QFHS Snippets - December 2011 Volume 11, No. 12

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Dear [member]

As 2011 draws to a close, we wish all our members a very Merry Christmas and safe holiday season.

This edition of Snippets contains enough articles to keep you entertained until next year!

Remember that the QFHS Library closes from 11 December for the holiday break.

We appreciate your contributions to Snippets – so send them to us at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

Until 2012 - Happy researching!


Table of Contents

  1. About This Newsletter
  2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
  3. Parking in Bellevue Avenue
  4. QFHS Dates to Remember
  5. Findmypast.com.uk. Discount for QFHS Members
  6. Huguenot Times
  7. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings
  8. Queensland State Archives Seminar
  9. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives
  10. 2011 Janet Reakes Memorial Award
  11. 4BC Family History 101
  12. Caloundra Family History Research Inc
  13. Queensland Cemeteries Online
  14. South-East Queensland Cemeteries Headstone Photo Collection
  15. Gympie Cemetery Database Available Online
  16. Townsville Orphanage
  17. New Records on Findmypast.com.au
  18. Heslehurst Family Reunion
  19. HMAS Kuttabul Commemoration Project
  20. Four New Local History Books
  21. National Archives' Hobart Office Has Moved
  22. The Ryerson Index - Update
  23. Christmas Morning Tea with National Archives State Director, Mr David Swift
  24. Find & Connect Australia
  25. New Zealand Cemeteries Online
  26. Don't Pay Too Much for a UK BMD Certificate
  27. Launch of the British Newspaper Archive
  28. 10 Million Cheshire Records Go Online at findmypast.co.uk
  29. 15,000 WWI Nursing Service Records from the UK Online
  30. Metropolitan Police
  31. Dorset's Manorial Documents Register Now Available Online
  32. Scottish Census 1841 & 1851 Online
  33. Irish Family History Foundation
  34. Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924 now on Findmypast.ie
  35. Finding out more about your Ulster ancestors
  36. Wales, West Glamorgan, Electoral Registers, 1839-1925
  37. 1940 U.S. Census Video Available Online
  38. The United States National Digital Newspaper Program
  39. SavingOurs.com: Dedicated to Digitising Small Town Newspapers
  40. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society's New Website
  41. New Laws for Birth Certificates in Illinois
  42. Library in Winchester, Virginia Puts Photographs Online
  43. German War Graves Online
  44. Holocaust Memorial Museum Records Collections from World Memory Project
  45. So You Want to Trace Your South African Ancestors?
  46. Finding Family Connections in Iceland
  47. Skewing - A Technique for Signature Identification
  48. Colorado's Century Chest
  49. The War Grave Photographic Project
  50. Oldest Coat of Arms Used in the Americas
  51. Torrero, Spain, Evicts Thousands of Ancestors' Remains
  52. Singer Sir Tom Jones is Granted His Own Coat of Arms
  53. Medical Marvel Creates a Genealogy Puzzle
  54. A Genealogist's Christmas Wish List
  55. 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.    Parking in Bellevue Avenue

Members are reminded to be considerate of local residents when parking in Bellevue Avenue, especially at busy times. Residents' and QFHS members' cars can make the avenue quite busy; Society members are asked to be mindful of our neighbours in relation to parking. Recently a Bellevue Avenue resident expressed concern regarding a car parked too close to her driveway. While the RACQ advises that a vehicle may park right up to where a driveway meets the road, they also advise that drivers can find it difficult to exit or enter their driveways if cars are parked too close. In this case, the home owner may have cause to complain to the City Council.


4.    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.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 15 February 2012.

________________________________________

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.

The next meeting will be held on 6 February 2012.

Contact Maureen Mutton on 3265 4378 if you would like to attend.
________________________________________

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 year's dates and topics are:
For bookings contact Desley Schafer - phone (07) 3204 4254 or email her at: educationofficer@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.

Dates for 2012 are yet to be confirmed.

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 email at: welcome@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

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 28 January 2012 at the QFHS library.

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

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, 26 January 2012.

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 on the third Saturday of odd-numbered months.

Next meeting: Saturday, 21 January 2012.

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 at QFHS Library and are held on 1st Friday each month except January and last Saturday in each even-numbered month except December.

The next meetings will be held on:
For further details, please contact Kerri Kleidon or Joe Greaves via e-mail on: familytree@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

The Master Genealogist (or TMG) User Group

This group caters to the needs of all users, from novice to advanced. The group meets in the QFHS Library on the third Saturday of each month (except December) at 1:30 pm.

Next meeting is 21 January 2012.

For further information, contact George Kearney on 0438 073 344 or Kevin Haley on (07) 3359 7491.
________________________________________

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: 11 February 2012.

For more information about Irish Interest Group contact Mary King on (07) 3205 3353 or email irish@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Scottish Interest Group

Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library on the second Saturday of odd-numbered months (except January). Donations to buy more Scottish resources are welcome.

Next meeting: Saturday, 10 March 2012.

For further information: Email scottish@qfhs.org.au OR phone Sam on (07) 3266 9131
________________________________________

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 is: Sunday, 22 January 2012.

Contact Kaye Hart on welsh@qfhs.org.au for further information.


5.  Findmypast.com.uk. Discount for QFHS Members

The QFHS now has a subscription to Findmypast.co.uk, and they have offered our members a discount of 15% towards membership. 

To take advantage of this discount, simply key in the word "FMPSAVE". Check it out at: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/home.jsp


6. Huguenot Times

The QFHS library has recently received the first issue of "Huguenot Times" which is published by the Huguenot Society of Australia. This issue contains a list of the resources they have collected related to aspects of Huguenot studies. This list may be useful for QFHS in deciding whether to buy any of the items included. The list covers Huguenots in many countries, including England and Australia. The items include books, journal articles, and CDs.

"Huguenot Times" is at present being displayed among the new journal issues in the Print Library. Its call number is A11 50 11.


7. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings

Queensland State Archives will be open to the public on the second Saturday of every calendar month from 9am to 4:30pm. The next three Saturday opening dates are:
Queensland State Archives are located at 435 Compton Road, Runcorn, Queensland. For more details, go to: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/hours.asp


8. Queensland State Archives Seminar


Do you want to start research at Queensland State Archives (QSA), but don't know where to begin? Then come along to the Getting Started seminar on Tuesday, 6 December from 2 pm to 4 pm. Presented by one of their experienced reference archivists, this seminar will provide you with the basics to get your research at QSA underway.

The seminar includes afternoon tea and a short tour. For more information and to book, call (07) 3131 7777. For more information, go to: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/events_2011.asp#December


9. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives

For those who find it difficult to get to the Queensland State Archives (QSA), there is a taxi service for researchers available every Tuesday.

Information can be obtained at:  http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/findus.asp#taxi To book taxi travel to QSA, phone (07) 3131 7777.


10. 2011 Janet Reakes Memorial Award

Entries for this award are free, and the closing date is Friday, 16 December 2011. This year's topic is: "My Most Unusual Ancestor".

For more details, go to: http://www.janetreakesgenealogy.com/MemorialAward/MemorialAward.htm


11. 4BC Family History 101

4BC has started a regular segment, Family History 101, in its Thursday evening program at 9:30pm. The program is hosted by Walter Williams, with Ann Swain from QFHS, and Marg Doherty of Genealogical Society of Queensland, as the expert guests. It loosely covers a research theme with a response to a listener who has called in the previous week with a brick-wall.

Tune in to 1116 am on your radio's dial for an enjoyable half hour.


12. Caloundra Family History Research Inc

The Caloundra Family History Research group held its final general meeting for 2011 on 17 November. The meeting opened with Betty Cristaudo reading her Lorrie Barzdo Writer's Award entry of "Denham's Medal" and then fellow member Ian Edwardson gave his talk on "After the War to End all Wars". Both these talks were a most interesting segment of the meeting.

There will be no General Meeting held in December and the research rooms will close at 12.30pm on Saturday, 3 December 2011 for the Christmas holidays. The rooms will re-open on Thursday, 12 January 2012 at 9:30am when researchers will be welcomed back to the Guide Hut in Arthur Street, Caloundra. The first general meeting for the New Year will be on Thursday, 19 January at 1:30pm.

Further details on all the group's activities can be obtained by telephoning June on (07) 5493 2679, Roz on (07) 5493 1197, or Valerie on (07) 5437 3879. The group can also be reached by email at: caloundrafamilyres@y7mail.com

For more information on the society, go to: http://www.cirruscomms.com.au/~cfhri/Index.htm


13. Queensland Cemeteries Online

Rockhampton Regional Council Cemeteries
The Rockhampton Regional Council have a number of burial indexes available as pdf. They cover Rockhampton Memorial Gardens, Bajool cemetery, Cawarral cemetery, Emu Park cemetery, Gracemere cemetery, Mount Morgan cemeteries, Josekeleigh Cemetery, Marlborough cemetery, Milman cemetery, North Rockhampton and South Rockhampton cemeteries, Warcon cemetery, Westwood cemetery, Yaamba cemetery and Yeppoon cemetery. Available at: http://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/Your_Community/CemeteriesCrematoriums

North Burnett Regional Council Cemeteries
This database covers the numerous cemeteries in the North Burnett Region. The cemeteries include: Byrnestown, Chowey, Coalstoun, Dallami, Degilbo, Eidsvold, Gayndah, Monto, Mount Perry, Mount Shanrock, Mulgildie, Mundubbera and Paradise. Please note that not all cemeteries are currently up-to-date. http://www.northburnett.qld.gov.au/?id=105

The South Burnett Regional Council
This searchable database covers the following cemeteries: Booie, Kumbia, Memerambi, Taabinga, Murgon, Blackbutt, Burnett, Nanango, Mondure, Proston, Tongoora and Wondai. You can search them at: http://www.southburnett.qld.gov.au/web/guest/cemeteries1


14. South-East Queensland Cemeteries Headstone Photo Collection

This collection of headstone and memorial photos is intended mostly to cover cemeteries for which there are no on-line lists of names.

The transcription of the memorial inscriptions is generally limited to the genealogical information. You can check out the headstone photo collection at: http://www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Photos/index.htm


15. Gympie Cemetery Database Available Online

The Gympie Cemetery Trust has released a searchable grave database for the Gympie Cemetery. Entries can include information such as date of death, date of funeral, date of birth as well as the grave plot number. The database also pinpoints the position of the grave on a map.

Many of Gympie's early pioneers can be found in this database including:

You will find the database at: http://www.gympiecemeterytrust.com.au/index.php/research/deceased-search


16. Townsville Orphanage

The admission register (QSA Item ID823075), and the index to admissions (QSA Item ID823062), for the Townsville Orphanage for the period c 1879 to c 1911 are now online.

The links to the digital images are available at the bottom of each page at: http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Search/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemId=823075 and http://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/Search/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemId=823062


17. New Records on Findmypast.com.au

Spotlight on Queensland Government Gazettes 1859 - 1919
 
Government Gazettes were weekly newspapers published by governments to communicate with officials and the general public. They are valuable source documents for family historians as they contain a vast amount of historical and genealogical information.
 
Examples of the types of information you will find are: government notices, public works notices, land sales, tenders notices, appointees to government positions, appointments of magistrates of Justices of the Peace, crown land leases, deceased estates, dissolution of business partnerships, bankruptcy and insolvency, notices or rewards for lost or stolen property and stock, unclaimed letters and property, witnesses to executions and so much more.

QFHS has facsimile CDs of the Queensland Governmentt Gazettes on the network covering 1859 - 1905 inclusive.
As a reminder, the February 2005 edition of Queensland Family Historian contains a comprehensive 4-page article by Mary Geiger & Rosemary Kopittke, about what's in Government Gazettes.

Parliamentary Papers for the Colony of Victoria - Volumes 1 and 2, 1852 - 1869

Findmypast has just published an index to 40,000 names in the Parliamentary Papers for the Colony of Victoria. The index enables you to search the previously unindexed Parliamentary Papers for people who are not normally mentioned in other sources, in other words, the ordinary people in your family.

Parliamentary Papers are very useful sources because they provide an overview of their subjects and contain valuable pointers for further research. They cover a remarkable range of subjects including reports of experts, delegations and committees investigating all types of matters of interest to the government. The Parliamentary Papers are also a wonderful source for the broader social history of the early days of the Colony of Victoria covering land, mining, occupations, etc.
 
Findmypast can be assessed free by QFHS members at the Library and Resource Centre.


18. Heslehurst Family Reunion

On Sunday, 22 January 2012 the Heslehurst family are holding a reunion at Carss Park, Sydney New South Wales. Captain James Heslehurst first arrived at Adelaide in June 1855 on the Grand Trianon spending some time on the goldfields with his crew mates. He eventually made it to Moreton Bay in January 1856 where he settled.

Descendants of James and any of his siblings who later migrated to Australia are invited to contact Lefayre Palmer (née Heslehurst) via email at: lefayrep@optusnet.com.au to register their interest.


19. HMAS Kuttabul Commemoration Project

Next year is the 70th Anniversary of the sinking of HMAS Kuttabul. In brief, three Japanese midget submarines attacked vessels in Sydney Harbour on 31 May 1942. As a result, the converted ferry HMAS Kuttabul was struck by a torpedo and 21 men were killed.

Findmypast is looking for the descendants of the men that perished on this vessel. On 31 May 2012, it is planned that a commemoration ceremony will take place to remember the 21 men who lost their lives on this day. We would like to connect the descendants with the organisers so that they can be involved in this special event.

Please email findmypast if you are a descendent of one of those men or have any information. Email:  ekelly@findmypast.com.au


20. Four New Local History Books

"Krambach - Chronicles of the Early Days"
This local history book, compiled of newspaper articles from 1856 through to 1938, covering Krambach, Dyer's Crossing, Tipperary, Bulby Brush and surrounding districts, is a tribute to the early pioneers of the area who battled adversity and succeeded in establishing strong and prosperous communities.

"Nabiac District - Chronicles of the Early Days"
This book is a compilation of articles written by journalists of the time from 1865 through to 1936, encompassing Nabiac, Failford, Bullock Wharf, Darawank, Krambach, Dyer's Crossing, and surrounding districts.

"Mitchell's Island (Manning River)- Chronicles of the Early Days"
The early pioneers of Mitchell's Island, in the Manning River, New South Wales, with great determination and perseverance, were committed to carve out a lifestyle on one of the most fertile areas of land on the lower Manning River - and they succeeded.

"Old Bar Manning River - Chronicles of the Early Days"
Originally, the Farquhar Inlet, later referred to as the Old Bar, was the entrance utilised by ships bringing settlers and supplies to the Manning River. The importance of the Old Bar to shipping was paramount to the development of the Manning Valley.

Details on the above books are available at the following web site: http://www.gownewspaperindexes.com.au/


21. National Archives' Hobart Office Has Moved

If you are visiting Hobart and planning to go the Archives, they have moved. The National Archives' Hobart now shares premises with the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office in the State Library building at 91 Murray Street. This is part of their wider co-location program, aiming to provide a one-stop-shop for researchers where they can obtain Commonwealth and State records in the one reading room.


22. The Ryerson Index - Update

The Ryerson Index is an index to death notices appearing in current Australian newspapers. It also includes some funeral notices, probate notices and obituaries.

The site address previously mentioned in Snippets takes users directly to the search page, and is not guaranteed to remain constant. It also bypasses the list of other useful resources associated with Ryerson, which can be found on the home page. The correct address is: http://ryersonindex.org/


23. Christmas Morning Tea with National Archives State Director, Mr David Swift

Everyone is invited to attend a Christmas morning tea with the State Director, Mr David Swift of the National Archives of Australia, Brisbane Office. Here is an opportunity to discuss and to hear what the National Archives of Australia is doing for the next 12 months. The National Archives of Australia has a large collection of over 30 million records of the Commonwealth Government which in part can be accessed on line or through a network of Reading Rooms in each capital city. National Archives of Australia is located at 16 Corporate Drive, Cannon Hill Queensland.

The morning tea starts at 10am for approximately an hour, on Saturday, 17th December and Wednesday, 21st December 2011. To secure your booking, call: (07) 3249 4226


24. Find & Connect Australia

This website is for forgotten Australians and former child migrants, and for everyone with an interest in the history of out-of-home 'care' in Australia. This website brings together historical resources relating to institutional 'care' at the national level in Australia. You will not find personal information or private records in Find & Connect Australia. However, this website can help you locate and get access to your own personal records which may be kept by government departments or past providers of 'care'. http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/


25. New Zealand Cemeteries Online

An extensive list of New Zealand cemeteries can be found on the Christchurch City Libraries website at: http://bit.ly/th9Zvp


26. Don't Pay Too Much for a UK BMD Certificate

When using commercial websites to find an index entry for a birth, marriage or death registration it can be tempting to click on a conveniently placed link to order a certificate.  However, it can be much more costly to take this route rather than going to the official website at: http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/


27. Launch of the British Newspaper Archive

This website has recently been launched. Enjoy searching at: http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/


28. 10 Million Cheshire Records Go Online at findmypast.co.uk

Over 10 million Cheshire records covering 1538 to 1910 have been placed online. Fascinating workhouse records, parish registers, bishop's transcripts and electoral registers are included in this collection.
The Cheshire Collection covers not just the Church of England but also Roman Catholic and Non-Conformist registers. Furthermore, they extend well beyond the core records of baptism, marriage and burial to a variety of other records giving biographical details for the residents of the county.

Now available to QFHS members at the library or at: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/


29. 15,000 WWI Nursing Service Records from the UK Online

The National Archives has recently published online more than 15,000 First World War nursing service records, providing a glimpse into the life stories of the women who dedicated their lives to their profession. The records date from 1902 to 1922 and hold an unusually high level of detail, rarely seen in service records. Files chart the nurse's full service history, including:
For more information and to start searching, go to: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/635.htm


30. Metropolitan Police

This website is a blog containing interesting stories about real members of the Metropolitan Police.

Enjoy reading at: http://metropolitanpoliceresearch.blogspot.com/


31. Dorset's Manorial Documents Register Now Available Online

The U.K. National Archives' web site has announced that the Dorset section of the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) has been made available online. The Manorial Documents Register records information on Dorset's manorial records from over 400 manors, held at over 50 different locations, some in publicly-accessible institutions and others still in private ownership. The Dorset project benefits researchers worldwide, enabling them to search for manorial records by manor, parish, type of record or by date, and to identify relevant records online for the first time for this county.

Enjoy searching at: http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/mdr/


32. Scottish Census 1841 & 1851 Online

You can now search the 1841 and 1851 censuses for Scotland on findmypast.co.uk. This is a subscription service which is available free to QFHS members at the library at Gaythorne.
 
You can read more at: http://bit.ly/odDLlI

Search here: http://bit.ly/omxoM8


33. Irish Family History Foundation

The Irish Family History Foundation's Online Research Service (ORS) has released an additional 35,000 birth, marriage and death records from the Monaghan Family History Centre in County Monaghan.

For full details, go to: http://bit.ly/rLmRZT

This website contains nearly 19 million records, and access is available via subscription.


34. Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924 now on Findmypast.ie

Findmypast.ie has recently released "Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924". The original Prison Registers, held at the National Archives of Ireland, cover all types of custodial institutions, from bridewells, to county prisons, to sanatoriums for alcoholics. They contain over 3.5 million entries, spread over 130,000 pages, with most records giving comprehensive details of the prisoner, including: name, address, place of birth, occupation, religion, education, age, physical description, name and address of next of kin, crime committed, sentence, dates of committal and release/decease.

Available to QFHS members at the library.


35. Finding out more about your Ulster ancestors

If you are interested in finding out more about your Ulster ancestors or wish to explore the history of Ireland's Northern Province, this is the perfect opportunity in which to do so. Over six days you will be assisted to carry out research for yourself at Belfast's main archives and libraries as well as discover the history of Ulster first hand through excursions to some of the province's most historic sites.

The Summer School is run in partnership with the University of Ulster. Participants will be registered as students of the University for the duration of the school. This will allow access to the University's library, computer suite and also its extensive range of electronic resources.

Go to http://www.ancestryireland.com/summerschool/


36. Wales, West Glamorgan, Electoral Registers, 1839-1925

This collection contains electoral registers and Burgess Rolls for the Borough of Swansea in West Glamorgan. The records contain the names and addresses of those who registered to vote.

You can search through the electoral registers at: http://bit.ly/orlsvK


37. 1940 U.S. Census Video Available Online

The 1940 census will become available to the public on 2 April, 2012. The date was chosen to comply with the requirement to protect privacy for 72 years. If you would like to learn more about the contents of the census, a 10-minute vintage movie created by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census can now be viewed online. The movie was created in 1939 or 1940 and is typical of newsreels of that time.

The movie focuses on the role of the enumerators, but explains who was counted and also provides many details about the 1940 census.

You can watch the video on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/OwZk6rASC8k


38. The United States National Digital Newspaper Program

This joint venture between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress to digitise historic American newspapers covers editions from the years 1836 to 1921.

You can read an article about the program at: http://1.usa.gov/vuWS4E

The Chronicling America project covering thousands of old newspapers is available at: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/


39. SavingOurs.com: Dedicated to Digitising Small Town Newspapers

Saving Ours is a new grassroots group dedicated to preserving our archived records by ensuring they are digitised and made free to the public.  The group's main focus will be the hundreds of small town newspapers housed in local libraries. Small town newspapers contain invaluable genealogical and history data that will be lost unless preserved and indexed.  Currently, only a small percentage of these papers has been digitised and of these most are only available after purchasing a subscription.  Saving Ours intends to work with local volunteers, companies and governments to digitise these documents and ensure that they are available free to the public.

You can learn more at: http://savingours.com/Savingours/home.html


40. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society's New Website

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society has replaced its website with a brand new one that is easier to use and enriched with expanded content.  While access to the full digital resources of the website is available only to NYG&B members, non-members can access a reasonable amount of content.

You can find the site at: http://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/


41. New Laws for Birth Certificates in Illinois

For nearly 250,000 people adopted in Illinois, anyone over the age of 21 can now get a copy of their original birth certificate. Even if it was a closed adoption, the birth parents names will be included on birth certificates.

The Illinois Adoption Act has been amended to allow adopted or surrendered adults to obtain their Illinois birth certificate. The non-certified birth certificate typically includes the birth parents' names, ages and places of birth. 

You can read more about this at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=15264


42. Library in Winchester, Virginia Puts Photographs Online

This project's aim is to put thousands of photographs online. An anonymous donation received by the Joint Archives Committee is driving this project. The archive is operated jointly by the Handley Regional Library and the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society. The donor instructed the archives to use the gift to digitize material and host it online. The archives houses over 20,000 photos. These materials are and have been available on a computer in the Archives Reading Room.

Already, over 7,000 photographs can be accessed through the library's website. To access them, the researcher visits the site and, clicks on Our Services, then Family and Local History, scrolls down the page, and clicks on the link "photographs online." Additional photos are added each month. All photos are currently available on an in-house computer in Archives.

The Handley Regional Library is available at: http://www.handleyregional.org/


43. German War Graves Online

This online database covers German war graves from Egypt to Uzbekistan and includes:


It is a German language site but can be negotiated by the non-German speaker with a bit of effort. Search by Surname (Nachname) and date of birth (Geburtsdatum) except for World War I casualties for whom you will need to substitute date of death (Todesdatum). It is also possible to search for war casualties born in a particular part of Germany (Geburtsort).

You will need to negotiate a feedback form - in German - before the results are displayed. This is a useful database for anyone researching German ancestors.

Check it out at: http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/


44. Holocaust Memorial Museum Records Collections from World Memory Project

Information on Holocaust survivors and victims of Nazi persecution are available online through efforts of World Memory Project. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Ancestry.com have announced that material containing information on more than 30,000 victims of Nazi persecution is now available online at: http://www.ancestry.com/ and can be searched at no cost. The collections contain information on thousands of individuals including displaced Jewish orphans; Czech Jews deported to the Terezin concentration camp and camps in occupied Poland; and French victims of Nazi persecution.

You can read more about this project at: http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/26/us/holocaust-world-memory-project/


45. So You Want to Trace Your South African Ancestors?

This site was recommended by a QFHS member as an excellent site for those who do not know where to start with South African research. There is certainly a lot of information to get you started.

Check it out at: http://home.global.co.za/~mercon/index.htm


46. Finding Family Connections in Iceland

Icelanders have a problem few others experience elsewhere in the World. With an isolated population of only 300,000, Icelanders face the very real threat of accidental incest. A new website recently launched includes church records, national censuses, inhabitants' registers and other public documents, lists of descendants and ancestral records; including information dating back more than 1,200 years.

You can read more about the website at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=14970 and locate the database at: http://www.islendingabok.is/English.jsp


47. Skewing - A Technique for Signature Identification

How do you read a signature that is heavily slanted with the letters seemingly run together? Genealogists have that problem when trying to identify signatures but numismatists (coin and money collectors) also have the same problem when trying to identify signatures on banknotes and cheques The answer? Open a digital image of the signature in a photo editing program and then skew it (slant it) until the signature appears to be more vertical.

A great example can be found in The E-Sylum, an electronic publication of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, at: http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n43a06.html


48. Colorado's Century Chest

In 1901 the citizens of Colorado Springs placed essays, photographs, a wax recording cylinder, and more into a time capsule for 100 years. The large steel-riveted box stood sealed until opened during a ceremony January 1, 2001. The contents were dedicated to the descendants of those early city inhabitants. One brief letter exemplifies the hopes shared by many of the boxes contributors. You can read the letter at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=14953


49. The War Grave Photographic Project

The original aim of The War Graves Photographic Project was to photograph every war grave, individual memorial, Ministry of Defence grave, and family memorial of serving military personnel from WWI to the present day in England. However, due to its popularity it has now been extended to cover all nationalities and military conflicts and make these available within a searchable database.

Now working as a joint venture with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and assisting the Office of Australian War Graves, Canadian Veterans Affairs and the New Zealand Ministry of Heritage and Culture, this will enable people to view a photograph of a grave or memorial which for many is impossible to visit due to the location. Searching the database is free with photographs provided for a fee.

Check it out at:  http://www.twgpp.org/


50. Oldest Coat of Arms Used in the Americas

While most genealogists understand there's no such thing as a family coat of arms, many of us are not as aware of the traditions involving coats of arms for governments, various government agencies, and even corporations. That would be especially true for coats of arms issued 500 years ago and still in use today.

Puerto Rico's Coat of Arms was granted by the Spanish Crown in 1511, which makes it the oldest currently used in the Americas. This coat of arms was officially recognised by King Fernando of Spain and was officially granted to the government of Puerto Rico in November of 1511. The 500th anniversary is about to be celebrated.

You can read more about the coat of arms at: http://www.topuertorico.org/reference/escudo.shtml


51. Torrero, Spain, Evicts Thousands of Ancestors' Remains

A crowded Spanish cemetery has begun placing stickers on thousands of burial sites with lapsed leases as a warning to relatives that their ancestors face possible eviction. The city of Zaragoza's Torrero graveyard has already removed remains from some 420 crypts, and reburied them in common ground. The cases involve graves whose leases had not been renewed for 15 years or more.

Torrero, like many Spanish cemeteries, no longer allows people to buy grave sites, instead leasing them out for periods of five or 49 years.7,000 of the graveyard's 114,000 burial sites have leases that have run out.

You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/tSW80v


52. Singer Sir Tom Jones is Granted His Own Coat of Arms

For a member of the aristocracy, it's not unusual to have a coat of arms. For the son of a coal miner who grew up in a terrace house in Pontypridd, Wales, it is, however, something to sing about. Sir Tom Jones, the veteran singer, has chosen a coat of arms featuring a Welsh dragon and a leek.

You can read about Sir Tom Jones' Coat of Arms at: http://tgr.ph/rZHnkv


53. Medical Marvel Creates a Genealogy Puzzle

How would you enter this into your genealogy database? A Dallas woman gave birth some time ago to a set of twins. That's not unusual but the details are anything but normal. It seems the two boys did not even resemble each other. The mother had the DNA of both boys tested and this is where things get strange. Lab results showed there is a zero percent chance that the two 11-month-old boys have the same father.

The mother was engaged to the father of one twin and she admits to having an affair with a second man who apparently fathered the second "twin." According to the paternity test, there's a 99.999 percent chance the two boys do not have the same father, and zero percent chance they do. The lab claims they have never seen this type of result, nor are they likely to see it again.

You can read more and even watch a video in an older article at: http://exm.nr/vw46YW

[Footnote: The phenomenon is called Superfecundation. In Bryce Courtenay's 2006 "Australian" Trilogy, twin brothers Tommo and Hawk Solomon have different fathers.]


54. A Genealogist's Christmas Wish List



55. 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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