Cemetery-related topics:

Sue Henderson
Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries
A Genealogist’s Guide to the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries Sue will describe the 10 cemeteries, changing trends in the funeral industry and how to access burial records (with some potential anomalies). She will address issues such as photographing tombstones and using a “family” plot. Bring your questions.

Jane MacNamara
FamilySearch Indexing and the Toronto Trust Project

Rob Leverty, Ontario Historical Association
After Bill 149

Escape, Evasion and Revenge
Marc Stevens
Marc has recently published a book telling the story of his research of his father's life. He knew that his father was born in Germany but went to school in England and served in the RAF. In 1996 (17 years after his father's death) Marc discovered that his father was Jewish and had a criminal past in England prior to the war. The story includes his illegal identity theft that that enabled him to join the RAF and fly 22 bombing missions against the country of his birth without protection under the Geneva Convention, and which culminated in his being shot down and taken POW by the Nazis, who legally could have had him shot as a traitor to Germany (despite his being Jewish). Marc discovered a file about his father at The National Archives marked "Secret - Sealed until 2051" and was able to get that file opened in 2006 through an application under Britain's Freedom of Information Act. Some Toronto Branch members heard Marc's story at a book launch and highly recommend that we hear him.

Mini-presentation: Guy Lafontaine - Use Gmail as a Mail Mate? Google Toolbar or Translate? But now iGoogle, Don't Wait!
Guy will demonstrate its basic use, its value to genealogists or to anyone. It's easy and it's fun. That's the Google way!

Just Names on a List? Let’s Take Another Look at Passenger Manifests
Glenn Wright
Canadian passenger lists have evolved over time. Those from the 1920s and 1930s contain significantly more information on our ancestors than those from the 1870s and 1880s. This presentation will review what records are available – Canadian ports arrivals, incoming/outgoing UK lists, American records for immigrants destined for Canada, and much more. Online availability to these records has made them one of the most used sources for family history and genealogy, so perhaps it is time to take a second look at passenger lists and what can we learn from them. Just names on a list? No. The passenger manifest is an important documentary source of information about our ancestors, and this presentation will remind us just how important it is for our research.

Mini-presentation: David Reed - Early Halifax Chair Makers-- with some examples.

Unusual Sources for the Twentieth Century
Marg Aldridge
Marg talks about how the 19th and 20th centuries may require different techniques and sources due to the changing nature of electronic data, privacy issues and data gathering and how these affect genealogy.

Mini-presentation: Bob Murphy - The Importance of Networking.

Seeing Your Family's History Through Military Records and Memorabilia
Ron Wencer
Ron focuses primarily on the military service of four relatives, ranging from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, through the post-WW I occupation of Haiti, to both the European and Asian theatres of World War II. Starting with little, he has managed to find enough material to relate four coherent stories—five, if one includes the story of the Japanese pilot responsible for Ron's cousin's death in the Pacific.

Mini-presentation: Linda Reid - A Murder Case? Who was the victim?.

Great Moments in Genealogy
In a series of short presentations, several Toronto Branch members will share with us “great moments” in their genealogical research.

26 Oct 2009
Novatel Ballroom

7:30 p.m.

"Timelines" and How to Use Them to Benefit You the Most
Sharon Murphy
This will be an electronic presentation, giving examples and scenarios that we all can identify with, from the largest complete family history timeline, to the smallest individual task. Bring your questions and suggestions; let’s make this a real learning, participating event.

Mini-presentation: Pierce Reid - Annotating an image using Irfanview

Questions to Ask Before You Begin Writng
Gayle Dzis
The questions who, where, why, what, when, and how to begin writing your family history need to be answered individually because there is more than one right answer. How these questions are answered changes the nature, the focus, and even the content of your work. If you are considering fleshing out some of your ancestors, this interactive talk is for you.

Mini-presentation: Paul Jones: Why did the family save that photo? A late Edwardian surprise!

When, Why, and Whatever Else
Bonnie Bell
A look at the significant elements in dating photographs, such as the occasions that prompted the photos, and other information that may be gleamed from them, with a special emphasis on wedding photographs and the period 1880 to 1945.

Mini-presentation: Sue de Groot: Identifying Mrs. Andrew Surerus: The Photograph

Developing a Research Strategy to Find the Next Piece of the Puzzle
Brian Gilchrist
Brian will present options to be based on a review of your notes and learning how to ask questions of people who will help.

Mini-presentation: Joan Beckley: Alice Who? The search for an elusive maiden name in early Ontario records.