Author Archives: Robyn Dean

What I’ve Learnt as a Taphophile.

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A what, I hear you ask? Put simply, a taphophile is someone who takes a keen interest in visiting cemeteries, looking at gravestones, who spends time recording epitaphs and taking photos. As a relatively new family historian of just over 5 years I have definitely become an avid taphophile visiting close to 40 cemeteries so far here and overseas in an effort to trace family, husband in tow to take photos, hold back long grass so I could record details … Continue reading

Getting to know Grandma Daley.

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My late mother in law often spoke fondly of her Grandma Daley who she loved and greatly admired. In researching her life, I soon came to realise that she had faced many challenges, heartache and tragedy during her life. Lilian Tregenza Delve was born 11 May 1879 in St Johns Wood, Middlesex, England to John Hockridge Delve and his second wife Jane Downing Tregenza.1 Joy turned to tragedy when Jane died just 9 days later. Within a year, her father … Continue reading

Alexander Fairweather : Pioneer Builder.

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My great grandfather, Alexander Fairweather, was a well-regarded builder and contractor in the Grafton district of Northern New South Wales. Born at Kinnaird farm, Lintrathen, Forfarshire, Scotland on the 22nd August 1840 to Alexander Fairweather and his wife Jean Anderson, he was the youngest of six children. Kinnaird and the surrounding farms occupied land owned by the Earl of Airlie and by all accounts his father had worked there from prior to 1835.[i] Following the death of Alexander Snr in … Continue reading

The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

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Johann George and Maria Barbara Heldt and their children, Peter, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Barbara, arrived in Australia in March 1853 on board The Helene. They were among the numerous German immigrant families who settled in the Clarence River District in Northern New South Wales. Johann and Maria were my 3xgreat grandparents. Their daughter Elizabeth was my 2xgreat grandmother. It was whilst researching my Heldt ancestors, I got “lost” in Trove, as often happens, and came across the tragic story of … Continue reading

Edith Matilda and her sisters

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I remember my great grandmother, Edith Caller (rhymes with “valour”), as a happy, snowy-white haired lady who seemed to chuckle a lot; I’d say she was jolly. To me, she was “Nanny Caller” who lived in an old timber house set on a large block in Putney, on the Parramatta River. There was an extensive vegetable garden, an array of fruit trees and still plenty of room for ballgames and chasings during family gatherings. We always felt very safe and … Continue reading