Durham's December Bring and Brag - Informative , Interesting and Entertaining.

Durham's December Branch heard member presentations at its final meeting of the calendar year 2009.

Some members brought various family ephemera including jewelry, historical county atlas, medals, war ration books and even a unique spoon holder. These family artifacts helped paint a picture of the period when their ancestors were living. They demonstrated the community and familial interaction during various times of their families' histories.

Another member told the story of keeping track of a grandmother's residences. The difficulty was not where she was living but the time of day that she chose to move out or to move in, at times peculiar.

Two members demonstrated in separate presentations how their research helped them discover living 3rd and 4th cousins. This was not just a genealogical discovery but also the finding of new colleagues in research.

Another' s ancestor was a political prisoner in the 1837 Upper Canada rebellion. The curiosity was an elaborate wooden gift box carved during his stay in prison. It appears many prisoners may have occupied themselves with similar carving/engraving projects - interesting security implications too.

The meeting concluded with an extended social time , enjoying the holiday treats brought in by the members. Happy Holidays.

The next meeting is January 5th with a presentation about the new Archives of Ontario.