QFHS Snippets - January 2013 Volume 13, No. 1

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Dear [member]
Happy New Year!

Our library at Gaythorne will re-open on Monday, 14 January.

Make your booking to play the Trout game and learn about genealogy resources.

Gain tips on using Trove more effectively.

Read about the most unusual baby names for 2012.

Your contributions and feedback can be sent to us at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

Happy researching!

Table of Contents

  1. About This Newsletter
  2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
  3. QFHS Dates to Remember
  4. QFHS Trout Game
  5. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings
  6. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives
  7. Queensland State Archives - Government Open Data Scheme
  8. Indexes Made Available Under the Queensland Government's Open Data Initiative
  9. Dalby Monumental Cemetery
  10. 150th Anniversary of the Sinking of HMS Orpheus
  11. Australian War Memorial - First World War Centenary
  12. Australian War Memorial - The Lost Diggers of Vignacourt
  13. A Trove Problem Solved
  14. British Army Service Records from 1760 to 1902
  15. The Word on the Street - 1,800 Broadsides Published Online
  16. Skeleton Expected to be Confirmed as Richard III
  17. Scotland Urged to Refocus on Genealogy Tourism
  18. RootsIreland Adds 14 County Armagh Census Substitutes
  19. British Columbia Releases Birth, Death, and Marriage Documents Online
  20. United States Online Searchable Death Indexes & Records
  21. Tracing the Trails of Your Ancestors Using Deed Records
  22. Arkansas Death Certificates May Now Be Ordered Online
  23. Free, Searchable 1884-1894 Michigan Census Data
  24. Priceless Documents from Texas' Early Days Survive a Hurricane and a Fire
  25. Surname Extinction
  26. The Hunt for Genghis Khan's Tomb
  27. Genealogy Tattoos
  28. WikiTree Announces "Cousin Bait" Toolkits
  29. Details of Ancestry.com Shareholder Complaints With Sale to Permira
  30. Duchess of Cambridge's Genealogy
  31. The Most Unusual Baby Names of 2012
  32. 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 the third Wednesday of each month. Attendance at the meetings, held at the QFHS Library, is free, and visitors are most welcome.
2013 Meeting Dates
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 20 February 2013. Our guest speaker will be: Peter Dunn who will present "Women at War in Brisbane (World War II)".
________________________________________

QFHS Daytime Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (but not in January or when the first Monday of the month is a public holiday. Then it is held on the second Monday of that month) at 20 Marmont Street, Geebung from 10am - 12 Noon.

The next meeting will be held on 4 February, 2013.

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

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 January 2013 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
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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 January 2013.

For further information contact Robert Browning on (07) 3261 1084 or email: robertbb2@bigpond.com
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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, 19 January 2013.

For further information contact FHWriters@qfhs.org.au or Robert Adamson on (07) 3357 8138 or Sue Reid on (07) 3378 2278.
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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: 9 February 2013.

For more information about Irish Interest Group contact Mary King on (07) 3205 3353 or email irish@qfhs.org.au
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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, 9 March 2013.

For further information: Email scottish@qfhs.org.au OR phone Sam on (07) 3266 9131
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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 is: Sunday, 27 January 2013.

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

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.

Saturday, 16 February, 2013 - starting at 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 email at: welcome@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Family Tree Maker User Group

These meetings run from 10am - 11:30am at QFHS Library and are held on first 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 (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 1:30pm.

Next meeting is 19 January.

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


4. 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, 19 May 2013 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.


5. 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://bit.ly/H4ubPc


6. 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://bit.ly/JzSy5n

To book taxi travel to QSA, phone (07) 3131 7777.


7. Queensland State Archives - Government Open Data Scheme

Statement by the Premier: http://bit.ly/QPVRuS

Read an analysis of the implications: http://bit.ly/OvA0sE

Individuals can use this data under the Creative Commons license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/


8. Indexes Made Available Under the Queensland Government's Open Data Initiative

Chronological register of convicts 1824-1839 http://bit.ly/Ux43kO
 
Criminal depositions 1861-1885 http://bit.ly/W99rrt
 
St Helena convict indexes 1863-1936 http://bit.ly/WdvOwa

For more information and other indexes see http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Indexes/


9. Dalby Monumental Cemetery

Dalby Family History Society invites anyone with connections to the cemetery to share their family stories and contribute to the district heritage with information to be published in a proposed book of the people interred there.

Contributions need to be received prior to 31 March 2013. Email to: dalbyfamilyhistory@hotmail.com 


10. 150th Anniversary of the Sinking of HMS Orpheus

On 7 February 1863, the HMS Orpheus sank off the west coast of Auckland, New Zealand. Of the 259 people on board, 189 perished making it the worst maritime disaster in New Zealand waters. There are plans to mark the 150th anniversary of the tragedy on 7 February 2013. The West Auckland Historical Society would like to hear from any descendants of any of the survivors. Though many settled in the area, many also moved on to different parts of the world.

You can view a list of the survivors at: http://www.ffhs.org.uk/ezine/articles/orpheus.php and if you are a descendant of those who survived, please email: brutrix@xtra.co.nz


11. Australian War Memorial - First World War Centenary

As the centenary of the outbreak of war in August 1914 approaches, plans are under way for the refurbishment of the Memorial's First World War galleries, which have remained largely unchanged since the 1970s. Initial work includes the conservation of the dioramas in the Western Front gallery.

While you may notice bigger changes in the future, we will try to keep disruptions in the gallery spaces to a minimum.

For regular updates on this exciting Memorial project, go to: http://www.awm.gov.au/1914-1918


12. Australian War Memorial - The Lost Diggers of Vignacourt

This exhibition features 74 photographs specially hand-printed in the Memorial's darkrooms from the original glass-plate negatives, as well as diaries, letters, uniforms and works of art from the Memorial's collection, to tell the stories of Australian soldiers on the Western Front.

On display at the Memorial until 31 July 2013.

You can view all 800 images that make up this collection on the War Memorial's website at: http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/remember-me/


13. A Trove Problem Solved

I have been researching my Maternal Ancestors who have the Surname of "CAUGHT".  When you put into Trove that as your search item, you get enormous hits of people being "caught" doing this or that, but very little of my ancestors.  I tried various different settings without success, so ended up sending an email to Trove asking for help.  This is what I got in reply.

"Thank you for contacting us about some tips on searching for the name 'Caught' in Trove newspapers.

We appreciate that it is quite difficult to search for names that are also common words in Trove newspapers, however it is not technically feasible to provide a case sensitive search option in Trove as this would have a negative impact on performance.

There are other alternatives that you can use for searching for names that also include common words. The first is to use a 'phrase' search, searching for the full name (either all names, or given name and surname) in quotation marks, which will limit your search to the specific search terms you have entered, in the order that you enter them. The second option is to use the 'near' search capability of Trove, along with an honorific (e.g. Mr, Mrs etc.) to search for where the search terms appear within a given number of words of each other. For example, as search for "Mr Caught"~1 will only return results where MR and CAUGHT appear with up to 1 word in between them, although this will return the words in any order, for example: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?q=%22mr+caught%22~1...etc . This will not completely remove all the irrelevant results, however it will improve the results you see. You can use more words in your search, or specify a greater number of words between the words (replace the number after the '~' symbol with the number you wish to use, although 1 or 2 will give the best results), for example "Mr John Caught"~2 ( http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?l-title=16&q=%22mr+...etc ). "

Amazingly, it worked pretty well, and so can possibly be used by other people with a similar problem. QFHS Member Alan Wheeley.


14. British Army Service Records from 1760 to 1902

Findmypast.com, has recently added 20,000 British soldiers' records from the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from 1771 to 1822, along with several thousand other significant military documents, to its collection of historical records.

The records show details of soldiers, including their height, weight, colour of hair and eyes and any distinguishing features such as a tattoo or scar, as well as where they served and their regiment.

These records are invaluable for anyone researching Irish or British ancestry and looking for vivid details about their ancestors.

Available via subscription or for free from our QFHS library at: http://www.findmypast.com/


15. The Word on the Street - 1,800 Broadsides Published Online

In the centuries before there were newspapers and 24-hour news channels, the general public had to rely on street literature to find out what was going on. The most popular form of this for nearly 300 years was 'broadsides' - the tabloids of their day. Sometimes pinned up on walls in houses and ale-houses, these single sheets carried public notices, news, speeches and songs that could be read (or sung) aloud.

The National Library of Scotland's online collection of nearly 1,800 broadsides lets you see for yourself what 'the word on the street' was in Scotland between 1650 and 1910. Crime, politics, romance, emigration, humour, tragedy, royalty and superstitions - all these and more are here.

Each broadside comes with a detailed commentary and most also have a full transcription of the text, plus a downloadable PDF facsimile. You can search by keyword, browse by title or browse by subject.

The Word on the Street may be found at: http://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/


16. Skeleton Expected to be Confirmed as Richard III

King Richard III. The king, the last Plantagenet, ruled England from 1483 until he was defeated and killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. It is believed his body was brought to Leicester - but the exact whereabouts of the church have become lost over time. Using old records, archaeologists identified the location as being underneath a present-day car park.

The remains have now been positively identified as those of Richard III. However, authorities apparently are withholding the news until a television documentary is broadcast in January.

You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/Uk9cKX


17. Scotland Urged to Refocus on Genealogy Tourism

A new study estimates people searching for their roots will be worth £2.4 billion to Scotland over the next five years. The potential of so-called ancestral tourism has been outlined in a report by consultants TNS, which estimates a potential market of 50 million people of Scottish ancestry.

You can read more at: http://bit.ly/UT8Zgz


18. RootsIreland Adds 14 County Armagh Census Substitutes

The Irish Family History Foundation's Online Research Service (ORS) are pleased to announce the availability of 41,090 new Census Substitute records from Armagh Ancestry for Co. Armagh.

Quite often the only realistic strategy in tracing ancestors beyond church registers is to examine surviving census returns and census substitutes, often compiled by civil parish, for any references to a surname or given name of interest.

This database contains an index to people recorded in fourteen such sources, dating from 1611 to 1855. These sources usually only name heads of household; each source returns the name of head of household, year, civil parish address, and, in most cases, townland (or street/town) address.

Available via subscription at: http://armagh.rootsireland.ie/

For full details of the records, see: http://bit.ly/Z0KDIR


19. British Columbia Releases Birth, Death, and Marriage Documents Online

Full digital images of the original records of births, deaths and marriages in British Columbia are now available for free of charge through the Royal B.C. Museum and B.C. Archives websites. The new release offers full images of the original document.

About 700,000 images have been scanned, including births from 1854 to 1903, deaths from 1872 to 1991, and marriages from 1872 to 1936. Phase 2, scheduled to soon be completed, will add more images and information, including pre-1872 records and deaths overseas during the Second World War.

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


20. United States Online Searchable Death Indexes & Records

This website is a directory of links to websites with online death indexes, listed by state and county for the United States. Included are death records, death certificate indexes, death notices and registers, obituaries, probate indexes, and cemetery & burial records. You can also find information here about searching the Social Security Death Index online.

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


21. Tracing the Trails of Your Ancestors Using Deed Records

Are you tracing ancestors who lived in the United States? This article provides tips on how using deed records can assist your search.

Go to: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=23386


22. Arkansas Death Certificates May Now Be Ordered Online

The Arkansas Department of Health has recently rolled out a new service that allows users to search and order state death certificates on the Web. Previously, the records were available only through in-person requests or paper-form submissions.

The new online database currently offers only records of deaths that occurred from 1935 to 1961 on the website, but the department said that workers will be adding records in the coming months. Users may search by last name, death date, county of death and state of birth.

The new database does not contain the actual certificates nor any images of any documents. It is only an index to the records plus an online ordering form.

The new death records from the Arkansas Department of Health are available at: https://www.ark.org/doh_dcs/


23. Free, Searchable 1884-1894 Michigan Census Data

The Archives of Michigan has announced that more than 62,000 Michigan state census records from 1884 and 1894 are now available to search and print for free at: http://seekingmichigan.org/discover/michigan-state-census-1884-1894


24. Priceless Documents from Texas' Early Days Survive a Hurricane and a Fire

After surviving a hurricane, a house fire and storage in a gym bag, a treasure trove of hundreds of historic letters and documents from the turbulent years of the Texas Republic has made it back into state hands.

The next-to-last stop on the tortuous trail of The Texas Legation Papers from 1835 to 1845 was a unique five-year custody arrangement with TCU under which professors and graduate students got a firsthand look at history that had effectively been lost for more than 160 years.

You can read more at: http://bit.ly/VyASL7


25. Surname Extinction

The Guild of One-Name Studies has identified that many traditional surnames - some of which date back to the Domesday Book - are becoming extinct. See: http://bit.ly/107OaTG

The Galton-Watson process models family names as patrilineal (passed from father to son). Offspring are randomly either male or female, and names become extinct if the family name line dies out.

Holders of the family name die without male descendants. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galton%E2%80%93Watson_process

This process estimates that most surnames die out after around 30 generations. This raises the question of "How long is a 'generation'? See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation

According to Ancestry.com, a calculation based upon "three generations per century (33 years each) for male lines and 3.5 generations per century (29 years each) for female lines" leads to much more accurate estimates. See http://ancstry.me/TTCHbd

Using these numbers there have been fewer than 70 generations in the Common Era. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era


26. The Hunt for Genghis Khan's Tomb

Genhis Khan, the 13th-century conqueror and imperial ruler, died 800 years ago. Historians, archaeologists, and grave robbers have searched for his tomb ever since he died. All have failed...until possibly now.

Legend has it that Khan's funeral escort killed anyone who crossed their path to conceal where the conqueror was buried. Those who constructed the funeral tomb were also killed - as were the soldiers who killed them.

Using drones and surface-penetrating radar, and enlisting the help of thousands of people to sift through satellite data and photographs, a team of scholars and archaeologists has searched the mountain range in a remote area in north-western Mongolia, systematically photographing 4,000 square miles of landscape looking for any hidden structures or odd-seeming formations. Now the team believes they have some solid clues.

You can read more in an article at: http://thebea.st/QUgFUq


27. Genealogy Tattoos

Are you proud of your ancestry? Some folks apparently are so proud they have had their family coats of arms tattooed on their bodies.

You can see some examples of that at: http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=genealogy+tattoos


28. WikiTree Announces "Cousin Bait" Toolkits

WikiTree.com has released a special set of tools for genealogists who want to lure distant cousins to help grow their family history and share photos and memories. WikiTree's new toolkits are for those who want to bait the hooks.

For more details, go to: http://bit.ly/VxreKS

WikiTree is available at: http://www.WikiTree.com/


29. Details of Ancestry.com Shareholder Complaints With Sale to Permira

Ancestry.com Inc. executives backed a $1.6 billion buyout by Permira Advisers LLP and dismissed higher bids for the world's largest family-history website to protect their jobs and get shares in the deal, Ancestry investors said in a court filing.
Timothy Sullivan, Ancestry's chief executive officer, and another executive supported Permira's bid after receiving promises they could keep their posts and roll $67 million in Ancestry shares into the newly private company, the Ancestry shareholders said in a sealed Delaware Chancery Court filing reviewed by Bloomberg News.

You can read more at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=23524


30. Duchess of Cambridge's Genealogy

New research has revealed that the Duchess of Cambridge is related to one of Britain's grandest families and can count a prime minister, earls and countesses among her kin. A previously unpublished side of the Duchess' family tree has uncovered her link to William Petty FitzMaurice, the 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, who served as prime minister from 1782 to 1783 and is best remembered by historians for negotiating the end of the American War of Independence.

You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/12tiBom


31. The Most Unusual Baby Names of 2012

This data comes from more than 500,000 parents of new babies who shared their names with The Baby Centre website, which releases the list annually. The Baby Centre claims that each of the names was given to at least two children this year "so it's not a fluke".

You can read the baby names at: http://bit.ly/VpLqAj


32. 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

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