The Family Detective

Before my father passed he shared some information about his father and mother's father. My father was born to an unwed mother and the name of his father was never a secret to us, although we wonder how much her father's family knew.  Her mother (my Great-Grandmother) also had her as a child out of wedlock. Until his death I had never heard him admit he knew who his Grandfather was. I recently had my DNA done and it was interesting to find that dad's information matched the results. I had always thought I would keep these things a secret, but I can see that those families are close cousins so they must be able to see the same thing. So "secrets" out if they are really wanting to discover it. For the privacy of the family who may not want the world to know this secret I won't record the first names, the rest of the information is taken from dad's death bed. I'm very happy though to clarify it for them if they like. TRANSCRIPT: ML: In our case, we don...

I've decided to try and keep a database of websites I use when researching. One reason is some are great, and I just keep forgetting to look at them. This, of course, will be an ever developing resource. DATABASES Ancestry Find My Past My Heritage (I don't actually like this site and begrudge signing up accidently for a year) Family Search Free BDM UK FreeReg UK (parish records) POSTAL DIRECTORIES 1867-68 Walter Samson National Directory 1870 Greville's Postal Directory 1875-76 Greville's Postal Directory 1909-1929 Wise's Post Office Directory ELECTORAL ROLLS 1870-71 NSW Electoral Roll 1903 Australian Electoral Roll

 This is another story written based on the newspaper records for Michael's murder trial. We needed to try and bring characterisation to the people. We have to remember that our ancestors were just like us. Their environments may have be similar, their homes simpler but they feel love, lust, hatred just the way modern people do.  I have two versions of this story. I'll post both but feel free to comment what you think. “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul … to take.” The rough sandstone of the cell tears at the skin of my knees, but the pain is no comfort.   Could it only have been seven hours ago that we’d met John at the inn?   I had watched Katie fuss over the children before we left. The tight twists at her nape reminded me of a shamrock, fitting for a St Patrick’s celebration. Seven children and her body still filled me with desire; her waist, her bosom and those enchanting Irish eyes. I know my Katie. She loves a drink and a gossip. ...

 As part of my uni course we have had to write fiction based on historical facts. It doesn't have to be hugely researched, but a news article turned into a story. This is one I did based on the Cotter's Hold Up. The reference for the newspaper article is at the end. ISOLATION The last of the sun’s rays abandon the stringy-bark hut half-hidden among scrubby gums. The galahs are a shrieking stream of pink and grey concealing the sound of the hawker’s arrival. Katie stokes the embers in the fireplace and sets another log upon it. Outside darkness and smoke entwine to create the perfect camouflage.   Katie gives a silent prayer of thanks for her eldest child, beautiful, porcelain-skinned Mary, who rocks Elizabeth on her hip while ladling the rich-red stew on each plate. Mary is almost eighteen and already dreaming of the day she will marry and leave. Without Mary, Katie wonders how she will cope. Ten children, another on the way. Maybe it would be better if she resisted Mich...

  Meet Rose Littlewood. I found this photo of her on Ancestry.com. I'd never seen a photo of her before so it was great to see her. This photo has been colourised by me. The original is posted below. At first the image of Rose was a little confronting. I guess it shattered the image I had of a girl named Rose as something sweet and delicate. But I'm glad that the image helps to show some of what life might have been like for Rose. Once I put it through a colourising app I realised that there was softness in her face, she is smiling. I've put a few photos through this process now as I feel seeing things in colour bring them almost into the present. It helps us see them differently to just black and white.  Rose is my current research project and I will add a separate post about her which I will add to as discoveries are made. 

         I was lucky to find some photographs of my maternal line Grandmothers via Ancestry.com. I knew my Great Grandmother Catherine Cotter and have a few memories of her. I knew very little about her mother except she was Rose Coffee and my Grandmother's middle name was named for her. From left to right: Rose Littlewood     Catherine Coffee     Evelyn Cotter     Caroline Hardy     Deborah Lang It's interesting to see how features change or continue down through the generations. From Rose to her daughter their is a fairly strong feature of the turned down eyes which we see also in my Grandmother Evelyn. My mother and I have similar brows and round eyes which must be from Grandfather's line (although my dad had similar eyes for me to inherite as well). The nose is a fairly strong one and may be the one connection I see in common through the generations. A thin top lip and larger bottom lip are evident ...