Joanna Walsh Baty in her coffin, 1941

On death and dying

On this All Souls Day or Day of the Dead, I take an in-depth look at what led to the demise of my direct ancestors.

Profile: William Patrick Walsh

My great-great-grandfather William Patrick Walsh was a Crimean War veteran who ended his days tragically in a veteran’s hospital.

Profile: Timothy & Johanna Walsh

On this St. Patrick’s Day, I look at the life of my 3G-grandparents Timothy Walsh and Johanna Power, both born in Ireland.

Strachan grandparents with Scott & Nancy, 1954

A house needs a grandma in it

Remembering my maternal grandmother, in honour of her 120th birthday as well as the 100th anniversary of her marriage to my grandfather.

A marriage not made in heaven

Marriage certificates can reveal a wealth of information about each party to the marriage, although not the back story to their relationship, which can sometimes be quite surprising.

The name game

Your name is an important part of who you are. In addition to identifying you, it links you to your family, nationality and history.

Immigrants arriving at Quebec 1911

An ocean away

Why I am here? How is it that I happen to live where I do when my ancestral roots were firmly planted an ocean away?