I've been working on Chinese Canadian genealogy for almost three decades. It's almost laughable how forgotten our history has been. I think of how I have spent twenty years visiting used bookstores looking for any mention of Chinese Canadian history. The idea that it was possible for one person to collect nearly all significant titles in this genre speaks volumes about its underrepresentation. But no longer. There are entire groups across Canada, the United States, and in Jiangmen, Guangdong, that are devoted to the study of Chinese diasporic history. Our rich stories are being uncovered, our records released.
Tag: British Columbia
Coffee Chat Series: Canadian voters lists for Asians and other disenfranchised folks
In this post I'd like to talk about navigating a "common record" set - voters lists - when the population was disenfranchised. There's an assumption in genealogy of "common records." Voters Lists fall in this category, along with censuses, vital records, and city directories. Chinese, Japanese, South Asians, and Indigenous were disenfranchised for decades, meaning that entire record sets that would generally be available for others have gaps for these groups. Knowing when this does and does not apply is important work for a genealogist.
My trip to the archives: how I prepare and what I found
Like you, I spend inordinate amounts of time researching obscure documents at odd hours. (Truthfully, sometimes it's research and sometimes it's getting lost down rabbit holes.) If only everything was online. I read archival finding aids like a Christmas wish list: I want this, and this, and this too. My curiosity is far bigger than my budget (to pay external researchers).
What you need to know to visit the BC Archives today (Sep 2022)
How to read the codes for vital statistic records at the BC archives:I'm excited to share this with you. Despite pulling birth, marriage, and death records (BMDs) back in 2018, I'd forgotten this little trick for reading registration codes and was utterly confused my first day. Now I'm sharing it with you (and my future self, who will forget again). There are two different methods depending on whether the records were produced before or after 1944. We will start with the easier ones: record produced after 1944.
Disenfranchised: Having, losing, and regaining the vote, a quick look at the laws 1872-1948
Come with me as I look at the exact wording of the disenfranchising laws for the Chinese from 1872-1948, including 16 links to finding original Acts and legislation in Canada.
The cemeteries of New Westminster, BC, from the BC Pen to Woodlands, and the ones under the high school
This is a post about the various cemeteries serving historic New Westminster, including the ones under the high school, and those used by hospitals and prisons: Essondale, Woodlands, BC Pen, Oakalla.
What if the record is wrong?
It may come as a surprise to learn that not all historic records are accurate. Here's my unofficial ranking of genealogy records, with an example.
The Chrysalis: The Early Life of Susanne Gim Ling Yip Sang
Documents only tell a part of the story. Here's how I put them together.
The uncle I didn’t know I had – finding Yim
I uncover the story of my unknown uncle Yim, through a variety of sources from original documents to the BC archives
A trip to the archives #1 – the BC edition
If you are planning a trip to the BC Archives, here are my top need-to-knows.