Tuesday, July 26, 2016

FREE BMD Remains FREE

So even the 'big guys' can get fooled.

As in all research it comes down to 'source', 'source', 'source' and an error was made saying that all those wonderful sites Free BMD, Free UK genealogy, Freereg and Free census would soon be pay sites - meaning we'd have to pay.

So if one digs a bit deeper, and gets back to the original source [this is what we should all be doing in our research, right?] one would discover it's no such thing. Read on http://www.freeukgenealogy.org.uk/blog/2016/07/25/free-forever/

Bottom line - don't believe anyone without checking it out for yourself!!


Cheers,
Pat

Monday, July 25, 2016

Twitter Advice

Thanks to John Reid for this article that also gives links to those not using Twitter, but who might if they understood the 'how to's'. http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.ca/2016/07/twitter-advice.html


Cheers,
Pat

FAKE Google Chrome Update - BEWARE!

Thanks to Thomas MacEntee for writing this article http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e6b48e8de3ee2e5430b75a4d5&id=e78205df4e&e=1a6f7d9def

Very dangerous so do NOT click on it.


Cheers,
Pat

Monday, July 18, 2016

Got Your DNA Results - What's Next?

Peter Calver of Lost Cousins, has been writing DNA articles for some time now. He is much better versed in the subject than yours truly AND he writes so I can understand. Anyone who does not belong to Lost Cousins should consider joining, it's FREE. Here is his latest newsletter with his most recent DNA article. http://lostcousins.com/newsletters2/jul16news.htm#WhatNext


Cheers,
Pat

Irish Surname Map

This is such a useful tool for those who have not been able to pinpoint a 'beginning' location in Ireland. It's one I've used dozens of times when it was on the Irish Times website. Apparently that version has become dated and no one was willing to put forth required resources SO well known Irish genealogist, and creator of the map, John Grenham has taken it over himself. It will now be a pay-for site, but you can still try it out for free here https://www.johngrenham.com/ Using that second surname is what makes it really useful in my opinion.


Cheers,
Pat

London England Researchers - MAP!

For anyone researching in early modern London, you'll be happy with this with new resource http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/. Thanks to Dave Obee for this.


Cheers,
Pat

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Saturday, July 16, 2016

I Am In AWE! Please Read

So while the weather was absolutely PERFECT outside today, I spent most of it inside indexing for familysearch https://familysearch.org/worldsrecords trying to do a little paying back for all the FREE records they have given me over the decades.

It's not totally easy - you do have to READ - but once you do you'll find you can choose the country and record set you'd like to help with. And about once an hour I had to take a break from my Irish Death records to get outside and rest my eyes, and brain. So hard to read, and so sad to read. I have never worked behind the scenes with familysearch, but I do know that it would be much appreciated for indexers to choose an area they are familiar with to index. Such is not the case. So every single time I volunteer to do some indexing, for whomever, it makes me a much better researcher. Why? Because I 'get' the challenges indexers have. The never ending challenges, especially as they are almost always working in an unfamiliar area, with unfamiliar place names, and unfamiliar surnames, and unfamiliar circumstances.

So today I indexed mostly death records from Ireland Civil Registrations. This is a series of records that are super hard to come by for researchers. Today I understand that. I won't swear, but Holy CRAP are they hard to read!!!!!! And when I could read, soooo many of the ages were for babies which have to be indexed as 0. Once you read the rules for indexers, you just might learn new tricks to assist you in your personal research!!

Please remember that the LDS records are FREE on familysearch, and those you order in through your local FHC is postage cost only. How does this happen? Well boy and girls, it happens through volunteers like you and I. Maybe I will index something that will help YOU! I hope so. Maybe you will index something that will help ME! I hope so. Working together is just THE BEST!!! So while we get frustrated when we can't locate a record, chances are the LDS Church has already microfilmed that record. They just need indexers to get them online, FREE, and easy to work with. Won't you help? AND appreciate what indexers go through to help.

It doesn't matter if you're only able to do a few. It doesn't matter if you can't help until late Sunday. Every bit of assistance is so appreciated by the person who finds what they're looking for! Could that be YOU? Pitch in.


Cheers,
Pat

Friday, July 15, 2016

Indexing - Anyone?

Familysearch has begun their indexing project today which ends on the 17th. Have a look at what records are available and that NEED indexing to make them more useful. It's a worthwhile wee job and if we all pitch in whatever time we can, we'll all be helped! I'm doing it too!! https://familysearch.org/worldsrecords There are some Irish civil registration records calling me. Even though my research is earlier than civil registration, who knows what records have never been digitized and *maybe* that's why I haven't been able to locate certain family members? Join me please. Do whatever you are able - little or lots - it all helps!


Cheers,
Pat

Thursday, July 14, 2016

WIN a DNA Kit

Here's a wonderful opportunity to enter a contest and win a DNA kit from our friends at Shop the Hound http://blog.familyhistoryhound.com/giveaways/dna-angel-project/?lucky=222 Thanks guys and good luck everyone!!


Cheers,
Pat

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Irish Death Records

Lots of links here, mostly FREE. It's primarily a website dedicated to locating Roman Catholic Irish death records, her advice, AND links, are helpful no matter what religion we seek. She has also included some historical background which is very helpful to those of us not raised in Ireland. http://thesearchforanneandmichael.blogspot.ca/2015/11/tuesday-tips-nomina-defunctorum-irish.html

Added Note: I've just been working my way through some of the records, and have a little hint that may help. Once you've got the document open, hold down your Ctrl and F key at the same time. A little box will pop up somewhere on your computer screen. Begin to input the letters of whatever surname you are searching for. You will either get some matches, or nothing. With matches use the little drop down arrow to scroll to the next. With nothing you can simply close that document and move on. Hope this saves you some time.


Cheers,
Pat

Prevent FB Profile being Spoofed

Thanks to Lorine Shulze over at OliveTree Genealogy Blog for very easy and concise directions. Have a look http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.ca/2016/07/how-to-prevent-your-facebook-profile.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/DhbcZ+(Olive+Tree+Genealogy+Blog)


Cheers,
Pat

UK War Memorials online

Here's a new site that sounds interesting!! http://war-memorial.co.uk/


Cheers,
Pat

Friday, July 8, 2016

DNA Keeping Me BUSY

So I got my DNA Autosomal results back and WOW there is sooooooooo much to learn, but it's totally fascinating!!! So glad I did this, finally. haha

What I can share with you right now is that I am 97% European, 3% Middle East. Well at least it adds up to 100%. Whew!! Lol My ethnicity breaks down this way: 62% British Isles, 27% Western & Central Europe, 7% Southern Europe, 1% Eastern Europe, and the 3% Eastern Middle East. So I'm not surprised at the largest 89% combined, but I have no knowledge of the southern Europe, or eastern Middle east. Always something unknown right? Something to shoot for? Yahoo! I love a challenge. Happy Weekend!!


Cheers,
Pat

Friday, July 1, 2016

FindMyPast Has Canadian Census & Why U NEED To Try

So I'm just poking around in the FMP website and notice they have now digitized, and indexed, the Canadian 1911 census. My head was about to explode! WHY oh WHY would they have done that when it's available FREE on the LAC website ... when it's on Ancestry.ca for members ... and when there are so many other records I'd like them to do. But they didn't ask ME [haha], so I decided to try it out before I write my snarky note to them.

Small piece of humble pie now being served! I have a family I've followed named Alexander SANDALACK, babt 1880 in Galicia, but living in Regina Saskatchewan by 1911 census with his wife Annie, some kids, and some lodgers. I know who was in the household because I painstakingly searched that particular census district one page at a time until I found them. Using the LAC site and inputting above info delivers NO match. Same with Ancestry, even using the slides on the left. Zero matches. Bring on FMP and using same info within a second up they all popped! OMG!!! Soooooooooooo I'm now enjoying my pie as I use FMP to search for others lost in that 1911 census. Perhaps you'd like to try it too!!

Update: but FMP still cannot locate my Scottish/Irish grandparents & family with the simple surname of GILMOUR plus the info must have been invented by someone as the first names of most of the family are incorrect ... like not even close to correct. I have found them ages ago by using the same method as above - page by page flipping. So I don't have to eat the crust of my humble pie? hahaha

Supposed to be going out for dinner, but I'm having trouble leaving this!! Typical obsessed genealogist syndrome? Lol

Happy Canada Day!!


Cheers,
Pat

Scottish, Irish Dead, English - Battle of the Somme

As I've said before I have little to no expertise in military research, but I have been following the recent stories of the battle of the Somme. It was horrible! The numbers are shocking, for many countries. And it's probably why I stay away as I can find enough carnage in my families without looking to military files. BUT I also understand that some families were very involved in the military, and you must learn all you can to enable you to search with knowledge. So hope this helps someone http://britishgenes.blogspot.ca/2016/06/scottish-stories-of-somme.html

IRISH
Search the roll call of the Irish dead: http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/the-somme-100-years-on-search-the-roll-call-of-the-irish-dead-1.2705780

ENGLAND
Lots here too http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/



Cheers,
Pat