2019 Conference
27 September 2019 (selected presentations)
Are You Doing Everything to Identify Your DNA Matches?
Blaine Bettinger
In this lecture, we examined numerous ways you can use a match’s profile to identify who they might be. We also examined ways to use the In Common With tool and the Shared Matches tool to estimate how that elusive match is related to you.
The National Archives Catalogue UK
Audrey Collins
The TNA Catalogue called Discovery holds more than 32 million descriptions of records held by The National Archives and more than 2,500 archives and institutions across the UK, as well as some archives and institutions abroad. Use Discovery to access records relating to Britain and British history―over 9 million records are available for download. Discovery provides contact details for all the contributing archives and institutions. This talk discussed the scope of the collection (not just England), how to find records in the collection, and some interesting finds.
NOTE: poor audio quality - mute speakers while watching video
Think Like an Archivist: Libraries and Archives for Genealog
Nancy Loe
Find (often hidden) genealogy resources held in libraries nd archives worldwide, using online archival portals and finding aids. Learn how to: 1) Find archival portals and gateways, 2) Use effective search terms and strategies for primary sources, 3) Prepare for research trips or request materials.
NOTE: poor audio quality - mute speakers while watching video
Chromosome Mapping
Blaine Bettinger
Chromosome mapping is a technique used to identify which segments of DNA you received from your ancestors. The technique assigns pieces of DNA you share with a known cousin to the ancestor or ancestral couple you share with that cousin. During this session we learned more about chromosome mapping and a third-party tool for chromosome mapping called “DNA Painter.”
Behind the Scenes: Census Records UK
Audrey Collins
The census has been described as a “snapshot in time,” recording the nation as it stands at midnight on one Sunday every ten years. But the preparation for each census started years before each census date, and the collating and publishing of the results continued long after. This talk looked at the army of civil servants, temporary clerks, registrars, enumerators and others, and the part they played in this astonishing feat of organization once a decade. Of course, there were incidents and accidents along the way, some of which are revealed in the talk, including the only time advertising was allowed on census material: it didn’t end well.
NOTE: poor audio quality—mute speakers while watching video
29 September 2019
Evaluating a Genealogical Conclusion including DNA
Blaine Bettinger
Someone tells you that they’ve proven their connection to a genealogical ancestor using DNA, but have they really proven it? Did they avoid the known pitfalls? Together we discussed the most common pitfalls when using DNA evidence, and proposed the minimum requirements for a genealogical proof comprising DNA.
Ten Skills Every Genealogist Needs
Nancy Loe
This lecture helped us master essential elements of genealogy research and information management. Enhance your research skills searching the “Deep Web.” Pinpoint geographic locations past and present with mapping resources. Find resources for reading old handwriting and translating records. Manage the information you find effectively using your family tree software as a hub. Learn how to insert information inside digital images. Discover ways to enter data consistently for better search results. Whether you’re just starting out or are an experienced researcher, these ten skills can improve your research results.
NOTE: poor audio quality—mute speakers while watching video
Behind the Scenes: Records of the General Records Office UK
Audrey Collins
The General Register Office is part of Her Majesty's Passport Office and oversees civil registration in England and Wales. The GRO maintains the national archive of all births, marriages and deaths dating back to 1837. This register can be an amazing source of information for genealogical researchers. This talk looked why the register was started, what has been collected and how to get the most out of the information it contains. Some interesting finds were highlighted to show the scope of the information.
NOTE: poor audio quality—mute speakers while watching video.
DNA and the Aftermath of Uncovered Family Secrets
Blaine Bettinger
Does a truth uncovered by DNA always trump secrecy, or can/should the truth have boundaries? If so, what are those boundaries? Together we dissected the roles of secrecy and openness as we examine real life examples of both the joy and the fallout from family secrets uncovered by DNA.
A Scottish Farmer's Ride Through England, 1802
Audrey Collins
It began with a chance find in a second-hand bookshop, a small soft-covered booklet of 64 pages, purchased for £3. A Scottish Farmer’s Ride Through England: 100 years ago was printed in 1906, and the journey in question took place in April and May of 1802. As a travel diary it makes interesting reading in itself, in the form of Andrew Blaikie’s observations as he travelled from his home in Bowdon, Roxburghshire, to London and back. This talk relived the ride, exploring the places along the route.
Monthly Meetings 2019
14 December 2019
Great Moments
I Was There: Growing up in Northeast England during the Depression
Wilf Tarbet (starts at 00:00)
Wilf Tarbet’s Great Moment is a firsthand account of life in Jarrow, North East England, growing up during the Depression in a town where there was very little work. He shared details of his grandparents’ appalling living conditions.
Treasures in the Attic
Gil Croome (starts at 19:08)
Gil Croome took a family story from his childhood, used the internet to confirm it … and then a came a great moment.
The Sail Maker's Palm . . .
Maureen Amey (starts at 31:55)
A tool, owned by a former merchant seaman, started as merely an object of a child’s curiosity, but subsequently connected to a distant ancestor's work, and an understanding of how it was adversely affected by the end of the Napoleonic wars.
Far From Home: Mission Accomplished
Glenn Wright, starts at 50:21
Twelve years ago, Diana Beaupre and Adrian Watkinson of Canterbury, England, launched Far From Home, a project to locate, record, research and visit all 3902 gravesites of Canadian Great War casualties who died and are commemorated in Great Britain. The project concluded in September 2019 with one last road trip to visit several gravesites and to place a memorial to all these Canadians in Scotland.
Unfortunately, there is audio distortion in places.
9 November
Before BIFHSGO
Live Q & A: Tips for finding military records in the UK National Archives
Ken McKinlay & Glenn Wright
Several participants at a recent BIFHSGO conference mentioned they were having difficulty
finding military records on the UK National Archives site. Bring your queries—Ken
McKinlay and Glenn Wright will offer tips on navigating the site, and perhaps find that missing
record!
Main talk
The Commonwealth War Graves: In Perpetuity
Dominique Boulais
The Commission’s duties are to mark and maintain the graves of Commonwealth soldiers who died in the two world wars, to build and maintain memorials to the dead whose graves are unknown, and to keep records and registers. Dominique Boulais talked about the Commission’s history, fundamental
principles, mandate and worldwide responsibilities. He outlined the Commission's Canadian Agency’s
responsibilities within the Americas, with an emphasis on its work in genealogy.