Issue 24: September-October 2014

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I S Y O U R A N C E S T O R O U R N E X T C O V E R S TA R ?

DNA tests: yes or no?

50 best

Our experts give their verdict

genealogy blogs

How to pick the right family history software

History underground

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Printed on responsibly sourced paper

SEP–OCT 2014 $9.95 NZ$10.95

ISSN 1838-5044

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Unearthing colonial Sydney

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YOUR FAMILY’S STORY

How millinery fashion can help decipher your ancestors’ photographs

Together, we can make history Whether you’re looking to upskill, change career or just research your family or community history, the University of New England’s History courses can help you achieve your goals.

Our suite of History courses include: • Master of History • Bachelor of Historical Inquiry and Practice • Graduate Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Local, Family and Applied History • Graduate Certificate in History Curriculum For over 60 years UNE has been a leader in helping busy adults study from home. With our online course delivery, your future is just a mouse click away, no matter where you are in Australia or beyond.

1800 818 865 une.edu.au/studyhistory

Contents

ISSUE 24, SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014

On the cover 30

The ABC of DNA DNA testing is a new frontier in family history research, and has been known to knock done many a brick wall. We outline the basics of how to get your DNA tested and what you’ll learn

36 Ahead of the fashions

A history of hats, from bonnets to berets, and what they reveal about your ancestors 40 When archaeology meets genealogy

Dig beneath the latest findings in Australian archaeology as we report from the excavation sites of two colonial-era buildings in Sydney and beyond

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46 50 best genealogy blogs

Inside History’s 3rd Annual Genealogy Blog Awards are here! We present the best history and family history blogs from around the world 58 Enter our cover star competition!

Fancy seeing your ancestor on our front cover?

Enter our new photo competition and your favourite forebear may just be our next cover star!

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Choosing the right family history software Which software is the right for you?

Read our expert guide

40 Inside History | Sep-Oct 2014 |

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Contents

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your family 28

Hitting the books Shauna Hicks introduces the University of Melbourne Archives

your history 50

Remembering local soldiers A case study of how local council archives can reveal the lives of a community’s Anzacs

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The boys are back Reuniting long-lost war medals with their rightful owners is a rewarding pursuit

travel 64

Tasmania’s timeless northwest Discover the Tarkine rainforest, its surrounds and the region’s dark yet fascinating history

regulars

History now Great events you won’t want to miss

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History apps The latest apps built for historians

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On the book shelf What we’re reading right now One picture…1,000 memories The story of loss behind one reader’s precious family photograph

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Editor’s letter

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Postie’s here!

Your thoughts, your say

special offer

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Bob’s your uncle Network with other researchers

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A cup of tea with… Cheryl Ward The playwright behind Through These Lines discusses how she brought the stories of World War One nurses to the stage

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Ask our experts Jayne Shrimpton helps two Inside History readers learn more about some mysterious photographs of their ancestors

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Win a digitisation kit worth $259!

Subscribe or renew to enter the draw

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our family

PO Box 406 Erskineville NSW 2043 Australia EDITOR Cassie Mercer cass@insidehistory.com.au ART DIRECTOR Lucy Glover lucy@insidehistory.com.au EDITORIAL ASSISTANT AND FEATURES WRITER Sarah Trevor sarah@insidehistory.com.au EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Jill Ball Jean Bedford Linda Funnell Megan Gibson Paula Grunseit Barbara Hall Shauna Hicks Clinton Johnston Tim Lycett Richard Offen Michelle Patient Jayne Shrimpton PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS See page 71 or subscribe online at www.insidehistory.com.au DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS For iPad, find us on Apple Newsstand For Android and PC, find us at zinio.com

COVER IMAGE

“Film star, wearing a hat”, c.1900-1914.

Courtesy State Library of Victoria, ID H91.93/128.

Read more on page 36 about decoding photographs based on millinery fashion.

WARNING Readers should be aware that this magazine contains content that may be distressing. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers should be aware that this magazine contains names and images of people who have passed away.

Inside History (ISSN 1838–5044) is published six times a year by Inside History (ABN 13 353 848 961) PO Box 406 Erskineville NSW 2043 Australia.

Views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright 2014 by Cassie Mercer and Inside History. All rights reserved.

DISTRIBUTED BY Gordon and Gotch Australia PRINTED BY Ligare Pty Ltd 138 Bonds Road Riverwood NSW 2210

Inside History | Sep-Oct 2014 |

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editor’s letter

What do DNA tests involve? Should you be worried about this new trend, or excited? We speak with readers who have been through the process about their experiences, and why they are happy they went ahead. Turn to page 30 to learn more.

Another cover story this issue is a topic close to my heart — combining photograph analysis with the history of fashion . Our photo expert Jayne Shrimpton looks at how you may be able to determine the date a photograph was taken if one of the subjects is wearing a fabulous hat! See what I mean on page 36.

We’re also going underground this issue, by looking at some of the fascinating archaeological digs that are happening around Sydney. Our writers were able to go onsite and see some of the discoveries for themselves. Read more on page 40.

We’re also introducing an exciting competition this issue — we want your ancestor to be our next cover star! We’re looking for amazing, atmospheric images that we can feature on an upcoming issue of the magazine. Turn to page 58 to read more and see what sort of photographs we’re looking for.

All this, and of course much more! Happy reading, My nan (left) with my mum (right) and me as a young tyke in 1975.

This issue is dedicated to my adored nan and our first covergirl, Rita Mavis Battle (1921–2014)

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Image Courtesy State Library of Victoria, ID H16560/27.

The latest trends in family history is pairing genealogy and science.

Many historians are signing up for DNA tests, offering their DNA to companies to see if there is a match to a long lost or unknown cousin.

The place to start your family history‌

Not sure how or where to start? findmypast.com.au makes it easy to start your journey into your family history n

n

Where were they born? Who did they marry?

Find the answers in the easiest to search and most comprehensive birth, marriage and death records for Britain, including maritime and military Uncover your past using electoral rolls, government gazettes & directories for Australia & New Zealand

n

Discover where your ancestors lived and what they did for a living in the most complete England, Wales & Scotland census collection

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Uncover where your ancestors immigrated to in our detailed Passenger Lists

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Get back even further with millions of beautiful handwritten parish records dating from 1538 – no need to know where your family came from, just type in a surname

Take our 14 day FREE trial and start your journey now!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/findmypastAustralia Twitter: www.twitter.com/findmypastAU

letters

Postie’s here!

Share your thoughts with the Inside History team.

Like us on facebook.com/ insidehistorymagazine Join us on twitter.com/ insidehistory

WITH LOVE FROM CANADA

This is a quality magazine from a country far from my home of Canada but still sharing stories with common themes of two Commonwealth countries.

I enjoy reading the articles and looking at the beautiful photographs and illustrations.

Thank you for producing a magazine that is a work of art.

— Cheryl Pickett, Calgary, Canada

GREAT ANTICIPATIONS

“BOB REALLY IS MY UNCLE!”

A couple of years ago I answered a call-out from the Bob's Your Uncle page in Inside History magazine.

Jacqueline Wadsworth was looking for letters written

by World War One soldiers (issue 13). Her book comes out later this year and there will be excerpts of Ernest Ainscow's letters in the book. You published [my article about him], “Discovering Ernest”, in 2013 (issue 19).

Jacqueline also put up a request on her blog to find Bob and Hercules Ainscow and, after a long silence, someone was googling and found that old blog entry. Last week I was contacted by relatives and I have now found the grandson and great grandsons of Bob and Hercules. So from that one entry in Inside History I have found out that yes, indeed, Bob really is my uncle — thank you, Inside History.

— Debby Gower, Mullumbimby, NSW

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Each issue our star letter will receive a recently released history book for writing in! This issue, Darryl Hamilton wins a copy of Banjo by Paul Terry (Allen & Unwin, $29.99).

SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN THE 1850s?

Reading Megan Gibson’s article “Restoration Ancestor” in issue 22 reminded me of a time that I needed to have a death certificate altered.

In the early days of my family history research I applied for a death certificate for my maternal great great grandmother. When I received the certificate from the Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages I immediately recognised an error. It had my great great grandmother recorded as Ann Saville and she was married to Elizabeth Saville in England.

I contacted the Birth, Deaths and Marriages stating that I was of the belief that same sex marriages were not recognised in the United Kingdom in the 1850s. I advised that “Elizabeth” should be shown as “Elijah”. An apology letter was soon received together with a new certificate.

Never believe that all the information on an officially issued certificate is true and correct!

— Darryl Hamilton, Mansfield, QLD

SHORT AND SWEET

[On issue 23] Another great edition. Keep them coming.

— Lynnette Gudmunson, West Ryde, NSW

Image Courtesy State Library NSW.

Thank you so much to everyone at Inside History magazine for the wonderful surprise of me winning a year's subscription to Ancestry. What a great tool for family history buffs it is and I am certainly making good use of it.

May I also take this opportunity to thank the people at Inside History for producing such an interesting and informative magazine. Each issue is awaited with great anticipation at the Wood household. Keep up the good work.

— Philip Wood, Northgate, SA

your family

Bob’s your uncle Are you looking to connect with other descendants or historians?

Each issue we’ll feature who and what people are researching.

Image Courtesy Douglas Stewart Fine Books, www.douglasstewart.com.au

MYSTERIOUS PARENTAGE

I’m searching for information regarding, and descendants of, Linda McDonald, born in 1899 in Brisbane, Queensland. There is no record of Linda's birth under her known name in Queensland between 1898 and 1900.

My research shows that Linda had been taken in and possibly “adopted” by George MacDonald and Helen MacDonald (nee Marshall) around the end of 1907 in Toowoomba.

It is unknown whether Linda was initially extended family of, or was unrelated to, George and Helen, but she named her parents as George and Helen at the time of her marriage and they are also named as such on her death certificate. Yet neither George nor Helen have Linda named as issue on their death certificates.

Linda married Alexander McEwan in 1921 and they had three children. Both George and Alexander worked for the Queensland railway, as a guard and fettler respectively. Alexander died in 1982, while Linda died in 1966.

I’d very much like to make contact with the descendants of Linda and Alexander or anyone familiar with the family in the hope that together we can find the true nature of the connection between Linda, George and Helen.

— Kathy Thompson, kmthomster@gmail.com

A SHIPWRECK MYSTERY

This year marks the centenary of the loss of the windjammer Antares near Nullawerre, Victoria.

The disappearance of Antares remained a mystery until a local resident, while horseriding along the cliffs, spotted the remains of a ship. The Warrnambool Harbour Master Captain Marshall discovered the remains of a ‘black’ man and a board bearing the name “SUTLEJ” (the Antares’ original name), most likely the remains of her lifeboat.

The recovered body was buried in Warrnambool cemetery and in recent years a headstone marking the grave has been erected. It remains a mystery as to how the ship came to her fatal end, as does the fate of the other 24 crew members.

Descendants of the resident who reported the wreck in 1914 are asking for help in finding relatives of the lost crew, which without a manifesto has been difficult. A commemorative plaque and dedication ceremony will take place in December this year.

— John Mathieson, jmath5@bigpond.com

REUNION OF FIRST FLEET DESCENDANTS

I’m calling for expressions of interest in a reunion of descendants of Peter Hibbs and others who sailed on the HMS Sirius. To celebrate the 225th anniversary of the sinking of the First Fleet flagship on 19 March 2015, I’m organising a trip to Norfolk Island.

For more information, or if you would like to join the mailing list for updates, please email me and be sure to include the name of your ancestor as well as the ship they sailed on.

— Robyn Stanford, First Fleet Fellowship South Coast Chapter, possum.grove@bigpond.com

Lots of researchers have been linking up and knocking down their research brick walls via “Bob’s your uncle”. To place an ad, email contribute@insidehistory.com.au. Adverts are free!

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Latest news

from the history and genie world

Every Man Remembered project The Royal British Legion and Commonwealth War Graves Commission have launched a Commonwealth-wide commemoration project that aims to ensure every man and woman who died while participating in the First World War is commemorated.

Every Man Remembered uses World War One casualty information provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on soldiers who came from across the Commonwealth and died in the war in locations around the world. The website allows you to search for individuals who died, read their profile for some biographical and service details, and ‘remember’ them by placing a virtual poppy and personal dedication at a site of your choosing.

You can either search the database to locate and commemorate an ancestor or someone you know, or choose from the thousands of names awaiting remembrance on the site. In case you’d like to remember a fallen serviceman or woman with whom you share something in common, you can also search by your name or town.

However, the site goes beyond commemoration; it is also a fundraising project. The site welcomes (though doesn’t require) donations to The Royal British Legion, an organisation that provides assistance and welfare to the United Kingdom’s serving and ex-Service community.

MORE everymanremembered.org

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Image Courtesy State Library of Victoria, ID H2010.77/74.

New State Records NSW indexes The researchers behind Teapot Genealogy have published a searchable list of indexes from State Records NSW covering some 500,000 name entries.

This includes 20 sets of original records z relating to a range of topics including convicts, transport, the goldfields and gaol records. Although the records are from State Records NSW, in some cases they include the names of people from other states and countries.

“This list of indexes is extensive and most are unique to this website,” Teapot Genie’s Kaye Vernon says. “Otherwise, in most cases you would have to search through hundreds of pages of documents to find a name you are looking for.”

The cost is $5 to search, although unsuccessful searches are free.

MORE search. teapotgenealogy.com

Albany takes the spotlight

 Berwick’s Royal Border Railway Bridge can be seen in this aerial view of the area. Courtesy Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.

This November, the Western Australian town of Albany is playing a central role in the commemoration of the Anzac centenary.

On 1 November 1914, a convoy of Australian and New Zealand troops bound for Europe departed from King George Sound, making Albany the last Australian town many servicemen laid eyes on. Albany was also the site of what is believed to have been the first Australian Dawn Service, held on 25 April 1930 by local priest Padre White.

Fittingly, the centrepiece National Anzac Centre is due to open in Albany’s Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum Precinct in late October. From September to November, a range of events is planned in Albany and its surrounds to commemorate the centenary of these troopships’ departure. For those of us who can’t make it to Albany, the Anzac Albany website is nonetheless worth a visit.

MORE anzacalbany.com.au

An online Northumberland research resource

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For those with ancestors from Northumberland, UK, the Friends of Berwick and District Museum and Archives (FBDMA) website is an ever-growing resource profiling the region’s local history.

Covering genealogical sources, military history, and news and updates from the history organisations of North Northumberland, the site forms a guide of sorts for researchers interested in this historic region of England.

Kevin Graham, the site researcher, believes the FBDMA website will prove useful for Antipodean researchers with Northumberland heritage.

“For those in Australia and New Zealand, the website provides a fabulous resource for researching their family history, military history and many other forms of historical research,” says Graham.

MORE berwickfriends.org.uk

Landmarks of Albany, where many servicemen began their journey to Europe.

Courtesy State Library of Victoria, H2009.48/32.

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what’s on

History now

The best events across Australia & New Zealand COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY SARAH TREVOR

War at Sea: The Navy in World War One

Opens 12 September Amidst the abundance of World War One commemorations underway for this year’s centenary, at least one aspect of the war remains sorely overlooked: its rich naval history. For the fledgling Australian Navy, World War One was a baptism of fire. This fascinating exhibition showcases rare artefacts pertaining to Australia’s war effort on the seas, brought together from the Australian National Maritime Museum, the National Film and Sound Archives and the Australian War Memorial. Delve into the naval history of the Great War, and its major and little-known battles alike, at this illuminating exhibition.

Visit anmm.gov.au

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Background This snapshot was found inside a folder belonging to a family. The ‘Douglas’ identified on the opposite page was Douglas Ballantyne Fraser, who joined the Royal Australian Naval Brigade in 1911.

During the First World War he served in Gallipoli, the Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula. Courtesy Australian National Maritime Museum, ID ANMS1259[012]

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Planning a genealogy, history or heritage event that you’d like to share with Inside History readers? Email us at contribute@insidehistory.com.au Events are subject to change. We recommend contacting the organisers beforehand to confirm details.

NSW

ACT

Happy Birthday Susannah Place

Life Interrupted: Personal Diaries from World War One

Until 21 September Australians around the country are indebted to the State Library of NSW for the foresight shown in collecting the personal diaries of thousands of First World War soldiers, doctors, nurses, journalists and stretcher-bearers in the war’s aftermath. Life Interrupted places many samples from this vast collection of diaries on display, allowing visitors to hear from the men and women who served in their own words. The experiences of these people during the first global war, barely a decade after Australia’s federation, makes for sombre, powerful reading, and has an invaluable place amid the commemoration memorabilia.

Visit sl.nsw.gov.au

Coffs Harbour District Family History Society Seminar

25 October Join the Coffs Harbour District Family History Society for an informative seminar with genealogist and author Helen Smith. She will deliver a number of presentations aiming to assist your genealogical research including advice on English parish records, effective internet searching, demolishing brick walls, and the importance of social history. Held at Cavanbah Hall in Coffs Harbour from 9.30am to 4pm, the cost is $25 for Society members and $30 for visitors.

Email coffsgenie@gmail.com or call 02 6653 9240

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A Place to Call Home?

Migrant Hostel Memories

Until 14 September Now in its final weeks, this National Archives of Australia exhibition displays vivid photographs of life in hostels for the wave of post-war migrants who settled in Australia. For many of these migrants, hostels were their first homes in the country, their initial taste of this distant land: places of unfamiliar sights, birdcalls and food, of new friendships and beginnings. A Place to Call Home? offers an interesting snapshot of Australia’s post-war migration.

Visit naa.gov.au

Abstraction-Création: JW Power in Europe, 1921–1938

Until 26 October JW Power was one of Australia’s most accomplished painters in the inter-war years.

Although his avant-garde work was displayed in London, Paris and Amsterdam between 1921 and 1928, Power’s art and life is little known in his home country. Originally trained as a doctor, Power served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War One, before abandoning medicine to pursue art.

He became involved with the international group of artists known as Abstraction-Création. This exhibition of the same name is a joint venture between the University of Sydney and the National Library of Australia, bringing together for the first time his paintings, held by the University, and the sketchbooks and other highlights of the Library’s collection. An interesting look at a lesser-known Australian artist.

Visit nla.gov.au

Image Courtesy National Archives of Australia ID A12111, 1/1962/4/89

14 September Happy 170th birthday, Susannah Place! One of the Sydney Living Museums’ most fascinating properties, Susannah Place is a terrace of four working-class homes built by Irish immigrants in 1844, and which managed to survive in the heart of The Rocks despite the suburb’s ongoing redevelopment over the past century. To celebrate this special anniversary, Sydney Living Museums is hosting a special community day at Susannah Place Museum. Drop by to learn more about the families who called this humble terrace block home and celebrate its survival.

Visit sydneylivingmuseums.com.au

QLD Inmates: Asylums, Prisons and Hospitals

4 October While of course no genealogist would wish illness, imprisonment or asylum upon their ancestors, there is no denying that these ‘black sheep’ can sometimes leave behind paper trails that can make our research simpler (and more enthralling). To learn more about uncovering the details of your ancestors’ stay in prison, hospital or an asylum, join this 3.5-hour Queensland Family History Society seminar. Presenters Shauna Hicks and Pauleen Cass will outline the resources available, and what you may find. The cost is $15 for QFHS members and $20 for non members.

Visit qfhs.org.au

Angling for Ancestors

11 & 12 October The Gold Coast Family History Society is holding a two-day seminar, at Bicentennial Community Centre in Nerang, which promises an interesting look and fresh perspectives in your genealogical research. New Zealand’s foremost genealogist Jan Gow will outline family tree research methods and how to use FamilySearch, while South Australian genie expert Graham Jaunay

will provide tips on researching pre-1837 English records, and the maternal line on your family tree, as well as photo-dating 19th-century photographs.

Plus, there’ll be visits to local and military history museums. The cost is $45 for Society members and $50 for non members.

Visit bit.ly/VHDvkX

Epidemic: The 1918 Influenza Epidemic

18 October Amidst all the commemoration involved in this centennial year of the First World War’s outbreak, it is easy to forget that the deadliest killer of that fateful decade was in fact the influenza epidemic. At this informative two-hour session, genealogist and molecular epidemiologist Helen Smith will look at the impact of the 1918 influenza epidemic on the already war-weary population of Queensland. Helen is an expert on public health microbiology, promising attendees a deeper understanding of both the epidemic and its effects on our ancestors’ lives. The cost is $10 for members and $15 for non members.

Visit gsq.org.au

ONE KEY • 12 MUSEUMS • MANY LIFETIMES

VAUCLUSE HOUSE 1805

Photograph © James Horan

ELIZABETH FARM 1793

Built by wool pioneer John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth, Elizabeth Farm is Australia’s oldest surviving homestead.

Visit the 1830s garden, explore the interiors, then refuel with traditional Devonshire tea in the tearooms.

Delight in the ornate interiors, discover the historic kitchen garden and explore the 25 acre estate including the Pleasure Garden. Enjoy afternoon tea at the charming Vaucluse House Tearooms.

70 ALICE STREET, ROSEHILL T 02 9635 9488 • OPEN SAT & SUN, 10.30AM–3.30PM

WENTWORTH ROAD, VAUCLUSE T 02 9388 7922 • OPEN FRI, SAT & SUN, 11AM–4PM

Daily during school holidays

UNLOCK SYDNEY’S PAST

Daily during school holidays

sydneylivingmuseums.com.au

VIC 8 October Dr Jenny Green from the University of Melbourne will discuss the use of iconographic images in traditional Aboriginal sand-drawing from central Australia, providing insight into both the artistry and cultural heritage of central Australia. Her research has found that Indigenous women’s sand stories from this region form a traditional form of narrative combining elements of drawing, speech, song, sign and gesture. This iconography has been essential to central Australia’s contemporary painting traditions and visual arts culture.

As Jenny will argue, these rich and varied forms of art show how communication involves far more than words and speech. This onehour Museum Victoria seminar, held at the Melbourne Museum Theatre in Carlton Gardens, is free to attend and promises an intimate look at the intricate art and storytelling traditions of Indigenous Australia.

Visit museumvictoria.com.au

History Week Victoria

19 to 26 October Always a highlight on the Victorian history lover’s calendar, this year’s incarnation of History Week Victoria has a jam-packed schedule of heritage events, including open days, exhibitions,

walking tours, discussions and more. Take a rare tour of the Supreme Court building and hear stories from its archives, or perhaps a walking tour to discover Footscray’s hidden gems. Learn stories of early pioneers at Donnybrook Cemetery or visit the former Albion Explosives Factory site and marvel at the luxurious interiors of Melbourne’s 19th-century mansions - and much more!

Visit historyweek.org.au

Undressed: 350 Years of Underwear in Fashion Until 26 October Get an intimate look into the private layers of heritage at this interesting exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery. Undressed looks at the history of undergarments over the past 350 years, including constrictive corsets, bodacious bustles and petite petticoats alike. As the exhibition demonstrates, the history of underwear is crucial to the history of fashion itself, as it was only in the latter half of the 20th century that women were expected to achieve the ideal silhouette of the time — whatever it may be — through diet and exercise rather than through the shape provided (or padded or pinched in!) through undergarments. Displaying more than 100 objects from the Victoria and Albert Museum, alongside historical images depicting them in action, this exhibition promises a provocative look at the history of fashion, the body and sexuality.

Visit bendigoartgallery.com.au

SA History of RSL

18 September One of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious national organisations, the RSL has its origins in concern for the welfare of returned servicemen from the Great War. The Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia was established as early as 1916, before becoming the RSL in 1965, and today has over 240,000 members and 1500 sub-branches across the country. Learn more about this national institution at this National Trust talk delivered by Dean Watson at Victor Harbor’s Old School Building.

Visit nationaltrust.org.au

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Remember Me: The Lost Diggers of Vignacourt

Until 19 October The State Library of South Australia is the current host of the acclaimed exhibition Remember Me: The Lost Diggers of Vignacourt .

Originally developed by the Australian War Memorial, the exhibition showcases the photographic portraits taken by the Thuillier family of largely Australian troops who passed through the small French village of Vignacourt during World War One. It also shares the stories and voices of the men themselves from the Australian War Memorial’s collections.

Visit slsa.sa.gov.au

Images Courtesy State Library of NSW ID H2000.180/207.

Sand Stories: The Use of Iconographic Imagery in Traditional Aboriginal SandDrawing from Central Australia

TAS Launceston Historical Society + Oral History Association Seminar

21 September Launceston Historical Society and the Tasmanian Oral History Association of Australia are together hosting a history seminar at QVMAG, Inveresk featuring a number of authors. Peter Henning will discuss Tasmanian nurses in the Second World War, and the book he wrote on the topic.

Anne Green and Tom Gunn will talk about their research into the history of St Giles while Alis Wood will share insights into her interactions with early conservationist Jessie Luckman. The cost of this 4.5-hour event is $25.

Visit launcestonhistory.org.au

WA Accidents, Murders and Suicides: Early Colonial Inquests

15 October Delve into the world of early colonial inquests, and the sordid tales they may contain, at this interesting talk. This untapped source can be a boon for both historians and genealogists, providing insights into not only the life and times of any ancestors mentioned, but also into crime and punishment in the early colonies. Discover more about early colonial inquests, and the grisly occurrences they may describe, at this presentation

by Dr Lenore Layman from Murdoch University at Stirling House for the Royal Western Australian Historical Society. Gold coin donations are required.

Visit histwest.org.au

House Museums as Public History

14 October Learn about the significance of house museums as sites of public history at this Tasmanian Historical Research Association meeting. Scott Carlin, the manager of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery’s house museums, will discuss Visit thra.org.au

NT Five Generations: The Strength of Namatjira’s Legacy

Until 16 November Five Generations surveys the work and legacy of iconic Australian artist, Albert Namatjira, and the Hermannsburg School of watercolour artists he led. Spanning across almost 80 years and five generations, this movement has made an important contribution to Australian visual arts since Namatjira first began painting in the mid 1930s. On display at the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs, Five Generations draws together watercolour works of both the movement’s early pioneers and its contemporary successors, from a range of galleries and art centres across the Northern Territory and beyond.

Visit artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au Right Albert Namatjira in 1949.

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

NEW ZEALAND The Photographic Portrait Rooms of New Zealand

1 October The first photographer arrived in New Zealand in 1848 — not too long after photography itself was invented. Since then, the photographer’s studio has been a common feature in towns throughout New Zealand, with many leaving behind a wealth of images and snapshots into families and communities past. During this talk at Auckland Libraries’ Whare Wānanga, Photograph Librarian Keith Giles will discuss your ancestors’ portraits: why they were taken, how much they paid, and what the studios were like in photography’s early decades.

Book bit.ly/1aAhklK

Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui

Until 5 October Explore the unusual, unexpected and untold stories of the greater Wellington region at the Museum of Wellington City & Sea’s exhibition, Te Ukopo o te Ika a Maui.

Learn about the mythology and history of the city and its surrounds at this interesting exhibition. Neville ‘Stag’ Spooner, the famous hunter and deer culler come artist and writer, and doctor and contraception pioneer Dame Margaret Sparrow are just some of the Wellington residents whose stories you’ll encounter.

Visit museumswellington.org.nz

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The ABC of DNA your family

DNA testing helped uncover the family trees of Richard III and Ned Kelly, and Megan Gibson says it can help you too!

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O, YOU’VE got your birth, death and marriage certificates, the old family bible, a trunk of photos, recorded oral histories with Great Aunt Sarah and a 12-month subscription to your favourite online genealogy database (and to Inside History magazine of course!). Now, it’s time to add some spit to your family tree research.

No, not spit and polish. Just spit!

It may not be the most glamorous way to trace your ancestors — okay, it probably won’t become a celebrity television series (Who Do You Spit You Are?, anyone?) — but DNA testing using saliva can be a very useful research tool to consider.

Generally, it’s more accurate than hard-to-read old handwriting, misinterpreted pronunciations, or the little white lies our great great grannies may have woven into the family tree.

Commercial DNA testing companies offer various tests for various reasons, like paternity, legal, prenatal, and so on. However, family historians may be able to apply test results, where

Images Courtesy State Library of Victoria, ID H42506/310, ID H83.94/340.

“Last year I spent eight weeks in Ireland. While I was there I went to a family history conference and attended a talk about DNA testing. What the presenter said about it was so much more practical and simple than what I’d expected. That’s when I got really interested.

“I did my research and looked at a few companies who offered the testing. In the end I went through Family Tree DNA, because quite a few people from a mailing group I am on had been tested with them. Talking to others about their experiences first was a great help.”

Receiving the test results, which took about four weeks to arrive, wasn’t the only exciting thing to happen, in true family history style…

“On the same day that I got the results of my autosomal DNA test back, I also got an email from a man called David who lived in America. He was a match!” says Barbara. “He told me his parents live in Australia — about half an hour from where I live! We cross-referenced our own family tree research, and found exactly where we matched. My grandfather and David’s father’s grandfather were the oldest and youngest brothers in their family. We soon got in touch with David’s parents, and visited them. David travels back to Australia from time to time, so we are looking forward to meeting him later this year too.” u the appropriate DNA can be collected, to help prove or disprove a family link where there is no paperwork available, gain more information about ancestral migration and locations, and possibly even put you in touch with living relatives.

Previously hard to access for the general public, DNA testing can now be done quickly, easily, discreetly, and relatively cheaply.

It’s been a topic of conversation at genealogy conferences and online discussions worldwide for years, so most of us know a little about DNA testing for family history. However, while a lot of us are interested in the topic, it appears that many of us still haven’t taken a test. I plead guilty! So I’ve decided to take the plunge, along with my mother, but insisted on doing some research first. I talked to a DNA beginner like me who actually went ahead with testing, as well as an expert with some great tips to share.

With more than 30 years experience tracing her own family tree, Barbara Wimble, from Sydney, was a “newbie” when it came to DNA. “A lot of my family on both sides are Irish, which means it can be difficult to research the traditional way using written records. I’d heard about DNA testing for genealogy, I’d been to a few talks and so on but it was all a bit confusing. They’d lose me after the first lot of chromosomes!” says Barbara.

Inside History | Sep-Oct 2014 |

31

your family

Choosing the right

y r o t s i h family software

Family history database software is invaluable for organising your research and laying it out in a clear, logical manner. The only question is: which is best? The answer, says genealogist Michelle Patient, depends on your research needs.

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Image Courtesy State Library of Victoria, ID H84.461/92.

W

HETHER YOU’RE a seasoned genie with years of genealogy behind you, or have just started out on your research, you have something in common with every other family history researcher.

We all find and collect information, analyse and store it and ultimately share our research.

Much of what we do is paper-based, such as documents, photographs or newspaper clippings, hand-written notes, letters, diaries or journals.

Recent technological improvements allow us to access and create more and more digital information. Much of our research no longer results in documents arriving via snail mail, instead it pours onto our screens, mobiles and tablets at the click of a button or touch of a screen.

Some would call this the digital age; others would say, ‘Welcome to information overload’.

How best, then, to compile this information so we don’t lose track of what we have already done and can identify the next task to be tackled? How can we prevent ourselves from being overwhelmed by the large volume of information? How can we save ourselves time so we are not reinventing the wheel, or barking up the wrong tree?

Using a genealogy-specific database program is a large part of the answer. And unsurprisingly — given genealogy is an increasingly popular hobby — there is a wide range of genealogy-specific programs available.

In general, genealogy software enables you to record a range of events relating to one or more persons in your tree, be it a “vital” event such as a birth, death or marriage, or day-to-day details such as residences and occupations as shown in electoral rolls or census documents.

For those of us with ‘Australian royalty’ on our trees, we can record the details of our convict ancestors’ crimes, court records, indents, tickets of leave and even pardons. In some cases, the types of information that can ‘attach’ to a person can seem almost endless.

Once sufficient information is compiled, software also allows for the extraction of reports, charts and maps from the combination of facts entered. This allows the information to be shared

Above Genealogists have an array of software and websites to choose from.

with family members and fellow researchers; some genealogists even create a basic book.

Key improvements to family tree software have been made on a few fronts, including the ability to link media files such as scanned documents, photographs, videos and sound clips, bringing names and dates to life. In addition to attaching and sharing information via the internet, today we have the ability to synchronise data across multiple devices and platforms. This means we can work on and view our trees whenever and wherever we like.

At the time of writing, Wikipedia shows nearly 40 different programs available for desktop computers and eight for web-based applications (bit.ly/1o1wpTr). How to decide which one is right for you? Luckily many other researchers have already been there and done that, so one of the top three programs will probably suit most people.

According to recent surveys, the most popular programs for Windows-based computers are Family Tree Maker (familytreemaker.com), Legacy Family Tree (legacyfamilytree.com) and Roots Magic (rootsmagic.com).

For those working on a Mac-based system, Family Tree Maker, Reunion (leisterpro.com) and MacFamily Tree (syniumsoftware.com/ macfamilytree) are the top three.

We all have different needs in our research, whether we are researching: n a direct ancestral line n direct ancestors plus their side lines n all the living descendants of a particular couple for a reunion n all families on-board a specific immigrant ship n a One Name or One Place Study u

Inside History | Sep-Oct 2014 |

61

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Convert old photo negatives and 35mm slides into JPEG or TIFF files with this easy-to-use Kaiser Baas PhotoMaker. This tool captures digital photos at up to 5 megapixels. Plus, it comes with photo editing software so you can correct your images as you go, and an airbrush and gloves to help protect negatives and slides. Preserve the content of those precious slides and negatives for posterity with the Kaiser Baas PhotoMaker!

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Inside History | Sep-Oct 2014 |

71

your family

… picturememories One 1,000 The child in this photograph, with her hair in ringlets and a bow tied around her waist, was Pretoria May Crutchley-Wright, known to me as ‘Aunty May’. She was really my godmother yet, because I never knew my grandparents, she was like a grandmother to me.

In fact after arriving from England, my grandparents worked with May on the Trawalla Estate in Victoria. She was a real character and a citizen of Australia for more than 70 years with an amazing background tinged with sadness, not unusual for the times.

She arrived in Melbourne on the Berrima after departing from London on 16 September 1920. When May died in 1991, I inherited her photos and I always wondered about this one, taken c.1910. She had told me that it was her adoptive mother in the photo; I was told nothing else and it was not a time where you questioned your elders. After her death, while examining all her personal keepsakes and photos, I had lots of questions. I thought there was a likeness between young May and her adoptive mother.

This led me to research her life as a child.

May was born in 1900 in Staffordshire, the sister of one-year-old Albert. May was a daughter for Albert and Margaret Crutchley for only two years because both parents died of separate illnesses in 1902, within six months of each other. Albert went to live with his Crutchley grandparents while May was adopted by Mary and Frank Wright — a loving childless couple living at Hanbury Hall, Stoke-on-Trent. Frank was a gamekeeper there and May, as a child, would open the gates for the hunt. For this essential job she was rewarded by the owner with a German porcelain doll, a treasure I still have to this day. But I was right about the family resemblance: Mary was the sister of May’s mother Margaret. The sad situation was helped by the intervention of extended family.

Ironically, May’s only child, who was institutionalised, died in 1932 of meningitis at about the same age as May was in this photo.

Sadly, in the new country May had no family support for her daughter, who was born out of wedlock to an Australian soldier — the one she had come here to find, unsuccessfully, in 1920, when she stepped onto Australian shores.

— Christine Allen, Daylesford, VIC

✻ Do you have a favourite family image you’d like to share with our readers? We’d love to hear from you. Email a high-quality scan and the history behind the picture to contribute@insidehistory.com.au and we’ll publish it here.

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