June 2024 marked the 30th anniversary of BIFHSGO's inception. This anniversary year will feature the work of our members over the past three decades. Presentations “From the Vaults” will be reprised; “Spotlight on BIFHSGO” talks will report on projects which dedicated volunteers have worked on over the years to create resources on our website; and the winning entries from the 30th anniversary writing contest will be featured in issues of the BIFSHGO Anglo-Celtic Roots journal.
Treasures from the Past 30 Years, on the linked page, highlights Anglo-Celtic Roots articles and presentations from BIFHSGO conferences and monthly meetings.
And … watch this space to learn how YOU can contribute to our 30th anniversary activities.
Milestones30 years ago... BIFHSGO’s first bylaws were approved by the Board (January 1995). The current bylaws—revised several times over 30 years—were approved by the Board in September 2024. The first meeting was also held in January 1995 and those attending were given the first issue of Anglo-Celtic Roots. We celebrate and thank the long list of dedicated ACR editors that includes: Brian O’Reagan, John Townesend, Percy Bateson, Irene Kellow Ip, Ridge Williams, Chris MacPhail, Jean Kitchen and Barbara Tose. Finally, we welcome our new editor, Paul Cripwell. |
Read a letter of congratulations from His Excellency, John Concannon, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada
| Congratulations to the winners of the
30th Anniversary Writing Competition |
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| Our competition had 12 entries. Six judges made tough decisions. Here are the results. | |||||||||||||||||||
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From the VaultsAs part of our 30th anniversary year, four members are reprising the outstanding presentations they gave before we started recording the monthly talks. Watch for these excellent presentations in the 2024–2025 season. |
| 12 October 2024 |
Travels with My Aunt: Adventures in Europe 1914 |
| 14 December 2024 |
Great Moment: It Happened in Coolross |
| 11 January 2025 |
The Time of Cholera |
| 10 May 2025 |
Copyright for the Family Historian Presenter: Marnie McCall First presented in December 2016 |
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SpotlightThroughout this 30th anniversary year, join us for presentations spotlighting BIFHSGO volunteers and the projects they have worked on over the years—such as the Middlemore Collection, Bernardo’s Ups and Downs magazine and indexing records from Library and Archives Canada with information about other home children and No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station soldiers’ biographies. Learn what others have done and you may think of a way you too can contribute! |
| 12 April 2025 |
Overview of No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station Project A presentation by members of the team that prepares biographies of soldiers who died at No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station in World War I. Soldiers' names and biographies are available through the Name Index. |
| 12 April 2025 |
Illuminating the John Sayers Collection A presentation by Sue Lambeth (Research and Project Director) and the collection volunteers |