QFHS Snippets - February 2012 Volume 12, No. 2

 Visit QFHS on Facebook   Follow QFHS on Twitter
Dear [member]

Join us at 7pm on Wednesday, 15 February for our next general meeting.

Did your ancestor serve in World War 1? You might locate his photograph on Flickr.

Are you stuck at a brick wall in your genealogical research? Book your spot in the Trout Game being held in May.

Have you checked out FamilySearch recently? More Australian records have been added to their database.

There’s something for everyone in this edition; remember to send your suggestions and feedback to us at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

Happy researching!

Table of Contents

About This Newsletter
  1. About This Newsletter
  2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
  3. QFHS Dates to Remember
  4. Findmypast.com.uk. Discount for QFHS Members
  5. QFHS Trout Game
  6. Toowong History Group
  7. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings
  8. Queensland State Archives Seminar
  9. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives
  10. 4BC Family History 101
  11. Inaugural Commemoration of the Capsize of S.S. Pearl
  12. Caloundra Family History Research Inc
  13. Gaythorne's Internment and Prisoner Of War Camps
  14. Rathdowney State School Centenary
  15. Ballarat Cemetery Online
  16. 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry
  17. Are You attending the 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry?
  18. Photographs of World War 1 Servicemen
  19. Handwritten Makes its Mark
  20. FamilySearch Australia, and Queensland Cemetery Records, 1802-1990
  21. Dead Pubs
  22. The War Graves - Photographic Project
  23. Over 14,000 York Church Records Go Online
  24. All Work and Low Pay: The Story of Women and Work
  25. The Florence Nightingale Museum
  26. Surgeons at Sea - Royal Navy Medical Officers' Journals
  27. Digging Up Your Roots' - BBC Scotland Radio Programme on Genealogy
  28. Records for 50 Scottish Burial Sites Being Added Online Now
  29. Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO)
  30. Placenames Database of Ireland
  31. Ireland's Military Archives go Online
  32. The Quebec Family History Society Launches New Website
  33. Historian Describes Victoria, British Columbia at the Turn of the Last Century
  34. National Archives Places Videos of Popular Records Workshops Online
  35. Delaware Photos Portray '20s and '30s
  36. Pennsylvania Sinkhole Threatens Graves at Historic Cemetery
  37. Digital Maps of the Fairmount Cemetery in Maine Now Available Online
  38. History Comes Alive at Topeka Cemetery
  39. Does the Calendar Need an Overhaul?
  40. Billion Graves
  41. Old Medical Terms
  42. Irish American Twins Born in Different Years
  43. Jewish Records From the Rock of Gibraltar Online
  44. Donald Trump Awarded Scottish Coat of Arms
  45. Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. Hunting for Great-Great Grandfather
  46. Police Trace Cold Case DNA of 1991 Killer Back to 17th Century Mayflower Family
  47. Climbing the Spiral Staircase: Learning Genealogy
  48. Dogpile - A Search Engine That Searches Other Search Engines
  49. The Top 100 Most Popular Genealogy Websites
  50. Following Genetic Footprints out of Africa: First Modern Humans Settled in Arabia
  51. Murphy Was a Genealogist
  52. 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.html#Library

3.    QFHS Dates to Remember

Revised information - please note.

QFHS Monthly General Meetings are held each month excepting January and December and will be held on the third Wednesday of:
Depending on attendance numbers at March and May Meetings the Management Committee will assess this again. If you have asked for daytime please try to make a point of attending.

Attendance at the meetings, held at the QFHS Library, is free, and visitors are most welcome.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 15 February 2012. Our guest speaker will be BCC Archivist Annabel Lloyd who will discuss 'Researching Your Family's Home and Suburb'.
________________________________________

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.
________________________________________

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 as follows:
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
________________________________________

Educational Workshops

Do you want to learn more about Family History? Do you want to keep your records in order? Well why not come and join me in my Educational Workshops, "Where to Begin" and "How to Keep Your Records in Order" this year. The Workshops are designed to help you achieve the results you are after in your research and your record keeping. Looking forward to seeing you this year. Cost is $5.50 per person which goes towards purchasing more research materials for the Library. Time - 10am to 12 noon at QFHS Library.

This year's dates and topics are:
For bookings contact Desley Schafer - phone (07) 3204 4254 or email her at: educationofficer@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 24 March 2012 at the QFHS library with guest speaker Reverend Stephen Nuske.

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, 22 March 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, 17 March 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 18 February 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, 25 March 2012.

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

4. 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

5. QFHS Trout Game

Allow yourself the privilege of having a fun day in family history and play the Trout Game! The game simulates researching an English family (the Trout family) using eleven types of records. The aim is to see if you can get back to the 1500s. Use the game to see how good a researcher you are using basic research techniques not involving computers at all and find out why you may have brick-walls in your research.

The Trout Game will be played on Sunday, 20 May 2012 from 10am to 4pm at QFHS Library. Cost is $5.00 which includes morning and afternoon tea (BYO lunch). To make your booking, contact Game Master Ann Swain via email at: a.swain@bigpond.com or telephone (07) 3352 5537. Numbers are limited and early bookings are essential.

6. Toowong History Group

Following the sad death of Sue Wickenden who will be sorely missed by all of us; it has been decided that as a tribute to her memory, Toowong History must continue. Our first speaker for the year will be Janet Spillman, who will give a talk on "Fire on the Mountain: A fire history of Mt. Coot-tha" on Thursday, 2 February at 7pm at the Toowong State School Library.
 
In March, Therese Murtagh will speak on the history of Kangaroo Point, and our April guest speaker Brian Becconsall will tell us of some of the interesting historical places in Brisbane from an Engineer's perspective.
 
Toowong History Group meets on the first Thursday of the month from 7pm to 9pm.  Tea and coffee are available following the meeting. Our meetings are held in the Toowong State School Historical Library with entry via Kate Street (off Sylvan Road). Due to the success of our first book Toowong: A Community's History no fees or membership are required - everyone is welcome. Phone (07) 3870 9538 if you would like a lift to the meeting.

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

Getting Started
This seminar, presented by one of our experienced reference archivists, will provide you with the basis you need to start your research at QSA. The seminar includes morning tea and a short tour. It will be held on Tuesday, 28 February from 10 am to - 12 Noon. Entry is free. Bookings are essential due to limited numbers - please call (07) 3131 7777 or email: info@archives.qld.gov.au

If you are unable to attend this seminar, you can view a PowerPoint presentation at: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/beginning_research.asp

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. 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.

11. Inaugural Commemoration of the Capsize of S.S. Pearl

You are invited to attend the Commemoration Service of the capsizing of the S.S. Pearl on the Brisbane River on 13 February, 1896. There was a loss of twenty-nine lives, with sixty people being saved.

The Commemoration Service will be held at the Queensland Maritime Museum at 3pm on Sunday, 12 February 2012. The area chosen is by the water's edge, with a view over the exact stretch of the Brisbane River where the original events occurred. It is hoped that as many descendants as possible will attend to share the stories of their families.

For further information email: pseto@bigpond.net.au

12. Caloundra Family History Research Inc

Caloundra Family History Research group Guest Speaker at the first general meeting for 2012, was our member, Paul Seto. Paul told us about his book "The Pearl Disaster". This is a factual account of the tragic loss of 29 lives in the flooded Brisbane River on 13 February 1896. The SS "Pearl", being used as a passenger ferry because Victoria Bridge was closed due to a damaged pylon, sank immediately after flipping over, the result of a collision with the anchor chain of the moored yacht "Lucinda". Besides the loss of life, 12 persons were never found and bodies were eventually recovered in Moreton Bay and as far north as Bribie Island. Still recognised as Brisbane's worst disaster, the accident was the impetus for the formation of the Royal Lifesaving Society of Queensland.

The next general meeting will be on 16 February and will feature the history of the pioneering Tytherleigh family, presented by Judith Irvine who is the granddaughter of John Tytherleigh, an enterprising young immigrant who arrived in Landsborough and set about building a business in the late 1800's. Within a couple of decades he had general stores in Landsborough, Maleny, Woombye and Caloundra and in 1912 became the first Chairman of the Landsborough Shire Council. Judith has the original diary of her grandmother, as well as many early photos to display at her presentation.

The March 15 General Meeting will feature Guest Speaker Rosemary Kopittke, who will enlighten members and visitors on the popular website, findmypast.co.uk.

The group's rooms and library at the Guide Hut are open for research at various days and times. Check here for details: http://www.cirruscomms.com.au/~cfhri/Library.htm

The Interest Group meeting dates for each month are:

Scotland - first Saturday of the month from 10am to Noon
Germany - first Thursday of the month from 1pm to 3pm
Ireland - third Thursday of the month from 11am to 1pm
England & Wales - fourth Thursday of the month from 1pm to 3pm

Further information on meetings, specialist groups and research details can be obtained from 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

13. Gaythorne's Internment and Prisoner Of War Camps

During WWI the Gaythorne internment camp was established next to the Enoggera army base. It housed nearly 140 internees, including the non-military officers and crew of civilian German ships docked in Brisbane after the outbreak of war.
 
During WWII the camp was re-established in early 1940 in the same location. After 1942 the camp was enlarged and had a capacity to accommodate 1800 including family groups with children and the elderly. They were primarily German, Austrian, Italian and Japanese.
 
The National Archives holds records about the camp during World War II at:  http://bit.ly/xmjD3Y
 
For additional information about Internment during World War II in Queensland see: http://bit.ly/wz0rJP

14. Rathdowney State School Centenary

On Saturday, 12 May 2012 the Rathdowney State School will be holding its Centenary celebrations. The day will be celebrated at the Rathdowney School grounds, Mt Lindesay Highway, Rathdowney. 

For information, email: mt.lindsay@harboursat.com.au or kylee.m@scenicrim.qld.gov.au

15. Ballarat Cemetery Online

Databases include Pre 1856, Cemetery Records and Book of Remembrance. There is also a Cemetery Trivia page. Go to http://ballaratcemeteries.com.au/cemetery_database.html

Visitors to the Old Cemetery can access an information centre containing displays and information with wall panels providing relevant information. Included is a touch screen computer database containing grave locations and details of every burial and cremation. People use this small gatehouse extensively to look up family history. People from all over the world sign the visitor's book, which attests to the international significance of the Old Cemetery.

16. 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry

The 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry will be held in Adelaide, South Australia from the 28 to 31 March 2012. The theme of the congress is 'Your Ancestors in their Social Context'.

You can find out everything you need to know about the Congress at: http://www.congress2012.org.au/

17. Are You attending the 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry?

Your society is planning to have a stall at this Congress, which runs from the 28 March to 31 March 2012 in Adelaide. We are interested in hearing from members who are attending and may be willing to volunteer to staff the stall for a few hours. If you can help, please email:  president@qfhs.org.au

18. Photographs of World War 1 Servicemen

The National Archives of Australia posted a selection of photographs of Servicemen from WWI. The collection was published to coincide with the presentation of images of World War I servicemen to the National Archives by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The photographs were initially stored in the Imperial War Museum, London.

The photographs entitled Bonds of Sacrifice can be found on the NAA Flickr Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/national-archives-of-australia/

19. Handwritten Makes its Mark

Crowds are flocking to the National Library Canberra to see the new blockbuster exhibition, Handwritten: Ten Centuries of Manuscript Treasures from Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, with more than 30,000 people already through the doors. The exhibition features 100 unique documents, written in the hands of such greats as Charles Darwin, Michelangelo, Beethoven, Mozart, Dante, Albert Einstein and many more.

If you are visiting Canberra you might like to visit. Handwritten tickets are free but bookings are essential. Go to: http://www.nla.gov.au/exhibitions/handwritten

20. FamilySearch Australia, and Queensland Cemetery Records, 1802-1990

This is an index which combines several indexes, cemetery transcriptions, burial and other records from cemeteries in Queensland. This collection also contains small portions of New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Tasmania, and Western Australia. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/wjXd7j

You can browse through the images at: http://bit.ly/sTXFFR

21. Dead Pubs

This historical street and Pub history directory is built around historical Pubs and churches. The site lists original content on Pub History, Census and Trade Directory entries from the Post Office, Kelly and Pigots Trade Directories, Petty Session Victuallers records etc. for the last two hundred years and up to 1944. 

Use the search feature to find by Pub or victualler name or pub address at: http://deadpubs.co.uk/

22. The War Graves - 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. However, due to its popularity we have now extended our remit 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 families, scholars and researchers to obtain, via the CWGC or TWGPP websites, a copy of the photograph of a grave or memorial which for many is impossible to visit due to the location.

Go to http://twgpp.org/index.php

23. Over 14,000 York Church Records Go Online

Church records from the Church Courts of the diocese of York can now be searched online.  The records range from the 14th century to 1858 and include over 13,000 individual cause papers and record cases concerning marriage, slander, Church proceedings and probate etc.  The original records are held at the Borthwick Institute and are amongst the most extensive in the United Kingdom.  It is a rich collection recording the lives of people from Yorkshire and further afield and will be a great resource for family and local historians.

Visit the records at:  http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/causepapers/index.jsp

24. All Work and Low Pay: The Story of Women and Work

If you are interested in researching the lives of your female ancestors, it is possible that they belonged to the Women's Institute. The Women's Library is a cultural centre housing the most extensive collection of women's history in the UK. The collections include books, pamphlets, periodicals, zines, artist books, audio-visuals, personal and organisational papers, objects, textiles and visual materials at: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/thewomenslibrary/aboutthecollections/

The NFWI is the largest voluntary organisation for women in the UK, the first meeting was held in 1915 and today, it has approximately 208,000 members. More information is available at:  http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/thewomenslibrary/

25. The Florence Nightingale Museum

The museum is home to the Register of Nurses in the East - a list of the 229 women who went in an official capacity to nurse at the British Military Hospital during the Crimean War, 1854-1856. The Register has been digitised and every page can be seen in the museum through an interactive book.

The museum collection includes material about the origins of the Nightingale Training School, which opened in 1860, as well as its early probationer nurses. If you have a relative who trained at the Nightingale Training School you should contact the London Metropolitan Archives who hold the records and archives from the Nightingale Training School and St Thomas' Hospital at: http://bit.ly/9dtE1Y

26. Surgeons at Sea - Royal Navy Medical Officers' Journals

The National Archives UK has recently published online the logbooks of the surgeons who ministered to the transported convicts on their voyages to New South Wales. These logbooks are free to use and make the most fascinating reading. 

The ADM 101 series consists of journals and diaries compiled by Royal Navy surgeons and assistant surgeons who served on HM ships, hospitals, naval brigades, shore parties and on emigrant and convict ships in the period 1793 to 1880. Medical officers serving in the Royal Navy were required to submit detailed records of the health, treatment and survival rates of their charges. This has provided us with journals which exhibit a completeness, consistency and coherence unlikely to exist elsewhere for this period. The records can be easily searched by the name of the medical officer, the patient, the ship or even by disease or ailment.

Go to http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/surgeonsatsea/

27. Digging Up Your Roots' - BBC Scotland Radio Programme on Genealogy

The sixth series of the Scottish family history programme, 'Digging Up Your Roots', has just started again on Radio BBC Scotland. Presented by Bill Whiteford, the show offers great tips and advice for people who are looking to trace their Scottish ancestors. The programme is broadcast each Sunday at 12.05pm local time.

If you live outside Scotland, you can still listen to the most recent show via http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007rv8d There are also many links to help with Scottish research.

28. Records for 50 Scottish Burial Sites Being Added Online Now

Tens of thousands of headstone and memorial transcriptions from over 50 burial grounds and cemeteries across Scotland will be added online over the next few weeks. Data for the first 15+ burial grounds - mostly in the Highlands region are now available. Records for Dundee, Edinburgh, Lanarkshire, the Lothians, Perth and other areas to be added shortly. The records date back to the 17th century with many from remote burial sites.

Users can search these records specifically by using advanced search, selecting collections. They can then either purchase access to a whole cemetery/churchyard collection or, for a reduced fee, just the subset of headstone images with inscriptions containing specific surnames.

The database is available at: http://www.deceasedonline.com/

29. Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO)

Of keen interest to the Irish family historian will be links to the Chief Secretary Office's Registered Papers (1818-1822) from the National Archives of Ireland; Irish Military Archives; lists of newspapers held at the National Library of Ireland; Street Directories; gravestone inscriptions; Religious Census returns, 1740 & 1766; Dissenters' Petition of 1775; Coroners Reports held at PRONI to 1920, and lots more.

Go to: http://www.cigo.ie/links.html

30. Placenames Database of Ireland

This is a very helpful site for those researching old Irish villages and towns. It is worth reading through the How to Search located under the search box to get full benefit from the site.

You'll find the database at: http://www.logainm.ie/

31. Ireland's Military Archives go Online

Ireland's Military Archives are available online for the first time. The Archives, which are held in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines in Dublin, can now be accessed via a new website - http://www.militaryarchives.ie/

The site has been launched in conjunction with the National Archives of Ireland, and is designed to appeal to historians, genealogists and members of the public researching their family tree.

32. The Quebec Family History Society Launches New Website

The Quebec Family History Society is proud to announce the launch of its new website. The website features several new sections, such as Gary's Genealogical Picks, research tips, surname interests, and a bulletin board.

Enjoy browsing at: http://www.qfhs.ca/

33. Historian Describes Victoria, British Columbia at the Turn of the Last Century

Patrick Dunae, a former archivist and now a director of the Hallmark Heritage Society and a member of the City's Heritage Advisory Committee, has been piecing together old maps, early directories listing residents' names, insurance underwriters' studies, property records and census data to create pictures of what Victoria looked like during the Edwardian era.

You can read more about Dunae's research in an article at: http://bit.ly/wZO6dr

34. National Archives Places Videos of Popular Records Workshops Online

The United States National Archives has launched online videos of its most popular genealogy "how to" workshops.  These videos cover "hot topics" in genealogical research such as census, immigration and military records.

These popular workshops are available on the National Archives YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/usnationalarchives

For more details about featured topics, go to: http://bit.ly/xuupvM

35. Delaware Photos Portray '20s and '30s

The Delaware Heritage Collection has added over 2000 images of Delaware in the 1920s and 1930s. These images were taken from the state's Board of Agriculture glass negative collection. These pictures are wonderfully random; including several murder scene pictures here and at least one image of a corpse. Please use caution when visiting this site and don't let your children use it without supervision.

For more details about the collection, go to: http://bit.ly/sbnUw2

The collection is available at: http://bit.ly/tkkgMw

36. Pennsylvania Sinkhole Threatens Graves at Historic Cemetery

A large sinkhole spread into a historic cemetery in Allentown, Pennsylvania, prompting officials to obtain a court order to allow exhumations of graves, if necessary. About 60 graves in Union and West End Cemetery were threatened and were roped off. Many of the burials were in the 1880s, with at least one as far back as 1858. The cemetery holds about 20,000 graves, including 714 Civil War veterans. A dozen nearby homes were vacated and 25 people evacuated because of the sinkhole.

You can read more at: http://www.wmtw.com/irresistible/30098632/detail.html

37. Digital Maps of the Fairmount Cemetery in Maine Now Available Online

This website attempts to link generations of the past with the future. The project is thought to be the first large-scale, comprehensive cemetery mapping with GPS and GIS technology in Maine. The goal was to create a cemetery GIS database for historic, cultural and social research that offers access to anyone on the Internet.

The project has now been completed and is available at: http://www.fairmountcemeterypresqueisle.com/map.html

38. History Comes Alive at Topeka Cemetery

Gareford Lee Jr. was 63 years old when he was killed by Topeka's 1966 tornado. Former slave Sylvia Harris was reported to be 115 at the time of her death in 1928, when an article in the Topeka State Journal described her as a "staunch believer in walking" who had ridden in a car only once. And the tombstone inscription for David Marshall says he was born in 1893 and died in 1909, adding matter-of-factly that he "came to his death by poison administered by Mary Troy."

You can read more about the 'residents' of Topeka Cemetery and the efforts to preserve its records at: http://bit.ly/wJqoIo

39. Does the Calendar Need an Overhaul?

The western world doesn't change the calendar very often. Julius Caesar straightened out the previous confusion of calendars in 46 BC. The Julian calendar continued unchanged for more than 1,600 years until Pope Gregory announced the Gregorian calendar in 1582 that handled some "extra days" that had crept in. The Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar almost immediately but others held out. A few countries did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until the early twentieth century.

Now researchers at Johns Hopkins University have proposed a new calendar and claim that it makes much more sense than the previous one. Under the Hanke-Henry Permanent Calendar, for instance, if Christmas fell on a Sunday in 2012 (and it would), it will also fall on a Sunday in 2013, 2014 and beyond. Your birthday would fall on the same day of the week every year as would all holidays.

You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/sI4Fg3

40. Billion Graves

The intention of this website is to "Help Make Family History Available to Everyone!" It requests for you to collect photos of the headstones in your local cemetery with their iPhone camera application, and then upload the mapped-out photos. You can also search for your ancestors' graves using easy search. You can access their headstone records, photos of headstones, and accurate locations of all the graves.

Check it out at: http://www.billiongraves.com/

41. Old Medical Terms

Many of the terms found on death certificates and in medical records whilst researching family history are terms that are no longer in use in the present day. To find out what your ancestors suffered from in modern terms, try these sites:

42. Irish American Twins Born in Different Years

Irish Americans Ronan and Rory Rosputni are twins with different birthdays in different years.

Ronan was born to mother Brighid Maura O'Brien Rosputni before midnight on 31st December 2011 in Buffalo while his brother Rory was born 33 minutes later at 12.10am on 1st January 2012.

You can read more about the twins at: http://bit.ly/smJEr6

43. Jewish Records From the Rock of Gibraltar Online

Jewish ancestral records from the Rock of Gibraltar are going online following an historic agreement between the Gibraltar Jewish Community and the JGSGB (Jewish Genealogy Society of Great Britain).

Gibraltar's Jewish community is unique, being made up of predominantly Sephardi Jews - those of Spanish, Portuguese, and North African ancestry. UK Jews are mainly Ashkenazi of Eastern European origin, making the Gibraltar records a particularly valuable additional resource.

Searching for basic data is open to all: more advanced searches may need registration with JewishGen, which is free of charge.

The first tranche of vital records are in the database already, covering 2,820 births from 1808 to 1894; 554 marriages from 1810 to 1883; and 3,095 deaths from 1829 to 1931. They will be joined by many more once they have been transcribed from the original registers and census documents.

The records are available at: http://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/gibraltar.htm

44. Donald Trump Awarded Scottish Coat of Arms

Donald Trump has won the right to use a coat of arms to advertise his Scottish golf resort. Trump is known for proudly speaking of Scottish roots, often referring to his Lewis-born mother.

You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/zuQR5K

45. Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. Hunting for Great-Great Grandfather

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a history professor, a DNA expert, and a genealogist. Now he is asking for assistance to identify his great-great-grandfather. Through genealogical records, the Gates family history can be traced back to Jane Gates, a slave who lived on Greene Street. Jane, who was born in 1819, had five children and took the name and identity of their father with her to the grave, according to Gates.

You can read more about Henry Louis Gates Jr's search at: http://bit.ly/ydWFGJ

46. Police Trace Cold Case DNA of 1991 Killer Back to 17th Century Mayflower Family

The 1991 murder of a teenage girl on her high-school campus may now finally be solved - thanks to the DNA of a 17th century family. Seattle police investigating the death of Washington 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough say they are one step closer to catching her killer. They have matched crime-scene DNA samples to the historic family of Robert Fuller, from Massachusetts, whose ancestors settled in Salem in 1630 after coming over on the Mayflower.

You can read more at: http://bit.ly/zSOsRQ

47. Climbing the Spiral Staircase: Learning Genealogy

This article is definitely worth a read - whether you are new to family history or not. Check it out at: http://www.archives.com/experts/henderson-harold/learning-genealogy.html

48. Dogpile - A Search Engine That Searches Other Search Engines

This very useful site searches Google, Yahoo and Bing at the same time and lists all results. Go play at: http://dogpile.com/

49. The Top 100 Most Popular Genealogy Websites

GenealogyInTime(tm) Magazine has compiled a global list of the Top 100 most popular genealogy websites. This latest Top 100 list is the end product of an extensive and exhaustive evaluation of thousands of genealogy websites. The list and the accompanying article provide a considerable amount of insight into the genealogy industry. It can also help you discover some interesting new genealogy websites. The Top 100 list can also be downloaded as a pdf file.

Read the Top 100 Most Popular Genealogy Websites at: http://bit.ly/wsvEfR

50. Following Genetic Footprints out of Africa: First Modern Humans Settled in Arabia

A new study, using genetic analysis to look for clues about human migration over sixty thousand years ago, suggests that the first modern humans settled in Arabia on their way from the Horn of Africa to the rest of the world.

Led by the University of Leeds and the University of Porto in Portugal, the study was recently published in American Journal of Human Genetics and provides an intriguing insight into the earliest stages of modern human migration, say the researchers. You can read more in an article at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123705.htm 

51. Murphy Was a Genealogist

52. 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.html

If you do not wish to continue to receive the QFHS email Newsletters, please click on "REPLY" at the top of your window and simply type "unsubscribe" in the subject line. You do not need to write a message.