RAKopittkeYesterday I started a series of Profiles on each of the guest speakers on Unlock the Past’s 4th History & Genealogy Cruise.

Today I am continuing on, and in this one we learn more about Rosemary Kopittke.

You may not recognise Rosemary from the photo on the right, as she is a little taller now, but certainly many people know her, as she is very well known in her home-State of Queensland. And many from other States would be familiar with her too, having heard her speak at events around the country, as well as on each our past cruises.

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NAME:  Rosemary Kopittke
HOMETOWN:  Brisbane, Australia
DAYTIME JOB:  Work for Gould Genealogy and History – editor of Unlock the Past books, part of the team producing the Archive Digital Books Australasia CDs … and whatever else gets thrown my way

Q1. Think back to your childhood … now what is your favourite memory from that time?
Playing cricket in the back-yard with my father and siblings.

Q2. There’s always ‘something’ that sparks an interest in genealogy/history? What was it that sparked your interest?
Family discussions about relatives I didn’t know.

Q3. How old were you when you developed an interest in this hobby?
34

Q4. What countries across this big wide world did your ancestors come from?
England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales

Q5. Is genealogy/history your main job?
Yes

Q6. Do you have a genealogy mentor or idol? Someone who has deeply influenced you in your research along the way?
No

Q7. We all know that you family history can reveal some amazing things. Have any of your discoveries resulted in a life-changing experience?
Not life changing – just a better appreciation of all the different people who have preceded me.

Q8. What do you find most challenging about research?
I love the difficult problems and the excitement when they are finally resolved.

Q9. If you had a time-machine what relative (past, present or future) would you most like to meet?
My 4G Grandfather – William Beeston (1742-1826) of Derbyshire a farmer, churchwarden, overseer of the highways, overseer of the poor and a man who moved around a lot.

Q10. Still using that time machine, you’ve been propelled into the future five years, what do you see yourself doing?
Still researching!!

Q11. What value do you think social media plays in genealogy these days?
It provides up-to-date information on new sources – quickly – not weeks or months after the event.

Q12. What do you do when you aren’t doing genealogy or history?
Reading, travel, family

Q13. What do you hope to get out of a genealogy cruise?
Meet others with like interests and learn from them and the presenters. No matter how much you know you can always learn more.

Q14. Share with us a few (up to five) of the genealogy websites that you tend to spend the most time on?
www.findmypast.com
www.ancestry.com
www.thegenealogist.co.uk
www.myheritage.com
www.ukbmd.org.uk

Q15. Do you have any wise words for those just starting out in genealogy?
Speak to your older relatives early, search systematically and widely, record where you found things, verify in original sources information you have been told, and don’t believe everything you see in online trees.

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For those of you who are going on the 4th cruise, here is a list of topics that Rosemary is expected to be speaking on, based on the Preliminary Program:
– Land and property records in England
– Flip-Pal mobile scanner and Family Photo Book
– MyHeritage
– Directories and almanacs

YOU CAN FIND ROSEMARY ON …
Twitter – @RAKopittke
LinkedIn – http://au.linkedin.com/in/rosemarykopittke
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/2/112554414816629531564/posts