1830 Severe Irish Shortages

This particular article centres on Limerick, but it's worth reading as most parts of Ireland suffered the same types of severe problems. We tend to only think of the 1840s 'potatoe famine', but there were several food shortages, and potatoe failures which led to emigration, starvation, and buckets of other problems for our poor Irish ancestors. Here is a very good article talking about the problems faced by so many http://www.theirishstory.com/2016/02/23/the-1830-limerick-food-riots/#.VtOVCuYhY4D


Cheers,
Pat

British Home Children

Approximately 11% of Canada's population is descended from British Home children. That's enormous!! I always mention this in my class, but there is an excellent article here along with links to finding more information http://theindepthgenealogist.com/british-home-children/.

If you do find you're related to a Home Child, drop me a line please? Almost every class I've ever taught had at least one person in it who discovered their relationship to a Home Child - usually a grandparent who had never mentioned it. Happy searching!


Cheers,
Pat

Fabulous Conference in Victoria BC

So today, this lucky girl attended a fab conference [485 people attended this FREE conference] put on by the LDS Church, here in Victoria BC. 5 streams running at the same time, so lots to choose from, with some great speakers and topics, AND handouts which are online ... sooooo my fine feathered little friends, here's a link to their website *with* the handouts for you to download - also those from 2015. Y'er welcome. haha http://genealogyvictoria.org/

On March 10th the Victoria Genealogical Society has invited me to do a presentation for their group!! Exciting!! Of course I accepted this invitation several months ago, but it's getting close. Should I start writing? hahaha


Cheers,
Pat

Saskatchewan Adoptees

This is not an official announcement, but a report from CBC that says "Province changing rules for adoptees, birth parents to get information ... new rules go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017". We know to not believe everything we read, so take this with a grain of salt, but keep watching. You can read the article here http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-changing-rules-for-adoptees-birth-parents-to-get-information-1.3463806


Cheers,
Pat

So You Think You Know MS Word?

Ha!!!! One of my thousands of past jobs was managing a computer training company. Our biggest product was back end Microsoft - meaning we trained people like those working on the SaskTel Help Desk. So I've been pretty comfortable using MS Word, until I sat the latest Legacy webinar with Thomas MacEntee this past week. Sheesh!!! So the response has been so overwhelmingly positive, Legacy has decided to keep it FREE indefinitely. This is great because I forgot to blog about it ... so take it in folks. You will not be sorry. It's called "Getting Started with Microsoft Word". Just scroll down the page until you find it. http://familytreewebinars.com/


Cheers,
Pat
A little weather note: today the high in Victoria BC is to be 11C. Today at my home in Saskatchewan, the high is to be 12C! What?????? hahaha Crazy weather year for sure.

SWilson.Info - Awesome Irish Website

There is so much available here you really must look! His newest addition is the 'townland explorer'. Be sure to check down the sides to see what else is here. It's an amazing site folks. http://www.swilson.info/wp/


Cheers,
Pat

1939 Register - England

Peter Calver, from LostCousins, has written a wonderful explanation abut the 1939 Register!! It's much better than what's on the FMP website. Be sure to read it, and use that info to find your ancestors on the only thing that can closely approximate the census never taken during WWII. FindMyPast has now included this Register in its World Subscription. http://lostcousins.com/newsletters2/1939special.htm


Cheers,
Pat

Date Griffith's Valuation Properly

Well this is huge for Irish researchers who have gotten back to needing Griffith's! Thanks to John Grenham for writing an excellent explanation of Griffith's, but more importantly for figuring out how to exactly date what you're looking at. I've been using Griffith's for a couple decades, but finding the exact date has always confounded me, until now! Thanks so much John Grenham. http://johngrenham.com/irishroots/?p=115


Cheers,
Pat

The Relative Race!!

Thanks to the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog for the following.

From San Francisco to New York. 10 days. Four teams. WHO WILL WIN?

Described as a combination of the Amazing Race and Who Do You Think You Are, this reality show is made for genealogists!! Us!!

And don't worry. It appears to work on either mobile devices http://www.relativerace.com/ , or on a computer http://www.byutv.org/ . Read on, download the App for your mobiles, and watch next Sunday Feb. 28th. I've just downloaded it on both tablet and Android phone. No problem. No cost!! Woo Hoo ... Can't wait ... athough there might be a slight conflict with the Scotties finals.


Cheers,
Pat

Future of FTM

Read all about it http://www.gouldgenealogy.com/2016/02/family-tree-maker-an-update/


Cheers,
Pat

Irish Web Sites - World Wide

This is a pretty cool web site, but a bit challenging to use. So here is the direct link to the many, many sites they have links to http://www.irelandxo.com/resources/genealogy-resources/family-history-useful-resources

For anyone wanting to use the home site http://www.irelandxo.com/ here ya go.


Cheers,
Pat

RootsTech Live Streams Available

So if you're like me and missed some, or want to review any, of the live streams, they are now available on https://www.rootstech.org/video2/4739804696001. And don't miss the Syllabus [handouts] entries https://www.rootstech.org/about/syllabus?lang=eng.

I just noticed how few women were presenters! Or at least streamed. Hmmmmmmm ........


Cheers from a pouring rain day here,
Pat

FREE Canadian Records on Ancestry

Thanks to Gail Devers for this.

To mark Family Day in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, Ancestry.ca is offering free access to passenger lists from around the world and all Canadian records until February 15, 2016, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

I call this offer the perfect Valentine's gift. ♥ ♥ ♥

Some of the featured collections include all Canadian censuses from 1825 to 1921, Canada voters lists 1935-1980, Quebec vital and church records (Drouin Collection) 1621-1968, Ontario births, marriages, and deaths, Canada-US border crossings, and UK incoming passenger lists.
You can see a list of the free Canadian collections here http://search.ancestry.com/search/group/canada_family_day.

To receive free access, I expect you must set up a temporary account as usual. Visit http://www.ancestry.ca/cs/familyday2016 for more details.


Cheers,
Pat

Irish Upcoming News!!

So all of this from Claire Santry is fantastic, but the best, in my opinion, is the Civil Registration of births (100 years+) to be put online ... FREE!!!! OMG!! I have never spent much money on gathering BMDs from Ireland. That is only because I learned to use the microfilms from the LDS Church decades ago. They are still my favorite go-to source, but just think of it ... the ability to search online, free ... Holy Smokes!! I'll be 'sleepless in Indian Head' for quite a while!! Can't wait. Oh and her other upcoming news events are quite awesome too. Finally, some breaks for us Irish researchers. http://www.irishgenealogynews.com/2016/02/what-to-expect-in-2016-belated-preview.html?m=1


Cheers,
Pat

Bombshell Announcement TODAY

According to Thomas MacEntee there will be a major bombshell announcement this afternoon from one of the genealogy vendors at RootsTech. Hmmmm, hope it's something very positive which I suspect will be the case.

What a tease he is!! haha I'll get back to you soon as I hear it.


Cheers,
Pat


AND HERE's THE ANSWER 3pm: http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e6b48e8de3ee2e5430b75a4d5&id=f6aa459d8f&e=1a6f7d9def

P.

RootsTech - FREE Streaming

So the biggest genealogy conference, in the World, is about to begin in Salt Lake City. For those of us unable to attend we are again being offered certain sessions that will be streamed FREE. So sit in your comfy home and watch and listen to which ever sessions you chose. https://www.rootstech.org/?lang=eng
If you can't 'attend' live, after the conference, recordings of the streamed sessions will be available on their website for a certain period of time.

And don't miss the Syllabus entries - just look around the home page. A Syllabus entry will give you important notes written by the speaker - just like a handout.

On Thursday, February 4:
8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., Thursday General Session, featuring Steve Rockwood, Paula Madison, and Bruce Feiler
11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m., 7 Unique Technologies for Genealogy Discoveries, presented by Mike Mansfield
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Best Websites and Apps for Local History, presented by Amy Crow
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., What’s New in Family Tree in 2016, presented by Ron Tanner
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Virtual Family Reunions, presented by Joseph Richardson

On Friday, February 5:
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Friday General Session, featuring Josh and Naomi Davis (Love Taza) and David Isay
10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m., RootsTech Innovator Showdown Finals, where yours truly The Legal Genealogist will be one of the judges
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy, presented by Lisa Louise Cooke
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Finding Elusive Records on FamilySearch.org, presented by Robert Kehrer
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., My Ancestors Are from Britain—What Do I Do Next?, presented by Myko Clelland

On Saturday, February 6:
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Saturday General Session, featuring Michael Leavitt
11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m., Photos—Emerging Technologies in Photography, presented by Jens Nielsen
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Become a Master Searcher on Ancestry, presented by Anne Mitchell
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Homespun and Calico: Researching our Foremothers, presented by Peggy Lauritzen
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Using the Genealogical Proof Standard for Success, presented by James Ison


Cheers,
Pat