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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Magic Cards for Genealogists

The Magic Card
Aileen Fisher

I have a card that lets me go
to any country that I choose--
to Sweden, Spain, or Mexico--
and doesn't cost a cent to use.
A card? You're talking through your hat!
Where could you get a card like that?
It is a magic kind of pass
that opens up a hundred doors,
like stepping through a looking-glass
to realms of queens and emperors.
A card? I'm curious as a cat.
Where could I get a card like that?
To guess the secret isn't hard ...
Don't keep us both on tenterhooks!
What simple little magic card
will open up the world of books?
A library card!

This was published in "Book Week", Nov. 14-18, 1988, p. 50. Theme: "Wish Upon A Star"

As I was using my Library cards from The National Library of Australia and The State Library of NSW today I remembered this poem from my teaching days a career or two ago.

My two little plastic cards have opened up a world of online books for me today from the comfort of my kitchen table. Using the library's online subscriptions I have searched current and old newspapers for snippets about relatives, found details of family members in Who's Who in Australia and read articles on genealogy in online journals. For the more unusual surnames in my family tree I simply search resources for that name and see what comes up. For those with more common names I do more specific searches coupling surnames with the places where people reside. Using "Tierney" and "Dungog" I have found many articles that mention my gggrandfather, Denis Tierney. I have discovered that he was a member of the rifle club and starter for the local race club as well as being very active in community affairs.

I urge all genealogists to visit the sites of their State and National Libraries and take out a membership that will give them a Magic Card to open up a world of digital resources..

Digital Camera Buying Guide | Compacts | SLRs | Trends and Features

An essential tool for a genealogist is a good camera. This new Sydney Morning Article talks about the features of and reviews a range of new cameras available in Australia.

Digital Camera Buying Guide | Compacts | SLRs | Trends and Features

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Monday, September 21, 2009

The Daily Courier - Prescott woman surprised with emotional family meeting

A positive family history story ..... 75 year old Australian man has a first meeting with his half-sister in Arizona

The Daily Courier - Prescott woman surprised with emotional family meeting

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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sunday Morning Fun Downunder

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun has been posted by Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings. It is already Sunday Morning in Sydney when we hear news of Randy's posts

1) How old is your father now, or how old would he be if he had lived? Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."

My Dad was born in 1919 so he would now be 90 years of age. 90 divided by 4 is 22 1/2 - I'll take 22 as my roulette number.

2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ahnentafel. Who is that person?

On our family's chart number 22 is my husband's grandfather, Ernest James Gillespie.

3) Tell us three facts about that person with the "roulette number."

Ernest James Gillespie lived from 1889-1958.
Ernest James Gillespie lived in Rosebery, Bowral and Arcadia, NSW.
Ernest James Gillespie was a milk carter, dairy farmer and horse trainer.


4) Write about it in a blog post on your own blog, in a Facebook note or comment, or as a comment on this blog post.

5) If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then spin the wheel again - pick your mother, or yourself, a favorite aunt or cousin, or even your children!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Please help our National Library

The National Library of Australia is seeking copies of old newspapers that are missing from its collection to be digitised.

Hoarders, who would like to assist, can check the list from the collect link below.

collect

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14 Great Cheat Sheets

These guides are valuable resources for the many genealogists use these mainstream software applications.

14 Great Cheat Sheets & Posters to Make You a Software Wizard

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When the Queen came to town

On 3 February 1954, the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth II became the first reigning monarch to set foot on Australian soil. She was accompanied by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Although I was a tiny tot I remember the excitement this royal visit engendered in her Australian subjects. For the 1954 visit I lined up with my Mum hours before the Queen's drive through King's Cross. Luckily we were at the front of the crowd so I caught a glimpse of the lady in the big black car. Unfortunately my father, Allan John Curry, was unable to join us for this occasion as he was busy with work. As a member of the NSW Mounted Police he and his horse were elsewhere (perhaps in Canberra, ACT) getting ready to form a guard of honour or provide an escort for the Queen. I think the photo reproduced below was taken at this time.



My Dad and his fellow officers in the NSW Mounted Police c.1954

The Queen has visited Australia fifteen times in all : 1954, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2006. I have vague memories of some of these visits.

Once the Queen's motorcade passed by my grandmother's home in Anzac Parade, Kensington. Together with Nanna and some Aunts we stood on the street to wave to Her Majesty. I can remember Mum and the Aunts discussing the Queen's flawless complexion after that event.

I was visiting my eye specialist once in Sydney's Macquarie Street on the day of another visit. With the specialist and his receptionist we had a birdseye view of the Queen and her entourage as they moved down Macquarie Street and we waved froom his upstairs window.

Since the advent of colour television I have not taken to the streets to see the Queen but have followed her from the comfort of my living room.

This post has been prepared for Follow the Parade,Carnival of Genealogy, 80th Edition.

Who do you think you are? Second Australian Series

Sundays at 7:30PM from 27th September. The first episode will feature Cathy Freeman.

Flowers and Sunshine Cheer our Pathway.....

.......was the first line of our school song at St. Vincent's College, Potts Point in inner city Sydney NSW.

Although there were few flowers bordering the pathways at Vinnies those of us who were students in the fifties and sixties had a very happy time in the oldest Catholic girls school in Australia. It was established by the Irish Sisters of Charity in 1858.

1956

I was one of the littlies in this photo of the infants students taken in 1956.In the fifties the School had a small infants and primary department; these have now been closed and the School is a day and boarding school for girls in Years 7-12. There were 55 girls in our Class of '65.

1965

In 2008 the school celebrated its 150th anniversary with the St. Vincent's Sesquicentenary Alumni Dinner at The Sydney Hilton Hotel. I enjoyed the festivities with 18 of my former classmates including some who were with me in the 1956 photo and a number from the Class of '65 photo.

2008

This post has been prepared for the 17th Edition of Smile For The Camera "School Days."

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

You are Never Alone » OHS and computers

Like many other amateur genealogists I spend a lot of time working at my computer, scanner etc. When I was working in IT I embraced the safe work practices required by Occupational Health and Safety regulations but at home I am a little lax. How about you?

This post from education.au educator Kerrie Smith is a reminder to we home 'workers' that we should follow safe work practices. Take a look at the useful list of hazards in Kerrie's post.

You are Never Alone » OHS and computers

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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Society Membership

Although I rarely venture into the city I am a member of the Society of Australian Genealogists. I rarely use the Society's facilities. So why am I a silent member?

I hope that, in some small way, my membership dues will support the ongoing work of the Society particularly in its efforts to educate about genealogy and to preserve records related to the genealogy of Australians. I think that, as someone who is interested in and passionate about family history, I should support the premier organisation in my state of NSW that is devoted to that pursuit.

This video of an interview with Heather Garnsey, produced by The Teapot Genealogists, gives an overview of the Society's work and resources.


Monday, September 7, 2009

Life Recorders May Be This Century’s Wrist Watch

With this gadget we could really collect lots of stories for our descendants. Will you be wearing one?

Life Recorders May Be This Century’s Wrist Watch

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Taking stock of our birthstain | The Australian

How did I miss this book? I will put it on my To Read list at LibraryThing - if my family ever read this blog - here's an idea for a Christmas present.

Taking stock of our birthstain | The Australian

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Rootsweb Lists

Many family history resources are US or UK centric and not particularly relevant to those researching their ancestors in Australia.

Of the Rootsweb Mailing Lists hosted at Ancestry.com there are many that have an Australian focus. Listed today on the Rootsweb site are 211 Australian lists including 25 NSW Lists where one can connect with others with shared interests. The shared interest may relate to a name, a place, or ethnic, occupational or society group. One can join these groups and receive emails each time a member posts an item for discussion. Joining instructions can be found on each Rootsweb list site. The archives for each list can be searched from each list's home page - one does not need to subscribe to do this.

One may also subscribe to these lists via RSS and read the posts in a favourite feed reader such as Google Reader. This method only gives read access to the posts so one cannot contribute to the conversation. I use this method for the TMG list - a list for users of The Master Genealogist.

Over the years I have hooked up with distant cousins via a number of NSW lists: AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY; NSW-ORANGEBATHURST and AUS-NSW-PENRITH. These days the lists keep me informed of events and new resources. Having reviewed the lists available I am going to join a few more today.

Not often can I provide assistance to others but yesterday I was able to shed light on a problem for a lister on the Sydney DPS List who wanted to locate St. Peter's Church of England in Sydney. Being able to help a fellow genealogist gave me a real buzz.

I was one of the first hundred to join the new Social Networking site GenealogyWise and immediately set up a group for Australian Genealogists that now has 173 members. Whilst I am activley recruiting Aussies to join this group I still think that the Rootsweb lists provide a better option for Australian genealogists to pursue their specific interests. This may change as the GenealogyWise site and its users mature.