Diary of an Australian Genealogist
This blog will record my research (both in Australia and overseas), links I like, articles or newsletters I read, family history news that excites me and so on. The aim is to be a fortnightly record of my activities which might be of interest to other genealogy researchers.
Sunday, 2 February 2025
Books, Resources & Other News: My Genealogy Week 23 - 30 Jan 2025
Saturday, 25 January 2025
New DNA matches, books I'm loving & other news: My genealogy week 15 -22 Jan 2025
Another busy week with a trip to Caloundra to give a talk on Scottish ancestors and lots of work on my confimation milestone for my PhD. In fact, that has taken over my life at the moment.
Books
Still fascinated with Tea Cooper's books. Just finished reading The Fossil Hunter and have now borrowed The Naturalist's Daughter from the Bribie Island library.
Bribie Family History Association
Out first meeting for 2025 is on 7 February with Mariane Young as our guest speaker on researching in Ireland. Putting together the slides for the meeting so that those members who can't attend still get all the news. Looking forward to seeing everyone again.
Conferences
For something different, I am going to talk about the NSW/ACT annual conference which is in Wollongong this yearbetween 12-14 September 2025. No details yet but you can sign up for the conference newsletter. No 1 is here.
My RootsTech handouts are due next week but I notice that my sessions have disappeared from the classes schedule. I need to check that out.
New Resources
I haven't used Findmypast for a while so a bit surprised to see a new look. There was a hint to an Elizabeth Bilson in the 1841 census in Melton Mowbray and when I checked it out, a 12 year old Mary Spencer was also living there. More proof that the Billson and Spencer families were connected in Leicestershire. Only trouble was that the image is very poor and the name of the three week baby girl is not readable. A search in 1851 didn't find them so I need to have a good look at this. When I get spare time!
Snippet from 1841 census via Findmypast |
Then I popped over to Ancestry to check my new DNA matches. Got excited with a large match, first cousin once removed, but once I checked it out, I realised it was a second cousin with a much larger cM match than her brother. Interesting.
Otherwise most of my new matches were in the smallish range of under 20cM.
I should probably schedule regular checks of my DNA accounts as I have them with FamilyTree DNA and MyHeritage as well as Ancestry and 23 & Me.
Talks
My next talk is for Monash Library in Melbourne and it's a variation of my why can't I find it talk. So lots of tips and tricks on how to find something hiding in the indexes. Always a good group and it is hybrid with some in the library's conference room and some on Zoom.
And a trip up to Noosa Libraries - another good group. I like the advert they have done for my talk Why Can't I Find It? Family history searching at Noosaville Library. Very Sherlockian, if that is a word? You can book online by going to the Events Calendar - select Monday 17 Feb at 10.30am till 12 noon.
Always amazed by all the bats in the trees around the library complex. Have to be careful where you park the car!
What's Coming Up?
A new passport! Having booked my trip to Sweden, I now realise that there won't be six months left on it by the end of my holiday.
Have fun researching, until next time, Shauna
Thursday, 16 January 2025
Remember 1 January updates & other news: My Genealogy Week 8-14 January 2025
Well the first week of the year went by in a blur. I mostly worked on researching the women who will feature in my PhD The Grass Wasn't Always Greener.
With all the rain we have had lately, there are lots of lovely blooms in the yard. Max bought some inside to brighten up the house. Lots of red.
Books
Currently reading another one of Meg Kennealy's books which I enjoy.
Just finished The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper and I do love her books on early New South Wales.
Looking forward to our Bribie Family History Association Book Club starting up again in February. Bev always manages to make an interesting choice, and not one that I would necessarily pick for myself.
Conferences
Uploaded my slides and handout for Connections 2025. My session is all about archives. What else!
RootsTech 2025 is on in just a few weeks. The program is now live and it is free to register. You can select what talks you want to listen to and no need to stay awake all night as sessions are mostly prerecorded.
Resources
I forgot to mention last week that the 1 January meant a new release of records into the public domain. So time to look for new BDMs and archival records, and not just in Queensland. Check out Public Record Office Victoria's What's New in December 2024.
FamilySearch continue to amaze me with their use of AI over Australian wills and probates. Fantastic for locating relationships you might not be aware of. For example, a will/probate is usually indexed under the name of the deceased. With AI you also get everyone mentioned in the will including children and other beneficiaries. Fantastic. The full text search over other records is equally good. Check out the projects in FamilySearch labs.
Talks
First talk for 2025 is tomorrow with the Caloundra Family History Research Group. The topic is researching Scottish ancestors. James Carnegie's parents were from Montrose, Angus, Scotland and Mary Finn's parents were from Rathdrum, Wicklow, Ireland.
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James Carnegie and Mary Finn |
For a list of where I am speaking check out the Events page of my website.
Travel
Another trip to Sweden and my little grandson's 3rd birthday.
On the way home I will spend a week in Ireland visiting the Rathdrum area of Wicklow where my Finn and Fegan families came from and also going up to Northern Ireland to visit Belfast and Islandmagee where my GGG grandparents Stewart Heddles and Agnes Templeton are buried.
Also having a stopover in Doha so I don't arrive totally washed out in Copenhagen.
What's Coming Up?
Bookfest in Brisbane and the opportunity to buy some great book bargains. Last year I showed great restraint limiting myself to $100 and one green shopping bag. Achieved but quite a few went back on the tables and choosing that final selection was hard.
Do I want to do that again? Do I need more books?
Until next time happy researching Shauna