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FamNet eNewsletter October 2019

  ISSN 2253-4040

Quote: "Google" is not a synonym for "research" - Dan Brown

Contents

Editorial 1

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

Regular Contributors. 1

From the Developer 1

Have we found a long-term home for FamNet?   Continued. 1

Clear, IHug, and Paradise Emails. 1

FamNet will use Https. 1

The Nash Rambler 1

My thoughts on DNA testing. 1

DNA Testing for Family History. 1

39.  Another mystery bites the dust 1

Wairarapa Wandering. 1

The Sugar Cube and other Things. 1

Digging Into Historical Records. 1

Wellington Land District resources. 1

Chinese Corner 1

Chan Yin - The Lost Chinaman. 1

Anne Sherman. 1

How reliable are Parish Registers?. 1

Guest Contributors. 1

Alan Rudge. 1

Episode 6 A different Target – The Adoptee’s father 1

From our Libraries and Museums. 1

Auckland Libraries. 1

HeritageTalks  - Waha pū-taonga. 1

Group News. 1

Whangarei Family History Computer Group. 1

Waikanae Family History Group. 1

Waitara Districts History & Families Research Group. 1

News and Views. 1

Various Articles Worth Reading. 1

Black sheep in the family?. 1

Tracing your Irish roots? A guide to Irish birth, death, and marriage records. 1

IrelandXO Insight - Irish Naming and Baptism Traditions. 1

Left-handed people could have better verbal skills thanks to their DNA.. 1

Statistical Accounts of Scotland site now completely free. 1

Book Reviews. 1

In conclusion. 1

Help wanted. 1

Letters to the Editor 1

Advertising with FamNet 1

A Bit of Light Relief 1

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

 

Back to the Top. 17

 

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Editorial

Greetings and welcome to another issue of the FamNet newsletter.

Every time I go exploring on the internet looking for something of interest to my research I find more and more becoming available. Every time I attend a meeting whether it is a gardening club, U3A, a history group or just having a coffee with somebody I am approached by people doing their own research using, almost entirely, the internet. In the old days you could guarantee that, if such a researcher was not a member of a genealogy group, there would be an error of interpretation, research or plain copying from somebody else's work. Nowadays such researchers are highly likely not to be a member of a group and their research is faultless. They even teach me about some repository or source that I'm unaware of. The other interesting thing is that the number of such researchers is increasing.

This has very important ramifications for formal societies. Even if a society has a unique source that appears nowhere else, they are suffering. The researcher can get the information from another source. I cannot quickly think of any resource that a society (in NZ but it also applies elsewhere) holds that cannot be supplanted by another source. I own a number of NZ Society of Genealogists resources and I rarely consult them. Their Kiwi Index is not as useful as it was. Thus I am very averse to paying $100 as a subscription to join a society - gosh that is 25 coffees which is far more valuable.

The pay-per-view giant websites are getting almost identical. There is little value in subscribing to more than one and it is debatable that subscribing to one is one too many.

Very soon we are going to run out of things that need indexing. I think of all the old NZSG projects e.g. cemetery records, school pupil's registers, passenger lists etc. These are no longer as valuable as before.

But despite this doom and gloom, I enjoy talking to anybody about their research.

Anyway, I present another month's offering for your perusal. I spend too much time preparing this because I read everything and wander off on tangents doing my research as a result. I get stimulated by our correspondents.

Peter Nash

Do you want to receive this newsletter every month?

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

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

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

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

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

Tell other genealogists so they can enjoy the newsletters too.

Regards 

Peter Nash

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Regular Contributors

From the Developer

Have we found a long-term home for FamNet?   Continued

I’m pleased to report that initial discussions with FamilySearch has been positive, and it looks as if this will become the eventual home of FamNet.  I’ve had only positive comments from FamNet users, nobody has asked me to remove their databases from FamNet because they don’t want the church managing it in the future.   So discussions are ongoing, unfortunately it’s taking time because of my other commitments, but we are both committed to a good outcome that preserves not only the family trees and scrapbook information, but also integrates it as much as possible with other FamilySearch databases.   I’ll keep you all posted.

Clear, IHug, and Paradise Emails

When we send out a newsletter there are always a number of bounces from email addresses that are no longer valid.   Typically, there will be 50 to 100 of these each month, and most months I go through the list of bounces and set the FamNet account to “No Newsletters”.  Last month however there were a huge number of bounces, 494.   Of these, 145 were xxx@clear.net.nz, 75 were xxx@ihug.co.nz, and 159 were xxx@paradise.net.nz.   Of these I could only contact one to find a correct email.  Of course if you have one of these emails then you won’t be getting this newsletter (as one of my teachers used to joke, “Could those who can’t hear me hold up their hands”), but if you know anybody with such an email who wants to get this newsletter please ask them to either

            Click [About you], enter their email, change it, and turn newsletters back on (they don’t need to log on for this),

Or        Register again with a new email.

Remember, we usually have no way of contacting you except an email, if it changes PLEASE update it on FamNet

FamNet will use Https

I have been a laggard in getting FamNet set up so that it uses https rather than http, but this is now underway, in fact I thought it might have been done by the time of this newsletter.  This shouldn’t change anything for you – all your bookmarks will continue to work without change – but if you copy/paste the URL it will say https://famnet.org.nz instead of http://famnet.org.nz .  What does this actually mean?   This Wikepedia article, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTPS , explains the difference.  Basically, it means that the web sites are authenticated, and protected from “man in the middle” attacks in which malware can intercept and change the message.

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? 

Robert Barnes

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The Nash Rambler

My thoughts on DNA testing

I have just read a very interesting article in the North & South magazine - the October edition. It is labelled "who's your daddy?"

It is about DNA testing and the effect an "aberrant" test result has on a family.

Some quotes:

"Estimates of misattributed paternity range wildly, but in 2005 a New Zealand Law Commission report settled on a conservative rate of 1.8%. That might not sound like much but it equates to about 80,000 people - nearly the entire population of Palmerston North. Genealogy researchers put the number much higher. Some surveys have found that between 5% and 10% of people who take a DNA test discover their father isn't who they thought he was, in circumstances that encompass infidelity, undisclosed adoptions, rape and even babies being switched at birth."

"In the US, where millions of people have their DNA analysed, surveys suggest as many as one in four tests generates an unexpected result ...."

"A blood tie is less important than whether people feel they're part of the family, or feel a connection with a father figure, whether biological or not"

This is a very interesting article and a must read, particularly if you are thinking of taking a DNA test.

For the last few years I have resisted the urge to take the DNA test and have not really known why. After reading this article I have been thinking deeply on the subject, which may be an ability some people may be surprised I have. I have come to the following conclusions:

1) Genealogy i.e. the building of a family tree is my hobby. I do it because I enjoy the process of research, proof, disproof, discussion of the research possibilities with my genealogy friends etc. I have no particular desire to go much further back into my genealogy than the mid 1700s and I am in no particular hurry to break my brick walls. One brick wall took 20 years to break and I enjoyed every minute of that huge commitment to solving the mystery.

I take genealogy classes, lead genealogy groups and do some consultancy work. I equally enjoy doing research into my family or some other family that I have been asked to research. This means the "hunt" is what I like - not the results I find.

2) Family History arises because of some fact I have found in my genealogy work. For example my great grandfather, Joseph NASH, moved from Auckland to the Hokianga and acquired land when he appeared to be very poor and an alcoholic. This led me into researching the Village Settlement Schemes, the foundation of the Motukaraka scheme in particular and the history of early Hokianga.

Family History is another consequence of my genealogy research that continues to hook me into "more historical digging".

3) My father is the man I grew up with.

He was, to me, a gentle dictator who made the rules I had to obey. We disagreed a lot. We argued a lot. No matter whether I was right his word was the ultimate. To be honest he was a "pain in the rear end" but he was my "pain in the rear end". There were a lot of good things about my father and he became the role model for my dealings with my children.

My father made my family the unit it was.

He was the person he was because of the family in which he was raised and the circumstances in which this took place. Therefore, theoretically, any DNA result that was "unexpected" should not change the way I feel about my family in general and my parents in particular.

I do not want to go through the mental torture that an unexpected DNA test would cause. I don't want to know that my mother wasn't what I thought she was. The fact that there was a possibility that the elastic broke on her knickers during a party is of no concern to me.  What matters is that she and my father brought me up in the best way they could.

4)  I have privacy concerns about who owns my DNA test results and who is using them. I read with interest about the number of age-old unsolved murders that are resulting from consultation by police with the DNA test companies and their results collection.

As a human being I'm constantly shedding body material which contains my DNA - you only have to look at the amount of hair I have left on the top of my head. I only need to walk through a future crime scene, scratch my head, and go home. The future crime takes place and in the solving procedures my DNA surfaces. Off to Ancestry (for example) the police go, find my test results and I'm off on a long term holiday in a government "accommodation facility".

I also read, with concern, about the possibilities of the DNA testing companies making my data available, for a monetary consideration to any outside organisation. These companies do not do the tests for the benefit of their clients only. They are companies and have the inbuilt thirst to make a profit. Eventually they will run out of clients and then, in order to make a profit, they will ......... (you fill in the words).

5) In a past life I was a chief chemist in a chemical plant. I am aware that testing can result in incorrect results by a number of ways, including human error, "infection", faulty equipment, faulty interpretation etc. I refuse to believe that these testing companies are immune from achieving wrong interpretations. Imagine the family chaos that could be caused by a wrong result.

6) I am also reluctant to put my family tree up on the internet. When I provide my tree to family members I always put a marker minor error in it so that, if it appears on the internet, I can track down who put it up. (Now there will be a loud eruption of abuse from the self-appointed guardians and experts of genealogy research in NZ)

Yes you can find my family tree up on the internet. I did not put it there. But I must say that one cousin has done so but is a very expert researcher and has done a lot of work (to my advantage). I recently met this lady and I am very impressed with her expertise. The other trees you may find on the internet have my marker errors.

7) Despite the points above I do think that DNA testing is an important and valid research tool. I can think of a number of situations that could arise that would need a definitive DNA test to solve the puzzle. I don't think that my research has one.

After much consideration I am satisfied with my decision to not do a DNA test. I have now put into words all the reasons why I won't be doing a DNA test in the near future.

Regards to all

Peter Nash

panash@xtra.co.nz

Back to the Top

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.

39.  Another mystery bites the dust

Jumping to conclusions (I am good at that) is a real issue for me.  That tendency was brought home to me very clearly yesterday.  (I had taken the day off to do some genealogy research).

 

Some months back, when looking at my autosomal DNA results, I noticed a man who had what appeared to be a German surname.  The relationship range was predicted to be 2nd to 4th cousin and there was 79 Centimorgans (cMs) shared between us.  Thanks to many of my cousins also testing for me, FTDNA deduced the connection was on my mother’s side.  My mother’s patrilineal line was German.  Armed with these two tiny bits of information, I assumed the surname came from one of the many families I had never researched because I cannot read German.  I therefore also assumed it would be far too hard and so I just ignored it.  (As it turned out, both these assumptions were wrong which I hope to explain in this article).

 

Through the years that followed the earlier notification of the match, the closeness of the match caused me the occasional twinge of “I wonder who he is” and “might he help me if I wrote to him”?

 

One day, I decided to do just that.  Write to my match. 

 

Imagine my disappointment to find someone had removed his email address.  This usually means that the person has died and the family left behind do not wish to be involved.

 

Oh well, that is that!  Again, another assumption.  Tsk, tsk.

 

Some of you may know that I give DNA classes at my Local Senior Net which I have been giving each school term.  These are 6 week courses beginning with the absolute basics and moving into deeper territory.  Always there are folk who sign up for these courses but who have never researched their own families.  This has prompted me to start a formal Genealogical research course and naturally, I need to prepare the material for it including presentations for each day of the course.

 

With this in mind and intending to put together an example from real life, I decided to combine what they have been learning as a result of testing their DNA (with FamilyTreeDNA) with genealogical research.  This is based on my opinion that combining the two disciplines will show how they can achieve that which they might want. 

 

Because this particular autosomal match has been in the back of my mind for such a long time, I decided to apply all the discipline associated with genealogical research with that of using the tool of DNA.  What you are about to read is the outcome of that application.

 

And now, back to the genetic aspect of the match who piqued my interest.

 

Say the actual connection is that of a 3rd cousin (the midpoint of the predicted range, but it could also be 2nd cousin twice removed or a half cousin, depending on the generation),  then automatically, we know that the common ancestor was one of my 2*G grandparents.  (Unless of course that this person is a 2nd cousin twice removed in which case a Great grandparent or a 3* Great grandparent would be involved).  

 

No assumption here, just straightforward genealogical knowledge.

 

Still using FTDNA results, I then pulled up my brother’s matches.  My first surprise was that my brother had no match with the person with a German name. 

 

Note that this can happen because each child inherits different sizes of segments from their parents and FTDNA uses a 20 cM cut-off.  The point here is that had it only been my brother who taken such a test, then this mystery about which I am writing, may never have been solved.

 

So, I turned to my 1st cousin on my mother’s side.  Yes, a match, but in this case it was considered a 5th to remote cousin.  To be expected. 

 

I now needed to narrow down whether the connection was on my mother’s mother’s side or my mother’s father’s side.  I therefore turned to a distant cousin on my mother’s father’s side.  No match, but given my experience with my brother’s non-matching results, I could not take it for granted that there was definitely no match.  Exactly the same thing occurred with a distant cousin from my mother’s mother’s side.

 

Returning to my own match results, I decided to use the “In-Common-With” tool.  This enabled my brother and other members of my mother’s family to appear.  But that did not help me single out whether it was on mother’s mother’s side or my mother’s father’s side.  So resetting the filter for the same match who had initiated my search, I used the “Not-in-common-with” option.  My aim being to single out those who were not related to my match but who were still related to my mother.  This would mean those matches “Not-in-common” with would come into view. 

 

By doing this, I found that distant cousin on my mother’s father’s side was amongst the matches that appeared.  Knowing the tree for that distant cousin, I was able to deduce that the match was from my mother’s father’s mother’s side.  Yay, victory!  So I turned to that woman’s tree which I had put together much earlier in my hobby of genealogy.  She was my Great grandmother. 

 

Not a German name in sight!  In fact all her family were from England, so proving my first assumption was totally wrong.  But could I have missed a collateral line of hers? 

 

Returning to my autosomal matches page in FTDNA, I typed in the maiden name of my mother’s father’s mother’s father (my 2*G grandparent) and went searching.

 

O wow, not only did the original DNA match with me appear and which sparked this research, but so did another man with a surname that I had long given up any hope of finding.  (Does anybody want to do my housework, because that has just been put back – yet again!) 

 

Notwithstanding ignored domestic duties and returning to the topic of my 2*G grandfather and focussing on genealogy, I hunted out my NZSG Kiwi Index V2 and plugged in surnames to see what appeared.  Up came many.  To begin narrowing my search, I turned to the Historical NZBDM site to learn who had given birth to whom and who had married whom.  At this point, I decided I needed to prepare a “Quick and Dirty Tree”  (Q&D Tree) because I did not want to add a whole lot of people to my main tree in case they were the wrong families. 

 

If you do not know what a “Quick and Dirty Tree” is, go to   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmOZXCxsqNU

 

I also turned to Archway   https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/   to learn what information might be held there.  Because there were a number of probate records, I then turned to https://www.familysearch.org  and found some which I proceeded to read with the aim of learning of names within the wills - hunting for bequests to various persons and executors’ names etc.

 

From all of this, I started to draw up (on paper) the Q&D tree, but nowhere amongst all this information could I see a connection to Germany or to the surname of my match.  This is quite understandable given that I was researching New Zealand documents and the link was more likely to be in England or Germany.  Nevertheless, I continued.

 

I then turned to Google typing in full names and birth or death dates of some of the names of my 2*G grandfather family.  Normally, when I do this, www.ancestry.co.uk provides possibilities.  Nothing appeared from Ancestry, but they certainly did from another site which was new to me.  Webtrees.

 

Names, dates, details and research notes galore for this one family ancestry from whom my 2*G grandfather came!  I was in genealogy heaven. 

 

One thing that took my attention in one of the lineages I found on this site was a note from the researcher stating that the birth date being used for a person in the tree was different from that stated by another researcher (and the full name of that other researcher was given).

 

Guess who that other researcher was…

 

It was the same German sounding name as my DNA match which had sparked my chase.  Oops, sorry, sparked my research.

 

Again I turned to Google, this time using my match’s full double barrelled name.  Up came an article he had written (and published in a family tree magazine based in England) about his ancestors.  Which just happened to be the very family I was researching. 

 

It was a remarkable story (with photographs of the people concerned) about a liaison with a man of nobility; an illegitimate child; a sham marriage with the brother of the lover; secrets kept by a number of family members on both sides of the English channel; at least two separate birth documents (an Englsh one and a different German one with each having different forenames and surnames for the illegitimate child); and the child being brought up in both Germany and England by other people; and not knowing anything about her true biological parents until just before the start of WW1. 

 

That same child was the biological mother of my DNA match. 

 

My mysterious match and how we are connected and who our common ancestor is, is complete - for now.

 

Could I have done it without using the tool of DNA?  What do you think?

 

Gail Riddell

mailto:gailriddelldna@gmail.com

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Index so far

Wairarapa Wandering

The Sugar Cube and other Things

On reading the book, published late 2018, A Colonist’s Gaze by John E Martin (Parliamentary Historian) I was surprised to see mention of Sir Henry TATE. When I lived as a child in London, our property backed on to Sir Henry Tate’s Mansion. The address was Streatham Common North. Streatham. London. SW16.

He was born 11 March 1819, died in Streatham Dec. 1899, and buried West Norwood Cemetery. A friend of mine is the chairman of the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery.  Talking to him today, I suggested that he get a copy of the book and look at the acknowledgments - my name is first in the list.

The sugar cube was thought up by Sir Henry TATE. To me it was a great invention. I love eating them and even now have a packet in the larder today. The book states that he bought the patent from a German, Eugen Langen. Henry was a sugar merchant - have you heard of the Tate and Lyle Sugar Refinery or the Tate Gallery in London? Even the library back home in Streatham had Tate Library on it.

I had a visitor today, and said to him that my grey matter needs a knock or two. I needed to write some articles - one to Westmorland Gazette in Kendal about Charles Rooking Carter. But my mind was not ticking over. He complimented me on my articles in FamNet each month! I said may do something special this time then, as know someone else in Gladstone reads them as well!

Then we talked about the article written some years back by Fay Roy of Palmerston North about where her uncle was during WW2. I said that I should do a follow up on that story but from the school's side of it. I have had a word with the head nun there about when the Second Echelon took over the lovely convent, which was built in 1848. This was where I was educated from 1950 to 1958.  I started as a weekly boarder with my sister, Marianne, but we weren't happy boarding, and so our parents had to rethink their children's education.  It was decided that if they could get someone living in to look after the girls before and after school they could attend as day pupils. It was such a lovely school and we were both very happy there (apart from, at age 7 years, being a boarder). The reason boarding was chosen was that my mother had just started up her own business in nearby Westerham, Kent, a ladies and children's wear business, and my father worked with Michael Lawson, an uncle to Stirling Moss in the car trade. It being just after WW2, many parents worked.

My visitor said that he had roots over near Crystal Palace near where the school was. He then said that I had mentioned Chichester the other day in an article, did I know Hayling Island? I said that I knew it well as it's in Chichester Harbour, a RAF Station was there. I could give him more information but will keep for another day!

Now getting back to WW2 and my school - I have old school magazines about the time the school went to Cuckfield in Sussex during the War. I must dig them out as the school would love a write up that I have promised, on both sides of the story.  They mentioned when I was visiting one year, that Captain Caldwell had donated a silver service to the community of nuns. The nun, who has just retired as Head, was in the class below me, as Sandra Davey. When she entered the convent she became Sister Bernadette.  The school have no old magazines so I must find my few,  but also in touch with some old girls and see if they are willing to help me out by providing others.

Adele Pentony-Graham

12 Neich’s Lane

Clareville 5713

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Digging Into Historical Records  

Wellington Land District resources

An NZMS 13 series of maps (pre-1937) have recently been added to the website mapspast.org.nz. The map interface enables you to zoom in to a point of interest then you can tick one of the older map series options. The selected area will roughly remain in place on the screen but the map content will change to reflect the time period chosen. The most useful information will be found by choosing the oldest map series available. If the screen goes blank it simply indicates that the series doesn’t cover the area chosen.

 

The older maps provide land parcel information that can lead to other records such as survey plans, rate books or valuation records.

 

National Library has also digitised these maps as well as the NZMS 16 series. The latter may contain even finer details as they cover town districts and boroughs. The easiest way to access these would be via Digital NZ using the phrases “NZMS 13” (1,101 maps) or “NZMS 16” (526 maps) plus a keyword to reduce the number returned.

 

The 93 NZMS 13 maps covering the Wellington Land District have also been listed in a DigitalNZ story titled “Wellington Land District – Survey District Maps (1896-1936).” [1]

 

Entering the phrase “Wellington Land District” into DigitalNZ will return two stories. The second is titled “Wellington Land District – Survey Plans (1839-1876).” This is a listing of plans published by Dr Brad Patterson in 1984 as part of his four volume thesis “Reading between the lines: People, Politics and the Conduct of Surveys in the Southern North Island, New Zealand 1840-1876." [2] In an attempt to physically locate the early survey plans in today’s modern systems. 14 were found to be online and Archives NZ references have been included for another 26.

 

Another useful resource that may help with locating 19th century physical landscape features are the surveyor field books. Most pre-1972 Wellington Land District field books have been digitised and can be viewed online either via Archway at Archives NZ, for the earliest field books, or the Land Information New Zealand Recollect website. [3]

 

The same search, view and zooming tools encountered with other Recollect websites are available and the image quality is excellent. A user guide is provided and the images are free to access and download. Crown Copyright is asserted using the standard Creative Commons license CC BY 4.0. It means you can use the images, as long as you clearly state they come from Land Information New Zealand.

 

For the Wellington Land District four Field Book Registers can be viewed online via Archway covering the period 1842 to 2009. [4] The earliest register (1842 to 1962) has been transcribed and this in turn has been annotated by adding further information from the field books themselves. [5]

 

Locating title records with your person of interest named therein can be a challenge. In general they can be obtained from Archives NZ for the Deeds system and Land Information New Zealand under the Land Transfer system. For the former a useful guide is available on the Archives NZ website titled “Searching land records.” [6]

 

Finding “the” relevant Certificate of Title under the Land Transfer system is not so easy. One way would be to find the first CT issued for the land in question then work forwards in time. References to these can be found in the Deeds system at the point of transition to the Land Transfer system. There is also an alphabetical index to the first CT holders for the period 1871 to 1913. [7]

 

A second approach would be to locate the current CT then work backwards in time. This can be done via the proprietary system called Quickmap. [8]

 

Like Mapspast you can start off with a map of New Zealand then zoom into the point of interest. Information that appears on the screen will include references to Deposited Plans (DPs) and current Certificates of Title. The same system can be used to view most Survey Office (SO) and Deposited Plans. These in turn provide additional references, often in a box in the corner, that lead to earlier plans and surveyor field books.

 

For all holders of Certificates of Title who were not first or last in the sequence a different approach is needed. There are two other record types that link individuals directly to parcels of land – rate books and valuation rolls. Both of these provide full land descriptions and may also record Certificate of Title and map references.

 

After the dissolution of the provinces in 1876 a municipal governance structure was introduced and the payment of rates was the primary source of revenue. Archives NZ hold valuation rolls from 1897 and there are 1785 items in the Wellington group. [9] As these are not the easiest of records to use an alternative would be to look for printed elector’s lists for the relevant municipal authorities. These are similar to electoral rolls and are more likely to provide a specific address or a legal land description. Rate books are also an excellent resource if they are available.

 

[1] DigitalNZ Story: Wellington Land District – Survey District Maps (1896-1936)

https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d7085de638780000cd34345

[2] DigitalNZ Story: Wellington Land District – Survey Plans (1839-1876)

https://digitalnz.org/stories/5d549f7f5188371a968e31ca

[3] Land Information New Zealand Recollect website

https://fieldbooks.linz.govt.nz/

[4] Archives NZ References ABWN 24476/16-18 and 22

[5] Surveyor Field Book Register 1842 to 1862

http://www.nzpictures.co.nz/pandoraresearchANZ-ABWN-W5817-24476-Box16-SurveyorFieldbookRegister.pdf

[6] Archives NZ Research Guide “Searching land records”

https://archives.govt.nz/search-the-archive/researching/research-guides/land/searching-land-records

[7] Pandora Research Collection – Land Transfer Office Wellington

http://www.nzpictures.co.nz/pandoraresearch.htm

[8] Quickmap http://www.quickmap.co.nz/

[9] Archives NZ References AFHQ 19340 V-WROLLS

 

Pandora Research

www.nzpictures.co.nz

Dawn Chambers
nz19thcentury@outlook.com

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Chinese Corner 

Chan Yin - The Lost Chinaman

On the day of King George V’s coronation at Westminster Abbey, a Chinese storekeeper and his nephew went hunting pigeons in the snow-covered forests of the Central North Island. Forty-year-old Chan Yin and twenty-two-year-old Tommy Chan worked in Ohakune, running a store and minding a billiards saloon. Chan senior had moved to the small timber and railway settlement in 1909, soon after the main trunk rail line was completed with a silver spike driving ceremony by Prime Minister Joseph Ward just a few kilometres to the north. Contemporary newspaper reports portray a harsh and dangerous landscape in which to go hunting in late June 1911. It was a dense forest of tree ferns, rimu, matai and kahikatea; the ground was “extremely boggy”; the weather was “intensely cold”; and the nearby volcano, Ngauruhoe, was “going strong”, sending up clouds of smoke. Nevertheless, Chan and his nephew bagged a haul of native kereru before they inadvertently became separated. While Tommy Chan eventually made his way out, his uncle endured a night in the freezing snow. The story of Chan’s ordeal in the bush is remarkable not only for his survival and eventual rescue, but also for how the small Ohakune community responded.

 

James Hyndes' 128 line poem about Chan Yin may be part embellished folktale, part historically reliable account. It was written less than a month after Chan’s ordeal and its level of detail indicates Hyndes was either an eyewitness to some events or learned of them from someone who was a participant.

 

GOOD LUCK TO CHAN YIN THE CHINAMAN.

...the Chinaman went shooting when the ground was white with frost;

And somehow got separated, and that poor old Chan was lost;

So the bushmen got their rifles, and they put their oilskins on

And invited everyone they met to come and look for John.

...the Benbows and Bill Tucker knowing every leaf and bough,

Utilized both mind and muscle to locate the missing Chow.

And the public speculated that ‘twould be one of those three

Who’d return before the sun went down with the popular Chinee

.

..through pungas, logs and bushes, they hurried to the place

And found him almost frozen with a smile upon his face

..Then Peddar put him on his back, and started with his load,

And Chan Yin sat him like a bird, from there out to the road.

They took the wet and muddy clothes all off the frozen man,

And took their own clothes off their backs and put them onto Chan;

And I’m proud that I’m living in a district where we can

Find someone who’ll take off their clothes to warm their fellow man

But he said he was determined their kindness to repay,

 

He’d give a banquet to his friends the following Saturday.

...and some seventy or eighty responded to his call,

And the tables creaked with good things as we stepped inside the hall.

There were many nationalities, well represented there,

...And you talk about a supper; well, I’ll tell you what was there;

There were sandwiches and cigarettes, and currant buns and beer,

Queen cakes, sponge and pound cakes, and lollies too; oh dear!

You should have seen the sausage rolls, I fancy I still can,

And the bottles of Scotch Whiskey for to drink the health of Chan.

But each one had a good time, and as we strolled away

We all felt we would like to find old Chan Yin every day.

I’ve tried to do this into verse; I’ve done the best I can,

And wind up now with

GOOD LUCK TO CHAN YIN THE CHINAMAN.

 

http://www.tungjung.org.nz/images/stories/newsletters/2013/Summer_issue_2013_.pdf  Kathryn Street June 2013 -  Anyone wishing to contact the writer regarding the essay or its subject matter, please email : kath.street@gmail.com

 

Helen Wong

helen.familytree@gmail.com

Anne Sherman

How reliable are Parish Registers?

Family historians, who have used actual parish registers rather than online indexes, may be aware that in some cases registers may be missing or damaged, preventing records being found.  What researchers may not be aware of is how unreliable parish records can be.

 

During my time as a genealogist and a transcriber for the FreeReg website (www.freereg.org.uk), I have noticed many incorrect entries, many of which are purely down to the person responsible for recording the events. 

 

A reoccurring mix-up in a Sussex baptism register relates to the wrong name being given to the father and/or his son.

 

On the 29th March 1829, Richard the son of William and Maria Howard was baptised in the parish of Boxgrove, however a note at bottom of page states "in no. 455 there has been an evident mistake.  It should have been William son of Richard and Maria Howard."  Later in the same year a similar mistake was identified when Charles Welburn, the vicar, noted that the baptism of James the son of James and Ann Saunders should have read as “George son of James and Ann Saunders."            For both entries the officiating minister was the local curate.  The entries themselves had not been amended, with only a note at the bottom of the page, so it is feasible that other transcription indexes still give the incorrect details.  The FreeReg entries do identify this error and list the entries under both the names given. 

 

In a different parish two different spellings of the child’s name were crossed out with the forename of Bircham being written, but again a note at the bottom of the page states that the child’s correct name was Bertram. This could have been caused by the clerk not being able to read the previously written notes, before the entry was added to the register. 

 

Despite the fact that events where supposed to be written into the parish registers at the time, it is clear that some parishes had a different system. One case came to light whereby a parish clerk duplicated ten 1817 baptism entries before realising his mistake and crossing them all out with a note stating that “this mistake was made by taking the day book from 1817 thinking it was 1818.” 

 

Laziness also explains why some baptism entries may be missing from the registers. In another case, a child’s baptism in 1818 was not recorded until 1825 as the entry had been “omitted to be entered at the correct time.” As the child’s younger sibling was baptised at the time this entry appears, it seems that this brought the error to light. Other researchers/transcribers have told me about complaints written in parish registers from a new incumbent about the poor state or missing entries caused by his predecessor.

 

In some cases entries could be missing for other reasons. In a Staffordshire parish a page from a marriage register was torn out whilst the book lay on the alter table during a service. Perhaps this was done by someone who no longer wanted to be married.  This damage however, would have affected other marriage entries written on the missing page.  Fortunately, in this case, these marriages had already been copied as part of the Bishops Transcripts, but they are still missing from the original register.

 

Other errors relate to incorrect information being given, for a variety of reasons.  A register for St Leonard’s, Shoreditch reportedly states that Thomas Carn, who was buried in January 1583, died at the grand old age of 207 years old, surely an exaggerated age!

 

There are some cases were the reasons for errors are easier to understand, as in the case of the baptism of Anne Eliza Boswell in 1870.  Her parents are given as Ellen and Henry, but a note at the bottom of the page, dated 2 years later at the time of her sister’s baptism, states that Anne was the illegitimate daughter of Ellen Whittington. It appears that Henry was Anne’s father but her parents were not married.

 

These examples are just a small sample I have found in just a few months, but the evidence strongly suggests that many more, some of which may never be identified, are hidden away in these ancient volumes. That is why I strongly recommend that researchers should always check the original registers/image and the Bishops Transcripts rather than purely relying on transcribed indexes.

 

Another question is how reliable will parish registers be in the future?  Although we are less likely to find errors such as those mentioned above, the drop in church attendance over the past few decades has been followed by less baptisms being recorded. In the past most people were baptised, now only a minority are. In addition cremations in public cemeteries/crematoriums are replacing church burials, and in several parts of the UK memorial stones for cremations are rented for between 10 to 50 years, meaning they are not ‘everlasting’ either.

 

New legislation governing the recording of marriages in England and Wales will also affect marriages registers in churches as there will no longer be any need for them.  The new rules are expected to be implemented at the end of this year (2019). “Immediately following implementation, the existing marriage register books held in churches will need to be closed. The incumbent, or in a vacancy the Area/Rural Dean, will be responsible for closing the registers by striking through any unused entry spaces.”  See here for more details: http://www.facultyoffice.org.uk/special-licences/marriage-law-news/

 

Anne Sherman

anne@leavesfamilyhistory.co.uk

Guest Contributors 

Alan Rudge

Episode 6 A different Target – The Adoptee’s father

Before I start on some the recorded life events in Desmond’s adopted father’s life I make a brief comment on the progress for the release or a copy of Desmond’s pre- adoption birth entry printout. The family court sent a very positive response to the first request for the pre- adoption birth entry, but requested further documentation before reviewing the file in early October when a final decision would be reached. I remain extremely positive that the court will rule favourably.

However in the meantime, I thought I would go down a path which looked irresistibly interesting. Generally speaking this is not good practice to stray so far off the family trail. Even more so bearing in mind that Desmond’s adopted father is not biologically related to me. As a genealogist the lure was too great and I couldn’t resist delving deeper into some of the recorded events in his life. After all I knew he was married at least twice. The truth of the matter is that he was married at least four times from 1906 to 1959. There is a gap between 1946 and 1959 I do wonder if there were any other relationships during this time.

Date/Year      

Event             

Occupation               

Groom Age   

Bride age     

Place

Residence

4 Aug 1880

Birth

fisherman

 

 

NY -USA

 

1906

1st Marriage

Butcher

25

18

 

Ramarama

1909

Birth - Daughter

 

 

 

 

 

1917-1919

WW1

Fisherman

 

 

 

 

1917

Alien Records

 

35

 

 

 

1925

1st Divorce

 

 

 

 

 

1926

2nd Marriage

Fish Merchant

45

37

 

Remuera & Parnell

1937

Divorce

 

 

 

 

 

1937

3rd Marriage

Fish Merchant

48

22

Auckland

Kawhia

1946

Divorce

 

 

 

 

 

1959

4th Marriage

Pensioner

78(80)

31(43)

Whangarei

Whangarei

1972

Deceased

Retired Fisherman,
ex Serviceman

92

 

Whangarei

 

 

NOTE TO THE AGES: I have ignored the age variations as they are notoriously dependent on the informant and how truthful one or other of the parties is at the time.

His WW1 military record and attestation papers, 1917 to 1919, also provide some illuminating details. He was a little above 5ft 7in in height (1.72m), had hazel eyes, dark brown hair, had tattoos on left upper arm and right forearm. His religion was Church of England. Other than his teeth which required treatment he was healthy in body and mind and passed fit for military service. During his two years and ninety one days of military service he was awarded three medals.

His death certificate cites he was 80 when married for the 4th time and the bride was 43. The children listed by sex in the death certificate printout were:

             3rd marriage two males aged 37 and (Desmond) aged 38

            4th marriage indicates 3 females and 2 males aged from 5 to 19.

These match the names and sex noted in the published death notice. This last marriage was also the longest lasting.

The undertaker's record revealed further minor surprises as it notes his religion as Jehovah Witness. So I wonder if he had an epiphany or some other life changing experience.

There is no mention in the Death entry printout of the daughter from the first marriage.

The headstone at Maunu cemetery also poses some questions. The inscription on the headstone is somewhat unusual it reads.

             “In memory of . . . . . . . . 14-8-1880 – 11-3-1972 adopted dad of Paddy”.

Who is or was Paddy ? ; and I am bemused by the phrase adopted Dad. The published family notice doesn’t mention any Paddy. The headstone inscription is apparently computer generated and done sometime after 1972. The stone mason or memorial company are looking into the riddle of Paddy for me.

Turning to a more positive set of records there are several records held by Archives New Zealand.

First is the probated record dated 1972.

Second are the divorce records which require approval from the court to look at.

Thirdly there are some property records that could also be interesting to look at. I am trying to organise these so I only need to make one or maybe two visits to archives NZ.

From here on in I guess it is really is just a matter of interest as to how much further I want to go with this family. For example it would be good to have at least a photograph of Desmond’s adopted father. This would necessitate tracing some of the children from the various marriages in the hope that there may be some family photographs somewhere in the family records. Maybe the elusive Paddy might be revealed as well.

 As pointed out earlier none of the characters mentioned in the above table are my biological relations.

Mores the pity as this has been such an interesting and rewarding research experience. Well folks that’s all for now

Westie Genie

genealogist1480@gmail

From our Libraries and Museums

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

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

Auckland Libraries

HeritageTalks  - Waha pū-taonga

 

July to November 2019
Are you interested in family and local history; the historical stories of New Zealand, the Pacific, and beyond?

Then why not come along to one of our fortnightly HeritageTalks - Waha pū-taonga and hear more about both our personal and our shared heritage?

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

When: At least fortnightly on Wednesdays, from February to November, 12pm - 1pm unless otherwise stated
Where: Whare Wānanga, Level 2, Central City Library, Lorne St, Auckland
Cost: Free
Booking: All welcome. Booking recommended but not essential.

To ensure your place, please contact Research Central on 09 890 2412, or book online at www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/heritagetalksbookings

 

5 October to 27 October 2019

Auckland Heritage Festival
Various events around the Auckland region.

Auckland`s History through its placenames with Phil Sai-Louie

Sunday 6 October, 12pm -1pm

Come and hear a talk on Auckland’s history from a different but interesting angle. Historian Phil Sai-Louie’s research shows that the names of our suburbs, districts & streets reveal many fascinating snippets about Auckland`s evolution & cultural heritage.

 

St James Theatre with George Farrant

Wednesday 9 October, 12pm -1pm

Join George Farrant for this HeritageTalk for Auckland's Heritage Festival and hear all about "Auckland's Greatest Theatre" - the St James - from its glorious past to its less illustrious present.

 

Showing a montage of interior views of St James Theatre. Creator New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review, July 1928. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 7-A11880.

Opened in 1928 and proclaimed "Auckland's Greatest Theatre", the St James Theatre has had an interesting past with vaudeville shows, musicals, comedy, theatre, dance, royal command performances, and movies. Its future is a bit more checkered since its closure in 2007 following a fire in an adjacent cinema, an electrical fire in 2015, and the recent withdrawal of finance for the planned adjacent multi-storey apartment block that would part-fund the already-started restoration of the theatre. Join George Farrant, Auckland Council Principal Heritage Advisor to hear more about this building with its sad external look, but gorgeous well-preserved Spanish-Renaissance style interior. 

 

Journeys through the Pacific Ocean to Tamaki Makarau before 1890 with David Wong Hop and Lisa Truttman

Sunday 13 October, 10.30am -12.30pm

From China, Syria and India, to England, Scotland, and Ireland, our ancestors endured long and often arduous journeys to reach their new homeland of New Zealand. Join David Wong Hop and Lisa Truttman as they look at some of these pre-1890 journeys, from the shipwrecks and the hardship of the voyage, to how ‘shipping intelligence’ was reported, along with difficulties encountered - including the Chinese who had to pay poll tax to enter New Zealand.

 

Early Auckland: Highlights from Kura with Joanne Graves

Wednesday 16 October, 12pm -1pm

From the 300-page Addresses to Sir George Grey, to the Pioneer Women's Honour Roll, the Old Colonists Association Register to the C. Little & Sons Funeral Director cards, Auckland Libraries continues to digitise all manner of items for Aucklanders to enjoy.  Join local history librarian Joanne Graves on a tour of these treasures and learn about the stories behind them, the information held in them, and how you can access them on Kura Heritage Collections Online.

 

Sarah Mathew and the musical entertainments of the English ladies with Polly Sussex

Wednesday 23 October, 12pm -1pm

Sarah Mathew arrived at the Waitematā Harbour in 1840 with her husband the surveyor Felton Mathew. At first, they lived in a tent in present-day Britomart and Sarah kept “my devoted piano” in a box beside it. Once their house was built the piano became indispensable for entertainment. In this talk Dr Polly Sussex will share a glimpse of recreational music in the life of a lady in early Auckland using examples from musical scrapbooks compiled by the family of missionary Henry Williams.

Dr Sussex will play music from the Henry Williams scrapbooks on a square piano from 1835 at concert that will take place on 7 November 2019 at Central Library.

 

The Kiwi speaks… with Max Cryer

Wednesday 6 November, 12pm -1pm

Max Cryer examines the somewhat casual relationship New Zealanders have with the English language. The average Kiwi knows little about the structure of the language most commonly spoken in Aotearoa - but Max does know. He illuminates the scene by light-heartedly examining formidable-sounding local language by-ways such as metathesis and hypochorism styles which many New Zealanders didn’t know they used.

Women Mean Business: Colonial Businesswomen in New Zealand, with Dr Catherine Bishop, author

Wednesday 6 November 6pm-7.30pm

‘The greatest comefort to me is to get an honest living for my familey’. Boarding-house-keeper Susannah Wall’s words in 1845 echo the sentiments of many colonial women in New Zealand throughout the nineteenth century. Like Susannah, many of them ran small businesses (though not all were as concerned about the ‘honesty’ of the living they got).

‘Milne and Choyce’ and ‘Smith and Caughey’s’ are well-known female-founded businesses in Auckland - but what about the Mclaughlin sisters’ drapery, Mary Ann Brassey’s school, mess-woman Louisa Darby or Sophia Paris James’ Q.C.E. Hotel? In this talk Catherine Bishop, author of Women Mean Business (Otago University Press), explores the stories of some of New Zealand’s colonial entrepreneurs – the successful and the outright failures, the heart-warming and the tragic, the everyday and the scandalous. 

Born and raised in Whanganui, Dr Catherine Bishop is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Macquarie University in Sydney. Her first book Minding Her Own Business: Colonial Businesswomen in Sydney (NewSouth Publishing, 2015) won the prestigious 2016 Ashurst Business Literature Prize. This is her second book.

From Taranto to Trieste with Jennifer Mallison, author

Thursday 7 November 6pm-7.30pm

Following the 2nd NZ Division’s Italian Campaign, 1943-45

This is a modern journey in the path of 2nd New Zealand Division in Italy, from its arrival in Taranto in October 1943 until disbandment after the end of the war in Europe.

The author faithfully reconstructs the journey of the Division, from disembarkation in Taranto to peace-keeping in the ethnic and political hot-bed of Trieste, commenting on the landscape and social context while recalling the impressions and experiences of the soldiers as they passed through. The author also visits the four areas where the Division went into action: above the Sangro River in Abruzzo, at Cassino and in the mountains to the north, south of Arezzo and Florence in Tuscany, and across the rivers of Emilia-Romagna. The historical context (military and political) is related separately to explain and complement the story of the overall Kiwi experience.

The book is generously illustrated with detailed journey and local maps, numerous contemporary photographs, and a selection of war history photographs. The story is embellished by personal reflections, and notes on the physical and cultural environment, with interesting detours off-route to irresistible and often hidden attractions.

Two appendices provide brief descriptions of the Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Italy where New Zealanders are buried, and the Italian POW Camps where New Zealanders (from previous campaigns) transited or were held prisoner.

Explore new DNA tools - Michelle Patient

Wednesday 20 November, 12pm -1pm

Michelle Patient is back to share her in depth knowledge of genetic genealogy. This replaces the DNA talk originally programmed with Seonaid Lewis.

Using tools is essential in extracting genealogy evidence from our DNA results. Some are within the company websites, while others are available via a third party.

Join us as Michelle explores some of the more recently released tools along with those currently considered 'essential' by the genealogy community.

Michelle is a very popular speaker, speaking on a very popular topic! Booking is highly advised. To book please phone Research Central on 09 890 2412 or book online.

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/event.aspx?eventid=7775

 

Lunchtime with Sylvia Valentine, UK guest speaker

Wednesday 27 November, 12pm -3pm

Speaker Biography

Sylvia Valentine is a UK based researcher and has been researching her own family history for almost 40 years. After retiring from a 30-year career working in the charity sector, she became a student of the University of Dundee, and graduated in 2016 with a Master of Letters degree in Family and Local History. She is now a doctoral candidate researching Opposition to Compulsory Smallpox Vaccination in Scotland in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. She owns her own research company, Recover Your Roots, researching particularly in northern England and Scotland.

Her specialist area of interest are the records created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 – and compulsory smallpox vaccination. Sylvia is an Honorary Teaching Fellow of the University of Dundee and delivers their online family history courses. She is also the Doctoral Fellow 2019 for the Centre for Scottish Studies.

She is a Director of the Register of Qualified Genealogists, (RQG) a member of the Association of Scottish Genealogists and Researchers in Archives, (ASGRA) and is an Associate member of the Association and Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA).

Website: www.recoveryourroots.co.uk

Twitter @historylady2013

Researching Workhouse Records in England and Wales

Family historians often think of using workhouse records chiefly in terms of the admission or discharge of a pauper ancestor. However the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 created a bureaucratic system across England and Wales for the management of local poor law unions. Not all records have survived, but those which do frequently name individuals with some connection to the workhouse. For example, suppliers of foodstuffs clothing and services such as dentistry. Your Ancestor might have been a workhouse employee or been one of “the great and the good” who oversaw day to day management. You can find information about absconding parents, apprentice records and smallpox vaccination records. This lecture explains some of the records you might be able to find.

The Dawson Orphans - From the Workhouse to Oxford University

Starting with a letter discovered in a workhouse letter book, out of curiosity, Sylvia set out to research the story of the five Dawson orphans who were born in the early nineteenth century. This talk shows how a researcher can use a variety of resources to put together a family history. The story has been pieced together using more than 25 resources, but, spoiler alert, sadly there are no happy endings for the brothers.

Smallpox Vaccination Records for Family History

Smallpox vaccination records might seem an unlikely source for family historians but, where they have survived, they might just help you with a “brick wall”. This presentation discusses some of the history of smallpox vaccination, resistance to compulsory vaccination and suggestions for locating any records, primarily within England and Wales.

 

Our 2020 HeritageTalks for will start again on Wednesday 5 February

Phone: 09 890 2412

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: 

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

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

Venues

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

 

Note:

https://genealogytools.com/ is an interesting site to bring you up to date on software like the impending release of FTM 2019

 

Waikanae Family History Group

 Contacts: Email: wfhg2012@gmail.com

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

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

 

 

Waitara Districts History & Families Research Group

 The contact details of this group are:

Waitara Districts History & Families Research Group

Rose Cottage 33 Memorial Place

WAITARA 4320

Tel: 06 – 754 – 3212

 

waitarahistory.genealogy@xtra.co.nz

 

 

President:- Rona Hooson 

Vice President:- Doree Smith

Secretary:- Trish Smart

Treasurer:- Marilyn O’Lander

 office:-067543212

 

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News and Views

  

  

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:

Black sheep in the family?

The Police Gazettes are now available on Papers Past.       https://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/black-sheep-in-the-family

Tracing your Irish roots? A guide to Irish birth, death, and marriage records

          https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/genealogy/irish-roots-guide-birth-death-marriage-records

IrelandXO Insight - Irish Naming and Baptism Traditions

            https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/news/irelandxo-insight-irish-naming-and-baptism-traditions

Left-handed people could have better verbal skills thanks to their DNA

            https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/left-handed-people-could-better-19567806

 

 

         

 

Statistical Accounts of Scotland site now completely free

Posted: 05 Aug 2019 02:22 AM PDT

Update from the Statistical Accounts of Scotland ( https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/home): 

From 1 August 2019, the Statistical Accounts of Scotland Online website will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh Library for a period of two years. Scans, transcripts, map-based searching and our Related Resources will be available free of charge to all users. 

As a result of these changes, you no longer need a subscription or a user account to use the website.
 

Over the next year, our Board will be working with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Library of Scotland on their plans to integrate the Statistical Accounts of Scotland into their national collections. We look forward to updating you in the coming months as these plans take shape.
 

COMMENT: The accounts were previously available to read for free, but certain additional functionality required a subscription. This is what is being made free now. 

 

·        

Book Reviews

It seems nobody has read any books this month.

In conclusion

Help wanted

Letters to the Editor

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

         

                             

 

 

   Found This Tombstone At A Cemetery In Salt Lake City, UT     This Ain't Bad Once You Get Used To It    There's Only Two Things In Life But I Forget What They Are

 

                  

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