Canadian Genealogy · Genealogy How Tos

Don’t overlook free digital records with my Library and Archives Canada / Heritage Canadiana hack, part 1

This weekend, I noticed more than one reel digitized at HC with no indication at LAC. Maybe at some point in the future, LAC will sync seamlessly with HC and the two will work simultaneously. Until that happens, check for the "secret" reels.

Canadian Genealogy

Get ready to visit Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa

I had the pleasure of three days of research at the BC archives last August. It was my second visit there and I was much better prepared. I don't know when next I'll visit Ottawa so I mean to make the most of it. Already I know I won't see all that I want to see, nor will I have the capacity to spent eight hours/day reading microfilm. I'm planning a week when I need a month - every minute will be precious!

Canadian Genealogy · Genealogy How Tos · How To Videos

Explore the new Library and Archives Canada site (Oct 2022)

... Before, you went to Library Archives Canada's site, and then you went to the siloed databases. Like if you wanted "Immigrants before 1865," you search there. And then if you wanted "Russian Immigrants," you'd search there. So it was extremely difficult to find anything at Library and Archives Canada. And what was missing was a central collection search. Well, guess what, there is now a central collection search...

Canadian Genealogy · Chinese Genealogy

Order-in-Council PC 2115: When immigration met the X-ray machine

In this post I look at the follow up to the Chinese Immigration Act and share a startling period in Canadian immigration: the use of X-rays to determine the chronological age of Chinese teenagers and young adults. Put simply, X-rays were used to measure bone formation, called ossification, and by comparing the measurements of bone… Continue reading Order-in-Council PC 2115: When immigration met the X-ray machine

Canadian Genealogy

The prisoners of Kingston Pen, 1843-1890

I found a surprising cache of documents this week: historic prisoner records for Kingston Penitentiary. In this post, I'll share two finding techniques for prisoner records at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and at sister site Héritage Canadiana (Héritage). As noted in previous posts, the two sites share information, but I'm still working out their… Continue reading The prisoners of Kingston Pen, 1843-1890