From the TribuneStar.com:
“GRD,” or the Genealogical Research Directory: This is reportedly the largest listing of genealogical queries in the world. It’s been around since 1981. The GRD is published in Australia and is used across the globe, especially in Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It is a directory of research submissions from around the world. The GRD listings consist of researchers’ names along with what family lines they are working on. It is considered the largest published group of queries in the world, consisting of an average of 100,000 entries, updated annually. This resource helps researchers from everywhere connect with each other.
A typical GRD table of contents contains an introduction describing how to use the book, a listing of abbreviations used, the directory of surnames, a directory of subjects, a listing of one-name (single surname) studies, a list of contributors’ contact information, a list of genealogical societies from around the world, and an index of professional services from many nations.
The directory has been published in book form since 1981 and is now also available on CD-ROM. It grows in size each year. Each directory includes 35,000 to 150,000 names from contributors in 30 countries (with a focus on English-speaking nations) and runs about 1,200 pages. Past copies are available for sale at various Internet sites such as www.gould.com.au/Genealogical-Research-Directory-2007-p/lah126.htm and www.gould.com.au/Genealogical-Research-Directory-Set-1981-1993-p/au9600.htm.
For more information on the GRD, contact the publishers at Genealogical Research Directory, P.O. Box 795, Sydney, NSW 2060; call (02) 99295087
Friday, February 12, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
NZDF Warriors At Air Force Museum Open Day
All three Services of the New Zealand Defence Force will be on show this Sunday 14 February at the annual Air Force Museum of New Zealand open day, 'Warriors at Wigram'.
Air Force Museum Director, Therese Angelo says there will be an extensive programme of activities, making it a great day out for the whole family.
"On the ground will be interactive activities, demonstrations, an inter-Service challenge, a mock battle and a large variety of equipment including NZ Army Light Armoured Vehicles and Light Operations Vehicles.
"In the air will be flying displays by Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois helicopters, an historic Harvard, a C-130 Hercules and an impressive show by the Air Force's parachute display team, Kiwi Blue.
"There will also be presentations in the Museum theatre and many activities available inside the Museum for younger children. Army, Navy and Air Force recruiting staff will also be on hand to answer questions about life in the Defence Force.
"The previous Warriors at Wigram in 2007 proved extremely popular with Cantabrians and this year's event promises to be even better," said Mrs Angelo.
The Air Force Museum, at 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram was established in 1979 and has evolved into New Zealand's premier aviation attraction and a 'must do' for both residents and visitors.
The Air Force Museum features 28 outstanding aircraft, hands-on fun displays and military aircraft simulators.
Air Force Museum Director, Therese Angelo says there will be an extensive programme of activities, making it a great day out for the whole family.
"On the ground will be interactive activities, demonstrations, an inter-Service challenge, a mock battle and a large variety of equipment including NZ Army Light Armoured Vehicles and Light Operations Vehicles.
"In the air will be flying displays by Royal New Zealand Air Force Iroquois helicopters, an historic Harvard, a C-130 Hercules and an impressive show by the Air Force's parachute display team, Kiwi Blue.
"There will also be presentations in the Museum theatre and many activities available inside the Museum for younger children. Army, Navy and Air Force recruiting staff will also be on hand to answer questions about life in the Defence Force.
"The previous Warriors at Wigram in 2007 proved extremely popular with Cantabrians and this year's event promises to be even better," said Mrs Angelo.
The Air Force Museum, at 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram was established in 1979 and has evolved into New Zealand's premier aviation attraction and a 'must do' for both residents and visitors.
The Air Force Museum features 28 outstanding aircraft, hands-on fun displays and military aircraft simulators.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tombstone Tuesday - John Fraser, Nelson Pioneer
Pleasant Point Cemetery, Timaru District
The tombstone is old and so weathered that the inscription is barely readable, but beneath it lies John “Jock” Fraser, one of the pioneers who founded the city of Nelson. Resting with him is his wife Mary (Booker) and daughter Jessie. He would marry four times, father 13 children and, along with his sons, accomplish more than one “first’ in New Zealand. Jock was born about 1813 in the Scottish highlands county of Inverness, son of James Fraser. The name of his first wife is unknown and she possibly died in childbirth when his eldest son, Hugh Fraser, was born in 1832.
Much of Jock’s early years remain a mystery but by the time he reached his third decade he took the bold step of signing on with the British New Zealand Company as a laborer to help found a new settlement in Nelson, New Zealand. He traveled first to Edinburgh where on November 9th, 1840 he married his 2nd wife, Margaret Robertson, at the Parish of St. Paul’s. He then made his way to London where on Sunday afternoon, May 2nd 1841, his ship, the Whitby, carrying the surveying party for the new settlement, departed for New Zealand to the sounds of a 21-gun salute. He was one of 59 laborers aboard the ship. Wife Margaret remained behind until the settlement could be established and family sent for.
After a four month voyage the ship arrived at the Wellington settlement on September 8th, 1841 and then made its way to Blind Bay (today known as Tasman Bay), where expedition leaders searched for land suitable for the new colony, settling on the site of a Maori fishing village, Whakatu. It's believed that John/Jock was the first man to step foot on New Zealand's south island wearing a highland kilt.
John Fraser and the other expedition members began the process of building the Nelson settlement. A forge and sawpit was established near the far side of the Maitai River. By January 1842 they had built more than 100 huts in preparation for the arrival of the first settlers.
On February 9th 1842 John’s wife Margaret arrived in New Zealand aboard the ship Lloyds. Around 1845 Jock and family loaded up their possessions into a dray pulled by a bullock and moved to the Motueka Valley where his son James was born. In 1850 John's eldest son, Hugh Fraser, arrived from Scotland on the ship Mariner (departed London). John’s wife Margaret died 18 Oct 1852 from consumption and was buried at Hallowell Cemetery. A few years after Margaret’s death (about 1853) the Fraser family moved to Wairau where John worked as a shepherd on land he leased from Mr. Dillion, at Leithfield Station.
John Fraser had a short 3rd marriage to Helen McEwen, who died within two years of the marriage. Their marriage was published in 3 June 1854 edition of the Nelson Examiner, ‘At Alice Brae, Nelson, on the 20th, by the Rev. T.D. Nicholson, Mr. John Fraser, of Waihopi, Wairau, to Miss Helen M’Ewan, of Nelson’.
On March 17th, 1856 John married his fourth wife, the young widow Mary (Booker) Clarke in Nelson.
The book ‘Turn Back The Clock’, published in 1968, states ‘In 1857 two Scotsmen, Hugh Fraser (son of Jock) and Alex McMurdo, keen to take up land in New Zealand, travelled into the back country of Canterbury in search of sheep…’ Ronald (Alexander) McMurdo and Hugh were the first to drive stock from the Nelson area to new holdings in the MacKenzie Country.
John and his son Hugh would own several of the large sheep runs in MacKenzie County – Ben Ohau, Black Forest Station and the Mount Cook Station. Paraphrased from the Timaru Herald, Friday, 10 Jul 1925 “The Original Run Holders” by T.D. Burnett: The Fraser men were the only highland Scots to settle a sheep run in MacKenzie Country prior to 1860.
Being highland Scots, the Fraser enjoyed their whiskey. They cultivated one acre per annum by hand, on which they grew barley and distilled their own whiskey. The Haldon Station diary, dated 22 August 1868, has an entry stating that they had received one gallon of whisky from the Fraser’s.
It was at Hugh Fraser’s Black Forest Station that the first recorded sheep dog trails took place. On 3 February 1869 the Timaru Herald reports, ‘The first of what is to be hoped will be an annual trail of sheepdogs, took place on Friday at Mr. Fraser’s run, Black Forest, MacKenzie country. ‘
In May of 1876 Mary (wife of Jock Fraser) and their 18 year old daughter Jessie died within a week of each other and were buried in Pleasant Point Cemetery (Timaru District). Marborough Express, Volume XI, issue 829, 5 Jul 1876, Page 3: Deaths: Fraser - On May 16, at Timaru, Mrs John Frazer, of fever. On May 21, at Timaru, Jessie, daughter of John Frazer, of consumption, aged 20.
Jock lived until 14 April 1893 when he died at the Timaru Hospital. His funeral notice was published in the Timaru Herald on 17 April 1893:
“FRASER - The friends of the late Mr. John Fraser, are respectfully invited to attend his funeral, which will leave the Timaru Hospital at 11 o'clock this Morning, for the Pleasant Point Cemetery, which will be reached about 1 o'clock.“
Monday, February 8, 2010
Obituary Source
I just happened to run across this site today when doing a Google search on a name in a family tree I was working on. The site, A Memory Tree, states:
I personally found several people that died in the last few years. What really excited me was the option to order (for a cost) a summary of their obits sent to me via email.
A Memory Tree is NZ's largest and most comprehensive website holding death information.The website has been recording deaths since December 2006.
If a death has been published in a leading newspaper you can locate accurate, up-to-date information about the person here. We update our records hourly and list 99% of all deaths.
I personally found several people that died in the last few years. What really excited me was the option to order (for a cost) a summary of their obits sent to me via email.
Madness Monday - Head Injury leads to fits and giddiness
James Cunningham, great grandfather of the actor Russell Crowe, died in a fire in 1915. News articles reported that he had suffered a fractured skull as the result of a motorcycle accident in 1914 and had suffered ill effects ever since. I find it very interesting that he owned a motorcycle when they must not have been common. It was quite likely an Indian Motorcycle. Motorcycles began to appear in New Zealand in the early 1900s and several reports of accidents appear in the newspapers of that era. James left a wife and six children behind.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Creating and Sharing a Genealogy Database Online
Those who have been doing genealogy research for a long time often accumulate or come across information that would be much easier to use if it was in a database that could be quickly searched. For example, many GenWeb sites have numerous cemeteries transcriptions, each in a separate list. Combining those transcription pages into one single, searchable database would make ease of use for visitors so much better.
There is a fairly simple and free way to create a searchable database that can be embedded into most web sites. DabbleDB at http://dabbledb.com/ lets you create a database by pasting information from an Excel spreadsheet or via direct input at the Dabble site. You don’t have to know SQL or PHP and your web site hosting package doesn’t have to support those functions.
Preparation of the spreadsheet is probably the most time consuming aspect. If you are merging several sources into one spreadsheet, and they aren’t in a standard format, then time has to be spent formatting them. For those with some experience using Excel it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Once you have your database built at Dabble, you create a searchable “view” and are given the code to embed the database at your web site.
You can see a Dabble database in action (embedded on a web page) here.
There is a fairly simple and free way to create a searchable database that can be embedded into most web sites. DabbleDB at http://dabbledb.com/ lets you create a database by pasting information from an Excel spreadsheet or via direct input at the Dabble site. You don’t have to know SQL or PHP and your web site hosting package doesn’t have to support those functions.
Preparation of the spreadsheet is probably the most time consuming aspect. If you are merging several sources into one spreadsheet, and they aren’t in a standard format, then time has to be spent formatting them. For those with some experience using Excel it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Once you have your database built at Dabble, you create a searchable “view” and are given the code to embed the database at your web site.
You can see a Dabble database in action (embedded on a web page) here.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
UK Parish Records
From the Liverpool Echo newspaper: Geneology: poor ancestors means better documents
DISCOVERING that your ancestor was a poor peasant farm worker puts many people off pursuing their roots.
But the poorer a person was, the more likely it is that they left behind some documentary evidence of their lives.
It is not usually a problem tracing your ancestors back to 1837 via the civil registration registers and census returns, but before then the main source is the parish registers, which in many parishes date back to 1538.
These are fine until a family name suddenly disappears. This can happen even where a marriage entry records one or both of the parties as ‘of this parish’ but you can not find any birth records.
There are various ways round this problem. Many people, even those who were poor, made wills, and, if you cannot find one, uncles, aunts or siblings may have made wills which mention your elusive ancestor and where he/she lived.
The other main resources are the parish records and Quarter Sessions (court) records. These can be very detailed and contain a wealth of material to help you trace your missing ancestor.
Prior to 1834 the parish was the basis of local government, with each parish electing its own officers to administer local affairs. They were basically untrained officials but the records they left are a goldmine for the family researcher. Some date back to Elizabethan times – there are the account books of village constables, poor law settlement books, details of apprenticeships, churchwarden’s accounts, details of local almshouse tenants, etc.
Basically, each parish was responsible for looking after the elderly, the sick, widows and orphaned children, the unemployed, destitute wanderers and illegitimate children.
In many cases these leave a paper trail which you can access, usually via the county records offices. However, the best starting point is the A2A website hosted by The National Archives at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/
Here, a simple search on a name will often lead you to the catalogue entry about your missing ancestor.
It happened to me recently when I could not trace the birth of my x3 great grandmother Judith Harrison from Maghull.
She was born about 1797 but I had been unable to find her in the parish records. It turned out she was illegitimate – and many illegitimate births were simply not made public by the parties.
However, the subsequent hunt for the father and the arrangements made by the parish for her upkeep are available at the county record office in Preston in the Quarter Sessions records – see lancashire. gov.uk/education/record_office/
The paperwork gave the father’s name, profession and the amount of cash he had to pay the parish for the upkeep of his child. Such information really brings your family history to life.
Many will also have an ancestor who spent some of their lives in a workhouse.
As the population grew, the system of parish relief became an increasing burden for the parish elders and a new system of ‘indoor relief’ based on a community workhouse began to evolve in the 18th century.
Under the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, sweeping new changes were implemented.
Parishes were grouped into ‘unions’ managed by locally elected Boards of Guardians. Under the system, hundreds of new union workhouse buildings were erected across the country.
Relief would only be granted to those desperate enough to face enduring the conditions inside the workhouse.
Life inside the workhouse was intended to be as off-putting as possible. While inmates were provided with a bed, there was little in the way of home comforts.
Men, women, children, the infirm, and the able bodied were housed separately and given basic food.
The fear of seeking shelter in the workhouse was a very real one for many hard-working families who just could not make ends meet in the overcrowded slum conditions in our 19th century towns and cities.
It is from this time on that the best records survive for people who lived in the workhouse, some of which are accessible at local records offices or through family history societies.
In a publication written at the time of the 1834 reforms, Picture Of Liverpool: Strangers Guide, we read the following account of life in a Liverpool workhouse:
‘The first workhouse erected in this town was situated in College Lane at the corner adjoining Hanover Street; but becoming too small for the number of poor applicants, the present one which stands on Brownlow Hill was erected in 1771 at the expense of £8,000 – since which time it had been enlarged.
“This extensive establishment is conducted on excellent and economical principles, each of the inmates having all of the necessaries of life that can be reasonably required, there being a sufficient supply of plain but wholesome food and a proper quantity of warm clothing. Besides these, the old people have some additional comforts.
“All that are not sick are employed in some trade or useful manufacture, as joiners , blacksmiths, wheelwrights, shoemakers, semptresses, knitters, spinners, etc.
“The boys are instructed in some trade, and the girls who are above nine years of age are taught to make straw bonnets, to knit stockings, to sew, or to weave calicos etc.”
There is a huge amount of information and illustrations on Liverpool’s workhouses at www.workhouses.org.uk
DISCOVERING that your ancestor was a poor peasant farm worker puts many people off pursuing their roots.
But the poorer a person was, the more likely it is that they left behind some documentary evidence of their lives.
It is not usually a problem tracing your ancestors back to 1837 via the civil registration registers and census returns, but before then the main source is the parish registers, which in many parishes date back to 1538.
These are fine until a family name suddenly disappears. This can happen even where a marriage entry records one or both of the parties as ‘of this parish’ but you can not find any birth records.
There are various ways round this problem. Many people, even those who were poor, made wills, and, if you cannot find one, uncles, aunts or siblings may have made wills which mention your elusive ancestor and where he/she lived.
The other main resources are the parish records and Quarter Sessions (court) records. These can be very detailed and contain a wealth of material to help you trace your missing ancestor.
Prior to 1834 the parish was the basis of local government, with each parish electing its own officers to administer local affairs. They were basically untrained officials but the records they left are a goldmine for the family researcher. Some date back to Elizabethan times – there are the account books of village constables, poor law settlement books, details of apprenticeships, churchwarden’s accounts, details of local almshouse tenants, etc.
Basically, each parish was responsible for looking after the elderly, the sick, widows and orphaned children, the unemployed, destitute wanderers and illegitimate children.
In many cases these leave a paper trail which you can access, usually via the county records offices. However, the best starting point is the A2A website hosted by The National Archives at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/
Here, a simple search on a name will often lead you to the catalogue entry about your missing ancestor.
It happened to me recently when I could not trace the birth of my x3 great grandmother Judith Harrison from Maghull.
She was born about 1797 but I had been unable to find her in the parish records. It turned out she was illegitimate – and many illegitimate births were simply not made public by the parties.
However, the subsequent hunt for the father and the arrangements made by the parish for her upkeep are available at the county record office in Preston in the Quarter Sessions records – see lancashire. gov.uk/education/record_office/
The paperwork gave the father’s name, profession and the amount of cash he had to pay the parish for the upkeep of his child. Such information really brings your family history to life.
Many will also have an ancestor who spent some of their lives in a workhouse.
As the population grew, the system of parish relief became an increasing burden for the parish elders and a new system of ‘indoor relief’ based on a community workhouse began to evolve in the 18th century.
Under the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, sweeping new changes were implemented.
Parishes were grouped into ‘unions’ managed by locally elected Boards of Guardians. Under the system, hundreds of new union workhouse buildings were erected across the country.
Relief would only be granted to those desperate enough to face enduring the conditions inside the workhouse.
Life inside the workhouse was intended to be as off-putting as possible. While inmates were provided with a bed, there was little in the way of home comforts.
Men, women, children, the infirm, and the able bodied were housed separately and given basic food.
The fear of seeking shelter in the workhouse was a very real one for many hard-working families who just could not make ends meet in the overcrowded slum conditions in our 19th century towns and cities.
It is from this time on that the best records survive for people who lived in the workhouse, some of which are accessible at local records offices or through family history societies.
In a publication written at the time of the 1834 reforms, Picture Of Liverpool: Strangers Guide, we read the following account of life in a Liverpool workhouse:
‘The first workhouse erected in this town was situated in College Lane at the corner adjoining Hanover Street; but becoming too small for the number of poor applicants, the present one which stands on Brownlow Hill was erected in 1771 at the expense of £8,000 – since which time it had been enlarged.
“This extensive establishment is conducted on excellent and economical principles, each of the inmates having all of the necessaries of life that can be reasonably required, there being a sufficient supply of plain but wholesome food and a proper quantity of warm clothing. Besides these, the old people have some additional comforts.
“All that are not sick are employed in some trade or useful manufacture, as joiners , blacksmiths, wheelwrights, shoemakers, semptresses, knitters, spinners, etc.
“The boys are instructed in some trade, and the girls who are above nine years of age are taught to make straw bonnets, to knit stockings, to sew, or to weave calicos etc.”
There is a huge amount of information and illustrations on Liverpool’s workhouses at www.workhouses.org.uk
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Rotorua District Online Cemetery Search
The Rotorua District Council now has their online search for several cemeteries up and running. Rotorua Cemetery and Crematorium, as well as the Mamaku, Reporoa and Ngakuru cemeteries. Council also operates Ngongotaha’s Kauae Cemetery, which is governed by a separate board of trustees. Go to Rotorua Cemetery Search page
You must download and install the Silverlight 3 plug-in to use the database. You can do that at this link.
It is possible to search by name on this website for an individual cemetery or crematorium record. Typically a successful search will reveal information such as the full name of the deceased, age, location of burial, other associated information held and in many cases a map and photograph of a headstone.
Rotorua District Council's project to make burial records available online is not yet fully complete and there remains a number of records still to be added and some headstones yet to be photographed. These are expected to be completed progressively over coming months.
You must download and install the Silverlight 3 plug-in to use the database. You can do that at this link.
It is possible to search by name on this website for an individual cemetery or crematorium record. Typically a successful search will reveal information such as the full name of the deceased, age, location of burial, other associated information held and in many cases a map and photograph of a headstone.
Rotorua District Council's project to make burial records available online is not yet fully complete and there remains a number of records still to be added and some headstones yet to be photographed. These are expected to be completed progressively over coming months.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Songs about Genealogy
You probably never thought of looking for songs with a genealogy theme, but they do exist. If you 'Google' the terms "family history" and song you'll find others.
Song 1: Genealogy, by Scott Malcom. Available at iTunes.
Song 2: Genealogy, by Ron Johnson & Mary Mathews. Available at iTunes
Song 3: The Family Tree Song by unknown
Song 1: Genealogy, by Scott Malcom. Available at iTunes.
Song 2: Genealogy, by Ron Johnson & Mary Mathews. Available at iTunes
Song 3: The Family Tree Song by unknown
Tombstone Tuesday - Fred, Annie and Ethel Major
Fred Major was run over by a railway engine at the age of 71. He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and immigrated to New Zealand with his father, who was born in Ireland.
Annie (Annette Ghezzi), his wife, was born at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa and immigrated to New Zealand with her parents who met and married at Cape Town. Her father, Luigi Ghezzi, left Italy during the revolution of 1848. Because of his involvment in the revolution he became a wanted man with a price on his head. Later he was granted a full pardon and he and some of the men he fought with were hailed as hero's. Her mother, Mary Ann Laurie Curtain, was from Limerick, Ireland.
Ethel, the daughter of Fred and Annie, never married. She died of colon cancer and exhaustion at age 37. Another daughter died in the 1918 flu pandemic.
I think the history behind this SINGLE tombstone shows the interesting facts that New Zealand related genealogy research can uncover.
(Heartfelt thanks to the 'Random Acts of Genalogical Kindness' volunteer (Annemarie) who went to Karori Cemetery, Wellington and took this picture for me.)
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