Snippets May 2008

QFHS Snippets - May 2008 Volume 8, No. 5

5 May 2008

Dear Members and Visitors

1.    About This Newsletter
2.    QFHS Gaythorne Centre
3.    QFHS Dates to Remember
4.   Special Appeal for Indexing Help - Commonwealth Electoral Roll (Qld) 1959 - 100 years on.
5.   Planned Reunion - Sacred Heart Convent, Yarraman
6.   Change of E-mail Address for the West Counties Group
7.   Genealogy and the Law
8.   Friends of Toowong Cemetery
9.   6th Biennial Family and Local History Fair
10. Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour Photographs
11. Cemeteries and Cemetery Symbols
12. National Archives of Australia Brisbane 2008 Seminars
13. AFFHO Congress 2009
14. NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies Inc. 2008 Conference
15. Carseldine Family Reunion
16. Old Bailey Files Are Now Online
17. Reliable Websites
18. May Mirth!
19. Acknowledgements

1. About This Newsletter

Snippets is a monthly publication of the Queensland Family History Society Inc. (QFHS). QFHS Website http://www.qfhs.org.au/

Please do not click on reply to contact Snippets - the 'click on reply' facility is strictly for 'un-subscribing' to the mailing list.

You are encouraged to contribute items which you feel would be of general interest to the family historian hunting for that illusive relative. Humorous items and items relating to the technology of using computers in genealogy are also welcome. Submit your BRIEF items supplemented by hyperlinks to additional details.

Snippets will rarely include items of a commercial nature and only then when they are likely to be of interest to a majority of our readers.

Submit your items to us here==>: snippets@qfhs.org.au

2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre

Our address is:

58 Bellevue Ave,
Gaythorne QLD 4051
QFHS library - (07) 3355 3369

For details about QFHS Centre, including location map, transport etc, click here: http://www.qfhs.org.au/location_hours.htm#Library

3. QFHS Dates to Remember

QFHS Monthly General Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month (but not in January and December), at the QFHS Library, and start at 7:30pm. Attendance is free, and visitors are welcome.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 21 May
Mr Paul Johnston from the National Safety Council of Australia will give a presentation and demonstration on Researching Safely.

QFHS Daytime Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (but not in January and December) at 20 Marmont Street, Geebung from 10am - 12 Noon.
Next Meetings: Monday, 12 May and 2 June.
Contact Maureen Mutton on 3265 4378 if you would like to attend.
________________________________________

Central European Group

Meetings are held 9am - Noon on the 4th Saturday of each odd-numbered month at QFHS Library. A $2 donation goes toward purchasing relevant records.

Next Meetings: Saturday, 24 May and Saturday, 26 July.

For further information, contact Eric Kopittke Phone (07) 3376 4339 email
kopittke@tpg.com.au OR centraleuropean@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Educational Workshop

Cost is $5.50 per person which goes towards purchasing more research materials for the Library. Time - 10am to 12 noon at QFHS Library.
Workshop dates for 2008 are:
29 June 2008                  "Where to Begin"
31 August 2008               "How to Keep Your Records in Order"
26 October 2008            "Where to Begin"
For bookings - contact Desley Schafer - phone (07) 3204 4254 or email: educationofficer@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

English West County Group

This group researches the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. Meetings are held from 12 Noon - 2pm at the QFHS Library, on the fourth Thursday of the odd-numbered months.

Next meetings: Thursday, 22 May and 24 July

For further information contact Robert Browning on 07 3359 9801 or email: robertbb2@bigpond.com
________________________________________

Family History Writing Group

These meetings are held from 9am - 11am at QFHS Library.

Next meetings: Saturday, 17 May and 19 July.

For further information contact FHWriters@qfhs.org.au OR Robert Adamson on
(07) 3266 8353 OR Sue Reid on (07) 3378 2278.
________________________________________

Family Tree Maker User Group

These meetings run from 10am - 11:30am venue at QFHS Library and are held on 1st Friday each month except January and last Saturdays in each even month except December.
Next meetings are: Friday, 2 May and 6 June and Saturday 28 June.

For further details, please contact Garth on (07) 3359 2853 or email: theboss@powerup.com.au
________________________________________

Irish Interest Group

Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library on the second Saturday of the even-numbered months (not December).
Next meetings: Saturday, 14 June and 9 August.
For more information about Irish Interest Group contact Mary King on (07) 3205 3353 or email irish@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Member Orientations - 'Old' & New Members Welcome

You will almost certainly learn new stuff about the Society, and helpful hints about using the Library and researching, all in a friendly atmosphere and informal setting. New members are especially welcome.

Upcoming orientations: Friday, 16 May 10am - 1pm and Saturday, 21 June 9:30am - 12:30pm.

Numbers are limited to allow full participation. BOOKING is ESSENTIAL. Please note: Sessions are usually fully booked, with a waiting list, so please advise the organisers as soon as possible if you find you are unable to attend when you have a booking.

Contact Bev Bonning on (07) 3355 7389 or Wendy Annand on (07) 3395 2530 or email them at welcome@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Scottish Interest Group

Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library. Donations to buy more Scottish resources are welcome.
Next meetings: Saturday, 10 May and 12 July 2008.
For further information: Email scottish@qfhs.org.au OR phone Sam on (07) 3266 9131
________________________________________

Welsh Interest Group

This group meets on the fourth Friday of the even-numbered months (except December) from 10am - 12 Noon at the QFHS Library.
Next meetings are: Friday, 27 June 2008 and 22 August
Contact David Livett on (07) 3366 3191 or welsh@qfhs.org.au for further information.

4. Special Appeal for Indexing Help - Commonwealth Electoral Roll (Qld) 1959 - 100 years on.

QFHS Publications Committee is appealing to all members for assistance with this special project to coincide with the celebrations of 150 years of the State of Queensland in 2009.

All you need is enthusiasm and a spreadsheet program. Don't worry if you are a one finger typist and may be too slow as many of our current indexers just use one finger. Instructions and an example will be given to each indexer - the team is always available to answer any questions you may have.

Just one bundle (20 pages) by each member would see us reach our target of publication in 2009. Can you contribute a page of indexing per day (60 names, address and occupation) for just 3 weeks to enable us to complete this significant project?

We currently have a dedicated team of indexers but to complete this project on time a much larger group will be required. So if you think you would like to help your society and contribute to the Q150 Celebrations please contact the Publications Committee at: indexing@qfhs.org.au

5. Planned Reunion - Sacred Heart Convent, Yarraman

For more than twenty post-war years the Sacred Heart Convent in Yarraman was home to as many as 36 boys at a time. They boarded at the convent and attended the catholic primary school next door. On 8 June 2008 many former student boarders and their caring Sisters of Mercy will hold a nostalgic re-union.

The Sacred Heart convent was completed in 1945. The war was almost over and education was in a shambles due to teachers being conscripted for the war effort, so the Mercy nuns, a teaching order of the Catholic Church took up residence in the convent and opened it as a boarding convent for boys. The first intake in June 1945 saw fifteen boys in residence. As many as 36 boys slept in the ground floor dormitory.

For the past ten years the convent has been the home of the Yarraman Historical Society. It is a museum and resource centre and is a magnet for former boarders and staff. They come 'home' to visit. Now known as Heritage House it will host the re-union on June 8.

Gaye Smith is one of the organisers of the re-union and would like to hear from former boarders. She can be contacted on (07) 4163 8137.

6. Change of E-mail Address for the West Counties Group

Robert Browning's new email address is: robertbb2@bigpond.com

7. Genealogy and the Law

A thought-provoking article from the Scottish Genealogy society which first appeared in The Scottish Genealogist, vol.XXXIII No.3, September 1986. It details legal implications of preparing a genealogy.

http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/online/genealogy_and_the_law.htm

8. Friends of Toowong Cemetery

The Friends of Toowong Cemetery (FOTC) is a voluntary organisation of people with a special interest in the Toowong Cemetery, located in Toowong, Brisbane, Australia.

The Toowong Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Queensland and is an important record of the history of Brisbane and Queensland. It was officially opened in July 1875 and over 126,000 people are buried there.

The FOTC hold meetings usually on the last Wednesday evening of the month and guided walks in the cemetery on the first Sunday of the month at 10:30am (except January). For more information check their 'activities page' on their website:
http://www.toowong.cemetery.org.au/

9. 6th Biennial Family and Local History Fair

The Biennial Family and Local History Fair will be held at Mt Gravatt Showgrounds in Brisbane on Sunday, 1 June - 9am - 4pm. QFHS will have a stall, so come along and introduce yourself!

The theme for this year's fair, One Hundred and Fifty Years On - Celebrating Queensland, is of special significance as local and family history associations and Queensland State Archives join in the celebrations for Queensland's sesquicentenary next year.

The fair will feature family and local history societies, seminars for beginners and experienced researchers, genealogical publications, computer software, books, maps, entertainment and refreshments. Admission is $10 for adults, children are free. For more information visit: http://www.historyqueensland.org.au/Fairs.htm

10. Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour Photographs

The Australian War Memorial is encouraging Australians to look through their family wartime photographs to find images of the more than 102,000 men and women who died while on active service, and whose names are on bronze panels of the Roll of Honour.

The aim is to add a photographic image to every name on the roll. Currently there are 6,600 photographs linked to the online Roll of Honour. To check if your relatives have their photographs already linked to the roll of honour click here:
http://blog.awm.gov.au/awm/2008/04/14/roll-of-honour-photographs/

11. Cemeteries and Cemetery Symbols

Have you ever wondered about the meaning of cemetery symbols when searching for your ancestors?

The meaning of: angels, flowers, Freemasons, Jewish, military, monograms, youth organisations and many more can be found at: http://cemeteries.wordpress.com/

12. National Archives of Australia Brisbane 2008 Seminars

The National Archives of Australia - 16 Corporate Drive, Cannon Hill, Qld is hosting seminars from 9am - 10am on the following dates:
* May - Saturday 17th and Wednesday 21st - The Power of Water - Building the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme
* June - Wednesday 18th and Saturday 21st - The War We had to Have - Vietnam
For more information go to: http://www.naa.gov.au/ or make your booking via phone on: (07) 3249 4226.

13. AFFHO Congress 2009

The 12th Australasian Congress of Genealogy & Heraldry will be held in Auckland from Friday 16 through Tuesday 20 January 2009, at Kings College, Auckland, New Zealand. The theme is 'Preserving the Past for the future'.

More information is available at: http:// www.affhocongress2009.org/

14. NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies Inc. 2008 Conference

Dubbo & District Family History Society Inc. are proud to present the 2008 conference for the NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies Inc. The theme is "Conquering the tyranny of distance".

The Conference will be held on 12- 14 September, 2008 at the Dubbo RSL Club Resort.

For more information: Email - ddfhsconf2008@yahoo.com.au or
http://www.dubbofamilyhistory.org.au/ and follow the link 2008 Conference.

15. Carseldine Family Reunion

A Carseldine family reunion picnic celebrating the 150th anniversary of their settlement at Bald Hills will be held at the Kilcoy Showgrounds on Saturday 31 May 2008, from 9am to 3m. B.Y.O. food and drinks.

For further information contact Mrs Jan Carseldine on (07) 3351 6376.

16. Old Bailey Files Are Now Online

Transcripts of 210,000 trials from across four centuries are now available online. The web site contains the transcripts of every trial heard at the Old Bailey from 1674 to 1913, a total of more than 210,000 criminal trials.

The trials run to more than 110,000 pages of text and some 120 million words. In addition to the text of the trials, the website provides 195,000 digital images, as well as contemporary maps, images of the courtroom and information on the historical and legal background to the Old Bailey court.

You can access this free and remarkable web site at http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

17. Reliable Websites

The UK The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) has compiled a list of reliable websites to help with your research. Check them at: http://www.ffhs.org.uk/tips/websites.php

18. May Mirth!

* Genealogy is like playing hide and seek: They hide... I seek!
* Genealogy: Tracing yourself back to better people.
* I want to find ALL of them! So far I only have a few thousand.
* I think my ancestors had several "Bad heir" days.
* Many a family tree needs pruning.
* Shh! Be very, very quiet.... I'm hunting forebears.
* That's strange: half my ancestors are WOMEN!
* I'm not sick; I've just got fading genes.
* Genealogists live in the past lane.
* Cousins marrying cousins: Very tangled roots!
* Cousins marrying cousins: A non-branching family tree.
* Genealogy: Chasing your own tale!
* All the really important information is on that missing page.
* I researched my family tree... and apparently I don't exist!
* So many ancestors...........................so little time!

19. Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all those who have taken time out to send items of interest to our "Snippets" mailbox at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

The more we receive, the more frequently we can produce a Newsletter. If your submission does not appear in this issue, we will try to include it in a future edition. Please note that reference to any product does not imply endorsement. Members are cautioned to evaluate products prior to purchase.

Pauline Macfarlane

Disclaimer: This newsletter is produced in good faith, and information received is deemed to be accurate, but the editor takes no responsibility for incorrect information supplied. [Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of QFHS]

Permission to reprint articles from QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER is granted unless specifically stated otherwise, provided: (1) the reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the article: "Previously published in QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER" with the appropriate date and volume number (eg QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER January 2008 Vol 8 No. 1). The last six months issues of Snippets are available from: http://www.qfhs.org.au/snippets.htm

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