Category Archives: Farming

Gems from land files.

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I have learned more about each of my grandfathers by reading their land files at Queensland State Archives. One of them, Philip Shepherd died before I was born; the other, Leopold Maxwell Skuthorp Cooper, I knew briefly as a young girl while staying at his home during holidays. Not hearing about their lives in stories passed down the generations, these files have been valuable in their revelations. At 57 years old, Philip Shepherd, described as a retired carrier, selected a … Continue reading

Grandfather: William Leonard Tunny (Len) 1884-1942. Part 1.

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When I started my family history search into my father’s family, all I had was mum’s recollections and a handwritten copy of my grandparent’s marriage certificate.[1] My grandfather, Leonard Tunny (Len) said he was a farmer from Beerburrum, born in Cunnamulla and 29 years old when he married the 19-year-old Elizabeth Leitch Robertson (Lizzie) at the ‘residence of the bride’s parents’ on 20 September 1920 in Beerburrum, Queensland. I knew where Beerburrum was, it is a small town nestled under … Continue reading

The Irish Potato.

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Whenever Irish food is mentioned, I immediately think of the potato. I think of poverty, famine, hunger, and reliance on one food – the potato. I then think of my own family history which is intrinsically linked to the potato because a significant number of my ancestors came to Australia during the Famine of 1846 – 1851 or in the aftermath of that famine in the 1850s and 1860s. That famine is referred to as The Great Famine, The Great … Continue reading