This following announcement was written by Findmypast.com:

1 July 2010

 T36,293 new Welsh baptism, marriage and burial records on findmypast.co.uk

We have just added 36,293 parish records for Montgomeryshire to the site. The details of the new records are as follows:

• Baptisms: 1593-1939: 19,407 new records
• Marriages: 1591-1837: 1,757 new records
• Burials: 1574-1940: 15,129 new records

Search our parish records for your ancestors.
This data was provided by the Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society.

St Paul's United Church, Hearst, Ontario.

Rev. John A. Irwin, an ordained Presbyterian minister, arrived in Hearst in 1918.  With his portable organ, he conducted Sunday services for 18 years at the Orange Lodge and to followers at private homes in Stavert, Ryland, and Hazel.  During this time, a Sunday school group was organized for the children.

On February 3, 1919, a group of individuals including Dr. A. L Kinsey, Mr. E. T. Howard (Howard was the local pharmacist.  Both he and Kinsey owned the local drug store - Howard Drugs), Mr. & Mrs. Douglas, Mr. & Mrs. G. Brisson and Rev. Irwin gathered to discuss the organization of a Union Church of Presbyterians and Methodists.  By 1920, the congregation had finalized the plans for a new church and construction began.  The manse was completed by the end of the year and church opened on 9 October 1921.  St Paul's United Church, a white clapboard building, built on Ninth Street between Prince and Alexandra Streets was dedicated in 1922 with Rev. Irwin still residing as pastor of the work.

As numbers in both the Anglican and United Churches dwindled, discussions began (1968) regarding the joining of the two congregations.  Bishop Watton and the Cochrane Presbytery drew up guidelines for the experimental year of collaboration.  With the approval of both congregations, the churches became one, adopting the name of the Anglican and United Church Cooperative Parish.

By 1969, the United Church building was in serious need of repairs but sufficient (funds) were not available.  Renovations were put on hold.  For the next few years, the newly formed congregation held it services in St Mathew's Church.

The early 80's brought the regrettable decision to tear down the church.  But a cry of "NO" rang out through the community of Hearst and many donated what they could to help to save the church from destruction.  With the additional help of a provincial grant, St. Paul's was renovated in 1983.  The joint parish returned to the church in 1989 after a decision was made regarding the "Green Church".  The Cooperative Church houses several stained glass windows as well as a large one which was transferred from St Mathew's upon its de-consecration in 1989.

Today, services continue to be held at the white clapboard church, an institution for the small number of followers within the community.

Ancestry.co.uk has recently added  England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1861-1941 to its online collection of records. This is a major resource for genealogists.

This collection contains summaries (not the actual documents) of the vast majority of probate cases in England and Wales between 1861 and 1941. It effectively forms an index to wills and probate records for this period.

The records were created by the Probate Registry, which took control of proving wills and administrations in 1858. Before this, four different types of ecclesiastical (church) courts dealt with these cases. A Principal Probate Registry was established in London in January 1858, and several district probate registries were created around the country. From then on, the registries oversaw all grants of probate and letters of administration. This collection is the Calendar of these grants.

The Calendar is separated into a different volume for each year. The entries in each volume are then alphabetised by surname. Information varies across different entries, but each typically includes:

• Probate date
• Full name of the deceased
• Death date
• Death place
• Registry where issued

While the collection covers 80 years from 1861 to 1941, there are some gaps for the years 1863, 1868, 1873, 1876, 1877, 1883, 1888, 1899-1903 and 1910-1911.

Wills often furnish vital information for genealogists. While the wills always provide information about the deceased and his or her heirs, many of these will also mention other family members by name and often by relationship. You may find siblings, children, illegitimate children, nephews or nieces whose existence you never suspected.

As noted in the database title, the new online database is an index. To order a copy of a will or grant mentioned in this collection, you can do so for a fee from the Principal Probate Registry at First Avenue House or any district probate registry. You’ll need to provide the full name of the deceased, the date of the grant and the registry where it was issued.

For more information, please visit the Probate Registry’s website at http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/1226.htm

You can access the new England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1861-1941 at http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1904 (an Ancestry.com or Ancestry.co.uk subscription is required.)

These documents were executed in order to obtain a licence to marry without having banns called publicly in church, and were filed and kept in the office of the diocese where the licence was issued. In general, they cover the period 1661-1930.

The information varies with the type of document, marriage bonds (a legal requirement up to 1824) being of most use to the family historian. They may be particularly valuable when the approximate date of a marriage is known, but not its venue.

It should be borne in mind that probably fewer than one in ten weddings were by licence. The licences themselves, which have not survived in any great number, may sometimes be found among parish records.

2010-08-12 

Buy a digital copy of a will online! 

Free access to digital images of pre-1858 wills has been available for some time through our online index, but did you know that you can now buy a digital copy of a will, and download it to your personal computer?
When you've found the will which you want to purchase, click on Buy a digital copy; this will take you to the order page, where you enter your e-mail address, click on Buy, and you will then receive an e-mail containing a link to your transaction. All you have to do then is to proceed to pay for your chosen will, and you will be able to download the item.

St Harmon Parish Church, Radnorshire (Feb 2010)

Vaughan Monumental Inscriptions of St Harmon Parish Church, Radnorshire

Gleaned from Monumental Inscriptions of St Germanus Parish Church, St Harmon, Radnorshire published by the Powys Family History Society (PFHS) in 2008.

D31
Sacred to the memory of Edward Vaughan Esq. of Alltgoch.
Justice of the Peace and Church Warden of this Parish for 38 years.  Born 31st October 1841.  Died 28th December 1908.

In life is death.  Lord abide with me.

Also in loving memory of his wife Margaret Mary Vaughan.  Who died on September 28th 1923.  Aged 68 years.

Jesus calls us to heavens perfect peace.

D32
In loving memory of Mary Vaughan.  Died July 31 1927.  Aged 88.

F4
In memory of John Vaughan late of Alltgoch in this parish,
he died November 1st 1801.  Aged 55 years.  Also of Ann relict of the above John Vaughan who died August 18 1826.
Aged 71 years.

Farewell my dear and faithful wife
My sons and daughters too
Tho’ never in this mortal life
Again you must view

Above in our Saviour’s footsteps tread
of love divine possessed
And then your remembrance the dead
Your Soul will be at Rest.

F5
In memory of the Revd. Edward Vaughan, M.A. late of this parish:
many year curate of Blakesley, Northhamptonshire.
He died the 27th November 1815.  Aged 60 years.

Remember friend that you must die
And into dust soon falls
To sow in Tears and reap in joy
Is what I wish you all.

T. Barker, Newbridge, Sculptor.

F7
To the memory of Thomas Vaughan, late of Alltgoch in this
parish who departed this life October 30th 1823.  Aged 47 years.  Also of John Vaughan of the above place who departed this life June 16
1843.  Aged 58 years.

Also of two daughters of the said John Vaughan.
Cecilia died November 1st 1837.  Aged 3 years.
Jane died November 8th 1840.  Aged 18 months.

Interior Inscriptions

East Window
To the glory of God and in pious memory of my deceased family.  This window is given by me Edward Vaughan of Alltgoch.  AD 1908.
In memory of William Hughes Jones, Gilfach.  Born 1912.  Died 1986.

Certificate of Freedom of Evan Kinsey of Montgomeryshire, Wales

Certificate of Freedom

No. -- 40/385
Date, -- 24 Feb. 1840

Prisoner's no. -- 32/2881
Name -- Evan Kinsey
Ship -- Norfolk 4
Master -- Henricker
Year -- 1832
Native Place -- Montgomeryshire
Trade or Calling -- Farm labourer
Offence -- (blank)
Place of Trial -- Madras (India) by a court martial
Date of Trial -- July 1831
Sentence -- 7 Years
Year of Birth -- 1795
Height -- 5 feet, 6 inches
Complexion -- Dark sallow and little pork pitles?
Hair -- Dark Brown
Eyes -- Hazel
General remarks -- Cast inward in right eye, two scars on lower left arm, large scar across right thumb.

• 8,000,000 records to be indexed in two years
• Records date back to the 16th century

Family history website www.findmypast.co.uk is making available online for the very first time fully searchable indexes and images of the parish registers of Wales. The project is taking place with the permission of the Church in Wales and Welsh Archive Services and findmypast.co.uk is working with FamilySearch International, the world's largest repository of genealogical records, to digitise the records.

Dear Listers,

I am pleased to announce that the following records have been added online:

• Baptisms: Carno, Forden, Llandyssil
• Marriages: Carno, Forden, Guilsfield, Llandyssil
• Burials: Carno, Forden, Llandyssil

They are to be found on http://www.findmypast.com. The parish records of 44 Montgomeryshire parishes can now be found on this site.

These transcriptions are the work of a small group of members of the Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society (MGS). These will be published in booklet form, but there is currently a backlog in the printing of these booklets so we trust that the appearaance of the records online will help researchers.

Gaps or difficult to read passages in the parish registers have been supplemented by use of the Bishop's Transcripts so we believe that the finished product is as comprehensive and inclusive as it is possible to be.

For a full list of the society's publications and details of membership please see our website: http://home.freeuk.net/montgensoc/.

Bryn Ellis, Project Leader.

Picture of the SS Parisian

Joseph Richard Kinsey's WWI Attestation Paper - front

Joseph Richard Kinsey's WWI Attestation Paper- back

• Age: 40 years, 7 months
• Height: 5 feet, 6.5 inches
• Weight: 156 pounds
• Chest: 34 / 38.5 inches
• Complexion: persaged (sic)
• Eyes: Grey
• Hair: Brown
• Religious Denomination: Church of England
• Distinguishing Marks: none listed

Photo of the A69 HMAT Warilda

• The 1914-15 Star
• The British War Medal (1914-1918)
• The Allied Victory Medal (1914-1919)

Joseph Richard Kinsey's WWI Casualty From - front

Joseph Richard Kinsey's WWI Casualty Form - back

Attestation Paper of William Roderick Darrell Kinsey - front

Attestation Paper of William Roderick Darrell Kinsey - back

Photo of the A36 HMAT Boonah

Our Battalion bore the same regimental number as the Highland Regiment called "The Black Watch," hence the 42nd Battalion AIF was jocularly referred to as "The Australian Black Watch." A drum and pipe band always accompanied us. It may have been a coincidence, but we certainly did receive into our ranks, a number of men who were either born Scotsmen or of Scottish descent.

On June 23rd, we returned to the Black Line and the Green Line. Here we remained for a period of twenty-one days, during which we consolidated and strengthened our new line of defence. The communicating trenches were named: Unbearable, Gapaard, Hun's Walk, Owl, Fanny, and Wellington. These were all in bad condition. The Front Line was not joined up. Water was two feet deep in some parts of the trenches owing to continuous wet weather.

There was a great scarcity of engineering material, but in spite of all these drawbacks we made good progress by steadily gaining ground and pushing out strong posts in the direction of Warneton.  Our casualties were not severe, but never a day passed without toll being taken of our comrades by death or wounds.

The enemy presented evidence of nervousness and anxiety. He became very active with patrols and succeeded in establishing several strong posts in No-man's Land, which it was our object to eliminate, resulting in the action known as - The Warneton Stunt.

We were relieved in the Messines sector on July 11th by the 36th Battalion and moved into tents and shelters by the side of a small streamlet called "Le Petit Douve.' Thence onwards until the end of July a continuous series of downpours saturated the ground, turning it into one huge bog. The little streamlet became a swiftly flowing river, ready to burst its banks at any moment, so that the conditions under which we existed were most discomforting.

Our strength was increased on July 14th by a draft of 108, and again on the 16th by a further draft of 50.

The Warneton Stunt, which we carried out in conjunction with the 43rd Battalion, although directed mainly towards wiping out the enemy's strong posts established in No-man's Land, which had caused us so much annoyance, was also devised to serve as a diversion for the offensive taking place on the North-west (Belgium) Front.

On the night of July 31st we returned to the trenches, performing part of the journey by motor lorries. The ground was so water logged that it took five hours to make the approach march. 

The 43rd Battalion attacked on the right. The 42nd Battalion attacked on the left. The operation was highly successful. Strong post after strong post was attacked and captured along with many prisoners and counterattacks beaten off. It is estimated that 150 of the enemy were killed in our first attack. Our casualties were fairly light but our captures were many. Our men were utterly exhausted by the strain of fifty hours continuous fighting and digging, in the most abominable Weather. The Corps Commander awarded eight of our men military medals for their conspicuous achievements on this occasion.

Casualty Report of William Roderick Darrell Kinsey - front

Casualty Report of William Roderick Darrell Kinsey - back

• The 1914-15 Star
• The British War Medal (1914-1918)
• The Allied Victory Medal (1914-1919)

Photo of Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Messines, Belgum

Portmote and Pentice Business. - An Auctioneer’s Case

The case of Okell v. Halford was then tried.  The plaintiff was a farmer at Halsby, Cheshire, but formerly living near Newtown, Montgomeryshire.  Being about to leave that neighbourhood he gave instructions to the defendant, an auctioneer, to sell his stock for him on terms of three months’ credit upon approved security.  The defendant’s posting-bill of the sale was given in as evidence; it stated “three months’ credit will be given upon sums of £5 and upwards, on approved security.”  It appeared that stock to the value of £17 12s. 9. was sold to a Mr. Kinsey upon the terms of three months credit, but no security was taken.  Afterwards Kinsey became bankrupt, and defendant wished to throw off the onus of the debt on to the plaintiff.  Hereupon the parties joined issue.  Evidence was given by plaintiff that other parties who bought stock at the sale gave security for the payment of their amounts, and the defendant paid those amounts in the usual manner.

Mr. Ffoulkes appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. Brandt for the defendant.

Plaintiff having given evidence, which was corroborated by his son, Mr. Brandt addressed the jury for the defendant, and then called Thomas Halford, who said he lived near Newtown and had a farm of about 200 acres, and was also an auctioneer.  On 11th December, 1865, was consulted by plaintiff about a sale.  Plaintiff had lost by death his wife and one child, and he told witness he intended having a sale.  He wanted to have a credit sale, as he thought it would be the means of bringing more purchasers together.  Witness dissuaded him from  having a credit sale, as it would bring bad customers and keep good ones away. In order to induce him to have cash sale witness told him that he would not take the risk of a credit sale unless he got something like 10 per cent.  Plaintiff then gave way, and witness made this entry in a book: - “Okell’s sale.  First Thursday in new year.  Terms 3 guineas.  Okell pay expenses.  Cash.”  After the posters calling the sale had gone out saw Okell, and he never said anything about the credit.  The sale took place as announced.  Okell took the part of a porter or man to show things about.  He said “I am very well satisfied with everything, but there is one man with whom I am dissatisfied,” meaning a person named Williams.  From the commencement until  now the plaintiff had never told the defendant that he held him responsible.  The first thing he knew of it was a letter from Mr. Royle, a solicitor in Chester.  Never entered into such an agreement as that stated by plaintiff.  Would not be such a fool as to do so.  Williams was payable to witness, who received the amount to be paid over to plaintiff.

Re-examined - Had not charged plaintiff for making out accounts or anything above two guineas.  Was actually a loser by the transaction.

The court adjourned for half an hour.

Upon re-assemblng of the Court, Mr. Brandt called Henry Williams, brother-in-law and clerk to Mr. Halford.  Witness said that upon his going to plaintiff’s to take an inventory of the sale he met plaintiff, who told him that he had no need to do so, and gave him an inventory which plaintiff had made.  Witness had heard from Mr. Halford that it was to be a cash sale, and went there to take an inventory accordingly.  Plaintiff told witness that he had determined on having a credit sale as times were very bad then, to which witness rejoined that they would be as bad or worse at the beginning of April.  Remembered being at the Bear’s Paw on the 3rd April, which would be the day on which three months’ credit expired.  Okell was there, and he and witness were conversing about different things on good terms.  Okell said that Kinsey’s assignment was a bad job, and that he never suspected Kinsey, in whom he had every confidence, but that he had suspected George Williams.

The Recorder having summed up, the jury retired, and were locked up from half-past four until ten o’clock, wen they were discharged, being unable to agree upon a verdict.

The Court rose at 6:20.

The Archives of Ontario is pleased to announce that the microfilm of the 2009 accrual of Vital Statistics records from the Office of the Registrar General, comprising the 1913 birth, 1928 marriage, and 1938 death indexes and registrations, is now availalble. Consisting of over 127,000 scanned images, the microfilm and its related finding aids are available, both at our Reading Room at 134 Ian Macdonald Boulevard in Toronto, Ontario, on York University's Keele Street campus, and at your local library through our Interloan program. The Vital Statistics listings on our website have been updated to include the new reels.

The 2010 accrual of Vital Statistics records, consisting of the 1914 birth, 1929 marriage, and 1939 death indexes and registrations, are currently being scanned and the resulting 130,000 images checked for clarity and completeness. As the Archives embarks on making archival records accessible through the Internet, we are working to have these records available online in a searchable format in 2011. We will also be striving to make the April 2011 accrual of the 1915 birth, 1930 marriage, and 1940 death registrations available later in the same year. As the work progresses, further details will be released through this website.

 

Charge of Indecent Assault Against a Tradesman of Llanymynech

At the Shrewsbury Police Court, on Monday, Stephen Kinsey, butcher of Llanymynech, was charged with indecently assaulting, on the 29th October last, while travelling on the Potteries, Shrewsbury, and North Wales Railway, Mary Ann Briscoe.  Mr. Chandler, solicitor to the said railway company, appeared in support of the complainant: and Mr. Corbett Davies for the defendant.  Complain and deposed that on the day named she booked herself by the 7.30 p.m. train for Ford, and was placed in a third-class carriage, in which defendant was also placed subsequently, but two divisions from her, the carriage having four divisions.  Directly the train began to move defendant went to where she was sitting, he having previously asked her to go to him which she refused to do, put his arm around her waist, and kissed her.  She told him to take his hands away, when he indecently assaulted her.  She tried to get into the next compartment; but he pulled her down on her seat, and again indecently assaulted her.  She got to the window of the carriage, put her head out, and called for the guard, but could not attract his attention.  As the train passed the Red Hill station she saw the station-master, and called to him but he seemed not to notice her.  Defendant repeated his assaults; and she resisted him as much as she could, but did not have the strength to cope with him.  She told him she give him in charge directly the train stopped.  When the train reached the station at Ford, and before it had come to a stand , she jumped out.  Defendant held her clothes, and she fell on the platform.  her bonnet was crushed, her satchel was broken, her cloak was torn, and her hair was hanging down her back.  She informed the guard that she had been grossly assaulted.  She had never seen the defendant till that evening , and gave him no encouragement whatever.  Inspector Biddle proved putting defendant in the train on the night in question, in the same division of the carriage.  Frederick Perks, who was acting as guard of the train to Ford, said that he saw complainant with her head out of the train twice; but he did not hear her shout, as her voice would be drowned out by the rattle of the train.  On reaching Ford complainant informed him that defendant had grossly assaulted her.  Defendant was then in division of the carriage in which complainant had been placed.  He had had drink - Mr. Corbett Davies addressed the bench for the defendant, urging that it appeared to be improbable that complainant could not have made herself heard if she she had attempted to do so. - The magistrates determined to send the prisoner to trial at the sessions, but they would accept bail, himself is £50, and two sureties in £25 each.

Ottawa, December 16, 2010 - Library and Archives Canada is pleased to make the 1916 census of the Prairie provinces available online.

In order to track the high rates of population growth in western Canada during the early years of the 20th century, the Canadian government called for a special census of the Prairie provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta). The first census was conducted in 1906, followed by another in 1916.

Access to the digitized images of the 1916 census is available online in two different ways:

Through a database that is searchable by Province, District Name, District Number, and Sub-district Number. The database is available at:

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/census-1916/index-e.html

Through the research tool "microform digitization," you can browse the microfilm reels page by page. The tool is available at:

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/index-e.html

Effective Tuesday, February 8, 2011, the Archives of Ontario will offer extended hours of service on Tuesdays and Thursdays to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Services available during these hours will include registration, assistance from reference archivists, access to self service microfilm, microfiche and finding aids, viewing of pre-ordered materials/records, and access to the exhibit gallery. Requests for materials/records, certifications, reproductions and copyright that are placed during extended hours will be processed on the next business day.