Facebook Connect Site Directory
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There are two family history applications in the Top 5 Facebook Connect Sites sorted by Monthly Active Users. This stat demonstrates how many people have an interest in their origins and relations.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Old Bailey Wiki
From the Old Bailey Online
"An Old Bailey user wiki has been launched, allowing users to contribute information on people mentioned in the Proceedings, historical background, related source materials, and corrections. The wiki also includes the bibliography and schools pages."
Now I have another task - I will add information about my ancestors who were tried and sentenced at The Old Bailey to the wiki.
"An Old Bailey user wiki has been launched, allowing users to contribute information on people mentioned in the Proceedings, historical background, related source materials, and corrections. The wiki also includes the bibliography and schools pages."
Now I have another task - I will add information about my ancestors who were tried and sentenced at The Old Bailey to the wiki.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Spies' dossier recorded family's history - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times
Spies' dossier recorded family's history - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times
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Having Big Brother watch over you has advantages for later generations.
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Having Big Brother watch over you has advantages for later generations.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I haven't read as many titles as Carole
BBC Book List - how many have you read?
Noticed this on Carole's Canvas and, as a reader, just had to take part.Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.
How many did you read, and which ones?
Instructions:
- Look at the list and put an ‘x’ after those you have read.
- Add a ‘+’ to the ones you LOVE.
- Star (*) those you plan on reading.
- Put ? on the ones you’ve never heard of.
- Tally your total at the bottom.
- Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X
- The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
- Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X
- Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
- To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X
- The Bible
- Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
- Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
- His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
- Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
- Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X
- Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
- Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
- Complete Works of Shakespeare
- Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier X
- The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
- Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks X
- Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
- The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger ?
- Middlemarch - George Eliot
- Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
- The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
- Bleak House - Charles Dickens
- War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
- The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy X
- Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh X
- Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
- Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
- The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame X
- Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
- David Copperfield - Charles Dickens X
- Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X
- Emma - Jane Austen X
- Persuasion - Jane Austen
- The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
- The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini X+++
- Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
- Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X+
- Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X
- Animal Farm - George Orwell X
- The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
- One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
- The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
- Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X
- Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
- The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
- Lord of the Flies - William Golding
- Atonement - Ian McEwan
- Life of Pi - Yann Martel
- Dune - Frank Herbert
- Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
- Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X
- A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
- The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon ?
- A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens X
- Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon X+++
- Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
- Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
- The Secret History - Donna Tartt X
- The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
- Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
- On The Road - Jack Kerouac
- Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
- Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding X
- Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
- Moby Dick - Herman Melville
- Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
- Dracula - Bram Stoker
- The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X
- Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson X+
- Ulysses - James Joyce
- The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
- Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome X
- Germinal - Emile Zola ?
- Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
- Possession - AS Byatt
- A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X+
- Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell ?
- The Color Purple - Alice Walker X +
- The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
- Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
- A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry ?
- Charlotte’s Web - EB White X
- The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn X+
- Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle X
- The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton X
- Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
- The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery X
- The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks ?
- Watership Down - Richard Adams X
- A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole ?
- A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute X
- The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
- Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X
- Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Friday, February 20, 2009
Internet access for travelling genealogists
When you're out in the field and need to connect to the internet there are not many spots in Australia where one can get free WiFi internet access.
I have just noticed that Maccas (aka McDonalds) are rolling out free WiFi at a rate of 8 stores a day. So far 568 McDonald’s restaurants offer free wi-fi with estimated completion date of mid March. The final number of stores will be 710, making McDonald’s the largest provider of Free WiFi Internet Access in Australia.
To locate a store go to their McDonald's Australia Restaurant WiFi Locator.
I note that my local McDonalds at Dural is already connected so I can pack my netbook and do some surfing when I take the grandkids there for a treat.
10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
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In the light of recent activities with Facebook's Terms of Service this post is pertinent reading for Facebook members.
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In the light of recent activities with Facebook's Terms of Service this post is pertinent reading for Facebook members.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Bega Genealogists - Share your Memories
On its website, Bega Council has a wonderful page called My Place where members of the community are invited to share their memories. "We would love to include your memories of a house, street, farm, locality, village, town, park, beach or monument within the Bega Valley Shire on my place...
Your memories may be from long ago or from a few months ago. There is no time limit."
Amongst the stories published are a number from notable Australian Children's Author "Di Bates".
Genealogists with links to the Bega area, here is a place where you can record stories of your families.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Digging up family history - Local News - News - General - Northern News
Digging up family history - Local News - News - General - Northern News
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Story of a family from Castle Hill - a couple of suburbs away.
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Story of a family from Castle Hill - a couple of suburbs away.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Queensland Resource
From Queensland Archives
"The Index to Register of Immigrants 1864-1878 is now available on the Queensland State Archives website. This index was compiled from Series ID 7454 , a register of immigrants created by the Assistant Immigration Agent, Toowoomba. This register contains details of applications for passage certificates for immigration, registered in Toowoomba. The date, name and age of immigrant, trade, where living (country of origin), amount paid, name of depositor and relevant remarks as to where living in the district are included in the details."
"The Index to Register of Immigrants 1864-1878 is now available on the Queensland State Archives website. This index was compiled from Series ID 7454 , a register of immigrants created by the Assistant Immigration Agent, Toowoomba. This register contains details of applications for passage certificates for immigration, registered in Toowoomba. The date, name and age of immigrant, trade, where living (country of origin), amount paid, name of depositor and relevant remarks as to where living in the district are included in the details."
Genealogy Online Course
Genealogy Online
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The next Australian and New Zealand Genealogy course commences in March. For registration in this online course go here.
Posted using ShareThis
The next Australian and New Zealand Genealogy course commences in March. For registration in this online course go here.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Rootsweb TV - Australian Interview
Thank you Dick Eastman for highlighting this video which is an interview with Brad Argent from http://ancestry.com.au.
I have had a subscription with http://ancestry.co.uk for a number of years and am interested in comparing the resources available in these products and seeing what is available in the Australian edition.
I have had a subscription with http://ancestry.co.uk for a number of years and am interested in comparing the resources available in these products and seeing what is available in the Australian edition.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Bushfire Emergency - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Bushfire Emergency - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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Our national broadcaster, the ABC, has a wealth of current and archived news on the devastating fires that have ravaged Victoria over the past few days. The sobering news on this site lacks the sensationalist bias of some other media organistions.
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Our national broadcaster, the ABC, has a wealth of current and archived news on the devastating fires that have ravaged Victoria over the past few days. The sobering news on this site lacks the sensationalist bias of some other media organistions.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Costume - Smile for the Camera
My grandfather, Frank Duncan, fought with the allied forces in World War 1. He was a long way from his home in Cobar when he had this photograph taken in his distinctive Australian slouch hat at The American Galleries in Lime Street, Liverpool, England.Frank's war record can be found here at The National Archives of Australia.
This post has been prepared for The 10th Edition Smile For The Camera - A Carnival Of Images
Tips for Online Safety
Tips for Online Safety
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Today is Safer Internet Day. Google, as a partner in this event, has published this page of tips for users.
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Today is Safer Internet Day. Google, as a partner in this event, has published this page of tips for users.
Genealogists- show your love for libraries
Let the staff of the libraries you visit know of your affection for their institutions on Library Lovers' Day - 14th February.The campaign is a combined advocacy event organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Public Libraries Australia (PLA).
I have noticed that Sutherland Shire Library, Mosman Library and The Blue Mountains Library are organising events to celebrate the occasion, if your library is not hosting an event you could still pop in and spread your love.
Monday, February 9, 2009
New Archives in Brief 116
Researching your house and property
Useful guide for those researching the history of a house or property in NSW.
Useful guide for those researching the history of a house or property in NSW.
National Archives of Australia - Memento
National Archives of Australia - Memento
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Wonderful free online journal from the National Archives of Australia
Posted using ShareThis
Wonderful free online journal from the National Archives of Australia
Friday, February 6, 2009
9th July 2004
This post is prepared for Genea Bloggers Weekly Genealogy Prompt Week #5: Talk about your genealogy adventures while on vacation. Doesn’t everyone plan a little genealogy visit during vacation? Take your readers along for the ride.
From my diary on 9th July 2004: "Big find of the afternoon was the death of Robert's 5xgrandmother Janet Sibbald."
We had paid a visit to East Lothian Local History Centre in the town of Haddington, Scotland "where the staff, who work in the most incredibly basic conditions, were hugely helpful." It was here that we found an obituary for the death of Janet Gowans nee Sibbald who died on 24 February 1814. We were thrilled to find that she was interred in a local church, St. Mary's, Haddington so we set off in search of the grave. The staff at the Local History Centre were very professional in their approach and tuned in to our needs; they went out of their way to make our visit the success that it was.
"We cannot find the Gowans grave, but meet a helpful old Scot, Ewan, who is indexing the historic cemete
ry. He gives us his 'phone number and promises to look in his records at home to see if he has any info for us." After returning from dinner to our hotel in Edinburgh that evening we gave Ewan a call. "We are given the news that we were very close to Janet's grave this afternoon and that there are five other persons in the grave including Robert's 5xgrandfather John Gowans." The next morning we returned to St. Mary's and took a number of photos of the grave and graveyard.
Ewan's act of kindness created one of the highlight's of our family history trip to Scotland. It is pleasing to see that the results of Ewan's work are published on the church website.
The information on the Gowans headstone gave us many leads for further research. We now need another trip to Scotland to follow them up!
From my diary on 9th July 2004: "Big find of the afternoon was the death of Robert's 5xgrandmother Janet Sibbald."
We had paid a visit to East Lothian Local History Centre in the town of Haddington, Scotland "where the staff, who work in the most incredibly basic conditions, were hugely helpful." It was here that we found an obituary for the death of Janet Gowans nee Sibbald who died on 24 February 1814. We were thrilled to find that she was interred in a local church, St. Mary's, Haddington so we set off in search of the grave. The staff at the Local History Centre were very professional in their approach and tuned in to our needs; they went out of their way to make our visit the success that it was.
"We cannot find the Gowans grave, but meet a helpful old Scot, Ewan, who is indexing the historic cemete
ry. He gives us his 'phone number and promises to look in his records at home to see if he has any info for us." After returning from dinner to our hotel in Edinburgh that evening we gave Ewan a call. "We are given the news that we were very close to Janet's grave this afternoon and that there are five other persons in the grave including Robert's 5xgrandfather John Gowans." The next morning we returned to St. Mary's and took a number of photos of the grave and graveyard.Ewan's act of kindness created one of the highlight's of our family history trip to Scotland. It is pleasing to see that the results of Ewan's work are published on the church website.
The information on the Gowans headstone gave us many leads for further research. We now need another trip to Scotland to follow them up!
Country Living Putting a Price on history - Weekly Times Now
Country Living Putting a Price on history - Weekly Times Now
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Story of the Price family in Victoria who are having a reunion this week.
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Story of the Price family in Victoria who are having a reunion this week.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Announcing the Article Search API - Open Blog - NYTimes.com
Announcing the Article Search API - Open Blog - NYTimes.com
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Wow! There will be some gems for genealogists in this new article search of over 2.8 million New york Times articles from 1981–today
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Wow! There will be some gems for genealogists in this new article search of over 2.8 million New york Times articles from 1981–today
Read Alert » Blog Archive » Hail, fellow!
Read Alert » Blog Archive » Hail, fellow!
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Genealogists in Victoria could apply for the La Trobe Society Fellowship – One six-month Fellowship for a historian, with a grant of $25,000.
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Genealogists in Victoria could apply for the La Trobe Society Fellowship – One six-month Fellowship for a historian, with a grant of $25,000.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Skype 4.0 Promises Improved Call Quality; Will It Deliver?
Skype 4.0 Promises Improved Call Quality; Will It Deliver?
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As a skyping genealogist I look forward to this upgrade that promises to conserve some of my bandwidth.
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As a skyping genealogist I look forward to this upgrade that promises to conserve some of my bandwidth.
Monday, February 2, 2009
New guide will help in tracing convict past - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times
New guide will help in tracing convict past - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times
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Have read this new guide, that is well written and logically sequenced, from the State Library of NSW and just need to find time to look at all the resources suggested.