Author Archives: Bobbie Edes

Researching the Whites of Bletchingley and Godstone in Surrey.

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As White was my paternal grandmother’s maiden name, it was a family that I researched very early in my ‘addiction’. This was in the 1990s, so genealogy records were not online and research was usually done using printed records, maps, lists and books. My husband and I began by frequenting the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) and going through their holdings and taking advice from the librarians there. One of the handy books at SLQ was the Genealogical Research Directory … Continue reading

Remembering to Accentuate the Positive 2022 challenge.

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This is the fourth time I have participated in Jill Ball’s (aka GeniAus) challenge.  As part of the challenge Jill sets out a number of sentence beginnings which bloggers need to elaborate on. It’s a rewarding experience and helps me to realise the many positive steps undertaken during the past year. I was happy to go back to travelling and catching up with a very old relative after a Covid enforced absence in interstate travels. Prior to my arrival in … Continue reading

My Sad and Glad Tales of PRONI.

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I’ve been pondering on what to write about in my next blog for a few days now having finished a series of stories about my Irvine family from Killyleagh in Co Down. Having mentioned this to our GSQ Patron, she suggested I write about researching at the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast, so that’s what this missive is about. I have now realised that my blog is due for publishing on 12 December 2022. This date marks … Continue reading

A Carpenter in Law

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The last of my Killyleagh siblings in this series of blogs is my great-grandfather, Robert Gilmour Irvine. I’ve written about the other ten siblings including the birth of Robert’s twin brother Andrew in 1849 in a previous GSQ Blog.[1] It appears that Robert was a devout Christian and in April 1867, when 18 yrs old he was confirmed along with his elder brother, James. With planning well underway for his emigration to join his brothers in Queensland, before he left … Continue reading

Hugh Irvine: bootmaker and storekeeper extraordinaire.

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Many moons ago I tentatively knocked on the door of Ian Irvine, a second cousin of my dad’s. The door opened with a welcome and I fought back a lump in my throat, as gentle speaking Ian reminded me so much of my deceased father. Ian was my introduction to many in this family and I dedicate this story to now deceased Ian, Lex and Amelia; grandchildren of Hugh Irvine. I am grateful I spent many hours with them in … Continue reading