Copyright and the Family Historian

I frequently read items that imply that copyright is a new concept. In fact, copyright dates back to 1710 and The Statute of Anne, also known as the Copyright Act 1710. However, it was not until 1842, and Copyright Act 1842 that copyright could belong to an author, rather than a publisher.

As family historians we are directly affected by copyright. As researchers we want access to records. Often, we are self-publishers and educators.

In 2018 the Federal government started a review of Canada’s copyright laws with the aim for completion in early 2019. Members of the Family History Group submitted a brief on December 12, 2018 to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology and our Member of Parliament, Dan Ruimy for the Statutory Review of the Copyright Act to promote awareness in the Committee regarding the needs and concerns of family historians about the copyright constraints that govern our work in telling Canada’s story.

This submission addresses the confusion that surrounds the use of previously published materials and unpublished original and copied documents and images, with particular concern for the changes proposed by the US Mexico Canada Agreement.

We support Canadian creators, publishers, libraries and archival institutions but also understand that copyright should strike a balance between protecting a creator’s income while, at the same time, allowing for the freedom for new works to be created using previously created materials.

We feel strongly that copyright law should be accessible and easily understood by the general public and not require legal advice to ensure compliance.

I encourage you to educate yourself about copyright get involved in the discussion.

Judy G. Russell and the Legal Genealogist is a good blog to follow but Canadians need to keep in mind that is from an American perspective and our copyright laws are different in Canada.

Travelling Back in Time

I was recently fortunate enough to travel to Ireland and see the land where on which my ancestors were born.

Before we travelled to Ireland, I made contact with people at Ireland Reaching Out. Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) is a volunteer-based, non-profit initiative which endeavours to help people reconnect with the parish of origin.

I inquired about family records and received an immediate response from Roger McDonnell. I also asked if it was possible to see what remained of the family estate for the Ussher family in Killallaghtan, Galway. I received an immediate response in the affirmative and a contact name for when we arrived.

Liam Irwin met with us and spent hours showing us the estate, and checking with the local families to make sure it was okay to wander through their property.

My branch of Usshers settled in what was to become Canada in the early 1800s but it was fascinating to see my roots in Loughrea.

Thank you to Liam Irwin and Ireland Reaching Out.

Cross-checking Newspapers

As family historians we know that newspapers are a wonderful resource for researching our ancestors. However, it is important to remember to look in more than one newspaper to gather pieces of the story.

My Grossman branch of the family lived in Chilliwack, BC. The September 5, 1906 edition of the Chilliwack Progress states:

Mrs. Carl Grossman left on Sunday morning’s [September 2] train to meet Mr. Grossman in Vancouver. They will spend about ten days visiting Vancouver, Victoria and Bowen Island. Dorothy and Babbie Grossman accompanied their mother.

Chilliwack Progress, September 5, 1906

In the early part of the 20th century it was common for newspapers to list hotel arrivals  — think of the privacy issues that would cause now! A search discovers “C. Grossman, wife and family, Chilliwack” as a hotel arrival at the Dominion Hotel in Victoria in the September 3 edition of the Daily Colonis.

The Vancouver Daily World of September 12, 1906 records “Mr. and Mrs. Carl Grossman and daughters, of Chilliwack, are visiting in Vancouver” in the “People Passing” column.

None of this information is ground-breaking but it tells me that they had the money to travel and stay at the Dominion Hotel. Six-years-old Dorothy and three-years-old Babbie (Eileen) travelled with them, but two-year-old George and four-month-old baby Grace must have stayed at home. Perhaps they stayed with Mrs. Grossman’s sister and family. What makes this trip even more curious is that it happened just a few months after Carl Grossman’s grocery store was destroyed in a fire and according to the newspaper Carl was busily getting his new store ready.

Broaden your searching beyond the place where your ancestors lived and you might also find out where they travelled, where they stayed, and who they visited.