2022 Genealogy Goals & Looking to 2023: My genealogy weeks 26 November - 13 December 2022

 We come to the end of a calendar year again and as usual, I have no idea where the year went. 

I do know that I gave 40 talks in 2022 so I need to stop talking. Goal number 1 for 2023, learn to say No. 

Excited to know 'Farmor' is coming

I also know that a new twig was added to our family tree - my first ever grandchild, Theodor who lives in Sweden with his Mum and Dad. Goal number 2 is visit them and this is an easy one to tick off. This afternoon I am flying out to Sweden via Dubai and Copenhagen to spend Christmas and New Year with them. I am also hoping for a White Christmas and to tick off another bucket list item.

During 2022 I spent quite a bit of time working on all my family history drafts for each of my major families. These range from smallish, 10000 words to largish 20000 words or huge over 25000 words. They include illustrations and sources/citations, bibliography etc. Not yet indexed as they are not yet finished. I have been saying that for decades. Goal number 3 will be to make them all first editions and publish them via a PDF on Trove (through NED) and the Internet Archive. Free for all or at least those interested.

Just needs a 2023 update then finis

2022 was the year that we returned to face to face meetings and conferences and how good was that. I am a confessed genealogy conference junkie and I love planning my year around conferences. Goal number 4 is to attend at least one overseas conference and one Australian conference. In 2023 I am already booked to attend RootsTech in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. This will tick off a few bucket list items including a visit to the Salt Lake City FamilySearch Library and attending RootsTech, the largest genealogy event on the planet. Although it will again be hybrid like so many conferences now. For my Australian conference I would like to attend the annual conference in NSW which I understand will be on the Central Coast. The NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies' website is not working this morning so I can't check. I still want to visit Newcastle and do some research on Dad's family so that will be a double bonus if I drive down. 

That's enough goals for 2023. Back to 2022.

Books

Currently reading Nathan Dylan Goodwin's latest in the Venator series, catching serial killers using DNA evidence. It's amazing how you can actually learn tips of how to manage DNA matches while reading a novel. I can't put it down so I think it will be reading material on the plane tonight.

Talks

Although I inferred above that I would not do as many talks in 2023, I seem to have not grasped that message. In February 2023 I already have 5 talks - 2 virtual and 3 in person. There are only 4 booked for the rest of the year so perhaps it will be OK. Where I am speaking is on the Events page of my website. When I checked that link I discovered that my security certificate had expired two days ago. No reminder notice which is odd. So hastily purchased one and hoping I can get it all sorted before I leave this afternoon. Otherwise you will see a not safe message until I return. Although it is safe, not hacked but a nuisance at this late notice.

What's Coming Up?

First term at Bribie U3A will be a repeat of our Advanced Irish class last held in 2021. Lots of new things since then so that will keep me busy.

But first I am going to have an amazing time in Dubai, Copenhagen, Lund (Sweden) and Singpore. Plus time with my family where I will be called 'Farmor' although I think I prefer Nanna. Then there's Swedish cuisine and Yule time traditions and possibly even snow to make it truly magical.

Time to go and pack that suitcase and try and get in my presents for the family too. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday season. Stay safe and well and I hope to catch up with everyone in 2023. 

Shauna

Review FHDU 2022, new books, new resources & other news: My genealogy weeks 6 - 25 November 2021

Wow time does fly when you are having fun. So much has happened since my last post.

Books

Family History Down Under was definitely a temptation for me and I ended up buying 6 books from authors such as Chris Paton and Penny Walters. Plus one of my favourite authors Nathan Dylan Goodwin sent a review copy of The Sawtooth Slayer, the latest in his Venator cold case series. 

Which book to read first? 

The 4th book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, The Drums of Autumn, has slowed down my list of books this year. Why are all her books so big and with small print? I can't put it down but at the end of the day my eyes are not as sharp. So I am going to sleep earlier and getting up earlier so I can still get my hour of reading done.

Conferences

Well FHDU was a big success and I really loved seeing everyone again in person. There were some great speakers and talks and lots of catching up with what's new. My to do list is a mile long! For a longer report on the conference see my blog post Report on FHDU 2022.

My next adventure will be RootsTech 2023 which I will be attending in March 2023 in person for the first time. Can't wait. I'm also lucky to be one of the Influencers for RootsTech next year. 

New Resources

It was interesting to see in the FamilySearch October 2022 update that they have now included some more UK cemetery records. Both in counties that I am researching. Another thing on the to do list. 

Findmypast added a number of new and updated digitised newspapers and again there are things that I want to research. It really is never ending. The 1868 Staffordshire Sentinel is calling me.

Talks

Only five more talks this year. Four of them will be at Coffs Harbour & District Family History Society annual seminar this weekend. Looking forward to that as it has been a few years since I was last there. I'm donating a copy of my Australian Genealogy Online as the lucky door prize.

My final talk for 2022 will be at Bribie Genealogy - they are expecting my annual Christmas quiz but this year I am going to look at setting some goals for 2023. We all need to start thinking about how are we going to leave our research for the future. 

What's Coming Up?

My trip to Sweden and my first catch up with my son and his family since they moved there in 2019. Also my first cuddles with my only grandson the adorable Theodor. It is snowing there at the moment so perhaps I will be able to have my first White Christmas and tick off another bucket list item.

I still have two weeks here so there will be another Diary post before I leave. 2022 has just gone so quickly. Well I must be off to Coffs Harbour which is about a six hour drive from here. Have a great weekend and try to get some genealogy research in. 

Until next time, stay safe and well.

Review Sands of Time & other genealogy news: My Genealogy Month 6 October - 5 November 2022

What a huge month for genealogy. I gave talks, went to conferences and just tried to keep up with all my genealogy reading. The last four weeks have been a bit of a blur.

It is also my birthday month and I was able to celebrate with friends from U3A and Bribie Genealogy and Mia Bennett from the UK who was able to stay with me for a couple of nights. Mia kindly gave me two books from one of my favourite authors - Ian Mortimer and these were the Time Traveller Guides to Restoration Britain and Regency Britain. I love his Time Traveller series.

Books

Image 1993
via Wikimedia

Tackling Diana Gabaldon's Voyager at the moment - the third volume in the series. It is so big and heavy it is a real struggle trying to read it in bed, especially with my arthritic thumbs. 

For lighter reading I have various enewsletters and ejournals from societies to read.

Bribie Genealogy

We were thrilled to have Mia Bennett from the UK attend our meeting and give a talk on Using DNA to Support Family History Research. There were lots of DNA questions after the coffee break. We had a good turn up of members plus some visitors from Caloundra Family History Research. 

My only regret is that I was so excited I forgot to take a photo of Mia and the group. We will just have to do it again another time!

The Sands of Time cookie

Conferences

Sands of Time at Redcliffe went very well and you can read my review of the conference here. The highlight for me was being able to talk to people again in person. The talks were good and I still have to work my way through the handouts. 

I am off to Family History Down Under 2022 this coming week and that will be a mega feast of talks. Plus afterwards we can watch the sessions we couldn't attend plus the bonus talks. Attending in person means that I can catch up with more friends and experience the vibes that don't quite make it in a Zoom environment. 

Looking further afield I have decided to go to my first ever in person RootsTech 2023. Flights are booked and I will have to plan some research at the Salt Lake Research Library. Or perhaps I will just wander around in amazement. The Dinosaur Museum is also on my agenda that week.

Another bonus is that I have been appointed a RootsTech 2023 Influencer complete with a badge.

New Resources

I have finally got Ancestry's Side View where DNA matches are assigned to either paternal or maternal sides of your family. 

There are 6929 matches assigned to Dad, 4978 assigned to Mum and 7548 unassigned. 

I am finding this fascinating and very distracting as far as time goes. It is like a magnet to me. 

Talks

I am doing two talks at FHDU 2022 - Australian genealogy online and Why Can't I Find It. 

After that I am doing a recorded talk for the Society of Australian Genealogists for their religious seminar which will be fun. Sadly I can't do it in person as that clashes with the all day seminar I am doing with the Coffs Harbour District Family History Society on 26 November.

To round the year off, I will be doing a Christmas Quiz with Bribie Genealogy at our December meeting.

What's Coming Up

The end of the year very quickly. For once I might have a white Christmas/New Year as I will be visiting my son and baby grandson in Sweden. There are no guarantees of snow but one can hope. One thing I can count on is that it will be colder than here!

Babe in the Woods

I have been saying that I don't want to be as busy as I was this year with talks but already I am down to give nine talks. 

That's a bit shy of the 39 this year so perhaps I will achieve a less busy year! 

What I really want is for the years to slow down. Where has 2022 gone?

Until next time happy searching 

Loving Wiltshire records, Sands of Time, FHDU 2022 & other news: My Genealogy Fortnight 23 Sep - 7 Oct 2022

 My two week break from teaching at U3A Bribie went super fast but I managed to get some writing done on my individual family histories. To do the scanning of documents and photos I may have to chain myself to the chair as I always seem to come up with an excuse not to do it. 

Books

Over the last two weeks I have been reading Larissa Behrendt's books that she talked about at the Norfolk Island conference. Both books have to go back to Moreton Library so it is fortunate that we have had a few wet cooler days which are just perfect for reading.

Bribie Genealogy

This month on Friday 7 October we have Helen Smith talking about dating photographs. This should be a fantastic talk and very practical. Most of us have photos that are undated and usually not named or identified by place.

Bribie U3A

Term 4 is all about Brick Walls and we are going to tackle real student brick walls. 

Not sure how it will go but I started the term with a discussion on how probate records in Wiltshire (via Ancestry) helped me to trace back to my 13th great grandfather.  Also used baptism, marriage and burial records to identify the various family groups.

Conferences

Hard to believe that Sands of Time is now only a few weeks away. One of my favourite speakers Michelle Patient is talking about Where to Next with DNA?

This is a marvellous opportunity to listen to some great speakers, meet new friends and network with like minded people. Please come up and say hello.

The Coffs Harbour seminar has been moved back to 26 November. That will be a great way to end the genealogy year. I am giving four talks at the day long event, I hope to see some of you there. When regional societies host these seminars, it can be worth the drive if you live not too far away. 

FHDU 2022 is early November and I have my flights and accommodation booked. I'm giving two talks there but I am more excited at the great range of international speakers to listen too. If you can't make it to Sydney, there is also a virtual option. 

New Resources

FamilySearch have added three new Irish collections which is exciting:

• Ireland Court of Chancery Bill Books 1627-1884     1,217,591 records
• Ireland Dublin Poor Law Unions Board of Guardians Minute Books, 1839-1924     892,325 records
• Ireland National School Registers 1847-1954             152,829 records

What's Coming Up?

Attending conferences in person is so exciting and meeting weekly to discuss genealogy brick walls at U3A means that I will be living the genealifestyle again. It always motivates me to do more on my own family history research.

If you get the chance to do your own research, happy searching and hopefully I will see some of you at Redcliffe or Sydney. Until then, take care Shauna 

Sands of Time Speakers, FHDU 2022 & Other Genealogy News: My Genealogy Week 15 - 22 September 2022

There is so much happening at present that a few extra Diary posts are needed.

Bribie Genealogy

We have been an informal group that grew out of the genealogy group at Bribie U3A and went onto Zoom during Covid. We met weekly and motivated each other. Since the end of lockdowns we have gone back to in person monthly meetings at Bribie RSL. Now I am part of a working group that is looking at incorporation for the group. There are advantages to this not least the ability to apply for grants. I would love to see a genealogy fair on Bribie. As well as the constitution and by laws there is the discussion over what will our logo be? Interesting times.

Bribie Genealogy September meeting

Conferences

Sands of Time at Redcliffe on 21-23 October 2022 is almost here. Just four weeks away! I am so excited about a local conference so close to Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Not to mention that it is a good excuse for a holiday in Queensland. As Ambassador I have had the pleasure of interviewing some of our speakers and presenting them through this blog. Check past blogs for Michelle Patient, Eric Kopittke and Liesl Harrold.

Now meet Mark Finnane Professor of History at Griffith University in Brisbane.

Tell me a little about yourself and your interest in history?

I am an academic historian, Professor of History at Griffith University. For me history is a fundamental knowledge, most basically it’s about the stories we tell about ourselves in the world we live in. And just as the world is constantly changing, the stories we tell also change, helping to explain ourselves to others as well as provide a way of thinking about our place in the present and the kind of future we want or wish to avoid.

With my colleagues in this presentation (a number of staff and students associated with the Harry Gentle Resource Centre and the Prosecution Project, both hosted at Griffith University) we are providing an overview of the ways in which academic history is using, and producing, records that are commonly also used in family and community histories more generally.

Your talk sounds fascinating - what led to your interest in this topic?

As researchers who are working every day with archives and genealogical sources in our various projects we thought it would be useful to reflect on our work for an audience that is different from the academic world in which we collect and interpret historical sources. We want to highlight the work that historians do in contextualising the data we access. We want to demonstrate also some of the products of this work, especially in digital form, accessible to all those able to access the web.

What do you hope to experience/learn from attending Sands of Time?

We are particularly interested in hearing from those using genealogical sources about the kinds of challenges they face in accessing material that answers their questions – and what they know that might be useful in our future research collecting and making accessible data about individual, family and community histories

Is there anything else that you would like attendees to know?

We are keen to let people know about resources we are working on that provide information that may be useful for family and community histories – particularly the new Harry Gentle Resource Centre Dictionary of Biography focussed on the peoples who lived in colonial Queensland. We are also interested in highlighting the role of community volunteer historians who assist in the transcription of historical sources including data for the Prosecution Project.

Talks

Next is my keynote address at the Sands of Time conference at Redcliffe.

I have four talks for the Coffs Harbour & District Family History Society at the end of October.

At Family History Downunder 2022 in Sydney in November I am giving two talks. So many of my favourite speakers all in the same conference venue. 

Choosing which session to attend will be hard but I can always watch the others later. Plus the chance to catch up in person with so many friends and colleagues.

That will then make a grand total of 37 talks in 2022! Perhaps I talk too much!

U3A Bribie

For the 4th term we are going to try something new. Instead of me just sitting there lecturing the group we are going to try and tackle brick walls together. There is good wifi access so we will be able to do live searches and a white board to note key points. It should be a good interactive learning experience for all. The hard part will be getting people to not be too shy in putting forward their thoughts/experiences. 

By popular demand Irish Genealogy will be the focus of Term 1 2023. Why am I not surprised?

What's Coming Up?

Christmas at a fast pace but I don't mind so much this year as I will be in Sweden having a white (hopefully) Yule time with my son and baby grandson. We haven't seen each other since they moved there three years ago so it will be a wonderful catch up. 

Before then I hope to get more of my draft family histories completed and printed for final edits. I cannot edit without a red pen in my hand and a paper copy. Talk about a dinosaur but reading on paper just highlights errors for me. 

Have success with your searching or whatever other genealogy activity you do this week. Until next time Shauna

Theo at four months, supercute.

Sands of Time earlybird extended & other genealogy news: My Genealogy Fortnight 1-14 September 2022

 Attending genealogy conferences and expos always motivate me. I come home and I'm superexcited to follow up on the tips and tricks from the speakers. What else can I find out about my ancestors? But new research always takes me away from downsizing and tidying up my 45 years of research. My writing up of the family histories falls by the wayside as I chase new records. This month the plan is to do more scanning and writing and less research - not sure I can do that but that's the plan.

Blogs

No missing our hotel!

Finally got around to writing up my notes from the AFFHO Congress on Norfolk Island and the family history expos in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand. Read Geneatravel in National Family History Month.

Books

The trouble with reading Diana Gabaldon's books is that they are so big and with small print. That takes up a lot of reading time. Still I am almost at the end of the first book Cross Stitch aka Outlander and I have the second book from the library. I will have to tackle that in case someone else wants to reserve it. I would hate to return a book I hadn't finished reading!

Conferences

As a Sands of Time ambassador I have the pleasure of introducing another one of the speakers at the conference in October in Redcliffe. 

Meet Liesl Harrold

Tell me a little about yourself and your interest in history?

I grew up listening to my family discussing family history and brick walls. By the time I was in high school, I was doing family history research unsupervised and getting close to 100% in history. At university, I completed a Regional and Town planning degree which included writing a thesis titled, The Recycling of Public Heritage buildings for commercial purposes: A [Queensland] Treasury building case study. I have worked in historical and statistical research roles including managing the work histories team which was tasked with researching the histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to support their claim for the Stolen wages class action. I have also completed both the certificate and diploma courses with the Society of Australian Genealogists and taught various family history courses.

Your talk sounds fascinating - what led to your interest in this topic?

In working with beginner researchers, I have found that mistakes are often made because their methodologies are missing key elements. The missing elements are vital for unlocking evidence and proof. Left long enough, the omission becomes habitual and we find ourselves forever looking but never finding. My presentation aims to showcase the essential elements of the proof standard, research cycle and research techniques which will hopefully help the researcher make discoveries.

 What do you hope to experience/learn from attending Sands of Time?

I am looking forward to the opportunity of hearing from some great speakers and share some of my adventures in research. I am especially looking forward to meeting people face to face and having a good yarn about all things history.

Earlybird registration has been extended to 23 September so don't miss out. It will be at Redcliffe (close to Brisbane), Queensland on 21-23 October 2022. 

New Resources

FamilySearch have added two expanded Australian collections :

•  Australia, Albany, Inward passenger lists 1873-1924 (also available from the National Archives of Australia website)
• Australia, Victoria, Wills, probate and administration files 1841-1926 (also available from the Public Record Office Victoria website)

The British Newspaper Archive added more new titles including:

• Liverpool Shipping Telegraph and Commercial Daily Advertiser 1846-1849, 1851-1872, 1874-1876, 1880, 1885-1897, 1899
• Harrogate Advertiser and Weekly List of Visitors 1865,1877,1880, 1889

Note the missing years. It is always necessary to check coverage to see if the dates that you want are covered by whatever database you are searching.

Talks

Sally Romano our September 
guest speaker

The September meeting of Bribie Genealogy had Sally Romano from Brisbane telling us all about writing a family history. Sally shared how she had written her own Days of Yore and gave tips and tricks that she learnt from that experience. She also stayed to lunch with some of our members and it was good to socialise again.

It seems I am having a rest from talking in September (apart from U3A). But I do have my keynote session at Sands of Time in October to finalise.

Also in October I have the road trip down to Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales. Giving several presentations on the Saturday for the Coffs Harbour District Family History Society. 

Also a bit strange to be booking in talks for 2023 but I now have some for Moreton Libraries and one for the Association of Professional Genealogists. 

What's Coming Up Next?

Fourth term of Bribie U3A will be about Family History Brickwalls. I'm hoping that as an interactive class we might be able to help each other solve our genealogy mysteries. Sounds better than me doing all the talking all the time.

Bribie Genealogy 

Our October meeting of Bribie Genealogy has Helen Smith as our guest speaker talking about dating photographs. This is a topic of huge interest to our members so it will be great to have Helen in person. Last time covid reared its ugly head and we had to Zoom. 

As I said at the beginning, I am ignoring all bright shiny objects for the time being, and doing some serious family history writing this month. And scanning, which is not as interesting as writing but just as important. Wish me luck. 

Happy researching until next time. Shauna

Geneatravelling, NFHM & upcoming geneaconferences & other news: My Genealogy Weeks 1-31 August 2022

 Where did August go? There was a feast of genealogy events across Australia and New Zealand and I hope that you managed to attend at least one or two.

Auckland Expo

 

Blogs

Christchurch Expo
in the Library 

Thanks to all my travelling over the last four weeks I haven't written anything. But I have notes from the AFFHO Congress on Norfolk Island and the family history expos in Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand.

 Next on my list of things to do is a write up of the three events which were excellent. Some great speaker sessions and so good to talk to exhibitors in person again. 

Wearing a mask was still a pain but I have managed to successfully dodge covid so far.

Books

I have finally discovered Diana Gabaldon's series of books on historical Scotland. Currently reading Cross Stitch (title in the UK) but more commonly known as Outlander in the US. The local second hand bookshop had a number of titles in the series so I scooped them up and managed to get Book 2 from the Bribie Library.

Of course everyone just says why don't you just watch the series? My preference has always been to read the books first. Often I am disappointed in the television version. Although one exception to that would be the Poldark series with Aidan Turner! I had heard of the series Outlander but never felt compelled to watch.

Sunset on Norfolk Island
before theconference fish fry

The opening speaker for National Family History Month (more later) was Larissa Behrendt and she gave an excellent address on writing fictional family history. I had not come across her books before so I checked out the local Moreton Libraries and there were two sitting on the shelf in other libraries. 

My reservation of both books meant they were delivered to Bribie Library the next day. Amazing service. The only bad news was Moreton Libraries didn't have her first book and again I am a bit of a stick in the mud. I like to read books in order. Might buy the ecopy if there is one.

Either way I have a heap of books to read.

Conferences

Our own Sands of Time Conference is coming up quickly on 21-23 October. Early bird registration has been extended so not too late to make plans to attend. Redcliffe is a bayside suburb of Brisbane and just across the waterway from Bribie Island so I won't have to travel far. I have been working on my keynote talk and also undertaking my ambassador duties for the conference. 

November sees me travelling to Sydney for the Family History Down Under 2022 conference which will be mega. Check out the program and it is a hybrid so you can participate from anywhere. 

National Family History Month

Both the opening and closing events for National Family History Month are available under the Videos tab on the home page. I really recommend both events if you want to hear some thought provoking views of family history.

During August Alex Daw (aka Family Tree Frog), and coordinator of NFHM, ran a blogging challenge. See her first post outlining the challenge here.

Talks

I seem to have done a lot of talking lately at Norfolk Island, Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand and Noosaville the day after I got back home. No rest for the wicked. As usual the slides from the presentations can be seen on the Resources page of my website.

I have also been giving my sessions on Scottish Genealogy to the Bribie U3A group.

What's Coming Up Next?

In two weeks we have the Riding the Waves of History Conference which is the virtual conference from the NSW &ACT Association of Family History Societies.There is an excellent program to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own homes. 

Term 4 at Bribie U3A will be all about demolishing family history brick walls. I wonder how many will sign up for that class?

Plus I want to find some more time to write my own family histories and continue my scanning saga of documents and photographs. I also need to resist the urge to do additional research which is why I never seem to finish any family history draft. 

Enjoy all the geneaoffering available online and I hope you make some exciting discoveries with all the new resources.

Until next time, take care and stay safe. Shauna