Worldwide Genealogy - A Genealogical Collaboration

Back on 30 December 2013 English Genealogist,  Julie Goucher, announced a collaborative Project in which I was involved. 

Worldwide Genealogy - A Genealogical Collaboration was a collaborative blog on the Blogger platform to which a team of bloggers contributed posts on an allocated day. In the first year of publication there were  215 posts but this had dwindled to 3 in 2018 with the last post written by Helen Holshouser published on March 30. Life is busy and somehow the wheels fell off the project.

There is some wonderful content in the posts, some of the information may be outdated but some of the issues discussed are still pertinent. The good news is that the blog is still live on the internet and the posts may come up in search results. But I wonder if it will remain there. 

My first post in the Worldwide Genealogy Blog

As I own the copyright on my posts I am going to copy my contributions from that blog into this GeniAus blog. My blog is preserved on the Australian Web Archive at Trove so I know that my words will be available in the future. 

I'll post them with their original posting date and acknowledge that they were originally posted on the Worldwide Genealogy Blog. 

Worldwide Genimates

This post was first published on The Worldwide Genealogy blog on 2 May 2016.

Last month I blogged about my rash decision to join the 2016 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. I am  pleased to report that I crossed the finish line on time last Saturday with around 1300 other bloggers.

It was a hard slog that ate into my precious time but it was worth the effort. One of the unexpected benefits was that it introduced me to a number of genealogy and history bloggers from around the world. I even discovered that one of my Surname Study contacts was a prolific blogger.

The result is that the number of feeds in my RSS reader has grown significantly.

Reading others' blog posts confirmed my bias towards reminiscing and stories hence the two standout blogs for me were from two Australians, a new contact and a social media mate. If you fancy trips down memory lane do visit Linda and Maureen.

While I saw many old friends in the challenge list some of the new to me blogs I discovered were:

GenWestUK - Ros - England
History Roundabout - ? - England
Molly's Canopy - Molly - USA
My Genealogy Challenges - Dianne - Canada
Old Scottish Genealogy and Blog - Penny and Fergus - Scotland
The Past Whispers - USA
Roots and Stuff - Mary - USA
Southern Graves - Stephanie - USA
Treetrack'n - Mary
The Writing Desk - Ros - England

But wait, there's more - Pauleen has compiled a list of geneabloggers who participated in the challenge.

April Alphabets

This post first appeared on The worldwide Genealogy blog on 2 April 2016.

Yesterday I made the rash decision to join the 2016 A-Z Blogging Challenge. Now I am wondering when I will get time to eat and sleep as I follow some of the close to 2000 blogs that are on the list of participants.
I am hoping to give my CurryAus Surname Study a boost by blogging stories about Australian Currys (people not food) on my CurryAus blog. It's barely day two and the blog statistics have already spiked.

One of the reasons I joined the activity was because many of my friends were taking part and secondly I wanted to meet and learn from some new bloggers - I've hooked up with a couple.

If you haven't time to join as a blogger please consider taking a a look at the list of participants and visiting and commenting (an important part of the event) on their blogs.

Some of the newtome blogs I have discovered so far are:

Genwest UK http://www.genwestuk.blogspot.com
The Curry Apple Orchard https://argonautsite.wordpress.com
My Genealogy Challenges http://genealogychallenges.blogspot.com
Southern Graves http://blog.southerngraves.net/
Springhill History http://www.springhillhistory.org.uk/blog-3/index.html
treetrack'n http://treetrackn.blogspot.com

From Cave to Chapel

This post first appeared on The worldwide Genealogy blog on 3 March 2016.
In one of my early posts on this blog I talked about W's, Who, What, When, Where and Why.

Today I am returning to Where, but not the where of my ancestors, it's the where of the place where I do most of researching and connecting, I call it my Geneacave. My issue is that I need a new name for my hideout.

We are empty nesters so I have a few choices for an office. For several years I used the small fourth bedroom but, after a while I found myself drowning in a sea of paper, files and techno toys so Mr GeniAus suggested that I move into bedroom 3 which is slightly larger. Bedroom 3, however, while it had more space only had a small window and didn't have much natural light (no good for webinars and hangouts). I worked happily there for a few years.



2013 - the move to Bedroom 3


Paddy the Pup was happy in Bedroom 3

Late last year, as we were getting rid of the paraphernalia that comes with small grandchildren I thought about the living room off the kitchen which we had dubbed the toyroom. It's a big room with two large windows and natural light, it's away from the bedroom zone and near the living end of the house, the router, kitchen and over a hall from Mr GeniAus' study and an external door. I made an executive decision that I would move on to there.


Mr GeniAus Painted the new digs while I was at Rootstech

I am loving my new accommodation although it's taking me a while to move and sort my gear. I have set Easter, when the family visits, as the time I will be done. Paddy the pup who used to sit in a bookself in the last Geneacave has happily found a nice spot at my feet under the desk.

My problem is that the term Geneacave. just does not fit. I am wondering what I should call my light and airy new digs.


Moving in


Moving in

What is your Where? A Geneacave or a Geneacorner or a Research Zone???

I may call my new room the Chapel because Genealogy is my religion!

Two Mentions

As many of you know I also blog in some other places. This morning I was excited to discover that two of my blog posts rated a mention on Jana Last's Follow Friday ~ Fab Finds for September 4, 2015 list. On the occasions I find the GeniAus blog on Jana's list I always get a thrill, it's affirming to find tht a blogger of Jana's stature appreciating something I write.

Todays's mentions were for posts on two other blogs. The first mention was for "To Pin or not to Pin ... by Jill Ball for Worldwide Genealogy ~ A Genealogical Collaboration". I am a proud member of the group of genealogists from several nations who contributes a regular post to this blog.

The second mention makes me especially proud. I am the media person (website, blog, communication) for a new family history group that was established in February this year. Having Jana mention the post "Download Free Genealogy Guides by Hornsby Shire Family History Group" will bring some new readers to our blog and promote the work our fledgling group is doing in our area.

I cannot wait to meet Jana in person at Rootstech 2016 and thank her personally for her mentions.

Pondering Pauleen's Posers

Earlier in April Pauleen Cass, aka Cassmob, published a thought provoking post, To Conference or not to Conference, on the Worldwide Genealogy Blog. In the comments I said that I would think on the questions Pauleen asked at the end of her post and respond in due course and of course I haven't.

I will respond to Pauleen's questions here (they would actually make a good geneameme). BTW it would be a good idea to read Pauleen's post before you read my responses.

1. During a final-day Congress panel session led by GeniAus, Josh Taylor mentioned that perhaps the term “society” is out of date for younger potential genealogists. Do you agree? Are you a member of a family history/genealogy/local history society?

I hadn't thought of this until Josh raised it. Society to me sounds a bit stuffy, serious, regimented and old fashioned. This was why, when recently I was part of a committee responsible for launching a new local family history organisation, I suggested we call it a Family History Group. To me that sounded more friendly, supportive and welcoming.

Yes, I am a society/group junkie. I belong to three local groups in my area, our state society, The Society of Genealogists in the UK, two surname societies and a one-place studies society. My budget tells me that I should resign from a few but I only have plans to ditch one at the moment. I am enjoying our new group because we are all on a level playing field, there are no cliques and no people who have held office for way too long. I think there should be a limit on the terms of office bearers in such groups so that enthusiastic newbies are not virtually locked out.

2. Also I wonder if the word “genealogy” continues to fully reflect how we refer to what we do. What is your preferred term when you tell people about your hobby obsession? Is it genealogy or family history?

It depends on how one defines genealogy . The purists see genealogy as a record of one's ancestry (or descendants) that basically lists names and dates to show lineage, they do not see genealogy as embellished by stories. On the other hand Family Historians take the research further by seeking out stories of their ancestors.

I see genealogy as a dynamic term that now means something different from what it meant fifty years ago, it may well have a different meaning fifty years hence. I agree with the move made by Wikipedia in 2013 and discussed by Nathan Murphy here.

I don't get hung up on labels, I just do what I do and enjoy it.

3. What other things do you consider when you make a choice about attending a family history conference?

I also consider all those things you have outlined.

The program is important, it must offer something to inform, challenge or amuse me. I didn't attend our state conference in Wollongong last year because the program was Illawarra centric and I have no research interests in the area. There were some topics that may have amused me but I wasn't going to put my dollars towards an event that wasn't going to fulfil my needs. I am still trying to decide whether to attend the state conference in Port Macquarie later this year. The local organisers of these state events need to realise that they are presenting to a different audience from their local groups and provide content with statewide interest and speakers who are fresh and new to the circuit.

I like to see a conference that embraces 21st century practices and technology while respecting doing things the old way. My criticism of the Canberra Congress program is that it was filled with "Chalk and talk" sessions with little opportunities for audience participation; there were no sessions on advanced use of various technologies for genealogy. State and National conferences also need to offer a strand for society officers and members on management, best practice and ethics.

The only conference that I have learned anything new about the application of technology is Rootstech so I will continue to make an annual pilgrimage to Salt Lake City.

Speakers are also important. While we have several experts who present on particular topics here in Australia I would like to hear the same topics presented by others, sometimes hearing a different perspective on a topic just makes it come clear. I like to hear new and interesting people, conference organisers could offer shorter sessions times, poster sessions or panel sessions to newbies  who may be daunted by being on stage by themselves for an hour.

Networking with my genimates is very important to me so I like to have opportunities to sit and discuss issues with those with shared interests. I also like a venue that is in or near reasonable accommodation and has nearby options for restaurants and cafes (for all that networking).

I enjoy seeing lots of exhibitors in the exhibit halls at conferences. I want to see small societies and interest groups and educational institutions as well as the big commercial organisations. While this doesn't impact on my decision to attend a conference it can be a value-added feature.

4. Have you been to conferences locally or nationally? Were they of benefit?

I have been lucky enough to attend Rootstech in Salt Lake City on four occasions and when in the UK I have attended several events. Most useful was a two day event in Somerset learning all about Family Historian software with Jane Taubman.

These events were of great benefit. I have been exposed to experts I would never have heard in Australia, I have made new genimates and I have been been educated on new topics.

I can recommend ccombining overseas holidays with geneaevents. 

Better Late then Never

This post first appeared on The Worldwide Genealogy blog on 3 April 2015.

Dear Teacher,
I am sorry that I am late with my post this month but I have a good excuse reason.

I have been very busy playing learning with more than 500 of my friends at a party educational activity called "The 14th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry" that was held in Canberra Australia from 26-30 March 2015 . My friends and I just call it Congress.

You may even know some of my Geneablogger friends in this photo below:



GeniAus (Blue shirt right front) and Geneabloggers at Congress

We learnt lots at Congress and also got to visit The Australian War Memorial and Australia's Parliament House. Because I am a good student I went early and spent time working in the National Library of Australia. Some people like Roger Kershaw, David Holman and Simon Fowler came all the way from England and David Rencher, Paul Milner and Colleen Fitzpatrick came from America to share in the fun learning.

I even had to talk to the group twice and that was rather scary. My friend Michelle took this photo of me talking.



GeniAus on Blogging

If you want to see what my friends learnt at Congress you can take a look at this page and see that I have a really good excuse for being late.

It was such good fun that I am going to the next Congress in Sydney in 2018. It would be a good idea for everyone to have an excursion to Sydney for this event as they will learn heaps and have fun too. (http://www.congress2018.org.au/)


Yours Faithfully,
GeniAus
.
PS That link is http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/geneabloggers-at-congress-reflections.html

Accentuate the Positive 2014 - Geneameme Responses

Thanks to my busy genimates who have got behind me and posted responses to the Accentuate the Positive 2014 Geneameme. I left it a bit late to post but will try to do better next year (and I may even find some new questions).

Because I got responses from all around the world I decided to post the collation of responses as my monthly poston the Worldwide Genealogy Blog.

Just one click from here will take you to the report of some Glorious Geneayears. 

The 5Ws - Where did they come from?

 This post originally appeared here on The Worldwide Genealogy Blog. As that blog is now dormant I am reposting it here on my blog.

G'day from Downunder

GeniAus

This was first published on The Worldwide Genealogy blog on 2 January 2014

Thanks to the wonders of Social Media I have dear friends in many places up over the Equator. One of these whom I have yet to meet is Julie Goucher who came up with the idea of this "Worldwide Genealogy" collaborative project. Apparently she is blaming me for giving her the idea for this activity!

I am thrilled to be involved in this venture and look forward to sharing genealogy news from our great southern land. I am going to put modestly aside in my first post and tell you a little about myself.

My name is Jill Ball but I am also known as GeniAus in social media circles. 

I spend a lot of time searching for my ancestors

I am a procrastinator

I am a lifelong learner

My favourite social media tool is Google+ and I love hosting Google Hangouts on Air.

This year I was voted as Australia's Gold Rockstar Genealogist

I am a member of The Hawkesbury Family History Group, The Ku-ring-gai Historical Society, The Society of Australian Genealogists and the Society of Genealogists.

But that's enough about me!

You may be interested in some of my favourite free sites for Australian research, here are a few:

National Archives of Australia
NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - Family History BDM indexes
Ryerson Index
State Records NSW
Trove

If you have any questions about genealogy in Australia I would be happy to answer them but, as I am an amateur, I may need to direct you to someone who is more equipped with answers than I.