Week 47 (Nov. 18-Nov. 24): Random Number

I was a bit baffled about this week's prompt of 'Random Number' before it was suggested picking a random number between 1 and 100 and blogging about the corresponding person in my family tree.  So I asked a friend to pick a number for me, and it led me to John Thompson Argent, my paternal great great grandfather.

 

John Thompson Argent was born on 3 November 1819 in West Bergholt, Essex, England and baptised 10 December 1819 at St Mary's Church.  His father was also named John Thompson Argent, and his mother was Amy, nee Watts.

John became a corn miller like his father, and he married Emma Noble 29 October 1846 in the nearby city of Colchester.  Emma was born 6 July 1824 in Brightlingsea, some 11 miles from West Bergholt.  The couple lived at Newbridge Mill (pictured below) in West Bergholt (1851-1891 censuses) where their 5 children were all born.

 

The couple's five children - John Thompson Argent (1848 - 1907), Emma Noble Argent (1849 - 1935), Ada Emily Argent (1851 - 1929), Constance Minna Argent (1857 - 1929) and Isabella Mary Argent (1858 - 1936).

John Thompson Argent died 22 January 1894 at his home in West Bergholt and was buried at St Mary's Church, the same church as his baptism, alongside his wife Emma who had died in 1880.

John's youngest daughter Isabella married Walter Proctor Green of Manor Farm, Fordham in 1879.  Their only son, my grandfather Frank, would emigrate to Australia in 1907.

Scottish Indexes Conference XXVI - Saturday 23 November 2024

Interested in tracing your Scottish genealogy? The Scottish Indexes Conference is an opportunity to learn new research skills, discover diverse records and see how others have put these into practice, and is on this weekend. If you want to trace your Scottish family tree, this is an event for you.

Don’t live in the UK? No problem. The conference is live from 7 am to 11 pm UK time to make the conference time-zone friendly. Each presentation is shown twice, once between 7 am and 3 pm UK time, then again between 3 pm and 11 pm. You can come and go throughout the day.

Presenters :

'On the Boll: agricutural and landholding terminolgy in Scottish records' by Robert Urquhart

'Housing the Miners' by Kay Williams

'Town and Gown – St Andrews University Archive' by Sarah Rodriguez

‘Historic Scotland in the archives: Using Historic Environment Scotland Archives to explore historic sites around Scotland’ by Joseph Waterfield

'Using the internet & PRONI for Northern Irish research' by Chris Paton

'Beyond ScotlandsPeople: Breaking Down Brick Walls in Scottish Research' by Alison Spring

Scottish Genealogy Q&A hosted by Graham and Emma Maxwell

Schedules & Handouts

Conference schedules are posted in a variety of timezones. Following the conference, any handouts provided by the speakers will be available on the website. Scottish Indexes also offer handouts from previous conferences via their Past Conferences page.

Trove Tuesday

Years ago, divorce was much less common that it is today and the grant of a divorce would often be reported in the newspapers along with other court news.

Divorce Act 1889 in Australia, which was assented to on 13 May 1890 put forward the following grounds for divorce:

1.Wilful desertion for 3 years,

2.Habitual drunkenness for 3 years and either left wife without means of support, or habitual cruelty, or being petitioner’s wife, having been a habitual drunkard for like period and habitually neglected her domestic duties or rendered herself unfit to discharge them,

3.Respondent imprisoned for 3 years and still in prison under commuted sentence for capital charge, or under sentence for 7 years, or being a husband, had undergone frequent convictions and sentences to aggregate 3 years and left wife habitually without means of support,

4.Convicted of attempting to murder petitioner or assaulting her with intent to commit grievous bodily harm or that respondent repeatedly during that period assaulted and inflicted cruel beatings on petitioner,

5.Respondent husband guilty of adultery in conjugal residence or with aggravation, or of repeated adultery.

One of the few pre mid 20th century divorces in my family is that of James Nicholas Clark and Eliza (nee Hawley).  The couple, who married in 1886, had two children before their marriage broke down and they separated in 1891, Eliza leaving the children with their father.

Divorce then was a lengthy process, and was not finally granted to James until 1897, six years after the couple separated.  While James alleged his wife had committed adultery as well as abandoning him and their children, he was unable to provide the court with proof of this, despite naming two men who Eliza had lived with since their separation.  As a result, the divorce was granted on the grounds of desertion only.

There is no mention in the report below of Eliza attending the court or responding in any way to the allegations made against her.  

The article included here is from the Oakleigh Leader, Saturday 14 August 1897, p2.  The Brighton Southern Cross and the Caulfield and Elsternwick Leader also printed identical articles on the divorce.

James remarried a year after the divorce was granted, to Pricilla Veronica Mulholland, and the couple would have 12 children together, including my Grandmother Gladys.

Family Tree UK Magazine

The latest issue of Family Tree UK magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines.

Inside this month's issue :

• Blenheim Palace WW1 hospital album
• Dr Simon Wills RIP
• Balchin Family Society reaches 30 year milestone
• 1841 Census now on Map Explorer at TheGenealogist
• Celebrating 10 years of the Green Room
• Napoleonic War teenage prisoner of war uniform: unique survivor
• Are we related? Modelling Ancestry and Kinship
• Discover free online family history books
• How to keep your DNA findings organised!
• Making the most of the Court of Chancery Records
• Family Tree Plus Frequently asked questions
• November Webinars
• The life and lies of Ernest William Taylor

Ancestry Free Account

Ancestry.com is one of the largest subscription genealogy databases in the world.  Did you know, however, that you can create a free account that allows you to build online family trees, preserve and share photos and stories, connect with other researchers, and read how-to help?

Ancestry also has more than 2,000 collections that are free to search even without a paid subscription. Many of these were created or indexed in partnership with other organizations, such as FamilySearch, and Ancestry.com has agreed to keep access to them free.  They also offer free access to certain records at various times throughout the year - such as free access to military records around Remembrance Day.

To see a list of free collections, click on the Search tab and drop down to the Card Catalog.  Then type 'Free' into the search the keyword search box. You can also combine this with other words, such as Victoria or war, to see what’s free in your area of research, or you can use the filters to search a particular type of records (Census, Military, etc), a location (United Kingdom, Australia, etc) or date.

If you have done an Ancestry DNA test, you can also link it to your free account.

Want to access Ancestry records that are not on the free list?  Don't forget that Ancestry Library Edition is free to search at many public libraries, including at any branch of Campaspe Library - giving you free access at all Ancestry records.

Week 46 (Nov. 11-Nov. 17): Cultural Tradition

Many families have any number of cultural traditions they follow faithfully.  No matter where your family comes from, there will be traditions you will follow.  Some are specific to a particular area or nationality, some are religious, others are created within families and handed down.

Traditions govern much of our daily existence whether we’re aware of them or not. For example, we begin our mornings with some sort of ritual that gets us ready for the day, usually ending with (or involving) breakfast. Millions of people worldwide perform the sacred ritual of preparing coffee, without which, for me, life simply cannot exist. And many holidays are secretly devoted to surviving beloved family traditions so as not to disappoint 'the Family'.

I have previously blogged about Christmas, when my family always observed a traditional gathering.  For me today, Christmas means putting the tree up and decorating the house, cooking turkey and roasting veggies, mince pies and Christmas cake laid on.  Brightly wrapped presents are tucked under the Christmas tree to be opened (one by one with everyone present watching, to prolong the Christmas morning fun).  Some of my Christmas traditions have changed over time.  Tinsel does not feature in my decorations any more after the year my tinsel-obsessed cat caused a rather expensive Christmas day visit to the family vet.  The same cat has also resulted in the rule that my Christmas Tree is put up undecorated for a week until he has lost interest in it.

Halloween in Australia is a rapidly growing tradition, with a growing number of houses in my area decorating and being visited by neighborhood children.  Back when I was younger it was much less popular, and I never went 'trick or treating' as a child back then.

With no young children in my close family, the traditional Easter Egg Hunt no longer features in my life - although I will admit the odd chocolate egg still finds its way into my shopping trolley each year.  Watching the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal remains a feature of my Easter holiday.

Why do we continue to observe these traditions?  Why do I still cook a hot Christmas dinner in the often 40 degree heat of an Australian summer?  But that’s the beauty of tradition. It doesn’t need to be logical or make sense. It just needs to be done. In an increasingly unpredictable world, tradition offers a sense of stability. Tradition.

The Family Histories Podcast Series 8

Series 8 of The Family Histories Podcast has just been launched.

In this eighth series, we will hear about a Marchioness, a homesick migrant, a collier, a singing sensation, a marine, a twin sister, and a nationalist.

As usual, the series is hosted by Andrew Martin, and he’s joined by his trusty assistant – the missing 19th Century Hungarian revolutionary and poet Sándor Petőfi (played by John Spike).

Series Eight guests :

• Danielle and Galeet Dardashti
• Richard Holt
• Jennifer Jones
• Daniel Loftus
• Adam Simpson-York
• Bob Sorrentino
• Sylvia Valentine

If you haven't already discovered  this free series, have a listen today!

Trove Tuesday

Trove has its own blog, and their latest post featured Laura J Carroll.  Laurais an author and artist who has used Trove to create a graphic novel about the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Her book 'Making the Shrine: stories from Victoria's war memorial' comprises of 25 individual stories set in time periods from 1918 to 2021. The stories are accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations by Laura. 

‘It explores what the Shrine has meant in the changing context of how Australians have thought about how we should collectively remember wars. From the catastrophic loss and grief of the years immediately after the First World War through to the present day,’ Laura says.

The Shrine of Remembrance opened on 11 November 1934 to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I. This year we celebrate its 90th anniversary, with the Shrine now serving as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war.

I have visited the Shrine several times, and have used Trove to research both World Wars and the parts my family played in them.  I have found information about relatives who volunteered, details about going away parties before soldiers embarked, reports of soldiers killed or missing in action.  Some newspapers even published excerpts from letters soldiers sent home from the front.

The newspaper article here is from the Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter, published 6 June 1918, page 3.  It gives news of local men serving - news, awards, wounds and deaths.  The same article was published in the Flemington Spectator.

The final listing in this article regards a relative, Edward John Pummeroy, who had been reported as missing in action some 8 months previously.  Following a military court of inquiry in the field, Edward was finally reported as killed in action, after a direct hit from a shell.

Also found in Trove was the family notice of Edward's death, also published in several newspapers.

  

 

 

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day, once known as Armistice Day, is one of our most important commemorative dates. On 11 November 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent, and the armistice with Germany to end the fighting on land, in the air and at sea was signed.

Each year on 11 November we pause as a nation at 11am for one minute of silence to honour all those who have suffered and lost their lives during wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

A wonderful resource for hosts of a Remembrance Day service, or those commemorating at home, is available from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Through their ANZAC Portal, they have a free Remembrance Day Kitbag.  It includes the order of service, music, making a speech, the Ode of Remembrance, a brief history, suggestions for a personal commemoration, guidelines to making a paper poppy, and more.

So wherever you are at 11am this 11th of November, take a minute to pause and remember those who have served to protect our freedoms.

Lest We Forget.

Family Tree US Magazine

The latest issue of Family Tree US magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines. 

Inside this month's issue : 

• Out on a limb
• 5 questions with: Roberta Estes - Blogger, DNAeXplained
• NARA Closes New York Branch
• A new look for Scotland's People
• 2024: The Year of Genealogy Software
• The Soundtrack of Our Lives
• Research Renaissance - Record discoveries inspire a connection to artistic ancestors.
• First Words • Start your next family history writing project with confidence!
• Falling into place - Writing about places.
• Checking the Weather
• Free for all - Discover record riches on FamilySearch.
• Can't-miss tool : Full-Text Search
• Acadian Adventures - Overcome hurdles in Acadian genealogy.
• Accessing Library and Archives Canada
• Saving Political Buttons and Memorabilia
• DNA and Privacy
• U.S. Census records - Tips for Finding, Analyzing & Using Censuses

Week 45 (Nov. 4-Nov. 10): Colorful

The theme for Week 45 is 'Colorful' and I started thinking about all the more colorful ancestors in my tree, and then came across the wonderful hand colored image of my father in his Australian Air Force uniform and promptly became sidetracked. 

This treasure was only discovered when the removalists were loading up my furniture to take to my new house when I sold the old family home back in 2017.  This colored print of my father was taken from a photograph from when he enlisted in the Air Force, during World War 2.  

It is hand colored on cardboard - and had spent who-knows-how-long lying behind a wardrobe in my parents bedroom.  Neither my sister or I can recall ever seeing it, although we are both familiar with the photo from which it is taken (below), and how or when it was created I have no idea.

My next project is to investigate restoring the colored image and having it framed.  I even have the spot for it picked out in my study!

Who Do You Think You Are Magazine

The latest issue of Who Do You Think You Are magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines.

Inside this month's issue : 

• DNA testing 10 tips on how to get more from your results
• British Home Children The story of tracing a missing relative
• Reader story Rachel Chávez’s tree includes scandal, royalty and romance
• First World War medical records How to trace your ancestors
• Recorded sound How new technology changed history
• Around Britain Northamptonshire family history
• And more...
  

Trove Tuesday

As today in Australia we celebrate the running of the Melbourne Cup, it seems fitting that my Trove Tuesday post focuses, in some way, on horses, jockeys and racing.

Locating a photo of an ancestor in the newspapers makes any article even more exciting.  After I discovered that my great uncle, Alfred Edward Pummeroy, worked for a few years as a jockey, I headed to the newspapers to see if he was mentioned in racing news.

To my delight, not only did I find several articles about his short (and not terribly successful) racing career, but I also found a photograph of him with a couple of other jockeys.

Alfred is pictured in the centre of the three standing jockeys, and it is the only image I have of him as a young man, which makes this photo from the newspapers even more special.

Another Trove Treasure!