I'm all for sharing information. BUT - I do like to be credited for my work. My data is entered into Legacy Family Tree, and I use that program to create Descendant Reports for each main line, starting with the earliest ancestor. I then upload those reports to my family history wiki "Branches and Twigs". I have also, in the past, sent copies of the reports to fellow researchers. I also have a tree on Ancestry.com, but until about 12 months ago I only used Ancestry to search for relevant records. However, I discovered that to use Ancestry's 'hints' you have to have a tree. So I now have a tree, but it doesn't have anywhere near the same number of people as my legacy tree has, because I only add people to it when I find hints about them. However, what I am finding is that images I have added to my legacy reports, and notes directly from my Legacy reports are finding their way onto other Ancestry Trees, and are therefore credited to the person who first adds them - not me. I know the work is mine, because the wording is identical, or the picture is one I cropped. Then, because it is a quick way to add people to my Ancestry Tree I add them from the other trees, and find that the pictures are attributed to someone else. The other thing that bothers me, is that often those images (particularly) were given to me by someone else who is acknowledged in my Legacy Tree, but not when other people add it to their Ancestry trees. The other day, I even found a whole email that I had sent to descendants of a particluar ancestor, alerting them to some startling new information about said ancestor. Now, at least this was acknowledged as being from me, and in the email I had acknowledged the person who provided the new information - but I would have liked to have been asked if it was OK to publish what was essentially a personal email.
I've also seen scans of pages from commercially published books about some ancestors. I question the ethics of that practice too.
I know I am guilty of not always acknowledging the source of some photos or certificate scans - mainly because when I first began researching, almost 30 years ago, I had no intention of publishing anything for a wider audience, I didn't know the significance of sources, and I didn't always note who sent me particular things. But now I always make a note of where I obtained a picture or scan.
It is also difficult to know whether to cite ALL trees on Ancestry, for instance, from which I have obtained information. For example, if I already had name and date of birth, but get date of death from an Ancestry tree and there are several trees with the same information - which one should I cite? One, two, all?? I usually cite one or two trees that seem to crop up all the time for a particular family. At least anyone reading my tree will know that the info came from the work of others. Unfortunatley you can't tell who was the first to upload to Ancestry.
Then there is the question of whether I should keep my Ancestry tree private, so it is not available to all and sundry. To date it has been public, but I am considering making it private - as one fellow researcher said, then if anyone is interested in exchanging info they have to make the effort to get in touch. At least Ancestry still shows up links to Private trees when someone does a search. But, if I had made my wiki site private I would never have been contacted by several fellow researchers who stumbled across its contents. With wikispaces wikis you can make them private for a small yearly fee but that has the effect of hiding the contents from search engines also - so the only people who would see my reports is someone who already knows of their existence. A real quandry. To date I have solved the problem by offering to privatise anyone on a case by case basis. Most people aren't concerned - I have a few fellow researchers who want their children privatised for example.
What do you think? Is it OK to add things to Ancestry without seeking permission first? The very nature of Ancestry invites people to add things from other trees to yourown, and I guess anything on a public tree is fair game. I am really talking about adding info that has been taken from other shared resources, not Ancestry itself.
Friday, August 03, 2012
Friday, July 06, 2012
There's always something new to be found
Genealogy research is a never ending pursuit. I doubt that anyone can say they have "finished". They might have gone as far as they can go with currently available and accessible records, but there is always something new to be found. Especially if you are researching many lines - both paternal and maternal as I am. And, three basic families - my own, my first husband's and my second husband's.
My late first husband, and therefore my daughter, has an ancestor named James DANIELS. Shortly before my husband died we discovered, thanks to the research of another descendant, that James had been transported to Australia from India. India - because he was in the British Army in India and was involved in what was described to me as "an unfortunate incident" in which a man was shot. Without further information I surmised that it might have been a duel. Several years after arriving in Australia he married another convict by the name of Mary RILEY.
Over the years I have been corresponding with quite a few fellow researchers on the DANIELS' line. It has not been without controversy. To begin with, one daughter of James and Mary's son Edward was said by some researchers to have been married twice - within a few months. Well, she married one man, and then had a child by another some months later, and eventually married the second man many years later, with one of their grown sons as best man! I'm not sure that the whole story of the supposed first marriage has been uncovered yet.
Then there was another daughter who was linked to a particular man, but the birth registration of the first child never quite jelled with the mother being the daughter of Edward and Sarah. Eventually that "union" seemd to be discounted by most researchers.
Then there was Sarah Ana Young DANIELS, another grandaughter of James and Mary - who, according to a number of people, including direct descendants, was married to George MacLENNAN. This was despite the fact that Sarah MacLENNAN's death certificate listed her mother as an Ann COLLIER, and her father as James DANIELS when it should have been Sarah Sophia MOORE and Edward DANIELS. Now it transpires that Sarah's marriage certificate clearly states that her mother was Ann COLLIER and her father James. This negates the belief that the death certificate information was in error. Even the most reluctant of researchers has had to concede that a Sarah DANIELS did marry George MacLENNAN - just not "our" Sarah Ana Young DANIELS. Strangely enough, the researcher who finally found the proof was the same researcher who provided a photo of Sarah DANIELS years ago, and had labelled it as "Sarah Ana Young DANIELS, my grandmother". Another descendant swears black and blue that Sarah Ana Young DANIELS is one and the same as Elizabeth Young DANIELS - I do not believe that there is any evidence for this being fact. He is basing it on the fact that both girls have Young as a Christian name.
Now there is even more controversy! Nigel, who lives in England, is descended from James DANIELS and his Indian family!!! Nigel has labouriously studied original documents and LDS films to trace the military career of his ancestor James, and had discovered that he married a woman named Hannah, and had three daughters with her. In doing so he had also discovered information about James' trial for Murder, in Madras. No duel - he shot a policeman! James was sentenced to death and Nigel had duly entered his death date as 1821. End of story. However, it wasn't until Nigel stumbled across my account of the descendants of James DANIELS on my Branches and Twigs wiki, that he realised I was talking about his 4 x great grandfather. You see, what Nigel hadn't discovered was that James' death sentence was commuted to transportation for life.
Of course this caused a little consternation among some researchers who were sceptical about the two men being one and the same. But Nigel had transcribed entries from the LDS films which show: "Born 24 Aug 1814; Baptised 3 December 1814 Elizabeth Daniells daughter of Corporal James and Hannah Daniells of 80th Regiment" and
My late first husband, and therefore my daughter, has an ancestor named James DANIELS. Shortly before my husband died we discovered, thanks to the research of another descendant, that James had been transported to Australia from India. India - because he was in the British Army in India and was involved in what was described to me as "an unfortunate incident" in which a man was shot. Without further information I surmised that it might have been a duel. Several years after arriving in Australia he married another convict by the name of Mary RILEY.
Over the years I have been corresponding with quite a few fellow researchers on the DANIELS' line. It has not been without controversy. To begin with, one daughter of James and Mary's son Edward was said by some researchers to have been married twice - within a few months. Well, she married one man, and then had a child by another some months later, and eventually married the second man many years later, with one of their grown sons as best man! I'm not sure that the whole story of the supposed first marriage has been uncovered yet.
Then there was another daughter who was linked to a particular man, but the birth registration of the first child never quite jelled with the mother being the daughter of Edward and Sarah. Eventually that "union" seemd to be discounted by most researchers.
Then there was Sarah Ana Young DANIELS, another grandaughter of James and Mary - who, according to a number of people, including direct descendants, was married to George MacLENNAN. This was despite the fact that Sarah MacLENNAN's death certificate listed her mother as an Ann COLLIER, and her father as James DANIELS when it should have been Sarah Sophia MOORE and Edward DANIELS. Now it transpires that Sarah's marriage certificate clearly states that her mother was Ann COLLIER and her father James. This negates the belief that the death certificate information was in error. Even the most reluctant of researchers has had to concede that a Sarah DANIELS did marry George MacLENNAN - just not "our" Sarah Ana Young DANIELS. Strangely enough, the researcher who finally found the proof was the same researcher who provided a photo of Sarah DANIELS years ago, and had labelled it as "Sarah Ana Young DANIELS, my grandmother". Another descendant swears black and blue that Sarah Ana Young DANIELS is one and the same as Elizabeth Young DANIELS - I do not believe that there is any evidence for this being fact. He is basing it on the fact that both girls have Young as a Christian name.
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| James DANIELS |
Of course this caused a little consternation among some researchers who were sceptical about the two men being one and the same. But Nigel had transcribed entries from the LDS films which show: "Born 24 Aug 1814; Baptised 3 December 1814 Elizabeth Daniells daughter of Corporal James and Hannah Daniells of 80th Regiment" and
"Born 1 Feb 1820 ; Baptised 21 June 1821 Jane Catherine Daniels daughter of James Daniels
Sergeant HM 69th and Hannah his wife." The third daughter isn't so explicitly documented, but these two are enough to prove that the father is the same man who was sentenced to transportation to Australia. James had TWO families.
Like I said, there is always something new to find - more skeletons to haul out of the closet.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Eureka! I've found her!!
Yes, after all my years of searching I have finally found the birth and baptism of my great great grandmother Caroline Jessie LORING, nee BUTLER. I knew she was born around about 1830, I knew from her Marriage Certificate that her father was named James, and that he was a Carpenter. Today, on Ancestry.com.au I found a Baptism Register entry for a Caroline, daughter of James and Mary, James being a Carpenter! Her date of birth is shown as 25th November 1832, and her Baptism was on 30th June 1837. Perserverance DOES pay off. I was sure I would find her one day. Now I want to find the name of John LORING's first wife who had made him a widower before his marriage to Mary BECKHAM in 1800. Now, who can I share my discovery with?
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Oops! Got that wrong!
Have just had an email from a lady pointing out a glaring mistake in my tree. Well, it is glaring now that I look into it closely. Many years ago, before using the computer and internet for my search (i.e. I did it the old fashioned way - trawling through microfiche, hopefully making contact with fellow researchers through lists in magazines and journals etc.) I made contact with several people who were researching the family of James DANIELS and his wife Mary RILEY, from the Hunter Valley region of NSW. This was my late first husband's family. A son, Edward DANIELS, married a Sarah Sophia MOORE - and it is from this union that my husband was descended. One of the DANIELS / MOORE children was a Sarah Ana Young DANIELS and each researcher had her married to a George MacLENNAN. Over the years I added to this line with relevant registration numbers, spouses and children etc. One correspondent very kindly sent me a scan of a photograph of Sarah Ana Young MacLENNAN, nee DANIELS.
Surprise! Surprise! I got an email from a lady this week, querying my inclusion of the marriage of Sarah Ana Young DANIELS to George MacLENNAN. She is a descendant of the DANIELS / MacLENNAN marriage. She included a copy of the Marriage Certificate, which clearly shows that the mother of the bride, Sarah Ann DANIELS, was Ann COLLIER, and the father of the bride was James DANIELS. A copy of Sarah MacLENNAN's death registration which I received years ago shows that her parents were - James DANIELS and Ann COLLIER. At the time I remember thinking the Ann COLLIER must have been a mistake. I never noticed that the father should have been Edward, not James. Nor apparently had any other researcher. My biggest surprise though, was that the woman who pointed out the error was the same woman from whom I'd received information and the photograph many years ago.
It is now quite clear that Sarah Ana Young DANIELS should never have been linked with George MacLENNAN. She seems to have disappeared off the map though, as no-one has been able to locate anything other than her birth registration.
One researcher has another theory - that Sarah Ana Young DANIELS is actually Elizabeth Young DANIELS. The only reference I can find for Elizabeth Young DANIEL is a marriage to George MITCHELL in Narrabri in 1877. There is also a Death Registration for an Elizabeth Young MITCHELL in 1936 - with parents James and Sophia. If she is of the same family her parents should be Edward and Sarah. I suppose it IS possible that the parents have been incorrectly reported and that the informant got Edward confused with his father James, and gave the mother's seond name rather than her first. It is certainly strange that both DANIEL(S) girls have the middle name of Young - it would suggest a connection, but exactly what is unknown.
Surprise! Surprise! I got an email from a lady this week, querying my inclusion of the marriage of Sarah Ana Young DANIELS to George MacLENNAN. She is a descendant of the DANIELS / MacLENNAN marriage. She included a copy of the Marriage Certificate, which clearly shows that the mother of the bride, Sarah Ann DANIELS, was Ann COLLIER, and the father of the bride was James DANIELS. A copy of Sarah MacLENNAN's death registration which I received years ago shows that her parents were - James DANIELS and Ann COLLIER. At the time I remember thinking the Ann COLLIER must have been a mistake. I never noticed that the father should have been Edward, not James. Nor apparently had any other researcher. My biggest surprise though, was that the woman who pointed out the error was the same woman from whom I'd received information and the photograph many years ago.
It is now quite clear that Sarah Ana Young DANIELS should never have been linked with George MacLENNAN. She seems to have disappeared off the map though, as no-one has been able to locate anything other than her birth registration.
One researcher has another theory - that Sarah Ana Young DANIELS is actually Elizabeth Young DANIELS. The only reference I can find for Elizabeth Young DANIEL is a marriage to George MITCHELL in Narrabri in 1877. There is also a Death Registration for an Elizabeth Young MITCHELL in 1936 - with parents James and Sophia. If she is of the same family her parents should be Edward and Sarah. I suppose it IS possible that the parents have been incorrectly reported and that the informant got Edward confused with his father James, and gave the mother's seond name rather than her first. It is certainly strange that both DANIEL(S) girls have the middle name of Young - it would suggest a connection, but exactly what is unknown.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Just Found Another Rellie!
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| Rees JONES, Mayor of Cardiff 1880 |
Added 6.1.2012 - Val found my work through a Google Search - Yay for the Internet!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Advent Calendar - Christmas Eve
How did you, your family or your ancestors spend Christmas Eve?
There are a number of things about Christmas Eve that I remember vividly. We always sang Christmas Carols around the Christmas Tree before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. Of course there was also the obligatory shortbread and glass of milk left out for Santa, and a carrot for the reindeer.
As I got older we used to go to the local Carols by Candlelight service at the football ground. This was always held on Christmas Eve. It was good old-fashioned community singing, where everybody joined in with the (usually) Salvation Army choir and band. As a teenager I remember that we went to the carols, then returned home and sat up with our neighbours and waited till midnight, then we opened our Christmas presents!
I also went to Midnight service at Church on many Christmas Eves. This was always a special service which I really enjoyed. My grandmother often took me to Midnight service at her Church.
Another annual event on Christmas Eve was the Carols By Candelight held at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. As far as I can remember we never went to the Music Bowl, but we always tried to watch it on television if we were at home, and especially when we were at my grandmothers. She sang in a choir called "The Argus Singers", and they were part of a massed choir that sang at the Music Bowl Carols. Again, it used to be a night of good comunity singing - now it is a showcase for modern day 'artists' who quite often massacre the traditional carols and / or sing 'new' Christmas songs that just don't have the same feel to them.
There are a number of things about Christmas Eve that I remember vividly. We always sang Christmas Carols around the Christmas Tree before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. Of course there was also the obligatory shortbread and glass of milk left out for Santa, and a carrot for the reindeer.
As I got older we used to go to the local Carols by Candlelight service at the football ground. This was always held on Christmas Eve. It was good old-fashioned community singing, where everybody joined in with the (usually) Salvation Army choir and band. As a teenager I remember that we went to the carols, then returned home and sat up with our neighbours and waited till midnight, then we opened our Christmas presents!
I also went to Midnight service at Church on many Christmas Eves. This was always a special service which I really enjoyed. My grandmother often took me to Midnight service at her Church.
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| Carols By Candlelight - Myer Music Bowl c 1980 |
Friday, December 16, 2011
Advent Calendar - Christmas At School
I remember that we always celebrated Christmas at Primary School - making Christmas decorations, Christmas cards, various other Christmas themed activities. I also remember we used to sing lots of Christmas songs. I only remember one Christmas pageant (for want of a better word). It was when I was in Grade 1, so I had been at school for just one year, and all the Infant classes were crammed into two rooms which opened up with concertina doors between them. We all sang Christmas Carols and there were probably some children dressed up for a Nativity performance.
At Sunday School I remember dressing up for various Nativity performances too.
When I became a teacher myself I loved Christmas in the classroom. From 1st December it was fair game. I always drew a large Santa picture on the blackboard, and all our activities (where possible) were Christmas based. None of the big schools I was teaching at had Christmas Concerts, but both small rural schoos did. My favourites where the ones at my first rural school - because there were only two full time teachers and 30 or so children we went all out. Even some of the parents put on acts. The annual Christmas Concert was a big attraction for the whole community - everyone came.
Advent Calendar - Holiday Happenings
Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year holidays. So we’re going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.
December / January Birthdays and Anniversaries? Do they come in any other months? Our first grandchild, Avalon May CROMB, was born on December 4th - she has just turned 15 (now 16). Where have the years gone? Our daughter-in-law Janine Maree ROBERTS (nee GIRI) had her birthday on December 13th. My grandmother Beryl GOOD nee WALSH was born on 5th December 1903 and died on 2nd August 1996. My grandfather Lindsay George Arnold GOOD was born on 13th January 1897 and died on 14th January 1965. My husband's birthday is January 3rd. My step-daughter Karen Lynette CROMB, nee ROBERTS, has her birthday on 26th December. I was first married on 5th January 1974, and my second marriage was on 17th January 1998. All in all December / January are full of holiday happenings for our family.
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| Lindsay George Arnold GOOD DCM |
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| Beryl GOOD, nee WALSH |
(First published December 2010)
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Advent Calendar - Fruit Cake, Friend or Foe?
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| A decorated cake - but not quite like mine |
Over the years I have decorated a number of fruit cakes for Christmas. Usually I would make the fruit cake a week or so before Christmas and although it was tradition to put almond icing on the cake no-one really liked almond icing so I would just use royal icing. Then I would paint a santa picture on the icing using food colouring. Usually we had all had so much to eat by the time we got to the Christmas cake that no-one felt like eating fruit cake. I haven't got any photos on my creations. And I haven't decorated a cake for a number of years.
(First published 2010)
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Advent Calendar - Christmas Cookies
Did your family or ancestors make Christmas Cookies? How did you help? Did you have a favorite cookie?
I don't recall that my grandmother made any cookies especially for Christmas, but my mother has always made shortbread. As I was growing up I seem to recall that the shortbread was mainly at Christmas, but nowadays Mum makes it all year. She still uses the same recipe she used when I was little.
Here is her recipe:
I have used the same recipe to make shortbread at Christmas time, and intend doing so again this year to give some to our neighbours.
I don't recall that my grandmother made any cookies especially for Christmas, but my mother has always made shortbread. As I was growing up I seem to recall that the shortbread was mainly at Christmas, but nowadays Mum makes it all year. She still uses the same recipe she used when I was little.
Here is her recipe:
Ingredients: Butter – 8 ozs (250 gms)
Plain Flour – 10½ ozs (330 gms)
Icing Sugar – 3½ ozs (110 gms)
Cornflour – 2 ozs (65 gms)
Vanilla – ½ tsp (a dribble!)
Salt - pinch (optional)
Method: Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla. Work flours in until a pliable paste. Flatten out (do NOT roll) to 3/8" (1cm) thickness. Cut into pieces and bake in a moderate oven (1800) for 20 – 25 minutes.
Note: To make good shortbread you must knead the dough till it comes clean from your hands.
It is beautiful shortbread! Mum often gives it as a gift to friends and relations.
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| shortbread |
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Advent Calendar - Holiday Parties
Did your family throw a holiday party each year? Do you remember attending any holiday parties?
No, we didn't have Christmas Parties that I remember when I was growing up. However, for a number of years my husband and I held a pre-Christmas drinks party. We would invite all the local friends that we had perhaps not seen very often during the year.
For the past couple of years I have not felt well enough to worry about hosting a party, but last year I decided we would give it a go. I sent out invitations early November, for a party in the first week of December, thinking that would get in before most other Christmas Parties. Wrong! Most of the people we invited were unable to come due to prior commitments. Then, of those who did respond in the affirmative, one couple got held up at a grandchild's dance concert on the day and didn't make it, and another couple had a funeral to attend on the day. So this year I decided we weren't going to try to compete with all the other end of year festivities that people seem to be drawn into. I did think of having pre-Christmas in July drinks, but July came and went too quickly for me to do anything but think about it.
Also in recent years there has always been a work Christmas break-up function to attend. These are usually great fun, and often involve a Kris Kringle of one sort or another.
No, we didn't have Christmas Parties that I remember when I was growing up. However, for a number of years my husband and I held a pre-Christmas drinks party. We would invite all the local friends that we had perhaps not seen very often during the year.
For the past couple of years I have not felt well enough to worry about hosting a party, but last year I decided we would give it a go. I sent out invitations early November, for a party in the first week of December, thinking that would get in before most other Christmas Parties. Wrong! Most of the people we invited were unable to come due to prior commitments. Then, of those who did respond in the affirmative, one couple got held up at a grandchild's dance concert on the day and didn't make it, and another couple had a funeral to attend on the day. So this year I decided we weren't going to try to compete with all the other end of year festivities that people seem to be drawn into. I did think of having pre-Christmas in July drinks, but July came and went too quickly for me to do anything but think about it.
Also in recent years there has always been a work Christmas break-up function to attend. These are usually great fun, and often involve a Kris Kringle of one sort or another.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Advent Calendar - Santa Claus
Did you ever send a letter to Santa? Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?” Do you still believe in Santa Claus?
My brother and I always wrote a letter to Santa. I don't remember whether Santa ever wrote a letter back! I continued the tradition with my daughter. I still have a couple of letters from Susan to Santa which he must have left lying around. Of course, the letters contained the wish-list. We were also taken to visit Santa in various shops. I don't have photos of me with Santa, but I do have many of my daughter as she paid the mandatory visit to Santa.
When my mother was a child she knew her parents didn't have much money - and the year her friends were starting to doubt the existence of Santa my mother had proof positive that he did exist. When Mum found a beautiful doll under the tree she knew there had to be a Santa because her parents could never have afforded a doll like that.
My parents cleverly got around the problem of multiple Santas, and also how to explain why Santa brought some children very expensive presents while others got less. All of the Santas that we saw at Christmas parties, in the shops etc. were Santa's Helpers. As for the presents, the main present we got was from Mum and Dad, and it was the smaller presents in our stockings that came from Santa.
I remember the year I learned about the secret of Santa - I went snooping looking for presents. I found a case under my parents' bed, full of toys. I told my brother - who promptly told my mother! Mum told me I had spoiled the surprise - yet it had never occurred to me that this meant Mum and Dad "helped" Santa each year. I may have cottoned on when I saw those same toys in our stockings (that's where Santa left the presents from him), but as I'd only had a brief look in the suitcase even that might not have spoiled anything.
I have a wonderful photo of one of our granddaughters - squealing with delight when Santa visited a Christmas party we were attending.
Do I still believe in Santa? Why, of course .........
My brother and I always wrote a letter to Santa. I don't remember whether Santa ever wrote a letter back! I continued the tradition with my daughter. I still have a couple of letters from Susan to Santa which he must have left lying around. Of course, the letters contained the wish-list. We were also taken to visit Santa in various shops. I don't have photos of me with Santa, but I do have many of my daughter as she paid the mandatory visit to Santa.
When my mother was a child she knew her parents didn't have much money - and the year her friends were starting to doubt the existence of Santa my mother had proof positive that he did exist. When Mum found a beautiful doll under the tree she knew there had to be a Santa because her parents could never have afforded a doll like that.
My parents cleverly got around the problem of multiple Santas, and also how to explain why Santa brought some children very expensive presents while others got less. All of the Santas that we saw at Christmas parties, in the shops etc. were Santa's Helpers. As for the presents, the main present we got was from Mum and Dad, and it was the smaller presents in our stockings that came from Santa.I remember the year I learned about the secret of Santa - I went snooping looking for presents. I found a case under my parents' bed, full of toys. I told my brother - who promptly told my mother! Mum told me I had spoiled the surprise - yet it had never occurred to me that this meant Mum and Dad "helped" Santa each year. I may have cottoned on when I saw those same toys in our stockings (that's where Santa left the presents from him), but as I'd only had a brief look in the suitcase even that might not have spoiled anything.
Do I still believe in Santa? Why, of course .........
Monday, December 05, 2011
Advent Calendar - Outdoor Decorations
Did people in your neighborhood decorate with lights? Did some people really go “all out” when decorating? Any stories involving your ancestors and decorations?
I don't recall that it was the done thing to decorate the outside of the house as I was growing up. About the closest it came to was that many houses had a lighted Christmas Tree in a window facing the street. In fact my brother and I made up a game called, obviously, Christmas Tree - a kind of spotto we played on long car trips at Christmas time. Each time we saw a tree we called out C, or H, or R etc. until we had seen enough trees to spell the words Christmas Tree. First one to spell it was the winner.
Now, we put up some coloured lights outside on the verandah and in trees and the garden, but most of our decorations are inside. Our neigbours however, go all out!
I love travelling around to look at the decorated houses, and we usually do this every year. Some years we have been in Bendigo at or near Christmas time and there are some spectacular street displays there which have been well worth the time and effort to look at them.
I don't recall that it was the done thing to decorate the outside of the house as I was growing up. About the closest it came to was that many houses had a lighted Christmas Tree in a window facing the street. In fact my brother and I made up a game called, obviously, Christmas Tree - a kind of spotto we played on long car trips at Christmas time. Each time we saw a tree we called out C, or H, or R etc. until we had seen enough trees to spell the words Christmas Tree. First one to spell it was the winner.
Now, we put up some coloured lights outside on the verandah and in trees and the garden, but most of our decorations are inside. Our neigbours however, go all out!
I love travelling around to look at the decorated houses, and we usually do this every year. Some years we have been in Bendigo at or near Christmas time and there are some spectacular street displays there which have been well worth the time and effort to look at them.
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Advent Calendar - Christmas Cards
Back to the Advent Calendar where I began this blog in earnest - this time for 2011.
The prompt for today:
Did your family send cards? Did your family display the ones they received? Do you still send Christmas cards? Do you have any cards from your ancestors?
My immediate family has always sent Christmas Cards to family and friends. Often, perhaps unfortunately, it is the only contact we have with some friends all year. But at least they know that they are thought of and remembered.
When I was little we would use the cards we received in scrapbooks, or to make cards of our own. We also took the cards to school where they were used to make cards for mum and dad. (Obviously this was done the following year!)
The cards we received were always displayed around the loungeroom. I don't remember any particular tradition regarding Christmas Cards, except that they were always part of Christmas.
Unfortunately I don't have any cards from years gone by - although birthday cards were always kept and pasted into an album. A tradition I continued for my own daughter.
Nowadays I still send cards to family and friends - about 80 each year. I also send (in addition to a 'real' card) an e-card to those friends and family who have internet access. I try to make sure my cards are done and posted in the first week of December. For those we don't have much contact with during the year I also include a letter which reviews our year. Whilst this is done on the computer I personalise them by using mail merge. I have a data document set up with individual names and a section for family specific chat. So everyone gets the main letter, with their names printed at the beginning of the letter, and most have an extra paragraph or two that is specific to that family - perhaps asking about a family member, or commenting on something that is only significant for that family. Therefore, my Christmas letter is as personalised as a mass-produce letter can be.
I also send a card to each of my grandchildren - just for them, rather than them being included in the family card. I know our daughter saved the cards when the girls were younger, but I'm not sure if she still does. I'm not sure whether our daughter-in-law ever kept the cards. Our other daughter has yet to produce any grandchildren, but I'm sure she would keep cards if and when she becomes a mother.
I do keep a record of who I send to, and who sends us cards. Usually the two lists are the same - but there are some people who I send to who never send cards. If someone sends us a card and I haven't sent them one I will do so and add them to my list for next year.
I do keep all handmade cards, and occasionally an especially beautiful card just for sentimental reasons. When I was teaching I used to let the children in my class cut up last year's cards to make cards for their family. I have also used pictures from last year's cards to make gift tags in the current year.
I have strings around the loungeroom walls on which I hang the cards to display them.
The prompt for today:
Did your family send cards? Did your family display the ones they received? Do you still send Christmas cards? Do you have any cards from your ancestors?
My immediate family has always sent Christmas Cards to family and friends. Often, perhaps unfortunately, it is the only contact we have with some friends all year. But at least they know that they are thought of and remembered.
When I was little we would use the cards we received in scrapbooks, or to make cards of our own. We also took the cards to school where they were used to make cards for mum and dad. (Obviously this was done the following year!)
The cards we received were always displayed around the loungeroom. I don't remember any particular tradition regarding Christmas Cards, except that they were always part of Christmas.
Unfortunately I don't have any cards from years gone by - although birthday cards were always kept and pasted into an album. A tradition I continued for my own daughter.
Nowadays I still send cards to family and friends - about 80 each year. I also send (in addition to a 'real' card) an e-card to those friends and family who have internet access. I try to make sure my cards are done and posted in the first week of December. For those we don't have much contact with during the year I also include a letter which reviews our year. Whilst this is done on the computer I personalise them by using mail merge. I have a data document set up with individual names and a section for family specific chat. So everyone gets the main letter, with their names printed at the beginning of the letter, and most have an extra paragraph or two that is specific to that family - perhaps asking about a family member, or commenting on something that is only significant for that family. Therefore, my Christmas letter is as personalised as a mass-produce letter can be.
I also send a card to each of my grandchildren - just for them, rather than them being included in the family card. I know our daughter saved the cards when the girls were younger, but I'm not sure if she still does. I'm not sure whether our daughter-in-law ever kept the cards. Our other daughter has yet to produce any grandchildren, but I'm sure she would keep cards if and when she becomes a mother.
I do keep a record of who I send to, and who sends us cards. Usually the two lists are the same - but there are some people who I send to who never send cards. If someone sends us a card and I haven't sent them one I will do so and add them to my list for next year.
I do keep all handmade cards, and occasionally an especially beautiful card just for sentimental reasons. When I was teaching I used to let the children in my class cut up last year's cards to make cards for their family. I have also used pictures from last year's cards to make gift tags in the current year.
I have strings around the loungeroom walls on which I hang the cards to display them.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
On-line Security
The perennial question! I have spent many hours agonising over this. Should family history details be available to all via the Internet (or for that matter a published book)? Just how great is the risk of identity theft? I would have said I am extremely careful with regard to on-line security - yet my credit card has been 'hacked' twice, or rather, I've had two cards hacked, my original and the replacement less than two months after I got it. I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with my family history on-line. I believe it is pretty unlikely for someone to stumble upon my wiki without doing a search for specific name that exists in my data - if they know the name they are probably related. As I do not record current addresses I think it highly unlikely that someone could put together a name and birth details etc. from my family history PLUS current addresses and other relevant information and have enough to create a new identity. In many cases for living people I don't even have their birth dates - I seem to know more about my dead relatives than the living ones! As for the risk to credit cards from my data - impossible - the thief would have to have card numbers from other sources and successfully put the two together. And if they have a card number from another source they don't need any info from my family history. I think the biggest threat comes from people accessing the information and adding it to their own as gospel, and perhaps never seeing corrections or additions that I make so that their data may be incorrect. Others may see their information and assume it is all fact.
I have data in three places on the net - GenesReunited, my wiki and Ancestry.com. It is only available to people I approve through GenesReunited - but they can download a GEDCOM of the data making it an easy process to 'steal' my info and add it to their own. Ancestry.com is a Public Member Tree, maybe I should make it Private so only invited people can see it - if they want the info they can easily add it to their own tree, but on a person by person basis, so it is pretty time consuming. The good thing is that Ancestry does not publish data on living people, not even names. The bad thing about that is that it creates a false impression about a family. My wiki is open to all - I did password protect the pages for a while, but then I found that a Google search would show up relevant reports, but not the site itself so visitors wouldn't see my requests to maintain privacy etc. So, after much deliberation I have removed the password. With the wiki it means all info has to be typed in by hand as the reports are in .pdf format, not GEDCOMs, so not an easy task.
There is also the question of obtaining permission from others to use their data. It is virtually impossible to contact every living descendant. I have certainly asked permission from all people who I know have contributed lots of data. But I had a case the other day where someone I had never had contact with, but who was in my tree, contacted me to say she had given the info to one of my many fellow researchers for private use, not wholesale publication. So, to respect her wishes I have privatised the descendants she didn't want on the web. I have also done this for a couple of other major contributors who have asked for details to be kept private. I do not like to publish a database where every living person is listed as Private - it looks so messy. Also, some living people don't object to details being available, and some people want recent generations hidden even if they are deceased. My solution is to make some individuals Private so their places are 'held' but with no names or other details.
I am perfectly happy to share info with fellow researchers - after all we need all the help we can get. That's why I decided to put my work on the internet. It is a convenient way to let relatives who are interested see what I have discovered. But is is also an easy way to share with fellow researchers who may also be able to give me new information - and the web search engines have to be able to see my site in order for new contacts to be made. If I bite the bullet and pay for my wiki site I can make it by invitation only, but search engines won't see it either. However, sharing, and outright pinching data are two different things. If I have been given information by someone I credit them in my sources, and if I've got lots of info from them I acknowledge their assisstance in my wiki General Info pages for each surname. But I know of at least one woman who was given permission to access my GenesReunited Tree - she has 'nicked' the lot (even the branches that are NOTHING to do with her lines) and published it with her own research on her other lines on a web page. To top it off, she has some marriages in the wrong order where there have been multiple marriages. I have contacted her and asked her to modify the data, and to make corrections to some errors that I have discovered in my own data. I also chided her somewhat for not acknowledging the source of her information in any way. Naturally she has refused to respond to my requests, and the errors still remain. I know it is my work because she has my exact wording in several obvious places, such as a place of death as being the Ab....... Invalid Asylum (because I couldn't make out the exact name when I first entered it). Another tree I found on Ancestry.com also obviously comes from my data - don't know where he got it, but again there are some since discovered errors, but when I asked him where he got the info, and asked him to correct the errors he blocked all messages from me and didn't respond.
I have data in three places on the net - GenesReunited, my wiki and Ancestry.com. It is only available to people I approve through GenesReunited - but they can download a GEDCOM of the data making it an easy process to 'steal' my info and add it to their own. Ancestry.com is a Public Member Tree, maybe I should make it Private so only invited people can see it - if they want the info they can easily add it to their own tree, but on a person by person basis, so it is pretty time consuming. The good thing is that Ancestry does not publish data on living people, not even names. The bad thing about that is that it creates a false impression about a family. My wiki is open to all - I did password protect the pages for a while, but then I found that a Google search would show up relevant reports, but not the site itself so visitors wouldn't see my requests to maintain privacy etc. So, after much deliberation I have removed the password. With the wiki it means all info has to be typed in by hand as the reports are in .pdf format, not GEDCOMs, so not an easy task.
There is also the question of obtaining permission from others to use their data. It is virtually impossible to contact every living descendant. I have certainly asked permission from all people who I know have contributed lots of data. But I had a case the other day where someone I had never had contact with, but who was in my tree, contacted me to say she had given the info to one of my many fellow researchers for private use, not wholesale publication. So, to respect her wishes I have privatised the descendants she didn't want on the web. I have also done this for a couple of other major contributors who have asked for details to be kept private. I do not like to publish a database where every living person is listed as Private - it looks so messy. Also, some living people don't object to details being available, and some people want recent generations hidden even if they are deceased. My solution is to make some individuals Private so their places are 'held' but with no names or other details.
I am perfectly happy to share info with fellow researchers - after all we need all the help we can get. That's why I decided to put my work on the internet. It is a convenient way to let relatives who are interested see what I have discovered. But is is also an easy way to share with fellow researchers who may also be able to give me new information - and the web search engines have to be able to see my site in order for new contacts to be made. If I bite the bullet and pay for my wiki site I can make it by invitation only, but search engines won't see it either. However, sharing, and outright pinching data are two different things. If I have been given information by someone I credit them in my sources, and if I've got lots of info from them I acknowledge their assisstance in my wiki General Info pages for each surname. But I know of at least one woman who was given permission to access my GenesReunited Tree - she has 'nicked' the lot (even the branches that are NOTHING to do with her lines) and published it with her own research on her other lines on a web page. To top it off, she has some marriages in the wrong order where there have been multiple marriages. I have contacted her and asked her to modify the data, and to make corrections to some errors that I have discovered in my own data. I also chided her somewhat for not acknowledging the source of her information in any way. Naturally she has refused to respond to my requests, and the errors still remain. I know it is my work because she has my exact wording in several obvious places, such as a place of death as being the Ab....... Invalid Asylum (because I couldn't make out the exact name when I first entered it). Another tree I found on Ancestry.com also obviously comes from my data - don't know where he got it, but again there are some since discovered errors, but when I asked him where he got the info, and asked him to correct the errors he blocked all messages from me and didn't respond.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Go To Sleep My Baby
And of course Billy Blunder reminded me of an even more special song - a lullaby in fact. My mother used to sing it to me when I was little, and I sang it to my daughter and my grandchildren when they were babies. Apparently it is the chorus to a song called "Wyoming". The midi that follows is the whole song, but about a third of the way through it goes to the chorus - and these are the words:
Go to sleep my baby
Close your pretty eyes
Angels up above thee
Watching dearie from above the skies
Great big moon is shining
Stars begin to peep
'Tis time for little picaninnies
To go to sleep
http://parlorsongs.com/content/w/wyoming.mid
Still brings tears to my eyes to hear it. I hope I can sing it to Susan's children one day.
Billy Blunder
This blog may well turn out to be a bit of a history of my own life, as well as being about my family history journey. Doing some surfing on the net this morning - well, actually, I was looking to update a couple of links on this blog - and I suddenly remembered a song I used to sing when I was in Prep grade at school, and which I subsequently taught to my own infant classes. It was Billy Blunder, although I don't know that I ever knew it by that title - I think we called it Big, Black and Shiny or maybe One Rainy Morning.Here's the words:
One rainy morning
Without any warning
A large umbrella crossed the street
Big, black and shinyCovering someone tiny
And all that we could see were two small feet
In and out the traffic
Dodging here and there
That umbrella went with a Don't-Care air
I said in wonder
Who is that down under
Hugging that umbrella like a teddy bear
Apparently there are more verses, and it was actually a road safety song, but these are the only two verses I ever remember singing. Tried to find an audio version, but no can do.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Another exciting discovery
I didn't make this discovery - rather it was made by Terry Cantwell and the Southern Ocean Exploration team. They discovered, after 76 years, the wreck of "TSS Coramba". This was the ship which foundered with all hands lost on 30th November 1934. My grandfather, John Loring SULLIVAN, lost his life along with 16 other crew members including the Captain.
This newspaper article tells the story.
However, there is more to tell. While we were on holiday I saw, for the first time, a life buoy from the "Coramba" at the Maritime discovery Centre in Portland. Then, on the day the above article was in The Age I actually touched the bell of the "Coramba" at the History Centre in Port Fairy. There was also another life buoy at Port Fairy. These, and the bell, and a derrick, had been washed up on the shore of Phillip Island after the "Coramba" sank.
This newspaper article tells the story.
Exciting find
While we were on our recent holiday to the Western District we went to the old Wool Store complex in Portland. There was a market, a furniture store, and an antique shop in the complex. As we walked through the main entrance I noticed a large photographic print for sale, hanging on the wall. It was of an old sailing ship, with sails furled, tied to the wharf at Portland. Closer inspection revealed the name of the ship - "Joseph Sims". My heart skipped a beat, because my great grandfather, John Joseph SULLIVAN, had been Master of the "Joseph Sims" (and I later realised my grandfather, John Loring SULLIVAN, had also served on her.) Trouble was, the print was priced at $400, and was somewhat 'fuzzy' because it had been blown up too large. So although I was very tempted we didn't buy it.My wiki
(click on the image to go to the wiki)
Originally I password protected the pages so I could maintain some control over who saw the content. But I have, after much deliberation and soul searching, removed the password. Several reasons - my main concern was that people might misuse the information if it was open to anyone and everyone. But then I discovered that a Google search would return the actual documents from the wiki (rather than the wiki page itself) which effectively by-passed the password requirement. And there was nothing to stop someone who had been given the password from misusing the info, or claiming the research as their own. I have had this happen when I gave a lady access to my tree on GenesReunited - she copied the lot into her own tree and put it onto her website with nary a mention of where she got the information. Worse still, she has refused to respond to my messages to her. At least with the wiki everything would have to be hand entered, as I don't add GEDCOMS, only pdf documents and web pages. Also, I have been contacted by several previously unknown fellow descendants and by making the wiki too private I would miss these opportunities. I have told all fellow researchers that if they want anyone privatised I can do that on an individual basis, rather than supressing details for living people as that makes the resulting reports very clumsy and quite useless. Most people are happy to see where they fit into the descendants. Also, I never add current addresses or phone numbers (except my own) so it is only names and dates that could potentially be used for identifying purposes - and perhaps surprisingly I have more unknown birthdates for living people than I do for those gone before. Hope I'm not being naive, but I think I have made the right decision to remove the password. I am still contemplating paying for my wiki so I can make it that only members can look at it - but apparently that also prevents search engines 'seeing' my wiki so I wouldn't get hits from people who don't already know about the wiki. A real problem to know what to do for the best.
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