Genealogist Amy Johnson Crow has started a genealogy challenge for 2018. "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" is a series of weekly prompts to encourage us to share some of the information about our ancestors that we have accumulated. I love challenges like these - they get me thinking, prompt me to revisit areas of my research I haven't looked at for a while, and encourage me to share my discoveries. When I'm beating my head against a stubborn brick wall, they also help me see just how much I have discovered over the years and how many brick walls I have already overcome.
Amy's Week 1 prompt is 'Start'. We all start our research at various times in our lives and for various reasons. For me, family history research began quite early. I was 16, history was my favourite subject at school, and I came across a book on genealogy in my local library. I was hooked immediately and started asking my parents loads of questions, many of which they couldn't answer. Stories about their lives were many and plentiful - and sometimes slightly embellished - but details about earlier generations were rather sketchy.
I am still surprised to reflect on how little my parents knew, especially my father. His mother's maiden name? No idea. "Never came up", he said. Where were all his siblings born? "Mostly around Mildura I guess - we moved around a fair bit". He did know all their birthdays (he was second youngest of 10 children) but got a few of the years wrong. Grandparents names? Dates and places? He didn't know much, and both his parents had passed away. My paternal grandparents were born and married in England before emigrating to Australia, so Dad's elder siblings were my best source of information, and I wrote numerous letters over the next few years. Looking back I realise how much easier it is today, with the internet, online records and email providing fast - sometimes immediate - answers. Beginning my research back in the 1980's was a much slower process, especially as with Dad's side of the family I was researching overseas immediately.
My mother's side of the family was both harder and easier. My maternal grandmother was still alive when I started my research and she was a wonderful source of information, although again her knowledge of details was rather hit and miss. She came from another big family, one of a dozen children with a couple of half siblings as well. Having that extra generation to question made starting my research much easier, as well as the fact that my maternal ancestors had been in Australia for a few generations. It was when I went back further that life got harder - my paternal ancestors are all English, but on the maternal side I have Irish, Scottish and German as well, and I quickly discovered these could be harder to trace. My one year of high school German was not much help at all with deciphering old handwritten German records.
I made many mistakes during the early years of my research, especially in organisation (or lack of it) and in not documenting my discoveries. It still surprises me to realise that, on and off, I have been researching my family for over 30 years now, and there is still so much to discover. I hope to see how others have responded to Amy's challenge #52Ancestors.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Friday, December 22, 2017
Christmas traditions
As the year draws to a close and many of us are getting ready for family time, I have been thinking about my family's Christmas traditions. Sorting through the box of decorations that came with me when I moved house earlier this year, it struck me that many, while a littel tatty, date back to my childhood or years before I was born, and some decorations are generations old and greatly treasured. While we have always had the traditional Christmas tree, wreath and turkey for Christmas lunch, some of our family traditions were more unique to my family - like watching "The Muppet's Christmas Carol" on Christmas Eve. Some traditions have also changed - after the year of the tinsel-obsessed cat that resulted in a rather expensive Christmas day visit to the family vet (again - we are so sorry, Debbie), tinsel does not feature in our festive decorations.
Below are some unusual traditions from around the world.
Giant Lantern Festival, Philippines
Below are some unusual traditions from around the world.
Giant Lantern Festival, Philippines
The Giant Lantern
Festival (Ligligan Parul Sampernandu) is held each year on the Saturday before
Christmas Eve in the city of San Fernando. Eleven barangays (villages) take part in the
festival and competition is fierce as everyone pitches in trying to build the
most elaborate lantern.
Originally, the
lanterns were simple creations around half a metre in diameter, made from
Japanese origami paper and lit by candle. Today, the lanterns are made from a
variety of materials and have grown to around six metres in size, illuminated
by electric bulbs in a kaleidoscope of patterns.
Gävle
Goat, Sweden
Since 1966, a
13-metre-tall Yule Goat has been built in the centre of
Gävle’s Castle Square for the Advent, but this Swedish Christmas
tradition has unwittingly led to another “tradition” of sorts – people trying
to burn it down. Since 1966 the Goat has been successfully burned down 29 times
– the most recent destruction was in 2016.
Krampus,
Austria
In Austrian tradition,
St. Nicholas rewards nice little boys and girls, while Krampus is said to
capture the naughtiest children and whisk them away in his sack. In the
first week of December, young men dress up as the Krampus (especially on the eve
of St. Nicholas Day) frightening children with clattering chains and bells.
Kentucky
Fried Christmas Dinner, Japan
Christmas has never
been a big deal in Japan. Aside from a few small, secular traditions such
as gift-giving and light displays, Christmas remains largely a novelty in the
country. However, a new, quirky “tradition” has emerged in recent years –
a Christmas Day feast of the Colonel’s very own Kentucky Fried Chicken. Not sure this will catch on elsewhere!
The Yule
Lads, Iceland
In the 13 days
leading up to Christmas, 13 tricksy troll-like characters come out to play
in Iceland.
The Yule Lads
(jólasveinarnir or jólasveinar in Icelandic) visit the children across the
country over the 13 nights leading up to Christmas. For each night of
Yuletide, children place their best shoes by the window and a different Yule
Lad visits leaving gifts for nice girls and boys and rotting potatoes for the
naughty ones.
Saint
Nicholas’ Day, Germany
Not to be confused
with Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas), Nikolaus travels by donkey in the
middle of the night on December 6 (Nikolaus Tag) and leaves little treats like
coins, chocolate, oranges and toys in the shoes of good children all
over Germany, and particularly in the Bavarian region. St. Nicholas
also visits children in schools or at home and in exchange for sweets or a
small present each child must recite a poem, sing a song or draw a picture.
But it isn’t always
fun and games. St. Nick often brings along Knecht Ruprecht (Farmhand Rupert). A
devil-like character dressed in dark clothes covered with bells and a dirty
beard, Knecht Ruprecht carries a stick or a small whip in hand to punish any
children who misbehave.
Norway
Perhaps one of the
most unorthodox Christmas Eve traditions can be found in Norway, where people
hide their brooms. It’s a tradition that dates back centuries to when people
believed that witches and evil spirits came out on Christmas Eve looking for
brooms to ride on. To this day, many people still hide their brooms in the
safest place in the house to stop them from being stolen.
Venezuela
Love Christmas, but
think it could be improved by a spot of roller-blading? If the answer is yes,
visit Caracas, Venezuela this year. Every Christmas Eve, the city’s residents
head to church in the early morning – so far, so normal – but, for reasons known
only to them, they do so on roller skates.
This unique
tradition is so popular that roads across the city are closed to cars so that
people can skate to church in safety, before heading home for
the less-than-traditional Christmas dinner of ‘tamales’ (a wrap made out
of cornmeal dough and stuffed with meat, then steamed).
Day of the
Little Candles, Colombia
Little Candles’ Day
(DÃa de las Velitas) marks the start of the Christmas season across
Colombia. In honour of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception,
people place candles and paper lanterns in their windows, balconies and front
yards.
The tradition of
candles has grown, and now entire towns and cities across the country are lit
up with elaborate displays. Some of the best are found in Quimbaya, where
neighbourhoods compete to see who can create the most impressive arrangement.
Cavalcade
of Lights, Toronto
In wintry,
wonderful Toronto the annual Cavalcade of Lights marks the
official start to the holiday season. The first Cavalcade took place in 1967 to
show off Toronto’s newly constructed City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square.
The Square and
Christmas tree are illuminated by more than 300,000 energy-efficient LED lights
that shine from dusk until 11 pm until the New Year. On top of
that, you’ll get to witness spectacular fireworks shows and engage in some
outdoor ice skating.
Friday, December 15, 2017
New and Updated Records on Ancestry
Below
are some of the new and updated records available on Ancestry - Australian,
Unites Kingdom and Worldwide. Remember Ancestry is free to search at all
branches of Campaspe Regional Library.
New and Updated - Australia
UPDATED
Australia and New Zealand, Obituary Index, 2004-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Australia, WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
Queensland,
Australia, Mining Accident Index, 1882-1945
|
4/12/2017
|
Queensland,
Australia, World War I Soldier Portraits, 1914-1918
|
2/11/2017
|
New
South Wales, Australia, Colonial Secretary's Letters, 1826-1856
|
19/10/2017
|
Australia,
World War II Military Service Records, 1939-1945
|
13/10/2017
|
New
South Wales, Australia, Miscellaneous Records, 1787-1976
|
2/10/2017
|
Web:
Victoria, Australia, Outward Passenger Index, 1852-1915
|
9/08/2017
|
Sydney,
Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1818-2011
|
7/08/2017
|
Web:
Australia, University of Sydney Biographical Information Including World War
I, 1880-1980
|
10/07/2017
|
Northern
Territory, Australia, Probate Index, 1911-1994
|
29/06/2017
|
Victoria,
Australia, Wills and Probate Records, 1841-2009
|
15/06/2017
|
New
South Wales, Australia, Sheriff's Papers, 1829-1879
|
13/06/2017
|
Australia,
Newspaper Vital Notices, 1841-2001
|
6/06/2017
|
New
South Wales, Australia, St Peters Cooks River Select Births, Marriages and
Burials, 1839-1963
|
11/04/2017
|
South
Australia, Australia, Passenger Lists, 1853
|
22/03/2017
|
New
South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files, 1859-1958
|
31/01/2017
|
New and Updated – United Kingdom
Dunfermline,
Fife, Scotland, Carnegie Music Institution Registers, 1910-1920
|
13/12/2017
|
Find A
Grave Index for Burials at Sea, 1300s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
UK and Ireland, Obituary Index, 2004-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UK,
Electoral Registers, 2003-2010
|
7/12/2017
|
Fife,
Scotland, Asylum Registers, 1866-1937
|
7/12/2017
|
Huntingdonshire,
Extracted Church of England Parish Records,
1559-1836
|
6/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Wiltshire, Church of England Births and Baptisms,
1813-1916
|
6/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Wiltshire, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and
Burials, 1538-1812
|
6/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Wiltshire, Church of England Marriages and Banns,
1754-1916
|
6/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Wiltshire, Church of England Deaths and Burials,
1813-1916
|
6/12/2017
|
Suffolk,
England, Extracted Church of England Parish Records, 1538-1850
|
8/11/2017
|
UK,
Absent Voter Lists, 1918-1925, 1939
|
8/11/2017
|
England,
Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital Admissions and Discharges, 1826-1930
|
7/11/2017
|
Berkshire,
England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1965
|
7/11/2017
|
UK,
University of London Student Records, 1836-1945
|
1/11/2017
|
Fife,
Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1914-1966
|
1/11/2017
|
New and Updated - World
UPDATED
Texas, Naturalization Records, 1852-1991
|
13/12/2017
|
UPDATED
New Mexico, Civil Records of New Spain, 1621-1821
|
13/12/2017
|
Dunfermline,
Fife, Scotland, Carnegie Music Institution Registers, 1910-1920
|
13/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Brazil, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Sweden, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial
Locations, 1300s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Caribbean, Obituary Index, 2003-2009
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Canada, Obituary Collection, 1898-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Norway, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Italy, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Australia and New Zealand, Obituary Index, 2004-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Australia, WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
UK and Ireland, Obituary Index, 2004-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Mexico, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-2017
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Germany, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
UPDATED
Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
|
12/12/2017
|
Traunstein,
Germany, Residence Registers, 1840-1910
|
11/12/2017
|
Montana,
Divorce Records, 1943-1986
|
11/12/2017
|
Traunstein,
Germany, Military Records, 1853-1945
|
11/12/2017
|
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
December Who Do You Think You Are Magazine
The December issue of BBC Who Do You Think You Are magazine is out now. Now
available in digital form free to Campaspe Regional Library patrons via
RB Digital.
Inside this month's issue
Inside this month's issue
- 10 essential records
Laura Berry, Who Do You Think You Are? genealogist, reveals how to uncover your family's secrets with these key research tools - Greek tragedy
In autumn 1943 British soldiers fought valiantly but unsuccessfully to defend the Aegean island of Leros from the Germans. Julie Peakman tells their stories - Reader story
Simon Marley shares the dramatic life of a maternal great grandmother who worked in a Yorkshire coal mine - Victorian toys
Janet Sacks explores the history of toys, and unwraps the presents awaiting our 19th-century forebears under the tree - Studio portraits
Jayne Shrimpton reveals how you can date formal family photographs - Plus...
The best websites for WW1 airmen and ground crew; the lives of ancestors who worked as glovers; exploring servants' wage books; and more...
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
2016 Family History
The website guides you through the free online resources that now exist to help you with researching you Irish family history, with a workbook, detailed guides to the different kinds of records, case histories and targeted tasks you can undertake if you wish.
Modules include :
- Hints and tips
- Surnames
- Placenames
- Census
- Civil
- Church
- Property
- Military
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
British Newspaper Archive
The British Newspaper Archive has advised it will be digitizing and putting online the historic archives of Trinity Mirror, Britain’s largest newspaper group.
The digitization project will consist of over 12 million pages of historic newspaper content. It is expected to take roughly two years to complete the digitization process and put the content online.
The British Newspaper Archive currently has some 22.5 million pages of historic newspapers online and it is anticipated that this latest digitization project will increase the content held by the website by roughly 50%. It will also significantly increase the twentieth century content as the oldest newspapers held by Trinity Mirror only date back to the era of Queen Victoria.
There are some 320 newspaper titles in the Trinity Mirror archive, with the titles spread geographically throughout the country. The two most notable titles in the collection are the national papers The Daily Mirror (founded in 1903) and The Daily Telegraph (founded in 1855). Also included in the holdings of Trinity Mirror are the Birmingham Post and Mail and the Liverpool Daily Post.
Note that the British Newspaper Archive is a subscription database. It has options that allow a pay as you go subscription, or you can choose between monthly, quarterly or annual subscriptions. You can also register for a taste of the database, which allows you to view 3 pages for free.
The digitization project will consist of over 12 million pages of historic newspaper content. It is expected to take roughly two years to complete the digitization process and put the content online.
The British Newspaper Archive currently has some 22.5 million pages of historic newspapers online and it is anticipated that this latest digitization project will increase the content held by the website by roughly 50%. It will also significantly increase the twentieth century content as the oldest newspapers held by Trinity Mirror only date back to the era of Queen Victoria.
There are some 320 newspaper titles in the Trinity Mirror archive, with the titles spread geographically throughout the country. The two most notable titles in the collection are the national papers The Daily Mirror (founded in 1903) and The Daily Telegraph (founded in 1855). Also included in the holdings of Trinity Mirror are the Birmingham Post and Mail and the Liverpool Daily Post.
Note that the British Newspaper Archive is a subscription database. It has options that allow a pay as you go subscription, or you can choose between monthly, quarterly or annual subscriptions. You can also register for a taste of the database, which allows you to view 3 pages for free.
Monday, November 20, 2017
Change at FamilySearch
For anyone who uses the FamilySearch database, you may have noticed a major change is coming - we are soon going to have to sign in to use the site.
Many of us who use the site regularly are already signing in - to use some of the extra features or create an online tree signing in has been necessary for a while now. For others this is a new development. It is worth noting that sign in requirements are minimal - name, username, a password you select, an email address or phone number in case you lose your password and need to get back into your account, a little bit of demographic data (male or female, country of residence, birthdate and whether you’re a Church member, since Church members have different needs from the website), a security captcha code to make sure you’re not a robot and your agreement to the terms and conditions and privacy policies of the website, and you’re in. There is the facility to remember your login details on your PC or device, so overall it is a very quick process.
So why does FamilySearch require logins now? Firstly, FamilySearch needs to be accountable to its records partners — the towns, counties/states and other repositories that made the records available for filming in the first place. Many of those records partners want to know that the data is being offered in a safe and secure online environment. The second reason is because there’s more that can be made available on a personalized basis if you use some of the other features of the website and log in first. You can now built a free online family tree and link in all the records you find, much as you can on Ancestry and other subscription databases. It is worth remembering that all the wonderful content of the FamilySearch site is still free.
So take a look at all the FamilySearch site has to offer, and don't be put off by the new sign-in requirement. They have put in a massive amount of effort in creating the site and is has a great deal to offer those if us researching our families. And did I mention the word FREE!
Many of us who use the site regularly are already signing in - to use some of the extra features or create an online tree signing in has been necessary for a while now. For others this is a new development. It is worth noting that sign in requirements are minimal - name, username, a password you select, an email address or phone number in case you lose your password and need to get back into your account, a little bit of demographic data (male or female, country of residence, birthdate and whether you’re a Church member, since Church members have different needs from the website), a security captcha code to make sure you’re not a robot and your agreement to the terms and conditions and privacy policies of the website, and you’re in. There is the facility to remember your login details on your PC or device, so overall it is a very quick process.
So why does FamilySearch require logins now? Firstly, FamilySearch needs to be accountable to its records partners — the towns, counties/states and other repositories that made the records available for filming in the first place. Many of those records partners want to know that the data is being offered in a safe and secure online environment. The second reason is because there’s more that can be made available on a personalized basis if you use some of the other features of the website and log in first. You can now built a free online family tree and link in all the records you find, much as you can on Ancestry and other subscription databases. It is worth remembering that all the wonderful content of the FamilySearch site is still free.
So take a look at all the FamilySearch site has to offer, and don't be put off by the new sign-in requirement. They have put in a massive amount of effort in creating the site and is has a great deal to offer those if us researching our families. And did I mention the word FREE!
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