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  • 15 Aug 2022 10:15 AM | Anonymous

    The Memory Project, an initiative of Historica Canada, gives veterans and current Canadian Forces members the opportunity to share their stories of military service through its online archive and volunteer speakers bureau.

    This toolkit has been created to help you through the steps of creating an oral history podcast: how to conduct research, how to interview subjects, and how to incorporate an interview into a script that tells a story. It introduces activities, in-person or virtual, that guide students in planning their own podcast episodes. The toolkit focuses on interviewing a Memory Project speaker and incorporating their story into a podcast, and provides opportunities to showcase oral history as a valuable primary source.

    You can access The Memory Project at: https://fb.historicacanada.ca/education/english/how-to-make-an-oral-history-podcast/.


  • 15 Aug 2022 10:07 AM | Anonymous

    The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

    Findmypast releases Tree Search with instant connections and new discoveries waiting to help family trees bloom  

    ·         Major new update on Findmypast enables members to search for ancestors in other members’ family trees 

    ·         Tree Search unlocks a treasure trove of new data, with over 420 million connections in 4.5 million trees waiting to be discovered 

    ·         Members can quickly and easily grow their trees by adding common ancestors and discovering new connections 

    ·         Only deceased ancestors can be searched using this new feature 

    Leading family history website, Findmypast, has launched Tree Search, a new feature which gives members the ability to instantly discover ancestors, connections and stories in other members’ family trees.   

    Now available to all members to explore, the feature allows users to search other members’ trees to find ancestors in common, as well as merging these into their own tree to progress their research faster than ever before. 

    New users will be able to rapidly start and grow their family tree, while experienced members will be able to enrich their family stories further, discover new connections, and validate their already blooming family trees. 

    Members can find new cuttings to add to their own trees by heading to their family tree, choosing an ancestor, and then ‘Search Trees’. The clever technology pre-fills details to help you find ancestors in other trees faster. After only a few clicks, you can merge the exciting new finds to your own tree. Or, members can search for ancestors, famous faces and other people of interest via the Tree Search page.  

    You can also choose to contact a tree owner via Private Messaging to strike up a conversation about your shared ancestry. 

    Members can check they are opted into this feature by checking ‘share deceased ancestors’ under their family tree’s settings. Anyone who doesn’t wish for their deceased ancestors to appear in Tree Search can opt-out from their family tree settings at any time. Living relatives are not included in Tree Search; only those marked as deceased or over 110 years old are visible. Findmypast members with any subscription or 14-day free trial will have full access to this new feature.  

    Chris Brake, Head of Data Products at Findmypast said; ‘This is a huge new development for the Findmypast community, unlocking a treasure trove of new possibilities for our members, along with the opportunity to make life-changing connections. This update marks the beginning of an exciting new era at Findmypast: it’s never been easier to discover your own family story with us, and if you’ve not tried Findmypast yet, now is the perfect time to start. In time, even more will be possible with Tree Search.’ 

  • 15 Aug 2022 10:01 AM | Anonymous

    Residents of southwest Missouri with photographs, letters, pamphlets and other artifacts related to African-American history are wanted.

    The State Historical Society of Missouri put out a call for individuals to bring the personal and family items to a free digitization event.

    The free event is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri. It is located 65 miles west of Springfield in Newton County.

    Residents of Newton, Jasper, McDonald, Barry, Barton and Dade counties — and others living in the southwest part of the state — are invited.

    “By participating, residents will not only be advised on the best practices for protecting these materials, but also offered the opportunity to digitize and preserve them as part of the larger African American Heritage in the Ozarks Project,” said Sean Rost, oral historian and project lead, in a news release.

    Families will be able to submit their items to be digitized, and preserved, and they will also receive complimentary copies of their digital files. They will also be asked to record an interview with an oral historian about their items, community history and genealogy.

    You can read more in an article written by Claudette Riley and published in the Springfield News-Leader web site at: https://bit.ly/3AlubtX.

  • 12 Aug 2022 3:42 PM | Anonymous

    The following Plus Edition article is written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

    Ah, the glamorous life: flying from city to city, giving presentations before genealogy conferences and society meetings. How would you like to do the same?

    First of all, I'll warn you there isn't much glamour in genealogy public speaking. Indeed, the busiest and most popular speakers on the genealogy circuit usually grow weary of a life of hotels, living out of suitcases, interminable hours spent in airports, and a constant diet of "rubber chicken and peas" at conference banquets. Going through airport security for the eighth time in one month also isn't fun. Glamour? Maybe not.

    Next, the money isn't so good except for a handful of top-notch superstars who have been doing this for years. The high-paid experts are usually seasoned public speakers and writers and probably professional genealogy researchers as well. Some of them even have television experience. As a beginner, you won't see those big paychecks for a long time.

    The constant travel can get you down as well. Sometimes you forget where you are or where you are going. I used to do more speaking than I do now and was on the road two or three times a month. More than once I woke up in a hotel room in the early morning hours and briefly wondered, "Where am I?"

    One day I walked up to the ticket counter at the local airport, and the lady behind the desk asked innocently, "Where are you flying to today?" I stammered for a bit and then realized that I couldn't remember! Luckily, a printed itinerary in my jacket pocket rescued me. At that moment, I decided I was traveling too much. I travel less these days.

    Despite the drawbacks, public speaking also provides a lot of gratification. Providing instruction or expertise to those who are eager to learn what you can offer is a rewarding experience. I suspect teachers are familiar with those feelings. Public speakers enjoy the same “rush” of doing the job well. I suspect that few others can say the same.

    I thought I would share a few of my experiences and a lot of my observations of other genealogy speakers.

    How to Get Started

    The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/12881952.

    If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077.


  • 12 Aug 2022 9:24 AM | Anonymous

    The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

    Over a million records added for North of England  

    Findmypast adds 1.8 million records for York and beyond this Friday  

    City of York Electoral Registers 1848-1938 

    This new collection comprises of 1.76 million records, and should help you find an ancestor’s name and address. Be sure to check the original for further details about their property.  

    Durham Baptisms 

    Over 16,000 new records have been added to this existing collection. Spanning 1664 to 1921, the new records cover 19 churches across the county, and you can find an ancestor’s baptism date, parents, residence and more. 

    Northumberland Baptisms 

    Another 9,500 records have been added to this set, bringing the number to over 700,000. The new records are for 11 parishes, and even include the All Saints Dissenter church of central Newcastle.  

    Newspapers 

    Findmypast have reached 55 million newspaper pages this week, with new titles from Barbados and England.   

    New titles: 

    ·         Barbados Herald, 1879-1896 

    ·         Tunbridge Wells Journal, 1862-1904 

    ·         Weekly Register and Catholic Standard, 1849-1870 

    ·         Wimbledon News, 1894-1915 

    Updated titles: 

    ·         Billingham & Norton Advertiser, 1988, 1995 

    ·         Birkenhead News, 1994 

    ·         Birmingham Daily Post, 1910 

    ·         Birmingham Mail, 1969, 1971, 1998 

    ·         Birmingham Weekly Mercury, 1963, 1980 

    ·         Bracknell Times, 1980 

    ·         Buckinghamshire Examiner, 1999 

    ·         Burntwood Mercury, 1994 

    ·         Cambridge Town Crier, 1989 

    ·         Central Somerset Gazette, 1987 

    ·         Cheshunt and Waltham Mercury, 1998 

    ·         Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore), 1939-1945 

    ·         Crewe Chronicle, 1988 

    ·         Derbyshire Times, 1922, 1931 

    ·         Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser, 1991 

    ·         Ealing & Southall Informer, 1993 

    ·         Ellesmere Port Pioneer, 1920-1936 

    ·         Evening Despatch, 1930-1931, 1936 

    ·         Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 1993, 1995 

    ·         Gloucestershire Echo, 1894 

    ·         Grimsby Daily Telegraph, 1993 

    ·         Hammersmith & Shepherds Bush Gazette, 1969 

    ·         Harlow Star, 1993 

    ·         Herald Cymraeg, 1989 

    ·         Horley & Gatwick Mirror, 1994 

    ·         Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 1999 

    ·         Isle of Thanet Gazette and Thanet Times, 1987, 1994 

    ·         Kent Messenger & Gravesend Telegraph, 1968 

    ·         Liverpool Mercury, 1872 

    ·         Llanelli Star, 1994 

    ·         Long Eaton Advertiser, 1891-1892, 1902, 1905-1909, 1911-1912 

    ·         Nantwich Chronicle, 1998-1999 

    ·         Neath Guardian, 1991 

    ·         Oadby & Wigston Mail, 1993 

    ·         Plymouth Extra, 1986 

    ·         Pontypridd Observer, 1988, 1990 

    ·         Retford, Gainsborough & Worksop Times, 1999 

    ·         Rossendale Free Press, 1897, 1995 

    ·         Royston and Buntingford Mercury, 1993 

    ·         Rugeley Mercury, 1989, 1994 

    ·         Runcorn Guardian, 1905 

    ·         Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, 1993 

    ·         Sevenoaks Focus, 1993 

    ·         Solihull News, 1993, 1999 

    ·         Staffordshire Newsletter, 1998 

    ·         Stirling Observer, 1993 

    ·         Stockport Times, 1993 

    ·         Strathearn Herald, 1994 

    ·         Surrey Herald, 1993 

    ·         The People, 1988 

    ·         Town Talk 1822, 1822 

    ·         Walton & Weybridge Informer, 1990 

    ·         Wellingborough & Rushden Herald & Post, 1991 

    ·         Wembley Leader, 1990, 1993 

    ·         Western Morning News, 1913 

    ·         Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 1994 

    Plus, if you’ve solved a mystery using the 1921 Census of England and Wales, Findmypast want to hear from you. Email discoveries@findmypast.com with the details.  

  • 12 Aug 2022 9:02 AM | Anonymous

    NOTE: This article has nothing to do with genealogy. If you are looking for genealogy-related information, I suggest you skip this article. However, if you use Meta.com (previously known as Facebook.com), you might want to know the company is tracking you (which shouldn't surprise anyone as the company has been tracking its users for years) and your data is secretly being used for nefarious purposes. I suggest that all Meta.com (previously known as Facebook.com) users should be aware of the true purpose of the company:

    According to an article in the news9live.com web site, Meta is injecting code into external sites visited via Facebook and Instagram. Meta is able to track every single interaction with external websites, including inputs like passwords and addresses, to every single tap.

    Invasion of user privacy isn't a new charge for Meta or its products like Facebook and Instagram. An ex-Google engineer has now made damning accusation about the company's practices via a new research. Privacy researcher Felix Krause claims that Meta is stalking users by rewriting scripts of websites visited by users, via its apps or platforms. Krause, who developed a tool acquired by Google, claims that this activity allows the company to track a user, once they click a link on any of its platform. This allegedly lets the company track every single interaction with external websites, including inputs like passwords and addresses, to every single tap.

    You can read the full report at: https://bit.ly/3BXMZAz.


  • 11 Aug 2022 8:34 PM | Anonymous

    I love e-books: books and other publications that are available in electronic format instead of on paper. I have several hundred such books stored on my desktop and laptop computers and many on an Amazon Kindle, including newspapers, books downloaded from Google Books, many blogs, and more. I read the Wall Street Journal every day on an Amazon Kindle. I almost never print anything these days; I prefer to read text on a computer screen or on the Kindle or on a normal computer.

    Making the switch from printed documents to an on-screen display of the same information is a significant psychological adjustment. For a while, it felt "funny" to read books, newspapers and newsletters on a computer screen. The adjustment was easier on the Amazon Kindle as its "e-paper" display is much closer to printed paper. Once I became accustomed to reading things on-screen, I found the process to be easier than ever. Searches are usually easier since many digital documents and ebooks allow one to quickly search for any word or phrase. Just try doing that in a book printed on paper! Of course, e-books are also cheaper and eco-friendly; I no longer consume as much paper and laser printer toner as I used to.

    I suspect that the economics of publishing books on paper will soon mean the end of paper-based genealogy books, as well as all sorts of other books and newspapers. A printed book costs a lot more to publish than an e-book. Consumers and publishers alike will appreciate the savings available when publishing electronically.

    Reading documents on a computer screen is good, but the use of a portable reader with "e-paper" is much better. For instance, use of an Amazon Kindle simplifies the process. Computerworld has a new article that takes a look at the development and the future of e-paper. E-paper is rapidly becoming its own industry.

    The article notes some of the current limitations of the technology and looks ahead to a few upcoming ideas. 

    You can read "The Future of E-Paper" in Computerworld at https://www.computerworld.com/article/2552045/the-future-of-e-paper.html.

    You can read more about the Amazon Kindle at: https://bit.ly/3BYtuYC.

    What I Use

    I have to admit that I prefer to using my Chromebook to read Kindle formatted ebooks. The Chromebook has a larger screen versus a Kindle e-reader and operates in full color. It is easy to read Kindle ebooks on Windows, Macintosh, Chromebooks, and even in a web browser. To read Kindle ebooks on your present computer, go to the App Store for your computer and search for “Kindle.” That will quickly show the FREE Kindle app designed for your computer. Download and install that app and you now have the (better) equivalent of a Kindle in your present computer.

    If you prefer, you can simply find a Kindle ebook of interest in Amazon, then click on “Deliver to” and then select “Cloud reader.” The launch your favorite web browser to read it. No new hardware is required! It is also cheaper (as you do not need to purchase a Kindle).


  • 11 Aug 2022 11:24 AM | Anonymous

    The following announcement was written by the organizers of the FHF REALLY USEFUL Family History Show:

    The premier online family history event operated by family historians for family historians!

    The 2022 virtual REALLY USEFUL Family History Show takes place on evening of Friday 11th and all day on Saturday November. Friday evening will see family history societies available for all comers – no ticket required: come and ask questions of those local experts with founts of knowledge. Show tickets are selling fast and provide full access to all areas including extended time to immerse yourself in the expert presentations plus a raft of practical workshops are being announced over the coming weeks.

    Today, the keynote speakers are announced:

    Friday 11th at 7pm Diahan Southard is a leading voice for consumer DNA testing from her position as founder of Your DNA Guide.

    Connecting Your DNA Matches

    While it is possible to analyse your DNA matches one at a time to determine how you are related, there is much accomplished by first identifying the connections between those on your match list, organising those matches, and then working together to determine how you are related to each other. Learn the tips and tricks to this powerful method of match analysis.

    Saturday 12th at 10.15am Paul Nixon has a keen interest in military history and in particular the British Army and its campaigns between 1850 and 1920.

    British Army Detective – Piecing Together the Jigsaw

    Making the most of what scant information survives in order to build a fuller picture of service is like a jigsaw. This presentation includes a deep dive into regimental numbers and what these can tell us. This presentation is ideal for beginners and seasoned researchers alike.

    Buy your ticket today! www.fhf-reallyuseful.com/full-ticket-for-november-2022-show

    Review the last show and watch for details of the upcoming event: www.fhf-reallyuseful.com

  • 11 Aug 2022 11:05 AM | Anonymous

    Citizen science and advances in DNA sequencing help identify Jane and John Does.

    “Lake Stickney John Doe” spent almost a decade underwater before surfacing in June 1994 — a pair of fishermen found him among a patch of lily pads in Snohomish County, Washington.

    An autopsy revealed only a few details: He had been shot in the head, likely dumped in the late 1980s and was somewhere between 25 and 35 years old.

    Discovering his identity would be an uphill, if not impossible, feat. One-fifth of a nanogram — fewer than 20 human cells worth of DNA, all of it incomplete and contaminated, were recovered from the body. This, compared to a traditional cheek swab which generates between 750 and 1,000 nanograms of clean, complete DNA. The case stayed cold for over 26 years.

    This summer, as lakes dry up due to climate-change induced drought, there have been an alarming number of similar John and Jane Does found — their remaining genetic material compromised after being submerged years in lakewater. At Lake Mead, four bodies have been discovered in the reservoir since May, the latest turning up on Aug. 6.

    The growing sector of genetic genealogy combines advances in two distinct scientific fields — DNA sequencing and genealogy. Scientists are able to recover trace amounts of DNA to build a genetic profile and then infer familial relationships by searching databases of DNA profiles from people who have paid to have their genetic material sequenced. Though only a decade old, the method has helped solve cases where law enforcement had DNA samples, but nothing to compare them to.

    You can read a lot more in an article by Christian Thorsberg published in the Grid.News web site at: https://bit.ly/3phwuaU.


  • 11 Aug 2022 10:40 AM | Anonymous

    The following is a press release from TheGenealogist:

    TheGenealogist has been praised for its innovative tools that allow you to discover exactly where your ancestors lived, using Map Explorer™. This innovative feature has now been added to Gold and Starter level subscriptions.


    Home of Joseph Chamberlain (father of the WW2 prime minister) found on the 1891 census in Map Explorer™

    Census pins identify properties on Map Explorer™

    Image Archive records located on Map Explorer™

    From today, a significant number of databases including the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census, plus TheGenealogist’s Image Archive pictures and along with the Domesday Book 1086, are now available with pins on georeferenced maps in Map Explorer™. This makes Starter & Gold Subscriptions powerful resources for researchers to see where their forebears lived, as well as to investigate the neighbourhood and surrounding area. Accessing Map Explorer™ on a mobile allows researchers to walk in the footsteps of ancestors and discover where homes, schools, places of work and other buildings may once have stood but have now disappeared.

    This interface will place a pin on the house using historical data to identify its location where possible or if not, the street or parish on an appropriate map of the area connected to the record. As this resource makes use of a number of historical and modern maps matching the same precise coordinates, Starter & Gold subscribers are in a much better position to see where their ancestors had once lived even if the area has now changed.

    To find out what’s included in the discounted Starter and Gold subscriptions go to www.thegenealogist.co.uk/PRTGAUG22

    To read about using the Census collection, Image Archive and Domesday Book 1086 linked to mapping for an area recently in the news see our article: Mapping the records from a PM’s house to the Conqueror’s Manor

    https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2022/mapping-the-records-from-a-pms-house-to-the-conquerors-manor-1604/

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