Wednesday, November 13, 2024

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!

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

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.


  


 

 

Monday, November 11, 2024

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.

Saturday, November 9, 2024

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

Friday, November 8, 2024

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!

Thursday, November 7, 2024

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...

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

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!