VGS Genealogy News & Events
No. 143 - August 17, 2023 |
Distributed free of charge to interested subscribers and former members.
| Inside This Edition
Scroll down for more information on each of these topics:
Upcoming Events
Three Steps for Beginners
"Victoria Cemeteries Hold Hidden Messages"
Using Social Media in Genealogy Research
Now Is A Great Time To Join Or Re-join VGS
VGS Learning & Research Centre
VGS Website
Q&A Mailbox | Upcoming Events
These VGS events are now open for registration via our Events Calendar
Field Trip: Historic Kinsol Trestle VGS Field Trip and More
Date and Time: Saturday, Sep 9, 2023, 10:30 AM
Tour Guide: Lori Treloar, Executive Director of the Shawnigan Lake Historical Society
Price for non-members: free (donations appreciated) - REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Location: IN PERSON at the Kinsol Trestle near Shawnigan Lake
Notes: Join us on a guided walk at one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. You must make arrangements for your own transportation.
Optional activities: The Kinsol walk will be followed by lunch at Lakehouse Restaurant and a private tour of Shawnigan Lake Museum (both are optional activities).
Speaker Event: Printer's Devils - Pioneer Newspaper in Trail BC
Date and Time: Thursday, 14 Sep, 2023, 7:30PM until 9:00 PM
Speaker: Ron Verzuh
Location: via ZOOM
Price for non-members: free - REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Workshop: Artificial Intelligence for Genealogists
Date and Time: Saturday, 23 Sep, 2023, 10:00AM until 11:30PM
Presenter: Steve Little
Location: via Zoom
Price for non-members: $21 - REGISTRATION REQUIRED
To register and for further details, please visit our Events Calendar.
| New to Genealogy Research?
3 Steps for Beginners
We have several benefits of membership for those new to genealogy research and for those who would like to brush up on their skills. Check these 3 easy steps below:
Step 1 - The Centre. If you haven't already visited our Genealogy Learning & Research Centre, we recommend you do. It's a great place to start and our friendly and experienced volunteers are available to help you with your questions and show you the basic research tools, techniques and resources. The Centre is located in Royal Oak Shopping Centre and is free for members. Free parking, free wifi, free computers, a large library collection, access to Ancestry and Findmypast library editions. Check our Location page for open hours.
Step 2 - Family History 101 and other SIGs. After becoming oriented to genealogy research at the Centre, members often find it a smooth transition to join a discussion group that focuses on their area of research. We call these Special Interest Groups or SIGs for short. Currently there are 9 SIGs that meet regularly either by zoom, in person or in combination. Our most recently added SIG was designed for those who are new to genealogy. It's called Family History 101, which was introduced last season and proved to be very popular. Once you get basics in the Family History 101 SIG, you may want to start signing up for one or more of the other SIGs. They are all free to members. Click on SIGs to learn more about them.
Step 3 - Workshops, Seminars and Speaker Events. Another benefit of membership is the price breaks for our regular workshops and seminars, and access to our monthly Speaker presentations. These events not only offer the opportunity to learn about a topic, but they also provide members the opportunity to meet other members who may be researching in the same geographic area or the same surname. These are important networking opportunities and often prove useful in breaking down research brick walls. To learn more, go to our Events Calendar.
We believe that by following these 3 steps you will have the opportunity to learn about the genealogy research tools and techniques more quickly than by reading or surfing the web. For membership details, please go to Membership Options.
| Genealogy News
"Victoria Cemeteries Hold Hidden Messages"
Local historian John Adams, of Discover The Past Walking Tours, was the subject for an insightful interview by Sam Duerksen which was published recently in the Victoria News. Within the article, John, a founding member of the Old Cemeteries Society, discussed some of the many interesting histories of local cemeteries. The article is full of historical glimpses and perhaps a few surprises. Read the full article at Vicnews.
It's no secret that cemeteries are a favoured resource of genealogy researchers. What is behind the curtain is all the amazing volunteers who have worked to provide cemetery and burial information to the rest of us. Volunteers have transcribed headstones, combed through cemetery and burial file archives, refurbished and protected memorials, and much more. Even the big genealogy companies and organizations that offer burial information and indexes, have often relied on the work of community volunteers.
The Victoria Genealogical Society has proudly supported the community efforts of many amazing volunteers over the years and some worked specifically on cemetery related projects. For example, our God's Acre book (2nd edition) by the late Harvey Buckmaster, holds the complete inscription for almost 3000 burials at this National Historic Site. Harvey's book built on the work by a long list of volunteers who instigated the project and published the first edition. Another past member, Judy Wasylenko, transcribed headstones from 46 cemeteries on southern Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands. Her herculean effort resulted in a collection of over 100,000 names and other VGS volunteers, led by webmaster Claudia Boorman, manipulated this data into Burial Index which we now provide on our website.
The next time you add some burial information to your family tree, remember to thank the volunteers who did the work behind the scenes.
| Using Social Media in Genealogy Research
At the top of this newsletter is the Facebook icon which takes you to the Victoria Genealogical Society (VGS) Facebook page where genealogy news and events are shared. Open the first post there to see the directions on how to join the VGS Facebook private group. There is no cost to join the private group and you aren't required to be a VGS member. The VGS Facebook private group has over 400 users who can share information, post questions and otherwise help each other to solve research problems and learn more about genealogy research tools and techniques.
With 400 users the VGS Facebook group is a powerful resource, but why stop there? Posting questions on Facebook accounts in the towns and cities where you are researching can also prove rewarding. This research technique has helped many genealogy researchers including myself.
When I was researching a cousin who had enlisted in the King's Own Scottish Borderers regiment during World War I, I found records that showed he died in action in France. One evening, in the comfort of my home, I searched for and found a Facebook page in the town where my cousin lived in Scotland, where users were sharing old photographs and talking about their town's history. That evening I posted a request to that account explaining what I had learned about my cousin and asking where I might find more information about him. The next morning I grabbed my cup of coffee and checked my overnight emails and notifications. While I was sleeping two people in Scotland had very kindly posted what they could find locally about him. They also added links to a military archive which included, amongst other information, a link to a photograph of the young soldier. All I had to do was ask. Many people have helped me during my genealogy journey. They didn't know me, they just wanted to help. Genealogy has shown me many times over that the world is full of wonderful people.
Merv, VGS member
| Now is a Great Time to Join or Re-join VGS
Our new membership year started on June 1, 2023, and registration is now open for memberships ending May 31, 2024. Benefits are effective immediately.
As a VGS member, you can enjoy unlimited FREE access to the VGS Centre with experienced volunteers and a unique collection of paper and digital resources, and FREE access to Ancestry and Findmypast. VGS members can attend any or all of our Special Interest Groups for FREE - SIGs are not available to non-members. VGS members are also eligible for price breaks on a variety of other learning opportunities including our popular genealogy workshops, seminars and speaker presentations. These and other events provide members the opportunity to network and learn from other like-minded people.
For membership costs and registration information, visit our Membership Options page.
Former members may use our Membership Renewal page.
We hope you can take advantage of the learning opportunities our volunteers have created for you. | VGS Learning & Research Centre - Open to the Public
The Victoria Genealogical Society Centre is not just for members. Non-members are welcome too.
The Centre provides a wide variety of resources and services for the genealogy researcher. Our experienced volunteers are there to help, whether you are a beginner looking for guidance or someone more advanced looking for tips to break down research brick walls. The Centre is stocked with a unique collection of books, maps and digital collections. We also have subscriptions to Ancestry and Findmypast library editions, so bring your laptop (free wifi) or use one of our computers.
The Centre is open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 3 pm, except on holidays and subject to volunteer availability. We recommend you phone before visiting, to confirm that we're open.
The Victoria Genealogical Society Centre is located in the Royal Oak Shopping Centre in Victoria. Access is free to members and first time visitors. For subsequent visits by non-members, there is a nominal fee of $5 per visit.
We look forward to seeing you!
| VGS Website - Visit Often
Be sure to check our VGS website regularly for new and updated information. Our secure website has a fresh and clean look that we hope you'll enjoy. You will also find it easy to find information. On our website you can:
Your feedback is welcome and appreciated. You can contact us by selecting the Web Site Support option in the contact form on our website.
| Got a Question for Our Genie Buddies?
Questions & Answers Mailbox
This is a new service we are offering on a trial basis. If you have a question about our services or about genealogy in general, please email the VGS Correspondent using the Contact Us Input Form. We will try our best to answer your question. The more generic questions and answers may be posted in a future Genealogy News & Events newsletter, but personal identifiers will not be included. In this manner, your Q&A may prove helpful to others.
Note: the Q&A Mailbox is not to be confused with our Research or Records Lookup Services. For more information about those services go to Research Services.
| Copyright © 2023 Victoria Genealogical Society, All rights reserved.
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