Part of the worldwide genealogy/family history community
FamNet eNewsletter December 2017
ISSN 2253-4040
Quote "Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking." – Unknown
Linking
Trees: Another Rarely-Used FamNet Feature
DNA
Testing for Family History
Digging Into Historical Records
From our Libraries and Museums
HeritageTalks
at Central Library, Auckland Council
Whangarei Family History Computer
Group
Waitara Districts History &
Families Research Group
Who
Actually Owns Your Content When You Post It to the Web?
How
to Save a Webpage as a PDF File, So You Later Can View It Offline
To
Write or Not to Write: Respecting Privacy in Family-History Storytelling
50
Free Genealogy Sites to Search Today
Old
Family Reunion, 20th and 21st January 2018 in New Plymouth
Influenza
Victims, Troopship HMNZT 107 “Tahiti”
To Unsubscribe, Change your Email
Address, or Manage your Personal Information
Editorial
Greetings and welcome to another
issue of the FamNet newsletter.
Another month has flown by. Another newsletter is assembled and another sigh of relief sounded. I don't change that opening because it is how I mostly feel when I get to this section, which is the last bit to write.
2017 has been a very interesting year for me. I have started to take a genealogy class for U3A. I need to keep one step ahead of the "students" and be able to be more knowledgeable in the modern research facilities i.e. the Internet. Every month I have found new sources where documents have been digitised which have sidetracked me into doing my own research. This has led to me breaking a brick wall or two and re-enthused me in matters genealogical. I attended a few (free) genealogy conferences and study days and recovered my enthusiasm for the social side of this great hobby. I have rediscovered the pleasure of the exchange of research ideas and problem solving that takes place at such events. I have discovered how good the website Familysearch has become. I visited National Archives for the first time in about seven years and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I am stunned by the amount of NZ research material that is becoming available online. I congratulate National Archives for continuing to release material online.
I just have one "pet" wish that I dream of being freely available in both senses of the word "freely". That is the historical BDMs. I think it is time that NZ joined the countries that have released these at no cost. Maybe next year I should approach "Uncle Winnie" and suggest that the gold card become a method of free access.
Back to reality. I hope that you all have a wonderful festive season. Please don't eat too much.
As always,
I am always pleased to receive feedback from our readers. Praise is always
welcome but this newsletter cannot increase in value if you do not send me your
valid criticisms and suggestions for improvement. An article or two from new
contributors would be gratefully received and read by our readership of 6000
worldwide. Remember this is the only national genealogy monthly
"magazine" in NZ and we need your input to keep it relevant.
We’ll be
taking a break over
In this issue:-
· From the developer. Linking trees – another obscure FamNet Feature
· The Nash Rambler: I have recently have become the victim of ancestor theft (alleged).
· Jan looks forward to an interesting 2018
· We welcome back Gail Riddell who has travelled the world and moved house. She has written another column on matters DNA related.
· Adele appears to have solved two historical puzzles at the same time.
· Tracey Bartlett talks about a
· Hanley Hoffmann talks about using photography in your family history.
· Dawn Chambers talks about the Commissioner of Crown Lands Letter Book she found in National Archives
· Chinese Corner Helen Wong, has submitted an article about Chinese shop keepers
· Avis McDonald has written an article on country halls. Avis, welcome to this newsletter.
· Auckland Libraries announce their upcoming evening lecture on DNA research
· I have included an article on who owns your data when you have posted it online
· I have included an article on how to save a webpage as a PDF file
· I have included a article on how to respect privacy when writing your family history
· I have included an article on changes to how we will be using FamilySearch
· Because it is Xmas & I know you will be bored with socialising, sunshine, relatives etc I have included a list of 50 free genealogy sites.
·
Book reviews.
If you’re struggling with dementia, then
Hopefully you will find something of interest among all that. I have enjoyed assembling this month's newsletter.
Regards
Regular Features
From the Developer
Linking Trees: Another Rarely-Used FamNet Feature
Last
month I talked about FamNet’s ability to create QR Codes. Originally this was
envisaged for a memorial walkway on North Head, which had funding and was about
to be approved but this has also disappeared, a casualty of the “Super City”
Auckland amalgamation which, far from increasing efficiency, now requires
consultation with so many interested parties that nothing can get done.
I’d hoped that readers might be interested in this as a way to document
other memorials, but I guess not.
Another feature of FamNet that could be more widely used is its ability to link trees together. In the videos and when I give presentations on FamNet, examples from my own tree show how my records are connected to those of others. The best example is my grandmother, Hannah OLD. Her parents are not my records, but come from Mirk Smith of Taranaki. I knew the ancestry, but now my linked tree has many side branches of which I had no knowledge. Another case: one of Hannah’s sons, George BARNES, is my cousin’s record (record owner dbarnes), Following links from here you find records of his wife (Ethel COWIE) and her ancestry.
This has always seemed to me to be a good idea. For me (and you if you take advantage of this feature) it provides access to much richer information and connections with little effort, and without plagiarism. For other FamNet users it provides less confusion and better information. Does the world really need over 30 records of Hannah OLD, most of which are partial copies of obsolete or incorrect information, or would one good record with the best information available be better? If the records that Peter complains of had been in a linked tree the problem would have been sorted out as the trees were linked. Yes, FamNet does have ways of handling disputes, and recording alternatives when two genealogists can’t agree.
Tree linking is not automatic: two tree owners have to agree on how to link their trees, and I advise users to get in touch me to help them with the process, but I’ve been surprised that nobody has contacted me about this. I’m hoping that at the OLD Family Reunion in January there will be some attendees who will talk to me about putting their trees into FamNet and linking them into the combined (Robertb,Mirk562,DBarnes, Tonyc, and others) tree, making it even better. And if any other FamNet readers think that this is a good idea, look up this Help page and then contact me if you need any help.
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.
5. Sharing your Story: Managing your Family Group
6. On Line Editing: More Facts, Family, GDB Links
7. Comparing and Synchronising Records
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
The Nash Rambler
Ancestor Theft
I
have sat before this screen for an hour or three deciding what I will write.
There is a lot I wanted to comment on. There are many new digital sources and
the growth in this area is phenomenal. I have had many great finds this last
year. I'm off to sunny
BUT there is one discovery that I recently made that has knocked the stuffing out of me. I keep returning to it time and time again. It has shocked me greatly. It has caused me to abandon any genealogical research and wander around my garden or to my local coffee emporium muttering and mumbling to myself and even uttering a few words that shouldn't be uttered, particularly in front of very young, but very healthy, tomato plants. This language could even stunt the growth of my rampant climbing beans. Diane Wilson please observe how I mentioned my tomato plants - it was a very common subject of news in your regular chats to your team of indexers.
You see I blundered onto the Family Tree section of
Ancestry.com. Stupidly I entered one of my surnames, COUTTS, just for fun, with
reference to a particular "few-times-great" grandfather who had a
wife with an interesting but uncommon maiden name. Imagine my surprise that
couple appeared in only one family tree. Stupidly I opened it. Well "
It is a pity that my lovely mother died a few years ago because I have a few questions that I would pose to her. Hang on a minute - maybe I am adopted to a mother who was a figment of my imagination. Proceeding down this path any further will get very confusing.
Now, being a very intelligent person I have come to the conclusion that there are two possibilities or explanations here. Either this "questionable" researcher is wrong or this highly respected (in my humble opinion) writer is wrong.
To prove it one way or the other I have to go back to my research done many years ago and redo it. I have to check every fact I found. All certificates need to be examined. Every document, obituary, will, family letter, family interview etc needs to be carefully studied. I cannot be that wrong in claiming the wrong person as my "few-times-great" grandfather!!!! Maybe I should contact that researcher?
I don't know whether I want to redo my research just yet.
Interestingly enough two of my "few-times-great" grandfather's
siblings also came to NZ - one, in fact, being buried in the
But the problem is that it is very easy to dismiss the tree as a typical example of the idiocy you can find on websites that hold family trees. But there is a nagging thought and feeling that I cannot shake - maybe they are right and I am wrong. Do I really want to find out I am wrong? Maybe I'll pretend that I haven't found this tree. I'll keep up a public pretence of being "an expert" But the nagging thoughts continue.
A few of my ancestors came from the
I am very upset about the whole episode of finding a different set of descendants for my ancestors. I am a victim of ancestor theft. This has turned me off continuing any further research and soured the whole pleasure I get from that research.
I shall continue my vocal walking around the garden for a
few more weeks before I start to definitely prove that I'm right. Maybe I'll
find a garden in
Merry
Jan’s Jottings
2018 …. Here we come!!! Wow!! Looks like it is going to be an interesting year!! Let’s take a peep at Events in my diary!!
RootsTech
First off, as it was this year, is RootsTech!! This is just amazing.
Another SLC
(
BUT this
year we have the AFFHO Congress, starting in
There are two interesting pluses to this decision: -
1.
A long-held vision of organising
some Events in
We might organise another session where we watch in OUR time, a pre-recorded session.
Interested??? Take a moment to send an email, just to give me an idea of those interested. Jan@genealogy.net.nz
2. Once again, I have been appointed an Ambassador for RootsTech. This includes registration and other ‘goodies’. Including ...... (drum roll!!) .... another registration to give away at my discretion! So, if you are planning to attend RootsTech (even if you have already registered), PLEASE let me know. This is a special offer to subscribers to FamNet Newsletter.
The prize is a 4-day pass. Attend the
keynote addresses. Speakers such as Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton
and “Humans of
Choose from over 300 sessions on topics such as traditional research skills, DNA, photos, stories, tech tools, and organizing. Spend hours at the Expo Hall. The big names in genealogy are there! With hundreds of vendors, societies, services. Got questions? Answers here! See the latest and greatest tools and resources.
Go to the evening events. Accommodation and airfare your expense!! As are sponsored lunches and computer labs. I might be able to help with accommodation.
Email me, jan@genealogy.net.nz. ASAP!!! Closes 10 Dec (my birthday, so can give or take a day or two). You do need to be planning on being there!!!
I am creating a new advertisement - for the Feb issue of The Genealogist and for a new Aussie magazine called Tracers. First issue due out next week - in Aussie. I shall let you know if it is worthwhile to purchase.
I am advertising for next year’s Hooked on Genealogy Tour, leaving 6 May, with 3 weeks in SLC (Believe me, NO ONE wants to leave on our last day!!! They would like at least 4 weeks there!!). You might think that, with so much online, why go to the Family History Library???? Well, I can tell you why in one word - TIME!!! The FHL opens at 8am and closes at 9pm. 13 hours!! Over the three weeks, we are looking at 200+ hours.
All
researching if you wish!! You could never do this at home. We also
have HELP. Not only physical help with Library facilitators (for a whole day if
need be), but practical help with free access to many and varied
websites. We have classes just for us also. Then 3 weeks in the
What about
this!!! You will have heard of the Unlock the Past genealogy cruise to
Next is the
SC2NZ WeekEnd in October - 19-22. This is an attempt to create a little of what
it is like in the FHL in SLC, but here in
We will NOT have the 24 hour travel!!
The advert will also mention personal clinics - you could work on research, using the internet, software, organising - or a mixture.
Remember Beehive Books has been selling genealogy programs since 1989!!
Think about
a Weekend retreat for your FH meetings. Not mentioned in the advert is ...
classes. Gone are the days when community education was free! I have been
tutoring since 1985 and still have classes at
Am working on a new web site! Could be ready in a few weeks.
Also working on a form to help keep track of your research on the net.
Making use of those sites that work 24/7/365 checking your data against their data and looking for matches. If you would like to test the new form, email jan@genealogy.net.nz. Also, would you like to listen to this presentation? - happy to be the speaker at your meeting.
Meanwhile - Find out what the weather was like outside the day you were born. www.weather.sumofus.org and what Day Of the week you were born. www.dayofbirth.net/
Let’s Research!!!!
DNA Testing for Family History
24. Genetics and geography
Hello
again from Gail. I am finally returned from my overseas jaunt with many
unexpected adventures built into same – the worst of which was spending the
remaining fortnight without my suitcase and the subsequent acknowledgement that
it has gone forever.
But this is not about those events. This is about continuing my favourite topic. Genetic genealogy.
I was so
pleased to read Judy Russell’s blog post in the November edition of the FamNet
Newsletter. I do not know just how many times I have said to people that one
DNA test alone by just one member of a family will not give the tester the
certainty of accurate answers to that which he or she might be seeking.
It is a tool to be used carefully in conjunction with all the other tools at a
genealogist’s disposal. In the same way as you will have surely learned
that there are differences between the way
Over and over I come across fellow genetic administrators who insist that all a male needs to test is his Y chromosome to Y37. This is not true unless the man is merely testing as a favour to another in order to learn if the result has the same Haplogroup as a specific other tester. In such a case, there is only one firm with whom a male should test.
But what about the other lines that exist within the tester?
The Y-DNA tests looks only at the direct male paternal line of the tester’s biological father. Unless this is the ONLY line the male tester is interested in, he also has a female maternal line. The maternal line will not be considered in a purely Y-DNA test unless the tester selects 23andMe as the testing firm.
Then, there are all those aunties and uncles and all their parents and in turn their spouses offspring – all of whom will also carry genes similar to those of the tester. Are all these to be ignored? This is called the autosomal test.
Such genetic tests chosen ought to ALWAYS (without exception) depend on what a tester is seeking. If the tester is serious, it is best to get advice from someone who knows about these things and knows what each firm will deliver. The main testing firms are 23andMe, Ancestry.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com. (Recently a newer firm has begun to come into the limelight – this is MyHeritage, but I am ignoring this firm for the purpose of this article).
The reason for a tester needing to get advice is whilst all these companies proclaim that testing with them will “find your family”, this is only as true as the size of the data base held of other testers and even more importantly, from which area of the globe are those other testers.
Take 23andMe
to begin the following examples. This firm began primarily as offering
“health reports” to testers. At the same time, it offered an indication
of the connection to the tester’s ancestral background – whether ethnic or
geographic or both based on the measurable and identifiable genes of the
tester. And since such ethnicity and geography is based on genetic
similarity, so too are relationships to other people. Thus the autosomal
test (also known as the “cousin” test). Because such “health reports”
must also take the father line and the mother line into consideration,
consideration of a few genes enable the reporting of the main haplogroups of
these lines. Therefore any male taking a test with 23andMe will receive
all such reports, that is, the autosomal, the mitochondrial and the paternal
reports. NB: the “health reports” are no longer offered to all testers as
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of
Now take Ancestry.com – which used to offer both the father line and the mother line but now offers only the autosomal test. In addition, they use a different geographical basis in comparison to 23andMe for indicating from which part of the globe a tester’s ancestors came. Naturally this creates slightly different results for testers who choose to test with a 2nd firm.
Unfortunately, the PR spin regarding advertising leads a tester to believe that the firm they have chosen gives the complete answer to a question such as “where do I come from”. Should the tester’s confusion with differing results prompt any questioning of the validity of a result, the phrase “DNA does not lie” is trotted out. But without the tester knowing against what basis their results are being measured, this answer can lead to naysayers concluding that such testing is a waste of time and money.
Even more importantly, if one sibling tests with one firm but another sibling tests with another firm (or even the same firm), the results may also differ. Consequently a beginner who has no understanding of how the genes are measured, may get the mistaken idea that they are not, in fact, full siblings.
Just before I move on, allow me to give you an example of ancestral geographcal composition comparison between full siblings and two firms, 23andMe and at FamilyTreeDNA.
|
|
Me at 23andMe |
Me at FTDNA |
Sibling at 23andMe |
Sibling at FTDNA |
|
|
61.6% |
28% |
68.6% |
31% |
|
German French |
7.6% |
60% |
7% |
44% |
|
Scandinavian |
4.3% |
9% |
3.8% |
18% |
|
West, Central
or |
1% |
3% |
0.8% |
- |
|
Iberian |
- |
- |
- |
5% |
|
Nor-western
|
25.5% |
|
18.3% |
|
|
Elsewhere |
- |
- |
1.5% |
2% |
So! With this, are we or are we not full siblings?
Both companies state “yes” by the autosomes that we share. Therefore unless our father impregnated my mother’s sister or our father’s brother impregnated our mother’s sister, the answer has to be yes and we are full siblings.
To return to where I was, I now turn my attention to FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA).
FTDNA began in 2002 as a result of the sole owner being in search of his genealogy. From here, the firm developed the ability to test the human genome and became a major genealogical testing firm for serious genetic genealogists. No, it is not the only testing firm doing this but it has developed to a point now where practically every tool such a genealogist might want is automatically available to the tester. It offers the father line test both genealogical and ancient; it offers the mother line test both genealogical and ancient; it offers the cousin line test but this can only consider some 4 ++ generations because of the way chromosomes and the sizes are inherited from parents.
Let us say you have chosen an autosomal test with one of these firms (the cousin-line test), but have no further funds available to test elsewhere or test another member of your family, yet you want to take the matter further for whatever reason. Although this is NOT a testing site, consider www.gedmatch.com
This is a site for comparisons of ONLY autosomal testers and here you can (once you have uploaded your raw results) alter the parameters regarding those with whom you are hoping to match. It is free, but should you wish to make a small donation, more in-depth tools will be available to you if you wish to use them.
To finish up, I have a number of things to catch up on within the genetic field that have developed over the last few months whilst I have been ‘globe-trotting’. This will include a study of the chromosomal connections of my family and learn which chromosomes have made the differences in terms of our ancestral compilation and from which ancestor these came.
In the meantime, whether you “believe” in the basis of
Index so far
Wairarapa Wandering
Wairarapa Wanderer strikes LUCK…. Thanks to Famnet.
A
previous column was about a postcard, written by Miss Hannah VALLANCE to
Kirkcaldie & Stains in the late 1890s, which I purchased on behalf of a
friend back in August. An email arrived yesterday on my other server. Porcupine07@gmail.com from a family
member of the extended Vallance/McMaster family about another matter. On
another website there is a painting, done in 1800s by Mary McMASTERS, of a
house in Tuhituarata near Martinborough. This painting, small it may be,
holds so much history. My friend who owns it often lets me borrow it to try and
find more about it. I never expected it to be many years later that I could
find some facts about it. Yesterday I went to find family also connected to the
post card family of VALLANCE - two in one eh!
Two spinster sisters, Hannah and Isabella VALLANCE lived at
Now the McMASTER’s were down at Martinborough area in the early days, they have their own Cemetery on the land there. When the big house was for sale some years back, cheeky Adele contacted the real estate agent and had permission to view it. I told them why - the truth!! A few years back I experienced another reason for learning the local history, as I was on an outing with our local bus company. We had a meal down there, and the new owner was after the history of the place. I told him what I knew and told him about the painting. He never got to see it in the flesh (so to speak) as he did not answer my message he only saw it when I scanned it. Now I have the descendant of the family - better still!
The McMASTER picture is on another website, Wellington Regional Heritage Promotion Council, where I used to be the minute secretary prior to 2013 - there is no stopping Adele when research is needed. Perhaps I should find the painting on the computer or borrow it again and do an article with Famnet with it.
Wairarapa Wanderer.
12 Neich’s Lane
Clareville.
5713
Tracey’s Tales
A Cemetery Visit on
On
quietly
but happily, while sipping a hot drink and eating lunch from plastic
containers. It looked like a peaceful and relaxing get together. I
however, had also arrived with a quest: to find the headstone, just recently
discovered online, of Arabella WILLIAMS (nee FLORANCE), a long-departed
step-ancestor on my father’s side. I had found her final Will and Testament and
Probate on FamilySearch (one of a few fantastic finds through the Probate
section I might add). In her Will, Arabella had instructed her oldest son
Theodore, (half-sibling to dad’s direct descendent) an executor, that she
wanted some of the proceeds of her estate to “…go towards a suitable Head Stone
and iron railing fence and burial section…” and this is what we were looking
for. Why Arabella is buried in this particular cemetery is unclear; none of her
large family are buried there and her husband, James Williams, was buried in
the
My mother, brother and I formed a little search party and
headed off to the appropriate section, leaving my Dad to happily clean the
headstone of his gr-grandparents; they immigrated from 
a little of his life,
relating to why he was at the cemetery that day. My dad is like that, he likes
to chat to people and they often open up to him. I recall when he and my mother
came to visit me in
In the meantime, my mother, brother and I had split up to
walk down different rows, looking for Arabella. After some time looking
however, we had no success. Mystified, I said I thought Arabella would have had
a decent headstone and it should be apparent; upon which my brother said “Oh,
Arabella?! I thought we were looking for someone else; I passed her back
there.” (His mind was on other things it seems.) The headstone was difficult to
miss; her son Theodore had honoured her with a grand marble monument that still
looks new. My father was surprised and impressed. Photos were taken and sent
onto his cousin. We meandered further, up a slope with
I will be spending
Merry
Hanley Hoffmann :
PHOTOGRAPHY IN YOUR FAMILY HISTORY
Some
would say I am very fixed in my ways and value my system of setting up that
hard copy family history. I have done three family histories using A4
x 4 ring binders, something like 120 copies over all and I have developed
a way or principle of using real photos instead of pictures/shots copied onto
white pages.
I have written a booklet on using my system with some good examples of what I do and I just think that colour photographs on white paper are mushy and fuzzy. In this technological age with pics from cellphones and expensive cameras producing good images, why should we down grade them with photocopying.
More importantly I have distributed my family histories to family I have known for our lifetimes and I would want them to have a book which has first class photos which will give them a buzz when they turn to a family in Section 4 of the family history. I have also passed these books on to new found families as well, and I would hope that they beam at those photos. I smiled the other day when I showed off my pic from 1960 in which all my siblings bar one figure, and as quick as a flash he said “no trouble finding you, and you had a nun in the family!” And I thought I had aged!
I talk about this photograph often because it was taken by me in 1960 with a good SLR camera (Voigtlander) and a fairly bulky flashlight mounted on a tripod and using delayed action so that I could duck in behind my parents and be in the picture. This was a slide as well because much of colour photography at that time was on slides, film by Kodak, although as time went on I used a European brand called Perutz.
I had only been doing photography for little more than a year when this incident was filmed, with three generations of family on show, and it also demonstrated that (our family farmhouse was divided into two) there was room to bed down 20 people. There were 19 in this pic and it brought back memories of the family gatherings we hosted on special occasions, and I sometimes blanch at the thought of how some visitors viewed the primitive bathroom facilities and the long drop down the orchard! There certainly wasn’t any hot running water.
One can also weave a whole story just around the 19 in the picture, because as recent as 2016 the 13th person from that picture died, and since my siblings are all younger than I am there is often a feeling of great grief because some were taken young.
Back to my practice of using real photos in your family history. I use the old measure for pics 5x7 because that size means your photo has been blown up a little, and that size fits the A4 page with a reasonable margin. It also enhances any black and white photos, in fact it will improve old b&w shots. I get the camera shop to sell me a quantity – it should mean that the more you order the cheaper each photo, and you can haggle with the camera shop over the price. You will be much surprised by the quality of the old b&w shot when it is digitally copied and reproduced on photographic paper.
Fixing of photos in your family history can be easily done using just one photo split and your camera shop should have these for sale. These double sided sticky patches are extremely effective at holding your photo in place, but I should warn you, only use one in the middle of the back of any photo you are attaching. To make your photo fit in place on your page you could buy some photo corners and fit those after you have positioned your photo with a photo split.
To learn more about my system of putting together my family history my book is available for a modest sum of $15 plus packing and postage.
“Filing Your Family History” is the title of my booklet and before you rush off to order one you might find your Family History Group has one in its library. However I am not here touting for sales, I want people to use a very flexible system for doing their family history, and this is one very good inexpensive way, and it is also very satisfying when you have done it. It is a self publishing system.
A
Now Waikanae FHG Newsletter Editor
Digging Into Historical Records
Commissioner of Crown Lands
This
volume reflects communications with the Colonial Secretary, Provincial
Government, Surveyors, other Land Commissioners and members of the public.
References to at least some of the letters sent to the Colonial Secretary in
1. Regulations and documents
In early January 1855 new instructions were issued by
General Government with regard to keeping records of payments for land and
these were passed on, by
2. Earthquake repairs
The severe earthquake, of 23 January 1855, caused havoc for
officials and the Wellington Independent of 10 February reported that the
Provincial Government Offices, with the Council Chamber, were destroyed. On 22
February
John McLaggan, a carpenter residing at Wellington Terrace,
submitted a tender of £56 on 19 February 1855 "for the repairs to be
executed in the Crown Lands & Survey Department."
On 21 June
3. Disruption of services
On 08 February 1855
4.
Also in February 1855,
5. Missing documents
In June 1855
The applications referred to are listed in a "Register
of Applications for land made to the Lands & Survey Office,
No.571 Thomas Shields 08 Jul 1854 300 acres
No.736 Thomas Shields 02 Apr 1855 200 acres and also No.758 Richard Thomas Shield 28 May 1855 300 acres
Perhaps the slightly later dates reflect receipt of the
applications at
Correspondence records that link with this particular outward letter book are:
Commissioner
of Crown Lands
- Archives NZ Reference ADXS 19480 LS-W2 (item listing in Archway)
Lands & Survey Napier - Registry Papers (assumed to be correspondence)
- Archives NZ Reference ADZG 18236 LS-NA1/1 (1855-1856)
Lands &
Survey New
- Archives NZ Reference ADZE 18256 LS-NP1/14/13 (1851-1860)
- Archives NZ Reference ADZE 18256 LS-NP1/15/16 (Mar 1852 to Jul 1864)
- Archives NZ Reference ACIA 16195 WP3 (1856)
Colonial Secretary - Inward letters
- Archives NZ Reference ACGO 8333 IA1 (item listing in Archway)
Colonial Treasurer - Inwards Correspondence
- Archives NZ Reference ADRK 17391 T1
[1] Archway: Colonial Secretary's Inwards
Correspondence (Letter IA1 1855/848) within a correspondence bundle with
reference ACGO 8333 IA1 152/ 1855/2082
[2] Archway: Commissioner of Crown Lands
[3] Archway: Commissioner of Crown Lands
[4] Archway: Colonial Secretary's Inwards
Correspondence (Letter IA1 1855/2392) within a correspondence bundle with
reference ACGO 8333 IA1 153/ 1855/2384
[5] Archway: Commissioner of Crown Lands
[6] Register of Applications for land made to the
Lands & Survey Office,
- Partial transcript at www.nzpictures.co.nz/pandoraresearchANZ-LSW-16-1-1to1270.pdf
[7] Lands & Survey Wellington: Applications for land Nos 1 to 18717 - Archives NZ Reference ADXS 19506 LS-W15 series
Notes:
[A] John McLaggan (1803-1886), builder of Old
The tender "for repairs at Land and Survey
Offices,
[B] John Hughes and Michael Fitzgerald See: The Pioneer Land Surveyors of New Zealand - Website: https://www.surveyors.org.nz (Two PDFs)
nz19thcentury@outlook.com
Chinese Corner
Chinese Store Keepers
There has been little research on the Chinese store keepers
in
On October 19, 1871, the total number
of Chinese in
BRUCE HERALD
3 JANUARY 1872 page 3
NEWTON KING Has received instructions from
Mr. Wong WAH, who is giving up his shop, to sell by auction on the premises,
adjoining Mr. B. Cunningham - HIS STOCK-IN-TRADE of Groceries and Fancy Goods,
consisting of — Tea in packets and half-chest, Coffee, Cocoa, Jam, Candles, Soap,
Tinned Fish, Pickles, Sauces, Starch, toys, Glass how cases, Lollies, Fancy
Goods, etc WITHOUT RESERVE.
TARANAKI HERALD 14 OCTOBER 1887 Page 3 Advertisements https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TH18871014.2.18.4?query=wong%20wah%20new%20plymouth
Clutha Leader 20 April 1876 Page
2
ALEXANDRA HERALD AND
CHINESE STOREKEEPERS DEFENDANTS FINED. Sgt. Bowden, Inspector of Factories, at the Feilding Magistrate's Court this morning, proceeded against three local Chinese storekeepers, Chew Lee, Sing Lum Kee, and Wong Kum and Co., for selling groceries after 9 p.m. on Saturday, 9th March. A second information charged the Chinese with a similar offence on 1th March; Mr Carty appeared for the defendants Sgt. Sowden, in opening the case, said those storekeepers sold fruit and groceries, and he quoted several cases in Wellington to show that by selling groceries after the statutory hour of closing they committed a breach of the Act. Sergt. Bowden deposed: I visited the defendants' shops on the dates I mentioned in the information, and found they had large stocks of groceries, and also fruit; it was, about 10 when I visited these shops, and I saw people there buying groceries; the shops were lit up, and the front door open. Mr Carty: Sing Lum Kee has a large shop window, mostly stocked with fruit; I have seen customers in these Chinese shops; they all carry large stocks of groceries. Constable Sweeney deposed: I went with Sergt. Bowden. He considered the value of groceries would exceed the value of fruit stocked. He saw two bottles of sauce sold. Mr Carty contended that the defendants were essentially fruiterers. Three-fourths of their customers call for fruit alone. The question was not one of degree, but one of principle. Sergt. Bowden further deposed that he had seen large basketfuls of groceries being put into a cart, and he had seen the cart subsequently stop at private houses. To Mr Carty: Would swear that it was groceries; Chew Loo deposed that he sometimes delivered groceries by basket, never by cart. Cross examined by Srgt. Bowden: Witness said sometimes he put a basket of groceries into a cart for delivery to his customers. The Magistrate, in delivering his decision, stated to defence was that the information was ineffective, and that the defendants were primarily fruiterers. He had during the interval, seen the shops in question, and was satisfied the Chinese were grocers, and came within the requisition. On the first information, each defendant was fined £1 and costs 7s. and on the second information they were convicted and discharged
Feilding Star 20 March 1907, Page 2
It was generally suspected that the Chinese storekeeper who died recently at Rahotu had a hoard of money on the premises, and accordingly close watch was kept on the premises after his death until such time as it was possible to have a search among his belongings (says a North Island paper). This search, it is reported, resulted, in the sum of £2SO being discovered m deceased's bedroom behind a box. The money, which comprised five-pound and pound notes sovereigns (35), silver and copper, was nil neatly and methodically arranged, each denomination being carefully placed in separate envelopes.
STAR 18 DECEMBER 1918 Page 5 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19181218.2.45?query=mangaweka%20chinese%20fruit
The shutters are closing on a spice-scented Chinese
shop that has been trading in
Hop Yick owners Michael and Marisa Yeung blame the
closure of the
The couple's 29-year-old son, a computer
technician, did not want to take over the shop. "He said: ‘I can speak [Mandarin], but I cannot read it. It is too
hard for me'. He is not interested in the business."
The late George Wong, who came to
The Yeungs believe Hop Yick, which sells imported Chinese items such as spices, canned food, paper lanterns, and cane ware, first opened on Madras St in 1918 - or was at least trading by then.
Michael Yeung said his grandfather was a workaholic who "loved his business" and worked 24-7 until the day he died.
Jim Ng, a community historian
and author of Chinese descent, said Hop Yick played an important role a century
ago. It served a community of Chinese
immigrants, who first came to
Ng, who grew up in Ashburton,
remembers visiting Hop Yick on
Customer Rangi Downes, 72,
said the shop used to sell ceramic pots so big, "you could hide your
mother in one of them". He first
went there as a newly-married man in the early 1960s to buy Chinese kimonos for
his wife. "In those days people had
never seen that sort of stuff. It was totally different to anything in
ANNA PEARSON 16/09/2013
www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9168247/95-year-old-Chinese-store-to-close
A Country Hall
From the Editor: I am always encouraging people to write an article for this newsletter. It doesn't have to be long - about 1,000 words and doesn't have to be strictly genealogical or grammatically correct. Many of us are trying to write our own family history. Others have written a small article or two about some memory or two. This newsletter is an avenue for getting them published. If you have one send it to me. I'll look at it and encourage you. Maybe I'll put it in a future newsletter. You do not have to put yourself under the stress of a monthly column - an occasional one is good for you and our readers.
Avis McDonald is a very dear long time friend of mine. We have spent many an hour touring the back blocks of Southland and Otago on our way to a speaking engagement. We ended up in many a pickle due to her or my stupidity. I managed to get her to produce the following article.
A Country Hall
Have
you ever thought or written about the fun and entertainment country folk
organised for their little isolated communities, such as Glenham, or Redan and
Mokoreta. They were twenty or thirty miles from the nearest town, and vehicles
which were often only good for the fortnightly or monthly shopping trip to town
of
There was no TV or local movie theatre to frequent, but there was a dance hall. There was also the annual sports day held in a farmer's paddock, Mokoreta Redan Hunt Club, but in the course of a year in any country district there needed to be more than just annual affairs. We had a district hall which was called Mokoreta Redan Hall, built of mainly pine timber weatherboards, lined inside, with corrugated iron roof, and a very steep incline from the road to the car park.
The hall had a performing stage at one end, some three feet above the dance floor. It probably measured about twenty feet wide and about 60 feet long. Down one side of the hall was a lean-to structure which held the ladies ante-room with toilets, men’s ante-room, which held the beer keg and a kitchen complete with wood copper for hot water for tea at supper.
Admission was (Ladies a Plate, males 2/6 = 25 cents)
The floor was sprinkled with ballroom powder to facilitate a smooth dancing surface. This appealed to small children who loved running down the length, dropping down on their bottoms or knees and sliding rapidly to the far wall. As the evening progressed and small children became tired, they were wrapped in a blanket and slept blissfully on the stage, with the musicians playing a few feet away.
Seating around the walls was occupied by married ladies and matrons on one side, single girls/ladies on the opposite, and males congregated in a bunch at the end near the one and only outside door. The matrons watched the younger generation with an eagle eye, and woe betides any girl's reputation if she went outside for any reason. Males were not even missed when they disappeared for a quick drink. This was illegal, and the constable occasionally made a surprise raid.
At the end of evening, the supper tables were placed in the middle of the dance floor The walls were lined, but a mite chilly on winter nights. It did have electricity, wired in conduit, and later there were heaters placed up high on the walls.
Numerous events were organised and held in this venue; newly married couples welcomed to the district, concerts, 25th wedding anniversaries, farewells, rifle shooting, table tennis nights, indoor bowls, weekly dressmaking classes, and church services on Sunday.
With better roads, fast cars and constant moving population, these halls have mostly fallen into disuse. The Mokoreta - Redan hall was rebuilt, and opened in 1960. It is presently used as Pre School Centre.
From our Libraries and Museums
Triggered by an email from Seonaid (Shona) Lewis, 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 is starting to make 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
HeritageTalks at Central Library, Auckland
Where: Whare Wānanga, Level 2, Central City
Library,
Cost: Free
Booking: Not always essential but to secure your place, please contact the Central Auckland Research Centre on 09 307 7771, or complete our online booking form.
www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/HeritageTalks
Genetic Genealogy and DNA - what to consider before diving in – with Michelle Patient, genetic genealogist, and Brad Argent, Ancestry
Wednesday 6 December, 6pm to 7.30pm
Whare Wānanga, Level 2, Central City Library
Please join us for light refreshments from 5pm.
Panelists:
Michelle Patient, genetic genealogist and Guild of One Name Studies
Brad Argent, AncestryDNA specialist, Ancestry
Join us to learn more about Genetic Genealogy and DNA in the Whare Wānanga, Level 2, Central City Library on Wednesday 6 December, 6pm-7.30pm.
Please join us for light refreshments from 5pm.
This will be a popular event so booking is essential.
https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/event.aspx?eventid=1217
Phone 09 890 2412 or email arc@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Facebook: Auckland
Research Centres
Twitter: @Kintalk
Nga mihi | Kind regards
SEONAID
Seonaid (Shona) Lewis RLIANZA | Family History Librarian
Heritage and Research
Ph 09 890 2411| Extn (46) 2411 | Fax 09 307 7741
Visit our website: www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz
@Kintalk on
Twitter /
Group News
Whangarei Family History Computer Group
Contacts:
Pat: (09) 437 0692 whangareifamilyhistorygroup@gmail.com
Venues
Thursday evening venue is
email Whangareifamilyhistorygroup@gmail.com, if you need directions.
Saturday meetings are held in the SeniorNet
rooms in
The rooms
are upstairs in the
The Secret Spitfires
The story of hundreds of women, girls and a handful of men who built Spitfires in secret during WW2
Spitfires
were the nemesis of the Luftwaffe and the instrument which halted Hitler’s
plans for invasion. After relentless bombing of the Spitfire factories in
Do you have ancestors who were involved in the manufacture of Spitfires but never revealed this incredible story until now. This could be a new chapter to your family history. I asked a former RAF friend of mine if he knew anything of this story, he knew nothing. Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Waikanae Family History Group
Contacts:
Email: wfhgroup@paradise.net.nz Phone (04) 904 3276, (
Venue: Meets every 4th Thursday
morning at the Waikanae Chartered Club,
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
WAITARA 4320
Tel: 06 – 754 – 3212
waitarahistory.genealogy@xtra.co.nz
News and Views
Who Actually Owns Your Content When You Post It to the Web?
Over the years, I have heard or read many comments from genealogists about who owns information posted to the World Wide Web. In fact, many people are reluctant to post their family trees online because “someone might steal the information.” A short article published in the Gizmodo.com Web site uses non-lawyer English to explain several of the issues concerning legal “ownership” of information posted online.
If you have concerns about ownership of online information, you might want to read Who Actually Owns Your Content When You Post It to the Web by David Nield at http://bit.ly/2ypjoQU.
I will offer one thought to keep in mind: names of people,
along with dates and places of birth, marriage, death, military service, and
similar facts of interest to genealogists are just that: facts. As stated in
the article by David Nield, “You
can’t copyright facts, or ideas, or systems…” While you
might be in possession of certain facts about your ancestors, that doesn’t mean
that you OWN the information. No one person “owns” facts within the
How to Save a Webpage as a PDF File, So You Later Can View It Offline
Ever find a web page that you want to save, perhaps as a PDF file? (I do that frequently.) An article by Tyler Lacoma in the Digital Trends web site tells exactly how to do that in a variety of different web browsers on Windows, Macintosh, Android, and Apple iOS (iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch). If you have an interest, you can find the instructions at: http://bit.ly/2zdTm2O.
To Write or Not to Write: Respecting Privacy in Family-History Storytelling
Allison DolanJuly 25, 2016
From
the editor: I found this article on the
Familytree magazine website (the
When you start writing your life’s stories,
you may wonder what to put in and what to leave out. Should you mention that
time you got arrested, or when your best friend betrayed you? What about your
difficult relationship with your dad? What if telling your stories will
reveal...
When you start writing your life’s stories, you may wonder what to put in and what to leave out. Should you mention that time you got arrested, or when your best friend betrayed you? What about your difficult relationship with your dad? What if telling your stories will reveal someone else’s secrets?
Writing your life story can raise questions about how to be fair and honest, and what stories of your life should keep private. Story of My Life workbook author and guest blogger Sunny Morton has three quick things to consider when you start writing your family history:
· Everyone has a right to privacy. Writing about your life doesn’t obligate you to share all your stories. Chances are there are some events, relationships, failures or disappointments in your past you’d rather not write about.
While you should consider
acknowledging all life-changing events (even if you choose not to dwell on
details), you don’t have to write about everything. For painful events that
prompted major changes in your relationships, career, living circumstances or
way of life, a passing mention—along with the results—may be sufficient: “After
my divorce, I moved to
· Honesty is key. You don’t need to tell everything—but everything you tell should be true. Of course, you won’t intend to write falsehoods, but it can be tempting to downplay your role in a big family argument or skip over the nice things your “worthless” baby brother actually has done for you. Nobody is all good or all bad, including yourself. Try to write about everyone fairly. In doing so, you may discover some new truths in the process of writing: how you felt about someone, what you learned from a situation, how you feel now.
Consider including at least some of these insights in your life-story writings. You may think it’s obvious what the past taught you or how you might feel, but that may not be the case. And your insights or life lessons may turn out to be the most valuable part of sharing your memories (for you and others).
· Think twice before revealing someone else’s secrets. Many who write their life stories have to decide whether to divulge confidential or sensitive information about someone else. Should you write about a relative’s addiction, debts, temper or marital problems? Consider the answers to three questions:
o First, is this your story to tell? If it didn’t significantly affect your life, it doesn’t really belong in your life story.
o Second, what are your motives? Revenge, or an unfortunate but real need to set the record straight?
o Finally, who may be hurt by your revelation? Even if the person with the secret is dead, that person may have living loved ones who may suffer.
After considering these questions, you may still see the need to reveal confidences, but you may approach it more sensitively.
Announcing a Change on FamilySearch: a New Free Sign-in Process Offers Greater Subscriber Experiences and Benefits
The following announcement was written by the folks at: FamilySearch
Salt Lake City, Utah (16 November 2017), Beginning December 13, 2017,
patrons visiting FamilySearch.org will
see a prompt to register for a free FamilySearch account or sign in to their existing
account to continue
enjoying all the free expanded
benefits FamilySearch has to offer. Since its
launch in 1999, FamilySearch has added millions of users,
billions of various historical records, and many fun, new
features like Family Tree, Memories, mobile apps, digital books, and dynamic
help. In order to accommodate continued growth of these and
future free services, FamilySearch must assure all
its partners that its content is offered in a safe and
secure online environment. Patrons creating a free account and signing
in fulfills that need.
Patron sign in will also enable FamilySearch to satisfy the ongoing need for user authentication. This authentication can deliver rich, personalized discovery, collaboration, and help experiences. Simply put, signed-in visitors can access more searchable content and enjoy more personalized services.
“A large percentage of our current site visitors are not benefiting from much of what FamilySearch has to offer because they don’t realize the need to simply sign in with their free account to do so,” said Steve Rockwood, FamilySearch CEO. “They are basically arriving in the parking lot but not coming inside for the main event,” he said about website visitors who do not sign in.
FamilySearch is committed to patron privacy and does not share personal account information with any third party without a patron’s consent.
See Registering to use FamilySearch.org for information about creating a free account.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. Do I have to pay for a FamilySearch account?
No. Your FamilySearch account is, and always will be, free.
2. How do I create a free FamilySearch account?
See Registering to use FamilySearch.org. The only information you will need is your first and last name, a username, a password, and an email or mobile phone number.
3. What if I have forgotten my username or password?
· See Recovering a forgotten username for signing in to FamilySearch.org.
· See Recovering a forgotten password for signing in to FamilySearch.org.
4. Will you sell my information?
FamilySearch does not share your personal account information with any third party without your consent.
5. How will my experience be enhanced?
FamilySearch offers many services and experiences that are free but that require you to sign in as a subscriber to fully use. In addition to historical records and Family Tree access, signed-in subscribers receive personalized experiences, notifications, and other features (see above).
6. Why do users need to log in to perform searches or to create a family tree?
FamilySearch wants to provide you more access to records and a rich, personalized experience with more successful discoveries. By signing in, you allow the FamilySearch system to customize and deliver its best services to you.
7. How will my contact information be used?
· Your information is used in the FamilySearch system to facilitate collaboration between users (you control how much information is shared).
· The Family Tree and Memories features display your username and any other contact information you approve when using select features.
· Your information allows you to send in-system messages to other users without revealing your personal identity or email address.
· FamilySearch will send you email and newsletters to keep you informed. You can specify how much email, if any, you receive.
· Your contact information is accessed when you contact the support group for help.
8. Is there anything I can do without signing in?
Absolutely. There are still a number of things you can do on FamilySearch without signing in. You can search the catalog, digitized books, genealogies, the Wiki, and the learning center. You can also view user-contributed photos and stories.
About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy
organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven
organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus
50 Free Genealogy Sites to Search Today
from familyhistorydaily.com
From the Editor: Knowing how frustrated and bored you will be over the festive season I have included this article. Maybe you could find something.
Looking for a list of free genealogy sites to search? Here are 50 no-cost family history resources where you will find birth, marriage and death records, obituaries, cemetery listings, newspaper articles, biographies, research tips and so much more.
We had a lot of fun compiling this list of excellent websites. Remember, most free genealogy sites have been made available by the hard work and dedication of many volunteers! Don’t forget to thank them and give back when you can. Enjoy the search!
1. FamilySearch: largest collection of free genealogical records in the world
2. WikiTree: enormous collaborative family tree
3. Fulton History: historical newspapers from the
4. Find a Grave: locate your ancestors in cemeteries across the globe
5. Google News Archive: millions of archived newspaper pages
6. US National Archives: official US National Archives site, many free genealogy databases and resources
7. Automated Genealogy: indexes of the Canadian census
8. FreeBMD:
civil registration index of births, marriages and deaths for
9. USGenWeb Project: massive free genealogy resource directory by US state and county
10. WorldGenWeb Project: genealogy resources by country and region, not to miss
11. Cyndi’s List: highly respected directory of free genealogy resources and databases online
12. Library and Archives Canada: official archives of
13. Ellis Island: immigration records, free indexes and original records, fee to download copies
14. FreeReg: baptism,
marriage, and burial records from parish registers of the
15. Crestleaf: various genealogy records
16. RootsWeb: world’s largest genealogy community, huge amount of free information
17. Castle Garden: immigration records, pre
18. Chronicling America: giant database of archived
19. Dead Fred: genealogy photo archive
20. African Heritage Project: records on former slaves, freedpersons and their descendants
21. Immigrant Ancestors Project: emigration registers for locating birthplaces of immigrants in their native countries
22. Daughters of the American Revolution: military service records and more
23. JewishGen: Jewish ancestry research
24. FreeCEN:
transcribed census records from the
25. Access Genealogy: vast family history directories and more, good Native American resources
26. British Library, India Office: records on British and
European people in
27. Guild of One-Name Studies: extensive surname research site
28. Geneabloggers: massive directory of genealogy related blogs with a huge amount of free information
29. NativeWeb Genealogy: list of Native American genealogy resources and searchable databases
30. Viximus: member submitted biographical information
31. WieWasWie:
for researching ancestors from the
32. UK National
Archives: official
National Archives of the
33. The National Archives of Ireland: official National Archives of Ireland
34. GENUKI: reference library of genealogical resources for the
35. German Genealogy Server: German ancestry research (many sections in German)
36. Preserve the Pensions: War of 1812 pension records access
37. Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System: Civil War records from the National Park Service
38. LitvakSIG: Lithuanian-Jewish genealogy databases and resources
39. Italian Genealogical Group: Italian American genealogy resources and databases
40. Internet Archive: a large amount of information useful to genealogists, but you’ll need to do some digging
41. Billion Graves: headstone records
42. Open Library: good place to find family history books, search for surnames or locations
43. GenDisasters: for researching disasters and other events your ancestors might have been involved in
44. RomanyGenes: Romanichal ancestry research
45. Patriot and Grave Index: revolutionary war graves registry and patriot index from the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
46. Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection: vast number of archived
47. Seventh-day Adventist Obituary Database: hundreds of thousands of obituary entries
48. Släktdata: genealogy records for
49. Hispanic Genealogy: wonderful list of resources for researching Hispanic ancestry
50: Free Genealogy Search Engine: search hundreds of free genealogy resources at one time on Family History Daily
There are many more free genealogy sites online. Since we can’t possibly list them all in one article, please share your favorite in the comments if you don’t see it here.
Intelligence Test:
From the Editor: Another small diversion - see if
you can answer these. To avoid frustration I have put the answers far to the
right.
|
What kind of tree can you carry in your hand? |
A Palm |
|
What invention lets you look right through a
wall? |
A Window |
|
Which word in the dictionary is spelled
incorrectly? |
incorrectly (sorry!) |
|
A girl who was just learning to drive went
down a one-way street in the wrong direction but didn’t break the law. How is
that possible? |
She was walking |
|
What is always coming but never arrives? |
Tomorrow – so better do it today! |
|
Tom’s height is six feet, he’s an assistant at
a butcher’s shop, and wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh? |
Meat |
From Memory Foundation
Book Reviews
From the Editor: For some strange reason I have been reading only travel books - must be going somewhere. We would welcome any contributions from readers for this section.
Dementia for Dummies
by Simon Atkins (a GP & freelance medical journalist)
UK Edition 2015
ISBN 978-1-118-92469-3 $AU29.75 Booktopia (& is available as an eBook)
Reviewed by Ken Morris
The title could be considered “a bit on the nose” but I find the “Dummies” books to be well written and in a format easy to follow & it was useful to be able to check on particular aspects applicable to different times in a person’s condition on the dementia journey.
It took me some time to read the book, not a subject for
easy reading especially when reading to understand dementia in relation to a
family member. One can skip to various parts of the book as needs apply and my
book is liberally highlighted/tagged and noted for re-reads as time goes
by. The book is written for
I read the book to help me understand what was happening to my wife of 53 years in whom I had noticed changes in when she was ~ 74, about 2 ½ years ago and to help me to plan ahead. My 1st realisation was that I want being told to do things, and that “old rules of 53 years” in many cases no longer applied. We have consulted dementia professionals with limited success.
The book sets out the various stages a person might go through on the dementia journey but it’s not possible to put stages in neat pigeonholes as a person may have attributes, some ahead and some behind “the line” at any point, but I was able to use the book and try to be prepared for the changes and to try to be as positive as possible. My wife has a general state of apathy, making it hard for me to generate her interest in anything. There is no anger or frustration as to what is happening and even where repeated instructions are given, or if I ask “Why” about something, “I have no idea” is the standard response. It didn’t used to be like this, especially if I asked more than once! Active volunteer work, Mah Jong sessions with friends, telephone calls and emails have all ceased, and as to reference to “the line” above, this is well ahead of the line
As in other books & publications, there are extensive references to ensuring the carer’s good health & wellbeing, and to seek help & to get some respite. Easier said than done, but practical options are given and with the Dummy books the important things are summarised in “The Parts of 10’s” for easy reference.
Details of the ACE III Exam (Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Exam III) are included; it was interesting in my wife’s medical consultation that only some simple parts of the test were done, and no definitive scoring exercise done. For driving, a “bad back” and heavy painkillers meant my wife was able to accept that driving was no longer an option, albeit we did have an off road assessment done and my wife’s car was sold at a time of her choosing.
I apologise if the book review has become a bit personal, but I think this shows how the book can be used as a practical quick reference guide as further changes in persons’ demeaner occur and then be able to change course if needs be.
As in most countries there are organisations to help both the sufferer and the carer, and as the author and aging professionals we deal with say, “use them”.
Advertisements
From the Editor: 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.
Old Family Reunion,
20th and 21st January 2018 in New Plymouth
This reunion will mark the 175th anniversary of
the arrival of Richard and Jane Old and their 9 children and 1 grandchild, on
board the “
To express your interest please email
Old Family Reunion January 2018 https://www.facebook.com/Old-Family-Reunion-January-2018-1053211561445942/
Help wanted
Photo Identification
The Chinese Genealogy Group has asked if anybody can help
with identifying these photos. They’re mostly
http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/Topic/8979
Influenza
Victims, Troopship HMNZT 107 “Tahiti ”
Julie Buist writes
I would like to reach out to the FamNet community for information for some research I am doing.
Last year I completed a dissertation for some postgrad study
I was doing through
I would like to take that research further and really bring
these victims back to life - tell their story. I'm not sure yet whether I
will publish a book or booklet but I want to include biographies of the victims
and details of the voyage. So I'm seeking information from
relatives/descendants of the victims but also those that survived as they are
the one's that tended to have diaries and letters. I have accessed some
through the
I (Robert) have set up a table of Julie’s list of victims in the table “Names in Lists” in the General Database Section. (Ignore the four records with group “Test” – they’re just my test data). If you can help Julie with any information about these people, please email her.
Letters to the Editor
Hi Peter,
I have paid membership in Ancestry.com and free in My Heritage. My gripe is, a lot of people do not reply to requests for information.
A simple reply, e.g. "I'm sorry, I do not see any connection between your ancestors and mine" would be polite. A lot of people want to troll family trees and don't have the courtesy to engage the family tree managers.
I sent brief details of my Magill ancestry in
I have helped a friends wife trace her Dornan ancestors from a 'Bride Ship' in 1919 to Northland (near Dargiville) in the 1950s. It is satisfying to help others.
Regards,
Bill Baxter
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In conclusion
A Bit of Light Relief
One day, while strolling down the boardwalk, John bumped into an old friend of his, Rob, from high school. “You look great John, how do you stay looking so young? Why you must be 60 already but you don’t look a day over 40!” Rob exclaimed.
“I feel like I’m 40 too!” replied John.
“That’s incredible” exclaimed Rob, “Does it run in the family? How old was your dad when he passed?”
“Did I say he was dead?” asked John. “He’s 81 and is more active than ever. He just joined the neighborhood basketball team!” responded John.
“Whoa! Well how old was your Grandfather when he died?”
“Did I say he died” asked John. Rob was amazed. “He just had his 105th birthday and plays golf and goes swimming each day! He’s actually getting married this week!”
“Getting married?!” Rob asked. If he’s 105, why on earth does he want to get married?!
John looked at Rob and replied, “Did I say he wanted to?”
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