Victoria Genealogical Society
PROJECTS
Many of our members have been busy volunteering their time and expertise in many ways including the following projects, formally endorsed by our Executive Committee.
We always welcome new volunteers.
Please consider joining our VGS projects and indexing teams -
you'll have fun while contributing to these worthwhile legacies.
Please contact our
to volunteer.
A Project Proposal Form is available (in MS Word format)
if you wish to
propose a project to the Project Director.
ACTIVE VGS PROJECTS
BC Coroner’s Inquests and Registers Indexing
Project Coordinator: Evert Moes
Evert and his team have indexed the over 38,000 entries covering the period
from 1848 up to 1937 when the Coroner’s reporting system changed. The last steps
for the team is to check those entries for accuracy and create a search engine
for the new database. A copy of the finalized index will be made available to
the VGS for the use of our members.
This is a joint project with the B.C. Archives and the final phase will begin once a location and computer are made available to the project team. Evert is thankful for the all the volunteers that have helped on this large project, including the recent team of Ron Reid, Pat Rosson, Esther Mitchell, Jim Gerry, Bill Morgan and Keith Holden.
Veteran’s Cemetery Indexing
Project Coordinator: Harvey Buckmaster
The book Veteran’s Cemetery, God’s Acre, was published in 2000 and its index is now a decade out of date. Harvey and Clive Cross are now proof reading Harvey's gravestone files in preparation for the publication of a 2nd edition of the book.
Victoria Genealogical Society Journals Indexing
Project Coordinator: Pat Rosson
Pat is indexing a backlog of the more recent VGS Journals to bring the index on this website up to date. Watch for an announcement soon on the updated Index.
Greater Victoria Pioneers Indexing
Project Coordinator: Diana Gaiger
Volunteers including Christina Thomas, Bev Ellison, Barbara Doell and Diana Gaiger have been using a newly developed indexing system created by Claudia Boorman and Merv Scott to clear up a back log of newspaper clippings that has accumulated at the Resource Centre since the Index was last updated in 2007. The index on the VGS website has been updated and the backlog is almost gone.
Birth - Marriage - Death Clippings Index
Project Coordinator: (Vacant)
The Executive Committee has recently endorsed a new project to index newspaper clippings announcing births, marriages and deaths. Claudia Boorman and Merv Scott will be developing a data entry system and calling for volunteers soon. Stay tuned for more to come.
Times Colonist 150th Year 2008 Historical Series
Project Coordinator: Pat Rosson
Pat has made a collection of the news clippings and is currently indexing the articles with the goal of posting the index to the VGS website. Once built, Family History and other researchers will be able to access the index and order their clipping of interest thru the VGS Queries line.
VGS Ambassador Program
Project Coordinator: (vacant)
The Executive Committee recently endorsed a project to develop a program aimed at increasing the public’s awareness of the VGS. Merv Scott will enlist others to help him in developing such a program. VGS Ambassadors that complete the program will have the authority, materials and training to contact other agencies and provide them with information about the VGS. Ideally VGS Ambassadors would be coordinated by the VGS Public Relations Coordinator but that position is presently vacant.
If you are interested in volunteering for the PR Coordinator or in becoming a VGS Ambassador please contact Merv at
Bolton Project Index - Web Access (Bolton, Lancashire, England)
Project Coordinator: Claudia Boorman
On December 2, 2010, the VGS Executive Committee endorsed a project to post the existing VGS Bolton Project Index (2007) onto the VGS website in a downloadable format. The Index consists of 7000 topical references concerning Bolton, Lancashire, England. The references guide researchers through a 13 volume set of 1800 newspaper articles from the "Looking Back" pages of the Bolton Evening News. Both the Index and the set of articles are held in the VGS Resource Centre.
A request was sent to the Bolton News to authorize our use of their news clippings in this manner, but to date no response has been received which puts this project at risk of not moving forward.
RECENTLY COMPLETED VGS PROJECTS
VGS Genealogy/Family History School Program - COMPLETED
Project Coordinator: Merv Scott
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| The Genealogy in the Classroom Web Development Team met at the VGS Resource Centre in May 2011. Back row: Merv, Claudia, Maureen Front row: Marg, Christina |
In November 2010, the Executive Committee endorsed a project to design a genealogy/family history program for school aged children. The volunteers recruited to the program’s Design Committee were: Christina Thomas; Lori Prophet; Margaret Kirkpatrick; Merv Scott; Penny Holt and Rosemary Smith.
The committee completed their research and brainstorming and tabled a full and comprehensive report to the VGS Executive in December 2010. The Executive Committee accepted the Report and its Recommendations and endorsed the second phase of the School Project which includes 3 primary projects:
- Develop a web based resource for teachers, parents and students
- Develop a hard copy Youth Activity Book
- Develop a Youth Summer Program to be delivered at the Resource Center
Volunteers were recruited to complete the development of these projects and their work is now complete:
- In September 2011 the web based resource Genealogy in the Classroom was launched thanks to efforts of the Web Development Team of Christina Thomas, Margaret Kirkpatrick, Maureen Helmersen, Claudia Boorman (web developer) and Merv Scott.
- The youth activity book was also completed in Septermber 2011. Written by Merv Scott, it’s titled Who’s in Your Family Tree? A step-by-step guide for the Detective in your family. For more information about the book and to order your copy, go to Publications.
- The Summer Youth Program Star in your own Detective Story! was designed and developed by Wanda Crawford, Diana Gaiger and Merv Scott. The program was offered during July and August 2011 but unfortunately it was determined there wasn’t enough students enrolled to stage the program. Plans are in the works to offer the program again during the summer of 2012, with some added twists and new advertising.
'Ask Granny' Seminar Program Development - COMPLETED
Project Coordinator: Merv Scott
On November 4, 2010, the VGS Executive Committee endorsed a project to develop and deliver a pilot 'Ask Granny' Seminar to residents of a local retirement home. Each seminar will use the ‘Ask Granny’ materials to guide attendees in constructing a simple ancestral chart. Heather Shave, Lynn Davies and Layne Mikoda volunteered to help Merv put together the pilot. Diana Gaiger, Jo Little and Sarah Hamster also volunteered to help in the presentation of the Seminar.
In April 2011, two pilot Ask Granny Seminars were conducted, one at the Victorian and another at the Shannon Oaks residence (stories about these Ask Granny seminars are also posted on our home page and in our news archive pages).
At their May 2011 meeting, the Executive Committee evaluated the success of these pilots and unanimously passed a motion to approve the pilots and formally adopt the 'Ask Granny!' Seminar Program - now included on our active programs page.
Questions about this Program can be sent to vgsprojectdirector@gmail.com.
VGS Members Surname Interests On-line Index - COMPLETED
Project Coordinators: Rick Deegan and Claudia Boorman
The project to update the Members Surname Interest Online Index has been successfully completed with the launch of the new Index on December 8, 2010. The old index had not been updated for some time and has now been removed and replaced in its entirety. The team of Claudia Boorman, Rick Deegan, Diane Clarke and Merv Scott worked on the project which included developing a new data entry and upload system, designing new input forms and guidelines, and more.
Members can still submit their surname research interests - more details are available in our on-line index section.
