Christmas Greetings and Welcome to a New Year

Christmas is fast approaching and the New Year following shortly afterwoods. It has been a busy year and next year does not look as though it will let up.

Congress is coming in March where I will be speaking twice. Please check out the full Congress program. I have also received invitations to speak at Port Macquarie and Camden in 2018. This will be followed by the NSW Association of Family History Societies annual conference in September at Batemans Bay. The theme in 2018 is Sailing into History - see you there.

I wish one and all a very merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. Happy family tree hunting!

Dutch Australian Cultural Centre

Gave a presentation on Digitising Historical Records at the Annual General Meeting of the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre. This was held at the Netherlands Consulate in Bondi Junction. They have many historical and immigration records waiting to be digitised and made available for their members.

LOST in Photographs at S.A.G.

Gave a short presentation at the Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) on the weekend relating to the work being undertaken to digitise the manuscript collection of the Society. We discussed the proposal for equipment and methodology used in selecting the equipment. We also spoke about the user guides that had been written to assist volunteer staff in using the two scanners which were purchased.

Much work has been done in the last twelve months and digital images are being stored and ready for viewing by members. Check in MIDAS to see whether a particular file has been digitised.

MAPS Focus Day at Richmond Villa for SAG

A successful day on 5th October with a small group of people wanting to learn where maps could be sourced for using in their family history research and to help tell the story of their ancestors.

Michael Smith, Archivist at City of Sydney also gave a presentation on what is happening with the celebrations for the 175th anniversary of the creation of the Council in 1842. They are also planning to update their databases so that their is a geospatial interface to the data underpinning locations within the city. Looking forward to it!!

Successful day at Bega Valley Genealogical Society

Over 20 people turned up to listen to our presentations and went away to go home and get out their scanners and move on with the task of digitising their family records. Many indicated that the presentation showed them what and how to achieve good results from their equipment.

Others were interested in where to get the maps to use in their family stories.

All round a successful weekend. Thanks to the organisers at Bega Valley Genealogical Society.

Bega Valley Genealogy Society

Presenting at the Bega Valley Genealogical Society seminar on 26 and 27 May 2017 at the Society's meeting rooms at the  Old Courthouse Toalla St Pambula

There will be a presentation on Friday 26 May 2017 on

Digitising Family Records

Do you need to do something with those boxes of family stuff cluttering the spare room? Do you need to understand the techniques of how to archive the contents of your boxes appropriately for this technological age?

Learn the basics of digitising your records with a flat-bed scanner. The topics covered include image resolution, colour management, use of different file types, file naming and management. We will also review equipment and backup options suitable for the task.

This will be followed by a hands-on workshop.

On Saturday, 27 may 2017 there will be two presentations:

Obscure Place Names and Parish Maps

Frustrated with not finding the place named on your ancestor’s certificate? This session will investigate reasons why that place name may have eluded you.

It will cover resources that are available to assist you in finding your locality in New South Wales, the background to NSW Parish maps, use of the HLRV (Historic Land Records Viewer) where you can view Parish maps and how to print or download the selected Parish map to your computer.

Using Maps in your Family Story

Enlighten your reader with a sense of place and the setting of your family story. Use maps to show the family’s position in the world, their local environment and the path of their travels.

Learn why we need to use a map using different content, sources of maps for you to use; how to modify and then insert the finished map into your story.

Kaye Vernon of  The Teapot Genealogists will also be speaking at the seminar on  DNA in Family History.

Hope to see you there!!

15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry

I am now able to announce that I have been invited to give two presentations at the Congress being held at the International Conference Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney from 9 March 2018 to 12 March 2018.

I will be speaking on:

Digitising Family Records

Do you need to do something with those boxes of family stuff cluttering the spare room? Do you need to understand the techniques of how to archive the contents of your boxes appropriately for this technological age?

Learn the basics of digitising your records with a flat-bed scanner. The topics covered include image resolution, colour management, use of different file types, file naming and management. We will also review equipment and backup options suitable for the task.

Obscure Place Names and Parish Maps

Frustrated with not finding the place named on your ancestor’s certificate? This session will investigate reasons why that place name may have eluded you.

It will cover resources that are available to assist you in finding your locality in New South Wales, the background to NSW Parish maps, use of the HLRV (Historic Land Records Viewer) where you can view Parish maps and how to print or download the selected Parish map to your computer.

Bankstown Family History Group

Had a delightful evening last night at Bankstown Sports Club where the Bankstown Family History Group listened to my presentation on Obscure Place Names and Parish Maps. The small group of members were also able to view the sets of maps that I had available covering the topic.

Mapping in Family History

Many people when writing about their family do not realise that those reading their story may not understand the locations, however descriptive, that you are referring to in your story.

My aim is to help family history researchers and story writers improve their stories by using maps.

This map was prepared to show the location in Denmark of the town of Tiset, birthplace of my Great Grandfather, Martin Madsen.

Attended the lecture by Jill Ball at the Society of Australian Genealogists titled "Hands On Blogging for Family History".

Most enjoyable and fun - this blog is the result of what was learnt. Thanks Jill!!