QFHS Snippets - April 2012 Volume 12, No. 4

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Dear [member]
 
Happy Easter!

Join us as we travel around the world in this edition of Snippets. We visit Australia, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, United States, Netherlands, Croatia and Poland.

Our membership fees are being reviewed. Please remember to vote on this important issue.

We appreciate your contributions to Snippets – so send them to us at:  snippets@qfhs.org.au

Happy researching!

Table of Contents

  1. About This Newsletter
  2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
  3. QFHS Dates to Remember
  4. The Master Genealogist (TMG) Workshop - 11 June 2012
  5. Library Assistants' Meetings
  6. Notice of Motion to Increase Fees
  7. Help Wanted!
  8. Findmypast.com.uk. Discount for QFHS Members
  9. QFHS Trout Game
  10. Fresh, New Look for QSA website
  11. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings
  12. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives
  13. ArchivesSearch Seminar
  14. Stinson Crash - 75th Anniversary
  15. 4BC Family History 101
  16. Toowong History Group
  17. Caloundra Family History Research Inc
  18. Looking for Family of Sgt Cyril Brennan RAAF WW2
  19. Leane / Lane / Leahy Family Reunion
  20. Rathdowney State School Centenary
  21. Huguenot Society Qld Chapter Talk
  22. Unlock the Past Queensland Expo 2012
  23. Kedron High School Reunion
  24. Admission to Townsville Orphanage c.1879-c.1911 Now Available Online
  25. Tasmanian Wills 1824-1898 Oline
  26. Lilian Watson Family History Award
  27. Graves of Australian Fallen Vandalised at Benghazi War Cemetery
  28. England & Wales:  Changes to Certificate Prices
  29. New U.K. Merchant Navy Seamen Records Launched
  30. Crime and Punishment in 19th Century UK
  31. The Parish Register Transcription Society
  32. University of London records
  33. How Do You Move 70,000 Delicate Books, Documents and Records?
  34. Are You Researching Either Bradford or Wharfedale, UK?
  35. Canterbury Cathedral Records on the Web
  36. Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre
  37. Scottish Post Office Directories Online
  38. Irish Genealogy
  39. Kerry Local Authorities - Graveyard Records
  40. BMBs from Welsh Archives Published Online For the First Time
  41. Boer War and Military Records
  42. Finding Your Family in Canada
  43. Man's Impromptu Visit to Antique Shop Unearths Hidden Genealogical Cache
  44. The Veterans' Administration Moves to Prevent Problems at its Cemeteries
  45. Online Index to Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers
  46. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Website
  47. Pictures of Ellis Island Before it Became a Tourist Attraction
  48. Virginia Historical Society Slave Database Online
  49. Wanda Sykes' Family Tree Documented Back to 1683
  50. Dutch Genealogy
  51. Croatian Genealogy
  52. Polish Genealogy
  53. US Couple, With Combined Age of 191, Tie the Knot
  54. The LDS Church Puts Up a Virtual Firewall to Access of the Names of Holocaust Victims
  55. Mormon Leaders Warn Members to Heed Rules on Proxy Baptisms
  56. USS Monitor Crewmembers' Faces Reconstructed
  57. Search More Than 40,000 Digitised Genealogy and Family History Books
  58. Effort to Preserve WWI Artifacts
  59. Handwritten Journals from Lizzie Borden's Lawyer to be Published
  60. Titanic 1912 - 2012
  61. 1800s Couple's Portraits Reunited with Help of Genealogy and Granddaughter
  62. Your Paintings
  63. Handouts from Who Do You Think You Are
  64. My Family Tree
  65. Acknowledgements

1.    About This Newsletter

Snippets is a monthly publication of the Queensland Family History Society Inc. (QFHS). QFHS Website http://www.qfhs.org.au/

Please do not click on reply to contact Snippets - the 'click on reply' facility is strictly for 'un-subscribing' to the mailing list.

You are encouraged to contribute items which you feel would be of general interest to the family historian hunting for that illusive relative. Humorous items and items relating to the technology of using computers in genealogy are also welcome. Submit your BRIEF items supplemented by hyperlinks to additional details.

Snippets will rarely include items of a commercial nature and only then when they are likely to be of interest to a majority of our readers.

Submit your items to us via: snippets@qfhs.org.au

2.     QFHS Gaythorne Centre

Our address is:

    58 Bellevue Ave
    Gaythorne QLD 4051
    QFHS library - (07) 3355 3369

For details about QFHS Centre, including location map, transport etc, click here: http://www.qfhs.org.au/location_hours.html#Library

3.    QFHS Dates to Remember

Revised information - please note.

QFHS Monthly General Meetings are held each month excepting January and December and will be held on the third Wednesday of:
Depending on attendance numbers at March and May Meetings the Management Committee will assess this again. If you have asked for daytime please try to make a point of attending.

Attendance at the meetings, held at the QFHS Library, is free, and visitors are most welcome.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 18 April from 7:30pm Our guest speaker will be Kim Heras of My Heritage who will present 'Digitising your Family History'.
________________________________________

QFHS Daytime Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (but not in January or when the first Monday of the month is a public holiday. Then it is held on the second Monday of that month) at 20 Marmont Street, Geebung from 10am - 12 Noon.

The next meeting will be held on 6 April.

Contact Maureen Mutton on 3265 4378 if you would like to attend.
________________________________________

Central European Group

Meetings are held 10am - Noon on the 4th Saturday of each odd-numbered month. A $2 donation goes toward purchasing relevant records.

The next meeting will be on 26 May at the QFHS library.

For further information, contact Eric Kopittke on (07) 3376 4339 or email kopittke@tpg.com.au or centraleuropean@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

English West Country Group

This group researches the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. Meetings are held from 12 Noon - 2pm at the QFHS Library, on the fourth Thursday of the odd-numbered months.

Next meeting: Thursday, 24 May.

For further information contact Robert Browning on (07) 3359 9801 or email: robertbb2@bigpond.com
________________________________________

Family History Writing Group

These meetings are held from 9am - 11am at QFHS Library on the third Saturday of odd-numbered months.

Next meeting: Saturday, 19 May.

For further information contact FHWriters@qfhs.org.au OR Robert Adamson on
(07) 3357 8138 or Sue Reid on (07) 3378 2278.
________________________________________

Irish Interest Group

Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library on the second Saturday of the even-numbered months (not December).

Next meeting: 14 April.

For more information about Irish Interest Group contact Mary King on (07) 3205 3353 or email irish@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Scottish Interest Group

Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library on the second Saturday of odd-numbered months (except January). Donations to buy more Scottish resources are welcome.

Next meeting: Saturday, 12 May.

For further information: Email scottish@qfhs.org.au or phone Sam on (07) 3266 9131
________________________________________

Welsh Interest Group

This group meets on the fourth Sunday of the odd numbered months from 10am - 12 Noon at the QFHS Library.

Next meeting is: Sunday, 27 May.

Contact Kaye Hart on welsh@qfhs.org.au for further information.
________________________________________

Educational Workshops

Do you want to learn more about Family History? Do you want to keep your records in order? Well why not come and join me in my Educational Workshops, "Where to Begin" and "How to Keep Your Records in Order" this year. The Workshops are designed to help you achieve the results you are after in your research and your record keeping. Cost is $5.50 per person which goes towards purchasing more research materials for the Library. Time is from 10am to 12 noon at QFHS Library.

This year's dates and topics are:
For bookings contact Desley Schafer - phone (07) 3204 4254 or email her at: educationofficer@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Member Orientations - 'Old' & New Members Welcome

You will almost certainly learn new stuff about the Society, and helpful hints about using the Library and researching, all in a friendly atmosphere and informal setting. New members are especially welcome.

Dates for 2012 are as follows:
Numbers are limited to allow full participation. BOOKING is ESSENTIAL. Please note: Sessions are usually fully booked, with a waiting list, so please advise the organisers as soon as possible if you find you are unable to attend when you have a booking. Contact Bev Bonning on (07) 3355 7389 or email at: welcome@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Family Tree Maker User Group

These meetings run from 10am - 11:30am at QFHS Library and are held on first Friday each month except January and April (Good Friday) and last Saturday in each even-numbered month except December.

The next meetings will be held on:
For further details, please contact Kerri Kleidon or Joe Greaves via e-mail on: familytree@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

The Master Genealogist (TMG) User Group

This group caters to the needs of all users, from novice to advanced. The group meets in the QFHS Library on the third Saturday of each month (except December) at 1:30 pm.

Next meeting is 21 April.

For further information, contact George Kearney on 0438 073 344 or Kevin Haley on (07) 3359 7491.

4.The Master Genealogist (TMG) Workshop - 11 June 2012

This workshop caters for both new and experienced users of TMG and will be held in the QFHS Library on Monday, 11 June 2012 (the Queen's Birthday Holiday). Opening with morning tea from 10am, the workshop will run from 10:30am to 3:30pm and conclude with afternoon tea.
 
The cost is $15 for members of the TMG User Group and other members of QFHS. The cost for non-members of either is $20. Morning and afternoon teas are included with participants to bring their own lunch. Registration is essential to allow full participation.
 
For further information, contact George Kearney on 0438 073 344 or Kevin Haley on (07) 3359 7491 or via email at: tmg@qfhs.org.au

5. Library Assistants' Meetings

Library Assistants' Meetings will be held on Friday, 27 April 2012 and Saturday, 5 May 2012, from 9:30am until 12:30pm at the Library and Resource Centre, 58 Bellevue Avenue Gaythorne.

These meetings will have a research focus, with speakers from the Irish Interest Group, Scottish Interest Group, and the Research Team. Library assistants are invited to select one of these meetings to attend. Sign-on sheets will be available in a yellow folder on the Library Assistants' desk.

6. Notice of Motion to Increase Fees

A Notice of Motion to Increase Fees at General Meeting on Wednesday, 18 April 2012.
Financial Members will be invited to vote on the Motion:

"That until otherwise determined, and effective for the membership year commencing 1st July 2012, fees be increased to the rates as scheduled" (see Queensland Family Historian Vol. 33 No. 1 page 13 for more details).

Members are reminded that the Constitution under Clause 23 allows proxy votes. Proxy vote forms are available for the front desk at the Library and Resource Centre or downloaded from the Society website - Downloads page under Membership. This link can be used to open the form: http://www.qfhs.org.au/downloads/PROXY_FORM_2012.pdf

The Society's constitution is also available on the Downloads page at:  http://www.qfhs.org.au/downloads_forms.html

7. Help Wanted!

After many years, Bev Moore has decided to retire from typing the catalogue cards. Bev would tell you that you do not need to be a speed typist. You just need patience and perseverance. 

If you could take over this task, please contact Secretary Bev Young via email at: secretary@qfhs.org.au

8. Findmypast.com.uk. Discount for QFHS Members

The QFHS now has a subscription to Findmypast.co.uk, and they have offered our members a discount of 15% towards membership.  To take advantage of this discount, simply key in the word "FMPSAVE".

Check it out at: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/home.jsp

9. QFHS Trout Game

Allow yourself the privilege of having a fun day in family history and play the Trout Game! The game simulates researching an English family (the Trout family) using eleven types of records. The aim is to see if you can get back to the 1500s. Use the game to see how good a researcher you are using basic research techniques not involving computers at all and find out why you may have brick-walls in your research.

The Trout Game will be played on Sunday, 20 May 2012 from 10am to 4pm at QFHS Library. Cost is $5.00 which includes morning and afternoon tea (BYO lunch). To make your booking, contact Game Master Ann Swain via email at: a.swain@bigpond.com or telephone (07) 3352 5537. Numbers are limited and early bookings are essential.

10. Fresh, New Look for QSA website

The Queensland State Archives website has a fresh, new look! The website also has an improved search function and navigation structure, making information easier to find. The website address - http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/ has stayed the same and the only major impacts are to web links saved in your favourites. Please remember to update your favourite links.

Should you require any assistance with the new site, please email info@archives.qld.gov.au

11. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings

Queensland State Archives will be open to the public on the second Saturday of every calendar month from 9am to 4:30pm. The next three Saturday opening dates are:
Queensland State Archives are located at 435 Compton Road, Runcorn, Queensland.

For more details, go to: http://bit.ly/H4ubPc

12. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives

For those who find it difficult to get to the Queensland State Archives (QSA), there is a taxi service for researchers available every Tuesday.

Information can be obtained at: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/findus.asp#taxi

To book taxi travel to QSA, phone (07) 3131 7777.

13. ArchivesSearch Seminar

This seminar will be held on Tuesday, 24 April from 10am to 11am and provides researchers with an introduction to our searchable catalogue ArchivesSearch. ArchivesSearch can be accessed online or in the Public Search Room at Queensland State Archives. Entry is free. Tea and coffee are available after the seminar.

To book, please call (07) 3131 7777. More information at: http://bit.ly/H8ahzI

14. Stinson Crash - 75th Anniversary

On 19 February 1937, a Stinson aircraft travelling between Brisbane and Sydney crashed in the Lamington Ranges killing four of the seven passengers on board at the time of the accident and sparking a search that failed to turn up any wreckage.

Nine days after the crash, Beaudesert grazier Bernard O'Reilly set out on foot to find the Stinson wreckage. Through his superior bush skills he found the crash site and, to his surprise, two survivors - Joseph Robert Binstead and John Seymour Proud - in desperate need of medical attention. After making them comfortable, he left them to organise a rescue party.

The details of this famous moment in Queensland history are contained in the inquest file of the Stinson plane crash in Queensland State Archives' collection. Due to its significance, and high use by clients, the inquest file has been digitised and is available to view in the Public Search Room at Runcorn.

A selection of digitised material relating to the Stinson plane crash is also available on Queensland State Archives' website at: http://bit.ly/H8al2k

15. 4BC Family History 101

4BC has started a regular segment, Family History 101, in its Thursday evening program at 9:30pm. The program is hosted by Walter Williams, with Ann Swain from QFHS, and Marg Doherty of Genealogical Society of Queensland, as the expert guests. It loosely covers a research theme with a response to a listener who has called in the previous week with a brick-wall. Tune in to 1116 am on your radio's dial for an enjoyable half hour.

16. Toowong History Group

On Thursday, 5 April, Brian Becconsall will tell us of some of the interesting historical places in Brisbane from an Engineer's perspective.
 
Toowong History Group meets on the first Thursday of the month from 7pm to 9pm.  Tea and coffee are available following the meeting. Meetings are held in the Toowong State School Historical Library with entry via Kate Street (off Sylvan Road). Due to the success of our first book Toowong: A Community's History no fees or membership are required - everyone is welcome. Telephone (07) 3870 9538 if you would like a lift to the meeting.

17. Caloundra Family History Research Inc

More than 40 Caloundra Family History Research Inc members and visitors welcomed Rosemary Kopittke to the podium at the general meeting held on 15 March.  She gave a thorough outline on how to get the most from the popular research website Findmypast. 

Caloundra Family History's next big project will be the undertaking of another four week Beginners/Refresher Course.  This will commence on Saturday, 28 April and continue for the following three Saturday afternoons, concluding on 19 May.  The course runs for approximately 21/2 hours each week and encompasses the following lessons - How to Begin, Record Keeping, Researching Overseas, Researching in Australia.  Cost for the complete course is only $30 and includes afternoon tea and a CD given to each participant at the end of each lesson.  For further information and to register your place, telephone our Secretary, June on (07) 5493 2679 or email at: caloundrafamilyres@y7mail.com

The group's rooms and library at the Girl Guide Hut are open for research at various days and times. Check here for details: http://www.cirruscomms.com.au/~cfhri/Library.htm

The Interest Group meeting dates for each month are:
Further information on meetings, specialist groups and research details can be obtained from June on (07) 5493 2679, Roz on (07) 5493 1197, or Valerie on (07) 5437 3879.  The group can also be reached by email at: caloundrafamilyres@y7mail.com

18. Looking for Family of Sgt Cyril Brennan RAAF WW2

We have received a request from a person in South Wales looking for family or friends of Sergeant Cyril Brennan. In October 1941, Sergeant Brennan was involved in a flying accident near this person's home in South Wales. He survived that event but sadly lost his life in June 1942 on operational patrol. His name appears on the Runnymede Memorial to missing airmen at Windsor, England. He may have lived in the Morningside area of Brisbane before enlisting.

If you can help please email: secretary@qfhs.org.au

19. Leane / Lane / Leahy Family Reunion

Descendants of John, Michael and Denis Leane, Margaret Leahy (nee Leane) and Honora and Eneas Lane are invited to attend a family reunion.

It will be held on Sunday, 6 May 2012 from 10:30am at Orleigh Park, West End, Brisbane - opposite 1/11 Hill End Terrace (off Montague Road). Please B.Y.O. picnic lunch, seating and photos. If it is raining, we will meet at Tim Quinn's home.

For further information, email Tim Quinn at: tim_quinn@optusnet.com.au or contact  Pat Weber at: patweber@tsn.cc
 

20. Rathdowney State School Centenary

On Saturday, 12 May 2012 the Rathdowney State School will be holding its Centenary celebrations. The day will be celebrated at the Rathdowney School grounds, Mt Lindesay Highway, Rathdowney. 

For information, email: mt.lindsay@harboursat.com.au or kylee.m@scenicrim.qld.gov.au

21. Huguenot Society Qld Chapter Talk

Up there Cazaly!  This very Australian catchcry was inspired by AFL legend Roy Cazaly, famous for his high marks and ruck works. Cazaly's ancestry is French Huguenot.  Robert Allen, a local author, is writing the Cazaly biography under the auspices of The Cazaly Sports Foundation and will be speaking on the life and times of this great sportsman at the next meeting of the Huguenot Society's Brisbane branch.

The meeting will be held on Sunday, 27 May at Toowong Library Meeting Room, Toowong Village, commencing 2pm. Come by train, bus, ferry or car. There is plenty of parking available. Entry is via gold coin donation. More information is available from Dawn Montgomery at: billyblue1802@hotmail.com or telephone (07) 3822 6569.
 

22. Unlock the Past Queensland Expo 2012

The 7th Unlock the Past History and Genealogy Expo will be held from 25 to 27 June 2012.

The Expo will be held at the Centenary State High School, 1 Moolanda Street, Jindalee. There is free parking nearby, and the school is accessible by bus.

For more details of the Expo, go to: http://bit.ly/HbIrUv

Tickets can be purchased at: http://bit.ly/FQ2Jjv

23. Kedron High School Reunion

We're looking for senior class students from 1962 Kedron High School for a 50th year reunion on 14/15 July. The reunion will be held at Norths Leagues Club, Nundah Brisbane. Tickets cost $75 per double or $40 per single. For further details, telephone Don Gordon on: 0417 060 745 or email: don@coolsurfwatch.com

24. Admission to Townsville Orphanage c.1879-c.1911 Now Available Online

The Queensland State Archives has placed the admission register and index to admissions for the Townsville Orphanage online.

You will find the index at: http://bit.ly/HxaSbY

25. Tasmanian Wills 1824-1898 Oline

Wills have been digitised and can be downloaded free of charge at: http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/

26. Lilian Watson Family History Award

The Award is for a book, produced or published, printed on paper, dealing with family history and must have a significant Tasmanian content.

In the context of the Lilian Watson Family History Award, a family history should be a work carefully and accurately researched on a single family/individual, an autobiography or group of related families. Entries close 1 December 2012.

For further information email: secretary@tasfhs.org

27. Graves of Australian Fallen Vandalised at Benghazi War Cemetery

They were 50 Australian men who left their lives at home to make the ultimate sacrifice on the war fields. Now, almost 70 years later, their families and ancestors have been delivered the brutal message that their final resting place has been desecrated.

You can read the story and see a video of the event at: http://bit.ly/zMLXsK

28. England & Wales:  Changes to Certificate Prices

Prices for Birth, Marriage and Death certificates for the above countries have recently changed.

You can read the details at: http://bit.ly/H6b0Qi

29. New U.K. Merchant Navy Seamen Records Launched

You can now search 359,000 records of Merchant Navy Seamen for the period 1835-1857 on findmypast.co.uk. These 19th century Merchant Navy records are available online for the first time.

From 1835, the central government started to monitor a potential reserve of sailors for the Royal Navy, which resulted in the creation of thousands of records that identify individual seamen. The information the records hold about your ancestors can vary, but they usually include name, age, place of birth, physical description, ship names and dates of voyages.

This release follows the 20th century Merchant Navy Seamen records, published on findmypast.co.uk in September 2011. This means you can now search two centuries of records for your Merchant Navy Seamen ancestors, making it possible for you to trace their service over time.

Enjoy searching at: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/

30. Crime and Punishment in 19th Century UK

This website is all about Crime and Punishment in the UK in the 19th Century. There is a prisoner database with actual prisoner records and case studies for a more in-depth view of the crimes and trials of some of the inmates. An interesting site even if you have no family misdemeanours you are aware of.

Enjoy browsing at: http://vcp.e2bn.org/

31. The Parish Register Transcription Society

This Society was formed in April 1999, with the aim of publishing transcripts of Parish Registers and other manuscripts/records of use to researchers in family history. Records are available for most UK counties. Searches of the Indexes are free. To view a complete entry costs from 10p to 20p.

You can search their collection via: http://prtsoc.frontisgroup.com/ 

32. University of London records

Records of students who studied or taught at the University 1836-1931 and personnel who served in the forces 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 can be found at: http://bit.ly/HGVYUa

33. How Do You Move 70,000 Delicate Books, Documents and Records?

Exeter Cathedral in Devon, England is getting ready to open a new centre to keep all its archives in one place. But how do you move thousands of documents, some of which date back to 1050?

The cathedral has invested £1.5m in refurbishing the West Wing of the Bishop's Palace to store its archives and run workshops. However, funds are not available to pay for the delicate task of moving all the items in the Cathedral's archives. The items to be moved include the cathedral's charter which dates back to 1050, when the first Bishop of Exeter, Bishop Leofric was consecrated.

You can read more in an article at: http://bbc.in/H4z6ff

34. Are You Researching Either Bradford or Wharfedale, UK?

Our Research Team has recently carried out research of a Queensland family for a gentleman in the UK and in return he has offered to assist any QFHS members with family in Bradford or Wharfedale. If this is your area of interest and you would like to take advantage of his kind offer please contact Secretary, Bev Young email secretary@qfhs.org.au for further details.

35. Canterbury Cathedral Records on the Web

FindmyPast UK has been awarded a contract by Canterbury Cathedral Archives to publish online for the first time historic records from the archive. The first phase will see a browsable version of the parish registers of the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury. An estimated 270,000 images containing over a million entries will be published on the website, covering parish churches from a wide expanse of East Kent, including the city of Canterbury, the towns of Faversham, Wye and Eltham, Thanet and towns along the east Kent coast stretching from Whitstable in the north to Hythe in the south. A fully searchable index is being created and will be available later this year. Access is free to our members in the library.

36. Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre

The Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre is a little gem waiting to be discovered. Volunteers are mostly local people, including ex fishermen, with lots of knowledge. If you have family who were fishermen in the Scarborough region you may find more information here.

Fully searchable at: http://bit.ly/nmZNj5

37. Scottish Post Office Directories Online

Scottish Post Office directories for the period 1774 to 1911 are available to read online. As well as an alphabetical list of people, these books contain street and trades directories, and often include other listings.  Go to: http://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office

A large number of Scottish Directories, including this one, have recently been catalogued and are available to members researching in our library.

38. Irish Genealogy

With its recently upgraded search facility, this site allows free searches of church records in Dublin City, County Carlow, County Cork and County Kerry.

Go to: http://www.irishgenealogy.ie/index.html

39. Kerry Local Authorities - Graveyard Records

This free searchable database contains 70,000 records from over 140 cemeteries controlled or owned by Kerry authorities. Manuscripts can also be browsed, plus the mapping tool enables burial sites to be located.

Check it out at: http://kerrylaburials.ie/en/index.aspx

40. BMBs from Welsh Archives Published Online For the First Time

Findmypast.co.uk has announced the launch of the first tranche of parish records from Wales - part of a major new project with the Welsh County Archivists Group and the National Library of Wales. 3,878,862 million records from parish registers from the Church in Wales can now be searched for the first time online comprising:

1,418,921 baptism records covering 1538-1911
950,254 marriage records covering 1539-1926
340,002 marriage banns covering 1701-1926
1,169,685 burial records covering 1539-2007

These records cover the counties of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Glamorganshire. Over next few weeks approximately 5 million more Welsh parish records from Anglesey, Brecknockshire, Caernarvonshire, Merionethshire, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire, Pembrokeshire and Radnorshire will be added to the website, enabling anyone to search the complete parish records from Wales online for the very first time.

Access is free to members in the library.

41. Boer War and Military Records

250,000 new Boer War records have been added to the Forces War Records database and are now available for military genealogy searches online. These records contain data about members of the British and Commonwealth Forces who were issued campaign or gallantry medals during the second Anglo Boer War 1899-1902. The database is at: http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/search/

The Boer Wars in South Africa resulted from over a century of conflict between the British Empire and the Boers or farmers. Large numbers of British armed forces were engaged first in open warfare, and subsequently in a long and bitter guerrilla campaign which ended with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902.

You'll find this information at: http://bit.ly/H5KyKv

Forces War Records is the definitive location for military genealogy records online. The database includes records from WW2, WW1, the Boer War, the Crimean War and beyond. It is the only online database with over 2.7 million military records of British Armed Forces personnel exclusively cross matched with over 4000 Regiments, Bases and Ships of the British Armed Forces going back to before 1350.

These records will be found at: http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/

42. Finding Your Family in Canada

Researching in Canada is vastly different than researching in the UK. This podcast gives an overview of record keeping in Canada, how the records are organised, and where to find them.

Go to: http://bit.ly/H7wZMl

43. Man's Impromptu Visit to Antique Shop Unearths Hidden Genealogical Cache

Genealogist Wayne MacDonald was visiting Winnipeg when he ducked into an antique shop to escape a snow storm. While waiting for the snow to abate, he idly thumbed through some old family photographs that were being offered for sale. His heart jumped when he recognised one of the photographs as his great-great-grandfather James MacDonald. A further search revealed over a dozen such photos of his long-dead relatives taken between 1878 and 1915.

Enjoy reading the full story at: http://yhoo.it/Aq7Oi9

44. The Veterans' Administration Moves to Prevent Problems at its Cemeteries

After reporting that it had found 102 more misplaced headstones or markers and 21 graves missing markers at its cemeteries, the Veterans Affairs Department told lawmakers that it's trying to prevent future errors by requiring contractors to keep headstones at gravesites undergoing renovations and by conducting daily inspections. The department has been auditing its cemeteries around the country and so far has found 249 problems at 13 cemeteries.

Read more at:  http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=17347

45. Online Index to Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers

Fold3, formerly known as Footnote.com, has released part of the company's Civil War Collection: the alphabetical card index to compiled service records of Union troops. The first four states to go live are Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Each index card gives the name of a soldier, his rank, and the unit in which he served. Anyone looking for a Union a soldier in the Civil War will find these cards useful in identifying the state and regiment in which a man served and how his name appears in the military records. You can then locate his records to learn about his service in the war and the battles in which his regiment fought.

You can read more at: http://bit.ly/yW9Qg6

46. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Website

A new website for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library makes it easier to locate historical and genealogical information in the Library's 12 million item collection. The website obviously contains a great deal of information about the 16th United States President but it also contains other items that will interest genealogists and historians. Such items include a list of newspapers available on microfilm by city from the early 1800s to the present day, ethnic and military service bibliographies, a searchable last name obituary finder, as well as tutorials on how to preserve and conserve your own historical documents and artifacts.

The website may be accessed at: http://www.presidentlincoln.org/  and clicking on "Library."

47. Pictures of Ellis Island Before it Became a Tourist Attraction

Ellis Island was closed in 1954 and remained abandoned for years before being resurrected as a tourist attraction and memorial to America's immigrants. An eerie series of photographs showing what Ellis Island looked like during those years of neglect is now available online.

The photos make it obvious that arrival at the immigration gateway was not a joyous occasion for every immigrant. Illness was common. Some immigrants were sent back to the "old country," including young children who were returned without being accompanied by an adult. Then there is the morgue and the mortuary building where autopsies were performed.

You can see the haunting images of America's immigration gateway at: http://bit.ly/yPQLp9

48. Virginia Historical Society Slave Database Online

The private, non-profit Virginia Historical Society has launched a free database that will be of interest to anyone researching African-American genealogy in the state. The Unknown No Longer database presently contains about 4,000 names. The plan is to add many more names over time as more than 8 million unpublished manuscripts in the society's collection are examined, including letters, diaries, ledgers, books and farm documents from Virginians dating to the 1600s.

The free, public website also provides a high-resolution copy of the antique documents that identify the slave. The free Unknown No Longer website is available at: http://unknownnolonger.vahistorical.org/

49. Wanda Sykes' Family Tree Documented Back to 1683

Anyone researching Black American genealogy can tell you how difficult the research can be. Records of Black Americans before 1865 are very difficult to find. A few people have managed to research those records back to 1800. Records back to 1700 are almost unheard of. Professional genealogists hired by the new television show, "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.," were astonished when they found documentation of one line of comedian and actress Wanda Sykes' ancestry back to 1683 in York County, Virginia.

You can read more about their research at: http://nyti.ms/GArgKh

50. Dutch Genealogy

This site helps people of Dutch descent research their Dutch ancestors. Many articles explain the research opportunities in the Netherlands, both offline and online. Other articles give background information about Dutch history in general and emigration in particular. Also, some primary sources you can use for your research are provided. Special attention is given to online research, with many links to useful websites.

Enjoy searching at: http://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/

51. Croatian Genealogy

With its list of towns, cities and counties and other general information, this site provides a good introduction to carrying out research in Croatia. Go to: http://lindonfhc.org/croatia/index.html

52. Polish Genealogy

This Polish Genealogy Podcast is hosted by Dave Newman. Each month, a new one hour episode is recorded which you can listen to at your convenience at: http://polgenpodcast.com/

53. US Couple, With Combined Age of 191, Tie the Knot

She didn't want a relationship, but he wooed her by saying he liked her dress - and they spent the next 15 years, in their words, "living together in sin". That all changed for 95-year-old Lillian Hartley and 98-year-old Allan Marks when they recently married near their home in Palm Springs, California, The Desert Sun reported that appear to have beaten a Guinness World Record - for oldest combined age of a couple on their wedding into the bargain. The two, who call themselves the "Romeo and Juliet of senior citizens," have lived 191 years, 126 days between them.

You can read more about the lovebirds at: http://bit.ly/xvxd8A

54. The LDS Church Puts Up a Virtual Firewall to Access of the Names of Holocaust Victims

Mormon leaders have put up a virtual firewall in their massive genealogical database to block out anyone who attempts to access the names of hundreds of thousands of Holocaust victims the church has agreed not to posthumously baptise.
The move comes amid criticism that the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hasn't done enough to live up to commitments to stop its members worldwide from performing the baptism ritual on Holocaust victims and other notable Jews.

The new system will immediately block church members' access should they try to seek out names of Holocaust victims or other notable figures that have been flagged as not suitable for proxy baptisms. The church said the move is aimed at ending the practice.

You can read more at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=17344

55. Mormon Leaders Warn Members to Heed Rules on Proxy Baptisms

Members of the LDS Church perform a ritual known as "baptism for the dead" that involves living people being baptised on behalf of their dead relatives. Mormons believe it is their moral obligation to do the temple rituals, while those in the hereafter can either accept or reject the ordinance. The result benefits genealogists, as all of us, church members and non-members alike, are allowed to access the records of deceased individuals that are collected as part of the process.

LDS members have a "preeminent obligation" to submit only their own ancestors to the rituals but some overzealous members have submitted non-relatives, including Anne Frank, Gandhi and Elvis. Now the church's leaders are reminding members that any name submitted for proxy rituals "should be related to the submitter."

Recently, the LDS Church's governing First Presidency issued an unequivocal mandate to its members: Do not submit names of Jewish Holocaust victims or celebrities for proxy baptism. Doing so could cost Mormons' access to their church's genealogical data or even their good standing in the faith.

Details are available at: http://bit.ly/xAA2Y3

56. USS Monitor Crewmembers' Faces Reconstructed

When the turret of the USS Monitor was raised from the ocean bottom, two skeletons and the tattered remnants of their uniforms were discovered in the rusted hulk of the Union Civil War ironclad. Now, thanks to forensic reconstruction, the two have faces.

In a long-shot bid that combines science and educated guesswork, researchers hope those reconstructed faces will help someone identify the unknown Union sailors who went down with the Monitor 150 years ago. You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/y9vQlv

57. Search More Than 40,000 Digitised Genealogy and Family History Books

You can search through more than 40,000 digitised genealogy and family history books from the archives of seven important family history libraries in the United States. Best of all, it is available right now and all of it is free of charge. Every word in every book is searchable.

You can perform a search at http://books.familysearch.org/ or click on the links to the individual libraries themselves. The materials in the collections include family histories, county and local histories, genealogy magazines, how-to books, gazetteers, and medieval histories and pedigrees.

Not all the books in all libraries have yet been digitised. It is an on-going effort. If you don't find what you want in a search today, come back in a few months and try again. The book you seek may have been added by that time. Check out this valuable resource at: http://books.familysearch.org/

58. Effort to Preserve WWI Artifacts

A unique effort is taking place in Europe to preserve WWI artifacts as part of a WWI roadshow to cross 10 countries. People are being asked to help create an archive of World War One memorabilia. They are being asked to take letters, photos, diaries and other items to a WW1 Family History Roadshow at the Museum of Lancashire, Preston.

The Preston roadshow is one of the first in a series that is being rolled-out across 10 countries in Europe this year to create a unique pan-European account of WW1 that is available to everyone and be stored in the virtual archive at: http://www.europeana1914-1918.eu/en

You can read more in article at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=17305

59. Handwritten Journals from Lizzie Borden's Lawyer to be Published

The story, and especially the trial, of Lizzie Borden has fascinated many for years. Now some new evidence may soon be available, 120 years after the murder. Lizzie Borden was tried for killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet on 4 August, 1892. The murders and subsequent trial was sensationalised by the media worldwide. Although Lizzie Borden was acquitted, no one else was ever arrested or tried and she has remained a notorious figure in American folklore. Dispute over the identity of the killer or killers continues to this day. The question remains: did Lizzie commit the murders?

At the trial, Lizzie was defended by Andrew V. Jennings. Jennings kept a journal during the trial and his papers have survived and now have been donated to the Fall River Historical Society. The journals reportedly contain information that has never been published. The journals are extremely fragile and will be conserved and transcribed, and eventually published by the society.

You can read more in an article at: http://bit.ly/zwFdZI

60. Titanic 1912 - 2012

To commemorate the centenary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic The National Archives UK have created a new page that includes biographical accounts of individuals on board, short videos and podcasts.

You can also search passenger and crew lists from across Titanic, Olympic (Titanic's sister ship) and Carpathia, the ship that rescued the survivors from the lifeboats. Check it out at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/titanic/

61. 1800s Couple's Portraits Reunited with Help of Genealogy and Granddaughter

It might be the first time a separated couple got back together thanks to their great-great-great granddaughter. The attractive young couple is Benjamin and Maria Gratz, or more accurately their portraits, which were painted in 1831 by noted English-born Philadelphia artist Thomas Sully but somehow the portraits parted ways an unknown number of years ago.

Benjamin has been hanging for decades at the Rosenbach Museum & Library along with other members of the Gratz family, who were prominent in early Philadelphia's business and philanthropic worlds. The whereabouts of Maria's portrait had been unknown for years.

Thanks to an online blog, Maria's portrait has been located and the owner has since donated the painting to the Rosenbach Museum & Library. Maria and her husband Benjamin now are gazing affectionately at each other.

You can read the full story at: http://bit.ly/H7ms0m

62. Your Paintings

Are there paintings of your ancestors or places where they lived? At Your Paintings, you can search by artist's surname or what's in the paintings.

Have fun searching at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/

63. Handouts from Who Do You Think You Are

At this site you'll find all the handouts from the live version of this show.

Enjoy downloading at: http://www.sog.org.uk/events/2012show-handouts.shtml

64. My Family Tree

My family tree died in the last drought.
My family tree has me stumped.
My family tree has root rot!
My family tree is a few branches short!
My family tree is full of NOT holes... it's NOT him, it's NOT her!!
My family tree is full of nuts.
My family tree is lost somewhere in the forest.
My family tree keeps leaning to the east!!
My family tree must be a pecan because it is full of nuts.
My family tree must have been used for firewood
My family tree needs more wood and less sap.
My family tree needs to produce more wood and less nuts.
My family tree's roots went underground.

65. Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all those who have taken time out to send items of interest to our "Snippets" mailbox at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

The more we receive, the more frequently we can produce a Newsletter. If your submission does not appear in this issue, we will try to include it in a future edition. Please note that reference to any product does not imply endorsement. Members are cautioned to evaluate products prior to purchase.

Pauline Macfarlane

Disclaimer: This newsletter is produced in good faith, and information received is deemed to be accurate, but the editor takes no responsibility for incorrect information supplied. [Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of QFHS]

Permission to reprint articles from QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER is granted unless specifically stated otherwise, provided: (1) the reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the article: "Previously published in QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER" with the appropriate date and volume number (eg QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER January 2009 Vol 9 No. 1). The last six months issues of Snippets are available from: http://www.qfhs.org.au/snippets.html

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