New on FamilySearch

A major new collection now available free on FamilySearch are the Surrey Parish Registers. 

The parish records include baptisms, marriages and burials, potentially revealing details such as your ancestors’ dates and places of birth, marriage and death, as well as the names of their parents and spouses.  Including data from 1536 to 1992, the set consists of over 2.5 million records and were transcribed from the London Metropolitan Archives.

WDYTYA 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 RB Digital eMagazines.
Inside this month's issue

• Read all about it
  Discover your ancestors in newspaper archives
• DNA dilemmas
  DNA testing is transforming family history - we look at the challenges and rewards
• May day
  Exploring the tangled history of maypoles
• Finding Irish kin
  Break through your Irish brick walls with a 19th-century tax record
• Family hero
  A dramatic tale of surviving the Battle of Jutland
• Plus...
  The lives of ancestors who worked as general servants; tracing injured First World War veterans; using Ancestry's new family tree tags; and much more...

What's new on Trove

Over the past few months the people at Trove have added over 2 million more newspaper pages to their collection, taking the current total to a whopping 222,868,169 scanned pages online.  Here’s the list the titles they’ve released over the past few months, as well as those that are coming soon.

WHAT’S NEW

NEW SOUTH WALES
The Alfred (Sydney, NSW: 1835)
The Australian Sportsman (Sydney, NSW: 1848)
The Citizen (Sydney, NSW: 1846-1847)
The Currency Lad (Sydney, NSW: 1832-1833)
Hill’s Life in New South Wales (Sydney, NSW: 1832)
Mosman, Neutral and Middle Harbour Resident (NSW: 1904-1907, 1919)
New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime (Sydney: 1860-1881)
The Sydney Daily Advertiser (NSW: 1848)
Sydney Punch (NSW: 1864-1888)
The Sydney Times (NSW: 1834-1838)
The Sydney Weekly Transcript (NSW: 1846)
Weekly Observer (Sydney, NSW: 1833)
QUEENSLAND
Toowoomba Chronicle (Qld: 1917-1922)
Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette (Qld: 1922-1933)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The Egotist (Adelaide, SA: 1839-1854)
Messenger (Port Adelaide, SA: 1951-1954)
Port Augusta and Stirling Illustrated News (SA: 1871-1873)
Port Lincoln Herald (SA: 1839-1840)
The Portonian (Port Adelaide, SA: 1871-1873
Tribune (SA edition, published in Sydney: 1951-1964
Western People and Tumby Bay Times (SA: 1912)
VICTORIAElmore Standard (Vic: 1882-1905)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Avon Argus and Cunderdin-Meckering-Tammin Mail (WA: 1925-1954)
Ballidu-Wongan Budget (WA: 1927-1941)
Blackwood Chronicle and South-West Mining News (WA: 1904-1907)
Bridgetown Advocate (WA: 1938 – 1950)
Bulong Bulletin and Mining Register (WA: 1897-1898)
East Murchison News (WA: 1901-1911)
Farmers Observer (Nambeen, WA: 1933-1935)
Geraldton Advertiser (WA: 1893-1905)
Gnowangerup Star (WA: 1942-1954)
Hedland Advocate (Port Hedland, WA: 1906-1912)
The Irwin Index (Mingenew, WA : 1926-1928)
Lake Grace Newdegate Cultivator and Dumbleyung and Kukerin Producer (WA: 1925-1930)
Morgans Courier (Mount Morgan, WA: 1904-1911)
Mount Morgans Mercury (WA: 1906-1909)
Mount Morgans Miner (WA: 1901-1903)
Narembeen Observer (WA: 1928-1933)
Narrogin Advocate and Southern Districts Courier (WA: 1904-1906)
South Western Times (Bunbury, WA: 1932-1954)
South Western Tribune (Bunbury, WA: 1930-1932)
Wiluna Chronicle and East Murchison Advocate (WA: 1924-1931)
Wongan-Ballidu Budget (WA: 1941-1954)
The Wyalkatchem Wheatsheaf and Bencubbin Banner (WA: 1922-1939)
York Chronicle (WA: 1927-1954)
INTERNATIONALBangkok Recorder (Thailand: 1865-1867)

COMING SOON

NEW SOUTH WALESAlbury Banner (1881-1896); [Albury & District Historical Society; NSW State Government Regional Cultural Fund]
Border Morning Mail (1938-1942); [Albury & District Historical Society; NSW State Government Regional Cultural Fund
Daily Express (Wagga Wagga: 1919-1929); [Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society]
Mosman, Neutral and Middle Harbour Resident (1904-1907); [Mosman Historical Society]
QUEENSLAND
Toowoomba Chronicle (Sept. 1917-Sept. 1922); [State Library of Queensland]
Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette (Oct 1922-Dec 1933); [State Library of Queensland]
SOUTH AUSTRALIAMessenger (1951-1954) [State Library of South Australia]
Port Augusta & Stirling Illustrated News (Feb.-Aug. 1901) [State Library of South Australia]
Portonian (1871-1873) [State Library of South Australia]
VICTORIAElmore Standard (1882-1905);[Bendigo Regional Genealogical Society]
Great Southern Advocate (1907-1913; 1919-1926); [Korumburra & District Historical Society]
Richmond Guardian (1907-1909;1915-1916) [Rhett Bartlett]
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
The Fremantle Advocate (Aug 1926 – Jan 1942); [Fremantle Library]
INTERNATIONALA Voz de Timor (1965-1975) [Canberra Friends of Dili and the National Library of Australia]

Genealogical DNA testing and the law

Yesterday in her blog, Legal Genealogist Judy Russell raised more issues with the use of Genealogical DNA by police in identifying perpetrators in major crimes (to read Judy’s blog post click here).  At the time when Family Tree DNA has decided to allow law enforcement access to its matching database for crime scene kits, a Washington State woman learned that her identity as a distant relative of a man arrested for murder in Iowa had been disclosed in one of the search warrants issued in the case. She had uploaded her data to GEDmatch.com where it was used to help identify the suspect, and as a result an arrest was made.  In the ensuing court case, her identity was disclosed – so the suspect and his legal team know her identity as the person who provided the DNA which was, at least in part, responsible for his arrest.

This had me suddenly sitting up and taking notice, and totally reviewing my opinion on the use of genealogical DNA by police.  While my attitude until now has been that if a distant relative of mine was a murderer, rapist or committed some other major crime and my DNA help to identify them, more power to the police.  The idea of that individual and their friends and legal team having access to my identity via the police search warrant, however, does not sit so well.  As Judy says “in that particular case, at least so far, no-one close to the suspect has decided to take any action against the unwitting relative whose test was the key to identifying the suspect” – but what protection would we have if they did??  While the possibility of someone seeking revenge on the DNA provider who helped convict them might be remote, protections still need to be in place.

There is also the fact that at this time, anyone doing a DNA test with Family Tree DNA has to actively opt OUT of allowing their DNA to be used by law enforcement, rather than choosing to opt in.  So people have to firstly be aware of the possibility of their DNA being used by law enforcement, read the fine print and follow through on how to opt out for law enforcement access.

There are other questions to be asked.  How long does law enforcement keep information they have obtained from genealogy databases? Are users whose information has been tapped by law enforcement or their proxies notified?  Is it required that the individual(s) who provided the matching DNA be revealed to the suspect and his/her attorneys or could the court order such information sealed?  There seems to be little, or no, protection for the privacy of the individual who tested their DNA for genealogical research after law enforcement becomes involved.  This information COULD be sealed and not disclosed. Identities of ‘confidential informants’ (the legal term) are protected all the time unless there is a compelling need for disclosure that can’t be met by any less intrusive means. The problem is that the police and prosecutors aren’t treating DNA matches as confidential informants and not ensuring that their privacy is protected.

Also, opting out closes off looking for DNA matches for service men and women’s remains and unidentified bodies.  It is currently all or nothing, and we are all – genealogical DNA testing companies, law enforcement and the general public – playing catch-up with the legalities.

Setting Some Genealogy Goals

Thinking about setting some goals to help you make further headway with your family tree this year? Here are a few ways to make it happen - focus on one or two that work for you and see how you go.

1. Book a trip

There’s nothing like standing in the spot where your ancestors once stood. Taking photos of the places they lived, worked, visited or played.  Perhaps you could take some time to access local records not available to you at home.  Wherever your ancestors lived, make a goal to book that trip you’ve always wanted.

2. Hold a family reunion

Get together for a chance to swap photographs, memories and stories. It could be just immediate family, or it could be with cousins you’ve never met, it could be a particular branch of your family tree – it is up to you. Book a place to meet that is easy for everyone to get to, and ask everyone to bring their memorabilia. Be prepared with a computer, scanner and other equipment for copying all the goodies each person brings, and make sure everyone gets a set of copies.

3. Have your DNA tested

Millions of people across the globe have chosen to do a DNA test in recent years. It’s a terrific way of discovering more about your heritage, and finding cousins you didn’t know existed. Most tests are easy – you just need a sample of saliva – and your results will be available in 6-8 weeks.  Just make sure you are prepared in case there is a surprise in the results.

4. Focus on overcoming one particular brick wall

It can be daunting when there is lots of gaps in your family tree. Just like anything else, break it down into specific areas and set realistic goals. Then choose one thing that you want to discover and focus on that. Perhaps it’s to find a grave of an ancestor, or to uncover the ship on which your ancestor arrived, or fill a gap in someone’s lifeline. Targeting one thing will help you focus your research, make the most of your time and feel like you’ve accomplished your goals.

5. Reorganise your files

Scan those old photographs and name them, back up your research, labels your files properly, update software and throw out or shred anything that you no longer need. It’ll help you focus, identify areas you need to spend time on, you will be able to find things when you want them  and you’ll feel like spending more time researching when what you have is well organised.

6. Interview a family member

We all make promises to ourselves that, one day, we’ll interview family members and record their memories. You don’t need a lot of tech – taking a video on your smartphone will do, or record your chat to transcribe later. There’s loads of free editing software out there if you want to get a bit more creative. Take along some questions or a photo or two to help get the conversation started, but don’t stick too rigidly to the plan – if something unexpected comes up, run with it – you may not get another chance.  Make sure you save everything and create a back up file as well.

7. Join a historical society

There are more than 1,000 history and family history societies in Australia and many more around the world, so chances are there is one near you. For a small annual fee you’ll have access to a network of fellow genealogists, events and advice. Most societies have regular meetings, open days, and usually a library of local history and genealogy books.  Take a look around your area – or join a society in a place your ancestors lived – sometimes local knowledge of where records are stored that are not generally open to the public can be invaluable, especially when you are researching from a distance.

WDYTYA 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 RB Digital eMagazines.

Inside this month's issue

• Find your family
  Who Do You Think You Are? genealogist Laura Berry explains how you can discover your ancestors in parish registers
• Jewish DNA
  Emma Jolly explains what she did when the result of her DNA test revealed unexpected Jewish ancestry
• 1921 census
  Don't miss our exclusive preview of this upcoming records release
• Children's homes
  Top tips for tracing orphaned ancestors
• Reader story
  How a DNA test reunited Rosemary Johnston's family
• Plus...
  The lives of ancestors who worked as coal miners; tracing passenger lists; the surprising world of tax records; and much more... 

 Around Britain

• Hertfordshire
  We reveal how you can trace ancestors from the county - including the best free online family history resources

Mapping Women's Suffrage 1911

A new website I have just discovered focuses on the women (and men) who campaigned in England for women's rights to vote.  It seems fitting that this project has been launched to coincide with International Women's Day.   Below is a statement from the website outlining the project.

"The Votes for Women campaign was a long and difficult struggle fought by women and men in cities, towns, and villages right across the country. The Mapping Women's Suffrage project plots the diverse locations, lives and activities of many Votes for Women campaigners in England in 1911 - the height of the women's suffrage movement. You can click on the interactive map to find suffrage campaigners who lived in your street, town or city, accessing a cache of biographical information, photographs and archive documents about them. The suffrage map gives new glimpses into the lives of suffrage campaigners and the geographies of the Votes for Women movement - a snapshot in time - from this momentous period in women's history.

The Mapping Women's Suffrage project brings together academics, local history groups, family researchers, archivists and members of the public, to share and build an unprecedented picture of the Votes for Women movement and its campaigners in England in 1911. The map recognises the contribution of multiple suffrage organisations – both law abiding suffragists and law-breaking suffragettes - in winning Votes for Women as well as revealing the often-hidden lives of ordinary campaigners in the homes and communities where they lived.

The project map and website are currently being developed, so please visit regularly for more information and/or join our mailing list using the Contact Us form."