Many prompts recently have emphasised the need to write not only the stories of our ancestors, but of ourselves, for future generations. Facebook recently presented me with a “memory”, a photo of me beside a car. Not very interesting in itself, but the memories came flooding back when I saw the date. I reposted it with the caption: “Eight years ago – the obligatory ‘take a photo of the rental car so we recognise it in car parks’ photo as … Continue reading
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
Horace Archibald Davies was born to Moses and Catherine on 3 April 1895 in Normanton, north Queensland, Australia.[1] This little town boomed briefly as a port following the discovery of gold nearby at Croydon in the 1880s, but by 1911 the population was down to about 541 people and falling.[2] Normanton is a long way from anywhere. Horace was the eldest child of his family, with a sister and three brothers. He was nine years younger than his cousin, my … Continue reading
My mother kept a small picture frame on her dressing table, containing a picture of a lovely lady with two children. Our family were not Roman Catholic, so I had no way of knowing this was the Virgin and child with John the Baptist. When I asked what it was, she said it came from Auntie Rosina. This was curious as I thought I knew all my aunts – who was this? My father would grimace and mutter about “uncomfortable … Continue reading
In a box of family papers is a paper headed “ISSUE OF PULTENEY MEIN DALZELL”. There’s a note at the bottom: “The names of nephews and nieces who survived Miss H.L. Dalzell are shown in CAPITAL LETTERS.” Miss H.L. (Helen Lester) Dalzell is listed in the bottom-most line of children. Looking at other items in the box, it’s clear that Helen was ‘that person’, the one that kept in touch with all her relatives and passed on news of family … Continue reading
