Ancestry.ca Discovers 'Princess Kate' and Jane Austen are Related

Canada's leading family history website finds common ancestor between the Duchess of Cambridge and the legendary Pride and Prejudice author

TORONTO, June 28, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - As the royal newlyweds embark on their first official tour of North America, arriving in Canada on June 30, Ancestry.ca, Canada's leading family history website1, today announced that the former Catherine Middleton and Jane Austen, one of the best known and most popular novelists in the English-speaking world, are related.

Catherine, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, and Austen, best known for her novels focusing on lower gentry or middle class women and their romantic interactions with men of higher rank and wealth, are related through their common ancestor Henry Percy, the 2nd Earl of Northumberland. Percy, who lived in the first half of the 15th century, is Kate's 16th great-grandfather and Jane Austen's 10th great-grandfather, making them 11th cousins, six times removed.

Though her work touched on many topics, from economics to equality, Jane Austen is largely considered to be the pioneer of the romantic fiction genre. Her novels are known for their biting social commentary and her heroines for their spirit, intelligence and wit; they are readers and walkers; they are loyal friends and sisters.

"Finding this connection between the Duchess of Cambridge and Jane Austen is very exciting since, in many ways, Catherine is the modern Jane Austen heroine: a middle class girl marrying the future King of England," said Lesley Anderson, Family Historian for Ancestry.ca. "Jane Austen may have written about happily-ever-after but it seems Catherine has found a nonfiction hero to spend her life with - far past the epilogue."

Sisters and Friends

Throughout her life, Jane Austen's best friend and strongest supporter was her elder sister Cassandra. In fact, when Cassandra was sent off to boarding school at age 10 in 1783, eight-year-old Jane refused to be separated from her sister, demanding to go also.

The close relationship between the Austen sisters is easily comparable to the bond Catherine shares with her younger sister Pippa, who served as Catherine's maid of honor at her recent wedding, attended the same boarding school as her older sister and then followed her to Scotland for university.

While all her novels conclude with a happy marriage between the heroine and her hero, neither Jane nor Cassandra ever married. There is, however, every expectation that Pippa will follow her sister's example and marry her own prince charming.

Fame and Fortune

As the Royal Couple's visit will demonstrate, the celebrity and fame surrounding Catherine has only increased since her wedding.

Born in 1775, Jane Austen is perhaps best known for her works Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, two of six novels she wrote in addition to lesser known short stories and unfinished works. Her writing brought Austen little fame or fortune during her lifetime, though today a cult of "Jane-ites" has emerged around the world. Numerous sequels to her works have been penned, various film adaptations of her novels produced, and a new generation of female readers, often speculating on their romantic endeavors, asks themselves "What would Jane do?"

Royal Connections

Henry Percy, the ancestor who connects Catherine and Jane, was born in 1392 at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England. Percy was a 2nd great-grandson of King Edward III - meaning that King Edward is also a distant great-grandfather of Catherine Middleton.

Percy spent his youth in Scotland because his father and grandfather were killed fighting against King Henry IV of England. He reconciled with King Henry V (after Henry IV's death) and was tasked with protecting the Scottish border. He was killed in 1455 during the first battle of the War of the Roses, at St. Albans, England. The Wars of the Roses were a series of English civil wars fought over the English throne.

About Ancestry.ca

Canada's leading family history website, Ancestry.ca has 128 million Canadian records in such collections as the complete Historical Canadian Censuses from 1851 to 1916, Ontario and British Columbia vital records from as early as 1813, Quebec Vital Records (The Drouin Collection), Canadian Passenger Lists and U.S. / Canada Border Crossings.

Ancestry.ca was launched in January 2006 and belongs to the global network of Ancestry websites (wholly owned by Ancestry.com Operations Inc.), which contains six billion records. To date more than 24 million family trees have been created and 2.4 billion names and 60 million photographs and stories uploaded. (Figures current as of April 1, 2011)

The Ancestry global network of family history websites -Ancestry.ca in Canada, www.ancestry.com in the US, www.ancestry.co.uk in the UK, www.ancestry.com.au in Australia, www.ancestry.de in Germany, www.ancestry.it in Italy, www.ancestry.fr in France, www.ancestry.se in Sweden and www.jiapu.com in China.

Homewood Museum open for the summer

photo credit: Ontario Architecture

MAITLAND, Ontario, June 27, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - This summer, visit Homewood Museum for guided tours and events. A highlight of the season is the annual Homewood Family Day - on Sunday, July 31 - with special activities for visitors of all ages.

One of the oldest houses in Ontario, Homewood was built by Dr. Solomon Jones, a Loyalist who came to Augusta Township with his young family c. 1784. He was the area's first physician and the second member from Leeds County to be elected to the Parliament of Upper Canada (1796-1800). This large two-storey stone house (built in 1799-1800) reflects his aspirations and accomplishments. It remained in the Jones family for seven generations.

Homewood Museum is located between Maitland and Prescott, just over one hour from Ottawa. This National Historic Site is owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust, an agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

Provincial plaque commemorates The Armenian Boys' Farm Home, Georgetown

TORONTO, June 27, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Today, the Ontario Heritage Trust and the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto unveiled a provincial plaque to commemorate The Armenian Boys' Farm Home, Georgetown.

"The arrival of Armenian child refugees at Cedarvale Farm in Georgetown helped to lay the groundwork for this country's international humanitarian efforts throughout the 20th century," said Dr. Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust. "We are proud to honour this significant event in our history with this provincial plaque."

The plaque reads as follows:

THE ARMENIAN BOYS' FARM HOME, GEORGETOWN

On July 1, 1923, a group of 50 Armenian boys arrived at this farm site from an orphanage in Corfu, Greece. The 'Georgetown Boys,' as they came to be known, arrived in Canada between 1923 and 1927 - 109 boys in all. The orphans were survivors of the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923). Their plight touched the hearts of thousands of Canadians, who raised significant funds and lobbied the Canadian government to bring them here. Under the care and supervision of the Armenian Canadian Relief Fund's Farm and Home Committee, the children lived at Cedarvale Farm located on this property and were taught English and farming skills. By 1928, the orphans were placed with farm families in Southwestern Ontario. As adults, most of the Armenians became Canadian citizens and chose to remain in this country. By providing assistance to non-British Commonwealth refugees, the Armenian Boys' Farm Home was the first humanitarian effort of its kind in Canada.

"The plight of the Georgetown Boys is a powerful reminder of our deep conviction as Ontarians and as Canadians to help those in need," said Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture. "This plaque helps to honour our history and commemorate this experience that has shaped the cultural fabric of this community and the province."

The unveiling ceremony took place at the Armenian Youth Centre - Hamazkayin Theatre in Toronto. The plaque will be permanently installed at Cedarvale Park in Georgetown, the site of the Armenian Boys' Farm Home.

"Canada's humanitarian efforts in aiding the 109 orphaned Armenian children who survived the Armenian Genocide of 1915 must be remembered and commended," said Armenian Community Centre President Vatche Kelebozian. "This provincial plaque will immortalize the memory of the Georgetown Boys and act as a permanent reminder of Canada's proud humanitarian tradition and its unyielding commitment in aiding Armenians."

The Ontario Heritage Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario, dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

Quick facts:

...The Ontario Heritage Trust's Provincial Plaque Program commemorates significant people, places and events in Ontario's history.

...Since 1953, over 1,200 provincial plaques have been unveiled.

...There are 110 provincial plaques in the city of Toronto.

For more information on the Provincial Plaque Program, visit www.heritagetrust.on.ca.

Government of Canada Announces New Director of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

GATINEAU, Quebec, June 27, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced the appointment of Mark O'Neill as Director of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation.

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. O'Neill," said Minister Moore. "I am confident that under his leadership, Canada's Civilization and War Museums will continue to play a key role in strengthening Canadians' understanding of our history."

Since 2001, Mr. O'Neill has held various executive positions within the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC). Prior to this appointment, he had been the Director General of the Canadian War Museum, while also assuming the responsibilities of Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the CMCC. From 2004 to 2009, he held the position of Vice President, Public Affairs and Publishing at the CMCC.

During his public service career, which started in 1986, Mr. O'Neill has held various managerial positions in the Department of Canadian Heritage, including Director of the Cultural Property Directorate and Secretary of the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board; Manager of Access to Heritage; and Team Leader, Multiculturalism Secretariat and Race Relations and Cross-Cultural Understanding Directorate.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation operates the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Canadian War Museum, and the Virtual Museum of New France. As part of their mandate, the museums function as centres for research and public information on the social, military, and human history of the country. Their principal role is to preserve and promote the heritage of Canada for present and future generations, thereby contributing to the enhancement of Canadian identity. For more information, visit the Corporation's website at www.civilization.ca.

The War Amps has re-released a documentary "The Blue Puttees" about the volunteer Royal Newfoundland Regiment

War Amps - Letter To The Editor
Dear Editor,

July 1st marks the 95th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel - one of the most significant battles fought by the Newfoundlanders in the First World War. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment sent 801 soldiers to battle at Beaumont-Hamel. Only 68 members of the unit answered roll call the next day.

As a member of The War Amps Operation Legacy, a group of committed young people who are dedicated to preserving Canada's military heritage, I would like to highlight this anniversary.

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment - also known as the "Blue Puttees" because of the colour of the uniform leggings the soldiers wore - was literally a band of volunteers built from scratch. Following their near annihilation at Beaumont-Hamel, they regrouped and distinguished themselves in other significant battles throughout the war. They earned themselves the reputation as one of the best fighting forces of the "war to end all wars." Perhaps the ultimate honour, they were awarded the prefix "Royal" to the regiment by the British War Office before the war was even over.

To mark this anniversary, The War Amps has re-released its documentary The Blue Puttees to regular and specialty TV channels. As part of The War Amps Military Heritage Series, it is also available at a cost-recovery price of $12 by calling 1.800.250.3030 or visiting waramos.ca.

Sincerely,

Erica Noonan, 20
Operation Legacy Member, Stephenville

L.M. Montgomery's Granddaughter to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Prince Edward Island

TORONTO, June 24, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - As part of the upcoming Royal visit, Kate Macdonald Butler, granddaughter of L.M. Montgomery, will attend a reception in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Dalvay-by-the-Sea in PEI on Monday, July 4, from 12 to 4 p.m. Kate and her daughter Eliza will fly to PEI, the birthplace of Anne of Green Gables, with the hope of presenting the Duchess with a special 100th Anniversary Edition of the book she is reported to have loved as a child.

Lynne Missen, Publishing Director, Young Readers Group, Penguin Canada says: "Anne of Green Gables holds a very special place in the hearts of Canadians, and at Penguin, we were thrilled to hear that the Duchess of Cambridge shared our love for such a beloved Canadian heroine."

Anne of Green Gables, Before Green Gables (a prequel written by award-winning Canadian author Budge Wilson), and Imagining Anne: The Island Scrapbooks by Elizabeth Rollins Epperley were published by Penguin Canada in 2008 to mark the 100th anniversary of Canada's beloved literary heroine.

The 100th Anniversary Edition of Anne of Green Gables was created using the exquisite original cover by George Gibbs and interior illustrations by M.A. Claus and W.A.J. Claus. Two of Montgomery's grandchildren, Kate and David Macdonald, provided a new introduction for this special edition of the novel. Throughout her years, L.M. Montgomery kept diaries and scrapbooks, and two of these, known as the Island Scrapbooks, reveal her creative imagination, interests, and inspirations from the years 1893 to 1910, covering the time she wrote and published Anne of Green Gables.

While millions of readers across the world may have a dog-eared, much loved paperback edition of Anne of Green Gables at home, it is the wish of the Montgomery heirs to bestow the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their own special, signed editions of these famous books, to be handed down through generations.

Kate Macdonald Butler, one of L.M. Montgomery's grandchildren, lives in Toronto with her two teenage children. Kate is the daughter of Ruth Macdonald and the late Dr. Stuart Macdonald, who was L.M. Montgomery's youngest son. Kate wrote The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook in 1984, published by Oxford University Press. She is a board member of the Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority Inc. and manages the Toronto office of the "Anne" Authority. The "Anne" Authority was formed in 1994 and is jointly owned by the province of Prince Edward Island and the heirs of L.M. Montgomery. Kate is the President of Heirs of L.M. Montgomery Inc., a family owned company that oversees all L.M. Montgomery related inquiries and projects. She is also a patron of the L.M. Montgomery Society of Ontario, a board member of the L.M. Montgomery Heritage Society

Penguin is one of the world's leading children's trade book publishers, publishing some of the world's bestselling and award-winning authors and brands, including The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the works of Roald Dahl. Penguin Canada is proud to be the official publisher of the 100th Anniversary Editions of Anne of Green Gables.

*Anne of Green Gables, Before Green Gables and other indicia of Anne are trademarks of the Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority Inc.

Ontario Heritage Trust to commemorate site of province's first parliament buildings and War of 1812

TORONTO, June 23, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Today, the Honourable Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture, and Dr. Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust, announced a new interpretive centre commemorating the site of Ontario's first parliament buildings and the War of 1812.

"This commemorative centre will provide a unique opportunity for citizens and visitors to learn about and mark significant events from our collective past - a fitting and timely initiative as we prepare for next year's celebration of both the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, events that will highlight and reinforce the Crown's important role in our parliamentary democracy," said the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

"The opening of the new interpretative centre is an innovative approach in the commemoration of the province's first parliament site," said Minister Chan. "The bicentennial of the War of 1812 is a wonderful opportunity to highlight such significant sites and honour these chapters in our history."

The commemorative centre will open in February 2012 at 265 Front Street East in Toronto, on a property acquired by the province and transferred to the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2005. It and three adjoining properties comprise the site of Ontario's first purpose-built parliament buildings. Opened in 1797, the buildings were burned by invading American forces during the War of 1812. They were later rebuilt, but were destroyed by fire again in 1824.

"This new commemorative centre will not only shed light on the history of this site, it will also put that history in a provincial and national context," said the Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Research and Innovation and MPP Toronto Centre. "It will be an excellent addition to the other attractions that bring visitors into this historic neighbourhood."

"Next year's bicentennial is an ideal time to draw attention to the importance of Ontario's first parliament buildings, which were destroyed in battle during the War of 1812," said Dr. Symons. "We are delighted that the new commemorative centre will showcase this history, exploring the evolution of our democracy and the significance of the war, both of which have played major roles in shaping the province and the country we know today."

The existing building on the property, a former car dealership, will be adapted to house the new commemorative centre. The front showroom area will accommodate interpretive exhibits and displays, as well as provide space for educational activities and special events. A request for commercial leasing proposals for the remainder of the building will be initiated in the near future, to assist with the operating costs of the centre.

"Many citizens of Old Town Toronto and local organizations have been eager to see this site commemorated and interpreted, particularly as the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 approaches," said Rollo Myers, who has been actively involved for many years with the protection of the site of Ontario's first parliament buildings. "I'm delighted that the Trust's centre will celebrate the bicentennial and showcase the critical early years of Upper Canada, as many of Ontario's most important institutions - social, political and religious - trace their beginnings to this site."

As the Trust begins to plan for the centre, it will develop opportunities to involve community groups, provincial and federal partners, War of 1812 regional groups and educators to ensure that the site's programming reflects its significance from a local, provincial, national and international perspective.

The Ontario Heritage Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario, dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

Quick facts:

...The first parliament site in Toronto is located on the block bordered by Front Street East on the north, Berkeley Street on the west, and Parliament Street on the east.

...Burned during the War of 1812, it is the only parliamentary site in Canada to have been attacked in an international war.

...Today, the site is historically significant as the birthplace of democratic government in Ontario.

Learn more:

Information about the history of Ontario's first parliament buildings is available on the Trust's website at www.heritagetrust.on.ca. Details about the interpretive centre will be posted as they become available.