Australia Day Challenge 2014: C’mon Aussie

CLIMBING YOUR FAMILY’S GUM TREE

My blogging mate Pauleen from Family History Across the Seas has issued this dinkum challenge for Australia Day. 

I am a great fan of geneamemes, I guess that I am an old stickybeak because I love to find out all about my geneablogging friends and their backgrounds. 

So even though I am flat out like a lizard drinking I just couldn't resist this challenge.

My first ancestor to arrive in Australia was: James Westbrook on 9 October 1813 per Earl Spencer

I have Australian Royalty (tell us who, how many and which Fleet they arrived with):
12 direct line convicts so far (and a a couple of maybes)
Richard Aspinall - Bengal Merchant
Margaret Blake - Need to do some work here
Patrick Curry - Hooghley
Robert Hayward - Sir William Bensley
James Homer - Elizabeth 1
William Magick (or could be Westbrook) - General Hewitt
Catherine Jane Maxwell - Caroline
Ellen Moore - Mariner
Elizabeth Phipps - Wanstead
James Pusell - James Pattison
John Tucker - Hercules 11
James Westbrook (or could be Magick) - Earl Spencer

I’m an Aussie mongrel, my ancestors came to Oz from: England, Ireland, Scotland

Did any of your ancestors arrive under their own financial steam? The bluebloods got a free trip. Of the remainder some were assisted and some were mighty good swimmers.

How many ancestors came as singles? The twelve convicts (although two pairs claimed to be married there is no evidence to support this). All others were single except for one married couple.

How many came as couples? Denis Tierney and Eliza D'Arcy were married in Ireland before they left for Australia in 1839.

How many came as family groups? None

Did one person lead the way and others follow? The Irish Kealys, Ryans and Tierneys came in dribs and drabs with several siblings in each family moving out to call Australia home.

What’s the longest journey they took to get here? All of their journeys were mighty long.

Did anyone make a two-step emigration via another place? They all did the journey in one hit.

Which state(s)/colony did your ancestors arrive? New South Wales and Victoria

Did they settle and remain in one state/colony? They all moved to New South Wales

Did they stay in one town or move around? Some followed the gold.

Do you have any First Australians in your tree? I am 95% sure that I have an aboriginal ancestor, Biddy Sergeant, who was Robert Hayward's partner for a while.

Were any self-employed? Yes.

What occupations or industries did your earliest ancestors work in? Brickmaking, Bushranging, Carpentry, Farming, Labouring, Mining, Undertaking.

Does anyone in the family still follow that occupation? I still have some distant cousins 'on the land' but most of us are city dwellers.

Did any of your ancestors leave Australia and go “home”? No-one was tempted by the climate "back home".

NOW IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

What’s your State of Origin? New South Wales

Do you still live there?  Sure do.

Where was your favourite Aussie holiday place as a child? We only went to Ettalong for a beach holiday so it was no contest.

Family Holiday at Ettalong, 1955

Any special place you like to holiday now? The world's my oyster. Tripadvisor tells me I have visited 48% of the world. I'm aiming to increase that statistic.

Share your favourite spot in Oz: Home but Sydney Harbour runs a close second.

Any great Aussie adventure you’ve had? Life has been one big Aussie adventure.

What’s on your Australian holiday bucket list? North-Western Australia and a big road trip round Australia (but no camping please).

How do you celebrate Australia Day? For years we had to attend Official Australia Day Ceremonies as part of Mr GeniAus' work. These days it is just a day like any other but we might include some Aussie tucker on our menu.

GeniAus, John Howard PM, Phillip Ruddock, Mr GeniAus - Australia Day 2002