Family History places are precious.

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By Bev Murray. I’m sure that as family historians you will appreciate the wonderful experience of discovering special family history places.  It’s such a thrill to discover places where significant events took place and to be able to think, “I’m here! This is where it happened!” I have enjoyed this experience on numerous occasions. During a visit to the UK in 2014, I had the good fortune to stay in the home where my paternal grandmother, Florence Wright had lived. … Continue reading

The wretched peasantry in Ireland: The 1822 famine disaster

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By Jennifer Harrison. ‘The poor Inhabitants of Clare is actily starving, living on one meal in the day and that same a bad meal, we are in hopes ye will doe something for us out of hand, we will actily Die with hunger if ye don’t luck to us out of hand as them that has a little family must Rob before They die with hunger before their face, As they are half dead before.’  This powerfully pathetic plea reported … Continue reading

Married on the strength.

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In 1862, when my 2nd great grandmother Emma Ponder, aged 16, married her dashing soldier Private Daniel Bailey, aged 28, his scarlet uniform had already seen over ten years of service. With the 2nd Queen’s Royal Regiment (2nd Regiment of Foot), British Army, he had fought in the Eighth Kaffir War in South Africa, and in the Third Battle of the Taku Forts and the taking of Peking (Beijing) in the Second Opium War in China. Emma, a domestic servant … Continue reading

Working for the CWA.

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Grandmother Bessie Cooper was an advocate for country women and children through her involvement in her local Branch of the Country Woman’s Association (CWA) in Jericho. Bessie Cooper’s strongest advocacy was for the improvement of the health and welfare of children who live in the country through the provision of comfortable homes. Her recommendation was that the Government be urged to provide building material, to be paid off in small yearly instalments, so that comfortable homes could be built by … Continue reading

Enhancing your genealogy education.

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By Mia Bennett. Genealogy education is a wonderful thing.  It is one thing that has been enhanced by the disruption we have had through Covid.  In the past, the majority of genealogy education was in-person so we were restricted to local events or accepting the cost (in time and money) to travel to an event.  The advent of online events has opened up genealogy education across the world.  However, there are things that can only be gained by meeting in … Continue reading