From 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 or been given, 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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Image courtesy NSW State Archives

NSW 1828 Census added to UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register 
The New South Wales 1828 Census was one of eleven items and collections that has just been inscribed onto the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World. The Census is an iconic material from the NSW State Archives Collection. It covers some 36,500 inhabitants, both convict and free, and captures a social and economic picture of the Colony of NSW in November 1828, 40 years after the Colony’s establishment. It covers all settlements within the jurisdiction of the then colony of NSW, including Moreton Bay and Norfolk Island. You can also now view the census online for free here.

Image courtesy NSW State Archives

Bubonic Plague Records in Sydney from 1900-1908 Open and Online
The State Archives and Records NSW has an extensive Archives Collection. In their collection is a volume which may shock present Sydneysiders as it records the presence of Bubonic Plague or the Black Death in Sydney of the early 20th century. It is a volume filled with disease and death. The Register of Cases of Bubonic Plague 1900-1908 records the names and residences of those suffering from the plague and their fate as to whether they died or recovered from this fearful disease. By recording all cases of plague, infected areas could be cleansed, contact with the disease isolated, actual cases hospitalised, and systematic inoculation of people living in the infected area undertaken. This record has now been opened to public access after 110 years and is available for both browsing and searching by name of the Plague victim. Find out more here.

Friends of South Brisbane Cemetery are Looking for Relatives
The South Brisbane Cemetery (previously known as Dutton Park Cemetery) is home to 100,000 residents. This immense heritage listed cemetery is located just 4km from the heart of Brisbane. In 2020 the cemetery is celebrating its 150th anniversary and the Friends of the South Brisbane Cemetery are planing open days, tours, public talks, music events and other surprises. They are currently compiling a contact list of relatives of people interred within South Brisbane Cemetery, in preparation for the special 150th anniversary events next year. If anyone wants to get the news or be involved in some events, just send them an email at friendscemetery@gmail.com and you’ll be added to their mailing list for news, follow their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fosbc/.

Rookwood Cemetery Introduces New Search Facility
The Rookwood Cemetery website has a new deceased search facility, which gives you a map showing the location of a grave. This is going to be of great help in locating graves within this huge cemetery. The new facility is for the Rookwood General Cemetery and includes the former Anglican, General, Independent, Jewish and Muslim cemeteries. It does not include Catholic sections. You need register to use it and this allows you to add records, and in the future also virtual flowers. https://rookwoodcemetery.discovereverafter.com/

Officfial Opening of the Queensland Military Historical Society
The Society is pleased to advise that the formal opening of the QMHS Museum at Fort Lytton National Park will take place on Sunday 10 November 2019. “It has been a long road, and there is still much to do to prepare the collection and our first exhibition. More news will be forthcoming about the event as we get closer to the date. Mark it on your calendar!” Keep up to date with news by following their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/QMHSInc/.

Dr. Bill Gransbury and Mr Neville Thorn in front of the Angaston History Centre
Image courtesy Barossa Leader

Angaston & Penrice Historical Society opens new History Centre
In July the Angaston & Penrice Historical Society officially opened their new History Centre located in the two front rooms of a 19th century stone cottage on 19 Murray Street, next door to the heritage-listed Doddridge’s Blacksmith Shop which the group also manages. The group received funding from the History Trust to help kit out the new centre. To mark the occasion, the History Trust’s travelling exhibition ‘Armistice’ was borrowed and will be shown at the centre until September. ‘Armistice’ looks at the moment in time when peace was announced in South Australia, the process of bringing servicemen and women home and how they were able to adjust to civilian life.Alongside this display, the Angaston team have put together their own story about the effect of the Armistice had on their local town.  The History Centre and the Doddridge Blacksmith shop are open weekends and public holidays 1-4pm. The group would love to hear from you if you have more stories relating to Angaston and the Armistice. You can view more pictures from the launch here.

GenealogySA Upgrades Website
If you haven’t been to the GenealogySA website recently, next time you do you’ll think you’ve gone to the wrong site, becaase the group has given their website an enormous makeover and made it look very schmick. Check it out at https://genealogysa.org.au/, and if you have any comments about it (good or bad) the Society would love to hear from you.

NSW State Archives Launches New Search Facility
The latest big news from the NSW State Archvies is the launch of their new Collection Search. This is a powerful single search tool that provides access to both the 1.9 million items in the State Archives Collection AND 1.7 million Online Index entries in the one place for the first time. This includes 6,500 never before seen series and 300,000 new items. You can search series, items, digital images and online index entries all in the one place. Create an account and save your search queries! While you can temporarily save your searches as a general user in a browser session, a user account lets you save searches for as long as you need them. It’s easy to create an account and once you’re logged in all your saved searches will be under the My Favourites pin in the top menu. You’ll also see your saved queries and search history in My Favourites and you can quickly jump back into a previous search. Keep track of all your important record series and items by creating an account. Start your search today  https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/