Accentuate the Positive Geneameme 2020
It's my favourite time of the year when I get to reflect back on what I've done over the past 12 months - in a good or positive way - thanks to geneabuddy GeniAus.
Wanna join me? Copy and paste the relevant items below and then email Jill or comment on her blog post here to let her know you're participating too.
So here goes me....
Accentuate the Positive !(Please delete the items that are not relevant to your situation.)
1. An elusive ancestor I found was
barp on this one I'm afraid. Who are my elusive ancestors? Well I guess Margaret Jones from Caernarvonshire, Wales (can I actually find her and her family in Wales?) and Robert Forfar from St Ninian's, Stirling, Scotland (where did he die?). On my husband's side of the family we would be delighted if we could find the burial place for Robert James Daw born in Brisbane in 1873. I suspect we will never find him as he was on the run from the law. Last heard of at Augathella. I am reading The Power of Bones by Keelen Mailman in case she mentions anything about graves out there.
2. A great newspaper article I found was
I'm not sure that I found a great newspaper article but I found a memorial notice which gave me pause for thought as per this blog post here.
3. A geneajourney I planned but didn't take was - let me re-write this one....A geneajourney I did take was...
My sisters-in-law and I went out to Ipswich Cemetery and located several graves of my husband's ancestors. You can read all about our discoveries here.
4. I located an important record
I ordered and transcribed Margaret Taylor (nee Jones) probate as per this blog post. It was by and large deadly dull to read BUT it also made me think a bit about Margaret and her children. There is no mention of Margaret's eldest son Samuel here and I wonder what happened to him.
5. A newly found family member shared
whilst contact has been renewed with some cousins and contact made with new ones, nothing has really been shared yet.
6. A geneasurprise I received was
I am notoriously forgetful but I don't think there were any this year.
7. My 2020 social media post that I was particularly proud of was
Oh my goodness. Not sure really where to begin with this one but let me just say, it has been a great honour to be asked to look after QFHS social media accounts. There's plenty of work to be done but I'm pleased to be involved and helping in this area.
8. I made a new genimate who
Again, no.
9. A new piece of technology or skill I mastered was
Well, like everyone, I guess the standout was Zoom. But I also attended some very good sessions presented by State Library of NSW on land records, so I'm looking forward to putting some of those new skills into practice.
10. I joined
No new societies this year.
11. A genealogy education session or event from which I learnt something new was
Ouf! So many, where do I begin?
Since I stopped working at the end of April, I attended as many sessions as I could being offered by my own Society, QFHS as well as SAG and also enrolled in a course with Pharos on Welsh family history.
12. A blog post that taught me something new was
A genimate put me into a new-to-me blog this year Fortify Your Family Tree. I also continue to find Genealogy a la Carte a fabulous source of information and look forward to learning more from Family Locket.
13. A DNA discovery I made was
14. I taught a genimate how to
Well, genimate Pauleen Cass and I were pleased to run a couple of blogging workshops together in October. So much work and preparation went into these. I really had no idea just how much work and I suspect Pauleen did more work than me. We were very pleased with the feedback and look forward to seeing our genimates publishing new blogs very soon.
15. A brick wall I demolished was
16. A great site I visited was
Well, I've been really enjoying the Scottish Indexes site and the webinars/conferences that they've been offering too. But also a big shout-out to the One Place Studies website team and all that they've been offering in terms of talks too.
17. A new genealogy/history book I enjoyed was
You are probably sick to death of me banging on about it but I will mention again Betty O'Neill's The Other Side of Absence.
18. Zoom gave me an opportunity to
Teach and Learn. It also allowed the Management Committee of QFHS to continue to meet. and yes I know it's not family history related but Zoom also allowed me to learn Bridge again and play online while having my teacher in the background coaching play. :)
19. I am excited for 2021 because
There is so much going on. QFHS and SAG both have a number of exciting workshops coming up. I'm really looking forward to:
Dr Janet Frew - Putting Your Ancestors in their Place on Wednesday 3rd February
Researching Convict Ancestors - Friday 26th February
Researching Qld Archives - Tuesday 6 April
Kirk Session Records - Thursday 15 April
New Zealand sources - Friday 16th April
I'm also looking forward to doing lots of reading. After a great SAG session earlier this month on book recommendations from other genies and reading the AWW and other blog posts, I've ordered the following:
Certain lives : the compelling story of the hope, tragedy and triumph of three generations of women / Margaret Reeson.
Like a wicked Noah's Ark : the Nautical School ships Vernon & Sobraon / Sarah Luke.Smoke gets in your eyes and other lessons from the crematory by Caitlin Doughty
The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden
Oh Happy Day: those times and these times by Carmen Callil
Searching for Charlotte by Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell
The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames by Justine Cowan
Truganini by Cassandra Pybus
Common People by Alison Light
Family History nuts and bolts by Andrew Todd
Enid by Robert Wainwright
Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner
20. Another positive I would like to share is ...
I had an article (Wealth for Toil) published in the August edition of the Queensland Family Historian here.
But most importantly of all, a twig was added to our family tree - our first grandchild. Dear little Franklin. And what a treasure he is :)
Comments
Congratulations on your new twig! I like your reading list - I've read Catherine Pybus' book already and I think you will enjoy it despite its dark premise...My brother lives not far from the Pybus land and I am familiar with Bruny. Gives the island a whole new light under which to appreciate it.
Happy New Year!
Cheers, Robbie