Easter is the big celebration in April this year so let’s see what family information we can gather around this celebration. April 25th is ANZAC Day a day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand.
In the first week of April we will start with the religious denominations of your family. In my family there are Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, Church of England, Church of Scotland, Free Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic, Quaker and Huguenot (French Protestant).
What were the religious denominations in your family? Do you know the history of that religion? What sacraments, celebrations, customs, hymns, ideologies, and other things are part of that religion? What was an average religious service like? What records are available for that religion that can help you with your family history?
The second week of April find out what church records may have been missed or ignored during research. When you research church records is it strictly parish registers? Have you ever looked at the church minutes, vestry records or Kirk session records? Have you read old issues of the church bulletin, magazine, newsletter or other church publication? Do you know the history of the church your family attended?
These records can hold a wealth of information on your family. Especially if they were active in the operations of the church, provided the church with funding or went against church rules.
You may find people of other denominations baptizing their children, getting married or buried in a church of another religious denomination. It would depend on what church was local to them and how difficult it would be to get to the church of their faith.
The third week of April is Easter. How did your family celebrate this holiday? What were the religious activities like during this time? Did you get new clothes? What were they like? Was there an Easter egg hunt or other tradition that involved the children?
What was your Easter meal like? Was there something special served that signified Easter? When did you have the big celebration in the family Good Friday, Easter Sunday or Easter Monday? Was it the immediate family or did you have a large extended family gathering?
April 25th is ANZAC (Australia & New Zealand Army Corps) Day in Australia and New Zealand. It commemorates the landing in Gallipoli in 1915. Do you have ancestors from Australia and New Zealand? Did they serve with the ANZACS? Why not spend the day seeing what you can find with regards to the members of your family who may have served their country as a member of the ANZAC. You can find out more about what is available at Coraweb.
©2011 – Blair Archival Research
Uh oh. Better include TARTAN DAY on April 6th next year! 😀
I will do that Brenda 😉