• Summer is coming
• New On-Line Database
• Early Canadiana On-Line
• Ladner Village Market
• Douglas Family Photograph
• For Bibliophiles
• Miscellaneous
• Subscription, Privacy Policy

SUMMER is almost here!! What else does one need to say about June?

New On-Line Database

I am still working away at the Delta marriages database, as time allows. The format (and price) will be the same as the Obituaries database, and I'm hopeful that "Wedding Bells for Delta" (or some other more whimsical title) will be available later this year.

This database should be particularly helpful for anyone doing research into family history. We all know that one of the most frustrating aspects of research is having women (or at least their names as individuals) disappear from the community landscape once they marry. I've undertaken to also include information from the B.C. Archives indexes, where it is available, to make complete some of the sketchy marriage reports.

Early Canadiana On-line

The availability of original publications on-line is one of the real benefits of the Internet. One of the websites I discovered fairly early on, and then forgot, is Early Canadiana On-line. The site map can be a bit confusing, but exploration under "Search ECO collections", the first item on the site map, can be rewarding.

I did a test with a search for "Ladner, British Columbia," and one of the documents unearthed was the "Biographical dictionary of well-known British Columbians: with a historical sketch," by John Blaine Kerr, 1890. Here's a sample of its contents, namely, the biography of a well-known canneryman (page 318-319), with a caution about the propensity to embellish in the course of self-promotion:

"Wadhams, Edmund Abraham (Ladner's Landing), was born on March 28th, 1833, at Wadham's Mills, Essex county, N. Y., and is the son of Abraham E. Wadhams, esq., of the same place. Mr. Wadhams was educated at Wadhams' Mills and the Bakerfield Academy, Vermont. In 1858 Mr. Wadhams arrived at Victoria on the steamship Sierra Nevada. He mined with moderate success on the Fraser river in 1858-59 and on Keithley's Creek in 1860. From 1861 to 1868 Mr. Wadhams traded in the Cariboo district and at Victoria and Clinton from 1869 to 1872. He engaged in the salmon-canning business in 1873 and ten years later built the Wadhams cannery, near Ladner's Landing, and, with the exception of the first year, has done a most successful business from the outset. Mr. Wadhams employs in all about 116 fishermen, 160 men about the cannery and 20 overseers and others employed about the more important branches of the business. In 1864 Mr. Wadhams married Bertha Rosamund, daughter of John Wilson, Esq., of London, Eng., by whom he has five sons and two daughters. He is an Episcopalian."

Speaking of Shameless Self-Promotion I will be at the Ladner Village Market

The Ladner Village Market

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting, is held on Sundays in the months of June, July and August. From 75 to 80 vendors set up on 48th Avenue, one of the original streets of Ladner, as well as on a short cul-de-sac called Haviland Street.

This is the 6th year of the Market, and also my 6th year as a vendor. I expect to be located in my usual spot on Haviland Street please drop by! I'll be selling my own four books, plus the heritage duo produced by the Corporation of Delta. And, if all goes well production-wise, I'll also be flogging some local postcards.

At the end of the Market I will be drawing for a copy of "Above the Sandheads." Everyone who buys a book, any book, from me during the course of the Market this summer will be eligible for this draw.

If you're not familiar with "Above the Sandheads," it is in my opinion the best book written about Delta. It consists of the "firsthand accounts of pioneering" of Ellis Ladner, son of Thomas Ladner, as organized and compiled by Edna Ladner. As a first-person description of the lives of the pioneers in Delta, it is second to none. To Ladner's credit, he also reports on the day-to-day matters that don't get mention in historical accounts, and provides us with information on individuals who were part of the community.

The book is no longer in print, which has increased its value substantially on the antiquarian market. Needless to say, it is not my copy that I will be giving away at the end of the summer that is safe and sound in my library.

The dates of the Market (Sundays, rain-or-shine) are June 10th and 24th (I'll be away for this one), July 15th and 29th, and August 12th and 26th.

Douglas Family Photograph

The following is the information I posted near the end of December to the Missing Links genealogy newsletter published by RootsWeb:

A photo (probably a copy print) was turned in to the Thrift Shop of the Hospital Auxiliary at Delta, British Columbia, Canada, which appears to be a family grouping (10 adults, one young boy, and 3 babies). On the back is written "Capt. & Mrs. William David Douglas & Family, Taken at Annan Oct. 2nd 1889 on the 34th Anniversary of their Wedding day. Cissie on Mothers knee." One of the volunteers thought the photo had been rescued from the garbage. The Thrift Shop would be happy for someone descended from this family to have this photo.

I had a half dozen responses, none of which came from descendants, but one or two of these responses directed me to Bruce and Grey counties in Southern Ontario.

Nothing of substance came of those, but in browsing I came across My Douglas Home Page and the owner of the site has graciously posted the photo and information on her site.

She also did some checking, and it appears this family was William David DOUGLAS and his wife Sarah GARRATT who were married 2 October 1855. Children recorded are Sarah, born 25 Nov 1860, Jessie born 21 Mar 1865 and Matilda, born 12 May 1872 - all born Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

What appears to be the same family has also been found in the 1881 census: the children living on Johnstone St., in Annan, Dumfriesshire and their parents at 3 Cicero Terrace, in Southwick, Durham, England.

The children in the 1881 census: Sarah Douglas (age 20, occupation: Sea Captain's daughter); Henrietta (age 18, occupation: scholar); Jessie (age 16, occupation: scholar); Jane H. (age 13); William J. (age 11); Matilda (age 8); Mary A. (age 4); and Margaret (age 2).

The parents in the 1881 census: William D. Douglas (age 52, Occupation: Master Mariner, born: Scotland); and Sarah Douglas (age 45, born: Norton, Durham, England).

I have retained the copy print in the event that someone from the Douglas family will eventually materialize, and I've also had a copy negative made. If you know of anyone who would be interested in this photograph, please pass along this newsletter.

For Bibliophiles

Being enamoured for a long time of reading newspapers in hard copy, not on microfilm, I was completely in agreement with the opinions expressed by Nicholson Baker, which can be accessed at An excerpt from 'Double Fold'. In it he "pleads the case for saving these works in their original form...."

A commentary on this view can be found and read at Paper Being Replaced.

Miscellaneous

If you have an issue that you would like to know more about, send me an e-mail and let me know what it is.

Subscription. Privacy Policy

If this newsletter is not what you expected and you don't wish to continue subscribing, an e-mail to me with a request to be removed from the list will do the job no explanations, no reasons (unless you feel the need to tell me), just the request. Thanks.

Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone.

Gwen Szychter, M.A.

P.S. Here's a favour you can do for me: If you liked this newsletter and found it helpful or just interesting, please pass it on to a friend or colleague. Thank you.

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