Are you keen to take your family history research beyond births, marriages and deaths and census records? Estate files can reveal family connections and rifts, social circumstances and sometimes even our ancestors’ personalities. And many of these treasures are now accessible online free of charge through FamilySearch. This fall, Toronto Branch is pleased to present a three-session online course on records of inheritance, led by Jane MacNamara, the author of Inheritance in Ontario: Wills […]
Toronto Branch presented the 15th annual Toronto History Lecture via Zoom on Tuesday August 4. Our 2026 lecturer was author and university professor Dr. Melanie Knight. She explored the little-known history of Toronto’s Home Service Association, a Black community organization whose roots date back to the early 20th century and wartime efforts to support Black servicemen. It was a compelling story of resilience and adaptation—A Grocery Store, a Library, and the Struggle for Space: […]
The June Toronto Branch meeting took place on Monday June 29, via Zoom. Our main June speaker, Debra M. Dudek, showed us how to use free archival collections as well as online auction and resale sites, like eBay, Etsy, and CardCow, to find lost family heirlooms and break down genealogical brick walls. You won’t want to miss Adventures with Lost Postcards. And we’ll wrap up our last regular monthly meeting before the summer break […]
June 6, 2026 marks the 82nd anniversary of D-Day—the Allied invasion of Normandy. Toronto Branch is marking that turning-point in the Second World War with a special free in-person workshop on Sharing Military Family History. Whether you’re researching military ancestors, preserving family memories, or simply fascinated by history, this promises to be an inspiring afternoon. We’ll begin with a dramatic and personal presentation by keynote speaker Barbara Dickson on the history of Canada’s biggest […]