Sitting behind a trade table at an Unlock the Past event last year in Sydney I found Cassie Mercer selling subscriptions to her newly launched magazine "Inside History". I immediately subscribed to the mag and have not been disappointed with that decision. I love finding in my letterbox the latest edition of this snappily designed publication that has content of great interest to Australian genealogists.
I was well and truly hooked when my mum told me that one of our Irish ancestors, Edward Turley, was a highwayman in Dublin. His grandson was Harry Readford, aka Captain Starlight, who became notorious in outback Australia for his highway-thieving antics as well.
What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy? I hope my expertise lies in being able to write and edit people's research and help them craft their family history into a terrific story. I co-founded Irish Wattle, which publishes books on Irish convicts, and have edited six books to date (see http://www.irishwattle.com/).
Since 2010 I have edited and co-published Inside History magazine, which is a bi-monthly magazine focused on genealogy, history and heritage in Australia and New Zealand (see http://www.insidehistory.com.au/)
| Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups. I regularly liaise with family history and local history societies around Australia and New Zealand as part of my work for Inside History magazine. We are about to launch a new section in the magazine where we will profile a society in each issue, so it's exciting to hear about what records a society holds, and the events they are planning.
What are the lands of your ancestors? Ireland, Scotland, England, Denmark
What Family Names are you Researching? Turley, Maher, Gullidge, Sweatman, Perry, Futcher, Battle
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? I can't go past my g.g.g.g.g grandmother, Jane Maher, because she showed to me that she was pretty savvy and resilient. In Dublin she ran a brothel, then when she was transported for receiving stolen goods, she managed to survive the journey to Sydney on one of the most brutal convict ships of the 1790s, the Britannia. Once in Sydney she applied for and was granted a baker's licence at the Rocks, and ran it for a number of years.
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? I've never been to Denmark, and I would like to visit to find out more about my family tree on my paternal grandmother's side
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? Irish newspapers published in the late 1790s. They've been a goldmine for our Irish research.
Do you keep your genealogy files on paper? Yes
Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer? Yes
What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree? | I don't use any at the moment, but I am investigating options! |
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? No
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Ancestry, Facebook, Genes Reunited, LinkedIn, Twitter
Do you have a blog? Yes
What are your blogs' URLs? http://insidehistorymagazine.blogspot.com/
What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests? Travelling as much as we can, growing new business ideas.
What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy? Window shopping on asos.com, browsing magazines for design inspiration and sleeping!
What is your favourite (non genealogy) book? Possession by A.S. Byatt
What is your personal philosophy in a few words ? Where there's a will, there's a way.
A young Australian genealogist that I would dearly like to meet is Shelley. It seems as though I have known her for quite some time but our relationship has only developed via social media in the last couple of years. Shelley consistently gives me encouragement through comments on my blogs and responses to my tweets.
We are both fans of TNG, a program developed by another GeniMate, Darrin Lythgoe and are proud new owners of Galaxy Tabs.
I am honoured to present Shelley's profile. Thanks Shelley for your ongoing support and for sharing your profile to GeniMates.
Date 28 May 2011
Name Shelley
Hometown Canberra
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Hobbyist
What is your day job? Public servant
How long have you been chasing ancestors? 20+ years, on and off
How did you get hooked on genealogy? I think I was always interested. Perhaps it's partly because my middle name, and those of my siblings, have family connections that I was always aware of and curious about.
More specifically I remember asking my grandfather about who his parents were when I was 13. He drew up a pedigree for me showing his grandparents, and my grandmother's grandparents as well and gave me a copy of some correspondence he'd had with his sister about the family. What a great head start on that branch! Then in high school one of my friends was given an assignment to research her family tree. I was jealous of her homework! It opened my eyes though that it was possible to research your family. I'm not sure I realised it before then.
I started researching in my final year of high school. By then I had my driver's license so I could get to the library, and a part-time job so I could pay for certificates.
What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research?
| I'm currently doing the basic level Australian Records courses with the Institute of Genealogical Studies. No relevant studies prior to that. |
What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy? No particular area of expertise. I am most familiar with records from Victoria, Australia
What are the lands of your ancestors? Various locations in the British Isles.
What Family Names are you Researching? Allen, Allsop, Baker, Barnes, Bennett, Black, Carrey, Chaplin, Collins, Couper, Darcy, De La Roche, Donnell, Fearn, Forbes, French, Halliday, Hardy, Hay, Isaac, Keogh, King, Lee, Lewis, Mack, Martin, McFarren, McKeogh, McKough, McMahon, Mee, Miller, Morrison, Oakham, Penhallurick, Perrot, Robotham, Sinclair, Smith, Spence, Stannus, Sutherland, Sweyne, Tregonning, Willoughby, Wood
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? Whoever I have a new lead on at the time.
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? All of them! I hope one day to travel to the UK and Ireland and follow an itinerary based on where my ancestors lived. I wouldn't even have to fit in research to make the trip worthwhile, just getting off the beaten track with a purpose would be fascinating.
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? TROVE newspapers
Do you keep your genealogy files on paper? Yes
Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer? Yes
What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree? Genbox
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? Yes
If Yes What is the URL? http://www..twigsofyore.com/
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Ancestry, GenealogyWise, Genes Reunited, Twitter
Do you have a blog? Yes
What are your blogs' URLs? http://twigsofyore.blogspot.com/
What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests? Between part-time work and full-time young children, genealogy is one of the few interests I am still able to pursue. I'd like to get out and see live theater more often, do an art class here and there, read a book, go to the gym... The activity I miss the most is tap dancing.
What is your favourite (non genealogy) book? The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
I make contact with Genimates via email, facebook, twitter or blogs and have only met a handful of them in the flesh. At today's meeting of The Hawkesbury Family History Group I hit the jackpot when I came face to face with two of our GeniMates, Peter Stewart and Michelle Patient.
Peter is soon to conclude a three year term as President of the Campbelltown Family History Group but he will not be taking it easy. As a Jurd descendant he is working on a history of the family in preparation for their reunion in 2012.
Michelle, an Aussie who lives in New Zealand, had contacted me to say she would be in Australia for a while. We agreed to meet up at the GOONS talk at Hawkesbury after which we shared a long lunch with Robyn (whose last name I do not know). Michelle updated us on plans for the New Zealand Family History Fair that is to be held in Auckland in August 2011. While in Australia she is making contact with a number of speakers and companies who will be joining the fun at the fair.
I hope that, as I gad about, I come face to face with more of our GeniMates.
Dorset, one of my favourite counties in England, is home to Luke Mouland of Kith and Kin Research. I have been following Luke online at Twitter and appreciate his tweets about the genealogy scene in "The Mother Country". I was thrilled when he replied promptly to my request for a profile for GeniMates.
Thanks, Luke, for telling us about your involvement with genealogy.
Date 4th June 2011
Name Luke Mouland
Hometown Sherborne, Dorset, England
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Professional Genealogist
What is your day job? Genealogist, historian and writer
How long have you been chasing ancestors? Six years
How did you get hooked on genealogy? I inherited two family portraits - one depicting my 2x great-grandparents and the other my 3x great-grandparents. These having fascinated me thorough my childhood, I soon decided to find out more about the people featured.
What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research? The State & The Poor in Britain, 1830-1939 (GCE Advanced Level)
What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy? I spend much time placing the lives of ancestors against the wider social and historical context in which they lived. Background research is vital to understanding our ancestors' lives in perspective.
Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups.
- Founder Member of London Historians
- Member of the Sherborne Historical Society
- Dorset Online Parish Clerk (Lillington & Longburton)
What are the lands of your ancestors? England, Ireland, Malta, Australia, Canada
What Family Names are you Researching? Main lineages of interest: Arnett, Budd, Carn, Lillington, Maidment, Mouland, Newman, Wareham
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? I have great admiration for my 2x great-grandmother, Gertrude, who left her humble origins behind to enlist into the Salvation Army. She dedicated much of her life to the cause, eventually becoming an officer.
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? Floriana in Malta. This is where my great-grandmother was born, so I would very much like to visit the building where she spent the first few years of her life.
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? Poor Law records are particularly fascinating to research but I also like to delve into probate documents, which can be equally wonderful. But, with those aside, census records never loose their appeal, either!
Do you keep your genealogy files on paper? Yes
Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer? Yes
What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree? Family Tree Maker
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? No
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Ancestry, Facebook, Genes Reunited, LinkedIn, Twitter
Do you have a blog? Yes
What are your blogs' URLs? http://kithandkinresearch.posterous.com/
What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests?
- Cycling
- Walking
- Reading
- Writing
What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy? Cycling
What is your favourite (non genealogy) book? The Blackest Streets by Sarah Wise
What is your personal philosophy in a few words ? Life is short. Seize every opportunity.
Our newest GeniMate, Carmel has recently joined Twitter, to see what she has to say follow @CarmelReynen . Carmel was one of the first people to join the Australian Genealogists group on Genealogy Wise and has offered some good advice to members there. Since she joined up I have been keeping up with her via GenealogyWise and her blog..
Thanks to this very busy lady for submitting her profile to GeniMates.
Date 21 May 2011
Name Carmel Reynen
Hometown Haddon, Victoria, Australia
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Hobbyist
What is your day job? Enquiry officer in a call centre
How long have you been chasing ancestors? 33 years
How did you get hooked on genealogy? | I believe it started at primary school when we did some study on the gold rush and I found I had gold mining ancestors. Also my grandmothers told stories.
|
What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research? No formal studies.
What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy? I often think I am not an expert. That is until I help someone with obvious things and they are so happy and cannot believe I was able to find things.
I find Victoria Australia is where most of my experience lies, but cemeteries, and looking at things in an ordered way. I have had people come to me saying so and so was a family member can you help me find out how? Well it is not starting at that person but yourself.
I guess it is all the experience that makes me an "expert" in many areas but definitely not all.
Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups. I am involved with the Ballarat and District Genealogical Society, in fact was an original member but left for a number of years because of work and family commitments. Now Editor of the quarterly newsletter "Link"
I have also been involved in the digitisation of Smythesdale Cemetery.
Have photographed many cemeteries now on line.
Have done a lot of Data Entry of Records for on line.
Helped many people, and attend Family History Days to assist.
Given talks at family history days.
I am also involved in a number of genealogical lists that are slowing now in popularity
What are the lands of your ancestors? England, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark,
my husband is Dutch
What Family Names are you Researching? Barwise, Woodhead, Walkeden, Nolan, Murphy, Butler, Johnson (Swedish!) Petersen,(Danish) Reynen (Reijnen, Dutch) Strybosch (Strijbosch Dutch) Royle, Fox, Mossop. just to name a few!
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? I have a number of very interesting ancestors, from convicts, councillors, pioneers, bigamists, etc. I could not really name a favourite but love it when I can find things on their lives which will bring them to life.
Newspapers are coming on line and it can be surprising what you can find.
I can say there are a couple I don't really like but think maybe there is something that will redeem their faults.
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? All of them. I would like to go to St Bees in Cumbria, there is a house there that is still in the family and has been since at least 1548!
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? Birth Death and marriage indexes, newspapers, census, electoral rolls, wills, inquests.
Do you keep your genealogy files on paper? Yes
Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer? Yes
What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree? I use Family tree Maker and have done for years, my husband bought it for me for my birthday one year and I have continued to update it.
I also use Ancestry.com as I can easily share it all with Family and have found a number of others related either directly or with some who married into my family. They often have records I have not got and visa versa
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? Yes
If Yes What is the URL? Ancestry.com
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Ancestry, Facebook, GenealogyWise
Do you have a blog? Yes
What are your blogs' URLs? http://www.google.com/url?q=http://myfamilyhunt.blogspot.com/&usd=2&usg=ALhdy2_E2qfvFc-Nwk3wVdUuEbxALGjHOw | |
What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests? I have 5 children, 6 Grandchildren (so far) and work 2 hrs travelling time from home. I do not really get time for other things, but want to travel at some stage.
What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy? Family get togethers
What is your favourite (non genealogy) book? Mysts of Avalon
What is your personal philosophy in a few words ? | To treat everyone as an individual and as they would treat me. I am not going to like everyone but I will most people I meet.
You never know who you may find you are related to. |
If you have anything else to share please add it below.
Cheryl was one of the enthusiastic Australian genealogists with whom I conected on Google Wave. I was impressed by the amount of energy she put into that doomed project. It is wonderful to see the Australian genealogy websites that she has produced for the benefit of others.
Cheryl is one of our quiet achievers.
Date 22/5/2011
Name Cheryl Bailey
Hometown | Toowoomba now living on the Mornington Peninsula |
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Hobbyist
What is your day job? Retired
How long have you been chasing ancestors? 30 years
How did you get hooked on genealogy? A cousin showed me a hand drawn family chart with only names on it and there was no father attached to my grandfather. After 30 years we still do not have 100 percent proof of the father.
What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy? Tasmania
Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups. Past member and indexer of the Tasmanian Family History Society, Genealogical Society of Queensland and the Queensland Family History Society.
What are the lands of your ancestors? Orkney Isles, England, Australia
What Family Names are you Researching? Armstrong, Batey, Coombs, Cottenham, Curd, Dalton, Davison, Ellam, Embrey, Gammon, Gent, Heppel, Husthwaite, Irvine, Kaye, Kirsop, Leatheard, Louttit, Mellie, Metcalfe, Morley, Parsons, Pratt, Raspin, Ratcliffe, Raymant, Scarth, Skaife, Spence, Stokan, Varo, Winsby, Wood
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? James MORLEY because he has left a wealth of descendants who take a keen interest in the family history.
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? Withyham, East Sussex because I would like to get that same spiritual feeling as when I visited Buckland Cemetery, Tasmania in the 1970's before I was interested in Genealogy.
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? Family Search
Do you keep your genealogy files on paper? Yes
Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer? Yes
What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree? | IFamily for Leopard, PAF |
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? Yes
If Yes What is the URL? http://aussiemandas.familytreeguide.com/tree_index.php
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Ancestry, Facebook, GenealogyWise, Geni, LinkedIn, Twitter, Other
Do you have a blog? Several
What are your blogs' URLs? http://sites.google.com/site/aussiemandas/, http://aussiemandasancestry.wordpress.com/
| What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests? Photography, Reading, Internet Researcher, Scrapbooking
What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy? Facebook
What is your favourite (non genealogy) book? Arthur Mee's Children's Encyclopedia
What is your personal philosophy in a few words ? To help and encourage others and to be grateful for all blessings that come my way.
If you have anything else to share please add it below. Also have the following:
a website devoted to the passengers of the "Oriental" which landed at Hobart, Tasmania in 1859. http://sites.google.com/site/oriental1859immigrants
a website "Tasanclin" dealing with resources and help. https://sites.google.com/site/tasanclin/
| | 
