#A-ZReadingChallenge - B is for Bibliographies and Biographies

Bibliographies aren't just for University assignments you know.  They are actually quite useful constructs.  Do you check the Bibliography at the back of any reference or non-fiction or fact books you read?  It's probably not a bad idea...you might find even more interesting books to consult.

I have a couple of Bibliographies in my collection.  I could do with a few more. But I have run out of Bookcases!!!

How do we find bibliographies?  Well - you could try just punching in "bibliography" into the search box of the QFHS catalogue or your local public library catalogue...maybe choose Subject: Bibliography and see how you go with a bigger collection. In the QFHS catalogue that search produced 123 results. In the MBR catalogue it produced 79 results but of course not many of them were about genealogy/family history and in the Brisbane City Council catalogue it produced 170 results - again not all of them about genealogy.

I have compiled a list from these sources.  It is by no means comprehensive but rather indicative.  These are the ones I think are worth having a look at or adding to your collection or just even being aware  of the kinds of things that are out there. I have highlighted the ones I have in my own collection.

Author Title Year Albion, Robert Greenhalgh Naval and Maritime History 1973 Archives Authority of New South Wales Surveyor Genearl select list of maps and plans 1792-1886 1984 Austin, Ronald J. AIF unit histories of the Great War of 1914-1918 2011 Box, Allan A soldier in the family: a source book for Australian military genealogy, the First Fleet to the Gulf War 1994 Brandow, James C. Genealogies of Barbados Families from Caribbeana and The Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society  1999 Burkhardt, G.A. Australian school centenary and jubilee histories: a select bibliography 1995 Caruana, Mark Oral history: a practical guide based on Maltese migration and settlement in Australia (including an updated catalogue of collections) 1996 Cox, Jane Tracing your ancestors in the Public Records Office 1983 Crittenden, Victor A Bibliography of the First Fleet 1982 David, Bruno The social archaeology of Australian Indigenous societies 2006 Donohue, James Hugh The bibliography of the convict transports 1988 Ferguson, Joan PS Scottish family histories 1986 Ford, Roger Indigenous peoples of southeast Queensland: an annotated guide to ethno-historical sources 1998 French, Maurice A bibliography for the history of the Darling Downs and adjacent regions 1979 Frost, Lenore Searching for Mary Ann: Researching Women Ancestors in Australia 1994 Gervasoni, Clare Research directory & bibliography of Swiss and Italian pioneers in Australasia 1998; covering family names, towns of origin, ships compiled by Clare Gervasoni 1998 Harrison, Jennifer Guide to the microform collection of the State Library of Queensland 1990 Henderson, Alistair Scottish family history resources in Queensalnd 1988 Holding, Norman The location of the British Army Records, 1914-1918 1999 Humphery-Smith, Cecil A genealogists's bibliography 1985 Jenner, Margaret Directory of Queensland local histories  1988 Johnston, W. Ross General histories of Queensland for family and local historians 1989 Johnston, W. Ross A guide to the history of Queensland: a bibliographic survey of selected resources in Queensland history 1985 Johnston, W.Ross Managing the land: index to the Lands Department papers, Queensland Votes and proceedings, 1880-99 1992 Larkin, David Irish history and genealogy: historical manuscripts and printed works, a catalogue 2009 Longhurst, Robert The value of photographic sources to family historians 1989 Lucas, Rodney Resources for Aboriginal family history 1986 MacLysaght, Edward Bibliography of Irish Family History Co, Dublin 1982 Macpherson, Paul Bibliographies of military history: an annotated bibliography of those held in the Printed Records collection 1987 Marker, I J Surname periodicals: a world-wide listing of one-name genealogical publications 1987 Mitchell, Brian A Guide to Irish Parish Registers 1988 National Library of Australia Genealogy and Heraldry in the National Library of Australia 1988 National Library of Australia Principal manuscript collections in the National Library of Australia 1978 National Library of Australia Australian Historic records register 1989 Nicholson, Ian Hawkins Log of logs : a catalogue of logs, journals, shipboard diaries, letters and all forms of voyage narratives for Australia and New Zealand and surrounding oceans : vol 1 : 1788-1988 1991 Nicholson, Ian Hawkins Log of logs. Volume two: a catalogue of logs, journals, shipboard diaries, letters, and all forms of voyage narratives, 1788 to 1993, for Australian and New Zealand and surrounding oceans 1993 Nicholson, Ian Hawkins Log of logs. Volume three: a catalogue of logs, journals, shipboard diaries, letters, and all forms of voyage narratives, 1788 to 1993, for Australian and New Zealand and surrounding oceans 1999 Norton, Jane E Guide to the national and provincial directories of England and Wales, excluding London published before 1856 1984 Num, Cora Occupational Records in Australia 2003 Num, Cora Convict records in Australia 2007 Num, Cora How did they get here?: arrivals after 1924 2012 Num, Cora Shipping and migration: research on the internet 2012 Parker, David The national guide to Australian Baptist historical resources 1998 Parr, Martin The photobook. Volume 1: a history 2004 Peake, Andrew Guy Bibliography of Australian Family History 1988 Qld State Archives and the Dept. of Family Services and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs Records guide: a guide to Queensland government records relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 1994 Queensland State Archives Guide to the records of the Colonial Secretary's Office 1859-1896 1976 Peake, Andrew Guy Bibliography of Australian Family History 1988 Radford, Ken Cemetery & parish register holdings 1993 Raymond, Stuart British genealogical books in print 1999 Raymond, Stuart Devon: a genealogical bibliography, volume 1 1994 Reid, Ralph Australian family histories: a bibliography and index 2004 Rodger, N.A.M. Naval records for genealogists 1998 Ryan, James Irish Records: sources for family & local history 1988 Smee, C.J. The pioneer register. Volume IV: containing genealogical details of five hundred pioneers, their children & granchildren 1992 Smee, C.J. The pioneer register. Volume XXIX: containing genealogical details of five hundred pioneers, their children & granchildren Smee, C.J. The pioneer register. Volume XXVIII: containing genealogical details of five hundred pioneers, their children & granchildren Torrance, D Richard Scottish trades, professions, vital records & directories: a selected bibliography 1998 Vine Hall, N.J. Tracing your family history in Australia: a bibliography 2002 Vine Hall, N.J. Parish registers in Australia 1787-1990: a list of originals, transcripts, microforms, & indexes of Australian parish registers 2005 Webber, Kimberley Gold Fever 2001 Webster, Judy Specialist indexes in Australia: a genealogist’s guide 2006 White, Arthur S A bibliography of regimental histories of the British Army 1992 Whyte, Donald The Scots overseas: a selected bibliography 1995 Zerner, Margaret Australian studies, University of Queensland: a select guide to resources 1981

Has this list whetted your appetite?  What do you think is missing? I'm happy for suggestions.

In terms of biographies, I thought I would just mention that I have Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Gils: Convict Women in Van Diemen's Land 1803-1829 by Phillip Tardif.  This was a lucky find at a second-hand sale.  I also purchased new from the QFHS Queensland Founding Families: Biographies of families living in Queensland prior to separation from New South Wales Volumes 1 & 2.  I could not resist purchasing Helene Cronin's Buderim's Great War Effort 1914-1918...and its Living War Memorial the year before last.  It was a beautiful production and whilst I have no ancestors (to my knowledge) in any of these books, I just like to have them on my shelf as examples of interesting ways to assemble biographies.

A book that I would recommend to all who are researching in this area is The File: a personal history by Timothy Garton Ash.  I don't have a copy but it is one of those must reads.  You can read my review here. Another book I would love to own and read properly one day is Patchwork Prisoners: the Rajah Quilt and the women who made it by Trudy Cowley.  I also have Tom Petrie's Reminiscences of Early Queensland by Constance Campbell Petrie.  Has anyone read that?  Is it worth reading?