Will I see you there?

One of the events I have signed up for in National Family History Month is the two day Researching Abroad event hosted by Unlock the Past in Parramatta on 15-16 August.

I am an Ambassador for this event and look forward to catching up with many of my genimates there. I will be there all day Tuesday and for half the day on Wednesday as I am must attend my FHG meeting on the Wednesday afternoon.

I'm wondering if anyone else is likely to be hanging around for dinner at the venue, the Parramatta RSL, on the Tuesday. Seems like a perfect opportunity to catch up and have a chat.

The cost for attending this event is quite modest - it's a great opportunity to hear international speakers. Will I see you there?

101 Reasons to attend #congress_2018 - Sydney Opera House

There are several Australian sites on the World Heritage List. When in Sydney for Congress stay an extra day or two so you can visit the Sydney Opera House that was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2007.

Read all about it here: http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/sydney-opera-house

Consider an Opera House tour while you are in town. https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/visit-us/tours-and-experiences/english-tour-1718.html. 

Trove Tuesday - James, Francis and Frank

My Duncan ancestors have constructed a huge brick wall that I need to topple. Every so often I return to Trove to see if I can find some clue that will help me identify my 2xGreat Grandfather, James Duncan, whom I believe was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland but I have no hard evidence to prove this. Although I have been looking for him for nearly 30 years I haven't been able to find a death for he or his wife Mary Criggin/Creegan (and half a dozen other spellings).

Francis Duncan b. about 1853 in Moonee Ponds is their son and his son Frank b. 1895 is my Grandfather.

I added a few new items to my Duncan story after a Trove search last night.

Frank was a junior member of the GUOOF.

1905 'Local and General.', The Cobar Herald (NSW : 1899 - 1914), 2 December, p. 4. , viewed 17 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103839572

The following article tells me that Francis and his partner Harriet Holmes were resident in Cobar in 1900.

1900 'Local Land Board.', The Cobar Herald (NSW : 1899 - 1914), 22 December, p. 4. , viewed 17 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103834809

In the following article I learnt that Francis did some work for the local council in 1904.

Source: 1904 'Cobar Municipal Council.', The Cobar Herald (NSW : 1899 - 1914), 27 February, p. 2. , viewed 17 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103845680

(FIREWOOD. It was decided, on the motion of Aldermen Morrison and Padula, that Mr. Francis Duncan be given a  con-tract to cut and deliver 50 cords of firewood at the Water Works at 13s per cord, payment to be reserved to May next.)

This next article provides evidence that Francis was in Byrock in 1891 where young Frank was born in 1895 (we have no birth record for Franks as his parents Francis and Harriet never married).

1891 'DUBBO CIRCUIT COURT.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 9 October, p. 3. , viewed 17 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28266947

My biggest find was the following notice. As Francis was a labourer I had never looked for a probate file for him. As soon as I can I am off to NSW State Archives and Records to view his file.

1921 'Advertising', Western Age (Dubbo, NSW : 1914 - 1932), 9 December, p. 2. , viewed 17 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137162973

101 Reasons to attend #congress_2018 - NextGen

NextGen are the future of  genealogy. I am excited to see that several of their number will be attending #Congress_2018, some for the first time.

I was thrilled to read Emily Peace's blog post this morning and hear about why she, a NextGen, is coming along. Do read what she has to say.

I wonder who else that is NextGen is coming along? I know of one NextGen trio that is sharing a house during the conference!

Remember that you can use our Facebook Group to reach out to NextGen Genies.

On Rations

I have been hit by a first world problem. I have to ration my data.

As many of you know we are living between two houses at the moment. At our old house I have a ginormous data allowance and can spend my days playing in cyberspace without having to worry about how much data I consume. My problem is when I am at the old house I need to devote my time to clearing out a life's worth of stuff and getting the place tarted up for sale so geneactivities take a back seat. I have emptied my study ready for its transformation into a home theatre/media room and have moved most of my technology, files and my desk and office chair to their new home.

Up at the new Lake House where I have set up my new geneacave I use my smartphone as a hotspot for internet access. Although I have 40gig of data per month on the phone I find that I can devour several gig  a day when using it as a hotspot for the laptop (a data hungry beast). I can keep up with social media, email, blog reading via Inoreader and checking new DNA matches  on my smartphone where these activities appear to use little data.

Data Rationing here at The Lake House

I can blog on the phone using an external wireless keyboard but I don't enjoy doing it that way so I don't blog (it has to be fun not a chore - right?). I can't update my websites on the phone and I find it very difficult to research promising DNA matches as I need to have several windows open to do this efficiently. Similarly when writing my sometimes weekly GeniAus Gems posts I need to have several apps and windows open at once, I missed posting last week because doing this via smartphone would have been an exercise in frustration.

In the next month or so I will transfer our landline, internet service and Foxtel service to the new home. I could throw more money at my data provider but am loathe to do this so in the interim I will be quiet in the blogisphere. 

Now, while my asthma is forcing me to rest, I am off to do some work on my FHG website, try to place some new DNA matches in my traditional tree, respond to some messages from potential DNA matches and follow Shelley's instructions for Visualising Ancestry DNA matches (until that does my head in!).

Meet Dirk

Many of you may not have previously heard of Dirk Weissleder, the German Genealogist who is featuring in  Researching Abroad: Finding British Isles and European Ancestors, a series of Unlock the Past events in Sydney in August.

I have had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Dirk at several Rootstech conferences. This year I was fortunate to snag an interview in the video studio with Dirk. Dirk's enthusiasm and passion are evident in the interview. If you attend a Roadshow event you will have a chance to hear Dirk present several sessions.