QFHS Snippets - May 2011 Volume 11, No. 5

Dear [member]

Introduce friends and family to the QFHS library at our ‘open house’ during Heritage Week.

Do you have ancestors from the Warwick region? Submit their details to celebrate Warwick’s 150th birthday.

Those with ancestors who fought in World War I can add an online tribute at a new website.

Read how Karin Vogel is 4,973rd in line to become Queen of England!

Thanks for all your feedback regarding Snippets’ size and lay-out. Overwhelmingly, you enjoy its current format, and appreciate the effort made to produce this e-letter.

Many of you want more articles. That’s fortunate, because May’s Snippets is even larger than last month’s edition!

Happy researching!

Let us know your thoughts at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

Table of Contents

    1. About This Newsletter
    2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
    3. QFHS Dates to Remember
    4. Library Assistants' Meeting
    5. Findmypast.com.uk. Discount for QFHS Members
    6. QFHS and Heritage Week
    7. Queensland State Archives 2011 Seminar
    8. Queensland State Archives 2011 Saturday Openings
    9. Welsh Society of the Sunshine Coast
    10. St Helena Island, Moreton Bay 'An Historical Account' Book Launch
    11. British Child Migration Program
    12. Caloundra Family History Research Inc.CD-Rom Launch
    13. Warwick Celebrates 150 years
    14. National Boer War Day
    15. Queensland State Archives - Seminar
    16. 140th Anniversary of Toowong Cemetery
    17. Convictism in Brisbane in the Federation Era
    18. Index to Immigrants Landed at Brisbane 1885 - 1917
    19. Renamed Places in Queensland
    20. Dictionary of Sydney: Circus
    21. Manning Wallamba Family History Society Inc
    22. New South Australian Cemetery Site Online
    23. Lilian Watson Family History Award, 2011
    24. Founders & Survivors
    25. National Museum of Australia - Irish Family History
    26. Not Just Ned Exhibition: a True History of the Irish in Australia
    27. Mapping our Anzacs
    28. Obituaries Australia
    29. Your Memento E-Magazine
    30. National Maritime Museum UK
    31. National Archives (UK) Launch Discovery Service
    32. Deceased Online Adds 70,000 Burial Records for Two Hertfordshire Councils
    33. Scottish Genealogist
    34. Ireland's Archival Collections Now Available to Search Online
    35. Anglesey Archive Service
    36. International Society for British Genealogy and Family History
    37. Historical Maps of Nova Scotia Go Online
    38. United States Naturalisation Record Holdings
    39. USGenWeb Project
    40. Online American Patriot Research at the DAR Website
    41. The Easy Way to Add Maps to Your Family History Projects
    42. Virginia Tech Launches First of Civil War Newspapers Online
    43. WhatWasThere: See How Cities and Towns Looked In The Past
    44. The Myth of Wearing White Gloves
    45. Kip Sperry's Family History Internet Sites
    46. Warning From the Ancestors
    47. Kate Middleton's Coat of Arms
    48. The Daily Transcriber
    49. Easter Sunday Calculator
    50. When is a Marriage Not a Marriage?
    51. Genespdf.com
    52. The Silver Bowl
    53. DNA Identifies Titanic's Unknown Child
    54. Man 'Blown Away' to Learn Father Delivered Obama
    55. Sisters Reunited After 47 Years
    56. Lost WWI Postcard Finally Arrives
    57. Number 4,973 in Line to Become Queen of England
    58. May's Mirth
    59. 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.htm#Library

Please note that the library will be closed on: Monday, 2 May - Labour Day Holiday

3.     QFHS Dates to Remember

QFHS Monthly General Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month (but not in January and December), at the QFHS Library, and start at 7:30pm. Attendance is free, and visitors are welcome.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 18 May.

Morag Hutton will be speaking about "What made the Danish Jews different in World War II."
________________________________________

QFHS Daytime Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (but not in January and December) at 20 Marmont Street, Geebung from 10am - 12 Noon.

The next meeting will be held on 9 May.

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 28 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, 26 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, 21 May.

For further information contact FHWriters@qfhs.org.au OR Robert Adamson on (07) 3266 8353 OR Sue Reid on (07) 3378 2278.
________________________________________

Family Tree Maker User Group

These meetings run from 10am - 11:30am at QFHS Library and are held on 1st Friday each month except January 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 (or TMG) User Group

After being hosted for more than six years by QFHS member, Peter Collins, the Brisbane TMG User Group has become a welcome addition to the Society's special interest groups. The 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 May.
For a limited period, new members to the group will have the opportunity to purchase The Master Genealogist v7 Gold Edition at a bargain price.

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

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: 11 June.

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, 14 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, 22 May.

Contact Paul Wood on welsh@qfhs.org.au for further information.

4. LibraryAssistants' Meeting

A Library Assistants' Meeting will be held on the morning of Saturday, 7 May 2011 at the QFHS Library and Resource Centre. Library Assistants are invited to attend and meet fellow library assistants, committee members, and other key people.  You will also hear about some of the library features and have a chance to have your queries answered. All members are welcome; perhaps you are interested in becoming a library assistant and want to know more about the role. Look for an invitation in your mailbox and the sign-on sheet on the Library Assistants' desk.

5.  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

6. QFHS and Heritage Week

To celebrate Heritage Week (8 to 15 May) our centre will host Open House during regular opening hours. Maybe you have a relative or friend who would like to browse our books and records or just check out our facility.  As usual, for such special occasions, we waive the joining fee for those who take out membership.

7. Queensland State Archives 2011 Seminar

Would you like to start research at Queensland State Archives, but don't know where to begin? Then come along to the 'Getting Started' seminar on Tuesday, 3 May from 10 am. Presented by one of Queensland State Archives' experienced reference archivists, this seminar will provide you with the basics to begin your research at Queensland State Archives.

For more information, or to book, call (07) 3131 7777 or go to: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/events.asp

8. Queensland State Archives 2011 Saturday Openings

In 2011, Queensland State Archives will be open to the public on the second Saturday of every calendar month from 9am to 4:30pm. The 2011 Saturday opening dates for the next three months are:
Queensland State Archives are located at 435 Compton Road, Runcorn, Queensland.

For more details, go to: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/hours.asp

9. Welsh Society of the Sunshine Coast

The above society presents 'Cymanfa Ganu' - Festival of Music from 2pm on Sunday, 15 May at Caloundra Uniting Church, Queen Street, Caloundra, Queensland. The program includes:
Entrance is free with collection to defray expenses, and complimentary light refreshments will be provided.

10. St Helena Island, Moreton Bay 'An Historical Account'    Book Launch

You're invited to join Queensland Prison & Penal Historical Association and Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service to celebrate this special event. This lavishly illustrated book brings to life the island's rich history, from the early days of Aboriginal occupation and the European invasion, through to St Helena's current status as a popular tourist destination. The book will be launched by Cr. Debra Henry, Redland City Council, along with several guest speakers.

The book launch will be on Saturday, 14 May at Fort Lytton, South St off Lytton Rd, Lytton. Gates open 1pm; book launch begins at 1:30pm. Bookings are essential - cost is $5 per person with numbers being limited to 100. Afternoon tea and refreshments provided. To book, phone: (07) 3393 5130 or email: info@tlcbooks.com.au

11. British Child Migration Program

ABC Radio National Show Australia Talks will broadcast a feature specifically on the British child migration program; prompted by the soon-to-be released movie, Oranges and Sunshine.  The feature will be broadcast on Wednesday, 18 May from 6pm.

12. Caloundra Family History Research Inc.CD-Rom Launch

Caloundra Family History Research Inc. is launching its latest indexing project on Thursday, 19 May 2011 at its 18th Birthday Party from 1pm. The group's Patron, State Member for Caloundra, Mark McArdle, will officiate at the Guide Hut in Arthur Street, Caloundra. The CD being launched is: Gregson & Weight Funeral Directors Caloundra, Maroochydore & Nambour - Index to records 1971 - 2010.

An important asset for researchers, the index covers close to 20,000 entries, and details all funerals conducted by this major firm of funeral directors. It includes the full name, alias, age at time of death, and funeral location, together with the addresses of the cemeteries and crematoria mentioned in the index.  There is also reference to Gregson & Weight's records for further details, if required by researchers.

Cost of the CD-ROM is $30 pre-launch; $35 after 20 May 2011 (including postage and packing in Australia). Please email any orders to the group at: caloundrafamilyres@y7mail.com Enquiries can be directed to Valerie Thornton on: (07) 5437 3879.

13. Warwick Celebrates 150 years

Southern Downs Regional Council has organised a celebration over 10 days - from Friday, 20 May to Sunday, 29 May 2011.  A huge number of activities including exhibitions and heritage tours to reflect the rich history of the area are planned.  Sunday, 29 May, will see the official opening of the Family History Centre at Glengallon Homestead; one of the first pastoral runs on the Darling Downs. 

Do you have ancestry from Warwick's past in your family tree?  If, so submit their story to Council by 10 May to be included as part of the Family History Display being held in the Warwick library during this period.  For further information go to: http://www.warwick150.com/

14. National Boer War Day

The National Boer War Memorial Association will conduct a commemoration ceremony in ANZAC Square Brisbane, at the base of the Boer War Memorial on Tuesday, 31 May. Guest speaker day will be Air Commodore (Retired) Peter Growder. For more information, contact Colleen O'Leary at: olearycolleen@hotmail.com

15. Queensland State Archives - Seminar

Come and celebrate Queensland Day with Queensland State Archives with a seminar and tour of the Archives. Featuring Queensland State Archives' most significant records from the state's early history, this seminar will offer the rare opportunity to view the Proclamation of Queensland as read by Governor Bowen on 10 December 1859. Entry is free and tea and coffee is available following the seminar.

The seminar will be held on Tuesday, 7 June from 10 am - 12 Noon at Queensland State Archives, Lecture Theatre 2 at 435 Compton Road, Runcorn, Brisbane. For more information, and to make your booking, call (07) 3131 7777.

16. 140th Anniversary of Toowong Cemetery

A re-enactment of the military funeral cortege of Governor Samuel Wensley Blackall will take place at Toowong Cemetery commencing at 10am on Sunday, 24 July 2011.  Also the Peter Jackson Memorial restoration unveiling will commence at 2pm.  The main entrance will be closed for the day, but onsite parking will be available via Richer Street, Toowong.  All enquiries to: 0417 404 960.

17. Convictism in Brisbane in the Federation Era

Jan Richardson, a new member of QFHS and a graduate student at University of New England, is undertaking a year-long research project on the legacy of convictism in Brisbane in the Federation era. She would like to hear from anyone whose family was living in Brisbane around 1900, particularly if they were descended from convicts or early settlers/pioneers.

Information is also being sought on attitudes to convicts and Queensland's convict history, either in terms of personal stories (what was your family's reaction to discovering a convict ancestor? were your ancestors proud of being free settlers rather than convicts?) or published/unpublished material from the Federation era (books, newspaper articles, diaries etc which refer to Queensland's convict past in any way). Please email Jan at: jricha32@une.edu.au by 31 December 2011.

18. Index to Immigrants Landed at Brisbane 1885 - 1917

This index was compiled from Series ID 13097, Registers of Immigrants per Ship Landed at Immigration Depot at Brisbane, 1885-1917.

There are nine registers in this series. These registers record the arrival of immigrants per ship landed at the Immigration Depot at Brisbane. Details for each entry under the name of the ship and date of arrival could include the immigrant's name, age, married or single, trade or occupation, read, write, and religion, county or country of origin, date of departure from depot, whether under engagement, name and address of person by whom engaged, or their own private residence if they have one (not all possible entries were completed consistently).

Also available is the List of Ships Arriving 1885-1917. This list records the ships listed in the Index in alphabetical order and their arrival dates.

Go to this page for both lists: http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/research/index/registers_immi.asp

19. Renamed Places in Queensland

Has your research turned up a place name you can't find on a current map? Then check this new list of 800+ renamed places in Queensland, covering towns, streets etc.

Have fun at: http://www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Other/Renamed-Places-in-Queensland.html

20. Dictionary of Sydney: Circus

The online Dictionary of Sydney now includes Mark St Leon's essay on the history of circus in Sydney. It includes contemporary illustrations and several film clips.

Look it up at: http://dictionaryofsydney.wordpress.com/

Please note that QFHS has the CD on the circus and travelling people in Australia available at QFHS library.

21. Manning Wallamba Family History Society Inc

The April edition (number 118) of The Figtree is now online at: http://www.manningwallambafhs.com.au/

In addition, the Society is currently working on a project to record graves on private property and unmarked and isolated graves. Information on this project is on the society's home page above

22. New South Australian Cemetery Site Online

For those researching in South Australia there is a new website containing information on Enfield, Cheltenham, Smithfield and West Terrace Cemeteries.

You'll find it at: http://www.aca.sa.gov.au/RecordsSearch.aspx

23. Lilian Watson Family History Award, 2011

Are you the author of a book dealing with family history and with a significant Tasmanian content?    If so, the Tasmanian Family History Society would like you to submit an entry for the above award.

For further information or to obtain an entry form, contact: secretary@tasfhs.org  Entries close 1 December 2011.

24. Founders & Survivors

Founders & Survivors is a partnership between historians, genealogists, demographers and population health researchers. It seeks to record and study the founding population of 73,000 men women and children who were transported to Tasmania. Many survived their convict experience and went on to help build a new society.

You'll find the website at: http://www.foundersandsurvivors.org/

25. National Museum of Australia - Irish Family History

This site includes family history, resources, Irish convicts and more.

Check it out at: http://www.nma.gov.au/irish/

26. Not Just Ned Exhibition: a True History of the Irish in Australia

Many of Australia's greatest stories are Irish stories, and nearly 500 rare and unique objects from Australian and international collections have been brought together to tell these stories at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.  "Where the action was in Australian history, there also were the Irish'.  So wrote Patrick O'Farrell, in his lifetime Australia's leading authority on the Irish in Australia.  The exhibition is on show until 31 July 2011.

For more information go to: http://nma.gov.au/index.html

27. Mapping our Anzacs

The National Archives of Australia has added a new feature on their website - "Scrapbook your ANZAC memories aka "Mapping Our ANZACs". The site allows you to browse the records of service of those who served in World War 1 by place of birth or enlistment. You can view details of individual servicemen and view their full service record. If you find a service person of interest you can add a note or photograph to the site's digital scrapbook. The third part of the site allows you to build a tribute to a group of service personnel. Registration is required to add to the scrapbook or to build a tribute.

Check it out at: http://mappingouranzacs.naa.gov.au/

28. Obituaries Australia

Obituaries Australia is a digital repository of obituaries published in newspapers, journals, magazines and bulletins. Here you will find the life stories of Australians from the earliest times to the present. This site is hosted by the National Centre of Biography at the Australian National University. Obituaries Australia offers a convenient online format of published obituaries relevant to the history of Australia. The dynamic Advanced Search function offers the ability to search by occupation, life dates, birthplace, religion, ethnicity, author and source.  It is a valuable tool for researching Australia's rich cultural and social history. You can help to expand Obituaries Australia by sending copies of published obituaries and assisting to complete Life Summary forms.

For more information go to http://oa.anu.edu.au/

29. Your Memento E-Magazine

The launch issue of the National Archives' e-magazine, Your Memento, is now available online. Building on the success the long running-magazine Memento, Your Memento takes you deep into the Archives' collection to provide an insight into the people, places and decisions that have shaped our nation.

In this issue of Your Memento, explore 1980 as revealed through Cabinet records, the experiences of Australian patrol officers in Papua New Guinea, how Australia responded to 'nasho', and much more.

Enjoy reading at: http://yourmemento.naa.gov.au/

30. National Maritime Museum UK

The Caird Library and E-Library closed to all visitors on 21 April for the move of the collections into the Sammy Ofer Wing. The new Caird Library will open on Thursday, 14 July. A full service with access to all the collections will start on Monday, 5 September 2011 or earlier if possible.

More information is available at: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/researchers/library/visiting/

31. National Archives (UK) Launch Discovery Service

The National Archives (UK) has launched a new search facility to provide easier access to records. The "Discovery service" has been released in beta. The new service enables you to filter search results by subject, date and series origin.

Check it out at:  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/561.htm

32. Deceased Online Adds 70,000 Burial Records for Two Hertfordshire Councils

70,000 burial records for two areas in the county of Hertfordshire have recently been added to this website. Deceased Online has uploaded 40,000 burial records for Cheshunt Cemetery (1855-2003) and Ware Road Cemetery, Hoddesdon (1883-2003).

In addition, 30,000 records across four cemeteries which are: Heath Lane Cemetery (1878-2010) and Woodwells Cemetery (1960-2010) in Hemel Hempstead; Tring Cemetery (1894-2010); and Kingshill Cemetery, Berkhamsted (1947-2010).

Records for the two areas include digital scans of burial registers (as available) and details of grave occupants so that users of Deceased Online can access a good range of data.  A major advantage with Deceased Online is that users need not know the cemetery, town, city, county or local authority area where the person they are looking for was buried or cremated.  Deceased Online enables UK-wide searching by name with a variety of search tools and filters to enable users to easily locate the subject of their search.

Enjoy searching at: http://www.deceasedonline.com/

33. Scottish Genealogist

This is a link to the Index of the Scottish Genealogist 1953-2005, via Society of Australian Genealogists Facebook page:
http://www.scotsgenealogy.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=qp7UiZKgOjo%3d&tabid=124&mid=463

QFHS has in its library the following years of this journal: Vol1 - 4 (1954-1957); and Vol 25 - 43 (1978-1996). Its shelf number is P11 50 6.

34. Ireland's Archival Collections Now Available to Search Online

The Irish Archives Resource is a new website which will, for the first time in Ireland, enable catalogues of Ireland's archival collections to be searched online. The website includes records of current and defunct government and local government agencies, individuals, landed estates, clubs, societies, trade unions, religious organisations, cultural and political organisations etc.

Enjoy searching at: http://www.iar.ie/

35. Anglesey Archive Service

Work has started in Llangefni on an exciting project to provide a new archives and modern records facility for the Island of Anglesey. The new premises will open to the public on Monday, 3 October 2011. In order to prepare for the move, the Anglesey Archives Service will temporarily close to the public with effect from Monday, 30 May 2011. Access to collections therefore, will not be possible between June and September 2011.

36. International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

The 2011 British Institute will be held from 3-7 October 2011 at The Radisson Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah United States. Enjoy:
More information can be found at: http://www.isbgfh.org/institute.htm

37. Historical Maps of Nova Scotia Go Online

For those genealogists doing research on Nova Scotia, the following is a list of maps available online:
You can learn more at the Nova Scotia Archives web site at: http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/maps/

38. United States Naturalisation Record Holdings

This website lists all the naturalisation record holdings that can be ordered online from the United States National Archives. You can take a quick look at the table where all the States and Cities in the National Archives system, as well as all the year ranges that records exist for each city are listed.

You'll find it at: http://www.bloodandfrogs.com/p/naturalization.html

39. USGenWeb Project

The USGenWeb Project is a site run by volunteers to provide free genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States. The site is organised by state and county; largely providing links to other websites on the Internet with resources for those locations. This is a useful website for anyone looking for ideas for their United States research.

Have fun searching at: http://www.usgenweb.org/

40. Online American Patriot Research at the DAR Website

Over the last decade, the National Society of the Daughters (DAR) of the American Revolution have built a website that is of great help if you are searching for American Revolutionary War patriot soldiers. If you are searching for loyalist information, you will not find data on the DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS), except the possible reference to books held within the DAR library.

The DAR Genealogical Research System is a combination of several databases created in recent years to organise the large quantity of information that the DAR has collected since its beginning in 1890.

The database is available at: http://www.dar.org/library/online_research.cfm

41. The Easy Way to Add Maps to Your Family History Projects

Would you like to include United States maps in your family history projects, but can't find what you want? A service provided by the United States Government will provide maps for you. Best of all, there are no copyrights on the maps. You can use them in commercial books as well as for personal purposes.
The National Atlas is a map-making platform sponsored by the United States Federal Government that lets you build your own maps. You can use the National Atlas templates to create maps that cover all of the United States or just your area of interest.

More information about the website is at: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/04/the-easy-way-to-add-maps-to-your-family-history-projects.html

To visit the National Atlas, go to: http://www.nationalatlas.gov/


42. Virginia Tech Launches First of Civil War Newspapers Online

The American Civil War Newspapers website is now online. It is available free of charge. Users may search by keyword, or browse the pages either on their own or by predefined topics. The ultimate goal of the American Civil War Newspapers database is to select a representative group of journals to index, with digital images of the newspapers themselves, for use by students and scholars. The newspapers selected will be a representative sampling of Union and Confederate, urban and small town, Eastern and Western, pro- and anti-administration.

The online American Civil War Newspapers may be found at: https://dcr.emd.vt.edu/vital/access/manager/Index

43. WhatWasThere: See How Cities and Towns Looked In The Past

This web site should interest any genealogist or historian. It provides a platform where anyone can easily upload a photograph with two straightforward tags to provide context: Location and Year.

What Was There encourages everyone to upload old photographs of any place in the world. Visitors to the website can view these photographs by browsing to different locations on a map. You can see what different sections of your city or any other place in the world used to look like. With each photograph there are details that you can view to obtain further information. Amongst other things, these details include the year the photo was taken. Sections of the photographs can be magnified to get a better look at those old photos.

You can check out WhatWasThere at http://www.whatwasthere.com/

44. The Myth of Wearing White Gloves

Archivists and curators have long required the use of white cotton gloves for handling very old paper or old books, when the paper is brittle and threatens to crumble. In fact, on recent episodes of the popular television series Who Do You Think You Are? the guests and even some of the experts shown in the program were criticised for not wearing cotton gloves when handling old documents. However, experts now say that the use of white gloves not only provides a false sense of security but even can induce more damage than handling the same documents with bare hands! On the other hand, simple frequent washing and drying of the hands may be the better solution.

Read more at: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/03/the-myth-of-wearing-white-gloves.html

45. Kip Sperry's Family History Internet Sites

Kip Sperry, has produced a family history "links" website. It's simple, direct, and includes the sites that Kip feels are the most important. Kip's site is broken down into a dozen categories.

You'll find this useful site at: https://sites.google.com/site/familyhistoryinternetsites/

46. Warning From the Ancestors

Ancient tablets located around Japan's coastline provided a warning from ancestors. The warning saved the people of the tiny hamlet of Aneyoshi, Japan when modern sea walls failed to protect so many from Japan's recent destructive tsunami. The centuries-old tablet says: "High dwellings are the peace and harmony of our descendants. Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build any homes below this point." Read more about the tablets and see photographs at: http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/BREAKING-NEWS/PHOTO-OF-THE-DAY-br-Warning-from-the-ancestors-643751

47. Kate Middleton's Coat of Arms

Kate Middleton's family has had a coat of arms designed, which was featured on the souvenir royal wedding programme. Her father Michael commissioned the heraldic design to mark his daughter's marriage to Prince William on 29 April.

A video on the BBC web site shows the new coat of arms as Thomas Woodcock, Garter Principal King of Arms, explains the meaning of the various items shown.

You can see the video at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13127145

48. The Daily Transcriber

The Daily Genealogy Transcriber is a site where a new handwriting sample is posted every day. The sample is usually a signature. Readers can guess at the interpretation. The website owner usually knows the answer and waits at least 24 hours before posting the answer.

Old images, with guesses and answers, are left up on the website which makes for interesting reading. Seeing how others read a name gives additional insight into indexers and indexing errors.

Check it out at: http://genealogytranscriber.blogspot.com/

49. Easter Sunday Calculator

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox on 21 March. Knowing the date of Easter can be useful for genealogists. Many times, you will find an old family photograph that is cryptically labeled, "Easter 1938." What date was the photograph taken?

Some religions, such as Catholic and Episcopal, did not allow marriages during Lent. By knowing the exact date for Easter (and the 40 days of Lent before) can help pinpoint when a marriage would not have taken place.

This web site has an online calculator that will determine the exact date for Easter for any year since the Gregorian calendar has been in use - 14 September, 1752. The Easter Sunday Calculator is available at http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/easter.html

While visiting the site, you might also want to check out the age calculator, the calculator for determining birthdates from tombstone information, the day of the week calculator, the perpetual calendar, cousin calculator, and more.

You can start at: http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/

There is even information on the Gregorian calendar at: http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/gregorian.html

50. When is a Marriage Not a Marriage?

Some marriages turn out to be shams. Then there is the case of Erie residents Timothy Booth and Myra King. Their purported marriage appears to have been a hoax. The minister whose name appears on their marriage licence does not exist, and neither does the minister's church.

Now a County judge must decide how to unravel the union - nearly 12 years after Booth and King, according to the disputed marriage license, wed on Dec. 1, 1999.

Read about it at: http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/8dfa79ea18a94dcaa5e2c5496887efd4/PA--Member-Exchange-Marriage-Question/

51. Genespdf.com

At this website, you can search through historical and genealogical books and documents in the popular PDF format. They can be read on your portable Sony or Android reader, Ipad or Kindle, or you can read them on your computer with a PDF reader. You can look through the site and find E-books to purchase. Once payment is received, you will have instant access to your E-Books from your account control panel.

Have a look at: http://www.genespdf.com/

52. The Silver Bowl

This site is a repository for much of the material assembled as part of ongoing research into the story of The Silver Bowl: http://www.thesilverbowl.com/misc/silver_bowl.htm
Its focus is primarily on the families of Northern Ireland, but not exclusively. It follows these people to Hong Kong, Canada, USA, Australia, South Africa and many other places at:  http://www.thesilverbowl.com/index.html

There is also information on the history of building on The Peak in Hong Kong.

You can find information and photographs at: http://www.thesilverbowl.com/history/ThePeakHK.html

53. DNA Identifies Titanic's Unknown Child

Five days after the passenger ship the Titanic sank, the crew of the rescue ship Mackay-Bennett pulled the body of a fair-haired, roughly 2-year-old boy out of the Atlantic Ocean on April 21, 1912. Along with many other victims, his body went to a cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the crew of the Mackay-Bennett had a headstone dedicated to the "unknown child" placed over his grave.

When it sank, the Titanic took the lives of 1,497 of the 2,209 people aboard with it. Some bodies were recovered, but names remained elusive, while others are still missing. But researchers believe that they have finally resolved the identity of the unknown child - concluding that he was 19-month-old Sidney Leslie Goodwin from England.

You can read this interesting story about modern science being used to identify unknown individuals in history in a story by LiveScience.com at: http://goo.gl/9IYp8

54. Man 'Blown Away' to Learn Father Delivered Obama

United States President Barack Obama recently released the long-form version of his birth certificate, identifying the Hawaii doctor who delivered him. Karl Sinclair, son of Dr. David Sinclair, said his family was "blown away" and "honoured" to learn that the late obstetrician had delivered a baby who had become president. David Sinclair's signature is underneath Obama's mother's signature on the long-form birth certificate. According to Karl Sinclair, his father delivered babies across the state of Hawaii at the time of Obama's birth. The elder Sinclair died in 2003 at age 81. Obama released the long-form version in an effort to stop the ongoing "silliness" about where he was born.

You can read the story at: http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110427/birth-certificate-obama-110427/20110427/?hub=CalgaryHome

55. Sisters Reunited After 47 Years

It had been about 47 years since Joyce had spoken to her two older sisters - Linda and Betty. Two months ago, however, all that changed when she stepped into the genealogy room on the second floor at Cooper Memorial Library in Clermont. She has since been reunited with her older sister Linda and is still searching for Betty.

Read more about the sisters at: http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/042211Genealogy1

56. Lost WWI Postcard Finally Arrives

A postcard lost by a Great War soldier being treated in a village hall hospital 96 years ago has been returned to relatives. Local carpenters found Private Edward Wolstencroft's card while fixing floorboards in the village hall at Shepreth, Cambridgeshire.

Local amateur genealogist Chris East tracked down Private Wolstencroft's nephew, Paul Wolstencroft - who is in his 60s and lives in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire.

You can read more about the discovery at: http://bfbs.com/news/england/lost-ww1-postcard-finally-arrives-46795.html

57. Number 4,973 in Line to Become Queen of England

Karin Vogel of Rostock, Germany, could become the queen of England. She is a descendant of Sophia of Hanover, a relatively obscure German princess selected by the English Parliament in 1701 to inherit the crown.

If a few thousand people would just disappear, Ms. Vogel would be leading a far more enchanting life. She would be the queen of England. By the account of some genealogists, she is the last person in line to the throne.

Read more about Karin Vogel at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704889404576276502793788310.html

58. May's Mirth

A family history shows you have lived!
Blessed are the elderly for they remember what we never knew.
A well-written life is as rare as a well-spent one.
Age is a high price to pay for maturity!
A generation that ignores history has neither past nor future.
Search long enough and EVERYONE connects somehow.
There is no such thing as a useless piece of information.
The world is run by those who show up for the meeting.
Trees without roots fall over.
We are all related...relatively speaking.
It's hard to believe that someday I'll be an ancestor.
Searching for lost relatives? Just win the lottery!
So many dead men! So little time!
My roots only go down so far, but my branches spread forever!
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, no one found!
Snoopers welcome! Feel free to provide comments and relatives!
A new cousin a day keeps the boredom away.

59. 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.htm

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