Monday 29 June 2015

School's Out



School is out and kids and parents are waiting for end of year report cards. At one time schools put the names of graduates and/or prize and award winners' names in the newspapers.

This newspaper from Sydney Australia posted on different pages of this January 14th paper and some the next day.
 
 
 
The Hartlepool Mail listed names of girl graduate prize winners at Darlington in 1886.
 
 
Not only elementary, high school, college and university promotions or graduates were posted, but there are posts also for music schools.  When I passed my Grade One Theory in Conservatory Music my name was among those that passed, in the Montreal Star June 25, 1963.
 
 



One of my Carter ancestors also had her name in the paper for music, for passing her senior grade in Lancashire, England, 1917. 



You can search newspapers using keywords: school graduates, school promotions, dean's list, school exams, etc.. also try with the city name in front. Following are a few I found on the free google newspapers archives.


Relevant Links:

Ottawa Normal School 1916

Three Rivers 1945

Daniel O'Connell High School Montreal 1945

Protestant Schools of City of Quebec 1899

Sydney Herald (AU) 1969

The Afro- American 1937

Farmer's Advocate, Charles Town, W Virginia 1938

Sir George Williams Montreal 1957

Spokane, Washington 1922



Related Post: 
School Days (with lists of yearbooks)






Sunday 21 June 2015

National Aboriginal Day - June 21


The Métis are recognized as one of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada. To celebrate his heritage and honour his forefathers, my husband registered and sent for his Metis status card. 



His 7x great grandfather was Jacques Nolin who came to Canada from France sometime before 1666 and settled at Ile d'Orleans. His 4x great grandfather was Jean Baptiste Nolin, well known and respected fur trader from Sault Ste Marie to Red River and Pembina. Jean Baptiste married Angelique Couvret, the Métis daughter of another fur trader, Victor Couvret and his wife Charlotte, a Saulteaux member of the Ojibwe Nation. 

My husband's father was also proud of his Métis heritage. Not all his family feels this way, still feeling the old stigma of being labeled a Métis or half-breed. Some of them even changed their name from Nolin to Nolan, hoping they were from the Irish Nolan's. 

"Denying who you are does not change anything," my husband says, "I am proud to stand with ALL my forefathers!"



Monday 15 June 2015

Join The Club



There may not have been FaceBook or LinkedIn in the 1800's, but a Men's Club was a place to meet like minded people and to network when looking for work, or wanting to get ahead in life. 


 
Junior Carleton Club, London 1868


Most clubs had quarters for living or just staying in the city a night or two. There would have been a dining room, probably a game room. A young well-to-do man when deemed too old to live at home, may live at the club before he is married.

There were Gentlemen's clubs and Workingmen's clubs.

Did your ancestor belong to a club?


Relevant links: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 8 June 2015

One World - One Month - One Dollar



FindMyPast is offering One Month WORLD subscription for $1. 

You must register and pay before 11:59 pm GMT on June 30, 2015 to claim this offer.



While you have it, under the Search tab, check out the newspapers for stories of your ancestors. Click here to take advantage of this offer.

Pronouncing Places and Names




I was unable to research and write an article this week, but I leave you with this interesting book: 

Pronunciation of Geographical names worthy of note in the known world, and names of celebrated men of ancient and modern times, plus tables in the back
 



published in Cincinnati 1859
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday 7 June 2015

Serendipity Sunday - Not just for Farmers!



My Carter ancestors of Fold House Farm in Pilling, Lancashire, England were pig farmers. They developed an excellent breed of pigs that were well sought after.

1899
1938


I can imagine that they may have subscribed to a Farm Journal, which gives good information on animal diseases and care, prize winners, prices at market, etc.

Just because your ancestor was not a farmer, don't discount these fact filled agricultural journals when telling the stories of your ancestors.  For example the Marks Express has market prices of crops and stock at various areas of the UK. Also, in the back of issues are interesting articles for the farmer's wives: recipes, fashion, etc...

Look for farm or agricultural journals for your area.



Relevant Links:


Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England

The Mark Lane Express Agricultural Journal - UK, (various years)

Farmer's Advocate and Home Magazine  Canada (various years)




Monday 1 June 2015

Gone to the Dogs



Growing up we always had a dog in the house. One dog we had as kids, in winter we would put our skates on and holding his leash he would pull us up and down our street. We had other pets too over the years... a bird, fish, rabbits, and my brother Mike had a pet skunk named Jimmy. He also had a pet fly he named Gimpy because one wing was broken.  When we were all going somewhere and my grandparents were staying at the house to look after the animals, he told them not to swat his fly.
I'll stick with the dogs.

Mike and Jimmy


My husband and I had a black Retriever of sorts we got at the pound when he was just 8 weeks old. His name was Keiro. He was a fantastic dog and we miss him dearly.  Two years ago we got Sadie, at 8 months old. For a few reasons we had to get a smaller dog and when we met Sadie it was love at first sight!  Sadie is an 18 lb Shiba Inu and quite a handful, keeping us active and on our toes! 


                                   Keiro (1998-2012)                Sadie (b 2012)

We took both our dogs to the Kennel Club for their excellent training program, and my dogs trained me very well.  We also have a great Vet to look after our "baby".

My grandfather had a Springer Spaniel named Smitty that followed him everywhere. This photo always had a prominent place in my grandparents' home.




In 2013 FindMyPast uploaded Dog License Registers of the Petty Sessions for Ireland. 
I find that we come from a long line of dog lovers! There were 177 results for our surname in Queen's County. The most common seemed to be a black terrier or a mastiff.




Did your ancestors have dogs? Dog license registers in Canada are usually kept at the town level. In the US may be at County level?


Relevant Links:


























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