I am becoming very proud of this newsletter. It is being regarded as a valid genealogy publication. As Editor I am receiving about five articles a month from readers who have accepted my invitation to write an article. All are different. Very few are the dreaded “old grannie” articles much derided by genealogists who have their noses raised in an arrogant manner. These critics are notable for their non-submitted attempts – maybe they are afraid of the types of criticism they themselves are very ready to voice. And there is a place for “old grannies” articles – we all have to start somewhere.

I thank each and every submitter. It is extremely hard to submit an article every month as our regular contributors do. Each and every one of us (the regulars) suffer greatly when the time comes to create. I am able to give some a rest from that stress now and again.

Thanks very much for the dozen or so writers who have submitted an article the last three months. Maybe you want to experience that pain of writing. Please read the invitation to contribute later in the newsletter. The necessary standards are few and not onerous.

I hope this month’s issue occupies some of your time and you find something valuable.

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 on - don't misspell it as I have, twice already. https://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

Shared Databases

I was going to pass this month, but I get to write my column when we’re in the late stages of preparing this newsletter and I often get ideas from others’ articles. That’s the case this month.

Most genealogy articles assume that we are creating a database about our ancestors, whether a searchable database on our own computer, or a published database on FamNet, Ancestry, or other family history web sites. A database offers a way of organizing and searching information. Unlike a box of documents or a book, items (facts, photos, documents, …) can be recorded once and linked to all the people and subjects they relate to.

It is up to us to get verify our information – its accuracy is OUR responsibility. There is always more information to be discovered, and the veracity of each new bit of information has to be assessed. We can’t assume that our sources are correct: all we can do is to record where the information came from. Information that can’t be proven is still useful: it is quite valid to record “family legend” provided that you identify it as such.

A powerful tool for improving accuracy is to publish our database and invite comment, but then we have to consider issues of ethics and privacy, and so with most family history sites we leave out the living people. This makes it impossible to discover relationships with other living people, a major objective of publishing our family history, so we resort to sharing GEDCOM files by email, risking the publication and propagation of confidential and perhaps incorrect information. A problem solved within FamNet by automatic privacy management and Family Groups, where you can share selected information with particular people.

A public web site where each of us takes responsibility for one part of the story in a shared database, offers a way of improving accuracy while saving effort. We’d all like to have an extensive and accurate family tree extending many generations, but we can’t afford the time and effort of exploring ALL the side branches to develop a “complete” tree. Shared Databases have been a feature of FamNet since it’s inception.

Finally, I remind you that FamNet is a great way of organizing your family history. If Peter had used it to organize his genealogy, he wouldn’t have had to worry about where the photos were stored – they’d have been linked to all of the people in them. FamNet wasn’t around when he started his research of course, but what’s your excuse?

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
22. Publishing Living Family on Family Web Sites

23. Have YOU written your family story yet?

24. Editing and Re-arranging your Family Tree On-line.

25. It’s the Stories that Matter

26. Using QR Codes for your Family History

27. What happens to our Family History when we’re gone?

28. Our Shared Database Grows

Robert Barnes

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The Nash Rambler

Ethics etc in Genealogy - again

Last time I wrote about my feelings after breaking my last brick wall that I had been struggling with for about twenty five years. I thought that I should refocus on something else, genealogy-wise, and, while doing that, think about new priorities or targets and thus get into the research routine again.

My sister-in-law produced a book of photographs from her recent overseas trip to the South Island using Snapfish. I don’t know anything about Snapfish, yet, but I instantly saw that I could put some of my writings into a book format using this program and could print a small number of books. Aha I could become a published author.

I picked up the book that I wrote for the NASH reunion that was held in the mid-1990s. This was done when I was a very new researcher and when I used my new computer as a word processor only. The internet was not the treasure trove then as it is now. My photos were not scanned and saved. Newspapers were almost impossible to research and there were few indexes to simplify that process. And I had not discovered court records which subsequently proved to be full of NASH miscreants. I borrowed photographs and copied them and have since forgotten where I got them from – who muttered about recording sources, I didn’t do that too. I had very few of the chapters saved on the computer and none of the photos and certificates.

The book is a lovely document. Every person mentioned is dealt with positively. The black sheep were painted white. Nothing bad was there. The interfering old aunt, for instance, was a shining beacon of helpfulness despite being hated by the whole family. The entire family was happy and I sold many copies, at cost price. This is one way to have a happy reunion – ignore the bad bits of history.

As a side effect of looking for the chapters within my massive “My Genealogy” file on the computer I found files in wrong folders, similar files with totally illogical names, duplicates with different names, files I had forgotten I even had, files with no sources etc etc. It was time to sort that out. It is a long process and is a continuing process. It must be done before I “fall off the perch”, “pop my clods”, and other cute sayings that mean that some poor sod in my family has to decide what to do with my “genealogy rubbish”. Please don’t look at your equivalent file – it will shock you and I’ll get the blame for the time you spent sorting it out.

It was time to rewrite the book. And here I meet the “Ethics in Genealogy” question again. Genealogy was a wonderful time-wasting exercise until somebody invented ethics, privacy, copyright and other big words that have become a pain in the rear for me. I need to decide on why I’m rewriting it, my target audience, the degree of circulation, the publishing format, and public availability, and other such things. I must consider the need for footnotes, quoting sources, citing copyright owners and getting the necessary permissions, the scholarly degree etc. Obviously I’d love to produce a published monster of a book which becomes a respected scholarly masterpiece and totally correct in every way so that it can be kept in all the important libraries of the world. But, let’s be realistic, I’m writing it. I’m not the most intelligent person you will meet. I’m a little intellectually handicapped to achieve that. I’m working my way through these “problem areas”.

I’m also searching through my genealogy “paper filing system” i.e. those cardboard boxes in the shed for photos, certificates and other items’ to include in my book. I’m finding things that should be filed elsewhere like museums, archives etc where they would be stored properly. So I have decided to donate some of them. BUT, I read the article by the Legal Genealogist included elsewhere in this newsletter and I met the “Ethics in Genealogy” question again. For example, I have my grandfather’s Hokianga Boxing Champion medal from the early 1900s which should be in the Hokianga museum. But do I have the right to donate it or should I consult every descendant of his (and he has hundreds) before I do so. I have some old photograph albums of early Hokianga pictures that may be better off there too. But do I have that right? Hmmmm!!!!

Genealogy was a wonderful time-wasting exercise until somebody invented ethics, privacy, copyright and other such big words.

Peter Nash

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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. Click Index so far to see these articles

Who is your problem?

Seeking your genealogy information can be both an exciting venture and the most frustrating jig saw you have ever attempted.

You have libraries; you have statistics such as births, deaths and marriages; you have electoral rolls; you have cemeteries; you have school records; you have Famnet; you have old newspaper access – the list is endless. Many are free.

Once you have tapped into your own family’s memories, your biggest problem is usually working out who to start with and exactly where to go to begin.

So much information is available on the internet – both good and bad. Some of it is free and some of it will cost. To get access, you need a computer unless your local library has them available for your use. Frequently that library will also have subs to certain on-line resources.

If you have your own computer, you will ideally also need a genealogy program which will become the repository of your master tree. Having such a program is not essential as there are entities such as Famnet, Familysearch.org, Ancestry (whether the UK or the AU or the US version) and MyHeritage (amongst others) who are keen to host your tree. Watch out that you read the fine print first before placing your information on some sites because you do not want to enter in a number of names and details only to find you then have to pay a sub to add more.

If you have your own genealogy program then you will not be at their mercy. But, of course, you have to choose which one will suit you – there are many available. Some are free and those which are not will usually enable you to download a ‘free’ version to let you experience how they work and whether you like what they give you before you buy.

Let us assume that you have your own computer and that you have the internet. Let us also assume you have all the basics of both of your parent’s families and that you have gathered the paper documents supporting that information. But with one of two of them, you have a problem, because try as you might, you cannot get proof of their birth. Or you cannot find proof of the story surrounding that person.

You search using different spellings; you search on the internet using a variety of search browsers; you search Familysearch.org; you search PapersPast; (all New Zealand sites) and still nothing. You try the Australian sites and newspapers. You try UK sites and even take a month sub to Ancestry. Still nothing.

You try asking on various Facebook social pages and receive many helpful suggestions, one of which will be to suggest you get your DNA tested.

Uh oh. That sounds a bit scary. And how do you choose which firm to use?

If you ask, people will likely suggest using Ancestry because they are working on the assumption that this one has the largest data base and therefore this is where you will most likely find a possible answer to your problem. Yes, this possible, but it depends on where the people in the data base come from and who it is in your family that you are having a problem with.

If it is a man, then you need a male descendant of that man to take two tests – one being his Y chromosome for his father line and one being all his other chromosomes (an autosomal test) to catch all his close relatives. Ancestry only considers the autosomal test.

Therefore, if a man is your particular problem, then I would start with FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA) because this firm has the most New Zealanders in its data base. Furthermore, you can choose to test the man’s Y chromosome as well as the autosomal test. But obviously, you have to find a male who is a direct descendant of your problem man who is willing to test.

If a female is your particular problem, you need to find a direct female descendant of that woman who is willing to take a mitochondrial full sequence test along with an autosomal test.

By ‘direct male descendant’, I am referring to a strictly male line of descendancy. By ‘direct female descendant’, I am referring to a strictly female line of descendancy.

Once the autosomal results are available, these can be uploaded elsewhere to spread your chances of success.

One thing you must be aware of and that is that you may get a surprise as to who is matching whom. Meaning if you test and also choose to test your parents or their siblings, you may find you are not who you think you are. Genetically, this is valuable information, but emotionally, it may be catastrophic.

One way or another, by using DNA testing, you will get an answer to your genealogy problem even if you do not like the outcome. Do not take any DNA test with any firm if you hate surprises.

Gail Riddell

Wairarapa Wandering

Adele is taking a break this month.

Adele Pentony-Graham

12 Neich’s Lane

Clareville 5713

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Digging Into Historical Records

New Zealand Company Inwards Letter No.1

Dated 14 March 1839 this letter was written by William Ewington of 139½ Cheapside to the Right Hon. Lord Petre and the General Committee of the New Zealand Colonization Company.

“My Lord and Gents,

Having confidentially been allowed to peruse the particulars relative to New Zealand's Colonization Company I beg to offer my services to any legal appointment in the Colony. I have been an Attorney 20 years and am Master of my Profession whether landed Interest, Criminal law or otherwise. The appointment of Magistrate, Public Prosecutor or Commissioner indeed any appointment that Professional Talent and Education may command, should this be considered worthy of notice, all ability on my part would be exerted to promote the views and intentions of your association and for the General establishment of the Colony. The highest references for ability, professional knowledge and integrity will be given. I am a married man and have a family. I beg to apologise for thus addressing you, have the honor to be My Lords & Gentlemen, your obedient & humble servant, William Ewington.” [1]

William was about 54 years of age and with his wife Sophia nee Jones had six children – William Frederic (1822-1900), Charles Henry Thomas (1825-1867), Sophia Henrietta (1828-1846), Amelia Lilystone WILSON (1831-), Henry Augustus (1833-), Evelyn Franklin (1836-1848) and Ellen Alexandrina Victoria PRESTON (1838-1890). The family was based at Leamington Priors, Warwickshire.

On 17 April 1838 William was declared bankrupt and described as a scrivener, builder, dealer, and chapman. [2] Proceedings at Leamington were adjourned in November and the next meeting was advertised for 15 May 1839. [3]

Perhaps William was visiting London and stayed at the boarding house of Joseph Eveaux at 139½ Cheapside. [4] Adjacent were the premises of Nathaniel Hardcastle Cotes (1800-1870), a bookseller and librarian at 139 Cheapside. The latter took over Mr Basil P. Steuart’s bookshop in 1835 [5] and was one of the distributers of “The Hand-book for Australian Emigrants” by Samuel Butler when it was published in February 1839. [6]

In the 1841 Census the Ewington family were living at Perry’s Court, Ipswich. On 04 August 1841 William was convicted of perjury, held in custody at Warwick, and granted a Free Pardon on 18 November. [7]

In August 1843 a new declaration of insolvency was filed under the New Act [8] and in October William described himself, in a published notice, that he was “at present, and for twelve months past, residing at Ipswich, in the parish of Saint Margaret.” [9] In another notice published in the Leamington Spa Courier on 17 February 1844 William was described as “formerly of Leamington Priors, in the County of Warwick, afterwards of Lewes, in the County of Sussex, next of 131½ Cheapside, in the City of London, and late and at present, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Attorney-at-Law, a Prisoner in the Gaol of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.”

About this time the birth of William’s first grand-child, Maria Sophia Louisa Theresa Ewington, was registered at Lambeth, London in the March Quarter 1844. She was the daughter of his eldest son William Frederic Ewington and Maria Sarah nee Danes. William Snr may not have seen her as she died not long after birth. [10]

William Frederic and Maria Sarah decided to emigrate to New Zealand. They departed from London on 30 January 1851 on the ship Stately and arrived at Auckland on 02 June. [11] From there they proceeded to Wellington on the same ship arriving on 14 July. [12]

Dr and Mrs Ewington left Wellington on the schooner Black Dog on 18 August 1851. After being detained for four days off Cape Palliser by contrary winds and suffering a gale they arrived back in Auckland on 29 August. [13]

They left again on the same vessel on 01 September 1851 for Port Stephens, New South Wales. [14] Another passenger, Charles Enderby, Governor of the Auckland Islands, intended to purchase sheep there. [15] However, after leaving the Bay of Islands on 10 September the vessel suffered a strong gale on 24 September “from the westward which veered to south-west, at two a.m. shipped a heavy sea which hove the vessel almost on her beam-ends.” Having sustained significant damage, the ship arrived at Port Jackson on 30 September. [16]

On 11 October 1851, the Black Dog with Charles Enderby, Dr and Mrs Ewington, seven natives of New Zealand and other passengers left for the Auckland Islands. [17] There were also 233 sheep on board. On 10 November, the Ewingtons dined with Charles Enderby at Government House. William John Munce (1814-1892) recorded in his diary that one individual, Mrs Ewington, had too much champagne. Other instances of intoxication were also recorded for both Dr and Mrs Ewington.

On 17 March 1852 Dr Ewington indicated that rather than pay his wife’s passage money, he would leave her behind! In response he was told that he was not at liberty to go without her and his pay was docked accordingly. They left for Sydney on the Samuel Enderby on 31 March 1852 and arrived at Sydney on 24 April. [18] They then departed from Sydney for Liverpool on the ship Falcon on 09 November 1852. [19]

William Frederic Ewington, of Hertford, was admitted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons on 16 December 1853 [20] and his younger brother, Charles Henry Thomas, was admitted in 1854. [21] The latter attended Charing-Cross Hospital Medical School, West Strand, London. [22]

After the death of his wife in London in 1859 Dr William Frederic Ewington remarried to Emily Catherine nee Buck in 1863. The couple left for Australia on the ship Montmorency and arrived at Brisbane on 17 July 1863. [23] They started a new family and settled in New South Wales. In 1881 William Frederic was declared bankrupt and later he stated that this was caused by “bad debts, large family, and loss of sight.” [24]

William Ewington Snr died at Hammersmith on 02 May 1868 aged 87 years and his wife, Sophia, died at 62 East-India-road, Poplar, Middlesex on 03 May 1880 aged 82 years. Administration of Sophia’s personal estate, valued at less than £20, was granted to her youngest daughter, Ellen Alexandrina Victoria Preston, of Dunoon, North Britain. [25]

[1] New Zealand Company Original Correspondence 1839 - Colonial Office 208/1 Inventory of Letters 1-500 National Library of Australia – Records of the Colonial Office (as filmed by AJCP) https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2170173597/view

[2] London Gazette 17 April 1838

[3] Perry’s Bankrupt Gazette 20 Apr 1839

[4] Kelly’s Post Office Directory 1846 Joseph Eveaux, boarding house 139½ Cheapside

[5] Morning Advertiser 09 Jul 1835 Letter to the Editor and Robson’s London Directory 1831

[6] John o’Groat Journal 01 Feb 1839

[7] National Archives Series HO13 Correspondence and Warrants Piece 79 Page 260. See also Leamington Spa Courier 14 Aug 1841 Trial of Mr William Ewington for perjury

[8] London Evening Standard 19 Aug 1843 Declarations of Insolvency under the New Act

[9] The Suffolk Chronicle; or Weekly General Advertiser & County Express 21 Oct 1843

[10] GRO Birth and Death Registrations Mar Qt 1843 Lambeth for Maria Sophia Louisa Theresa Ewington.

[11] Daily Southern Cross 03 Jun 1851 Shipping List - Entered Inwards

[12] Wellington Independent 16 Jul 1851 Shipping Intelligence - Arrived

[13] New Zealander 30 Aug 1851 Shipping Intelligence – Arrivals

[14] Daily Southern Cross 02 Sep 1851 Shipping List

[15] Empire (Sydney) 02 Oct 1851 Ship’s Mails

[16] The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List 04 Oct 1851

[17] The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List 11 Oct 1851

[18] The Enderby Settlement – Britain’s Whaling Venture on the Subantarctic Auckland Islands 1849-1852 by Conon Fraser (2014)

[19] Sydney Morning Herald 10 Nov 1852 Clearances – Ship Falcon – Dr William Ewington

[20] John Bull 24 Dec 1853

[21] Medical Register 1863 (Google Books)

[22] Lancet 1852 (Google Books)

[23] Source Ancestry: Queensland State Archives, Series ID 13086, Registers of Immigrant Ships' Arrivals, Rolls M471, M473, M1075, M1696–1710

[24] Evening News (Sydney) 10 Dec 1890 Causes of Bankruptcy

[25] National Probate Calendar: 1868 for William Ewington and 1880 for Sophia Ewington

Note: Partial transcripts of the New Zealand Company inwards letters 1839

Nos 1-500 http://www.nzpictures.co.nz/pandoraresearchAJCP-CO208-1.pdf

Nos 501-576 http://www.nzpictures.co.nz/pandoraresearchAJCP-CO208-2.pdf

Pandora Research

www.nzpictures.co.nz

Dawn Chambers

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Chinese Corner

Recent Releases

Two books that tell the lives of the New Zealand Chinese communities – in different eras, and different Islands.

The first released was the life of Stan Chun Wellington in the 1940s. Although I did not grow up in Wellington, and did not know the people – the stories still made me nostalgic for the past.

The second book is the Life and Times of Choie Sew Hoy from 1869 – published by family members. The Sew Hoy family is world famous – in Dunedin.

Both books add to the repertoire of New Zealand Chinese stories. Email your order and enjoy.

Newtown Boy: A young Chinese life in 1940s-50s Wellington

With humour and a sharp eye for a good story, Stan Chun writes about his life in a family of 18 children.

From days in the family fruit shop in Newtown, to skipping Chinese school and confronting local bullies, Stan’s entertaining stories bring the old Chinese New Zealand world back to life, with humour and gusto.

Here’s what the readers are saying: I got to proofread “Newtown Boy” through my work at Adprint. This evocative collection of photographs and short stories are a pleasure to read, and reread. Memories of life in earlier times are written with warmth, humour and practical insight, bringing back so many memories. I feel I have come to know how daily life was lived at that time, and the man behind the stories.
– Diana Shum

This a great read, beautifully written, very entertaining, and in places very moving book. Despite the hard work and hard times, you can feel the energy, the lust for life and the great optimistic hope for the future that many young working-class kids had in those days.
– Nigel Murphy

$29.95 plus $5.50 NZ postage 147 pages, 140mm x 211mm, B&W photos 978-0-473-51151-7

https://newtownboy.com/ To order chunfamilypublishing@gmail.com

Merchant, Miner, Mandarin: The life and times of the remarkable Choie Sew Hoy

Merchant, Miner, Mandarin_cover_thumbnail In 1869, a businessman from China’s Guangdong Province first set foot on New Zealand soil at Port Chalmers. It was the beginning of an illustrious career that would change the shape of commerce and industry in Otago and Southland. Merchant, Miner, Mandarin depicts the fascinating life of Choie Sew Hoy – from his early days in China before emigrating to Australia and then New Zealand, to his death in 1901 as one of Dunedin’s most prominent entrepreneurs.

The store Choie Sew Hoy established in Dunedin’s Stafford Street was a huge success, while his revolutionary gold-dredging technology improved the fortunes of the gold-mining industry in Otago and Southland. He backed dredging, quartz crushing and hydraulic sluicing ventures in the goldfields of Ophir, Macetown, Skippers, Nokomai and the Shotover. Sharp as a razor, Sew Hoy was a visionary, able to spot opportunities no one else could, whether sending vast amounts of unwanted scrap metal from New Zealand back to China, or joining famous Taranaki businessman Chew Chong’s fungus export trade.

Sew Hoy was also a local character, always elegantly dressed and with legendary success in horse racing. His self-assurance and charm gained him entry to the Chamber of Commerce, the Jockey Club, the Masons and even the Caledonian Society. A benefactor to many social causes, he supported hospitals and benevolent associations to help his fellow Chinese immigrants. When the success of the Chinese in New Zealand aroused hostility, he fought the prevalent racism and unfair government legislation of the day. A man of two worlds, Choie Sew Hoy was a success in both.

Richly illustrated and deeply researched, Merchant, Miner, Mandarin is both the compelling biography of one of the most distinguished figures of New Zealand business and an intriguing account of late 19th-century society, industry and race relations.

Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew, born in Dunedin, was raised speaking Cantonese; she didn’t learn English until she started school. Graduating from the University of Otago with a languages degree, she became a high school teacher. A great-great-granddaughter of Choie Sew Hoy, and fifth generation New Zealander, Jenny has traced the history of her Cantonese ancestors from Guangdong, China, to Melbourne, Australia, to Central Otago, New Zealand.

Trevor Agnew has a lifelong passion for New Zealand history. As an award-winning writer and teacher, he has had a wide range of articles and reviews published in New Zealand and Australia. He has combined his interests and skills to help honour a remarkable man in this new history.

Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew and Trevor Agnew

June 2020 $49.99 288pp, softback with flaps 265 x 210mm, B&W illustrations
ISBN: 978-1-98-850309-7 To order: www.Nationwidebooks.co.nz ^[i]

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018752012/merchant-miner-mandarin-extraordinary-story-of-choie-sew-hoy

https://www.nationwidebooks.co.nz/product/merchant-miner-mandarin-the-life-and-times-of-the-remarkable-choie-sew-hoy-9781988503097

Helen Wong

Anne Sherman

The Victorian Deaf in England. Part 1: Family Life

When an ancestor who was born in the early 19^th century was recorded as being deaf-and-dumb * from birth, researchers may not understand how that affected their lives. Some researchers may assume that they would be placed into an asylum, or would live solitary lives, with little contact with the world around them. This is not necessarily the case.

Background.

In the 19th century it was difficult to determine if a child was born deaf. Some children were not diagnosed until the age of 2 years when they failed to learn how to speak. In the 1851 census report only those who lacked hearing and speech under the age of 2 years were classed as being truly deaf-and-dumb.

The 1861 census attempted to identify congenital deafness by including the description ‘from birth’ in the infirmities column. This census identified approximately 12 thousand people in England and Wales listed as being deaf-and-dumb from birth, almost 2.5 thousand were born between 1837 and 1846.

Many children may not have been born deaf, but could have become deaf due to childhood infections. Meningitis and Scarlet Fever were believed to account for more than 50% of incidences of deafness in infancy in 1880. Despite this the Alexander Graham Bell, believed that deafness was hereditary, and wanted to prevent deaf people from marrying each other. Research in 1889, however, found that only 2% of deaf and dumb children had two congenitally deaf parents.

Social clubs.

From the early 1830’s many deaf institutes, churches and social clubs, were established which provided a social and educational network for the deaf and dumb.

They were initially started for bible study and prayer meetings, but gradually expanded to cater for other social events. By the 1870’s lectures were often translated, parties and outings were popular. Sign language translations of religious services, baptisms, marriages and burials, and on the occasions of sickness, adversity and bereavement, were also available to the deaf community.

Some of the popular activities included art and crafts, amateur dramatic groups which would put on regular performances, Temperance societies, and deaf sports such as football and cricket. In 1891 it was reported that 3,000 deaf people attended the first international deaf football match in Glasgow, Scotland.

These groups were often the lifeline of many deaf-and-dumb people, especially those living in isolated rural communities. It was not unknown for people in rural communities to walk many miles to the nearest town and social club.

Marriage.

Finding a suitable spouse may also have presented challenges for the deaf-and-dumb. One man from Newport, East Yorkshire, who described himself as “unfortunately deaf and dumb”, advertised in his local newspaper for a wife, with the added stipulation that she should be “a member of the Methodist connexion.”

The marriage of deaf-and-dumb couples was unusual enough to appear in the newspapers. One article regarding the marriage of a deaf and dumb couple in Ireland was reported in an East Yorkshire newspaper, appears to express surprise that the couple were “intelligent, industrious and prosperous artisans.” This attitude towards the deaf and dumb can be seen in other articles and publications.

Although there are no statistics for the marriage of the deaf-and-dumb in the mid-19th century, my study found that less than one third of these researched in East Yorkshire did marry. Of those, most married someone who was also deaf-and-dumb. The marriage ceremony was similar to the usual service with the exception that the words of the officiating minister and the responses of the couple were interpreted using sign language often by another minister who had the required skills.

Family Life

Little is known about the family life of the deaf but case studies show that very few, if any, lived in the Workhouse or an Institution simply because they were deaf. Most of those living in Deaf Institutions either worked there as teachers or domestic staff, or were residential pupils gaining an education. However the newspapers did not always understand this, as shown in the reports of the murdered Maria Hailstone who, with her deaf-and-dumb husband, lived at the Hull Institute for the Deaf as a housekeeper/matron to the Master and the residential pupils. In reporting the case several out of town newspapers stated that Maria and her husband were inmates of the Institution, rather than employed residents.

Those who married and had children lived in the same type of accommodation as their hearing neighbours, whilst those who remained unmarried or were widowed either lived alone or with family members.

In my dissertation study only 4 out of the 28 individuals researched lived most of their lives with their parents, however in each case, after the death of those parents the ‘child’ either lived alone or was the Head of the family containing siblings (both hearing and deaf), suggesting that living with a parent was a choice rather than a necessity due to their dependency. Those who were regarded as being deaf-and-dumb from birth rarely appear as being totally dependent on others. In the case of 44 year old Thomas Goodison, who lived in Hull, East Yorkshire, with his non-deaf parents, the 1891 and 1901 census returns show that his father had no occupation and was dependant on Thomas, despite having seven other non-deaf children.

It is clear that although life was undoubtedly hard for the early Victorian deaf, they lived a useful and independent life within their communities, just as their non-deaf counterparts did.

Next Month: The Victorian Deaf in England: Part 2: Education and Employment

* Disclaimer: The term ‘deaf-and-dumb’, although not acceptable in today’s society, was the accepted description in the Victoria era, along with the term ‘deaf-mute’. Its use in this writing reflects that and does not imply any irreverence or insult to today’s deaf society.

Anne Sherman

Jan’s Jottings

Jan is a little indisposed at the moment. We wish her well and hope she recovers quickly.

Jan Gow

Famous New Zealanders You have probably never heard of

Edward Brian O’Rorke (1901-1974)

During the 1930s a New Zealander changed ocean going liners to what is standard on today’s cruise ships.

Edward Brian O’RORKE was born in New Zealand in 1901[1], the third son of Edward Dennis and Amy Clifford O’Rorke née RHODES, daughter of Robert Heaton Rhodes, Canterbury politician and landowner, and his wife Sophia Circuit née LATTER. Brian was a grandson of Sir George Maurice O’Rorke,[2] Auckland politician and first captain of the Auckland Polo Club and Cecilia Mary née SHEPHERD.

After training in engineering and architecture and with an M.A from Cambridge University, Brian’s design of the Mayor Art Gallery in Mayfair, London in 1933 caught the eye of a director of the Orient Steam Navigation Company. Brian was commissioned for the interiors of the RMS[3] Orion and later her sister ship SS Orcades.

The Orion was noted as "A landmark in the evolution of the modern liner" by the Architectural Review. The ship had two classes, First and Tourist. First class cabins had beds rather than bunks and hot and cold running water. Some even had their own private bathrooms. There were also cabins with inter-connecting doors. The First-Class dining room was fitted with temperature and humidity control (air conditioning), later added to the whole ship. Lifts for both classes and sprinkler system in case of fire were also installed. Lifeboats were positioned so as not to impede the view. Children were catered with special playrooms and decks. Separated open air tiled swimming pools for each class were installed. Large promenade decks designed to attract cooling breezes. When not operating as passenger liners both ships were used for the modern idea of cruises to Scandinavia, the Mediterranean etc.

In 1936 Brian designed the interiors of flying boats for the Australian and for other Empire services. They included adjustable armchairs which converted into wide sleeping bunks and individual controls for lighting and ventilation. In 1938 he was asked to design the interior for the royal train with special suites for the King, the Queen and for Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. The train had an internal telephone system, which when the train was stationary could be used to call any part of the world. It also included air conditioning.

He also designed some major London police stations, and what is now a Grade II listed house, Ashcombe Towers in South Devon. During World War Two he was attached to the Air Ministry engaged in camouflage work. In 1947 he was joint architect in the design of the National Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames between Charing Cross and Waterloo Bridges. In 1958 he was responsible for The Observatory Science Centre in East Sussex. Designed to house three reflecting and three refracting telescopes it was seen as the most important government commission building of its time. In 1972 he designed the 5-star Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge which included fireplaces in the suites and a seventh floor swimming pool. Edward

Brian O’Rorke died at his residence Rock House, River Common, Petworth, Sussex on the 1 March 1974.

[1] His birth does not appear to be registered

[2] The Auckland University Hall of Residence, O’Rorke, is named for him

[3] Royal Mail Ship

Christine Clement

https://sooty.nz/

Guest Contributors

Ken Morris

Telegram Boy

Ken Morris

Geoff Mentzer

The Beginnings of Cycling

PROLOGUE

Frederick Nelson ADAMS was born in Christchurch in 1867, the first of eleven siblings – one of whom died young – to an English father and Scottish mother. All that remains of his education record is that he was awarded a prize in Class III at Christchurch East School in March 1877, and was enrolled at that same school in 1878. He's not found in enrolment lists of Christchurch Boy's High School, or Canterbury College – forerunner of Canterbury University.

His father, Frederick Thomas, was a law clerk in England then journalist with the Lyttleton Times in Christchurch who turned the hobby of horticulture into full-time employment about 1875. That year Adams and Son – the Son being just seven – are first found as nurserymen, propagating flower seeds and bulbs. By the following year they were Adams and Sons, incorporating Henry Thomas, who was less than one year old. Frederick jnr left school at about age 13, presumably to work with his father and continue what was clearly a strong work ethic, a trait no doubt also passed on by his mother Annie, herself from industrious and prudent stock.

Adams and Sons thrived and were soon selling their seeds nationwide. Frederick jnr's commitment to the profession was demonstrated in March 1886 when he returned from a collecting trip to the Wilberforce and Westland boundary with about 1000 plants. The nursery was to eventually plug itself as the "Establishment for New and Rare Plants," which included natives. Unsurprising that its specialty was New Zealand Alpine plants and shrubs, specimens of which they supplied to Kew Gardens in London.

Later in 1886 Fred jnr showed his mechanical aptitude by applying for a patent for "'The Patent Magnet', an economic constant-action tubular boiler for heating horticultural & other buildings with hot water."¹

But somewhere along the way, his mercantile bent branched away from horticulture.

Walter William CURTIES was born in England in 1868 and the family emigrated to New Zealand in 1875 and eventually settled in Heathcote Valley, Christchurch. His father Thomas was, as with Frederick Adams snr, enterprising and multi-skilled, but more prone to wanderlust. By age 11 he was assistant to his carrier father but in late 1855, he enlisted with older brother Robert in the Royal Engineers at Chatham. Both served in Malta, where Robert died from cholera, while Thomas served there and in England for twelve years as a miner then sapper – an unusual occupation for someone born and raised near the coast in Norfolk.

Next, Thomas trained as a stonemason in England. After which he worked there as a railway signalman and eventually the same in Heathcote Valley, where he also leased some acres of land, presumably for agricultural purposes. Later still he was a publican, and finally a shoemaker in his later years.

At school in the Valley Walter, known to family as Watty, was twice awarded prizes for coming second then first in class and in May 1879, had his first brush with the Law. He and another lad had broken into a local storekeeper's house and stolen some apples, a pork pie and pair of spectacles. His Worship lectured each of the boys and in discharging them, said it was only out of consideration for the parents that he did not order them to be severely flogged. Which they certainly would be, if brought up again on such a charge.

Like Frederick, Walter's formal education also ceased at 13, when he left school for work. While his early employment details are unknown, it's likely he went directly into the bicycle trade. In 1885, W Curtis was entered in the Christchurch Bicycle Club's Easter races at Lancaster Park, and in November 1888, Walter Curtis was fined 5 shillings ($53 in 2019) for riding a bicycle on the footpath in Madras Street, Sydenham.

PART I

CHAPTER I – PIONEERS

Velocipede mania was sparked in Christchurch in 1869 by local coachbuilder, machinist and engineer Henry WAGSTAFF, who had a bicycle of his own manufacture available for public demonstration in June that year. According to the press, though, there were some design improvements "which may be effected as the manufacturer becomes more acquainted with the principle of the machine."¹ Nonetheless, there was considerable amusement at attempts by amateurs to ride at the demonstration what was known as a High Wheeler, or Penny Farthing. By August, Wagstaff had another one made plus orders for several more, beyond which there were several more imported. In September, at festivities to open the rowing season on the Avon river, three of Wagstaff's creations on display attracted considerable attention. Later that month, there was call to create a Velocipede or Athletics club. Although this soon came into being – then collapsed in December due to lack of support – the annual Canterbury Anniversary Sports day on 16 December included the first recorded velocipede race in Christchurch. This was "looked upon as the great event of the day"² and of the six machines participating, four were locally made.

In July 1870, AJ White Furnishing Warehouse began regular advertising of bicycles for sale. In August, Neeves Ironmonger advised that they could convert their own imported tricycles into bicycles. And at the Anniversary Sports on December 17, Thomas HYDE, an employee of local coach maker Shanley, won the handicap velocipede race on a bicycle made by himself. Shanley, presumably his employer, came fourth on an imported bicycle. Hyde soon advertised his cycle for sale, while he himself years after, was said to have built the first bicycle to be made in New Zealand. More of which claim to follow.

Interest in cycle racing waned from 1871 due, it was claimed, to bicycles being "little, if at all, used in the city now."³ Even when in some years bicycle races were proposed, they were subsequently cancelled due to too few or a total absence of entries. It was not until December 1879 that Anniversary bicycle races returned, to become a permanent fixture. In the meantime, Christchurch remained well-suited to cycling, provided riders stayed vigilant on shingle and stone surfaces and ramshackle bridges, and around potholes, mud, pedestrians, horses and vehicles. Riding the inherently dangerous High Wheeler continued to steadily grow more popular.

Thomas BOYD was born in Scotland in 1849 and landed with his family in Lyttleton in 1864. He spent his first year as a labourer on a farm in Heathcote Valley, after which he worked the shearing season at Cheviot with men who boasted of their strength. Yet he was the only one who could perform a certain feat, which was rising to stand from a prostrate position, with two men seated upon his shoulders. Thus suitably equipped, he took up the blacksmith and engineering trade and in 1878, started in business in Rangiora as a general machinist and whitesmith. Soon after, he added cycle manufacturing to his repertoire and became, in his own words, the first bicycle-maker in the Colony. In April 1880 he was appointed sole agent for Rangiora and Northern District for Singer's Sewing Machines, and a year later was praised in the press for a new axle he'd made from scratch for a Humber bicycle.⁴

Geoff Mentzer

Marlene Skelton

A life spent as a Musician

Alfred JENKINS 1847 – 1913

When Alfred’s mother Mary died in 1857 she left Frederick senior to bring up the two youngest boys on his own. Alfred was 10 and James 8 years old.

Frederick while learning the trade of Tailor more often than not was described as a musician. Both Alfred and James followed in his footsteps and their careers can be traced as working musicians.

In fact, all Frederick’s boys played musical instruments and in census returns all, at one time or another, listed themselves with the occupation of musician.

Alfred in particular appeared to be a professional musician with not only census returns corroborating this but his own children on marriage certificates also listing that he was a musician of some description.

Year	Document
1867	Daughter Alice’s birth certificate - Musician
1868	Alfred’s marriage to Jane Louisa Adams – Musician
1871	Census - Musician
1881	Census – Music Master
1889	Marriage of daughter Alice – Musician
1892	Marriage of daughter Rosa - Musician
1897	Marriage of son Alfred – Musician
1898	Marriage of daughter Edith - Musician
1899	Marriage of daughter Elizabeth (Lily) - Musician
1901	Census - Musician
1906	Marriage of daughters Eleanor Frances and Annie Margaret – Musician
1911	Census – Musician on board ships
1912	Workhouse admission – Musician
1913	Death Certificate – Street Musician

The Life of a Musician

There were few large groupings of workers in the music industry during the 1860s to the 1890s in London. There was no union or association to belong to. Most enjoyed a more itinerant lifestyle having to obtain work in their own right; working in a range of different places with a number of different employers and colleagues. Many city based musicians moved to nearby seaside resorts to play for holidaymakers during the summer seasons. Or, like Alfred and James, secured positions playing on pleasure cruise ships sailing up and down the Thames.

Alfred worked as a music master, played on pleasure cruise ships and also as a street musician.

Alfred and his Family

Alfred married Jane Louisa Adams on 22 September 1868. They had 11 children between 1867 and 1893. Ten girls and one boy. Two of the girls died in infancy and sadly his son Alfred James died aged 30 at sea in October 1900 on his way home after serving in the military in India.

Alfred Jenkins c 1908

[Kindly supplied by John Wright England]

A sad but seemingly common end to life for the Jenkins men during the Victorian Era

In 1901 life was still kind to Alfred. At age 54 he was still finding work as a musician and living with his wife Jane aged 51 along with his 10 year old daughter May Georgina.

This situation appears to have changed sometime between 1906 and 1909. On his daughter Eleanor France's marriage certificate in 1906 she listed him as living but in 1909 May Georgina had listed him as deceased.

A search of the 1911 census revealed Alfred’s wife Jane visiting her daughter May and son-in-law Harry Pedder and describing herself as a widow.

However, the 1911 census search also found Alfred; incarcerated as an inmate of St Anne’s Home in Streatham Hill. The workhouse records confirmed this.

St Anne's Home, Streatham Hill

From around 1890 to 1915, St Pancras accommodated aged and infirm males at a branch workhouse at Streatham Hill known as the St Anne's Home. St Anne's had previously been the Royal Asylum of St Anne's Society, erected in 1829 to provide care and education for poor children.

The 1901 census records 496 inmates in residence at St Anne's. The establishment was taken over by the Bermondsey Union in around 1915.

On 19 November 1912 Alfred was removed from St Anne’s and sent to reside at Tooting Bec Asylum in Tooting.

The admission register shows Jane as his wife living at Rothschild Street and notes two of his daughters as further contacts; May Georgina Pedder and Edith Jenny Moore. One has to wonder whether this move did encourage family and friends to visit him or he remained conveniently forgotten.

It appears that Alfred was of frail mental or physical health and seemingly abandoned by his family, Alfred died here alone of pneumonia on 12 August 1913.

Marlene Skelton

An Invitation to Contribute:

I have a number of people that contribute occasional articles. These appear irregularly if and when the authors send them to me. I use them to bulk up each month's newsletter. The more we have the more "rests "I can give my much-appreciated regular columnists.

This is a way that a person can get some of their writing published. Of course, we are all writing up our research results, aren't we? I have always said that every genealogist is an expert in some small piece of history, resources or research methods.

We circulate this newsletter to about 7,000 subscribers worldwide but is read by many more as it is passed on to other readers and LDS research centres. Every month I get feedback on my poor attempts at writing and I have now made many "new friends", albeit digital ones. In a few months I hope to meet a few when I waddle along to a few conferences and meetings in England and Scotland. I have even had a few very helpful assistances in my research.

Why don't you contribute an article?

My basic requirements:

1) The column must be in English

2) The column should be no longer than about 1,200 words

3) The article should be emailed to me in a Word document format

4) The subject should be genealogical or historical in nature

Do not be afraid about your "perceived" bad English. The article will be edited, in a friendly manner, by me and then Robert. Then all columnists and a few valuable proof-readers get to read the newsletter before it is emailed out. You’ll be paid $0 for your article, which is on the same scale that Robert and I pay ourselves for editing and publishing the newsletter.

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

Anzac week commemorations - SoundCloud tracks

New Zealanders at War: stories from the Military Collections

Series hosted by Auckland Libraries in association with Ancestry and AncestryProGenealogists:

Presentations given by New Zealand's leading historians, military and family history experts in the week leading up to Anzac commemorations 20-24 April 2020.

Five audio tracks available on our SoundCloud account - these have been released as audio files, as they didn't necessarily need pictures.

(Videos take a different skill set to edit, and are still in the production queue. The rest will be ready at a later date).

https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/sets/new-zealanders-at-war/s-asw56x125Gt

--------------------------

We are BACK! As of 1 July all our programmes are back, scheduled as normal. Most events are held in the Whare Wananga, L2 Central City Library unless otherwise specified.

Additionally, where we have the speaker’s permission, we will also live-stream them as a Zoom webinar (a little trick we learned while in lock-down).

And also where we have the speaker’s permission, we may also be able to record them.

The event listing identifies whether it is to be live streamed as well as available in person at Central Library – just to choose which way you wish to attend.

I am currently in catch up mode, and I am loading new events on to our website to promote for you to book through – probably won’t be able to print a brochure for the second half of the year this late in the day, but please keep an eye on our Events pages on our website, where I will be loading events from August-December shortly (July’s already loaded):

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/Pages/events-search.aspx?search=&type=6&show=12

The Auckland Family History Expo is still on 8 and 9 August, and further details will be uploaded to this page, when the programme has been finalised:

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/event.aspx?eventid=9262

You could also like our Facebook page for updates:

https://www.facebook.com/AkldResearchCentre/

And/or sign up for one of our newsletters:

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/Pages/events-newsletter.aspx

Recorded talks can be found in our Auckland Libraries SoundCloud – if you subscribe to our channel, you can be notified when other podcasts are uploaded.

You will find some of our New Zealanders at War webinars that we did in Anzac commemoration during lockdown on here (the rest still in production/editing)

https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries

and our HeritageTalks and Family History videos (with other topics) are on our YouTube channel.

Again subscribe to this channel if you wish to know when videos are uploaded.

https://www.youtube.com/user/aucklandlibraries

Nga mihi | Kind regards

SEONAID

Seonaid (Shona) Lewis RLIANZA | Family History Librarian

Central Auckland 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:

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

Contacts: Email: wfhg2012@gmail.com

Venue: Meets every 4^th 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

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:

Long lost parents and unknown siblings - how DNA kits spell the end for Ireland's family secrets

https://www.independent.ie/life/long-lost-parents-and-unknown-siblings-how-dna-kits-spell-the-end-for-irelands-family-secrets-39279693.html

MyHeritage releases new photos enhancement tool

http://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2020/06/myheritage-releases-new-photos.html

Barking Up the Wrong Tree

https://blog.eogn.com/2020/06/17/barking-up-the-wrong-tree/

Giving it Away – The Law and ethics of donating Family Material

By Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist

https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2020/05/21/giving-it-away/

From the Editor: I’m considering donating some of my parent’s, and grandparent’s material to libraries and/or museums in an effort to better protect them. This article, although written in the context of USA law, makes some valuable points about ownership and copyright. It is well worth a read.

I Have my Family Tree Back to Adam and Eve

https://blog.eogn.com/2020/07/01/i-have-my-family-tree-back-to-adam-and-eve/

From the Editor: In my column last month I mentioned meeting people who make this claim. I have quietly shaken my head and moved on to talk to somebody else. Have a read of this article to see why I react that way.

As a reminder of Lockdown

Fred Couldn't Understand Why Julius Didn't Even Have a Snapshot (Genetoons #42)

In conclusion

Book Reviews

Dark Emu – Black Seeds by Bruce Pascoe, ISBN 9781922142436, published by Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation in 2014, borrowed from the Public Library.

From the Editor: Last month I reviewed this book.

My attention was drawn by a reader of this newsletter to the fact that there is considerable controversy in Australia over the claims in this book. My attention was drawn to the following website:

www.dark-emu-exposed.org

I do not wish to join any side of these many controversies but I feel that, in the interests of fully informing readers I should pass on the information.

Help wanted

Letters to the Editor

Wanganui Research

Hi Peter - thanks for the FamNet newsletter.

FYI - for anyone with an interest in Wanganui (or just NZ history generally), I highly recommend this FB site: https://www.facebook.com/kevsriverpage/

Regards, John

Ancestor’s ability to read and write

I would like to add my tuppence worth to the topic on “ancestors’ ability to read and write”.

I have seen two examples where people signed church documents with a X but were clearly able to write. Both instances were seen many years ago and memory fade can’t recall exact details.

We need to remember the local parish minister or priest was responsible for documents. I think there were cases where he may have been loath to allow people to write their full name because of the risk of splatter/smudging. They used quills and the quality of the paper was far from that available today.

As a left-handed writer I still have horrible memories of trying to push (rather than pull) a pen. Ballpoint pens saved me!

Regards

Murray Reid

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

I was in the McDonald’s drive-through this morning and the young lady behind me leaned on her horn because I was taking too long to place my order.
“Take the high road,” I thought to myself. So, when I got to the first window I paid for her order along with my own.
The cashier must have told her what I'd done, because as we moved up she leaned out her window and waved to me and mouthed "Thank you”, obviously embarrassed that I had repaid her rudeness with a kindness.
When I got to the second window I showed them both receipts and took her food too.
Now she has to go back to the end of the line start all over.

Don't honk your horn at old people.

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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. https://www.famnet.org.nz/

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