I met today's GeniMate, Garry, in the Australian Genealogists' Group on Genealogy Wise. Thanks Garry, for respondong to my invitation there for members to submit profiles to GeniMates. I hope some others from Australia and elsewhere will follow suit.
Date May 19, 2011 Name Garry Raffaele Hometown Melbourne, Canberra
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Hobbyist
What is your day job? Retired
How long have you been chasing ancestors? 5 years
How did you get hooked on genealogy? Brother visited family's hometown in Sicily - Pantelleria - and took notes
What are your areas of expertise in genealogy? Novice
What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research? None
Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups. None, apart from the website (Genealogy Wise)
What are the lands of your ancestors? Ireland, Scotland, Italy,
What Family Names are you Researching? Raffaele, Dunsby, Kilmartin, Parnell, Mundy, Campbell
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? John Dunsby, transported to Australia from London for stealing a shirt
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? Panelleria, home of the Raffaeles
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? The Web
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? Reunion 9 (Mac)
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? No
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Facebook, GenealogyWise
Do you have a blog? No
What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests?
Field hockey, photography, jazz drumming, cycling, gym work
What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy? Practising drums
What is your personal philosophy in a few words ? Try to walk in the other person's shoes (I don't do it too well)
Shauna is another of my virtual Aussie GeniMates whom I first met on Twitter a couple of years ago and then, in person, in Sydney last year. In her profile Shauna says she is semi-retired. It's a hectic semi-retirement - Shauna seems to have a very busy time flitting all over Australia and NZ giving presentations on many areas of interest to genealogists. I have attended a couple of her well-prepared and information-rich talks.
Thanks, Shauna for sharing your profile on GeniMates.
Date May 1, 2011 Name Shauna Hicks Hometown Currently Melbourne, from Brisbane originally
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Bit of both
What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research? Diploma in Family Historical Studies from Society of Australian Genealogists but as a mature age student I also did a BA in Australian History & Anthropology, an MA on female philanthropy in colonial Queensland (inspired by my gg grandmother) and so that I could work in archives and libraries I also did a Grad Dip in Library Science. All studies were part time while I worked full time and did the family thing!
How long have you been chasing ancestors? Since 1977
How did you get hooked on genealogy? My first husband and I sat down to watch Roots on television and I was hooked from the first episode. At the same time, I saw an ad in the local paper from someone who was running a How to Trace Your Family History and by the end of the series I was finding my own ancestors. I've never stopped and it's great that it is one of those hobbies that you can do when time/resources permit.
As indicated by my studies above, I went on to actually work in areas where I could indulge my genealogy passion and have been fortunate to work in archives and libraries since 1981 until I retired from working in government for just over 35 years.
What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy? Australia especially Queensland and Victoria but have researched my ancestors in all Australian States. I have a particular interest in archives, asylums, prisons, military, mining and religious records driven by my own ancestors' backgrounds.
Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups. I first became involved with the Genealogical Society of Queensland back in 1977, and particularly with the North Brisbane and Southern Suburbs branches. I was also a founding member of the Queensland Family History Society and served on the Council in various positions. In the ACT I was also on the Council of the Heraldry & Genealogical Society of Canberra and since moving to Melbourne I have also been on the Council of the Genealogical Society of Victoria and am also a member of the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies and the Cornish Association of Victoria. At various times I have also been a member of the Society of Australian Genealogists and when in Sydney try to give talks to members.
What are the lands of your ancestors? I have families in all Australian States excluding the Northern Territory and the ACT.
Overseas I have New Zealand, Norway, Scotland (Angus), England (Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire and Cornish interests), South Africa, Canada and the USA.
What Family Names are you Researching? Just looking at the first 5 generations - Carnegie, Fegan, Finn, Gunderson, Halvorsdatter, Jeffers, Johnston, Judge, Price, Rosewarne, Silk, Titt, Trevaskis, White
On my son's side - Atkinson, Bullen, Carradus, Evans, Hansen, Potter, Thomsen, Walker
On my partner's side - Adkins, Barwick, Brooks, Burstow, Crow, Dean, Eldridge, Hill, Horne, Jarvis, Oakley, Pilbeam, Pyers, Spencer
Who is your favourite ancestor? Why? I have quite a few favourites mainly because they have left behind records that allows me to know them a bit more. One gg grandmother had an illegitimate son, married and lived out in far western Queensland, went on to have a bit of a drinking problem and spent quite a bit of time in and out of gaol for vagrancy and prostitution before she met and ran off with a bloke she then lived with for over 20 years before marrying him. In the end she died a respectable old lady in her 80s.
Another gg grandmother also had a hard life as her husband seems to have been also fond of a drink and beating up his wife and their adventures in various courts have given me wonderful insights into the family. Despite having 9 children and living in a tent, this gg grandmother still found time, and I hope happiness, in having an affair with another man and even in her old age, she still had a younger gentleman friend.
What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why? I really want to go to Cornwall and see the mining areas where my ancestors were from. This seems to be a quite different area from the rest of England. The West Bromwich area of Staffordshire is another area I would like to visit and also Wiltshire. We are talking of going over in 2012 so I really need to give this more thought.
I would also like to go to Minnesota in the US where my Norwegian ggg grandfather is buried and I have another ggg grandfather buried in Canada (still tracking him but possibly Nova Scotia).
What is your favourite resource for genealogy? These days the Internet and it is hard to think how we did any research back in the late 1970s and 1980s. I have managed to break down a number of my old brick walls with the ability to search census records online. However it is important to remember that not everything is online.
I don't think you can really go past BDM certificates as a favourite resource as they give so much information that allows you to really prove your research. Of course with my ancestors backgrounds I would also have to say court and prison records are also a big favourite.
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? Legacy Family Tree - used to be Brothers Keeper before I made the change.
Do you have your tree posted on the internet? No
What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy? Ancestry, Facebook, GenealogyWise, Genes Reunited, LinkedIn, MyHeritage , Twitter.
What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests? I like fishing, gardening, reading, cooking and travelling. We have family all over Australia and now that we are both (sort of) retired we are doing more of those activities. I have all our genealogy on the laptop so I can still do that away from home.
What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy? Reading
What is your favourite (non genealogy) book? The Poldark novels
What is your personal philosophy in a few words ?
Life is too short and you need to make the most of every day - doing things that you really enjoy and are passionate about will keep you young and involved with life.
If you have anything else to share please add it below. I need to scan more of my paper based records and photographs so that I always have them with me but more importantly, I have backups of those paper based records and photographs. While I have draft family histories for most of my families, I need to finalise them so that the knowledge I have on the families is not lost to future generations.
Everyone who is researching their family should think about how they are going to leave their family history records and who to - before it is too late!
I see we share a common interest in the Westbrook line. Have we conversed before?" was the first communication I had from Andrew on Genealogywise. I replied to Andrew and we exchanged some files.
When Google Wave was in beta I was able to get some invitations, one of these I gave to Andrew who was keen on trying out this new product. Sadly Google Wave was'nt a success. I note, however that Andrew continues to be involved with a number of social networking sites.
Thanks, Andrew, for responding to my request for a GeniMates profile. I hope that it may lead to more connections with Kemps for you.
No formal studies - self trained in all areas
As a child I asked questions about my family and my grandparents were always elusive. Family rumor was of royalty in the past, so the spark was lit.
Began dabbling in family history amongst the family in early 90's, but when the internet started in Australia I decided to commence chasing ancestor's in earnest.
18+ years
No formal expertise, however have learned a number of tricks along the way which I use both myself and try to assist others.
Member of the Genealogical Society of Victoria (GSV)
Previously member of Australian Institute of Genealogists (AIGS) and Victorian Genealogists Using MicroComputers (VicGUM)
Scotland
Ireland
England
Conducting a one-name study of KEMP and related families
Also researching Westbrook, McErvale, Welsh, Dethridge, Ransom, Morey and Murphy
All of them - they all have a story to be told.
Scotland - feel it in my bones every time I hear the bagpipes or accent
Ireland - beautiful and there is a link there somewhere.
The Internet - so much out there now and so many other genealogists
Australian librarian, Liz Pidgeon, is involved in family and local history in both her personal and working life. I have been following Liz's tweets and blogs for a couple of years and also know her through her membership of GenealogyWise.
From reading her posts and contributions I surmise that Liz is a very modest lady who has a breadth of experience in her fields of expertise.
I am so pleased that she was able to take time out of her busy schedule to submit a profile to Genimates. I hope that, one day soon I might meet her in the flesh.
Thanks, Liz.
Bachelor of Arts (Major Studies in Librarianship)
Introduction to Archives
Answering Family History Enquiries in Libraries and Information Centres (online course)
Learning 2.0 AKA 23 things (online course relating to Web 2.0) and part 2 of same course
Attended various speakers and conferences
I was always interested when I was younger and enjoyed talking to my maternal Grandmother about her life. It was not until I was on maternity leave with my third child and I got the internet at home and my husband also became interested in his family history that I then got hooked.
Local and Family History Librarian
13 years officially
I do not claim to have any expertise, but if pressed I would say the state of Victoria.
I am a member of the Genealogical Society of Victoria, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and other local history groups, of which one I maintain the website : www.kilmorehistory.info
My pioneer ancestors hail from England, Scotland and Ireland. I also have relatives in New Zealand.
ALBINS/ALBANS 1822 + Lincoln, England
ALBINS/ALBANS 1852+ Timor, Vic.
BYRNE 1880 Vic.
CAMM Tas & Vic.
CHARKER/CHALKER 1797+
COMANS, 1850+ Bylands, Vic.
FREEMAN, 1780+ Kent, England
GOOD 1835+ MLN, Scotland
GOOD 1886+ New Zealand
GROSE Pre 1873 Cornwall, England
GROSE 1873+ Qld & Vic.
HOLMES 1903 + Birchip, Casterton, Vic.
HUMPHRIES 1915+ Casterton, Vic.
JAMES 1827+ CON, England
KEANE 1830 + Limerick, Ireland
KENNEDY, 1852+ Bylands, Vic.
KENNEDY 1942 Lockhart, NSW
KOEHLER 1790 + Ireland
LEES, 1787+ Stafford, England
McANDREW 1865+ Tourello, Vic
NEWBORN 1924 Northcote, Vic.
NORRIS 1818+ Kent, England
O'BRIEN 1854+ Kilmore, Shepparton, Vic.
O'GRADY 1793+ Dublin, Ireland
O'MEARA 1860+ Geelong, Vic.
OVER 1906 England and India
PARSONS 1776+ Surrey, England
PIDGEON 1770+ Wicklow, Ireland
PIDGEON, 1841 + Australia
POPE 1820+ Devon, England
PROUD 1850+ NY, USA
ROBERTS, 1788+ YKS, England
ROBERTS 1855 + Castlemaine, Vic.
RYAN 1860+ Geelong & Donald, Vic
RYAN 1862+ Pyalong, Birchip, Mildura, Vic. Some unconnected families
SCOTT 1780+ Hull, Yorkshire, England
SIM 1887+ Corack & Geelong, Vic.
SQUIRES Bef 1809 Surrey, England
SQUIRES, 1830 + Tas & Vic.
STEVENS, 1898+ Dunedin NZ
STEVENS 1857+ Fryerstown, Vic
TURNBALL/TURNBULL 1888+ Tas, Aus & NZ
WEBBER, 1802+ DEV, England
WHITE, 1800-1850, East Looe, Cornwall 1800 - 1850
WHITE, 1852+ Te Aroha & Hawera, NZ
My maternal Grandmother Annie Murray COMANS (nee GOOD). My Nana, she is my favourite because aside from my parents she is one ancestor I knew. Her family have been interesting to research, with origins in Scotland. Annie herself was born on the WA goldfields and her twin siblings were later born in Pretoria South Africa. Before her Dad married he had also spent time in NZ.
Edinburgh, Scotland. It looks like a beautiful city. My GOOD and RAE ancestors were from there and there is a still an area (signposted) known as "Good's Corner" which I would love to visit one day.
I love the TROVE website the gateway out of the National Library of Australia at http://trove.nla.gov.au/. In particular the "digitised newspapers and more" database. It has more Victorian content in recent weeks and my husband's father illustrated for "The Australian Women's Weekly" which has also been digitised. We are very fortunate in Australia to have so many wonderful resources online to explore.
I am a Creative Memories consultant and facilitate workshops for people to work on their album projects, which I also enjoy doing myself.
I collect postcards (www.postcrossing.com) and enjoy "op shopping"
I enjoy reading and movies.
I am also a Mum to three teenage children.
Scrapbooking
Too many. I enjoy biographies and autobiographies but I suppose that it related to genealogy! This charnges all the time. I would recommend "Bridie's Fire" by Kirsty Murray although again genealogy related because it is fiction set in historical Melbourne.
