Category Archives: Census records

Have you wondered?

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Have you ever wondered what it would have been like if all our Australian and colonial census returns had been preserved? I confess I hadn’t anguished over this during my research, on the premise of what you don’t have, you can’t mourn. However, last year, my mate Alex from Family Tree Frog blog wrote her own notes (here and here) on her life across twelve censuses, drawing on inspiration from English blogger and family historian, Janet Few. Reflecting on their … Continue reading

Revisiting early research.

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It was not long after my father died in 1987 that I first started to research my family history. I have related the story on many occasions that when I looked at all the people who attended my dad’s funeral and wake I wondered where everyone whom I knew as a child had gone. I therefore decided to start with my paternal ancestry as my maiden name is not very common. I did an introductory course at GSQ, became a … Continue reading

Advancing puzzles with the 1921 census.

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  One of the most eagerly anticipated record sets coming soon is the 1921 census of England and Wales.  Taken 100 years ago on 19 June 1921, it is due for release in early 2022 once the 100 year rule has run out.  Findmypast won the contract from The National Archives to digitise the 1921 census and have recently released an update with confirmation that they are still on target for an early 2022 release.  Read more about it on … Continue reading

Breaking into Gaol Records.

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Whoever would have thought that the origins of a young servant girl arriving as a free passenger in 1823 would be revealed within the records of Sydney and Darlinghurst Gaol?  The quest for  Hannah Lee’s background commenced with John Daley, an Irish convict, who arrived in Port Jackson on the Brampton, 22 April 1823.  Originating in King’s County/Offaly, the 25-year-old was tried under the Insurrection Act for forcibly stealing arms from John Cooper’s farm, near the Grand Canal at Ballybritton, … Continue reading

Where was he from?

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By Bob McAllister. Beginning family history researchers quickly come to rely on a very small set of good quality documentary records relevant to any particular ancestor. So we are accustomed to wringing every last drop of information from each record that we do find. That is one of the reasons why I am so embarrassed to look back at my earliest searches to see the gems that I overlooked, failed to recognise the significance of, or simply ignored on first … Continue reading