Writing Prompts for Family History

We had a request for more writing prompts in last night's "Unlock Your Family Story: writing & publishing your family’s history" class with Surrey Libraries.

Here are a few:

1. Migration: My great grandmother Ada Louisa Davis packed her bags to come to Canada, she was…
2. Work Experience: On his tenth birthday William Jenks’ father Thomas signed his indenture to tiler and bricklayer John Dawson. William…
3. Witness to an Event: When the Dawson Creek train station exploded in February 1943, William Kehler was eating in the café across the street. The cause…
4. Naming traditions: Edgeworth is a recurring name in the family tree, where did the name originate and what are the stories of all of its namesakes?
5. Family artifact: How did your ancestor acquire it? Where was it made? Who has it been passed down through? What does it tell you about the family? Has it been repaired or adapted
6. Tell the story of a Photo: Identify the people in the photo, as well as the date and time period. Write a caption for the photo as though you would be using it in a book.
7. Family Recipe: Is there a recipe in your family that has been passed down for generations?
8. Family pet: Was there a family pet who appears in all the photos?
   

For the Maple Ridge Family History Group's February 3rd Meeting Short Program we are sharing stories of secret romances.

February is the month of romance– celebrating relationships. How can we link this to our family history? I think we have an intriguing approach. Have you discovered a secret romance in your ancestry? What are the details?

Depending on the times, there could be many reasons why a couple kept their relationship secret. Perhaps they were not socially equal, belonged to different religions or knew their families would object to their choice. Have another look at your ancestors’ relationships. Maybe you’ve missed a romance – a secret one!

Read about Henry Cecil, 1st Marquess of Exeter and Sarah Hoggins in the January edition of our newsletter. Join us to hear our stories and share your story.

Fall Launches

Several projects launched in September.

The Fall 2020 issue of British Columbia History magazine is out. It includes cover art and interview by Abbotsford Artist Manjit Singh Sandhu; “The Kitagawa Family: A farming legacy in south Langley” reflections by Akiko Oshiro and Sumiye Iwasa; “Warp Weft Weave: Joining generations” by Jenn Ashton; “The Washboard Legacy” by Emma Quan; “An Ode to Mom, COVID, and the Internment” by Laura Saimoto; “My Discovery of the Mainland: Boyhood Rambles” by Barry Gough; and “The Scabbler: A solution to a serious cow comfort problem” by Mike Yusko.

It is interesting to read “Stories of Objects: The Iron Lung” and think about similarities with the current COVID situation.

Over the years at British Columbia History, I have had the pleasure of getting acquainted with numerous authors. Chatting with Jenn Ashton has led to a collaboration, Study Guide: Balancing History: Warp Weft Weave: Joining Generations. This study guide has been prepared to accompany the British Columbia History magazine article “Warp Weft Weave: Joining Generations” (Vol 53, Issue 3, Fall 2020) by award-winning author and visual artist Jenn Ashton. The focus of the study guide, aimed at grades 8 through 12, is intended to encourage students to dig deeper into history to find a voice that was quieted or unheard. The guide will deepen understanding and knowledge of colonial histories and the current realities of Indigenous People, as well as, an understanding of social injustices and discriminatory policies in Canada (including Residential Schools, the head tax, the legal system, disenfranchisement, and internments).

In the works for the past year was a project to update the publication guidelines for the British Columbia Historical Federation to match the practice and to make them more user friendly for authors. Get Published: BCHF Submission Guidelines for Authors is intended to support authors as they write about the evolving understanding of the history of British Columbia, Canada, and our world. The guidelines include checklists intended to make the publication process easier for authors by ensuring they have everything in place prior to submitting an article. If you are a history author, you will find the guidelines a useful resource, whether you intend to write for the British Columbia Historical Federation or not.

For the past several years I have been working with M. Anne Wyness as a researcher, editor, coach, and image harvester for her book, The Larder of the Wise: The Story of Vancouver's James Inglis Reid Ltd. by M. Anne Wyness. 

The Larder of the Wise: The Story of Vancouver’s James Inglis Reid Ltd. is the human story of the iconic store whose traditional Scottish fare and well-remembered hallmarks of “We hae meat that ye can eat” and “Value always” earned the following of devoted customers from inside and outside of the city for almost eighty years.

If you attended a Robbie Burns event before 1986, it is likely that the haggis came from James Inglis Reid's shop.

The book is available through your local book stores. Check out a review of the book on Vancouver is Awesome.

On a more personal front, I have completed the Editing Certificate through Simon Fraser University Continuing Studies. I am just waiting for the certificate to hang on my wall.

There are some other projects on the horizon for the fall and a whole new chapter!

 

Using Inflation Calculators to tell your Family Story

Have you ever used an inflation calculator when researching your family history? Inflation calculators use historic consumer price index data to show changes in the cost of a fixed "basket" of consumer purchases. These include food, shelter, furniture, clothing, transportation, and recreation.

I highly recommend using inflation calculators as it can change the narrative of the story.

Recently, I watched one of those wonderful genealogy shows. The ancestor in question had "arrived in the United States in 1910 with $100 in his pocket". It made for a romantic story of triumph over a poor start, but it was it true? One hundred dollars in 1910 is equal to $2721.54 in 2018 according to one inflation calculator. Almost $3,000 in his pocket is not a fortune but it is likely enough to rent a place to live and eat until he found work. The inflation calculator goes on to indicate that "if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2018 and 1910, they would cost you $100 and $3.61 respectively."

You would need to do more research into the cost of food and housing to really get a good picture.

At a recent talk I gave on "Prison and Court Records" there was a discussion of an ancestor who was hung in the 1860s in England for stealing £20. If you use the Bank of England Inflation Calculator £20 is equal to about £2,388.82. Then, using a foreign exchange calculator, converting to CDN dollars, about $4,000. Suddenly the theft story changes from being petty theft to something more serious.

Thu, Feb 13, 1919 – Page 2 · The Chilliwack Progress (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada) · Newspapers.com You can use inflation calculators to convert the cost of everyday items. "Tomato Catsup" (size unknown) sold at Ashwell's Grocery for 25¢ in 1919.

Using the Bank of Canada Inflation Calculator that works out to $3.51 in 2019 money.

Looking through my flyers, I can purchase a 375 ml bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup for $3.99. So, the price in essentially the same.

Obviously, to get a full picture you need to do some number crunching on wages and housing and so forth. However, it is a good reminder to do some quick calculations before we start romanticising the past and wishing that a hamburger cost only 15¢ today.