The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,400 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 23 trips to carry that many people.
My grandfather, John Arthur Bond, was born in London, England in 1890. He immigrated to Montreal, Quebec in about 1894. At the time of the 1901 census when he was ten years old, he was in school but by the 1911 census he was working as an electrician for the General Film Company located on St Catherine Street West, although soon he would become an operator or projectionist.
The General Film Company was incorporated in Maine in 1910 and it distributed films by licensees of the Motion Picture Patents Company. Movie theatres were extremely popular in Montreal and there were a number opened in the city including the Ouimet in 1906 and the Nationoscope in 1907. Films shown during these early years would have been of the silent movie type with stars such as the Toronto born Mary Pickford.
The film industry was in its infancy when my grandfather joined General Film in 1911. Projection machines had to be constantly monitored to avoid stuttering of the film and many adjustments were necessary. In general, operators were trained in projector operation, either by apprenticing to learn their trade or by taking classes on the subject. Because the nitrate film was very flammable, fire was a constant risk. The projection machines and their operators were housed in operator rooms, quite separate from the public parts of the theatre. Recommended materials for the building of a projection or operating room were brick, tile or cement due to the risk of fire. In the “Moving Picture World: The Film Index Exhibitors’ Guide” published in 1913, there were companies advertising fire insurance. One, shown here, advertises premiums of five cents per day and warns that “Your chance for fire once every three years comes as sure as taxes and death.” Building materials, such as asbestos, were used to reduce the risk of fire spread within the theatre. It was well known by experienced operators that the nitrate film would continue burning, even if submersed in water. It did not require oxygen since the chemical reaction of burning it produced its own supply and should a fire break out, the operator would grab any extra reels of film and exit the fire proofed room immediately, rather than trying to extinguish the flames.
In the 1960′s, my father, Jack Bond collaborated on several projects with Ken Stanley, a friend and fellow musician. Ken was the musical director of the Pig and Whistle show that aired on CTV for ten years, starting in 1967.
This youtube video is a clip from the show.
Case Study – Searching the 1841 census
Searching for my 3x great-grandfather, John Taylor, single, born 1817, Dadlington, Leicestershire.
John Taylor’s parents were Joseph Taylor and Hannah Woodward. Hannah died in 1929 when John was 12 years old and Joseph died in 1835 when he was just 18 years old, leaving him an orphan. John married Mary Ann King on 28 December 1862 at which time he is a widower and the 1851 census entry for him also shows him as a widower at the age of 33. John may be single in 1841 or may be married. He would be about age 24 in 1841.
John Taylor is a very common name and John’s whereabouts in 1841 are unknown. A search of Taylors in Dadlington returns zero results. A search of Johns in Dadlington in 1841 returns five results: Patterson, Primes, Thompson, Fitch and Short. None of these appear to be our John.
Next we search for John Taylor, born 1817 living anywhere in Leicestershire. The John we are searching for is not living with parents since they are deceased so any results such as these will be dismissed without discussion.
Result #1
St Margaret with Bishops Fee
Class: HO107; Piece 604; Book: 6; Civil Parish: St Margaret With Bishops Fee; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 12; Folio: 30; Page: 14; Line: 19; GSU roll: 438750.
This John Taylor is a tailor so it is unlikely that it is our John.
Result #2
Waltham On the Wolds
Class: HO107; Piece 588; Book: 19; Civil Parish: Waltham On The Wolds; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 12; Folio: 14; Page: 22; Line: 7; GSU roll: 438741.
This John Taylor is also a tailor and is living with a woman, Helen Taylor. Also unlikely to be our John.
Result #3
Medbourne
Class: HO107; Piece 591; Book: 3; Civil Parish: Medbourne; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: 8; Page: 11; Line: 21; GSU roll: 438742.
This John Taylor is an agriculturer labourer, living with Mary Taylor, aged 20 with a child Catherine. This is a possibility, however Medbourne is quite a distance from our John’s birth place of Dadlington.
Result #4
Castle Donington
Class: HO107; Piece 594; Book: 23; Civil Parish: Castle Donington; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 3; Folio: 33; Page: 12; Line: 22; GSU roll: 438744.
This John Taylor is 25 years old, no occupation, living with a woman Hannah Taylor, aged 25 and a child Charles. Possible but not likely.
Result #5
Croft
Class: HO107; Piece 600; Book: 14; Civil Parish: Croft; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 2; Folio: 7; Page: 10; Line: 11; GSU roll: 438748.
This John Taylor is aged 25, a shoemaker, living with an older woman Anna Taylor, aged 60 and younger woman Mary Taylor, aged 20, children Hannah Taylor aged 2, Joseph Taylor aged 1 and Eleanor Paynton, aged 55. While Mary Taylor is the right age to be John’s sister, it doesn’t seem likely that he would have the occupation of Shoemaker. However Croft is quite near to Dadlington so it remains a possibility.
Result #6
Enderby
Class: HO107; Piece 600; Book: 18; Civil Parish: Enderby; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 6; Folio: 33; Page: 24; Line: 1; GSU roll: 438748.
This John Taylor is aged 25, a carpenter, living with Mary Taylor aged 25 and 4 children: William, 6; John, 5; Benjamin, 2; and Albert 5 months. Possible but not too likely.
Result #7
Hinckley
Class: HO107; Piece 601; Book: 5; Civil Parish: Hinckley; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: 18; Page: 28; Line: 14; GSU roll: 438748.
This John Taylor is aged 25, a needle maker, living with Sarah Taylor, aged 20 and child William Taylor, aged 4. While the location seems right, the occupation does not.
Result #8
St Margaret with Bishops Fee
Class: HO107; Piece 604; Book: 10; Civil Parish: St Margaret With Bishops Fee; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 19; Folio: 8; Page: 10; Line: 11; GSU roll: 438750.
This John Taylor is aged 25, a frame work knitter, living with Sarah Taylor, aged 20 and children William aged 10 and Sarah Ann aged 6.
Result #9
St Margaret with Bishops Fee
Class: HO107; Piece 604; Book: 17; Civil Parish: St Margaret With Bishops Fee; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 33; Folio: 18; Page: 28; Line: 18; GSU roll: 438750.
This John Taylor is aged 25, a workman, living with Ann Taylor, also aged 25 and the Carrington family: James and Amy Carrington and children Amy and Thomas.
Result #10
St. Nicholas
Class: HO107; Piece 605; Book: 14; Civil Parish: St Nicholas; County: Leicestershire; Enumeration District: 32; Folio: 21; Page: 4; Line: 1; GSU roll: 438751.
This John Taylor, aged 25 is a butcher so this is likely not our John.
The rest of the John Taylors listed in the 1841 census were not born in Leicestershire. From the ten results obtained, none of these stand out as being our John Taylor although several are possibilities.
Further information is required before we can find John Taylor in the 1841 census.
On Sunday, 6 June 1841, the first nominal (all name) census was taken in England. Enumeration forms were taken to every household and the householder was asked to record the names and details for all persons who spent the night of 6 June 1841 in the house. If a family member was away from home on census night, they were to be recorded wherever they spent the night. Night workers, who normally lived in the house and who would return from work in the morning were to be recorded.
Questions asked of the householder were:
* The age of those persons over 15 years old were usually rounded down to the nearest five years.
** Where born was either “Y” for born in the same county or “N” for born in a different county. If no, abbreviations used were “E” for England, ”S” for Scotland, “I” for Ireland or “F” for Foreign places.
Only the first of the given names were to be recorded. Middle names were to be omitted.
Abbreviations for occupations could be used:
The 1841 census was written in pencil rather than pen. The clerks also made additional marks on the returns as they compiled and reviewed the information, making some information difficult to read. One of the more useful annotations is the “/” between households within a building and the “//” between households in separate buildings.
The National Archives record group for the 1841 census is HO107, pieces 1 – 1465. Registration Districts were the same as those used by the Registrar General for the recording of births, marriages and deaths.
TNA’s “Your Archives” has street indexes to the 1841 census on their wiki at http://goo.gl/z1VW4
Guy Etchells has documented the instructions given to the enumerators for the 1841 census: http://goo.gl/Wmaj2
My father was a trumpet player from the late 1930′s through 1969 when he retired from the music business after suffering a serious heart attack while playing in a New Years Eve day telethon on CFTO, channel 9 in Toronto.
He worked at various jobs over the years but his passion was music and travelled all over Ontario with his band playing whenever and wherever they could. In the 1960′s they entered the Yorkville scene in Toronto, first with the Piccadilly Club and later with the Avenue Road Club.
I never actually heard him play the trumpet but I remember well going to the club with him during the day. He would turn on the disco ball for me and I’d run around the dance floor, trying to catch the spots.
This short movie clip is a tribute to his musical career. It was created using Muvee Reveal software from photographs in my personal collection and the sound track and features Jack Bond, playing his Golden Trumpet.
Nothing illuminates the contents and nuances of a document or record more than the act of transcription. The intimacy of the prolonged study required to decipher each and every letter of a census record, parish register marriage entry or a probate record will inevitably result in a clearer understanding of its content and its relevance to the family history puzzle.
Once the content is transcribed, you will be able to refer back to it without struggling again and again through the handwriting on the original document. And referring back to a record you previously found can often lead to new insights and interpretations either because you are looking at the information with fresh eyes or because you’ve made further progress on your research since you originally transcribed it.
Rather than working with a printed copy, it is usually easier to work with a digitized or scanned version of the record. This allows you to zoom in to view difficult words and to concentrate on just a small portion of the document at a time.
A very handy tool to use for transcription of documents is a program called Transcript available for free download from http://www.jacobboerema.nl/en/Freeware.htm. This software allows you to view the document image at the top of the screen while typing the transcription into a window at the bottom of the screen.
On the first run through the document, concentrate on transcribing as much as you can. Leave question marks in place of any unknown words and move quickly on until you reach the end of the document.
Read through the transcription. The missing words may suggest themselves due to context. Once you become familiar with the handwriting, it may be easier to determine what the missing word could be. If you are still stuck on a word, try printing out that portion of the document and leave it lying where you will see it. Sometimes the word will almost seem to jump out at you as you walk past the paper and your eyes glance at it. If you’re still stuck, try showing it to others. Sometimes in seconds, new eyes see the word that you’ve been mulling and pondering over for hours.
To check your transcription, try reading the document from the end backwards, looking at each word. Sometimes the mind adds words that aren’t there and sometimes it skips over words that are there. Reading backwards tricks the mind into seeing exactly what is and isn’t there.
Transcription is part science and part art. Doing it well can sometimes take considerable time but the benefit to your research will always make it worthwhile.
Consider writing about the birth of an ancestor. The birth certificate with its meager details is in front of you.
You could write:
Laura Alice Bond, born on 14 August 1882 to father William Bond, Gunner, RA and mother Jessie Harriet Bond (formerly Williams) of 19B Cardwell Cottages in Woolwich, Kent, England.1
Or after researching the time and the place in more detail, you could write this instead:
Laura Alice Bond was born in the Female Hospital in Woolwich Common on Monday, 14 August 1882 in Woolwich, England.1 The time of her birth is unknown but that morning, the barometer was falling and the sky was cloudy. The winds were moderate from the south or south-west but by the evening, the barometer had begun to rise and the sky seemed as though it might clear.2
Laura’s father was thirty-six year old William Bond, a Gunner for the Royal Artillery in the 4th Battery, 1st Brigade. Her mother was his wife of three years, twenty-four year old Jessie Harriet Williams. After a year-long posting to India shortly after they were married, the young couple had recently returned to England where William was assigned to the Royal Artillery Garrison at Woolwich. They lived in the quarters for married soldiers in the 19B block of the Cardwell Cottages.3 The Cottages were over eighty years old and were without the sanitary requirements of the time and had been recommended for demolition….4
Which version would you rather read?
_______________________________________
1 England, Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth (long form), Laura Alice Bond; General Register Office, London, England, citing Woolwich Sep [quarter] 1882, vol. 1d: 1159.
2“Meteorological Report,” Daily News, 14 Aug 1882, online archives (http://www.galegroup.com: accessed 13 June 2010), citing original p. 6.
3England, Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth (long form), Laura Alice Bond, citing Woolwich Sep [quarter] 1882.
4HMSO, House of Commons papers, Volume 44 (Great Britain : Parliament, 1876), p. 37.
I was reviewing social bookmarking websites this morning for a course I’m taking called “Social Media for the Wise Genealogist” at the National Institute for Genealogical Studies.
I tried Delicious but it did not like Internet Explorer and wanted me to use Firefox instead. I tried Diigo but found it cumbersome. I had really hoped that I would like one of these bookmarking sites since I often wish I had my list of Genealogy bookmarks when I’m off doing research and don’t have my laptop along.
Then I had one of those Eureka moments!
I opened my “Favorites” in Internet Explorer, chose the “Import and Export” option, and then chose “Export to file”. I checked only the “Favorites” box and then selected my “Genealogy” folder from my favorites list and exported it to a file which I named ”GenealogyBookmarks.htm”. I then saved this file in my public dropbox folder.
Now, wherever I am, I can just log into my dropbox account, go to my public folder and click on the bookmark file and there are my bookmarks!
If I want to share my links with another genealogist, all I have to do is send them the link to my bookmark page. (Open the “My Dropbox” folder on my computer, open “Public”, right click on my bookmark file and go to Dropbox/Copy Public Link).
John David Taylor was admitted to Newcastle City Lunatic Asylum in Northumberland on 11 or 12 December 1901. His records read:
Reg. No. John David Taylor
Admitted Dec. 11 or 12.1901 [both 11 and 12 overwritten]
Date of Reception Order Oct. 29.1901
Cause. Moral. Loss of Business, Fright
Form of insanity. GP
Statement
Sex and Age Male 46
Married, Single or Widowed married
Occupation Boilermaker
Religious Persuasion Baptist
1st attack, duration two days
Age on first attack 46 years
When and where previously under treatment never
Supposed Cause not known
Whether subject to Epilepsy no
Whether Suicidal no
Whether dangerous to others no
Whether any near relative has been afflicted with insanity no
Address of person to whom Notice of Death to be sent
Eliza Taylor. Wife.
34 Strand.
Barrow-in-Furness
Medical Certificate
He was greatly depressed; said that his Wife had been murdered & put in a sack; he also said “they had killed hundreds of other people”. Eliza Mary Jane Bulmer, 34 Strand, Barrow.in.Furness says: – “John David Taylor is my father. He talks nonsense, & that a woman he calls his wife has been killed & put in the ground.”
History
From Wife. 43. Boilermaker. 1st Attack – got a shock from a man striking at him with a knife 3 years ago; lost business 10 years ago. Very steady, no insanity, no intemperance. Has been in Lancaster Asylum for 6 weeks previous to coming here.
Present Mental Status
He is demented; he is very dull & stupid, & has no idea of time or place. He statues he has resided here at least 6 weeks.
General Physical Condition
Patient is a full well nourished man & is in fair bodily condition. Ht. 6ft.0 1/2 in. Wt. 13ct.1lb.less 20 1/2 lbs. Hair dark brown. Sides gray. There is a small scar on each leg. Varicose veins of both ankles. The terminal phalanx of the small finger has been amputated. He has large bunion on each large toe. He also has flat feet.
Alimentary System. The tongue is fairly clean & moist. The teeth are regular & in fair condition – has poor appetite & the bowels have acted. The other abdominal organs are apparently normal.
Circulatory System. impulse Beat felt & seen in ? interspace. Heart Sounds loud & booming in character. Pulse regular, strong & of fair tension.
Respiratory System. Chest fairly well-developed. No adverse ? sounds. No cough.
Urinary System. Urine amber. Large deposit of mucus & ?. No albumin acid. sp.?.1023.
Nervous System. Pupils are unequal. the right being larger. Left pupil is fixed to direct & con? light; right reacts very slightly. Tongue shows fine tremors & protrudes to right side. Speech is indistinct & slurred for certain test words. The gait is also markedly affected. knees reflexes exaggerated; other usual.
1901 Dec 12 He has passed urine & his bowels have acted. Has eaten and slept well. Is demented & stupid; has given no trouble. AMR
Dec 14. He is suffering from Dementia with noisy excitement & restlessness at night-time; his talk is rambling & his memory is defective. He says He has been here since April. He is in fair bodily condition but exhibits symptoms of General Paralysis. AAM
Dec 16. He remains without mental change. Has a fair appetite & is sleeping better.
Dec 18. He now gets up. Very dull and stupid & is faulty in his habits.
Dec 25. He shows no change remaining dull, demented and stupid. AMR
1901 [1902] Jan 1. He is very demented & is at times restless, especially during the night. Has a fair appetite.
Jan 16. He is at present confined to bed, the 2d toe of the right foot being very inflamed & tender. Is being dressed with bone ? 3 times daily.
Jan 20. The toe was opened today, pus discharging freely.
Feb 2. The toe has now healed & he gets up. Mentally remains very demented, restless & stupid.
1902 March 1. He shows no change in any respect.
April 3. He remains demented, stupid & restless. He has a good appetite & sleeps fairly well.
May 10. Is now in W.G. Is gradually becoming more demented. His bodily condition is satisfactory.
June 7. Is very demented & stupid. Is in fair condition but poor health.
July 5. Remains as in last note.
Aug 10. He is very demented & is unable to stand or walk. Is always in bed & is gradually growing weaker.
Sept 13. He is always in bed. Is very demented & stupid. Has great difficulty in swallowing & is unable to walk.
Oct 2. He is demented, he has no idea of time or place. In poor bodily condition & suffers from advanced General Paralysis.
Oct 15. He is in a very weak condition & is unable to take anything but milk. Is completely paralyzed and is quite helpless.
Oct 31. He did not recover consciousness & died this morning at 7:40 AM in the presence of Att. W Parker, apparently of General Paralysis.
Statement. John David Taylor. Male. 47. Married. Boilermaker. Lancaster Co. Asylum. General Paralysis. 7.40 am. Since admission Att. W. Parker. None applied J.L Callcott. M.D. Head Officer of Asylum.
St Nicholas’ Hospital, Newcastle, Northumberland, “Case Book (TWAM ref HO.SN/13/12),” p. 100-102, Taylor, John David, medical case file; Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England.
