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FamNet eNewsletter April 2019

  ISSN 2253-4040

Quote: “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please - Mark Twain

Contents

Editorial 1

Do you want to receive this newsletter every month?. 1

Regular Contributors. 1

From the Developer 1

The Nash Rambler 1

DNA Testing for Family History. 1

Jan’s Jottings. 1

Wairarapa Wandering. 1

Digging Into Historical Records. 1

Chinese Corner 1

Guest Contributors. 1

Ken Morris. 1

From our Libraries and Museums. 1

Auckland Libraries. 1

April 1

Heritage Talks in the “SoundCloud” 1

2019 Auckland Family History Expo - Tāmaki Huinga Tātai Kōrero. 1

Group News. 1

Whangarei Family History Computer Group. 1

Waikanae Family History Group. 1

Waitara Districts History & Families Research Group. 1

News and Views. 1

Various Articles worth reading: 1

How Forensic Genealogy Is Cracking Decades-Old Cold Cases. 1

Introducing Goldrush Online in New Zealand. 1

In conclusion. 1

Help wanted. 1

Letters to the Editor 1

Advertising with FamNet 1

A Bit of Light Relief 1

To Unsubscribe, Change your Email Address, or Manage your Personal Information. 1

 

Back to the Top. 17

 

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Editorial

Greetings and welcome to another issue of the FamNet newsletter.

It is appropriate that at this time to pass a few comments about the tragedy that occurred at Christchurch. I have been thinking of appropriate words to write. Robert, in the week after the shooting wrote to person overseas with the following:

We’re still reeling from Friday’s atrocity, and it will take time for us to return to a new normal.   Around mosques there is a sea of flowers left by well-wishers, and there have been vigils and prayers in churches and civic events up and down the country.  Public subscriptions have raised millions of dollars to support the families.  Everybody (except for one abusive drunk who was arrested) has been reaching out to Moslems in love, and the public mood is strongly with the Prime Minister’s sentiment, “They are us”.

As for our Prime Minister, she has been wonderful.  Speaking from the heart she has offered compassion and action, she’s said and done exactly the right thing, from visiting Christchurch wearing a hijab to moving swiftly on gun law reform to ensuring that our state agencies are doing everything they should to support the victims to initiating enquiries to ensure that this never happens again.  I loved her response to Donald Trump

We all know our Moslem community a little better now.  We understand that they no more support jihadis than we support this extremist nutter, who we no longer name to deny him the publicity that he craves.   Of course, not all intolerance and racism has disappeared, but there’s less, and hopefully there’ll be even less in the future.

I have never been more proud of my country.

I cannot put it any better.

Anyway, here is our latest offering. I hope it is interesting.

Regards

Peter Nash

Do you want to receive this newsletter every month?

This newsletter is free. There are not many free newsletters of this length in New Zealand. I am biased but it should be an interesting read.

To subscribe is easy too. Go onto the FAMNET website - don't misspell it as I have, twice already. http://www.famnet.org.nz

The front page is lovely, but click on [Newsletters].  A page opens showing you a list of all the past newsletters, you can click the link to read one that you’re interested in.

Like the front page, the newsletters page has a place where you can log on or register.   It’s in the top right-hand corner.  Put your email here and click [Continue].   If you aren’t already on our mailing list, there will be a message “Email not in database” and a button [New User] appears.  Click this and follow the dialog to register.  It’s free and easy.  You should receive a copy every month until you unsubscribe.

Robert has assured me that he will not send begging letters to your email - apparently, he has enough money at the moment. You will not have to put in your credit card number. You will not be charged a subscription.

Tell other genealogists so they can enjoy the newsletters too.

Regards 

Peter Nash

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Regular Contributors

From the Developer

Unfortunately my “Succession Plan A” has hit a stumbling block, we’ve been turned down by both the Auckland Library and the National Library.   The reason given in both cases is that they don’t have the time and resources to ensure that the FamNet site can comply with their standards.  I’m disappointed, and frankly a bit annoyed, about this. Neither organization has reached out to discuss what these standards are, or what needs to happen to meet them, and I know that if there were any willingness to discuss potential issues then we’d be able to find solutions to any problem that actually exists.  Clearly there is no such willingness.

Unfortunately I have no Plan B at the moment.  The obvious Plan B is the Society of Genealogists, but they’ve made it clear that they don’t want to talk to us. 

If anybody can suggest a plan then I’m listening.  In the meantime things will continue as at present.  There is no short-term problem, but a solution is needed unless I’m the only one that thinks that FamNet is actually worth preserving.

Telling your story: Index

1.    Writing your story as notes, or with Word.  

2.    Embedding pictures in Word documents

3.    Saving Documents for Web Publication.

4.    Saving Scrapbook Items

5.    Sharing your Story: Managing your Family Group

6.    On Line Editing: More Facts, Family, GDB Links

7.    Comparing and Synchronising Records

8.    Producing and Using Charts

9.    Merging Trees.  Part 1:  Why Bother?

10.  Merging Trees.  Part 2:  Adding Records On-Line

11.  Merging Trees.  Part3.  Combining Existing Trees

12.  Finding Your Way Around FamNet (Getting Help)  

13.  FamNet – a Resource for your Grandchildren

14.  FamNet’s General Resource Databases
15.  Updating General Resource Databases

16.  Privacy

17.  Indexes: beyond Excel.

18.  Linking trees

19.  Uploading a GEDCOM file

20.  Uploading Objects to your Database

21.  Bulk-uploading Objects.  FamNet resource: Useful Databases.

Robert Barnes

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The Nash Rambler

A thought or two on the Christchurch tragedy

Besides my well known addiction to genealogy and family history, I must admit to another addiction. I love my coffee. Give me a good long black and I'll do anything. I have been known to dribble while I'm waiting for the magic liquid to arrive before me. This addiction must be addressed at least once a day and about 10 am. The worst thing that happened in my life was the day that my doctors lectured me while I was "enjoying their company" in a hospital bed - I mean I was in the bed and they were standing around it. They strongly suggested that I stop drinking alcohol and severely limit my coffee intake. If you knew me you will understand my horror - I was known to enjoy an ale or two and Avis McDonald will give witness to my pleasure at sampling the national drink of Scotland. I did manage to avoid the intake of alcohol for a few years and now, very seldomly drink an alcoholic beverage. But I have got my coffee intake down to one a day and am a consumer of decaffeinated coffee for the rest of my daily consumption.

 

My coffee is not any old brew and I have thoroughly researched coffee providers throughout Auckland. I must admit to laughing loudly when a very good friend of mine admitted, at a genealogy group meeting, to rating cafes and coffee bars on the quality of their muffins. He admitted to creating a spreadsheet in which he has entered a numerical valuation of muffins and their providers. But I'm very similar although I have not gone as far as assessing the quality of coffee in a numeric figure or created a spreadsheet but I only visit those places whose coffee "has passed the taste test". Every Wednesday my friend Alan and I visit cafes for a coffee but we have arrived at a list of a handful of possible venues based of their coffee and their scones. Give us a very good cheese scone and a good coffee and we are happy chappies.

 

My favourite coffee is produced by a local cafe within walking distance from home although I rarely walk to it. It is in a suburban shopping strip on the corner of Parker Ave and Seabrook Ave. It does not have the decor of an up-market cafe and could, in fact, be classified as ugly. Don't all turn up there because you will ruin my peaceful coffee. This cafe is part of a chain of 3 shops and they roast their own beans. I turn up, sit down at the table, take out my money and loyalty card, and then proceed to do the word and crossword puzzles in the Herald. The girl generally has my coffee underway before I have finished parking my car. I then spend a very relaxing and quiet hour. There is a band of regulars - all old guys. They have nicknamed me "the professor" and generally leave me alone. They are all gifted people who are very artistic or have had very interesting careers. They know I'm a history researcher and they will sidle up to me when they have a question of a historical nature and I have been known to do a bit of research for them. In return I get a coffee or two provided and assistance when I'm stuck with my puzzles. One or two have been known to give massages (of a medical nature not any other) and spinal manipulation to fellow customers and shop staff and I was given a very effective "session"' for my frozen shoulder. This is unofficial and hush hush.

 

A few days after the Christchurch tragedy, I had a "shocking" experience there which I will talk about. When I arrived I sat outside because, for some strange reason, all the regulars were inside and it was too noisy. It was quiet, the coffee particularly good and the puzzles were being solved. I looked up and saw the bus coming and that there was only one other person on the footpath and me at the tables. Then as the bus passes me (and my car at the side of the road) I hear a loud explosion and a car sliding along the road with a severely bashed in front and damaged wheel. This car had hit the bus. I then heard police sirens. The car driver dived out of the car and hid behind a parked car in a stance that suggested that he was armed. This is happening in slow motion. The regulars in the cafe slammed the door shut and the other person outside and I exchanged looks of horror. We were in the line of fire.  We were both stuck to the spot and unable to move. Everything was on slow motion and my reactions even slower. A police car raced up and the one policeman yelled at him to get down on the ground. The "criminal" gave himself up and lit a cigarette. Within five minutes about six police cars arrived. Incidentally he wasn't armed but that didn't lessen the shock of the incident.

 

The other guy sat down with me and we both admitted to being frozen to the spot with nowhere to escape to. We both abused the regulars for shutting the door but we admitted that we couldn't have got there in time if bullets began to fly.

 

It took quite some time to sort ourselves out and come to some realisation as to what had happened. The policemen told us that the "criminal" was one of the most wanted men in NZ at that moment and that he was not a "nice man to spend time with". I was extremely shocked and it took another coffee and about 30 minutes before I was capable enough to drive home. It took some days before I recovered from that shock.

 

Now the point to this rambling is I now know how the Muslims in the mosques in Christchurch felt. Their situation was much worse than my trifling experience but I felt what it was like not being able to react fast enough to get away from danger. My experience has made me very respectful to them for their losses and my admiration goes out to those who tried to distract the gunman - they are very brave heroes. I also understand that it will take some time for that community of Christchurch to recover if at all. If I can help them I will.

 

Regards to all

Peter Nash

panash@xtra.co.nz

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DNA Testing for Family History

From the editor: Gail has written quite a series on DNA Testing. You will see them all on the FAMNET website and they are a must-read, particularly if you are considering or have had a test done. They are easy to read and not too technical. 

35. The Big Y

GailDNAHave you been hearing about the Big Y (500 or 700)?

Have you been wondering what it is all about?

The Big Y test itself provides a scan of the majority of the Y chromosome, providing results to testers including:

§  All SNPs found, both ancestral (original value) and derived (mutated state)

§  New mutations never discovered before known as Private Variants. It’s exciting to be a part of scientific discovery AND these are useful genealogically as well.

§  First 500, now 700 STR values included for free..

§  Matching to other testers for both SNPs and STRs above 111 (STRs below 111 are handled separately).

And, of course, this means that only men have a Y chromosome, then only men can take this test.

The Big Y 700 looks at nearly 15 million base pairs (the Big Y 500 which has been overaken by the Big Y 700 and is now no longer available, only looked at 10 million base pairs) which is bringing us much closer to the present.

I mention this because in the past, people were only interested in their deep ancestry.  Y’know, whether or not they were part of the Bell Beaker migration or the Bronze age or ???  But now we are getting down to the last 300 or so years which is approximately where the autosomal results taper out (in terms of time).  This means the autosomal test (we call it Family Finder in FamilyTreeDNA – FTDNA) taken as well as the Big Y for the man in your family will divulge many secrets and will have you racing to dig out all your genealogical research to work out just who and just when. 

The matches you will receive will give you lots of clues – who knows but you may even immediately discover that elusive great great grandfather in the form of his descendant.

But as always, do NOT take any DNA test if you do not like surprises.

Some surprises are excellent, but others are not welcomed.

Here is the current price list .  The Family Finder is $79.  All prices are in US Dollars.  If you already have an FTDNA account log in with your kit number and password and order under your current account number.  There are single STR prices as well, but you will find them in your account.

If you have never used FTDNA, you need to go to www.familytreedna.com and look at what is available.  Placing an order means you will become a member.  This order can be for any of the tests.

 

ig Y-700 pricing.png 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gail Riddell

mailto:gailriddelldna@gmail.com

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Index so far

Jan’s Jottings

Roots Tech

Did you wonder what it is REALLY was like?  All those people!! All those genealogists?  All those lectures? All those people in the Exhibit Hall?  What am talking about????  Roots Tech. In Salt Lake City. Things just fell into place for me and, as an almost last minute decision, I was able to go to RootsTech 2019.


Here are some stats. RootsTech Registrations 15,156.  Family Discovery Day Registrations 23,552 (this is a special day for LDS Church members and their families).  Total Live Stream Views (RootsTech.org, Facebook Live, You Tube) 80,000. FamilySearch FamilyTree Mobile App downloads 30,000. Different countries represented 38.  These Stats from Dick Eastman.
Four Days.  NOT. LONG. ENOUGH. No. where. near.  I did not see half of the Exhibit Hall stands.  Nor attended many lectures.

I think numbers were down on last year.  Mostly, it would seem, because last year people had to queue to get into the lecture theatres. I think you could book a seat, but there were so many hundreds of people trying to get into a lecture room and each person’s name badge was swiped which took time.  So people found they were queuing and by the time they reached the entrance there were no seats and the lecture had started and there was no way they could go to another lecture as that could be full and started too.  This year, no pre-bookings, no swiping of badges. I did not queue, but just walked in and found a seat. So that worked well.

For some lectures we were in three huge rooms. One with actual lecturer and overflow into two more where we watched the video live.                                                 
There were over 300 lectures.  Some of them you can access the handouts, so can get an idea of the contents of the lecture.  
Here is how.
This is a very interesting newsletter and especially #356.  It is free. http://www.familyrootspublishing.com/ Go on to the web page and look LH side near the top where there is a place to enter your email address and sign up for the Newsletter. Scroll down and you will see where you can click on ‘click here’ and then you will see the previous Newsletters.  Click on #356.  You will see the RootsTech link.  
This displays these links
2019 RootsTech Sessions
2019 Keynotes & General Sessions
RootsTech 2019 Conference Syllabi
click these and you will see some videos and handouts you can access. Enjoy!!!  Remember you can use CtrlF. Then type into the window some words you would like in the handout title.   Eg DNA will quickly show you there are 27 instances of this word and you can work through, looking at the handouts and printing if you would like too.
I was lucky to have invitations to the My Heritage breakfast and the VIP dinner. Both with interesting speakers and table mates. I also went to Dick Eastman’s Saturday night dinner. Actually won a prize !!
A genealogy detective storybook, signed by the author!
Remember I usually have a registration - worth over $US300 - to give away. So, if you plan to go next year, which I think is the 10th year, make contact with me in case I can give you the registration.     
For those who can’t go to RootsTech, would you be interested on watching live broadcasts of a lecture or two?  It would be an early morning start -perhaps around 4am. We would watch the first lecture, then have breakfast, and watch the second lecture. Am thinking of holding this at the Lunn Ave Family History Centre.  
Let me know if you have any thoughts about this!!! I think it would be fun!!!  Jangow@gmail.com
Also, let me know if you are interested in going to Salt Lake City this year on the Hooked on Genealogy Tour. Three weeks in SLC and three weeks in the UK - London and Dublin and Belfast.  The way we use the Family History Library in SLC is so well organised that we do not need the months of preparation time we used to require.  We still have our seminars - but they are videoed so we can watch at our leisure.
Send an email to jangow@gmail.com if you would like further information. If you have emailed me recently, I won't have received it. So please send again to gmail.


Jan  jangow@gmail.com

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Wairarapa Wandering

A history book

AdeleTo me the book, A Colonists Gaze, written by John E Martin, is worth its weight in gold. It was launched last October here in Carterton, and is the story about the founder of our town, Charles Rooking CARTER.

He came to New Zealand in 1850 after marrying Jean ROBERTSON at St James Church Westminster, London.

 

 About 6 years ago, I was surprised when John first made contact with me asking about Charles. Apparently he had heard that I had done some work on Charles such as visiting where Charles came from back in 2004, visiting Derbyshire to see where his wife is buried - she died in Buxton, but is buried in a village churchyard nearby and then off to London to see the church they married in.

 

 I did other research into the Samuel OATES family and found a long lost relation to Jane his wife.

 

On the same trip, I fitted in a visit to Brockenhurst where 90 Kiwi Soldiers from WW1 are buried, and laid a Wreath there on Anzac Day.  I did manage to do some personal research as well.

 

 When the author did a visit up here to Carterton, I showed him the Carter Barn with old writings on the walls which had been there for a century or more.

 

What I squeezed in on my trip in 2004, was a special ceremony at Carterton in Oxfordshire, for the unveiling of the Blue Plaque for their founder, William CARTER, of Poole Pottery Empire.  When I opened up a website the other day, I nearly died when I read the  heading near the photograph of the Plaque - William Carter  1862-1920, founded the town in 1900. But when I rechecked the page, at the top of it was quoted William Carter 1852-1920. I thought that was odd, as further down has 1862! Come on folks, when you enter anything, CHECK, CHECK and double CHECK. Now this error had been there since 2004, now it's 2019, and takes this English lassie to find the error. So I emailed Blue Plaque folk in Oxfordshire and suggested that they should check this out. I received a lovely email from them, thanking me so much for pointing this out to us!.  I said I was actually there on 30th March 2004 together with Lord Lieutenant of Oxford and other notable folk when the plaque was unveiled. The local residents were not invited to the unveiling, but, Adele from New Zealand and a fellow friend living in Bedfordshire, but from Carterton NZ, were invited to attend because Adele had emailed them before leaving NZ for the holiday saying she will be visiting in March.

 

 Only this week, I had emailed my friends in Carterton (UK) and told them about the book by John E Martin, and Maurice Catt said that he would love a copy. Now he is descended from the Catt family of New Zealand, his side of the family never left the shores of England! So I am arranging with our Mayor of Carterton a copy to be sent to England signed by our mayor.

 

 Needless to say in the acknowledgements is Adele Pentony-Graham’s name!

 

On my travels in 2004, I had hoped to detour coming home via USA to see the site where Custer fought, as there is a connection with the Stuart-Forbes family who were in our NZ Carterton with Custer. Sir William Stuart-Forbe's brother lost his life when serving with Custer, but under a non de plume of John Hiley  being his brother in law’s surname.But I was unable to achieve this ambition.

 

Adele Pentony-Graham

12 Neich’s Lane

Clareville.

5713

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Digging Into Historical Records  

Registers of Rating Sales

The Supreme Courts kept registers that recorded details of cases brought against ratepayers for non-payment of rates and these are held at Archives New Zealand. Local authorities could sue in local courts if the rates were unpaid fourteen days after the date of the rate demand. If the court found in favour of the local authority the ratepayer was required to repay monies before any further instrument could be registered against the land i.e. conveyance, mortgage, lease, transfer.

 

If the rates remained unpaid after six months a ten percent interest charge would be added and the local authority could apply to the Supreme Court for further action. On receiving the application, the Supreme Court would immediately give notice to all persons believed to have an interest in the land that it would sell or lease it after six months from the date of the notice unless payment is made. [1]

 

James Kearney, a dairyman of Upper Hutt, didn’t pay his rates and the local magistrate entered a judgment against him on 08 February 1900 for £18 9s 3d for Sections 98, 102 and part of Section 94, Block I, Rimutaka Survey District. Six months later the rates were still unpaid and on 05 September 1901 he received a notice from the Supreme Court. Kearney finally paid off what was owed on 04 March 1902.

 

 

The Supreme Court also sent notices to eight other people with interests in the land: Wekepiri Kapo (m), Rangirere Kapo (f), Waitaoro Raniera (f) of Hutt Section 98B and Mere Ngakere (f), Wikitoa Taringakuri (f), Rangikauwhata (m), Te Ata (f), and Ria Mina (f) of Hutt Section 102B. [2]

 

Collectively, prior to partition, sections 98 and 102 were known as Mauihakono situated at Wallaceville on the south side of Ward Street. In March 1899 the Department of Agriculture advised the Native Land Purchase Department that the Hon. Mr McKenzie had approved a recommendation to purchase Sections 98 & 102 for the purpose of an Experimental Station. The land was leased by James Kearney Junior for 21 years from 01 September 1894 for £60 per annum.

 

As the lease was not signed by all the native owners and was unregistered, discussions between officials and Native owners were required to reach a suitable legal position. By the 7th of May 1900 the Government had purchased about 32 acres (⅓) of Section 98 and 88 acres (86%) of Section 102.

 

The Native owners listed in the Supreme Court Register of rates sales were those that refused to sell their shares in Mauihakono. They resided in the Taranaki district at Urenui and Parihaka. [3]

 

For Section 98B (64a 3r 13p) Waitaoro Raniera (c1848-1929), who had a half share, was the trustee for Rangirere Kapo (1890-) and Wekepiri Kapo (1892-1968) who jointly had the other half share. The minors were the successors to the share of Waitaoro’s brother, Kapo Raniera (c1863-1893). The family were descendants of Ranginoho, the sister of Te Kaeaea also known as Taringakuri. [4,5]

 

On 19 March 1907 the Native Affairs Department were advised that consent to the sale of Hutt Section 98B to James Kearney Junior had been recommended by the Aotea Board. [6] As the sale was not allowed to proceed until the minors became adult an application was made by Tahana Kawha, on behalf of his wife Waitaoro, to partition the block so that she could sell her share. The application was heard by the Native Land Court at Wellington on 18 March 1908 and agreed to, thus creating 98B Lots 1 and 2 (Waitaoro). [7]

 

For Section 102B (13a 2r 16p) Mere Ngakere had a three quarter share of the land. Rangikauwhata, Te Ata and Ria Mina, with 15%, were three of eight successors to Parata te Rangikawainga, who died in the Chatham Islands. Wikitoa Taringakuri, who had the remainder, was a great-granddaughter of Ranginoho and one of four successors to Rihipeta Iraia.

 

By early 1903 James Kearney ended up with very little land on which to run his cows and his application to the Defence Department for the grazing of a portion of the adjoining Rifle Range property had been unsuccessful. In May 1903 his solicitors argued that 102B contains the only shelter now left to him, and that he was unwilling to give it up, except perhaps for a substantial sum that would really compensate him.

 

In October 1903 the Agriculture Department acknowledged that “as there is no doubt he has suffered to some extent through the loss of the land, I would recommend that on condition of his handing over the small area with cottage still left on Section 102 the Department pay him a yearly rental for same of £10 and further that the Department grant him the grazing of the paddock of about 50 acres now occupied by him until 30 Jun 1904 free of rent.” In December Kearney indicated that he was prepared to accept a lump sum for his lease of 102B. [8]

 

The 1901 Supreme Court notice also referred to Part Section 94 and this was purchased by James Kearney from James Bayliss on 14 April 1883 for £555. [9, 10] On 22 July 1903 the land, 16 acres and 18 perches, was subject to a charging order in relation to a legal case “Bishop v. Kearney.” [11] This resulted in the land being brought under the Land Transfer Act in September 1903. [12]

 

The Kearney family arrived at Wellington on the ship Edwin Fox in 1875. [13] James Kearney Junior (1861-1926) remained single and was the second son and third child of seven of James and Mary Kearney of Castle Island, County Kerry, Ireland. Their family home, situated opposite the Upper Hutt School, was burnt to the ground in July 1895. [14]

 

In January 1890 the Hutt County Council advertised for tenders to lease the Old Stockade at Upper Hutt for a term of fourteen years. The tender of Mr J. G. Kearney, at 35s per annum, was accepted. [15] This is likely to be James Kearney Junior. The stockade reserve was adjacent to his father’s land on Section 94 and is probably the land that he failed to pay rates on.

 

In March 1905 he was involved in another civil case – Seaton and Sladden v. Jas. Kearney, jun., and the judge ruled in favour Seaton and Sladden for a debt of £3 10s and 10s court costs. [16]

 

Hutt Sections 98 and 102, Mauihakono, were formerly set apart as Native Reserves by the Government. Taringakuri cleared and cultivated the land and in 1858 he was the only person living there in a wharenikau. [17] He leased the land to Thomas Burt on 25 August 1869. The lease was transferred to John Robinson and Edward Morgan on 01 March 1875. [18] After dissolution of the Robinson-Morgan partnership in 1877, Robinson retained the lease until his death in 1880. [19, 20].

 

Further research is needed to fill the gap up to the time when James Kearney leases the property in the 1890s. This article has benefitted from the significant amount of Upper Hutt research undertaken and made available by Lynly Yates on her website www.lynly.gen.nz. Thankyou Lynly!

 

[1] Rating Act 1894

[2] Wellington Supreme Court Register of Rating Sales 1885-1934 – Archives NZ Reference AAAR W3558 26919 Box 1621 (R25459667)

[3] Subject File: Land and Buildings – Wallaceville 1899-1907 – Archives NZ Reference AAFZ W5738 408 Box 1 AG. 03/126 Part 1 (R22660279)

[4] Genealogy of Taringakuri – an additional piece dated 20 Feb 1894 - Maori Land Court Wellington Minute Book No.4 folio 304

[5] Dictionary of National Biography: Waitaoro 1848/1849?-1929 Ngati Tama woman of mana by Angela Ballara https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2w3/waitaoro

[6] Letter to Native Affairs received from Field and Luckie and Toogood, Wellington 19 Mar 1907  Subject: Hutt Section 98B, Trentham - Sale to James Kearney Jnr - consent recommended by Aotea Board - Archway record: Archives NZ Ref: ACIH 16036 MA1 912 1907/123 (R22401214)

[7] Sitting of the Maori Land Court at Wellington 16 Mar 1908 Hutt Section 98B Application for partition - Maori Land Court Wellington Minute Book No.16 folios 1-2

[8] Subject File: Land and Buildings – Wallaceville 1899-1907 – Archives NZ Reference AAFZ W5738 408 Box 1 AG. 03/126 Part 1 (R22660279)

[9] Wellington Deeds Index Volume 34 folio 381 (Archway online - R20163372)

[10] Wellington Primary Deeds Index No.45145 (Archway online - R20163087)

[11] Wellington Deeds Index Volume 34 folio 381 (Archway online - R20163372)

[12] Evening Post 16 Sep 1903 Land Transfer Notice Application No.3408 (CT 127/103)

[13] Immigrant Transcribers Guild – Ship Edwin Fox 1875 List of Heads of Families and Single Adults https://www.immigrantships.net/v5/1800v5/edwinfox18750418.html

[14] Kearney Family History by Lynly Yates http://www.lynly.gen.nz/HVFKearneyUnknown.pdf

[15] Blockhouse & Stockade – Upper Hutt & Hutt Valley by Lynly Yates http://lynly.gen.nz/HVUHBUSBlockhouseUH.pdf

[16] Evening Post 09 Mar 1905 List of Magistrate Court Judgments

[17] Native Land Court Hearing at Wellington 21 Feb 1894 - Maori Land Court Wellington Minute Book No.4 folio 309

[18] Wellington Primary Deeds Index Nos 24410 and 24411 (Archway online - R20163042)

[19] Wellington Deeds Index Volume 3 folio 109 Hutt Section 102 (Archway online - R20163321)

[20] John Robinson Family History by Lynly Yates (18 Apr 2017) http://www.lynly.gen.nz/HVFRobinsonUnknown.pdf

 

Other resources:

 

[1] Other Supreme Court Registers of Rate Sales held at Archives NZ

Auckland (1886-1923 Indexed, 1923-2001); Blenheim (1934-1999); Christchurch (1926-2002); Dunedin (1919-2000); Invercargill (1886-2001); Masterton (1915-1964); Napier (1919-1934); New Plymouth (1889-2002); Rotorua (1973-1986); Wellington (1885-1934, 1963-2001); Westport (1916-1966); Whanganui (1950-2003); Whangarei (1937-2003)

[2] Alexander Turnbull Library

William Hughes Field papers 1861-1944

Ref: 73-128-170 (1900)

Correspondence and receipts; including several documents in Maori. One letter, Native Land Purchase Department, concerned with shares in Section 102 for Mere Ngakere, Rangikauwhata, Te Ata, Ria Mina, Wikitoa Taringakuri.

 

William Hughes Field papers 1861-1944

Ref: 73-128-013 (1904-1905)

Lease of section 102B Mauihakono; Letters from the Department of Agriculture re James Kearney's lease of section 102B, Mauihakono

 

[3] Photographs

Auckland Weekly News 13 Oct 1904 The New Government Agricultural Laboratory at Wallaceville, Hutt Valley – James Henry Daroux Photo. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19041013-12-1

Wallaceville Research Centre; view from hill, looking northwest 1912. Upper Hutt Recollect Wallaceville Animal Research Centre collection No.37

 

Pandora Research

www.nzpictures.co.nz

Dawn Chambers
nz19thcentury@outlook.com

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Chinese Corner 

  Restoring Old Chinese Headstones in the Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. - Author: Leslie Wong.

 

http://www.famnet.net.nz/newsletters/FamNet/April_2018/Newsletter_files/image012.jpgThroughout the Otago region there are many lost Chinese graves in or out of cemeteries whose locations can only be found by local knowledge or in cemetery ledgers and historical accounts. In many historic places the cemeteries themselves have long disappeared. Dunedin has 3 major cemeteries that span the periods from the early Chinese gold miners, to the Chinese labourers of the 1920s to 1950s. One of the older cemeteries has its Chinese graves so desecrated that no amount of effort could restore the gravestones.

Luckily, at a once neglected place in the cemetery at Andersons Bay, Dunedin, there is a unique collection of 53 plots of which there are 46 restorable headstones. This area was originally considered to be wasteland only fit for the burial of aliens and the Chinese were segregated there into their own subdivision. Many names written into the official records had no resemblance to the transcribed names on the headstones. No major attempt had been made to produce an accurate transcript and find the full origins of those buried there.

By a twist of fate, trees and overgrowth had sheltered this location from the elements and public view for over 30 years. Today, we have an almost complete memorial to those early Chinese from the 1920's to nearly 1950. Unfortunately, many headstones have been vandalised and broken, while others had tree branches growing against them, pushing them over and smashing them. In spite of what has happened, this is the best repository of Chinese headstones in Dunedin that could be restored to commemorate a chapter in our history.

Many Chinese came to this country with nothing but a suitcase full of hope, and when their time was up, they had even lost the suitcase. Few had the good fortune to realise their dreams and prosper.

The restoration project began ‘secretly’ by myself in 1996 and was planned to restore headstones in 3 phases with a time span of 2 years per phase. Originally it started with scrub cutting and clearing of a small section to see if the project was feasible and to see if some way could be devised to clean and glue together the broken headstones. If no solution could be found, the project could have been abandoned there and then.

The easy tasks were taken first in order to develop the skills necessary to tackle the more difficult problems. Many of the original white marble stones were green, having been eaten into by moss and the lettering badly weathered.

A few of the unbroken stones were chemically washed and bleached to make them white again. Special tools were devised to recut the lettering that had all but faded. Because some stones were too old and brittle, the use of the traditional hammer and chisel method was not possible. Original carving mistakes or missing lines are left uncorrected. A restored white stone could not be photographed to record what was written and the lettering had to be hand painted in black or gold for the final photograph.

A broken stone found in the soil was taken home to see if it could be cleaned and glued together. Fortunately, a modern epoxy glue was found and the join was stronger than the original stone. It was necessary to clamp the two halves together for the glue to take hold. At the gravesite a concrete base was cast to hold the restored headstone. Many broken headstones had to be restored at home and where possible the missing piece had to be fabricated with a concrete aggregate and colour matched, with the missing characters remade. To passers-by, my front lawn often resembled a cemetery with several headstones in various stages of restoration.

There are a few headstones that have the lettering inlaid with black lead. These should have been everlasting, and are the most difficult to restore. When the lead was first hammered in, the carved lettering beneath fractured. Over the years a fungus grew between the fractures and the lead, and eventually the lead and pieces of marble fell out leaving a crater. The damaged areas had to be refilled and new lettering cut with a dental drill. Finally, a matching imitation filler is inserted. Sadly, some headstones cannot be restored.

It is always easy to take a backward glance at what may have been our heritage, but when time has taken its toll, we realise that it is there no more. Through our hands we must preserve what is precious, to pass down through the generations for all time to come.

http://www.stevenyoung.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=158&Itemid=40

 

Helen Wong

helen.familytree@gmail.com

Guest Contributors

Ken Morris

ANTARCTICA – “Take nothing but photos – leave nothing but footprints”

I was finally able to make a long-planned trip to Antarctica in Feb-Mar 2019 with a friend & colleague who was born on the Falklands and spent his early life there. I had wanted to go because it’s there, because Ed Hillary made an unscheduled dash to the Pole on a Fergie tractor in 1955-58 much to the consternation of the Brits, and of course to see all the things that make Antarctica a truly awesome place

Antarctic “cruises” can take many forms, itineraries and ship types. Mine was on a 1980’s built Polish research ship now called MV Ortelius & set up for 112 passengers plus crew and expedition experts.  It was a “Go ashore & get your feet wet” trip, we made 15 landings. The trip started from Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego and then to Falklands, on to Sth Georgia, down to Sth Orkneys, Sth Hebrides and the Antarctic Peninsula and back to Ushuaia over 19 days. The Antarctic Peninsula is the furthest extremity from the South Pole and isn’t inside the Antarctic Circle, but it doesn’t lessen the feeling of awe to be on land in Antarctica

Over those 19 days under varying weather & sea conditions we were treated to all of the things this article is not about, but what we saw was truly magnificent, and landing all rigged up in waterproofs and lifejackets on the beach from Zodiacs, to be greeted by thousands of penguins and seals on land & in the water around you was an unforgettable experience.  And, we had a swim!

Having set the scene, this article is really about some family history and daring deeds of an earlier era. My colleague Bill Dixon was born In Stanley capital of the Falklands, he grew up there with family and eventually migrated to NZ where I met him through work and our paths had continued to cross in Australia, Indonesia and India. The receptionist at the Stanley tourist centre knew Bill and his siblings, and reported that a friend of his sister was leaving that day for UK, having been visiting friends and relatives, so there are no secrets in Stanley a settlement of ~2,500 people. Being a member of “Falkland Families & Connections” she was happy to go on line and produced the Dixon/Middleton family tree showing they had been in the Falkland since before 1873. The Falklands has a very British atmosphere, it is short of people and buoyant with farming, tourists, fishing and as a military base. There are some 0.5 million sheep (we only saw one) and one of the islands we landed on was an operating farm and could just as easily been back country Canterbury and came complete with a farmer’s junk yard, macrocarpa trees, cabbage trees, flax bushes honeysuckle and gorse!

Stanley has an excellent museum and covers the extensive history of Islands both at peace and war, the 1982 conflict with Argentina, is referenced but not over the top and less so than in the Argentinian port of Ushuaia where there are many prominent memorials and ongoing claims to the Malvinas.

Stanley has also been an important feature in the “Heroic Age” of Antarctic exploration with particular reference to Sir Ernest Shackleton.  Over the period 1908-22 he participated in and led several expeditions, some of which were monumental failures.  These failures were outweighed by some herculean feats of seafaring, navigation, mountaineering & courage by Shackleton and some of his team to get help and rescue the remainder of the team stranded on Elephant Island, after the expedition ship Endurance was crushed by the ice and sank. The 22-man crew made their way to uninhabited Elephant Island in the Sth Shetland’s, Shackleton and five companions then set off in a 6.9m sail boat for Sth Georgia 1,300 km away, a 16-day voyage, battling storms and landing on the southern coast. Shackleton and two companions then crossed to the north coast where the whaling stations were. This involved a 36-50 km walk (crow flies and actual) up over the mountains and glaciers to Stromness, with only a rudimentary map. The trek took 36 hours with only a few rests, gear included a Primus, one rope and an adze, screws were set into their boots to give a grip on the ice (this a winter time trek, no tents or sleeping bags). A rescue mission by ship to pick up the three men left on the south coast was completed in a couple of days, but the 16 men on Elephant Is were finally rescued after three attempts (weather and sourcing a suitable ship caused delays), they had survived 135 days on bare rations and “hope”.

A hurricane force storm near Elephant Island necessitated us sheltering in the lee of the island, we were in a 91m ship of 4,000t with all the modern equipment, they were in a 6.9m sailboat with a compass and sextant!

Shackleton is buried at Grytviken on Sth Georgia and cruise expedition tradition is for members to share a scotch with Shackleton, a swig for us and some poured on his grave. A stout fence keeps the bigger seals out and stops them using the headstones as scratching posts

South Georgia saw a long period of seal and whaling activities and man introduced many pests to the islands including rats, mice, reindeer, poultry, pigs and various plants. The rats are the only animals not to be totally eradicated and they are confined to small areas for their final removal. Our boots were scrubbed in a” brew” before and after going ashore and our jackets inspected for seeds and like to ensure we didn’t carry any nasties ashore. Other landing sites for penguin and albatross rookeries are limited to number of people being on shore at any one time, so the bigger cruise ship passengers are not able to get ashore

Grytviken, a main call point for cruises is an old whaling station and has a UK research station as well as a museum, shop and Post Office, run by The South Georgia Heritage Trust.  It uses the fees from visitors and stamp sales for further restoration works.

In a talk by a SGHT resident mention was made that we had all probably had used oil extracted from seals & whales in the form of margarine and other foods. My understanding was that margarine was banned in NZ to protect the dairy industry and in the 1960’s those wanting margarine because of intolerance to dairy products had to have a medical certificate, true or false?

Ed: True, I can remember the ban being lifted.  See https://teara.govt.nz/en/government-and-agriculture/page-4

The landing at old whaling station at Port Foster on Deception Is. which is a volcanic caldera with a narrow entrance but providing a safe anchorage was where in 1928 the Australian explorer & aviator Hubert Wilkins and pilot Carl Ben Eielson made the first powered flight in Antarctica. The aircraft hangar remains together with extension steelwork lying in the scoria and ash from the eruptions in 1969 & 70. The island is now only occupied for summertime research. The old timber buildings still stand as do some timber crosses marking some of the loneliest gravesites.

Port Lockroy (Goudier Island, a big rock), now just a “summer season” post office and museum, was once a whaling station and then became a secret British base during WWII. The site supports penguins and seals year-round and three staff from UK Antarctic Heritage Trust hand stamp some 70,000 items for posting during the season and surplus funds are used to help maintain this and other British historic sites.

I (77) wasn’t the oldest of the group and all ages participated in the Zodiac trips ashore, but don’t leave it too late to make the trip of a lifetime. The story of the whales, seals, albatross, penguins, mountains, glaciers and icebergs will be in a photo book and is work in progress and a link via Dropbox to follow

Ken Morris

krmorris@tpg.com.au

   

                    

 

                

From our Libraries and Museums

We are offering a forum to our libraries and museums to publicise their events, and to contribute articles to this newsletter that may be of interest to our readers. Auckland Libraries makes good use of this free service, let’s see if other libraries and museums take up this offer.

For readers of this newsletter: please bring this to the attention of your local libraries etc, and encourage them to participate.

Auckland Libraries

 

HeritageTalks @ Central Library, Auckland

Are you interested in family and local history? The history of New Zealand, as well as the rest of the world? Then why not come along to one of our fortnightly HeritageTalks and hear more about both our personal and our shared heritage.

These talks are given by experts in their field and can provide valuable insight into our histories.

HeritageTalks take place every second Wednesday at 12 noon in the Whare Wānanga, Level 2, Central City Library, Auckland unless otherwise stated. Booking is recommended but not essential.

Phone Central Auckland Research Centre 09 890 2412 to book, or book online:

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/search-results.aspx?u=#k=heritagetalks

April

Playing dress up: fancy dress in New Zealand museum collections with Marguerite Hill, heritage researcher, Auckland Council

Wednesday 10 April, 12pm - 1pm

Historically, New Zealanders have loved dressing up. From patriotic fundraisers and Sunday school picnics to historical reconstructions and the Rugby Sevens, Kiwis seem to find any excuse to put on fancy dress. New Zealand museum collections yield a surprising number of surviving fancy dress costumes as well as a wealth of photographs.

Bio: Marguerite Hill is a Heritage Researcher at Auckland Council. She has previously worked as Curator Human History at Canterbury Museum and Project Curator History at Auckland War Memorial Museum. Her interest in historical dress began as an Assistant Collection Manager History and Textiles at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Booking is recommended although not essential. To book please phone Research Central on 09 8902412 or book online:

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/event.aspx?eventid=4989

 

Spice it up!

Be inclusive with Professor Edwina Pio,

University Director of Diversity, AUT

Wednesday 24 April, 12pm - 1pm

With the volatile mix of ethnic patterns in our society, both past and current, how do we create a future all New Zealanders can dream of? Professor Edwina Pio examines how historically we have often shunned stereotypes, yet the future demands compassion and inclusiveness. This talk will look at how we must work to give back for the privilege of living in Aotearoa.

Heritage Talks in the “SoundCloud”

Have you ever wished that you could come to one of our events? Have you ever emailed me asking if the event was being recorded?

Well, click the link below and read the blog!

HeritageTalks go live!

https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2018/11/heritage-talks-go-live.html

 

Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero | Central City Library is pleased to announce that our popular Heritage Talks programme will now be available as part of Auckland Libraries’ content on SoundCloud<https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries>

and YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/user/AucklandLibraries/featured>.

 

Heritage Talks are a regular event run by Research Central<https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/library.aspx?library=56&libraryname=Research%20Central> and focus on topics of interest in the areas of local, family and world history. Talks are presented by a range of researchers and historians whose enthusiasm for their subjects is contagious. And now you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your home to share in the stories. Grab a cup of tea, sit back, and relax!

 

We are carrying on with our recording and uploading of our HeritageTalks and other events (where we have the speakers’ permissions).

HeritageTalks that were recorded during 2018 (including our Influenza Pandemic Commemoration Day) are on the Auckland Libraries SoundCloud channel here:

https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/sets/heritage-talks-2018

 

This year’s HeritageTalks can be found here:

https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/sets/heritage-talks-2019

 

You may want to subscribe to our Soundcloud channel so you are alerted to other recordings coming online as they happen:

https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries

2019 Auckland Family History Expo - Tāmaki Huinga Tātai Kōrero

Preparation for this year’s Expo is humming along. We have closed our EOI for Exhibitors, and are now working through our speakers’ submissions. We hope to be tell you who our “headliners” are soon – and I promise we won’t disappoint!

We are still seeking sponsorship. In previous years, sponsorship has been $1000 plus products for raffle prizes. We are also very happy to negotiate sponsorship deals for those interested in smaller or larger contributions. If you know of a company who would be happy to sponsor us financially, or give us product or services for raffle prizes, please get them to get in contact – or let me know!

We feel it’s awesome marketing, and a fabulous way to support the genealogy and family history community!

Many thanks and kind regards –

Seonaid Lewis and Jan Gow, Auckland Family History Expo committee

KURA – Heritage Collections online at Auckland Libraries

I'd like to introduce you to "Kura" our Heritage Collections Online portal. Kura means treasured or valued possessions.

The amalgamation of our various libraries in 2010 when Auckland Council was created, meant we had a large number of databases in various different formats. Even just the old Auckland City databases were themselves all in different database formats.

The last couple of years our IS and Digital Services people, in conjunction with our Heritage teams have been working away to adapt a CMS (content management system) to pull all our databases over into one place, so people no longer have to search individual databases and can now do one search across multiple collections.

Around 650,000 existing digitised records have been brought into Kura from our other databases, with approximately 1.8 million existing records  still to go. Alot of images have been rescanned to take advantage of the better technology available today, and meta data has been tidied up to make searching easier.

A bunch of new never-before-digitised and / or published online records have also been added to Kura such as:

We will be continuously bringing over our existing collections, and adding new ones. So keep an eye out. Those that haven't moved over yet are still available in their old places, in their databases.

In the meantime, have a look at our library website - www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz -  you can access Kura from either the banner at the top (which is there temporarily) or from Heritage Collections, which is their permanent place.

Don't forget the golden rule of using new websites/databases - check out the help pages to make sure you are getting the most out of your experience:

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/Pages/heritage-collections-help.aspx

And it’s totally FREE for all to access, and no membership to Auckland Libraries is required!

 

Nga mihi | Kind regards

SEONAID

Seonaid (Shona) Lewis RLIANZA | Family History Librarian

Central A uckland Research Centre, Central City Library

Heritage and Research

Auckland Libraries - Nga Whare Matauranga o Tamaki Makarau

Ph 09 890 2411| Extn (46) 2411 | Fax 09 307 7741

Auckland Libraries, Level 2, Central City Library, 44 - 46 Lorne Street, Auckland

Visit our website: www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

@Kintalk on Twitter / Auckland Research Centre on Facebook

 

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Group News

Whangarei Family History Computer Group

 Contacts: 

image001 Wayne: (09) 437 2881 wayne@bydand.co.nz

 Pat: (09) 437 0692 whangareifamilyhistorygroup@gmail.com

Venues

Thursday evening venue is 6 Augusta Place, Whau Valley. Call Wayne or Pat or;

email Whangareifamilyhistorygroup@gmail.com, if you need directions.

 Saturday meetings are held in the SeniorNet rooms in James Street.

The rooms are upstairs in the Arcade leading to Orr’s Pharmacy and Tiffany’s Café, Start time 9.30 till finished before 1.30pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Waikanae Family History Group

WFHG Contacts: Email: wfhg2012@gmail.com

Venue: Meets every 4th Thursday morning at the Waikanae Chartered Club, 8 Elizabeth Street Waikanae, just over the Railway Crossing from 9.30am to 12 -12.30pm, every month from January to November.

Research days: at the Waikanae Public Library, 10am to 12 noon on second Wednesday of each month.

 

 

Waitara Districts History & Families Research Group

The contact details of this group are:

Waitara Districts History & Families Research Group

Rose Cottage 33 Memorial Place

WAITARA 4320

Tel: 06 – 754 – 3212

 

waitarahistory.genealogy@xtra.co.nz

 

 

President:- Rona Hooson 

Vice President:- Doree Smith

Secretary:- Trish Smart

Treasurer:- Marilyn O’Lander

 office:-067543212

 

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News and Views 

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Various Articles worth reading:          

From the Editor: Because of space restrictions and copyright issues I cannot put the complete articles in this newsletter so here are some URLs that are worth looking at:

How Forensic Genealogy Is Cracking Decades-Old Cold Cases

http://www.topic.com/the-cold-case-factory

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Introducing Goldrush Online in New Zealand

This entry was posted on March 12, 2019 by Shauna Hicks


My blog series focuses on some of my favourite free Australasian family history research websites, and this month's focus is Goldrush Online which looks at goldminers in New Zealand. The site has been constructed and maintained by Kae Lewis.

Many people researching family history in Australia and New Zealand have goldminers in the family. It is not unusual to find that some Australian miners crossed the Tasman and spent time in New Zealand. Or vice versa. Goldrush Online has a searchable database which makes the discovery of a New Zealand connection quick and easy.

Search the Database

There are over 66,000 records of goldminers in New Zealand for the period 1861 to 1872. There are two main mining fields included:

·         Otago mining records 1861-1866 (South Island)

·         Thames and Coromandel mining records 1867-1872 (North Island).

 

Basic search fields include:

·         Family name (mandatory)

·         Given name (optional)

·         Use exact or wild card

·          

Filter by Otago, Thames or Coromandel.

 

 

http://theindepthgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Hicks-Jan-2019-St.-BathansOtago-New_Zealand-Wikimedia-Commons-Phillip-Capper-300x201.jpg

Old gold workings, St. Bathan's, Otago, New Zealand by Phillip Capper, May 2007, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18148211.

 

There is no biographical information in the search results, so you do need to know that someone was in an area at a given time, especially if it is a common surname. Information includes:

·          Type of lease

·         Number

·         Name

·         Date

·         Location

·         District

·         Source

·         Comments

 

Kae Lewis has also published several books connected to this database, and if there is more information in the book/s on an individual, the page number and name of the book is also included such as the New Zealand Goldrush Journal.

This is a page on the website where Kae has gathered together reports and articles about various goldfields. Volume 1 has a report written by Lowther Broad, first gold warden of Arrowtown. Other articles by various authors talk about Old Man Range, Otago; Woolshed diggings, Glenore and the Waipori goldfield.

 

Volume 2 is a multipart work on the Tapu goldfield during 1867 and 1868 plus a section on the gold wardens of Dunstan. All of these are written by Kae Lewis.

Both volumes are keyword searchable making it easy to find something if you don’t want to read everything. However, all gold warden reports submitted to the New Zealand government make fascinating reading as they give detailed accounts of what it was like on individual goldfields. For example, in 1864 Arrowtown had a population of about 200 with 10 hotels, wholesale and retail stores and several private dwellings. There was even a school with the average weekly attendance of 17 children.

http://theindepthgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Hicks-Jan-2019-Arrowtown-Street-Wikimedia-Commons-Bernard-Spragg-300x154.jpg

Historic street in Arrowtown, New Zealand, by Bernard Spragg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70719895.

 

Papers Past

Some of these reports were also published in newspapers and digitised copies in Papers Past make it easy to read more about the mining fields and what life was like at that time. Even though your ancestor may not be mentioned by name, you will certainly gain an appreciation of what their life was like if you also research the history of whatever goldfield they were on.

The use of photographs on the website also helps readers to visualise how geographically challenging some of these mining areas were. I have been to the Lakes District Museum at Arrowtown, and even today it is still fascinating to walk around the ruins and absorb the history of those exciting times.

http://theindepthgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Hicks-Jan-2019-Gabriels-Gully-In-Otago-Gold-Rush-Alexander-Turnbull-Library-300x222.jpg

Tents everywhere in Gabriels Gully, Otago gold rush, by Harry Gore, National Library of New Zealand (Alexander Turnbull Library, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2738748

 

Links

The final part of Goldrush Online that you should explore is the Links page. Here researchers will find links to archives, libraries, museums, BDMs and other genealogical resources. Of interest is the link to the Victoria (Australia) passenger lists which recorded people moving between Victoria goldfields and New Zealand from 1861 onwards. These are on the Public Record Office Victoria website.

Researchers could easily spend a few hours exploring Goldrush Online so have a look, especially if you have some goldminers in your family history.

Good luck!


Shauna Hicks

 

About Shauna Hicks

Shauna Hicks has been tracing her own family history since 1977 and worked in government for over 35 years in libraries and archives in Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne. Since retiring, she has written a number of family history guides and is a regular speaker at genealogy cruises, conferences and seminars. She now operates her own business at www.shaunahicks.com.au and is the author of the blog, Diary of an Australian Genealogist.

View all posts by Shauna Hicks 

 

 

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In conclusion

Help wanted

Letters to the Editor

Keep emailing me. I don't print many of the emails I receive, but it helps the contributors and your harassed editor when we receive a compliment or a reaction to our attempts at "good writing".

Advertising with FamNet

Every now and then we get requests to put an advertisement in the newsletter. I have therefore created a new section which will appear from time to time. Advertisements will be included only at the Editor's discretion and will be of a genealogical nature.

If your organisation is not a group subscriber then there will be a charge for advertising events and services, which must be paid for before publication. Charges start at $NZ25 for a basic flier, and increase for more elaborate presentations. Like everyone else we need funds to help keep FamNet going. Fees are very minimal. If your organisation paid a yearly subscription you can have all the advertising you want all year round in the Group News section. Your group could be anywhere in the world, not just in New Zealand. The editor will continue to exercise discretion for free events.

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A Bit of Light Relief

 

Here are more headstones that amuse me.

This Man's Tombstone Is A Giant Middle Finger      I Came Here Without Being Consulted     Arthur And His Wife

 

Funny Tombstone Sayings

   She's Surely Going To Hell         

To Unsubscribe, Change your Email Address, or Manage your Personal Information

If you have problems with this page you can email us directly, but the page should be self-explanatory.

Copyright (Waiver)

Feel free to redistribute this newsletter. If you publish a newsletter yourself you may include material from this newsletter in yours provided that you acknowledge its source and include the FamNet URL. www.famnet.org.nz/

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