This is your chance to ask your questions of experts to discover how society dealt with - and recorded info about – ancestors who were poor, “mentally unfit”, and criminal.

BIFHGO’s virtual conference "Researching the Disadvantaged of England and Wales" will feature 90-minute Q and A breakout sessions with 8 of our speakers on Sunday 19 October at 2 p.m. More detail at www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-conference

On 19 October, Nathan Dylan Goodwin will present “Finding Henry” at 3:45 p.m. Nathan will explain the range of genealogical methodology approaches, archives and DNA testing used to discover the identity of an illegitimate child's biological father. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

Until 19 October, 2026 BIFHSGO memberships are 10% off. We'd love to have you join us. www.bifhsgo.ca/member With a membership, the registration fee for our conference on 18 and 19 October is also reduced. Two ways to save! #genealogy

On 19 October, crime historian Dr. Angela Buckley will present "Family Felons: Uncovering the Criminal Past” at 12:30 p.m. Angela will examine social conditions, the range of offences committed, and the evolution of the criminal justice system. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 19 October Denise Bates will present “Researching History from Newspapers” at 10:30 a.m. She will offer tips for researching ancestors; how to understand their story in the context of the times; and problems that can arise with newspaper research. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 28 September the Middleville and District Museum will commemorate British Home Child Day with a talk at 1 p.m. by long-time BIFHSGO member Patricia Roberts-Pichette, known internationally for her research on the Middlemore Emigration Home. More information: www.middlevillemuseum.org/events.html

For over 30 years, our volunteers have compiled over 90,000 British home child names from passenger lists and immigration files so their identities are preserved; and documented the Canadian connections these children formed throughout their lives. /2 More information: www.bifhsgo.ca/home-childre...

Today is British Home Child Day, observed on 28 September across Ontario to honour the thousands of children who left their homeland and built new lives here. BIFHSGO supported the 2011 Act establishing this day of remembrance. /1 #genealogy

On 19 October Sarah Wise will present “The Undesirables (Mental Institutions)” at 9 a.m. Sarah will tell us how the British government put thousands of ordinary working-class people into “mental deficiency” institutions; and offer examples of those affected. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 18 October Gloria Tubman will talk about “English Poor Law Records” at 3:30 p.m. Gloria will explore a variety of parish and union-level records; introduce the key record repositories; and offer tips for locating and interpreting the documents. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #geneology

On 18 October at 2 p.m., Dr. Judith Hill will talk about “The Poor and Their Increasing Dependence on the Parish Before 1834" - the parish welfare system, how it was administered and was experienced by the poor; and the resulting desire for vengeance. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

What was life really like for those admitted to the workhouse? At 12:30 on 18 October, Dr. Mark Carroll will try to answer this question with information from institutions in London, Essex and Sussex, and show sources available for this challenge. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

At 10:45 on 18 October, Peter Higgenbotham will cover the evolution of the poor relief system from 1601 to 1948, looking at the development and operation of workhouses, the lives of their inmates, and the various records available relating to them. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

At some point in their lives, many of our ancestors received some form of poor relief, either from the parish or from a Poor Law Union. At 9:15 am on 18 October Clare O'Grady will talk about the records that you can use to find out more. More detail: www.bifhsgo.ca/program-and-... #genealogy

Less than a month until BIFHSGO's virtual conference on 18 and 19 October on "Researching the Disadvantaged of England and Wales". For more detail, and to register, go to the conference website: www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-confere... #genealogy

REMINDER: September monthly meeting only 2 days away. 9 a.m. EDT - Using Google Lens for Genealogy 10 a.m. EDT - Small Moments #genealogy

10.00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT: Small Moments BIFHSGO members will share a brief story about a small but delightful discovery from their genealogical research. Stories include: Story of a Mystery Heirloom; Gaspe Time; A Trio of Small Moments; A Tale of Two Autograph Books; and The Bonnet. #genealogy

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. EDT: Using Google Lens for Genealogy Google Lens is a tool that lets you search for information using images. Carol Annett will give a step-by-step demonstration of how she uses it as a tool for genealogy research and finding information for family stories. #genealogy

At 7 p.m. EDT the British Colonial America SIG will meet. The topic is "How are BCA group members connected?" Bring a list of the primary names and places (and dates) you are researching and let's see if we can discover some connections! #genealogy

At 2 p.m. EDT the London SIG will reconvene after the summer. Come and share your latest London family history research interests, whether they be breakthroughs, brick walls, or links to useful websites. #genealogy

TWO BIFHSGO Special Interest Groups are meeting online tomorrow. For more information on how to attend, visit the BIFHSGO website www.bifhsgo.ca/special-inte... #genealogy

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa kicks off the fall with their monthly meeting on Saturday, 13 September. Join us in-person at Knox Presbyterian Church at 120 Lisgar St. in Ottawa, or online. More info: www.bifhsgo.ca/events #genealogy

Registration opens tomorrow. Nine presentations over two days, plus an Expert Connect Q & A with our speakers. Recordings will be available to registrants until 30 November. Fees: $35 members, $50 non-members. More detail at www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-conference #genealogy

Registration opens tomorrow. Nine presentations over two days, plus an Expert Connect Q & A with our speakers. Recordings will be available to registrants until 30 November. Fees: $35 members, $50 non-members. More detail at www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-conference

On 19 October, Nathan Dylan Goodwin will present “Finding Henry” at 3:45 p.m. Nathan will explain the range of genealogical methodology approaches, archives and DNA testing used to discover the identity of an illegitimate child's biological father. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 19 October, crime historian Dr. Angela Buckley will present "Family Felons: Uncovering the Criminal Past” at 12:30 p.m. Angela will examine social conditions, the range of offences committed, and the evolution of the criminal justice system. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 19 October Denise Bates will present “Researching History from Newspapers” at 10:30 a.m. She will offer tips for researching ancestors; how to understand their story in the context of the times; and problems that can arise with newspaper research. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 19 October Sarah Wise will present “The Undesirables (Mental Institutions)” at 9 a.m. Sarah will tell us how the British government put thousands of ordinary working-class people into “mental deficiency” institutions; and offer examples of those affected. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

On 18 October Gloria Tubman will talk about “English Poor Law Records” at 3:30 p.m. Gloria will explore a variety of parish and union-level records; introduce the key record repositories; and offer tips for locating and interpreting the documents. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #geneology

Check out the speakers and topics for BIFHSGO's virtual conference on 18 and 19 October! Registration opens on September 1. More detail on the conference website. www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-confere... #genealogy

What was life really like for those admitted to the workhouse? At 12:30 on 18 October, Dr. Mark Carroll will try to answer this question with information from institutions in London, Essex and Sussex, and show sources available for this challenge. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

At 10:45 on 18 October, Peter Higgenbotham will cover the evolution of the poor relief system from 1601 to 1948, looking at the development and operation of workhouses, the lives of their inmates, and the various records available relating to them. More detail: bit.ly/3Vd7NMS #genealogy

At some point in their lives, many of our ancestors received some form of poor relief, either from the parish or from a Poor Law Union. At 9:15 am on 18 October Clare O'Grady will talk about the records that you can use to find out more. More detail: www.bifhsgo.ca/program-and-... #genealogy

Check out the speakers and topics for BIFHSGO's virtual conference on 18 and 19 October! Registration opens on September 1. More detail on the conference website. www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-confere... #genealogy

Check out the speakers and topics for BIFHSGO's virtual conference on 18 and 19 October! Registration opens on September 1. More detail on the conference website. www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-confere...

Mark your calendars for BIFHSGO's virtual conference: 18 and 19 October 2025 on the theme: "Researching the Disadvantaged of England and Wales". Registration opens September 1st. More details on the conference website: www.bifhsgo.ca/2025-confere... #genealogy

ScotlandsPlaces hosted tax rolls and OS Name Books to join ScotlandsPeople scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2025/05/scot... #genealogy #FamilyHistory #Scotland

What a way to wrap up our 30th Anniversary year! We have received an Award of Merit from the National Genealogical Society to recognize exceptional contributions to the field of genealogy over a period of five or more years. More info here: bit.ly/4jdY2Yp #genealogy

Reminder: Meeting tomorrow, Saturday 10 May. In person or online. 9 am EDT - From the Vaults: "Copyright for the Family Historian” (Marnie McCall) 10 am EDT - “The Roosting Box: Rebuilding the Body After the First World War” (Kristen den Hartog) www.bifhsgo.ca/events #genealogy

At 10 am EDT, Kristen den Hartog will present “The Roosting Box: Rebuilding the Body After the First World War” After WWI, a military hospital opened in 1919 in Toronto. Kristen will share stories of patients and staff, from her book of the same name, and have books available for sale. #genealogy

At 9 am EDT, Marnie McCall will present “From the Vaults: Copyright for the Family Historian”. Marnie will cover the basics of copyright; the meaning of public domain; copyright in your own work; using copyrighted material of others; and copyright in family photos and letters. #genealogy

Please join us on Saturday 10 May for our hybrid monthly meeting, in-person in Ottawa at Knox Presbyterian Church (120 Lisgar St. at the corner of Elgin Street) or online. For more information, or to register to join the meeting online: www.bifhsgo.ca/events

The topic for this meeting is FAN - Friends, Associates, Neighbours. Have you been able to track groups of people that have moved together, and if so, how has it assisted with your research. General discussion will follow as time permits. #genealogy

The British Colonial America Special Interest Group meets virtually on Wednesday, 23 April at 7 p.m. EDT. Everyone is welcome, and invited to share. You can find out how to register on the BIFHSGO website: www.bifhsgo.ca/special-inte... #genealogy

At 9 a.m. EDT Sheila Faure and Nigel Lloyd will present “An Introduction to No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station Project”. They will present the background and approach to researching and writing biographies of the 879 soldiers who died at the No. 1 CCCS. [Photo LAC]

Our next monthly meeting is Saturday 12 April, online or in person at Knox Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, 120 Lisgar St. (corner of Elgin Street). For more information, or to register to join the meeting online: www.bifhsgo.ca/event

REMINDER: Meeting tomorrow, 8 March. At 9 am EST - Ken McKinlay will talk about UK Gazettes and their use in family history. At 10 am EST -Marianne Rasmus will tell us how a newspaper account reporting on manslaughter at the races broke down a brick wall. #genealogy

At 10 a.m. EST Marianne Rasmus will present “Ripped from the Headlines: Death on the Forest”. A single headline helped Marianne break down a brick wall. She will share how newspapers offer invaluable details that bring ancestors’ stories to life, and help overcome genealogy challenges. #genealogy

At 9 a.m. EST Ken McKinlay will present "Exploring the Official Government Newspapers: the Gazettes of the UK". Ken’s presentation will explore government gazettes in England, Scotland, and Ireland, showing how to search them online for valuable family history insights. #genealogy