its series of Scottish Genealogy Saturdays presentations. This will be a 90 minute session in which I will explore the contemporary Scottish landscape in times of ancestral crisis and examine many of the types of records to be found - whether it be in trouble with the church or the state, in times of rebellions or struggles for rights, or battles with poverty and debt.

To participate in the event you will need to register at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/december-webinar-down-out-in-scotland-tickets-18052494497 - the fee is CAN $14.95, with an additional small booking fee of CAN $1.36 (so in total we're talking about £8 Sterling).

Profits from the event go to the Scottish SIG's Symposium Fund - for further details please visit http://scottishgenealogytipsntricks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/scottish-sig-webinar-for-december-is.html.

I'm looking forward to donning a microphone and headphones and crossing continents online!

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.

Amazing weekend of conferences in Ontario!

I'm just back from one of my most enjoyable visits to Ontario yet, having travelled across the pond to speak at two events organised over the weekend by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (http://torontofamilyhistory.org), and the BIFHSGO (www.bifhsgo.ca) conference in Ottawa. This was my third OGS event (second in Toronto), and my second BIFHSGO conference, and it was a great chance to catch up with many familiar and friendly faces, to meet many new acquaintances, and to talk on a range of subjects both Scottish and Irish.

Always in standby genie mode, when arriving in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon (my first visit to the US since October 2001), I managed to grab a few minutes to look at an interesting Revolutionary War exhibition on Fort Mifflin, at which I took a couple of quick pics:

I then took my my next flight to Toronto, a short hop north of just under an hour. In the city my heart then nearly missed a beat in the evening, when, upon paying for my taxi from the airport at my hotel, I discovered that the local post office here in Largs had given me 200 Australian dollars rather than the 200 Canadian dollars I had requested (they look incredibly similar), which could have caused a small crisis if the taxi driver hadn't also had a card reader to hand!

Before I discuss what I got up to in Canada, here's an amazing view of Toronto from the air...

On Friday then, at North York Library in Toronto, I gave a two hour lecture entitled Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, which ties in with my recent book of the same name, looking at how the moments of personal crisis in the past often led to the generation of very specific and detailed records. There was a packed audience for the event, and in the evening the Scottish Interest Group of the Toronto branch very kindly took myself and William Roulston to dinner, where I managed to catch up on genealogy developments in Canada since my last visit!

Saturday then was the main event for the Toronto branch of the OGS, and that was a full day Irish conference specifically focussed on Ulster based research. Both William (from the Ulster Historical Foundation; pictured left) and I gave two talks each. William's first presentation was on the 17th century Plantations, with his Powerpoint showing at one point a photo of the Carrickfergus based church where my parents married (and where I used to attend Boys Brigade!), and another on offline based resources of use for Ulster based family history research, including land and church records.

I gave talks on the latest online offerings for Northern Irish based research and the use of PRONI as an archive, followed by an overview on the Decade of Remembrance from 1912-22/23, including details on how to research those who signed the Ulster Covenant, the British Army, the IRA and Irish Citizens Army, the Dublin Lockout, the Suffragettes, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and more. Before getting under way I informed the audience that William and I had one major blessing in common, and that was the fact that we have the same accent as the Lord God Almighty - but that I also had one major thing in common with the Toronto crowd, in that, just like them, a lot of my Ulster research has to be done online (from Scotland)!

There were further contributions in the day from Linda Reid, David Elliott and Leigh Anne Coffey, with all three giving talks at the same time in different venues in the library. I decided to attend Leigh-Anne's excellent session on the history of the Orange Order in Canada and Ireland, which provided a glimpse of some of the types of records that the organisation has historically kept for members, albeit records that they don't actively push for research purposes, it still being a largely secret society at heart. The day ended with a Q&A session with William and I desperately searching for answers in a machine gun round of all things Norn Iron and genealogical.

As soon as I was done at North York Library I was then straight into a taxi for the airport to make my way to Ottawa. With this flight it was to soon be two for two in travel crises (after the currency issue in the taxi!), as this flight was delayed for an hour, meaning that I didn't get to my hotel until 11.30pm. A huge thanks to Christine Woodcock who valiantly waited at the airport to pick me up!

On Sunday morning then, it was straight back into the flow of things. The BIFHSGO conference was a three day event, and I was along for the last day only - as such, I packed in three talks on the same day, looking at Scottish land records, the law and records surrounding Scottish inheritance (moveable and Heritable estate), and the final session, on the history, law and records surrounding marriage in Scotland. (I was careful to announce up front that this was a genealogy lecture, and not a counselling session!). All three talks had subjects that covered areas which have historically been handled very differently in Scotland compared to the rest of the British Isles, with Scots Law being a very separate construct to English Law. I had a lot of fun trying to convey the information over, and as usual tried to be serious about what I was discussing, but not necessarily in how I discussed it!

The biggest laugh of the three talks came when a question from the audience was asked about a Scottish woman in the 1841 census describing herself as independent - what did that mean? I answered that she was 170 years ahead of the rest of us! It was the anniversary weekend of our independence referendum, so I was being topically flippant - but I did give the actual answer immediately after!

After the conference was over I had the great pleasure of going for a drink and a bite to eat with fellow Scottish talks speaker Christine Woodcock, and Chicago based speaker and geneablogger Thomas MacEntee, with whom I had previously gone on an Unlock the Past talks tour of Australia and cruise at the beginning of last year. It was great craic and a very relaxing way to unwind after three hectic but enjoyable days.

Yesterday morning both Thomas and I were then given a lift to the airport by Pamela Cooper (who coincidentally is currently studying one of my Pharos courses - small world!), and after a further gab with Thomas it was time to say goodbye. At this point, of course, it was soon three for three on the travel front, as my flight to Philadelphia was delayed by an hour, leaving me just half an hour to board my flight to Glasgow - and just to get me to four for four, in Glasgow my suitcase never turned up when I arrived there this morning! The last I have heard, it has started a new life in Philadelphia, but is to be deported later this evening... :)

I would like to thank both the committees at the Toronto Branch of the OGS and BIFHSGO for such superb events, and in particular, to thank Susan Kis and Jane Down for their superb efforts in co-ordinating my participation. I would also like to thank the SIG group in Toronto for a great evening meal on Friday, to all the fellow speakers and friends I caught up with whilst out, to Global Genealogy for the promotion of my Unlock the Past books, and to Christine Woodcock and Pam Cooper for getting me to where I needed to be on time!

Chì mi a-rithist sibh - until the next time!!!

(For readers based in Canada, various books I have written which I referred to in my talks, tying in with much of the content I discussed, can be accessed from Global Genealogy at http://globalgenealogy.com/admin/utp.htm. Global does not appear to have my new book Discover Irish Land Records as yet, but it can also be sourced from Unlock the Past in Australia or My History in England - please see http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html for details. E-book editions are also available.)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My new Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.

Heading to Canada to give a few talks

Tomorrow (Thursday) I will be making my way back to Ontario to give talks at various events in both Toronto and Ottawa, which I am very much looking forward to!

On Friday I will be giving a two hour Scottish based talk from 3pm-5pm at North York Central Library, Toronto, to the Ontario Genealogical Society's Toronto branch (http://torontofamilyhistory.org/event/scottish-family-history-lecture/). I last spoke to the society at the library in June 2011, and had a great time there, so very much looking forward to my return visit. On Saturday I then go into full blown Norn Iron (Northern Ireland!) mode, alongside William Roulston, Linda Reid, Leigh-Anne Coffey and David Elliott, in helping to deliver a programme of talks for the Irish Genealogy Workshop - Focus on Ulster workshop (http://torontofamilyhistory.org/learn/workshops/irish-genealogy-workshop-focus-on-ulster/), which should be good fun. No, hang on, it won't be good fun. It's an Ulster based workshop - it will be good craic! (Get practising the accent folks, you still have three days! lol)

On Saturday evening I am then flying out to Ottawa to participate on the last day of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa conference at Ben Franklin Place (www.bifhsgo.ca/aem.php?eid=1), and I will be back in Scottish mode to give talks on Scottish land records, Scottish inheritance, and the unique law surrounding Scottish marriage. This is the last day of the conference, so do check out the main website for events on Friday and Saturday. Although pre-registration has now closed, John Reid's blog (http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/b-4.html) notes that walk-ins are welcome on the day. Again, this should be another great event, and another chance to catch up with some familiar faces!

I'll do my best to keep blogging whilst away, subject to local wifi access!

(And a quick heads up - next year I'll be making my way over to Vancouver for a wee talks tour - more details soon...!)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Toronto based Irish Genealogy Workshop – Focus on Ulster

And something else I'll be involved in at Toronto next month!

Irish Genealogy Workshop – Focus on Ulster
A one-day workshop exploring the history and genealogy of the people of Ulster
A Family History Workshop jointly sponsored by: Toronto Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society
Canadiana Department, North York Central Library, Toronto Public Library

Where: North York Central Library Auditorium, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
When: Saturday, September 19, 2015, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm
Fees: $55 ($50 for OGS members) by August 22 / $65 ($60 for OGS members) after August 22

Do you have ancestors from Ulster? Researching your family history in those years can be quite a challenge.
Our workshop will provide you with great learning opportunities. You will hear lectures from experts about the kinds of historical records that are available and how you can use them in your own family history research. Topics that will be covered include: the history of the Ulster Plantation, the Decade of Remembrance, using PRONI for research, the Orange Order, the Belfast Middle Class, and more.

Registration Required
• Register on-line – it’s quick and easy!
• Use PayPal to pay by credit card or PayPal account or mail a cheque.
• Pre-registration is required to guarantee your space in the meeting room

On-line registration and fee payment is at: http://torontofamilyhistory.org/learn/workshops
For registration assistance: Email: courses@torontofamilyhistory.org

COMMENT: I'll be one of the speakers at this, along with William Roulston from the Ulster Historical Foundation, Leigh Anne Coffey, David Elliott and Linda Reid.

Here are the talks titles:

9:15 – 10:15 AM – Plenary Lecture 1: The History of the Ulster Plantation
Speaker: William Roulston

10:30 – 11:30 AM – Plenary Lecture 2: Using the Internet and PRONI for Northern Irish Records 
Speaker: Chris Paton

12:15 – 1:15 PM – Concurrent Sessions
Session 1: The Orange Order in Ireland and Canada: Records of a Loyalist Society
Speaker: Leigh-Ann Coffey

Session 2: Necessary Homework in Canada to Determine the Counties of Your Irish Ancestors 
Speaker: David Elliott

Session 3: Around Brick Walls: From Belfast Middle Class Back to Cork Landed Gentry 
Speaker: Linda L. Reid

1:30 – 2:30 PM – Plenary Lecture 3: The Decade of Remembrance 1912-22
Speaker: Chris Paton

2:45 – 3:45 PM – Plenary Lecture 4: Resources for Family History Research in Ulster 
Speaker: William Roulston

4:00 – 4:45 PM – Plenary Question & Answer Session 
Speakers: William Roulston and Chris Paton

Full details at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/learn/workshops/irish-genealogy-workshop-focus-on-ulster/

Should be fun!

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Down and Out in Scotland talk in Toronto

A little something I'll be getting up to next month in Toronto!

A SPECIAL SCOTTISH FAMILY HISTORY LECTURE AT NORTH YORK CENTRAL LIBRARY!
Jointly sponsored by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society and the Toronto Public Library

Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis

It is often the case in family history research that our ancestors’ lives were best documented when the chips were truly down. We may have had ancestors in poverty or in debt, with mental health issues or illnesses, who were assaulted, murdered, raped, who committed suicide, engaged in insurgency, or who were punished by the state or the Kirk. No matter the crisis, a quill and ink were always in close proximity.
Speaker: Chris Paton

Course Fee: $25 ($20 for OGS Members)
Schedule: Friday, September 18, 2015, 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Venue: North York Central Library, Room 1, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto
TO REGISTER: Go to http://torontofamilyhistory.org/learn/courses/

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Toronto OGS call for presentations

From the Ontario Genealogical Society (www.ogs.on.ca):

This is a quick reminder that the deadline for submitting proposals for presentations at the Ontario Genealogical Society's Conference 2016 is Friday August 14, just a couple of weeks away.

The Conference will take place on June 3-5, 2016 at Toronto's International Plaza Hotel and will be hosted by the Toronto Branch of OGS. The theme of Conference 2016 is “Genealogy on the Cutting Edge”.

The Call for Presentations can be found on the OGS Conference website at http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference/call-for-presentations/. To submit proposals or ask questions, please contact the Conference 2016 Program Committee at: conference2016@ogs.on.ca.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Heading back to Ontario in September

I'm delighted to say that I will be once again returning to Ontario in September for two fantastic genealogy conference events, and having now spent much of today sorting the flights and accommodation out, here's a quick heads up on what I will be getting up to...

For starters, on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th September, I will be speaking at a conference run by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (http://torontofamilyhistory.org). The main event itself will be on Saturday 19th, where an all day workshop will be held, provisionally entitled Irish Genealogy: Focus on Ulster, and I'll be in good company at that with several speakers, including the excellent Dr. William Roulston from the Ulster Historical Foundation (www.ancestryireland.com). Prior to this, however, on Friday 18th, I will also be giving a talk with my Scottish hat on, between 3pm and 5pm. Registration for these events will be opening next month (July), so do keep an eye out on the society's website for further details!

No sooner will I be finished in Toronto than I will be jumping straight onto an evening flight to Ottawa, to get me to the 21st Annual British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) Family History Conference, where on Sunday 20th I will be giving three Scottish based talks. Details for this conference are already online at http://bifhsgo.ca/aem.php?eid=1, and the three talks I will be giving are as follows:

9.00-10.15 Using Scottish Land Records
10.45-12.00 Scottish Inheritance Records
15.15-16.30 Scottish Marriage: Instantly Buckled for Life


The BIFHSGO conference is in fact a packed three day affair, I'm simply gatecrashing the last day! Please do consult the website for the full brilliant programme that has been lined up, with speakers including Maureen Taylor, Thomas MacEntee, Christine Woodcock, Janet Few, Sher Leetooze, Shirley-Ann Pyefinch, Gloria Tubman, Gail Dever, and Dena Palamedes.

I've spoken to both societies before, and can assure you it's going to be packed with genealogy, it's going to be informative, by Scottish and Irish standards it is going to be warm, and above all, it is going to be fun - I look forward to hopefully seeing a few of you there!

Chris

The latest British GENES podcast is available at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/podcasts.html. For details on my latest book Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, and my other genealogy guide books, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Return to Ontario in September!

I'll be making my way back to Ontario in September for two separate events on the same weekend, which I am very much looking forward to!  On Friday 18th and Saturday 19th I'll be at a conference run by Toronto branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (http://torontofamilyhistory.org/call-irish-2015/) - the plan at present being to do a Scottish pre-conference workshop on the Friday and to then speak at the main conference on the Saturday, which will look at Irish research, but particularly the patch of Ireland where I come from, Ulster, and the Ulster-Scots who settled there. I'll be looking at some of the genealogical resources for research there, but also speaking will be Dr William Rouslton from the Ulster Historical Foundation and other speakers to be confirmed. It should be a great event, and it will be good to catch up with the good folks of the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society there, who will be hosting it.

It will then be a case of no rest for the wicked, as I will be making straight for Ottawa later on the Saturday evening  to attend the BIFHSGO conference on Sunday 20th (www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=167), where I will be giving three talks based on Scottish genealogical resources. This is in fact a three day event, with many other speakers including Janet Few, Thomas MacEntee and many speakers from the Ontario area in attendance, I'll simply be attending on the last day, but packing in as much as I can!

The programmes for each event are still being put together, so this is a simple heads up announcement - I've spoken to both groups before, and am very much looking forward to returning to Canada in a few months time. Hopefully I'll see you there!

Chris

For details on my range of genealogy guide books please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. To commission me for genealogical research, please visit my research site at www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk.

Genealogy Without Borders - my lecture given in Canada May 2014

In May 2014 I was kindly invited to Ontario to speak at the Niagara branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society's conference, entitled Genealogy Without Borders. In addition to giving talks at the main conference I was also invited to give the keynote Houston Lecture on the Friday evening before it got under way.

On many occasions when giving talks I will record what I say using the Evernote programme on my iPad, simply so that I can review it in due course and make sure that I didn't make too many errors when delivering it! Over the last 2 days I've been spending a bit of time looking into how to use the Audacity and SoundCloud programmes, with the possibility in due course of perhaps creating some podcasts for this blog. As part of this, I have tidied up the recording I made in Niagara of my talk, which was the most enjoyable that I think I've ever given, as I had a fair bit of a laugh with the audience (always a good crowd in Ontario - looking forward to returning again in September!), but also because this was a bit of a one-off, to tie in with the theme of the conference. The lecture is now presented here, with the permission of the Niagara branch of the OGS (www.ogs.on.ca/niagara) - I've reduced it by about 5 minutes for various reasons (it's now about 50 mins), but I hope you enjoy it!

Attentive crowd!

Sruth na Maoile (Straits of Moyle)

Genealogy Without Borders

(With thanks to Steve Fulton at the OGS Niagara branch)

Chris

For details on my range of genealogy guide books please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. To commission me for genealogical research, please visit my research site at www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk.

Industrial England workshop in Toronto

News of a forthcoming English themed conference event in Toronto:

The Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is pleased to announce that registration for our fall workshop, Industrial England, is now open.

This full-day workshop on Saturday 1 November 2014, co-sponsored with the Canadiana Department of North York Central Library, will explore the social, economic and cultural effects of the Industrial Revolutions on the lives of English people from 1750 to 1900. Author and professional genealogist Kirsty Gray, a founding member and Chair of the Society for One-Place Studies, and Director of English Studies with the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, will be our keynote speaker for this event. Kirsty and six other expert genealogists and social historians will team up to present a day of learning and discovery that you won’t want to miss.

The early-bird registration deadline is 18 September, and there is a further discount for OGS members.

Full details about the program, speakers and how to register, are available on our Branch website at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/learn/workshops/industrial-england-workshop/.

(With thanks to Gwyneth Pearce of the Toronto Branch of OGS via email)

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians, whilst my new book British and Irish Newspapers is also now out. And please consider purchasing the great new version of Caledonia by The Libations at 79p via www.caledonia2014.com - all profits go to help fund Scottish foodbanks

Ontario Genealogical Society Conference - day 3 report

After a late night on Saturday visiting the falls at Niagara, it was a slightly later start on Sunday morning for the Ontario Genealogical Society conference, and its final day. (For the first two days reports visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ogs-conference-in-niagara-day-one-report.html and http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ontario-genealogical-society-conference.html).

The first talks session I attended was that run by Janice Nickerson, entitled Castlecomer to Montague: A Case Study in Irish Protestant Immigration to Upper Canada. This was an excellent session pursuing a family from County Kilkenny to Ontario, using various records from the Irish end and in Canada, particularly land records. This was my third genealogy trip to Ontario, and I'm slowly getting the message that Irish protestant migration to Ontario was quite significant, more so than in other areas I have visited - several delegates at the conference had stories to share with me about ancestors in the Orange Order who had migrated, for example.

After a short break I was then up again with a session on the laws and practices behind Scottish marriage. It was another fairly busy session with a few laughs, and I was delighted to see Peter Milliken in the audience, the former speaker of the Canadian parliament for over 10 years. Peter is the OGS patron, and I had asked him at lunch on Saturday if he had dabbled much in his family history research himself, to which he had stated not really - so I hope that his presence was an indication that the bug was beginning to grip!

I missed out attending any of the talks for the third and final session, as I wanted to walk around the marketplace again and catch up with a few folk. I had a great conversation with Rick Roberts of Global Genealogy, who discussed the evolution of his company in Canada over recent years, and the importance of his publication wing. Global also sells many genealogical supplies, the company is similar to My History in England or Unlock the Past in Australia, providing many of the same types of service. I also spoke to the OGS's Irish Palatine Special Interest Group - this is a SIG, or 'special interest group' within the organisation, helping those with Irish Protestant ancestors who had originally moved from Germany to Ireland after 1709, by invite of Queen Anne.

At 2.30pm we had our final closing proceedings, with thanks given to all the volunteers and details announced for the 2015 OGS conference, which will be held from June 5th-7th at the Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario. Details of the new officers for the society were also announced - see Elizabeth LaPointe's blog post at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ogs-announces-officers-for-2014-2016.html.

And then the conference was over, though not before I managed to have a chat with another speaker, Henry Z. 'Hank' Jones Jr, in the car after it ended. Hank had acted in a few Disney film many years ago, including Herbie Rides Again, so this was my first Hollywood encounter! Hank is now an active genie, and has been for many years, and has written many books, notably on Irish Palatine families - his site is at www.hankjones.com.

The conference was a huge success, there was a real buzz and excitement throughout, not least because of the huge range of talks and networking opportunities, and it has to be said, the team behind excelled themselves. Coordinating the whole thing was Steve Fulton, tech savvy, full of beans, with an adrenalin level constantly switched up to 11, and it really showed. When I used to work in a supermarket many moons ago as a student, the company I worked for would dish out 'ABCD awards' - short for 'Above and Beyond the Call of Duty' - and without a doubt, Steve qualifies for one. There was a huge ambition to push boundaries, to try to do more on the technology front to take the conference out to folk who couldn't make it, and more. One symbolic visual of this tech theme lies in fact from one of the sponsors - FindmyPast had provided wristbands that were actually USB flash drives - you wore them, and when you needed to look up syllabus material, you took them off and then plugged them in! See the demo below (also at http://youtu.be/f-rloR6MaLo). Bonkers, but very effective!

In the evening, Steve, with his wife Diana, and kids Brandy and Steve, took myself and Daniel Horowitz (from MyHeritage) out for a meal, and then took us out again on a run to see Niagara Falls (this time in daylight!), as well as a few other sites, including a wee totey church not far from Niagara on the Lake which seats about 12 at most. A great end to proceedings with great company.

Thanks to all those who made my stay so welcome, and thanks to all who attended the conference (and my sessions!). I'm already looking forward to another visit to Toronto next year - more on that in due course!

To end, a few more pics, showing the volunteers (many of them young adults doing community service as part of their academic schooling programme), Daniel Horowitz and myself at the races - and a quick grab at Niagara Falls, shortly before the sun set!

UPDATE: John Reid also has a review post on the conference at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/ogs-conference-in-hindsight.html

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians. And for those wishing to take Scottish ancestral research a bit further, my next Pharos course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Records, commences May 14th 2014.

Ontario Genealogical Society conference - day 2

Day 2 of the Ontario Genealogical Society conference (www.ogs.on.ca/conference2014) was the first of the two days intensive lecture programme, and I started the day with participation in a social media discussion panel hosted by John Reid of the Canada's Anglo-Celtic Connections blog (http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.co.uk). As well as myself, there were contributions from Daniel Horowitz, Kirsty Gray, Tony Bandy and Marian Press. The session was streamed live, although forty minutes in there was a tech problem that curtailed the transmission. The part that was recorded can be viewed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5TXenbLqCA&feature=share or below (I believe there might have been a full recording made separately, which may go online in due course - if so, I will carry it in a separate post at a future stage):

I then attended a talk by Stephen Young of Family Search. Stephen is an Ontario man now based in Utah, but his talk was on using records from Western New York State. This was an interesting discussion in that I normally tend to use US records online from Scotland, and so this provided me with a sense of the offline lay of the land as well, for example, with how to access probate records in the state, as well as how recent the civil registration records were in commencing (not to mention how varied their years of commencement are from county to county). Good opening session.

I sat out the next scheduled sessions in order to catch up with various emails and other business, before returning to the programme to give a talk on the history of the Church of Scotland, and how that affects locating Scottish church records from various denominations. This was a fun session which was streamed live  to various signed up participants, something OGS has been trialling in this conference for those unable to attend in person.

Following a brief return back to my digs, it was then time for the evening banquet, a great session where we heard from Hank Jones Jr, a former actor now based in Sandiego, who has been active in later years on the genealogy scene. He gave a talk on serendipity within genealogy, and various stories that he has been gathering over the years where fortune favored the few in family history terms!

After the dinner, one of the delegates, a delightful lady called Ann, gave myself and Marthe Séguin-Muntz (from Library and Archives Canada) a quick run out to see Niagara Falls, all lit up in the dark. What a place!  I wasn't sure if I was going to get a chance to be able to see the attraction, but was delighted to be able to do so, so a huge thanks to Ann, and also to Marthe, as we all had a good laugh en route and back!

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians. And for those wishing to take Scottish ancestral research a bit further, my next Pharos course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Records, commences May 14th 2014.

OGS Conference in Niagara - day one report

It's been all go since I got into Niagara late on Thursday evening for the Ontario Genealogical Society annual conference (www.ogs.on.ca/conference2014/index.php). I was greeted at the airport by two volunteers called Brook (pictured right) and Brandy, who duly handed me a balloon saying "Welcome to Canada". It was a lot of fun on our drive from the airport to Niagara (we took the scenic route!), so fair to say we got off to a great start! :)

Yesterday was the pre-conference day, and having previously been to conferences in Ottawa and Toronto, it was great to bump into many familiar faces from Canada before things got underway, not to mention the archivist from Deseronto Archive who I met at a conference last year in Dundee. Small world! I then spent the morning attending a two hour workshop by Dick Doherty, an American based genie, which looked at oral history and its use in verifying and prompting Irish based research. Dick had three good case studies showing how he pursued aspects of his and his wife's ancestry in the west of Ireland, his top tips being always to locate the local librarian, and always go back with your finds to those who offer information in the first place - as they will invariably then offer even more information! Great session.

After lunch I had a quick look around the Marketplace for the event, with many great vendors there (and a big shout out for Global Genealogy who have copies of most of my books there if you are looking for them!), but it was a particular honour to meet a genie there called David R. Elliott. I was browsing on his stand and had a look at his book on Irish research, and was impressed immediately on the first page I landed on. There was a section on bishops' transcripts, which I have never seen anybody write about before in an Irish genie guide. Bishops transcripts were copies of Anglican parish registers that were made for the diocese - a very commonly used resource for English genealogy if the parish records themselves have not survived. Now it always bugged me that when I asked Irish experts if there was an equivalent set up for Ireland, I would invariably be told not to their knowledge. I always try to understand systems of record keeping, and so that never made sense to me - why do it in England, but not in Ireland? Recently I watched a lecture by Valerie Adams of the Presbyterian Historical Society (accessed via the PRONI website's YouTube channel, see www.proni.gov.uk), and she actually stated that there were such records kept, but that they were largely destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin. That made a whole lot of sense, but where David trumped even that revelation was by telling me that he has only ever come across them for one parish, Inishmacsaint, in County Fermanagh - and that PRONI has actually miscatalogued them as parish records! As ever, I always learn something new about my local environment by overseas travel - it truly does broaden the mind! - and I obviously had to buy a copy of David's book, which he graciously signed!

In the evening we had a buffet dinner, and then it was the formal opening session. During the warm up for that, I had the privilege to talk to the former speaker of the Canadian Parliament, Peter Milliken, who served in office for ten years. and who was there as patron of the OGS. He shared some interesting stories about visits to the Westminster and Holyrood parliaments in Britain, it was a fascinating chat! When the session started formally, there was a sad start to the proceedings in that well known Canadian genie Brian Gilchrist had passed away on Friday morning, and so tributes were paid to him as part of the opening comments. I was then invited to give the Houston Memorial Lecture, which was entitled Genealogy Without Borders (mirroring the theme of the conference), and managed to get a few laughs and a bit of blarney in there. I think I managed to get away with it...

It was a great opening day, all part of the warm up for the main event on Saturday and Sunday, but so far so good - and major kudos to Steve Fulton and the team of volunteers for all that has been achieved so far - looking forward to the rest of the weekend!

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians. And for those wishing to take Scottish ancestral research a bit further, my next Pharos course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Records, commences May 14th 2014.

Ontario Genealogical Society conference: Genealogy Without Borders

On Thursday I am flying to Ontario to participate in the Ontario Genealogical Society's Annual Conference (www.ogs.on.ca/conference2014/index.php) at Brock University in St. Catharines, as hosted by the Niagara Branch of the OGS, and I'm very much looking forward to it!

I will be giving a few talks at the event, including the Houston Memorial Lecture Genealogy Without Borders (Friday), The Godly Commonwealth: The Kirk's History and Finding Scottish Church Records (Saturday, being streamed live) and Scottish Marriage: Instantly Buckled for Life (Sunday), as well as participating in a social media panel session early on Saturday morning hosted by John Reid of Canada's Anglo-Celtic Connections blog (www.anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.ca), which will be streamed live also. There are many other speakers, including several from Canada and the UK - for the full conference programme, visit www.ogs.on.ca/conference2014/OGS%20Conference%202014.pdf.

For the live-streamed webinars, please email register2014@ogs.on.ca

It should be a great event, and although I'll be busy I will try to keep up with news output whilst away, and bring a report on the proceedings after I get back.

Chris

Now available for UK research is the new second edition of the best selling Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians. And for those wishing to take Scottish ancestral research a bit further, my next Pharos course, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Records, commences May 14th 2014.

OGS Niagara Branch Conference registration now open

The Niagara branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is hosting the society's annual conference in May. Amongst others, I'll be there giving a few talks and participating in a discussion panel, and am very much looking forward to a return to Ontario!

Registration for the conference - entitled Genealogy Without Borders - is now open at www.ogs.on.ca/conference2014/register.php. I look forward to seeing a few of you there!

(With thanks to the OGS Blog at http://www.ogs.on.ca/ogsblog/?p=5191)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

Speaking at the OGS Conference 2014

John Reid has posted a partial list of speakers on his Anglo-Celtic Connections blog for the 2014 Ontario Genealogical Society Conference from 1st-4th May 2014 at Brock University, St. Catherine's, Ontario - and I'm delighted to say that I'll be there as one of them! The provisional lists is accessible at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/ogs-niagara-peninsula-branch-releases.html.

The conference theme is Genealogy Without Borders. I'll be giving three talks there, including one for the opening plenary on the Friday, and I'm delighted to say that I'll also be participating in a discussion panel with John and Tony Bandy on blogging during the event. I've previously spoken in Toronto and Ottawa in the last three years, and had an absolute ball at each, so am looking forward to this immensely!

More news in due course, but do also keep an eye out on the Niagara branch's website at www.ogs.on.ca/niagara/ and the OGS main site at www.ogs.on.ca for further developments.

See you there soon!

(With thanks to John)

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. My Scottish land and church records ebooks are available at http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html, whilst my next Pharos Scottish course, Scottish Research Online, starts Sep 4th - see http://pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Time to smash a few brick walls...!