Books, travels, resources and other news: my genealogy months July & August 2026

A massive couple of months with most of my time spent overseas in the UK and Europe. I managed to visit 13 countries in four weeks and have some amazing experiences. Thanks to all those who followed my travels on Facebook, it was good to see all the comments and interest in the places I visited.

One of my more memorable places was the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and trying to knock it down with my pink walking stick!

Books

Although I always say 'no more books' inevitably I come home with a few unplanned purchases and a heavier suitcase. 

Browsing in Irish bookshops was particularly tempting.

I was especially pleased to get David Hume's Historic Days in East Antrim (includes Islandmagee) while in Belfast. 

Conferences

Less than a fortnight now to the NSW & ACT conference in Port Macquarie where I am giving a talk on searching in digital catalogues.

Registration for the AFFHO congress in Wellington, New Zealand in February 2027has opened. That's my next lot of travel planning - flights and accommodation as I always enjoy congresses and catching up with everyone.

E Resources 

Renewed my membership of the State Library of Queensland for another three years. It's free and membership includes: 

• Explore eresources – Online courses, ebooks, newspapers, journals, and research databases (QLD residents only) 
• Search the catalogue – Find photographs, archives, and special collections 
• Borrow books and materials – Borrow or request items for delivery to your local library (QLD residents only) 
• Book spaces & equipment – Reserve study rooms and computers 
• Create at The Edge – Use design tools, recording studio, and maker equipment

New Resources

I was interested to see that the Royal Historical  Society of Queensland is putting it's library catalogue online via EHive. The library team reached a milestone of uploading 10,000 public entries to eHive. This includes approximately 5500 Photographs, 1800 Booklets, 2900 Books (covers and index), family files, district files and other miscellaneous files. The Alder Collection donated by the Alder family was the most recent photograph collection uploaded. The images were taken by Edward Henry Alder (known as Harry) (1866 – 1957) who was an honorary life member of The Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Over 400 images have been loaded from this collection including photos of the 1893 flood pictures, rural Queensland photographs and Alder family members. 

FamilySearch has added more than 8.2 million new records from 22  countries including Belgium, England, France, Italy, Phillipines, Switzerland, Ukraine and the USA. Staggering numbers as usual. The English component is an expanded collection of births/christenings and parish registers from Middlesex.

Talks

Giving a talk on researching Western Australian ancestors for Legacy Family Tree Webinars on Wednesday 2 September. For the week after the presentation, you can still view it for free then you need to be a subscriber.

Conwy castle, Wales

I'm finally going to give a talk on researching Welsh ancestors to the Bribie Genie Chats group using my own family examples. On my recent travels I visited Cardiff and the walled city of Conwy in Wales, not to mention Anglesey which has the longest place name in Welsh - ever so much easier to just call it Anglesey!  

A photo says it all and no idea how to pronounce. 

Later this month I am giving a session on Queensland land records for the Genealogical Society of Queensland. I have some interesting examples from my own research to share and illustrate the value of land records.

What's Coming Up Next?

Already I am receiving invitations to speak next year and I did put in a proposal to Legacy Family Tree Webinars. Although to be honest with myself, 2027 is the year I really need to 'settle' down and write up my PhD research and compile my database on the incarcerated women of colonial Queensland.

It's spring and the weather is glorious outside. Time to boot up the laptop and start working outside in the gazebo. 

Until next time, happy searching Shauna