THE - Richmond Tweed Family History...

Journal of the Richmond-Tweed Family History Society Inc.Ballina NSW Australia

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ISSN 0817-0185 • Free to Members • Issue No. 129 • SEPTEMBER 2016

‘Girlie’ Rath feeding a kangaroo outside her home on the Harvey Irrigation Scheme. Irrigation began in the South West

region of Western Australia when the Harvey Agricultural Area, settled in the 1890s, was selected for government

sponsored irrigation. Unemployment relief workers in the depression years of the 1930s provided much of the labour.

Photograph ‘Girlie’ Rath circa 1920: © courtesy of ECU Museum of Childhood Collection

THE

www.rtfhs.org.au September 2016, THE CEDAR LOG 3

EditorialEditor’s Message by Carol Donaghey

This is always a busy edition to produce so thank you to everyone who contributed. Once again we are at that time of year with the President’s and Treasurer’s Annual Reports on how well our Society has done over the past twelve months. And we have done well too with a large number of new members joining us.

Our Christmas in July Lunch was a great success and the AGM is over for another year with a new Committee to take us forward. We owe many thanks to the Committee members and other volunteers who work hard to keep the Society active and interesting.

There are a couple of very different stories in this issue contributed by Yvonne Hammond and Jan Mulcahy. I do hope you enjoy reading them.

Now it’s spring our thoughts might turn to outdoor activities like gardening but it’s also a great time to do some outdoor family history – like browsing through cemeteries, or driving to those little villages in the hinterland and maybe stopping off for lunch at one of the little pubs along the way (Eltham comes to mind). You can inspect the old, disused railway line at the same time.

Many thanks to editorial team members, Dawn and Jackie, who stoically worked on this journal in trying circumstances – both being most unwell but they were persevering and determined in their efforts. I understand the pressure since my husband Andrew was recently in hospital and thankfully has recovered well.

Please note that this year our December meeting on Saturday 3rd will not be held at the Players Theatre but will be combined with a lunch at Summerland House where we will enjoy not only good food but also some trivia questions, the Christmas raffle will be drawn and your Cedar Log will be available to collect. The more the merrier so mark your calendar and put out your Santa shirt for the day.

We hope you enjoy this edition along with the sunny spring weather and the new green growth of nature at this beautiful time of year.

Location: Marie Hart Library, 6 Regatta Avenue, Ballina NSW AustraliaWebsite: www.rtfhs.org.au

All Correspondence, Enquiries & Research Requests to be forwarded to: Secretary,Richmond-Tweed Family History Society Inc., PO Box 817, Ballina NSW Australia 2478

or email: [email protected]

Patron: Martyn Killion, BA, Grad. Dip App. Science (Information), Dip FHS.

Honorary Fellowships: Marie Hart; Audrey Chappell; Nola Rodey; Suzanne Warmerdam; Esme Smith; Jean Cummins; Frank Harvey

President: Robyn Hilan – 0408 271 946 (email: [email protected])Vice-President: Leonie Oliver – 6686 3389

Secretary: Kerrie Alexander – 6628 1663Treasurer: Bonnie Bennett – 6681 5242

Computer Coordinator: Carol BrownCurator and Publicity Officer: Allan Ridgewell

Public Officer and Membership Secretary: Nola RodeySocial Events Organiser: Gwen Clark

Research Officer: Don Howell – 6687 4279 (email: [email protected])

Committee Members:Carol Brown, Jackie Chalmers, Gwen Clark, Don Howell, Nola Rodey

Journal Editor: Carol Donaghey 6618 9458 (email: [email protected]) Assistant to Editor/Production: Jackie Chalmers 6625 1898

Assistant to Editor: Dawn Lotty 6687 2442Societies Exchanging e-Journals: email to [email protected]

The Marie Hart Library: Opening hours Monday & Wednesday 10am to 4pm; the first Saturday of the month – closed; 2nd & 4th Saturdays 1pm to 4pm; & 3rd & 5th Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Closed on all public holidays. For more information about MH Library and our research facilities see inside back cover.

ContentsEditorial – Editor’s Message 3 • Reports to AGM 4 •

Our Big Hearted Neighbour 9 • A Peal of Bells 12 • Bureaucracy Gone Mad 16 • A Man of Few Words 17 •

Christmas in July Lunch 18 • Diary of a War 20 • Potato Orphans Sent to Australia to marry Convicts 22 • 200 Years of Woolmers Estate 25 • All in the Family 26 •

Strange But True 28 • In the Loop 29 • Monthly Speakers 32 •

FRONT COVER PHOTOGRAPH: ‘Girlie’ Rath feeding kangaroo c1920

THIS PAGE PHOTOGRAPH: Cousins at their grandparents enjoying a dip in the ‘swimming pool’

(Incorporated in New South Wales)Richmond-Tweed Family History Society Inc.

4 THE CEDAR LOG, September 2016 www.rtfhs.org.au www.rtfhs.org.au September 2016, THE CEDAR LOG 5

President’s Report to AGM 6th August 2016Robyn Hilan

Reports to AGM

In reviewing the activities of this past year I would like to report on matters relative to the Monthly Members’ Meetings, Membership, Money and the Marie Hart Library.MeetingsIt is not necessary to go into a detailed review of all the meetings held since we last met as there is a useful resume in the Journals. There are some highlights to include today. In August we were privileged to have our Patron Martyn Killion as Guest Speaker with the topic “Genealogy on the Internet – Websites You Can’t Live Without”. But it was an ‘aside’ which brought about a unique response. Martyn asked “Are you a good Ancestor?” and this prompted a member couple to change their funeral arrangements so that future researchers will be better able to find them!Criminals came to the fore at our October meeting and despite the participation of a number of members with interesting tales of woe, Leonie ‘brought the house down’ when she pointed out that her man (yes, a Blenkins) was denied suitable justice by a noted relative of Frank Harvey - and one who was not in a position to throw stones at that!The April meeting featured matters ‘Anzac’ with four members contributing short talks on various participants of World War I. Frank Harvey highlighted the participation of Aboriginals. We reflected that the actions of Simpson and his donkey showed a somewhat different aspect of ‘ambulance bearers’. Jenny Maley reminded us of the importance of Chaplains and Jackie Chalmers captured our attention when she spoke of the life of the ‘drivers’ in the midst of this conflict.By chance I chose to open the 2016 year with ‘Reboot your Research’ which gave a boost to lapsed researchers but was more timely in that this February meeting happened to have our best attendance (50) in a long time, and the numbers were augmented by an eager bunch of new recruits.Guest Speakers at our regular meetings included Dr Neil Thompson ‘History of Medical Practice in the Richmond Valley from 1857-1986’: Kevin Olivieri ‘Early European pioneers Ludwig Armbruster and Jens Fredericksen’ and John Sim ‘Local History with a Twist’.

The Committee has an ever present challenge to enlist Guest Speakers which makes the participation of Member Speakers crucial. Quite a few members presented short talks. Others who carried the main speaking agenda were Leonie Oliver, Don Howell, Jackie Chalmers, Leigh Wilson and myself. There has been a concerted effort put into choosing topics which provide a balance of research advice and practical demonstrations related to Internet resources.

Members who regularly support the monthly meetings will have noticed an increase in attendance and this has resulted in an average for the year of 40 people per meeting.

A notable event took place when our June meeting was the first one cancelled in the history of the Society! This was made necessary by the severe weather at the time and whilst it was a difficult decision to cancel it was generally well accepted.Gwen Clark, our Social Events Organiser, has arranged two excellent gatherings at Summerland House Farm, Alstonville. We enjoyed a Christmas get together at the ‘proper’ time of the year but our second Christmas (in July) bore no resemblance to the winter version since the temperature on the day was 29 degrees and there was not even artificial snow to bring relief. We continue with these events by popular request, so if you have not joined in as yet there will be a further opportunity on the first Saturday next December.

In concluding reference to our meetings I would like to thank all those who undertake various tasks which facilitate the afternoon’s proceedings. Your assistance is not taken for granted, and we all know it is the little cogs which make the larger wheels go round and keep the machinery going.

MembershipMembership of the Society remains strong especially when compared to the decline being experienced by many other Societies. Whilst our membership numbers (116 singles, 23 couples and 7 Honorary Fellowships) were steady, the unfortunate loss of members - sometimes due to death, illness, age-related difficulties - was offset by the addition of 18 new members, which is quite exciting. A surprising number of Societies are appealing for Secretaries or Treasurers or in some cases a full executive (in fact some groups have had to close altogether). Each year our Members have the opportunity to be nominated for a term on the Management Committee and we are very fortunate to have all key positions filled and each Committee person actively involved in the interests of the Society. This does not mean we have a ‘closed shop’ – we encourage you to consider becoming involved so as to bring fresh ideas, and to give some of our long-term Committee members a well deserved break.


MoneyMoney is a factor in the life of any organisation and we are no different. The Treasurer has prepared an independent report but at times it is necessary for the Committee to review aspects of our financial status and to make policy decisions following advice and discussions. After confirming last year’s audit report with an accountant I recommended to the Committee a change to the valuation of our Assets to bring them to a more realistic figure. This is a lower figure but does not affect our funds (other than insurance costs) because most of our library material is not replaceable and cannot be redeemed on any claim. Also the rate of depreciation was too slow given we were still depreciating purchases long after they were obsolete or no longer even in the Library; nor were they likely to realise anything like their paper valuation if ever we needed to resort to selling them off. The Seminar with Guest Speaker Helen Smith was a quite a success despite one or two technical issues, especially with sound. Thanks to Don Howell for his excellent organisation and to those who assisted on the day. The fact that we did not raise as much money as on previous occasions was largely due to a change in catering. It was decided by Committee that our financial position was sound enough to offer the Seminar to members without some of them having to provide and prepare food on the day and thus miss out on some of the sessions. This meant having paid caterers which was a practical and pleasant change but one which eroded the profit somewhat. The Committee has already decided that we will do this again next year but if it results in a financial loss we may have to review the situation for subsequent Seminars.Marie Hart LibraryThe Marie Hart Library remains an integral part of the activities of the Society but we are still disappointed that it is somewhat neglected as a resource. This is a mistake made by those who fail to see the enormous benefit of the ‘physical’ aspect of research in company as well as the work in isolation at the home computer. For a while our Curator Allan Ridgewell was overwhelmed by an avalanche of donated books until he was rescued by Eldon Wright who came to his aid to fast-track the accessions.Most of what has happened in the Library this past year is related to Technology. Some issues affected by this are important enough to be included in this report. First a word about Journals. Our Editorial team has done an excellent job producing our Cedar Log Journals this past year. These have drawn compliments from our own members and other Societies both in Australia and Overseas. We exchange Journals with over 100 Societies but hard copy versions have dropped by 50%, being replaced rapidly by electronic versions

as groups endeavour to cut down on printing and postage costs. The Committee has decided to continue producing four journals in hard copy format for the foreseeable future, but we provide electronic versions on request. Our policy for exchange journals is like-with-like. The increase in electronic journals presents a challenge regarding availability to members, as unlike the hard copies they cannot be borrowed from the library and not everyone wants to go there to read a journal. With the agreement of fellow Societies electronic journals can be put onto the Website with member access only – and that in itself presents Carol Brown with a technological challenge which we hope will soon be resolved. Dawn Lotty continues to produce her electronic newsletter monthly and this is proving instrumental in increasing attendances at our regular meetings.Technological advances have also forced us to review the status of our Equipment in the Library. In recent days we have had to remove the Film Reader as we no longer borrow films through State Archives as the ARK records are now freely available on line. The use of microfiche is rare and the machines can no longer be serviced readily and of course most of ours were second-hand initially. We have had the machines inspected and have disposed of some, retaining two on the desks for use, and two in reserve. We need to take a hard look at some of our resources with a view to rationalising our holdings of microfiche and CDs. It is probable that all the records on fiche are now updated and freely available on the Internet. Computer operating systems frequently make older versions of CD data inoperable and many recent computers do not have a built-in CD player which brings our collection of CDs almost to obsolescence. Ideally we would like to revamp our Website but this requires a particular expertise not readily apparent within our Membership and outside assistance can sometimes prove problematical.A recent donation of $1500 from Ballina Lodge United has been earmarked for use in purchasing another laptop computer. This donation means we can spend some of our reserve funds to extend the number of internet connections and potentially some of the subscription programmes for the use of members within the Library. It is anticipated these additions will be available in the near future.In conclusion I would like to sincerely thank all the volunteers for their assistance in this past year and to note the valuable contribution each member of the Committee has made to advance the aims and achievements of this Society. Without these people we could not continue to exist.Last year I commented to our Patron that the report was too long and he replied “Robyn, never apologise for bringing good news”. Once more this has been a long report but I hope you will agree that we have had a very successful year – one worth hearing about!


Treasurer’s Report to AGM 6th August 2016Bonnie Bennett

I’m pleased to report on our financial position for the year ending June, 2016.Operational Income 11,061.84Operational Expenses 9,428.70Operational Surplus 1,633.14Reconciled Bank Balance 6,597.42Investment Account 6,425.86Total Funds available 13,023.28I wish to draw your attention to a couple of matters:

Income• Our donations were up on the previous year due to the donation of

$1500 from Lodge Ballina United• Library Internet is higher than last year owing to a change in the

licence agreement which resulted in a one-off rebate• Seminar income is lower as last year we held two seminars to just one

this yearTotal comparison of income shows that it is steady, other than the donation already mentioned.

Expenses• Insurance is less than the previous year due to a revaluation of our

assets which can be covered and a new renegotiated policy• Library costs were reduced owing to a change in the licence for the internet• Seminar costs were higher because we used external catering which

was 1/3 of each person’s seminar feeTotal expenditure is less than $200 greater than last year.Overall we have a surplus of $1,633.14

AssetsOn the recommendation of the Auditor, who discussed our accounts with an accountant, the committee approved a revaluation of the Society’s assets. This was to bring them to a more realistic value. The depreciation rate was increased slightly as the previous method was taking too long and was exceeding the lifetime of some of the assets still on our report.It was also decided not to include journals, which have no monetary value; or the foreign stamps as they are now out of circulation in those countries.None of these actions with regards to the foreign stamps and journals have any impact on the Society’s finances as we are a cash-based organisation, and the assets other than the bank accounts merely reflect past purchases.Note: Copies of the 2015/2016 Financial Statement are held at the Marie Hart Library.

Nan Gavin was our nearest neighbour when my family lived at Macquarie Fields from May 1942 to May 1946. In those years we lived on dairy farms with extended areas of wild uninhabited bush towards the Georges River. Nan had six children, three girls and three boys aged from two and a half to fourteen, and to an extent my brother Chris and I became part of her family after my mother became severely ill following the birth of her third child in January 1944. Nan was not asked or consulted to take us on, nor was she paid. She simply understood how ill our mother was and stepped in to help out. The Gavin kids were our playmates and their property was our playground. The bush beyond, as well as the river, was our extended territory. We all rode bicycles but our mothers didn’t and they were obliged to walk two miles to the nearest general store, the public telephone or get the steam train to Sydney. Often the telephone was out of order for weeks and the roads were never graded during the war. The road was in a terrible condition so naturally we had a lot of spills off the bikes and Nan was always there to render first aid.Nan’s husband, Frank, worked as a medical orderly for the Australian Army and was stationed in Townsville when the war raged north of our borders. He only showed up for a week during the school holidays and a little longer at Christmas. Nights must have been very lonely for her when all the kids were asleep with only her blue cattle dog, Skipper for company. I can imagine her after the evening meal, preparing the dough for half a dozen loaves of bread to be baked for the following day. Nan loved cooking, regularly baking pies and cakes, and

Our Big Hearted Neighbour

by Jan Mulcahy

Jan Mulcahy


eating them too. Over the four years I saw her gradually put on a lot of weight. It must have been a huge temptation with those wonderful loaves of hot bread lined up and that fresh home churned butter – food filling her lonely life. It was not just for her husband that she longed. Nan was Scottish and she missed her mother and sisters but if she grieved for them, it did not show for she had a very jolly personality and laughed a lot.Nan was big and fat and everything about her seemed larger than usual. Her dog was a big blue cattle dog, and the kitchen, which was built separate from the rest of the house, was enormous as were the cooking utensils and stove. The dining table seated twelve easily with the kids sitting on long forms either side. There were two chairs, one at each end for the parents, but nobody ever sat in Frank Gavin’s chair during his absence. They wouldn’t dare.

The kitchen had a walk in pantry with bags of flour and sugar and shelves filled with jars of jam and preserves. Nan’s kettle was so huge it took two hands to lift it and the teapot was the same. Her stew pot had one big handle from one side to the other and her griddle iron handle was similar. All these items were made of thick black iron imported from Scotland.

Nan’s specialty was griddle cakes for afternoon tea. She used to pour the batter straight onto the iron and then flip the cakes over for a couple of minutes before serving them with jam and cream. She would watch our reaction to this marvellous treat and say ‘Good eh dearie?’

There was a big sofa in the kitchen which Nan slept on while she was baking at night. She just dossed down and pulled a blanket up over her nightie and dressing gown.

Nan was very generous and kind because she often fed us as well as her own kids at lunch time to give my mum a rest. She took a great interest in her children’s education and insisted they do their homework. After

Three Cast Iron pieces in the Boyle Collection www.ramshornstudio.com/iron_218d.htm

I had piano lessons she encouraged me to play their piano, it was then I discovered she was really a softy because she cried when I played Danny Boy as it reminded her of her Mum and her family in Scotland.Born in Glasgow Nan spoke with a delightful brogue and used strange words and when she was angry threw in few swear words. She only got angry when she was tired or when we children got under her feet or broke something or it was raining and she could not say ‘Goo outside an’ play noo.’Nan was 36 when we first met her and had long dark hair usually pulled into a pony tail or screwed into a bun which she combed with her fingers leaving strands hanging down. Her merry eyes were hazel and her complexion ruddy. She usually wore a full skirt and floral blouse or a faded floral dress, which always had short sleeves because she never felt the cold. In winter a shapeless cardigan was added to her attire. She didn’t have a waistline as such and all her clothes were well worn which gave her an untidy and motherly appearance. She never wore makeup and had no fashion sense whatever; I never saw her look into a mirror. The Gavin’s had met at a Glasgow hospital where Nan was a nurse and Frank worked as a medical orderly. How and when they married and migrated to Australia we never knew but there was a strong Scottish presence at that time in our district. They had a fair sized congregation at their ivy covered stone Presbyterian Church and everyone loved music. The Gavin’s old piano in their parlour was badly out of tune but when Frank was home he played for their invited friends on a Saturday night. On Sunday morning the whole family trooped off to the church in Glenfield and they took me with them because I loved singing the hymns.In a crisis or accident Nan always took charge. On one occasion when I got into difficulties in the river Nan fished me out and applied CPR so I owe my life to her quick thinking and her dog who alerted her to my predicament. She could deal with bloody noses, bee stings, bull ant bites, cuts and bruises from falls and she always patched us up instead of sending us home because she knew our mother could not cope with blood or accidents. For all health problems she had the right remedy and she taught us to be tough and resilient. ‘Owrrrr, storp ya snivellin’ n goo get back on ye bike.’ She’d growl and wave us off her kitchen sofa.

Nan Gavin appears in Jan’s memoir Running in Stilettos with a Double Bass as part of Jan’s childhood story.


These stories are about both of my Great, Great, Great Grandfathers and their connection with church bells and clocks. One belonging to the oldest continuous place of worship in Australia, St John’s Anglican Church in Parramatta NSW and the other, his connection with St Phillip’s Church Sydney and the James Oatley No. 9 clock.

Thomas West, a convict and my third Great Grandfather, hung the first peal of bells in old St Phillips Church Sydney; the eight bells were brought to Australia by Governor Hunter who had them stowed away, but later Governor Bligh found the bells and had Thomas hang them; they rang for the first time 209 years ago in May 1807 as reported in the Sydney Gazette on June 7 in the same year.

Thomas was given a conditional pardon on Christmas Eve 1813, twelve years after his arrival in the colony. The Colonial Secretary informed him of this by a letter, which is still in the hands of the family. It reads:

A Peal of Bells

by Yvonne Hammond

St Phillips Sydney after 1807 ‘Church Bells’, Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 7 June 1807

His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to Grant unto Thomas West who came to this Colony a Convict for life in the Earl Cornwallis, in the year 1801, a conditional Pardon in consideration of his general good conduct and character for Sobriety and industry and also in consideration of his having erected a Water Mill for grinding of grain at Barcom Glen within one mile of the town of Sydney, being the first Water Mill ever erected in the immediate vicinity of the town, and as a further mark of approbation of the conduct of the said Thomas West, the Governor has been pleased to make a donation of a Cow from the Government herds.Cow Lane still exists in the vicinity of South Head Road Sydney, so named as being the site of Thomas’s cow shed and herd, which originated from the bovine gift, courtesy of Governor Macquarie.

Barcom Avenue and West Street both give access to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney which stands on the site of his Barcom Glen cottage and Water Mill. The original huge millstones each weighing one ton and measuring 18 feet in diameter are on display at the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo Sydney.

There is evidence to suggest that John West, Thomas’s father, operated a watermill in Barcombe, Sussex, England. Maybe it was from him that Thomas gained the experience to build another.

Descendants of Thomas West in 2001 bequeathed his James Oatley long case No. 9 clock to the National Trust at Parramatta NSW. Very few Oatley clocks (less than two dozen) are known to exist of those that were manufactured prior to 1827. It had been purchased originally by Thomas probably around 1820 and handed down through four generations. No. 9 clock has a fascinating history; manufactured by the convict James Oatley who was transported for life (having escaped the hangman’s noose) and purchased from him by the convict Thomas West, also transported for life, until finally, it now rests on permanent display for both family and public to view at Old Government House, Parramatta.

Thomas West, conditional pardon 1813


In 1821 St John’s Church of England, Parramatta installed a Thwaites and Reed clock that had been manufactured in England and its caretaker became my other third Great Grandfather, Henry William Burgin. Henry, who was a clockmaker and jeweller born in the colony, was also credited with being the first photographer in Parramatta. A collection of his photographic work was on continuous display in the Mitchell Library during most of 2007.

St John’s church foundations had been laid in 1791. During the years of building, Reverend Johnson preached his sermons at 10am and 4pm, under the shade of a large spreading tree in the church grounds. It is an amusing aside to note, that before the church building was finished it was used as a lock-up and after that, a granary, before being officially consecrated by the Reverend Samuel Marsden and used as it was first intended on April 10,1803. The twin steeples were not added until 1818; built by convicts with handmade sandstock bricks overlaid with cement render giving the appearance of stone. Before 1855 there existed a three deck pulpit, which had two flights of stairs. The clergyman had use of the top deck, the curate used the middle deck and the clerk used the lower floor. St John’s twin towers are the oldest remaining part of any Anglican Church in Australia.

St John’s single faced clock was built in London, installed in 1821 in the NW tower and is one of the oldest timepieces in Australia. The six foot pendulum swung slowly back and forth like a giant metronome when released into life by the demanding duty of the verger; who had to climb two sets of steep stairs to reach the workings and give the clock its mandatory wind with a large crank key. The heavy weight takes six days to slowly fall the 25 feet before another wind is necessary to activate its hourly chimes.

Oatley’s Long case No. 9 clock

Henry W. Burgin

Clocks in public places are not deemed as essential these days as most people own a watch or mobile phone, but there is something special about a watch or clock apart from its intrinsic value. Symbolically they record historic events and particular moments in the history of nations; sentimental occasions of marriages, births and other personal accounts of love, life and laughter as well as sombre moments, such as war and death, all timed to the minute.A detailed report reveals that St John’s clock was chiming the hour of eight when the memorable uprising of women in the female factory at Parramatta took place; they attacked a squad of policemen and fighting them ‘tooth and nail’, drove them out. Eventually when brought to order, the ringleaders were condemned to have their long hair cut off and kept cropped as further punishment for the remainder of their imprisonment.In 1812 Governor Macquarie ordered a ‘market place to be set out next to the church site’. The initial opening of these market days was held on the first day of January 1813 summoning all to attend by the ringing of St. Johns 13 bells at 8am. It closed at noon with this announcement: “the first public fair to be held in this territory by public authority, was held this day in Parramatta”. From that fair the famous institution of “THE SHOW” eventuated, which was first properly arranged and held in October 1824. Periodic ringing of church bells and the clock striking the hours regularly had the natives in awe, and consequently it took some time before they became accustomed to the sounds. Currently, St John’s Carillon is played by one or two people pulling on ropes, causing the clappers, or tongues, to strike the bells which don’t move. The carillon has replaced the 13 ringing bells which previously summoned worshippers to church for over a century.Church clocks all around the world probably have tales to tell, none stranger than St. Marks in Worsley, England, where workers close by complained they had no trouble hearing the clock strike twelve

St John’s Anglican Church Parramatta single faced clock on North West Tower


but often missed the single strike summoning them back to work. To remedy that situation, the clock was altered to strike 13 times at one o’clock and still does to this day.St. John’s in Parramatta conducts tours by day, and by night a “Whispering Bones” experience, walking with the spirits of Parramatta’s pioneers, visiting the graves of murderers,

missionaries, convicts and criminals while listening to the surprising true tales and strange happenings of early Parramatta, such as the “clockmaker found dead on time”.I wonder? Could this be my Great, Great, Great Granddaddy?Ref: Australian Dictionary of Biography, St John’s Fact File: Keith Bennett

Bureaucracy Gone Mad

from Jackson’s Oxford Journal – dated 20 November 1830A curious question arose, a few days since, at the Chelmsford Petty Sessions, in a case of settlement from East Hanningfield, about a respected and elderly woman who had become chargeable to that parish.‘It appeared that her husband formerly occupied a farm situate in the parishes of Great Baddow and East Hanningfield, Essex. The boundaries of Great Baddow parish, it appeared, passed through the room in which the pauper and her husband slept, and divided the bed in the centre. The occupier of the bed, by lying on one side, would be in Baddow parish, but if he only turned himself, and lay on the other side of the bed, he instantly became an inhabitant of East Hanningfield.The question to be decided was, on which side of the bed the husband slept, for by that circumstance his settlement would be determined. The bench seemed to think that, according to the boundary laid down by Great Baddow, the greater part of the bedstead stood in that parish, and an order of removal was made’.

Enumerator’s Comments in the 1865 census of New YorkWhen I was checking the New York census of 1865 recently for the Wren family who were living in Buffalo, I came across the remarks page at the end of the enumerator’s district.The enumerator was asked to comment on the influence of the civil war on prices etc.The questions that he answered were:-How has the war affected the amount of debt between individuals? Increased it much

What effect has it had upon credit? Impaired it

Has it tended to promote prompt payments? Yes

How has it influenced the amount of crime? By the example of bounty jumpers

How has it influenced pauperism? By desertion and high living

What other changes in the social condition of the people have you observed since 1860?

A large increase in prostitution and a tendency of our Judiciary not to protect respectable neighbourhoods from the curse of Houses of Prostitution together with our Police regulations which scatters them all over our city instead of confining them to one locality= our laws is defective= Licence them and confine them to one locality and many valuable lives would be saved of the virtuous and lower classes would also be benefited.

GENERAL REMARKS - our city loses a number of thousand inhabitants by the people living in summer season on canal boats and vessels with their whole families and are not enumerated. Labourers does less work that formerly with the Increased wages and are more Idle. Over twenty dwellings in my district are supported wholly or in part in the receipts of the proceeds of prostitution.Signed by George H. Sweet, enumerator, Buffalo, Erie, NY

A Man of Few Wordsby Leonie Oliver

Worsley Church’s Bridgewater Clock - famous for the 13 chimes at 1 o’clock


by Carol DonagheyLaughter and chatter filled the room at the Christmas in July lunch on Saturday 23rd at Summerland House. It was a great get-together and there was also some entertainment with the serving of the meals (you had to be there to really appreciate it). Of course we all thought it would be a cold day as after all it was July in the middle of winter, but no, it was 29 degrees. Don’t you just love these summery days popping up in the middle of winter!Greatly missed were Jackie and Anna who were sick with the dreaded lurgy. We hope they are back to top form now. These little outings give members a chance to socialise and talk with others in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. Next time maybe you too will come and join us. Many thanks to Gwen Clark for her excellent organisation once again.

Christmas in July Lunch

Alf and Jill Clark

Andrew Donaghey with Colleen and Don Howell

Bonnie Bennett and Carol Brown

Tanya Binning, Marie Hart and Nola Rodey

Rosemary and Margaret Playford

Robyn Hilan

Seminar Organiser Don Howell with members Nola and Bonnie

Yvonne Randle with her reindeer

Meryl and John Broadley


By the end of 1916 the war was becoming a heavy burden for all Australians. The excitement and enthusiasm of the early weeks of the Gallipoli campaign had evaporated and the period of strong voluntary enlistments was long past. Almost everyone knew some young man killed in the war and the heavy losses were intruding into a great many households. Making things worse, victory appeared to be nowhere in sight. There was no rush for the paper before breakfast to read of the new victory; there were victories in the papers but the public did not believe in them any longer.

The Australians were fully involved in 1916. The Somme offensive did not achieve its goals, but it contributed to the weakening the German army.

The war did not really stop over Christmas, unlike the truce of Christmas 1914. The battles of Verdun and the Somme during this year were so bitter that they foiled any real attempts to form truces between opposing men. However, soldiers on all sides were aware that they were far from home on what was traditionally a day spent with family. Some made moves to celebrate with local families in festive friendliness.

An article in The Genealogist Newsletter reports that the oldest British soldier to lose his life at the Somme was 67 year old Lieutenant Henry Webber. Born in England in 1849, at the age of 66 years he set out to obtain a commission in the army. After struggling to be accepted, but on account of his knowledge

of horses, he was gazetted to the South Lancashire Regiment as a Temporary Lieutenant on 1st May 1916, and then was appointed to the horse transport for the Battalion.

Henry Webber fought hard to be able to serve in a war zone in spite of his advancing years.

He was killed in action on 21 July 1916; the oldest British soldier to die.

At the time of his death the Roll of Honour tells us that Henry Webber left a widow and eight children.

Diary of a WarTimeline of important events

during the First World War

67-year-old soldier Henry Webber

An Australian soldier, James Charles (Jim) Martin (3 January 1901 – 25 October 1915) was the youngest Australian known to have died in the first world war. He was only 14 years and nine months old when he succumbed to typhoid during the Gallipoli campaign. He was one of 20 Australian soldiers under the age of 18 known to have died in World War 1.

This Quarter’s World War 1 Diary: 1916October – Australian Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, wanted to introduce conscription instead of relying on voluntary recruitment but with no Senate support it was finally put to a referendum on 28 October, the ‘No’ vote narrowly prevailing.

Fighting continued at Verdun and the Somme in France and the German Air Force was founded.

November – Australian soldiers in Flanders were returned to the Somme, but the muddy conditions destroyed any hopes of success. Torrential rain turned the battlefield into a quagmire and supplies of ammunition were badly delayed as roads became impassable. The main Somme fighting came to an end on 18 November in the rain, mud, and slush of the oncoming winter.

President Woodrow Wilson was re-elected in America after campaigning on the slogan, ‘He kept us out of war.’

December – LLoyd George became Britain’s new Prime Minister. His new War Cabinet immediately began to organise the country for ‘total war.’The final French offensive in the Battle of Verdun took place on 15th and the Battle of Verdun ended the following day.

References: historyplace.com, Wikipedia and The Genealogist Newsletter

Private James Charles (Jim) Martin

The ‘Yes’ PosterThe ‘No’ Poster


The ‘Potato Orphans’ of Australia is a tragic, little-known period in the nation’s history, in which thousands of vulnerable teenage women, orphaned by the Great Famine, were shipped from Ireland to be wives for the Australian convicts.Gail Newman is passionate about discovering her ancestors’ forgotten stories and was shocked when she discovered the truth about her great- great-great-grandmother Jane McDonald.Jane was sent to Australia at the age of 18 after her parents’ tragic deaths to serve as a maid and be married out to a convict. In a tragic and little-discussed time from Australia’s past, 4000 girls as young as 14 became ‘symbolic refugees from famine’, displaced in Australia and dependent on finding work or husbands to survive.The Great Famine in Ireland in the 1840s was a period of deprivation and disease due to the depleted potato crops, resulting in mass starvation and the death of around one million people between 1845 and 1852.The young women who survived but had no source of income or ability to sustain themselves became known as the ‘Irish famine orphans’ or ‘potato orphans’.Between 1848 and 1850 the Earl Grey scheme sent female Irish teens from Ireland’s workhouses to faraway Australia to become brides for the convicts.The homeless orphans had been living and working in the Irish factories, which faced extreme overcrowding and insufficient supplies. These women had been either orphaned by the famine or disowned by parents who could no longer support them.The scheme was pitched by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Earl Grey. He proposed these young, ‘marriageable’ women could serve as wives and provide female labour in the male-dominant and hugely underdeveloped land down under, Australia.Ms Newman spent more than 12 months hunting for information about her ancestors, particularly about Jane; determined to recover the lost stories. She managed to uncover shipping records, marriage certificates and even a tombstone to uncover the forgotten story from her family’s past.

Jane McDonald was an 18-year-old nursemaid whose parents, Sally and Hugh McDonald, both died while she was young, leaving her with nothing.She travelled to Australia during a tedious passage of 124 days from Plymouth, according to a newspaper cutting from 1848.Thousands were shipped to Australia to become wives, suffering through perilous journeys which claimed many lives.The ship has on board 203 immigrants, of whom eight are married couples and 195 single women (Irish orphans) from the age of 16 to 25. Two deaths only occurred during the voyage, the Shipping Gazette clipping wrote in reference to Jane’s journey.Her qualities were listed in documentation as State of bodily health, strength, and probable usefulness: good.Fortunately, the teen was quickly settled in New South Wales to work as a maid in rural Maitland, where she was poorly paid and thousands of kilometres from home. ‘Jane was sent to Maitland by steamer with three other girls. They were all aged 17 and 18,’ said Ms Newman.

Famine Memorial Plaque, Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney NSW

Potato Orphans Sent to Australia to marry Convicts

Reprinted with permission - Newsletter The Mail No 175


‘She was sent to work as a maid for Mr Holmes at Black Creek and paid 11 pounds a year, although I’m not sure if she received this money or if it went to the department that organised the emigration.’She was soon married, although Ms Newman has not yet been able to determine if the marriage was arranged or if Jane and her husband met and chose to be married.She was married eight months later to John Byrne, a Dublin-born immigrant 12 years her senior.Although the scheme was a success for some, other young women were unable to escape poverty.Women who were unable to fulfil their duties were forced to live on the streets in Australia or were deported back to Ireland.Jane and John had 13 children together, although two died as babies and another two died at a young age.(summarised from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ April 2, 2016)Reprinted with permission of The Descendants of Convicts Group Victoria Inc (Newsletter of The Mail No 175)The ‘Potato Orphans’ of Australia is a little-known period in the nation’s history when thousands of vulnerable, teenage women were shipped from Ireland to be wives for the Australian convicts.Read the full story and view a video:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3095781/Poorshipped-against-world-untold-story-Ireland-s-Potato-Orphans-teenagers-sent-Australia-married-convict-settlers.html

Thank you to Lodge Ballina Unitedby Carol Donaghey

The Society has been very pleased to accept a cheque for $1500 donation from Masonic Lodge Ballina United.

This donation was a very pleasant surprise and the funds will be spent on extending our computers and internet access for the benefit of researchers in the Marie Hart Library.

Many thanks to Lodge Ballina for their generosity.

In 2017, Woolmers Estate in Tasmania, a UNESCO World Heritage Listed Convict Site, will celebrate its 200th year.The Bicentennial Committee is currently making plans for a special year of events and is seeking any interested descendants who may wish to participate.Dates and details of this special occasion are yet to be finalised. For further information and inclusion on their mailing list interested parties should contact Sue-Ellen Groer, Bicentennial Committee Member by phone 03 6391 2230, PO Box 15, Longford TAS 7301 or email [email protected] Woolmers Estate is among eleven places included in the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property.Woolmers is a unique estate established by Thomas Archer in 1817 and which today continues to portray early colonial life in Tasmania. Further information is available on their website www.woolmers.com.au

200 Years of Woolmers Estate

Woolmers Estate - Coachhouse and Stables - think-tasmania.com

by Carol Donaghey


not only located it, but found it is now a stylish B & B so stayed a night there! Dawn Lotty’s recently discovered Primitive Methodist ancestors prompted her to further research the religion which then became the subject of her splendid talk in July. She was followed by Robyn Hilan and Jackie Chalmers showing us the usefulness of maps in our research, making it all look so easy as they demonstrated astonishing results on their computers. Leonie Oliver, we were told, had left for a long holiday in Canada which made us all quite envious and Leigh Wilson has been travelling again too, crossing more countries off his long wish list. Our jack of all trades, Eldon Wright, showed us a mountain of books that have been recently accessioned and added to the groaning shelves in the MHL. Do pop in soon to select a few relevant to your research so you can enjoy them at home.Looking ahead, if you are puzzling about a Christmas gift for someone who, like most of us, ‘has everything’, how about a subscription to our Society? I’m sure Nola will be pleased to sign them up for you.

New Membership a warm welcome from Membership Secretary, Nola Rodey

We are pleased to welcome the following new members who have joined our Society within the past few weeks:972 Ms Joy Windows Lismore NSW 2480973 Ms Wendy McGuire Worrigee NSW 2540

Making Sense of the Census Reprinted with Permission from June 2016 Cheshire Ancestor

Years ago, before the census was online, I found an ancestor on the census fiche in the local library. He was listed as a Public Nuisance ... obviously one of my family! Noticing a ‘+’ sign at the end of the line I asked the librarian what it meant; she explained that the ‘+’ meant that there was more information about his occupation on the original. So I looked at the microfilm version and, sure enough, it said Public Nuisance and Sanitation Worker.

Eric Millward, via the Rootsweb Cheshire mailing list

All in the FamilyNews From Within the Society

by Marie Hart

Let’s say hello to Spring with its new fashions, flower shows and the hope of new branches appearing on your family tree. But if you’ve hit that brick wall that all researchers talk about, think about a cry for help in The Cedar Log and someone reading our journal in New Zealand, Scotland or even in our own Society may have just the right answer for you. Remember, name dropping is the way to go!For the first time in the life of our Society we had to cancel our monthly Meeting on 4 June 2016 due to wild weather warnings that proved to be completely accurate. We were battered with violent winds and downpours of rain, so it really was a day for staying safely indoors. Do remember that the Marie Hart Library will not be open on Meeting days, and on the second and fourth Saturdays is now open only from 1pm to 4pm.Andrew Donaghey underwent surgery in Brisbane in early June and made such a rapid recovery that he was discharged from hospital earlier than expected and Carol is now having to run to keep up with his renewed energy and wellbeing! Terry Marshall also had a recent operation but is back to welcome us at the door on Meeting days and to assure us that he has just sold us the winning raffle ticket. Very sad news though of Judy Parker who used do so much for the Society and who died on 31 May 2016. Robyn and several other members attended her funeral to offer our condolences to her devoted family.Bonnie Bennett not only keeps her eye on our finances but as I discovered recently, casts her professional eye on orchids which she grows and exhibits, but also judges at regular local shows. President Robyn was the guest speaker at the Casino & District FHG on 13 July and the digitising of The Cedar Log is still proceeding with our computer people Jackie Chalmers, Gwen Clark and Don Howell on the job. We have gratefully accepted a generous donation from Allan Ridgewell’s Lodge Ballina United which allowed us to purchase another laptop computer so more members can access the electronic records we hold.Ann and Trevor Emery’s daughter Caroline was recently in the UK where she searched for her late grandmother’s home in Settle, Yorkshire and


Strange But TrueAuthor Unknown

His name was Fleming and he was a poor Scottish farmer.One day while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog where he found a terrified boy, mired to his waist in black muck, struggling to free himself.Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scot’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.‘I want to repay you because you saved my son’s life,’ said the nobleman.‘No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,’ the Scottish farmer replied, waiving off the offer. At that moment the farmer’s son came to the door of the family hovel.‘Is that your son?’ the nobleman asked.‘Yes,’ the farmer replied proudly replied.‘I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.’ And that he did.Farmer Fleming’s son attended the very best schools and in time graduated from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin.Years afterward, the same nobleman’s son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time was … penicillin.The name of the nobleman was Lord Randolph Churchill.His son’s name … Sir Winston Churchill.

In the LoopFrom the Media…

by Marie HartWith so many newsy bits to hand I am wondering where to start, but I’ll begin with an item from the RAHS Newsletter of 30 June 2016. Veterans, or the descendants of the thousands of Australian WW 2 fighter and bomber pilots who were trained in Narromine, may be interested in viewing the $610,000 newly opened upgrade of the Narromine NSW Aviation Museum. And if you have an interest in Brisbane, Queensland you can visit the City Hall for a free guided tour of the Museum of Brisbane between 10 am and 5 pm daily. Clock tower tours are also free and include the ride in Australia’s oldest manually operated lift to see a bird’s eye view of that city.In Murrumbidgee Ancestor (Wagga Wagga and District FHS) is news of the National Centre of Biography project to conduct a study of the fates of convicts, crew and marines who sailed in the First, Second and Third Fleets, 1787 to 1791, as well as those born to them in the Colony. More information will gradually be released as details of the proposed study are developed. May 2016 Footsteps from Port Macquarie had a convict theme, so other convict researchers may find useful information from the article. Amanda Short had discovered twelve of her forebears were convicts which makes me wonder if that is a record or if someone in our Society might be able to boast of more!A subscription has been taken for the Australian Biographical Database and is on our Society computer where it is available for you to use. Carol Liston’s proposed Seminar for later in the year has been cancelled, but Helen Smith will visit again with her vast knowledge of genealogical subjects. At her recent Seminar over fifty participants attended, including our friends from the Casino FHG, Clarence U3A students and early members Margaret Hardwick and Veronica McDonald who had not been seen for some time. Marlene Lester was the raffle winner and Jill Hunter our official and expert photographer. Don Howell’s meticulous planning for the event meant that the day was highly successful.NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies Inc 2016 State Conference will be held from 9 to 11 September at the Camden Civic Centre and if you are very quick you might still secure a place. Requests for us to exchange Journals electronically come thick and fast and now


include Liverpool’s Links’n’ Chains, Heraldry & Genealogy Society of Canberra’s The Ancestral Searcher, Moruya & District Historical Society’s journal, Dalby FHS Dalby Delver, Hawkesbury FHG Hawkesbury Crier, the Institute of Genealogical Studies The Genealogist, Whitsunday FHG and South Gippsland Genealogical Society. The Northern Star on 27 June 2016 carried a plea from author Lesley Jenkins for updates on her 1993 book, Power of the Land, about the Italian settlement at New Italy, NSW and those who arrived later. Interviews and further historical research is planned for 2017. The social historian in charge of the project is Dr Jo Kijas [email protected] so please contact her or Ros Derrett at 6625 1384 or [email protected]. Since 2009, 80,000 entries of BDMs from local newspaper The Central Western Daily were compiled by the Orange FHG and can be searched at www.cwl.nsw.gov.au (Public Library News August 2015).SL, the magazine from the State Library of NSW for Autumn 2016 revealed information about water taxis on Sydney Harbour before the completion of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932. They had been in use from the 1880s when watermen transported people by rowing boats across the harbour when they missed the ferry.Two books with information are The History and Description of Sydney Harbour by P R Stephenson and Brian Kennedy and From the Quay by Harvey Shore. By 1890 only fifty licensed watermen were plying their trade on the harbour. In SL for Summer 2015-16 you are invited to glimpse images of Murwillumbah’s main street from the 1880s to the 1950s at http://dxlab.sl.nsw.gov.au/main-street/. These magazines are available for loan from the Ballina branch of the Richmond Tweed Regional Library.If you have an interest in bellringing, read Rudwicks’ Early Bells and Bellringers in The Sussex Family Historian of December 2015, donated by Don Howell. It was stated that change ringing has been a background to the lives of Sussex people for almost 400 years. Spare a thought too for our busy friends in the Shetlands when you read Coontin Kin No 99. It was reported that their summer holiday season keeps them busy with visitors – without the likely influx from 79 cruise ship visits!Those of us over ‘three score years and ten’ and struggling with technology might be inspired by 102 year old Keith Dawson who sought the help of a librarian at the Port Macquarie Library Service with writing his memoir on his laptop, which he also uses for communicating with friends. He commented ‘think you’re too old for technology? Pfft’ he said! (Public Library News December 2015).

Journal GleaningsAustralianThese journals are on the shelves in our Library and may be borrowed so you can read them at your leisure. You may well pick up some clues that are unlikely to be found in other places.

George PEART & Austral Wheel Race The Ancestral Searcher, Jun 16Wellington NSW and its Historical Society RAHS History No 128, Jun 16Rabbit Industry in SE Australia 1870-1950 RAHS History No 128, Jun 16Child Labour in the 1800s Relatively Speaking, Jul 16More on Procida Immigrants 1885 Passenger Lists Tasmanian Ancestry, Jun 16Researching Jewish side of your family Eagle Eye, Jun 16Bridging the Past & Future Congress 9-12 March 2018 Descent, Jun 16Researching Railway Ancestors in all States Dust of Ages, Jun 16

OverseasCatholic Child Migration Woolwich & District FHS, Apr 16Focus on Children’s Homes WDYTYA, Feb 16Aberdeenshire Scotland WDYTYA, Feb 16Tracing County Wicklow Ancestors Irish Roots, Issue 98 16Irish Roman Catholic Records Ancestor, Jun 16East India Company Sussex Family Historian, Jun 14British Red Cross VAD Indexes Online Sussex Family Historian, Dec 14Photograph Conservation Genealogists’ Magazine, Jun 16Child Health in Scotland Gallus, Jun 16

eJournalsby Jackie Chalmers

The following eJournals may be read on the computer in the Marie Hart Library.. AustralianMarriage Allegations, Bonds and Licences in England by Val Messer Bundaberg Genealogical Association Inc., Family Ties, Jun 16Using Meyeer’s Gazetteer Cairns & District FHS, Origins, May 16Dingo Drive An Afternoon’s Sport – Dalby Herald, 29 May 1918 Dalby FHS Inc., Dalby Delver, May 16The Great North Road from greatnorthroad.com Descendants of Convicts Group, The Mail, Jul–Aug 16Growing Up on a Farm at Deniliquin – Memories 1938–1941 by Clare Stiles (Horsfall) Echuca–Moama FHG Inc., Bridges and Branches, Jun 16


A Saunter through St Peters, Richmond by Michelle Nichols and Jonathon Auld Hawkesbury FHG, The Hawkesbury Crier, Mar 16Ipswich Surf Life Saving Club by Walter Jeffrey Ipswich GS Inc., Bremer Echoes, Jul 16Empire Day by Glynda Nolan Lake Macquarie FHG, The Chronicle, May 16Reading Old Handwriting Maitland and District GS, Maitland Reminiscences, Jul 16Deciphering Street Names in the UK Census Maitland and District GS, Maitland Reminiscences, Jul 166 Secret Google Search Tricks for Genealogy That’ll Help You Find Your Ancestors Maryborough District FHS, Forebears, May 16From Fossicking to Farming by Melodie Woodford Newcastle FHS, Journal, Jun 16A Royal Mystery Solved (Part One) by Peter Conole Rockingham FHS, Between the Lines, Jun 16Wreckage of Catalina Aircraft has Links to South Gippsland by Marg Pegler South Gippsland GS, Newsletter, Jun 16Slides: An Intriguing Slice of the Past by Lynda Smith Wyong FHG, Tree of Life, May 16What is a Collateral Relative? Young and District FHS, Lambing Flat Leader, May 16

OverseasMurder at Bank Top Farm, 1840 (Part 1) by Maggie Bennett Barnsley FHS, Domus Historiae, Jul 16Polly Fleetwood’s Schooldays by Mary Machin 1996 Barnsley FHS, Domus Historiae, Jul 16Wife Sales in England by Maggie Bennett Barnsley FHS, Domus Historiae, Jul 16The Globe Tin Factory, Kempston and some Felts Family History and Recollections by Jose Brock (nee Felts) Bedfordshire FHS, Journal, Jun 16The Battle of Jutland by Rosie Rowley FH Society of Cheshire, Cheshire Ancestor, Jun 16There is always an answer ... somewhere by Margaret Lake Felixstowe FHS, Roots and Branches, Mar 16The Anglo-German Soldier by John Symons Hillingdon FHS, Journal, Jun 16Memories of Ainscough’s Mill, Burscough by Christine Ross Ormskirk & District FHS, Family Historian, Mar 16From Leeds to Canada during the Great Recession by Liz Penny Wharfedale FHS, Newsletter, Jun 16

For those members who were unable to attend meetings over the last three months this is a summary of the topics presented by our guest speakers. JuneFor the first time in the life of the Society the meeting had to be cancelled due to the severe wild weather. President Robyn braved the torrential rain to advise those members who hadn’t received the message.

JulyDawn Lotty gave a talk on her ancestors who were Primitive Methodists. This movement began around 1800 with gatherings known as Camp Meetings which involved public praying, preaching and ‘lovefeasts’. Don’t get carried away – a ‘lovefeast’ is a service dedicated to Christian love. Originating in England, by 1853 the movement had 11,000 members across Australia, the Camp Meetings ideally suited for our scattered pioneering farms and isolated mining settlements. Robyn Hilan’s PowerPoint presentation on the use of maps for the family historian was excellent. Some of the maps available are incredibly detailed e.g. fields are numbered, roads, lanes and rivers were noted, even windmills are marked. The detail on early maps is like a snapshot census of adult males in an area before census taking began.Some of these maps can help us locate records we would not have otherwise found. There is also a map guide to German parish registers. Try accessing the British Library at www.bl/subjects/maps or Ordnance survey maps – free on National Library of Scotland website www.nls.uk/maps Jackie Chalmers dazzled members with her Google Earth presentation on using maps to bring family history alive. She introduced us to Podcasts.

Monthly Speakersby editor Carol Donaghey

Methodist Camp Meeting 1819 from www.newworldencyclopedia.org

34 THE CEDAR LOG, September 2016 www.rtfhs.org.au

What are they you say? Podcasts are episodes of a program available on the Internet - usually audio or video recordings, a bit like a seminar in instalments and a great teaching aid. Try accessing Lisa Louise Cooke, Producer and Host of several family history podcasts on www.GenealogyGems.com Jackie demonstrated how old historic maps can help us locate place names that no longer exist, and they can be found at a number of websites, particularly David Rumsey’s map collection at www.davidrumsey.com with 30,000 maps available. Log on to the website and register – does not cost and entitles you to download all maps at high resolution.The National Library of Australia at:www.nla.gov.au/what-we-collect/maps has approximately 300,000 maps. www.oldmapsonline.org has indexed over 400,000 maps and local maps can be checked out at mapping.lismore.nsw.gov.auAs Robyn said ‘Maps are windows into the lives of our ancestors’.

AugustOur AGM went very smoothly with all Executive and Committee positions filled. The President and Treasurer Reports were very well received and member Don Howell was the guest speaker. Don spoke about some changes to the NSW BDM website; and accessing English Wills. Go to www.findawill.gov.uk and search for wills from 1858-1996 and 1996-present day. You can order and pay online and receive your purchases by email. Don’s main presentation was on the 1939 Register which provides a record of the civilian population of England and Wales just after the outbreak of the Second World War. These records are available online at www.findmypast.co.uk. While it is free to search the records there is a charge to view full transcriptions and download documents. But be prepared for what you might find. Don found a great-uncle who at the age of 70 married a girl of 22! Watch for a future article on this topic in the Cedar Log.

portion of Carte de L’Australie 1854 Author: E. Andriveau-Goujon, from David Rumsey Collection

The Richmond-Tweed Family History Society Inc. was established in 1983 to serve the family history needs of researchers initially with a special interest in Northern New South Wales, Australia in the area bounded by the Richmond and Tweed Rivers, often referred to as the Northern Rivers.

The Marie Hart Library holds numerous local records including the Local Schools Admission Registers, Cemetery Records, Burial Records and Honour and Memorial Rolls from many locations within the Northern Rivers.

Over the years the library has expanded and now holds a wealth of information from across Australia including historical and pioneer records, war records, shipping lists, probate records, landholder returns, Colonial Secretary papers, cemetery books etc. and journals including those from other English speaking countries. Access to Microfiche, CDs and a computer connected to the genealogical website Findmypast is also available. Contact Carol Brown on 02 6687 8443 if you need assistance.

The Society is able to do small family history searches for a fee of $10 per hour. Please include a 22 x 11 cm SAE and research fees where applicable.

Cedar LogJournal of the Richmond-Tweed Family History Society Inc.

Published March, June, September & December

The Editor, Carol Donaghey, would be pleased to accept articles for inclusion in this journal. Ideally they should be sent by email to Carol at [email protected] but typed hard copy is also welcomed. The format preferred is Times New Roman font; 12 point; single spacing.

Please add your contact details as the Editor may need to discuss with you any editing, abridgement or deferral to a future date of any material submitted for publication. It is your responsibility to ensure that your article does not infringe copyright. Items remain the copyright of the Richmond-Tweed Family History Society and the author.

Your input is important and makes for interesting and diverse reading for our members as well as to the other readers of our journal throughout Australia and overseas. We would love to hear about how you broke down those brick walls or any interesting information you have found out about an ancestor, so get those fingers typing.

The society does not accept responsibility for opinions and statements published by individual contributors. Original material in this journal may be reproduced with written permission from the society.

The Society meets at the Players Theatre, 24 Swift Street, Ballina – unless otherwise advised. Society meetings are held every month except January. The Society meets at 2.00 pm on the first Saturday of each month except July when it is held on the second Saturday.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Saturday 3 September: Subject: ‘Take a Walk down Norton Street’. Speaker: Frank Harvey.

Tuesday 6 September: The RTFHS Writers’ Group meets on the first TUESDAY of each month – at 1.00 pm – at the Marie Hart Library. Phone Group Leader Joan Fraser (6686 9664) for further details.

Saturday 1 October: Subject: ‘Australian families surviving in wartime’. Speaker: Jan Mulcahy.

Saturday 5 November: Subject: ‘Here Comes the Tax Man’. Members to contribute. Coordinated by Robyn Hilan.

Saturday 3 December: Christmas luncheon/meeting at Summerland House Farm. Raffles and Trivia Competition. 11.30 am arrival, order from menu for 12 o’clock start.

MEMBERSHIPMembership fees for the year 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 are $35 Individual/$45 Joint Membership. Journals will be sent to financial members only.

SOCIETY EvENTS

Christmas Lunch 2015

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