Author Archives: guestblogger

The challenge of names and places in Irish family history.

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By Stephanie Ryan. Most of us find brick walls when researching the Irish. Names, places, spelling inconsistencies, dates and gaps in the records provide frequent challenges. The following case study illustrates this and suggests ways to solve some problems. When Hannah Skinner married, she was described as being from “Baltimore, Cork, Ireland” Brisbane Courier 8 June 1899 p7. Her marriage certificate echoed this place of origin and gave her age as 26. She had arrived in Brisbane 23 November 1891 … Continue reading

Defining Experiences

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By Pauleen Cass. We all have experiences that change our view of the world from migration to family moments. While acknowledging the impact of marrying and having children, and grandchildren, as lasting defining experiences, today I thought I’d look at external factors that significantly impacted my world view. Post-War Migration In primary school I attended a small near-inner city suburban Catholic school. Each class was small and we were all taught by nuns. In the early years of primary, our … Continue reading

Grave Journeys

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By Jill Ball aka GeniAus My husband and I love to travel to distant lands where we enjoy visiting sites of historic interest or natural beauty. We don’t mind a dab of architecture either. While we often visit cemeteries, graveyards and memorial parks on our geneajourneys we also visit cemeteries for pleasure. Cemeteries tell so much about the life, history, and customs of the places we visit. The monumental masonry can be spectacular or quirky and the landscapes can range … Continue reading

Three different passenger lists, so who died on the Fiery Star journey of 1865?

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By Stephanie Ryan. In April 1865 a dramatic, unforgettable sea tragedy occurred which haunted many for years. The Fiery Star, formerly the Comet, which brought immigrants to Queensland in 1863 and 1864, was making a return journey to England when disaster struck. Its wool cargo spontaneously combusted; the fire was devouring the ship as it approached the Chatham Islands near New Zealand. The highly respected Captain W H Yule decided to abandon ship taking seventy-two people: the cabin passengers and … Continue reading

History Repeating – Robert Moore and the Dakota Territory

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By Victoria MacGregor I get goose bumps when I pass along parts of my family’s story to anyone who will listen. I must bore a few people to tears. Much of what I like to write about involves a certain amount of creativity and loads of research. With any luck when I start to pull a story together, it’s a photograph that inspires my imagination. Storytellers don’t need to have actually lived through an event or during a particular time … Continue reading