New Member from Niagara Region

**Silk** · 28th July 13, 08:50 AM

Well I have been already posting and talking to a few of you in threads but I did get a welcome email last night from the site owner and it asks me to post an introduction so I will do that now.

I am Canadian female, living in the Niagara Region, basically right on the border of the province of Ontario and New York state. My family has been here a long time in fact... the youngest branch of my family tree here arrived in 1912 from Yorkshire, England on the Empress of Ireland (I still have the wooden suitcase sitting in my living room.) The oldest branch is Loyalist, having arrived in the 13 colonies circa the 1630s, lived a prosperous life in the Rye area of New York (also some in New Hampshire and Connecticut) until the American Revolution and then my particular branch uprooting and leaving for Nova Scotia/New Brunswick and Ontario to start all over again after almost 150 years in the American colonies. (I love genealogy and history so I like to know these things! lol)

I live in a very strong area for Loyalist history and heritage as basically my area was settled by displaced Americans from the 13 colonies so if anyone has a question about family members who might have ended up here, please feel free to message me. I also live in an area where the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812 were fought and where there are war dead from the U.K., the U.S., and Canada so again, if anyone has an inquiry about a grave here, etc., feel free to message me and I will try to help. (I have a big interest in WWI and WWII Canadian history/war memorials too, particularly the Vimy memorial which is my absolute favourite!)

I have had a lifelong interest in the bagpipes and drums, as well as the kilt. I wish I could explain why but I can't. lol If there's any Scottish heritage in my family, I have as of yet to discover it. However, the marvelous thing about research is you turn up things all the time that you never would've imagined! I have already uncovered several startling facts in the last few years, so you never know! ;) I did wear a kilt during high school (part of the uniform choices) and I loved it.

I am particularly interested in Canada's highland regiments, of which I understand there are approximately 14 to 17 still in existence. And to be quite honest, I was absolutely stunned and excited both to discover last night that there are apparently memorial regimental pipe bands in the Netherlands who have formed to make themselves a "living memorial" to the Canadian highland regiments who liberated their areas in WWII. So I have now begun to follow them online too! I think it's pretty awesome to see a tradition starting in the Netherlands and I really love the Dutch for doing that!

I will warn everyone that I call myself "the research girl" as I am forever reading up/watching videos/searching for photos, etc. etc. on things that interest me. So I hope I won't overload anyone with things I post. lol I haven't yet looked, but I hope there is an area of the site for posts on highland regiments so I can share pics/videos, etc. there that I have found while perusing the net. I know I shared one last night of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada marching through Rome in June, 1944 and I found it to be just an awesome sight to see them marching along with the Roman Colosseum in the background. The ladies loved their kilts too as was demonstrated in the video. lol

Anyways, I am glad to have joined and hope to learn more about one of my interests!

Silk

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**Grizzly** · 28th July 13, 10:10 AM

Welcome Silk from Southampton UK. I am sure that you will find many answers and views here, I look forward to reading your , no doubt, interesting posts.

**Richrail** · 28th July 13, 10:17 AM

from Reno, NV. USA

**Father Bill** · 28th July 13, 10:30 AM

Welcome to the "Great Rabble!"

**plaid preacher** · 28th July 13, 10:43 AM

Welcome Silk ... from just up the road in Mitchell ON.

**Chas** · 28th July 13, 10:49 AM

Hello Silk,

Welcome to XMarks from the other side of the Atlantic in Norfolk, England.

**StevieR** · 28th July 13, 11:14 AM

Hello Silk and welcome from Dorset in the UK.

**Eric D Scott** · 28th July 13, 11:26 AM

Welcome to the rabble ... I too, make my home in the Niagara Region.

**Silk** · 28th July 13, 12:17 PM

Oh nice Eric! I didn't even realize that Thorold had a pipe band, that's great! And thanks KiltedJohn.

Silk

**MacCathmhaoil** · 28th July 13, 12:54 PM

Welcome from another Loyalist descendant, seems my family's history very closely mirrors your's! Places, dates etc. we'll have to compare names and notes.