We spend a great deal of time collecting information and writing our family stories but it is also important to preserve the material and items that we collect. There are a number of websites providing information about the safe storage of material. A small selection of sites are listed below.
The Library of Congress has just produced these guidelines for preserving paper items, including books, photographs and digital files - http://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/educational/BookPaperPhotoDigitalBookmarks.pdf
Australian War Memorial - Conservation of Documents - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/conservation/documents/
National Archives of Australia has a section - Preserving your records for the future -
http://www.naa.gov.au/records-management/agency/preserve/index.aspx
National Archives (USA) has a section - How to preserve family papers and documents -
https://www.archives.gov/preservation/family-archives/
National Library of Australia has a guide - Preserving Australia's documentary heritage
http://www.nla.gov.au/sites/default/files/starterkitcommunity.pdf
State Library of Victoria has Conservation guides -
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/help/conservation-guides
Department of Premier and Cabinet - Preserving war heritage and memorabilia -
http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/index.php/veterans/victorian-veterans-virtual-museum/preserving-veterans-heritage/preserving-war-heritage-and-memorabilia
Undertaking an online search will produce other resources and articles on this topic
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Sunday, 23 August 2015
Smith family
In 1909 Estelle Maud Smith (1881-1961) [daughter of Frederick Smith (1836-1915) and grand-daughter of John Smith (1800-1885)] married Bayer Spain (1880-1963).
After reading the blog post about James Campbell Thom (1863-1929) Kathleen, (also researching this branch of the Smith family) suggested that there could be a connection between the family of Bayer Spain and the family of one of the partners of the legal firm, Spain and Sly, where James Campbell Thom once worked.
Bayer Spain is an unusual name so it was easy to search Trove for articles about his career as a captain of small ships sailing along the NSW coast. I also found articles in Trove and online via Google about two of his brothers - Commander Staunton William Spain (1865-1946) and Alfred Spain (1868-1954). Alfred was an architect. Their father was Staunton Spain (1833-1888), a solicitor while their grandfather, William Spain (1803-1876) was an attorney. Searching Ancestry family trees was also helpful. Using Ancestry I also searched the Sands Directories Sydney and NSW for entries for the Spain family in the 1870s and found entries for Staunton Spain in partnership with George Sly in the firm Spain and Sly from 1874. A search in Trove located an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald 1 January 1874 stating that Staunton Spain had dissolved his partnership with the firm Roxburgh, Slade and Spain and was joining George Sly in the firm, Spain and Sly. Staunton Spain withdrew from the partnership in 1881.
James Campbell Thom therefore worked with Staunton Spain at the firm, Spain and Sly for a number of years. When Staunton Spain left the partnership with George Sly, James Campbell Thom continued to work for George Sly until 1887 when he left to form a legal partnership with his brother, John Stuart Thom.
Annie Smith (1864-1911) was the wife of James Campbell Thom. She was the daughter of Charles Septimus Smith (1833-1912) who was Frederick Smith's brother. It is therefore possible that Bayer Spain and Estelle Maud Smith may have met via this previous connection between Estelle's uncle and Bayer's father. However it is probably a co-incidence, especially as Staunton Spain died in 1888 when Bayer and Estelle were children. We will probably never know.
References:
Death of Dr G J Sly
An article written about a house built for George Sly but it also has a well referenced article about George Sly and his career.
Mr J C Thom - obituary
After reading the blog post about James Campbell Thom (1863-1929) Kathleen, (also researching this branch of the Smith family) suggested that there could be a connection between the family of Bayer Spain and the family of one of the partners of the legal firm, Spain and Sly, where James Campbell Thom once worked.
Bayer Spain is an unusual name so it was easy to search Trove for articles about his career as a captain of small ships sailing along the NSW coast. I also found articles in Trove and online via Google about two of his brothers - Commander Staunton William Spain (1865-1946) and Alfred Spain (1868-1954). Alfred was an architect. Their father was Staunton Spain (1833-1888), a solicitor while their grandfather, William Spain (1803-1876) was an attorney. Searching Ancestry family trees was also helpful. Using Ancestry I also searched the Sands Directories Sydney and NSW for entries for the Spain family in the 1870s and found entries for Staunton Spain in partnership with George Sly in the firm Spain and Sly from 1874. A search in Trove located an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald 1 January 1874 stating that Staunton Spain had dissolved his partnership with the firm Roxburgh, Slade and Spain and was joining George Sly in the firm, Spain and Sly. Staunton Spain withdrew from the partnership in 1881.
James Campbell Thom therefore worked with Staunton Spain at the firm, Spain and Sly for a number of years. When Staunton Spain left the partnership with George Sly, James Campbell Thom continued to work for George Sly until 1887 when he left to form a legal partnership with his brother, John Stuart Thom.
Annie Smith (1864-1911) was the wife of James Campbell Thom. She was the daughter of Charles Septimus Smith (1833-1912) who was Frederick Smith's brother. It is therefore possible that Bayer Spain and Estelle Maud Smith may have met via this previous connection between Estelle's uncle and Bayer's father. However it is probably a co-incidence, especially as Staunton Spain died in 1888 when Bayer and Estelle were children. We will probably never know.
References:
Death of Dr G J Sly
An article written about a house built for George Sly but it also has a well referenced article about George Sly and his career.
Mr J C Thom - obituary
Saturday, 22 August 2015
McCallum family
The McCallum family - John, Anne, Dugald, Catherine and Sarah (who was listed in the Single woman listing) - arrived in Brisbane on 19 January 1855. John's occupation in Glasgow was listed as a labourer.
The next we hear of the family is when the announcement of the wedding of Sarah, third daughter of John McCallum of Glasgow, to Charles Septimus Smith is made in the Darling Downs Gazette and General Advertiser on 23 June 1859.
How many children?
I hadn't noticed the third daughter reference previously as my main interest had been in the names and date of the wedding but in the last couple of weeks I have found additional references to other children in the family. On the shipping records Sarah, aged 15, is the eldest of the children who came to Australia. The 1851 Scotland census lists another daughter, Mary, who was two years older than Sarah so would have been 17 when the family left for Australia. Sarah, Dugald and Catherine were also mentioned in the 1851 census. I also found a record in the 1841 Scotland census which appears to be the same family although the surname has been spelt as McAllum. This record does not mention Mary but does mention another daughter, Hellen, as well as Sarah and Dugald. These census records were found in Ancestry so are index records only. I will add this to the list of items to check in Scotland's People one day. The older girls possibly remained in Scotland. Anyway something to investigate further.
Maitland
Looking at the places where Sarah and Charles' children were born they remained in Queensland until 1860. In 1861 they were in Free Church Street West Maitland when their second child was born. From 1867 they appear to be living in Wollongong. Articles in Trove show that John and his family are also in West Maitland in the 1860s. From 1863 the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser contains occasional advertisements for Randall's Estate containing the name of John McCallum. The advertisements are for tenders to repair properties - cottages or shops - and changes in the rent prices of houses in 1866. One advertisement in July1863 lists the address of John McCallum as Alma Cottage, West Maitland while one in September 1866 lists his address as Forest Lodge in East Maitland. There are also a series of articles in the same newspaper about a court case in February 1867 over a dispute about the collection of rents. Mr Bailey was questioning whether John McCallum was a collector of rents and this was confirmed in a letter from George Lee: "Mr McCallum has been for the last two years employed by me to collect my rents and debts, and still continues that service for me..." [2 February 1867].
When Catherine McCallum married Matthew Waddell on 2 August 1864 the ceremony took place at Alma Cottage West Maitland.
Singleton
John McCallum died in Singleton in 1878. His wife had died in 1867 at Patrick Plains (a former name for Singleton). Consequently it would appear that John and Anne probably moved to the Singleton area in 1867. They may have moved there as their son, Dugald lived in Singleton. On 6 July 1867, when Dugald married Mary Munro Waddell, Dugald's occupation was listed as storekeeper. Trove provides a number of references in the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser to Dugald McCallum in Singleton. In 1875 he was a witness in a court case against a person who had been forging cheques [17 September 1875]. In 1881 he applied for permission to build a verandah in front of his new stores in George Street, to plane the front step, to alter the guttering and asphalt the footpath [26 February 1881]. Two years later, however, the local paper was reporting Dugald's financial problems [22 February 1883] and [11 September 1883]. New South Wales State Records record in their Insolvency Index that Dugald McCallum was declared insolvent from 20 February 1883 until 7 November of that year when a solvency certificate was issued.
Sarah and Charles Septimus Smith also lived in Singleton for a time. When Lily was born in 1875 the family was living in Singleton however when Norman was born in 1878 the family had moved to Sydney.
Connections with the Waddell family
Sarah's sister, Catherine, and her brother, Dugald, both married children of William Wadell of Singleton. William Waddell was born in Scotland on 15 September 1803. In 1839 he brought his family to Australia as Bounty Immigrants. The Bounty Immigrant scheme opperated between 1828-1842 to encourage skilled British labourers and tradespeople to migrate to the Colony of New South Wales. A bounty was paid to recruiting agencies to find suitable people and to the masters of ships to ensure safe passage. William and his family travelled aboard the Royal Admiral arriving on 26 September 1839.
William was a gardener and was 35 when he came to Australia. His wife, Elizabeth (Munro) was 28. They had four children when they left Scotland - Matthew 7, Munro 5, William 3 and Catherine 9 months. The Singleton Argus 16 October 1895 contains a detailed obituary for William Waddell who died on 11 October 1895 aged 90. The family first settled at Glendon near Maitland where William worked for Mr Scott. They then moved to Singleton where he rented places of his own and established an orchard, vineyard and market garden. The property became known as the Greenwood Estate which was later subdivided and William then purchased a section - Townhead - on which he established an orchard. William and Elizabeth had four more children, including a daughter, Mary, when they arrived in Australia.
Catherine McCallum married Matthew Waddell in 1864. Dugald McCallum married Mary Munro Waddell at Townhead, Singleton in July 1869. Catherine, daughter of Sarah and Charles Septimus Smith, has Waddell as her second name. Kathleen, a researcher of the Smith family has noted that her great grandparents - George Newton and Elizabeth Smith (sister of Charles Septimus Smith) - lived in Singleton for many years and George was listed as one of the chief mourners at the funeral of Matthew Waddell in 1904. [Obituary in Maitland Daily Mercury 30 September 1904].
The next we hear of the family is when the announcement of the wedding of Sarah, third daughter of John McCallum of Glasgow, to Charles Septimus Smith is made in the Darling Downs Gazette and General Advertiser on 23 June 1859.
How many children?
I hadn't noticed the third daughter reference previously as my main interest had been in the names and date of the wedding but in the last couple of weeks I have found additional references to other children in the family. On the shipping records Sarah, aged 15, is the eldest of the children who came to Australia. The 1851 Scotland census lists another daughter, Mary, who was two years older than Sarah so would have been 17 when the family left for Australia. Sarah, Dugald and Catherine were also mentioned in the 1851 census. I also found a record in the 1841 Scotland census which appears to be the same family although the surname has been spelt as McAllum. This record does not mention Mary but does mention another daughter, Hellen, as well as Sarah and Dugald. These census records were found in Ancestry so are index records only. I will add this to the list of items to check in Scotland's People one day. The older girls possibly remained in Scotland. Anyway something to investigate further.
Maitland
Looking at the places where Sarah and Charles' children were born they remained in Queensland until 1860. In 1861 they were in Free Church Street West Maitland when their second child was born. From 1867 they appear to be living in Wollongong. Articles in Trove show that John and his family are also in West Maitland in the 1860s. From 1863 the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser contains occasional advertisements for Randall's Estate containing the name of John McCallum. The advertisements are for tenders to repair properties - cottages or shops - and changes in the rent prices of houses in 1866. One advertisement in July1863 lists the address of John McCallum as Alma Cottage, West Maitland while one in September 1866 lists his address as Forest Lodge in East Maitland. There are also a series of articles in the same newspaper about a court case in February 1867 over a dispute about the collection of rents. Mr Bailey was questioning whether John McCallum was a collector of rents and this was confirmed in a letter from George Lee: "Mr McCallum has been for the last two years employed by me to collect my rents and debts, and still continues that service for me..." [2 February 1867].
When Catherine McCallum married Matthew Waddell on 2 August 1864 the ceremony took place at Alma Cottage West Maitland.
Singleton
John McCallum died in Singleton in 1878. His wife had died in 1867 at Patrick Plains (a former name for Singleton). Consequently it would appear that John and Anne probably moved to the Singleton area in 1867. They may have moved there as their son, Dugald lived in Singleton. On 6 July 1867, when Dugald married Mary Munro Waddell, Dugald's occupation was listed as storekeeper. Trove provides a number of references in the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser to Dugald McCallum in Singleton. In 1875 he was a witness in a court case against a person who had been forging cheques [17 September 1875]. In 1881 he applied for permission to build a verandah in front of his new stores in George Street, to plane the front step, to alter the guttering and asphalt the footpath [26 February 1881]. Two years later, however, the local paper was reporting Dugald's financial problems [22 February 1883] and [11 September 1883]. New South Wales State Records record in their Insolvency Index that Dugald McCallum was declared insolvent from 20 February 1883 until 7 November of that year when a solvency certificate was issued.
Sarah and Charles Septimus Smith also lived in Singleton for a time. When Lily was born in 1875 the family was living in Singleton however when Norman was born in 1878 the family had moved to Sydney.
Connections with the Waddell family
Sarah's sister, Catherine, and her brother, Dugald, both married children of William Wadell of Singleton. William Waddell was born in Scotland on 15 September 1803. In 1839 he brought his family to Australia as Bounty Immigrants. The Bounty Immigrant scheme opperated between 1828-1842 to encourage skilled British labourers and tradespeople to migrate to the Colony of New South Wales. A bounty was paid to recruiting agencies to find suitable people and to the masters of ships to ensure safe passage. William and his family travelled aboard the Royal Admiral arriving on 26 September 1839.
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| Bounty Index cards |
Catherine McCallum married Matthew Waddell in 1864. Dugald McCallum married Mary Munro Waddell at Townhead, Singleton in July 1869. Catherine, daughter of Sarah and Charles Septimus Smith, has Waddell as her second name. Kathleen, a researcher of the Smith family has noted that her great grandparents - George Newton and Elizabeth Smith (sister of Charles Septimus Smith) - lived in Singleton for many years and George was listed as one of the chief mourners at the funeral of Matthew Waddell in 1904. [Obituary in Maitland Daily Mercury 30 September 1904].
Wednesday, 19 August 2015
Sarah McCallum part 2
In the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project Sarah McCallum was Ancestor 25. When writing that post I had no information about Sarah's life before she came to Australia except that she was born in Glasgow in Scotland.
Recently Kathleen, who is also researching this branch of the family, sent me copies of records showing the immigration of Sarah and her family to Australia. The papers held by the State Records of New South Wales record that the family arrived in Sydney aboard the ship, William Miles, on 16 January 1855.
On this list of immigrants aboard the William Miles in Sydney on 16 January 1855, Sarah appears in the list of single women whose occupation was listed as House servant. She was aged 15, Native Place and County was Glasgow, religion was listed as Presbyterian and Neither was in the column Read or Write.
Also on the list was John McCallum, aged 49, who was a labourer from Argyleshire. His religion was Presbyterian and he could read and write. His wife, Anne, was 43 and Argyleshire was also listed as her Native Place or County. She could also read and write and was Presbyterian as were the other two children listed with their parents. Dougul was 13 and was from Glasgow. He could read and write but Catherine, his nine year old sister, also from Glasgow, could only read.
The State Records of New South Wales has digitised some of the shipping records on microfilm including Passenger Lists of the Family Colonization Loan Society 1854-1855. The Family Colonization Loan Society was a project founded by Caroline Chishom in the 1850s to assist families, particularly from Ireland and Scotland where there were employment problems, to migrate to Australia.
The South Australian Register 26 July 1851 published the following article about the visit of Caroline Chisholm's husband to the colonies to promote the project:
The William Miles was only passing through Sydney as Queensland State Archives has records showing the passenger list of the William Miles arriving in Moreton Bay on 19 January 1855. The McCallum family are on the list in the Register of Passengers on Immigrant Ships Arriving in Queensland.
Sarah was listed as a Domestic on this list.
Argyle is listed as the place of origin for the family.
We know from reports in Australian newspapers digitised in Trove that the ship, William Miles, left Liverpool with emigrants for Morton Bay on 15 October 1854. (Maitland Mecury and Hunter River General Advertiser 10 January 1855)
The Ships List Emigrant Ships to Australia and New Zealand 1854-1856 shows that 406 people were aboard the ship when it left England on 16 October and two male passengers died during the three month voyage to Australia. Any child over 14 was classed as an adult. There were 210 male passengers and 101 female passengers plus 95 children - 50 boys and 45 girls.
In January 1905 advertisements were placed in local papers regarding the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the William Miles in Brisbane.
According to the memory of former passengers:
The ship "brought some 400 immigrants, chiefly Scottish, people. All the male immigrants were armed with muskets and cutlasses, fearing the possibility of attack by the Russian warships, the Crimean war then being in progress. Although the immigrants were brought out under Government immigrant regulations, every man of them paid his full passage money."
and once in the colony
"The vessel sailed from Liverpool on October 10, 1854, and her passengers arrived at the Queen's wharf just 50 years, ago that day. Brisbane was a very small place in those days. He remembered a man who was in what now is Queen street asking in which direction the town lay (Laughter). There were not a dozen houses to be seen in Brisbane at that time." (both quotes from article in The Week)
So from the information provided in one set of documents I was then able to use a range of resources to add to the information about the journey of Sarah and her family to Australia. However the search produced one more bonus. An immigration search in Ancestry produced further details about McCallum family in the New South Wales Australia Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists 1828-1896. Although the details were basically the same as in other listings there was an additional column - Parents names and, if alive, their residence. For John McCallum the names in this column are Dugald and Sarah (dead) while for Ann the information given is Ronald and Mary Campbell. Her mother is listed as dead and I cannot read the placename for her father.
Recently Kathleen, who is also researching this branch of the family, sent me copies of records showing the immigration of Sarah and her family to Australia. The papers held by the State Records of New South Wales record that the family arrived in Sydney aboard the ship, William Miles, on 16 January 1855.
The State Records of New South Wales has digitised some of the shipping records on microfilm including Passenger Lists of the Family Colonization Loan Society 1854-1855. The Family Colonization Loan Society was a project founded by Caroline Chishom in the 1850s to assist families, particularly from Ireland and Scotland where there were employment problems, to migrate to Australia.
The South Australian Register 26 July 1851 published the following article about the visit of Caroline Chisholm's husband to the colonies to promote the project:
FAMILY COLONIZATION LOAN SOCIETYThe Illustrated London News 28 February 1852 provides an article about a meeting of the society attended by more than 2,500 people. The article includes information about the operation of the society. Those deciding to emigrate to Australia paid part of the fare in advance and borrowed money from the Society to cover the rest of the fare. The money borrowed was to be paid back within two years of arriving in Australia. The website of the Caroline Chisholm Society also includes information about the Society.
We have much pleasure in calling the attention of the public in general, and the industrious classes in particular, to the arrival of Captain A. Chisholm, of the Madras army, and husband of Mrs. Caroline Chisholm, whose benevolent exertions in the cause of free and particular female Emigrants, both in the Australian colonies and in England, for so many years, are so well known. The object of Captain Chisholm's visit to these colonies is purely benevolent: in order to aid in carrying out the Family Colonization Loan Society originated by Mrs. Chisholm, the principal object of which is to promote the reunion of the separated members of families. Amongst the members of the Central Committee of the Society in London we find the well-known benevolent names of Lord Ashley, and the Right Honourable Sydney Herbert. Parties wishing to send for their relations in England will have an opportunity of consulting Captain Chisholm, either personally or by letter, post-paid, at the office of the Society in King William- street, near the Southern Cross, Adelaide. Persons expecting relations out, may see at the office a list of the names of parties coming out here by the Society's next ship. We understand that Captain Chisholm intends in the course of next month to proceed to Port Phillip for the promotion of similar objects.
The William Miles was only passing through Sydney as Queensland State Archives has records showing the passenger list of the William Miles arriving in Moreton Bay on 19 January 1855. The McCallum family are on the list in the Register of Passengers on Immigrant Ships Arriving in Queensland.
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| p87 |
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| p83 |
We know from reports in Australian newspapers digitised in Trove that the ship, William Miles, left Liverpool with emigrants for Morton Bay on 15 October 1854. (Maitland Mecury and Hunter River General Advertiser 10 January 1855)
The Ships List Emigrant Ships to Australia and New Zealand 1854-1856 shows that 406 people were aboard the ship when it left England on 16 October and two male passengers died during the three month voyage to Australia. Any child over 14 was classed as an adult. There were 210 male passengers and 101 female passengers plus 95 children - 50 boys and 45 girls.
In January 1905 advertisements were placed in local papers regarding the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the William Miles in Brisbane.
Ship William Miles Fiftieth AnniversaryAfter the reunion there were a number of long articles describing the event including reminiscences of the voyage and first impressions of Brisbane. Reunion of old Colonists. Celebration of 'William Miles' Immigrants was the title of an article in the Courier Mail 21 January 1905. Immigrants' Jubilee. Arrivals by ship William Miles was the title of an article in The Week 27 January 1905.
Those persons who arrived in Queensland by the ship William Miles, in 1855, are invited, by advertisement, to attend a meeting at Eschenhagen's cafe, on Friday night, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of this event. (The Telegraph 17 January 1905)
According to the memory of former passengers:
The ship "brought some 400 immigrants, chiefly Scottish, people. All the male immigrants were armed with muskets and cutlasses, fearing the possibility of attack by the Russian warships, the Crimean war then being in progress. Although the immigrants were brought out under Government immigrant regulations, every man of them paid his full passage money."
and once in the colony
"The vessel sailed from Liverpool on October 10, 1854, and her passengers arrived at the Queen's wharf just 50 years, ago that day. Brisbane was a very small place in those days. He remembered a man who was in what now is Queen street asking in which direction the town lay (Laughter). There were not a dozen houses to be seen in Brisbane at that time." (both quotes from article in The Week)
So from the information provided in one set of documents I was then able to use a range of resources to add to the information about the journey of Sarah and her family to Australia. However the search produced one more bonus. An immigration search in Ancestry produced further details about McCallum family in the New South Wales Australia Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists 1828-1896. Although the details were basically the same as in other listings there was an additional column - Parents names and, if alive, their residence. For John McCallum the names in this column are Dugald and Sarah (dead) while for Ann the information given is Ronald and Mary Campbell. Her mother is listed as dead and I cannot read the placename for her father.
Sunday, 16 August 2015
Using Facebook for Family History research
In a recent post on the Genealogy-Do-Over Facebook group, Thomas MacEntee mentioned the Legacy Family Tree webinair he had recently made - Facebook: a tool for Genealogy Research. This is a member only resource for those who subscribe to Legacy Family Tree webinairs but the GeneaBloggers site has a link to a preview of the webinair.
This led me to think about how I use Facebook for genealogy research.When I set up my Facebook page in 2013 it was primarily to communicate with family and friends. However I soon discovered genealogy, history and library or archive organisations with Facebook pages and selected a number that I now receive regular updates from. These Facebook groups are usually open sites and once you click the Like button you will receive in your News Feed any subsequent posts made in these groups. This is a good way to keep up to date with what is happening in your area of interest. Some of the Facebook pages of organisations that I have Liked include:
In this example I was looking for Public Record Office of Victoria (third on the list). The note at the bottom of the page (in blue bar) - See more results - will provide additional options if you cannot find what you want in the initial list.
If you want to receive updates from this Facebook page click the Like button. The name of the group that you have Liked will appear in the left column of your Timeline page.
You can use the same method to locate people who may also be interested in your area of interest.
One of the features of Facebook is that groups for people with similar interests can be created. Recently I joined two groups related to my Convict research. I no doubt will add others to my list. There are also groups relating to specific branches of a family.
In the Search this group box under the header of the group page type in the name of the person you are researching. Any posts mentioning this name will then be displayed. Sometimes the person may be mentioned in a comment relating to the post.
Facebook can therefore be a useful tool for locating fellow researchers plus information relating to your family history research.
Since first writing this post I have discovered another interesting way that Facebook can be used to promote history or tell a story. Anzac Live recounts the involvement of individual Australians during World War I as if they were posting their thoughts on Facebook.
This led me to think about how I use Facebook for genealogy research.When I set up my Facebook page in 2013 it was primarily to communicate with family and friends. However I soon discovered genealogy, history and library or archive organisations with Facebook pages and selected a number that I now receive regular updates from. These Facebook groups are usually open sites and once you click the Like button you will receive in your News Feed any subsequent posts made in these groups. This is a good way to keep up to date with what is happening in your area of interest. Some of the Facebook pages of organisations that I have Liked include:
- Scotlands Genealogy
- Scotlands People
- Irelands Genealogy Page
- National Archives of Australia
- National Archives (UK)
- Inside History Magazine
- VicGum
- Royal Historical Society of Victoria
- Facebook pages of a number of local historical societies
- Hawkesbury Family History Group
- Hawkesbury Library Service
- Ancestry
- Find My Past
- Lost Melbourne and Lost Sydney
You can use the same method to locate people who may also be interested in your area of interest.
One of the features of Facebook is that groups for people with similar interests can be created. Recently I joined two groups related to my Convict research. I no doubt will add others to my list. There are also groups relating to specific branches of a family.
- Norfolk Island History Lovers
- First Fleet 1788 Researchers
Facebook can therefore be a useful tool for locating fellow researchers plus information relating to your family history research.
Since first writing this post I have discovered another interesting way that Facebook can be used to promote history or tell a story. Anzac Live recounts the involvement of individual Australians during World War I as if they were posting their thoughts on Facebook.
Sunday, 19 April 2015
Unlocking family stories - Trove part 2
When preparing notes for a session in the library on Using Trove for Family History Research I checked Trove for references to George Mackillop / George Mckillop who was living in Australia in the 1830s.
A search for George Mackillop in a General Search, the name in inverted commas, provided the following results:
Because names can be spelt in different ways a search for George Mckillop in a General Search, the name in inverted commas, provided the following results:
A search in Pictures, photos, objects section of Trove for "Mackillops bridge" or "Mckillops Bridge" produced a number of images of the bridge.
A search in the digitised newspapers provided detailed description of the Mackillop home which was advertised for sale in 1836 and in 1840 a detailed list of furniture for sale. Details are listed in another section of this blog.
The searches showed the variety of material available on Trove collected from many institutions and resources as well as the need to check different spelling and forms of names to locate material. They also demonstrated the need to repeat searches from time to time as new material is constantly being added.
A search for George Mackillop in a General Search, the name in inverted commas, provided the following results:
- two books - was an article written by George about Australia published in 1839 (NLA) while the other was a book - Pastoral Pioneers of Port Phillip - containing information about him (this book has been digitised and can be downloaded from the State Library of Victoria.
- correspondence - a series of letters between George Mackillop and John Clark which have been digitised and are available from University of Tasmania
- correspondence to Colonial Office in London including mention of George Mackillop (RHSV)
- map - sketch of Mr Mackillop's route in Australia - copies at NLA and SLV - also available online
- articles in newspapers
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| Copy of map held at NLA |
- three books with reference to George Mackillop (NLA, SLV & Sale Library) - one has been digitised
- a photo of a memorial cairn in Omeo in recognition of George Mackillop, James McFarlane and George Prendergast (Pendergast) - Monument Australia
- archived websites - some mentioning George Mackillop
- journal articles about other George Mckillops
- newspaper articles
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| Part of Frank Hurley Collection NLA |
The searches showed the variety of material available on Trove collected from many institutions and resources as well as the need to check different spelling and forms of names to locate material. They also demonstrated the need to repeat searches from time to time as new material is constantly being added.
Monday, 6 April 2015
John of Gaunt's children
John of Gaunt (1340-1399) had fourteen children.
In 1359 John's mistress, Marie de Saint Hilaire of Hainaut gave birth to a daughter.
In 1359 John's mistress, Marie de Saint Hilaire of Hainaut gave birth to a daughter.
- Blanche (1359-c1388) married Sir Thomas Morieux (1355-1387). Sir Thomas Morieux, constable of the Tower of London died during the Castilian campaign. Blanche and Thomas had no children.
- Philippa (1360-1415) married King John I of Portugal (1357-1433)
- John (1362-1365)
- Elizabeth (1364-1426) married in 1380 John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (1372-1389) [marriage annulled in 1383]; in 1386 John Holland 1st Duke of Exeter (1350-1400); Sir John Cornwall 1st Baron of Fanhope (c1364-1423)
- Edward (born and died 1365)
- John (1366-1367)
- Henry of Bolingbroke (1367-1413) married (c1381) Mary de Bohun (1369-1394); in 1403 Joanna of Navarre (1368-1437). Henry became Henry IV of England in 1399
- Isabel (born and died 1368)
- Catherine (1372-1418) married in 1388 King Henry III of Castile (1379-1406)
- John (1374-1375)
- John Beaufort (1373-1409) 1st Earl of Somerset in 1397 married Margaret Holland (1385-1439)
- Henry Beaufort (1375-1447) He became Bishop of Winchester
- Thomas Beaufort (1377-1427) Duke of Exeter married Margaret Neville
- Joan Beaufort (1379-1440) married in 1391 Robert Ferrers, 5th Baron Boteler and Wem (1373-1396); in 1396 Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (1364-1425)
Sunday, 22 March 2015
Medieval England - Wars of the Roses
Recently I have been doing an online course on England in the time of Richard III. The six week course was prepared by University of Leicester and is put online on the FutureLearn website. Part of the course covered the period of the Wars of the Roses, a series of battles between the followers of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. One of the features of the course is the forum where participants share information and points of view including recommending books and websites. Some of the titles mentioned are listed below.
The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer has the sub-title - A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century. Although covering the century before the Wars of the Roses this book provides an informative introduction to the period including looking at life in towns and the countryside, clothes, food and drink, health and hygiene, travelling, the people, literature and the legal system. The author describes what you would see and experience if you were visiting England six hundred years ago.
The Middle Ages: the Illustrated History of the Medieval World by Anita Baker. As suggested by the title this is a well illustrated book depicting life in the Middle Ages in Europe. The text provides an informative introduction to the experience of life during this period with chapters on dynasties and empires, daily life, religion, culture, war and conquest and the dawn of a new age. I purchased a copy of this book to use for background reading about the Middle Ages.
Blood and Roses by Helen Castor. This is the story of the Paston family during the time of the Wars of the Roses. The book is based on a collection of letters written by members of this Norfolk family over three generations.
The Women of the Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin and Michael Jones. What makes the Wars of the Roses particularly confusing is the relationships between the main protagonists who are descendants of Edward III with many of them descended from John of Gaunt. This is a biography of Jacquetta of Luxembourg who married Richard Woodville, Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort. Jacquetta was originally married to John of Gaunt's grandson, John, Duke of Bedford (son of Henry IV). Margaret Beaufort was great grand-daughter of John of Gaunt. Elizabeth Woodville's second husband was Edward VI. Margaret Beaufort married Edmund Tudor and their son was Henry VII. In the introduction Philippa Gregory writes about writing historical fiction and creating a story from available facts.
Lancaster and York: the Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir. The book sets out to investigate the main characters on both sides of the conflict - a series of battles throughout England between 1455 and 1487. The author is also interested in the role of the women - the wives and mothers of the main protagonists - who were often also powerful players in the story.
A number of historical novels have been set in this period including:
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman is a novel about the life of Richard III. At more than 900 pages the author imagines what Richard's life may have been like as she portrays a picture of life in medieval England in this historical romance.
The King's Sister by Anne O'Brien is the story of Elizabeth of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster and the sister of King Henry V1. At the age of seventeen Elizabeth entered a political marriage with eight year old John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke. The marriage was annulled when Elizabeth became pregnant after commencing a relationship with John Holland, a half brother to Richard II. This romantic novel deals with the political intrigue in the family politics involving those connected to the factions in this civil war.
Obviously I now have a selection of reading to keep me occupied. I have also ordered from the library copies of a number of other titles listed in the forum. All I need is time to read them.
The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer has the sub-title - A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century. Although covering the century before the Wars of the Roses this book provides an informative introduction to the period including looking at life in towns and the countryside, clothes, food and drink, health and hygiene, travelling, the people, literature and the legal system. The author describes what you would see and experience if you were visiting England six hundred years ago.
The Middle Ages: the Illustrated History of the Medieval World by Anita Baker. As suggested by the title this is a well illustrated book depicting life in the Middle Ages in Europe. The text provides an informative introduction to the experience of life during this period with chapters on dynasties and empires, daily life, religion, culture, war and conquest and the dawn of a new age. I purchased a copy of this book to use for background reading about the Middle Ages.
Blood and Roses by Helen Castor. This is the story of the Paston family during the time of the Wars of the Roses. The book is based on a collection of letters written by members of this Norfolk family over three generations.
The Women of the Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin and Michael Jones. What makes the Wars of the Roses particularly confusing is the relationships between the main protagonists who are descendants of Edward III with many of them descended from John of Gaunt. This is a biography of Jacquetta of Luxembourg who married Richard Woodville, Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort. Jacquetta was originally married to John of Gaunt's grandson, John, Duke of Bedford (son of Henry IV). Margaret Beaufort was great grand-daughter of John of Gaunt. Elizabeth Woodville's second husband was Edward VI. Margaret Beaufort married Edmund Tudor and their son was Henry VII. In the introduction Philippa Gregory writes about writing historical fiction and creating a story from available facts.
Lancaster and York: the Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir. The book sets out to investigate the main characters on both sides of the conflict - a series of battles throughout England between 1455 and 1487. The author is also interested in the role of the women - the wives and mothers of the main protagonists - who were often also powerful players in the story.
A number of historical novels have been set in this period including:
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman is a novel about the life of Richard III. At more than 900 pages the author imagines what Richard's life may have been like as she portrays a picture of life in medieval England in this historical romance.
The King's Sister by Anne O'Brien is the story of Elizabeth of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster and the sister of King Henry V1. At the age of seventeen Elizabeth entered a political marriage with eight year old John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke. The marriage was annulled when Elizabeth became pregnant after commencing a relationship with John Holland, a half brother to Richard II. This romantic novel deals with the political intrigue in the family politics involving those connected to the factions in this civil war.
Obviously I now have a selection of reading to keep me occupied. I have also ordered from the library copies of a number of other titles listed in the forum. All I need is time to read them.
Saturday, 14 February 2015
52 Ancestors 2015 - Week 7 - Love - Katherine de Roet and John of Gaunt
Valentine's Day is a good excuse to look at love stories. Romeo and Juliet is known as a great love story but to many people the story of the relationship between John of Gaunt, the fourth son of Edward III, and Katherine de Roet rates almost as highly.
On 13 January 1396 Katherine and John were married at Lincoln Cathedral when Katherine was 46 and John was 56. This marriage took place twenty-five years after Katherine became John's mistress. Initially the relationship had been discrete but by 1378 the couple were openly living together. The records of John of Gaunt show that between 1372 and 1381 he had made many generous gifts to Katherine. The couple had four children - John (1373-1410), Henry (1375-1447), Thomas (1377-1427) and Joan (1379-1440). When the relationship between John and Katherine became common knowledge it created quite a scandal.
Katherine's name has many spellings - Katharine, Kathryn, Catherine - to name a few. She was born in 1350, some suggest on 25 November 1350 which was the feast day of her patron saint - St Catherine of Alexandria - although no records exist confirming this. In fact very few records exist about the life of Katherine which makes researching her story a challenge. Despite this, Katherine became an influential woman in fourteenth century England and her children made an impact on subsequent historical events.
Katherine was the daughter of Paon de Roet (also known as Gilles de Roet), a herald and then a knight from Hainout who moved to England when Philippa of Hainout married the English king, Edward III. Katherine's sister, Philippa was a member of the Queen's household and was married to the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. Katherine probably lived in England from 1351.
Around 1366, Katherine married Hugh Swynford, a knight from the manor of Kettlethorpe in Lincolnshire. A daughter, Blanche, was born in 1367, a son, Thomas, was born in 1368 and they also possibly had a daughter, Margaret, born in 1369.
Also about this time, Katherine became the governess of Phillipa and Elizabeth, the daughters of John of Gaunt and his wife, Blanche. John and Blanche were also the parents of the future Henry IV (born in 1367). Four other children had died in infancy. John and Blanche of Lancaster married in May 1359. Blanche's father was the 1st Duke of Lancaster and one of the wealthiest men in England. After the death of her father Blanche inherited his fortune ensuring that her husband and her family were extemely wealthy. However this was not just a marriage of convenience between two families but was reported to be a loving match between this couple. Blanche of Lancaster died on 12 September 1369, possibly from the Black Death.
Katherine's husband, Sir Hugh Swynford died fighting the French in 1372.
In 1371 John of Gaunt married Constance of Castile. This was a political marriage and in 1386 John travelled to Spain to claim the kingship of Castile. The expedition was not successful. John and Constance had two children - Catherine (1372-1418) and John (1374-1375).
John was a soldier and was often away from England for protracted periods. When Edward III died in June 1377, his ten year old grandson, Richard II, became King. John of Gaunt was a principal advisor to the new king until Richard was old enough to reign in his own right. Many in the court resented John's growing influence in the running of the country. Some of the decisions made during this time, particularly in regard to taxation, were unpopular with the people. This all came to a head with the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. John was not in London at the time but his home, the Palace of Savoy, was destroyed and members of his household murdered in the riots against the new poll tax. Fortunately Katherine and her family were not in the palace at the time of the riots.
Up until this time Katherine and her children were living with John and his other children when he was in England. However the Peasants' Revolt caused John to rethink about his position. Considering that God was punishing him for having a mistress, John publicly broke off his relationship with Katherine and she and their children returned to her home at Kettlethorpe. However John issued a 'quit claim' ensuring that all the gifts given by him to Katherine would remain her property. John also continued to support his children.
Then on 24 March 1394, John's second wife, Constance died and John was now free to renew his relationship with Katherine. To the horror of many in court, particularly the ladies, John applied to the Pope and the King for dispensation to marry Katherine and to have their children legitimised. The children were granted the name of Beaufort and were recognised as legitimate children of John of Gaunt although they were barred from inheriting the throne.
John and Katherine had less than five years of legally living together before John died at Leicester Castle on 3 February 1399. He was buried beside his first wife, Blanche, at St Paul's Cathedral. Katherine died on 10 May 1403 and was buried next to her daughter, Joan, at Lincoln Cathedral.
The facts about Katherine's life are limited. There is some information in the records of John of Gaunt as well as mentions in church records however, despite this, the story of their love has continued through the centuries and today is perpetuated in fiction and also in historical writing. The best known novel about Katherine is by Anya Seton. Entitled, Katherine, the novel was published in 1954 and is still in print. At more than 500 pages this historical romance provides a graphic, fictional depiction of what might have been the relationship between Katherine and John. The best known biography, Katheryn Swynford: the story about John of Gaunt and his scandalous mistress, was written by Alison Weir and published in 2007. The book was also published under the title, Mistress of the Monarchy: the life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancasteres
It was assumed that Katherine was a beautiful woman but no known pictures of her exist, although there have been suggestions that she may appear in the background in some paintings. A number of suggested interpretations are shown in the images below.
The romance of Katherine and John has been the subject of a number of blog posts:
Unusual Historicals - Love affairs - Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt
Girl with her Head in a Book - Katherine, Anya Seton vs Katherine Swynford, Alison Weir
Other websites:
The Katherine Swynford Society
Books by Alison Weir - Katherine Sywnford
Goodreads - Katherine by Anya Seton
All About Romance - Katherine
Anne O'Brien - The elusive face of Katherine de Swynford
English Monarchs - John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
NNDB - John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt and Katherine de Roet were my 19 x great grandparents
On 13 January 1396 Katherine and John were married at Lincoln Cathedral when Katherine was 46 and John was 56. This marriage took place twenty-five years after Katherine became John's mistress. Initially the relationship had been discrete but by 1378 the couple were openly living together. The records of John of Gaunt show that between 1372 and 1381 he had made many generous gifts to Katherine. The couple had four children - John (1373-1410), Henry (1375-1447), Thomas (1377-1427) and Joan (1379-1440). When the relationship between John and Katherine became common knowledge it created quite a scandal.
Katherine's name has many spellings - Katharine, Kathryn, Catherine - to name a few. She was born in 1350, some suggest on 25 November 1350 which was the feast day of her patron saint - St Catherine of Alexandria - although no records exist confirming this. In fact very few records exist about the life of Katherine which makes researching her story a challenge. Despite this, Katherine became an influential woman in fourteenth century England and her children made an impact on subsequent historical events.
Katherine was the daughter of Paon de Roet (also known as Gilles de Roet), a herald and then a knight from Hainout who moved to England when Philippa of Hainout married the English king, Edward III. Katherine's sister, Philippa was a member of the Queen's household and was married to the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. Katherine probably lived in England from 1351.
Around 1366, Katherine married Hugh Swynford, a knight from the manor of Kettlethorpe in Lincolnshire. A daughter, Blanche, was born in 1367, a son, Thomas, was born in 1368 and they also possibly had a daughter, Margaret, born in 1369.
Also about this time, Katherine became the governess of Phillipa and Elizabeth, the daughters of John of Gaunt and his wife, Blanche. John and Blanche were also the parents of the future Henry IV (born in 1367). Four other children had died in infancy. John and Blanche of Lancaster married in May 1359. Blanche's father was the 1st Duke of Lancaster and one of the wealthiest men in England. After the death of her father Blanche inherited his fortune ensuring that her husband and her family were extemely wealthy. However this was not just a marriage of convenience between two families but was reported to be a loving match between this couple. Blanche of Lancaster died on 12 September 1369, possibly from the Black Death.
Katherine's husband, Sir Hugh Swynford died fighting the French in 1372.
In 1371 John of Gaunt married Constance of Castile. This was a political marriage and in 1386 John travelled to Spain to claim the kingship of Castile. The expedition was not successful. John and Constance had two children - Catherine (1372-1418) and John (1374-1375).
John was a soldier and was often away from England for protracted periods. When Edward III died in June 1377, his ten year old grandson, Richard II, became King. John of Gaunt was a principal advisor to the new king until Richard was old enough to reign in his own right. Many in the court resented John's growing influence in the running of the country. Some of the decisions made during this time, particularly in regard to taxation, were unpopular with the people. This all came to a head with the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. John was not in London at the time but his home, the Palace of Savoy, was destroyed and members of his household murdered in the riots against the new poll tax. Fortunately Katherine and her family were not in the palace at the time of the riots.
Up until this time Katherine and her children were living with John and his other children when he was in England. However the Peasants' Revolt caused John to rethink about his position. Considering that God was punishing him for having a mistress, John publicly broke off his relationship with Katherine and she and their children returned to her home at Kettlethorpe. However John issued a 'quit claim' ensuring that all the gifts given by him to Katherine would remain her property. John also continued to support his children.
Then on 24 March 1394, John's second wife, Constance died and John was now free to renew his relationship with Katherine. To the horror of many in court, particularly the ladies, John applied to the Pope and the King for dispensation to marry Katherine and to have their children legitimised. The children were granted the name of Beaufort and were recognised as legitimate children of John of Gaunt although they were barred from inheriting the throne.
John and Katherine had less than five years of legally living together before John died at Leicester Castle on 3 February 1399. He was buried beside his first wife, Blanche, at St Paul's Cathedral. Katherine died on 10 May 1403 and was buried next to her daughter, Joan, at Lincoln Cathedral.
 |
| Katherine's coat of arms |
It was assumed that Katherine was a beautiful woman but no known pictures of her exist, although there have been suggestions that she may appear in the background in some paintings. A number of suggested interpretations are shown in the images below.
Unusual Historicals - Love affairs - Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt
Girl with her Head in a Book - Katherine, Anya Seton vs Katherine Swynford, Alison Weir
Other websites:
The Katherine Swynford Society
Books by Alison Weir - Katherine Sywnford
Goodreads - Katherine by Anya Seton
All About Romance - Katherine
Anne O'Brien - The elusive face of Katherine de Swynford
English Monarchs - John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
NNDB - John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt and Katherine de Roet were my 19 x great grandparents
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
52 Ancestors 2015 - Week 6 - So far away
It was on Australia Day, last year, that I began the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. Many of the stories I wrote in the following months involved family members who left their home in the United Kingdom to travel to the other side of the world to live in Australia. The theme for Week 6 in the 52 Ancestors 2015, 'So far away', seems an appropriate topic to start writing on this Australia Day.
In 1967 Geoffrey Blainey published his book, A Tyranny of Distance, where he put forward the view that distance and isolation have shaped the history of Australia. This would have certainly been the case in the late eighteenth century and the nineteenth century.
Two hundred and twenty-seven years ago the ships of the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove and during the next few months the new penal colony of New South Wales was established as an outpost of Britain. The convicts who travelled on the eleven ships that made up the First Fleet had little hope of seeing England or their families again when the ships left Portsmouth on 13 May 1887. The ships arrived at their original destination, Botany Bay, on 18 January 1788 after a journey of 252 days however the plans changed and it was eight days later that they arrived at their new destination on 26 January.
We complain today about the long flight from Melbourne to London but the journey undertaken by the convicts of the First Fleet took eight and a half months, crammed in small ships with minimum space, minimum food and fresh water, no privacy and generally squalid conditions. There must have been times when they feared that they would not see land again especially when the ships encountered rough seas and storms. During the journey the ships called into Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town for fresh provisions - very different locations and weather conditions compared with England, even though the convicts would be confined aboard ship.
Prior to leaving the UK the convicts were in prison and / or prison hulks, sometimes for years before leaving the country. When the First Fleet convicts arrived at Sydney Cove they were greeted by bush and no buildings - a very different setting compared with the country they had left, particularly for those who lived in cities and towns. This was to be a penal colony but there was no need for prison walls as there was nowhere, initially, for the prisoners to go. There was only alien bush or the ocean.
The convict settlement at Sydney Cove was definitely isolated from England, particularly as communication was via mail carried by ships. When the ships that carried the convicts and their guards to Australia returned to England they carried communications from Captain Arthur Phillip reporting on the new colony and its requirements. It was not until the arrival of the ships of the Second Fleet in June 1790 that news was received from England. The ships did carry some supplies but they also carried additional convicts, many of whom were ill when they arrived.
For many years the colonies depended on deliveries of mail brought by ships from overseas. The arrival of ships was a much anticipated event and flagstaffs, such as the one erected in what is now the Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne, were used to signal the arrival of a ship. Not everyone could read or write so many of the convicts, in particular, were therefore unable to communicate with family back home unless they could find someone to write / or read a letter for them.
People sending mail from Australia to overseas or from overseas to Australia needed to be aware of the departure date of ships. The weight of the mail was also a consideration. This point is illustrated in a copy of a letter that Jean Mackillop, in 1855, wrote to her daughter, Eleanora Hutton, who was living in India - also a place far away. She wrote that her grandson, George aged 5, would soon write to his parents: He is to write to you next, if he is a good boy – this goes via Marseilles and must therefore be brief and light. At the end of the letter she wrote: It is time I concluded this letter – for you will be puzzled to make it out. I would have entered more into details if I had been aware we cd exceed the ½ oz.
The twelve convicts in my family who came to Australia obviously travelled half way around the world because they had no choice. They made the best of their life and married convicts or children of convicts and had families of their own. Those who were married in England had to wait seven years from the time of their arrest before they could remarry. The convicts initially lived in Sydney before eight of them moved to the Hawkesbury area. Two went to Norfolk Island in 1790 and in the early 1800s transferred to the new colony of Van Diemen's Land. In each of the new colonies the settlement needed to be built from scratch. When the former convicts acquired land they had to build accommodation as well as prepare the land for farming. It would not have been easy but it was their new life and it could probably be argued that they had a better life in Australia than if they had remained in the United Kingdom.
The first family member to settle in Australia of his own will was Thomas Birch (1767-1821) who arrived in Hobart Town in 1808 as a ship's surgeon. When the ship was unable to make the return journey Thomas decided to try his luck in Hobart Town becoming a successful merchant. His daughter, Sarah, married Simeon Lord (the son of a convict) who had purchased property in Van Dieman's Land. At least two of the sons of Sarah and Simeon were sent to England for part of their education so there may have been some contact with family in England.
George Mackillop (1790-1865) brought his family to Van Diemen's Land, via India in 1834 where they stayed for about six years. George was a merchant in India and as well as conducting business in Van Diemen's Land he was looking for opportunities in the new colony of Victoria. George and his family returned to Edinburgh around 1840, the family finally settling in Bath. However two of George's daughters returned to Victoria with their husbands, also via India. Eleonora married William Forbes Hutton (1816-1896) and the family settled in Australia in the early 1870s. Georgina married Thomas Bruce Hutton and they arrived in Melbourne in 1872. These families kept in touch with the family in England and in 1873 William Forbes Hutton travelled to England to settle family matters and returned with two of his children in 1874. His wife and the other children arrived soon afterwards.
Other family members such as the Weston and Cox families started arriving in Australian as free settlers from the 1830s. The Hillcoats arrived in 1852 and after six years in the colony of South Australia, resulting in John Hillcoat running up debts he could not pay, the family returned to England for a brief stay before once again trying their luck in Australia - this time in the colony of New South Wales. Members of the Smith family came individually to Australia in the 1850s. In all the father, John Smith, and four of his children had migrated to Australia from England. The Thom family arrived in 1877 after William Thom had died, possibly because an older son was already in the country.
Over the years the time of the journey between Britain and Australia decreased as larger ships were built and steam ships started to be used during the 1850s. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 also reduced the time required for the voyage. However Australia still remained a country far away.
In the 21st century, however, distance no longer means isolation from the rest of the world. Today people from Australia frequently fly to England and other countries in Europe, usually taking about a day and a half to get there. Advances in communication such as telephone, wireless, television and now the Internet have allowed us to almost instantly know and see what is happening in other parts of the world. Email and social media tools, such as Facebook, provide us with the opportunity to communicate instantly with family and friends in countries on the other side of the world such as Britain and Canada. So although we are far away in distance those of us living in Australia, unlike our Ancestors, are no longer isolated from the rest of the world.
In 1967 Geoffrey Blainey published his book, A Tyranny of Distance, where he put forward the view that distance and isolation have shaped the history of Australia. This would have certainly been the case in the late eighteenth century and the nineteenth century.
We complain today about the long flight from Melbourne to London but the journey undertaken by the convicts of the First Fleet took eight and a half months, crammed in small ships with minimum space, minimum food and fresh water, no privacy and generally squalid conditions. There must have been times when they feared that they would not see land again especially when the ships encountered rough seas and storms. During the journey the ships called into Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town for fresh provisions - very different locations and weather conditions compared with England, even though the convicts would be confined aboard ship.
Prior to leaving the UK the convicts were in prison and / or prison hulks, sometimes for years before leaving the country. When the First Fleet convicts arrived at Sydney Cove they were greeted by bush and no buildings - a very different setting compared with the country they had left, particularly for those who lived in cities and towns. This was to be a penal colony but there was no need for prison walls as there was nowhere, initially, for the prisoners to go. There was only alien bush or the ocean.
The convict settlement at Sydney Cove was definitely isolated from England, particularly as communication was via mail carried by ships. When the ships that carried the convicts and their guards to Australia returned to England they carried communications from Captain Arthur Phillip reporting on the new colony and its requirements. It was not until the arrival of the ships of the Second Fleet in June 1790 that news was received from England. The ships did carry some supplies but they also carried additional convicts, many of whom were ill when they arrived.
For many years the colonies depended on deliveries of mail brought by ships from overseas. The arrival of ships was a much anticipated event and flagstaffs, such as the one erected in what is now the Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne, were used to signal the arrival of a ship. Not everyone could read or write so many of the convicts, in particular, were therefore unable to communicate with family back home unless they could find someone to write / or read a letter for them.
People sending mail from Australia to overseas or from overseas to Australia needed to be aware of the departure date of ships. The weight of the mail was also a consideration. This point is illustrated in a copy of a letter that Jean Mackillop, in 1855, wrote to her daughter, Eleanora Hutton, who was living in India - also a place far away. She wrote that her grandson, George aged 5, would soon write to his parents: He is to write to you next, if he is a good boy – this goes via Marseilles and must therefore be brief and light. At the end of the letter she wrote: It is time I concluded this letter – for you will be puzzled to make it out. I would have entered more into details if I had been aware we cd exceed the ½ oz.
The twelve convicts in my family who came to Australia obviously travelled half way around the world because they had no choice. They made the best of their life and married convicts or children of convicts and had families of their own. Those who were married in England had to wait seven years from the time of their arrest before they could remarry. The convicts initially lived in Sydney before eight of them moved to the Hawkesbury area. Two went to Norfolk Island in 1790 and in the early 1800s transferred to the new colony of Van Diemen's Land. In each of the new colonies the settlement needed to be built from scratch. When the former convicts acquired land they had to build accommodation as well as prepare the land for farming. It would not have been easy but it was their new life and it could probably be argued that they had a better life in Australia than if they had remained in the United Kingdom.
The first family member to settle in Australia of his own will was Thomas Birch (1767-1821) who arrived in Hobart Town in 1808 as a ship's surgeon. When the ship was unable to make the return journey Thomas decided to try his luck in Hobart Town becoming a successful merchant. His daughter, Sarah, married Simeon Lord (the son of a convict) who had purchased property in Van Dieman's Land. At least two of the sons of Sarah and Simeon were sent to England for part of their education so there may have been some contact with family in England.
George Mackillop (1790-1865) brought his family to Van Diemen's Land, via India in 1834 where they stayed for about six years. George was a merchant in India and as well as conducting business in Van Diemen's Land he was looking for opportunities in the new colony of Victoria. George and his family returned to Edinburgh around 1840, the family finally settling in Bath. However two of George's daughters returned to Victoria with their husbands, also via India. Eleonora married William Forbes Hutton (1816-1896) and the family settled in Australia in the early 1870s. Georgina married Thomas Bruce Hutton and they arrived in Melbourne in 1872. These families kept in touch with the family in England and in 1873 William Forbes Hutton travelled to England to settle family matters and returned with two of his children in 1874. His wife and the other children arrived soon afterwards.
Other family members such as the Weston and Cox families started arriving in Australian as free settlers from the 1830s. The Hillcoats arrived in 1852 and after six years in the colony of South Australia, resulting in John Hillcoat running up debts he could not pay, the family returned to England for a brief stay before once again trying their luck in Australia - this time in the colony of New South Wales. Members of the Smith family came individually to Australia in the 1850s. In all the father, John Smith, and four of his children had migrated to Australia from England. The Thom family arrived in 1877 after William Thom had died, possibly because an older son was already in the country.
Over the years the time of the journey between Britain and Australia decreased as larger ships were built and steam ships started to be used during the 1850s. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 also reduced the time required for the voyage. However Australia still remained a country far away.
In the 21st century, however, distance no longer means isolation from the rest of the world. Today people from Australia frequently fly to England and other countries in Europe, usually taking about a day and a half to get there. Advances in communication such as telephone, wireless, television and now the Internet have allowed us to almost instantly know and see what is happening in other parts of the world. Email and social media tools, such as Facebook, provide us with the opportunity to communicate instantly with family and friends in countries on the other side of the world such as Britain and Canada. So although we are far away in distance those of us living in Australia, unlike our Ancestors, are no longer isolated from the rest of the world.
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