e-NEWSLETTER
September 2009
QFHS "Snippets" - September 2009 Volume 9, No. 9

QFHS Snippets - September 2009 Volume 9, No. 9

Spring is here and it’s time to venture out and attend one of our special interest groups’ meetings. The September meeting of The Central European Group, English West Country Group, Family History Writing Group and Welsh Interest Group are the final for them this year.

Queensland birth, marriage and death certificates are now being printed on paper with advanced security features.

If you’re lucky enough to have a prisoner or convict in your family tree, you might discover more about them from the Queensland State Archives.

Take a virtual tour of the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland - courtesy of the internet technology.

Volunteers are being called to index Swedish church records for uploading onto the internet.

Happy researching!

Remember to send your Snippets pieces to us at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

Table of Contents

  1. About This Newsletter
  2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
  3. QFHS Dates to Remember
  4. B150 Heritage Festival
  5. Queensland BDM Certificates
  6. Queensland State Archives - Prisoners and Convict Indices
  7. Tobin Family Reunion
  8. The Way We Were
  9. Convicts and the British colonies in Australia
  10. Archivist Seeks Help Identifying NZ WWII Flyers
  11. Virtual Victorians
  12. 1901 Census for England & Wales - 24 Counties Added
  13. Royal Historical Society Bibliography Web Site is Changing to Paid Subscriptions
  14. Public Records Office of Northern Island (PRONI)
  15. Ancestor Seekers Salt Lake City Research Trip
  16. My Family Health Portrait
  17. Volunteers to Bring Historic Sweden Church Records Online
  18. Time and Date
  19. September's Gag
  20. 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 via: 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, 16 September 2009.

Ron McIlwaine Chairman of Queensland Boer War Memorial Project Committee will speak on "Anglo Boer War - the Forgotten War".

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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: 7 September and 5 October.

Contact Maureen Mutton on 3265 4378 if you would like to attend.  Top of page
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Central European Group

Meetings are held 10am - Noon on the 4th Saturday of each odd-numbered month. A $2 donation goes toward purchasing relevant records.

The next meeting will be on 26 September 2009 in the QFHS library.

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

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Computer Training Workshops

Saturday, 5 September from 9 am to 12 Noon.

Check These Out! This session will introduce just some of the many genealogical sites on the Internet. The session will cover the use of search engines, Internet security, the range of resources available, and how the information available is collected.

Cost is $11 per person with a limit of 16 places. Registrations close one week prior to the session.

An optional introduction will commence at 8.30 am, to cover some of the basics of computer and Internet use.

Contact Sue Reid. via email at: computer_trng@qfhs.org.au   Top of page
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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.

Next workshop dates is:
For bookings - contact Desley Schafer - phone (07) 3204 4254 or email: educationofficer@qfhs.org.au
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English West Country 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 meeting: Thursday, 24 September 2009.

For further information contact Robert Browning on (07) 3359 9801 or email: robertbb2@bigpond.com
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Family History Writing Group

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

Next meeting: Saturday, 19 September 2009.

For further information contact FHWriters@qfhs.org.au or Robert Adamson on (07) 3266 8353 OR Sue Reid on (07) 3378 2278.   Top of page
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Family Tree Maker User Group

These meetings normally run from 10am - 11:30am venue at QFHS Library and are held on 1st Friday each month except January and last Saturday in each even-numbered month except December.

Next meeting: Friday, 2 October - merging individuals and files (Version 17/2007 and beyond)

For further details, please contact Kerri Kleidon or Joe Greaves or email: familytree@qfhs.org.au
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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 meeting: Saturday,10 October Saadia Thomson-Dwyer will talk on 'Finding the Irish: Locating Irish Records at Queensland State Archives'.

For more information about Irish Interest Group contact Mary King on (07) 3205 3353 or email irish@qfhs.org.au   Top of page
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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, 18 September from 10am and Saturday, 17 October from 9:30am.

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
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Scottish Interest Group

Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library. Donations to buy more Scottish resources are welcome.

Next meetings: Saturday, 12 September and 14 November.

For further information: Email scottish@qfhs.org.au OR phone Sam on (07) 3266 9131   Top of page
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Welsh Interest Group

This group meets on the fourth Sunday of the odd numbered months from 10am - 12 Noon at the QFHS Library.

Next meeting: Sunday, 27 September.

Contact Paul Wood on welsh@qfhs.org.au for further information.   Top of page

4. B150 Heritage Festival

You are invited to attend the B150 Heritage Festival on Saturday, 5 September from 10am - 2pm. The event will be held in the Toowong Cemetery Grounds near the main entrance at the corner of Frederick Street and Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong.

This is a celebration of Brisbane's 150th Birthday. For more information email: toowong@cemetery.org.au or Co-ordinator Sue Olsen: sueolsensueolsen@gmail.com

5. Queensland BDM Certificates

From July 2009 certificates issued by Queensland's Registry of Births, deaths and Marriages (BDM) will be printed on paper with advanced security features.

In addition to normal witnessing procedures, JPs are required to press the thermochromic pink map of Australia on the lower right hand side of the document to verify its authenticity. The ink should disappear when pressed and return to its original state once your finger is removed. This reaction indicates an original document.

Visit http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/ and read technical bulletin 08/09 to learn more about the security features of BDM's new certificate paper.   Top of page

6. Queensland State Archives - Prisoners and Convict Indices

The Queensland State Archives' team of volunteers has been working hard and two new indexes are now available on their website.

Indexes to the Chronological Register of Prisoners, 1824-1839 have been compiled from QSA Series ID 5653: The Chronological Register of Convicts at Moreton Bay 1824-1839 - one of the earliest records relating to what became the State of Queensland. Try your luck at: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/index/ChronogicalRegisterPrisoners.asp

Continuing on the prison theme, the St Helena Convict Indexes 1863 - 1923 have been created from Series ID 7299, Series ID 15403, Series ID 15398 and Item ID 92272. Look for that rogue ancestor here: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/index/sthelena.asp

7. Tobin Family Reunion

Descendants of Patrick and Alice Tobin are invited to a Family Reunion. Patrick and Alice, along with their children Mary, Bridget, Honora and Michael travelled from Tipperary to Moreton Bay in 1853. The family settled in Fortitude Valley and, by 1859 the year of Queensland's separation, had added three Australian-born children, Margaret, John and Alice to their family.

This Reunion of one of Queensland's Founding Families will be held on Sunday, 20 September 2009, at the Cyprian Pavilion, Marist Brothers College, Ashgrove. For further information contact Eleanor Platt on Telephone (07). 3266 3545 or email Eleanor.Platt@bigpond.com.au   Top of page

8. The Way We Were

This is a pictorial tribute to Queensland's diverse history drawn from the vast archives of The Courier Mail and The Sunday Mail. Launched to coincide with the celebration of Queensland's 150th birthday, it is a collection of more than 3,000 classic images.

The site is fully searchable and offers images of people, places and events. Take a look at: http://waywewere.couriermail.com.au/

9. Convicts and the British colonies in Australia

This fascinating web site is part of the Australian Government's Cultural Portal. It also includes links to bush songs, bushrangers, early explorers and much more! Have fun at: http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/convicts/   Top of page

10. Archivist Seeks Help Identifying NZ WWII Flyers

Australian archivist Jenny Scott is asking the public to help her identify Kiwi airmen depicted in over 100 photos found and retrieved from a military rubbish dump. The airmen all belonged to the RNZAF No.6 Flying Boat Squadron, formed in 1942.

Any help with the identification of the men will be welcomed. The photos can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/adelaide_archivist/sets/72157604150119757
If you recognise one or more of the young men in the photos, you can inform Jenny Scott at zk_jrs@yahoo.com.au

11. Virtual Victorians

Welcome to the home of the Virtual Victorians. Here you can take a look at a typical week in our lives and ask us questions. In the "Themes Gallery" you can see many of the things we use, and some things that we would like to be able to afford to use! You can even play with some of the children's favourite toys!

Have a look at: http://www.victorians.org.uk/   Top of page

12. 1901 Census for England & Wales - 24 Counties Added

A brand new transcription of the 1901 census with newly scanned high-quality images is now complete on findmypast.com. The final 24 counties and other UK territories have just been added comprising over 5.6 million new records - so you can now search the census in full at. This new transcription has already helped researchers to find many individuals whose names have been wrongly transcribed in earlier versions. Enjoy searching for your ancestors at: http://www.findmypast.com/CensusPersonStartSearchServlet?censusYear=1901

13. Royal Historical Society Bibliography Web Site is Changing to Paid Subscriptions

The Royal Historical Society Bibliography web site recently announced that it is converting from a free web site to a for-pay subscription site. The change will take place on January 1, 2010 so you have a lot of time left to use the free site. Have fun searching at: http://www.rhs.ac.uk/bibl/   Top of page

14. Public Records Office of Northern Island (PRONI)

Take a tour of the research rooms with Valerie Adams, Head of Strategic Development at PRONI, at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8152832.stm

15. Ancestor Seekers Salt Lake City Research Trip 

Registration has now commenced for the Fourteenth Ancestor Seekers Salt Lake City Research Trip, scheduled for 21 February - 26 February 2010. Attendance is by pre-registration only and is limited to 50 guests. Those who register early get a 10% discount on the full price, so don't delay too long if you are thinking about attending.

To find out more details, go to: http://www.ancestorseekers.com/slcrt/info/feb2010.php   Top of page

16. My Family Health Portrait

This website was designed by the US Surgeon General with the American market in mind, but can still be a useful tool for everybody. Use it to compile your family's health information. You can add as many or as few family members as you like, and choose from a wide range of diseases and conditions to include, or even add your own to the list.

Once you've entered some information, the program assembles a pedigree family tree, which details health issues relevant to each person. You can then print a diagram or chart report of your family history to give to your doctor and other health professionals.

Why not also give a copy to your family members and ask them to verify or update their own information whenever possible? Try it out at: http://www.familyhistory.hhs.gov/   Top of page

17. Volunteers to Bring Historic Sweden Church Records Online

A division of the National Archives of Sweden has announced the launch of the largest online indexing initiative undertaken to date. The plan is to engage Swedish volunteers throughout the world to help create a highly searchable, free online index to the historic parish registers of Sweden incorporating 200 years of recorded Swedish history as documented in the Sweden church records and comprising over 400 million names.

In 1608 the Archbishop of Sweden asked the clergy to begin making records of births, christenings, marriages, and burials of all the residents of Sweden. The church records span over two centuries and chronicle the vital life events of an estimated 418 million people who moved in and out of parishes in Sweden.

The goal is to engage the Swedish community in creating a highly searchable, free online index to the Sweden church records. When complete, the index will be the single largest point of access to information contained in the historic parish registers of Sweden. The free index will link to images of the original records hosted by the National Archives of Sweden (SVAR). In addition to the free public index that will be made available, SVAR might charge a nominal fee for public patrons who want to view or print the images.

Volunteers need only Internet access and the ability to read Swedish to contribute to this historic effort. Each document is transcribed by two different indexers, wherever they are in the world. Any discrepancies in their two extractions are then forwarded to a third volunteer-an arbitrator-who makes any needed corrections between the two interpretations.

The project will start with records from Örebro, Uppsala, and Södermanland counties. Indexing will begin with the earliest year available for each parish and continue through 1860. A typical downloaded "batch" (group of records) will take a volunteer about 30 to 40 minutes to complete. The indexing utility has built-in tutorials and helps. Anyone interested in volunteering for the Sweden Church Records project can do so at http://indexing.familysearch.org./   Top of page

18. Time and Date

Would you like to know the actual day that an event occurred in your family's past. Well now you can - simply enter the year and country, and this website will generate a calendar for you - complete with phases of the moon. Try it out at: http://www.timeanddate.com/

19. September's Gag

"Why waste your money looking up your family tree?
Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you!"
- Mark Twain
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20. 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 2009 Vol 9 No. 1). The last six months issues of Snippets are available from: http://www.qfhs.org.au/snippets.htm


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