Tasmanian Convict Biography – Daniel Crane Camden Town Origins – Life of Crime My fifth great grandfather, Daniel Crane was a convict transported to Van Diemen’s Land in 1822 for stealing a tea chest full of goods. He was twenty years old and no stranger to crime. He kept things local. The crimes for which.. read more →
Biography of A World War I Soldier – Private William David Maher William David Maher, my first cousin three times removed, was the first of our family to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force following Britain’s declaration of war against Germany. He signed up exactly one month after enlistment opened for Australian volunteers, on 10.. read more →
Colonial Irish Stew Technically it is autumn…just. Even though the days are still occasionally hot the evenings are cool. It’s time to get the slow cooker out for a comforting stew. As it is St Patrick’s Day I am reflecting on my Irish heritage. I have prepared some traditional Irish fare to share with my.. read more →
Celebrate Anastasia Maher On this International Women’s Day, I’d like to celebrate the life of my great great grandmother Anastasia Maher. She was born at a time and a place where a new world was emerging. Her childhood was spent in a melting pot of cultures fixated with making a fortune on the Bendigo goldfields… read more →
My grandfather left me a small blue bottle that has Chinese characters embossed on it. He showed this item to me a few years prior to his passing. At the time I thought he was indicating that this would be mine when the time came because I was the only family member who was interested.. read more →
Satisfaction and a sense of achievement is what I felt when I held a copy of my publication for the first time. Family history writing is like that. After many years of research that ramped up towards the end, the compilation was complete. Thanks, in part goes to the 150 plus members of our Facebook.. read more →
Memorial Plaque There has never been a headstone on the grave of my great great grandmother Anastasia Maher. This didn’t seem right for a woman who raised 13 children under difficult circumstances. She paved the way for future generations of the Maher clan. Something had to be done about it. As well as writing Anastasia’s.. read more →
Hospital Records – when to use discretion? If you are lucky enough to have access to historical hospital records you will know that they can provide a really interesting insight into the health and wellbeing of your ancestors. The ailments and injuries they endured, when placed in historical context offer a focal point for thought.. read more →
Is Annie Kane and Anastasia Maher the same woman? When to admit your line of inquiry might be incorrect. Sometimes in your research you find information about your ancestors that is so compelling and intriguing that you run with it no matter how loosely it is verified or how circumstantial it is. When you analyse.. read more →