Snippets 280From time to time I come across all sorts of interesting history and/or genealogy related tidbits that I wanted to share with you, so I’ve have collected them together to make up a new Snippets post.

These aren’t meant to be comprehensive, but rather they are just bits that I’ve found, and wanted to share with you.

If you have any news that you’d like to share, please do so by emailing Alona at inquiries@gould.com.au, or your can phone (08) 8263 2055, Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.

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Kangaroo Island Pioneers website
While this isn’t a new website, it has recently been brought to my attention, and I thought I’d share this with you. For those who have connections to early Kangaroo Island it is a truly remarkable resource.  Check it out for yourself here => https://sites.google.com/site/kipaview/home and you can follow them on Facebook too.

Last Chance to Get Your Family History and Biography Books in to AIGS for Awards
A reminder that entries close on November 30 for the Alexander Henderson and Don Grant Awards, presented each year by the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies (AIGS) for the best Australian family history and the best Australian historical biography respectively. Details of both awards and entry forms can be found on the AIGS web site at www.aigs.org.au.

Queensland – Adopt a Grave Project
The Friends of Tingalpa Cemetery Heritage Group have launched an ‘adopt a grave’ project to help prevent heritage-listed graves from falling into disrepair. Jackie Butler, president of the Group says ‘there are over 300 burials of the districts pioneers, dating from 1868”. More than 50 burial sites in the cemetery mark the final resting places of those with no living relatives. The Friends Group are calling on members of the public to “adopt a grave” of their own to look after, whether by tidying it up, leaving flowers, or contributing financially. To get in touch with the group email tingalpachapel@optusnt.com.au.  

The National Archives of Australia is on the Move
There will be disruption to access to the Canberra-based National Archives of Australia collection from 30 October 2016 to 1 July 2017, as they relocate 15 million records to the National Archive Preservation Facility (NAPF). During that time you can view digitised records online including service records, photographs and arrival records. If you have a question about access you can “Ask Us A Question“. For further info please visit their website. http://bit.ly/1XWQDOl

the National Archives Preservation Facility

the National Archives Preservation Facility

100 Years of Red Cross History Donated to NSW State Library
The Australian Red Cross is donating 100 years of its New South Wales archive to the State Library of NSW, providing an extraordinary record of a global organisation that was practically launched in Australia with a pair of handmade knitted socks. The archives tells the story of Red Cross’ humanitarian work, its volunteers, supporters and the people it has helped across New South Wales through some 7400 photos, over 500 boxes of manuscripts, posters and memorabilia, Red Cross publications, and 40 framed pictures. The collection will be transferred over the next two years, and will be gradually digitised and made available the students, historians and members of the public.

Hill End & Tambaroora Gathering Group – New Website
The snazzy new website for the Hill End & Tambaroora Gather Group is up and not only looks good, but it contains a huge amount of information as well, and is a tribute to their volunteers. A new feature that it offers is the forum, so you can leave a query, and other can respond. Check out their new website at: www.heatgg.org.au

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society Writers Group Wins Award
The Ku-ring-gai Hisotircal Society World War I Writers Group have taken on the challenge of compiling the details of over 1665 men and women with links to Ku-ring-gai served in World War I. Those included came from all walks of life, from labourers to university lecturers. Their origins were diverse, not only from the immediate locality but also from other parts of New South Wales, from other states and from other countries. This multi-volume set saw Volume 1 released in 2014, with Volume 2 having just been released, with Volumes 3 and 4 due in 2017-2018). Volume 2 of this “Rallying the Troops” series is now an award winner, having taken out the prestigious Mander Jones 2015 Award (Category 2A). You can find out more about their award, and their books on their website.

GSQ’s WW1 ‘The Wheeler Project’
The Genealogical Society of Queensland have taken on the task of transcribing Annie Wheeler’s card index.
Based in England, but born 1867 in Dingo, Queenland, Annie Margaret Wheeler made a unique contribution to Australia’s war effort. Mrs Wheeler recognised the logistical difficulties facing servicemen and women and their families in central Queensland because of war-time press censorship (keeping casualty reports out of newspapers so as not to diminish the enlistment rate) and the unreliability of the mails (ocean-going vessels were being sunk at an alarming rate); she maintained contact with as many of them as she could, keeping a detailed card index on each, corresponding with soldiers and nurses on the battlefield; she liaised with their families, forwarded mail and parcels, supervised their care in hospital and provided financial assistance during their recuperation in England. By war’s end Mrs Wheeler’s card index contained the name, rank, service number, military unit, next of kin and location of more than 2300 Queenslanders. In recognition of her efforts, the Australian Government provided ship’s passage for her return to Australia in 1919. When her train arrived in Rockhampton in 1919 more than 50,000 people (many of them returned soldiers) cheered the arrival of Annie Wheeler, the ‘Mother of Queenslanders’. For more on this project, please visit the GSQ website.

Can You Read Italian?
Can you read Italian? If so, the Ryerson Index is looking for your help. They have been given approx. 40,000 notices from Melbourne’s “IL GLOBO” newspaper to index. All indexing can be done from your home – and they will supply the software (Windows only, no Macs), training, and scans of notices. So if you are interested, please get in touch with them through their website. http://www.ryersonindex.org/

The Pioneers Association of South Australia changes date eligibility
The Pioneers Association of SA Inc. have recently voted to change the constitution (which is the first time in its 80 year history), that Membership is now open to any person with an ancestor who arrived in South Australia before 28 December 1846 (previously it was 31 Dec 1845). For more information on the Pioneers Association of South Australia please check out their website http://www.pioneerssa.org.au/, and you can also find the group now on Facebook.

Applications are Open for the T.T. Reed Family History Award
Have you published a Family History in 2016 that looks at South Australia families? If so, perhaps you should enter it in the T.T. Reed Family History Book Awards. The T.T. Reed Family History Award is for a book published by a South Australian and/or details the times and lives of a predominately South Australian family. For the purposes of this Award, where the history is by other than a resident of South Australia, a South Australian family shall be taken to mean a family of three or more generations that is or was substantially resident in this State.  See full details of how to qualify on their website. And note entries close 31 January 2017.

Looking for Descendants of the Tully and Neille Sisters from the Mountbellow Orphan Workhouse
Can anyone assist Karen Murdock? “I am helping trace the lives of Mountbellow Orphan Workhouse girls who arrived in Western Australia on the “Palestine” in 1853. I am researching the Tully sisters, Catherine and Bridget, and the Neille sisters, Jane, Maria and Matilda. This project is in conjunction with a group in Galway, hoping to find descendants and tell the girls stories. As names were often very common, I’m finding it difficult to be sure I’m tracing the correct people. If anyone has any of these girls in their family tree, Please contact me by private message on Facebook. Any news of any Palestine girls welcome.”