18th Unlock the Past Cruise roundup
With the Connections 2025 Early Bird closing date behind us, my thoughts are now on another conference which I’m currently attending. This one is rather different to our big one next March which is at Eight Mile Plains in Brisbane, as we’re now at sea onboard Celebrity Edge, and the conference is run by Alan Phillips under his Unlock the Past (UTP) banner. With these UTP cruise conferences, there are sessions during sea days and every night, one at 8pm. … Continue reading
Finding Frederick
For many years, my husband Trevor’s family had resigned themselves to never knowing the identity of their great-grandfather. Their grandmother Ida Beatrice Conroy was born in Bingara, New South Wales, on 13 January 1889 to Emma Ethel Conroy aged 20, with no father given on the birth registration.[1] Ida married William James Tighe in Goondiwindi, Queensland on 13 October 1904.[2] The marriage registration named both Ida’s mother and father, but it also raised questions. Ida’s father’s name was stated as … Continue reading
An excursion to Ypres.
On a recent European cruise, we stopped at Zeebrugge, and the ship offered an excursion to Ypres, Belgium, the site of three First World War battles. My husband and I booked the visit as I have a person in my family history, Andrew Petrie Porter, who remains missing after the Third Battle of Ypres, Belgium. I often research and write about Andy as he was known, as he is one of the favourites from my family history. The first battle … Continue reading
Top 5 Technology Skills for Family History
In the modern age of family history research, digital tools have become essential in uncovering the past. While traditional genealogical methods are still vital, the ability to navigate and use technology has transformed the way we research, record, and share our family histories. In an ever-increasing digital world, it is important that family historians develop skills around how to effectively use these digital tools. Here are five basic but crucial technology skills that every family historian should master to make … Continue reading