6 July 2012

Update re Obituaries of Civil Engineers

After reading my question about an index to obituaries in Minutes of the Institution of Civil Engineers (Great Britain), Darryn emailed me with details of a Web site that I somehow missed. (Was I blind? Did I do something stupid in my Google search? All I can say is 'Oops' and 'Thank you, Darryn'.)

For some unknown reason, the Web page with the Obituaries Index says it only covers 1880-1904, but the lists of names do in fact include entries for deaths up to the 1930s.

Unfortunately the link to L-M surnames was not working when I tried it.

The Web site says that the obituaries "contain very full descriptions of the life and work of the individual, and often list names of parents, and occasionally wives and children. Although the majority of them are British born, there are those born in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India, as well as other distant places. Many of them worked and died in these countries and left family there."

5 July 2012

I is for In-Letters and Invalid Pensions

The 'Family History Through the Alphabet' series is now up to the letter 'I'.

I is for...
  • In-letters.  Queensland State Archives' Brief Guide to Colonial Secretary's Correspondence 1859-1903 explains how to search the series called In-letters (letters received). This can be slow and frustrating but it is often very rewarding. About eight hundred names from in-letters are on my Web site. Thousands more will be added when I have time! The emphasis is on items of interest for family history, such as correspondence about women, children, certificates, naturalisations, requests for assistance, missing friends, orphans, inmates of mental and benevolent asylums, etc.

    Postscript: Registers (and indexes to the registers) for 1859-1896 have been digitised and are on the Queensland State Archives Web site (series ID 11936).

  • Invalid Pensions.  I have created a partial index to Police Department correspondence 1908-1952 that mentions hundreds of invalid pensioners and old age pensioners. Some lived in New South Wales and Victoria but most were in Queensland.

You will find more tips for family history in my other articles in this series. If the information and advice is useful, have a look at this page.

4 July 2012

H is for Hackney Cabs and Helen Harris's indexes

With this post for 'H' I am at last up to date with the 'Family History Through the Alphabet' challenge.

H is for...
  • Hackney Cabs.  Bill Shute compiled an index to hackney cab licences 1848-1853 and 1871 from Sydney City Council archives and Metropolitan Transit Commissioners records. The index is at State Records NSW, Sydney City Council Archives, the Society of Australian Genealogists and Gosford Library. (This is an extract from the book Specialist Indexes in Australia: a Genealogist's Guide, described on my Web site.)

  • Helen Harris's Indexes.  Helen Harris has compiled indexes to many fascinating sources. Although the emphasis is on Victoria (Australia), there are references to many interstate and overseas residents. Indexes on Helen's Web site are Missing People; Wife and Child Deserters; Infant Life Protection Act Indexes; Criminal and Other Case Files; Victoria Police; Employment Applications; Women Lecturers in Victoria; Theatrical, Literary and Artistic Lives and Lies.

You will find more tips for family history in my other articles in this series. If the information and advice is useful, have a look at this page.

G is for Gypsies, GENUKI and Gold Coast

I was eight weeks late starting the the 'Family History Through the Alphabet' challenge, but I am determined to catch up! Here is my contribution to the letter 'G'.

G is for...
  • Gypsies.  The Romany and Traveller Family History Society is dedicated to researching British Romany Gypsy, Traveller and Fairground ancestors.

  • GENUKI.  The huge GENUKI Web site is the best starting point for genealogy in the UK and Ireland.

  • Gold Coast.  Somerville Funerals undertakers records include overseas and interstate residents who died while holidaying on the Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia). The records give name, age, dates of birth/death/burial, where from, cause of death, next of kin and other remarks. Names from 1965-1983 have been indexed by the Gold Coast Family History Society. (This is an extract from the book Specialist Indexes in Australia: a Genealogist's Guide, which is described on my Web site.)

You will find more tips for family history in my other articles in this series. If the information and advice is useful, have a look at this page.

3 July 2012

E is for Evidence, Engineers and Emigrant Siblings

I am now up to 'E' in the 'Family History Through the Alphabet' challenge.

E is for...
  • Evidence.  Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, by Elizabeth Shown Mills, is the definitive guide to the citation and analysis of historical sources, especially original and unusual items used by family historians. Elizabeth Shown Mills also has some very helpful articles on her Web site. They include 'Working with Historical Evidence', and various titles under the heading 'Cluster Research (FAN Principle)'.

  • Engineers.  Minutes of the Institution of Civil Engineers (Great Britain) include very detailed obituaries. Many of the engineers lived or died in the colonies or in South America. Antonia Jones of Hamilton, New Zealand, compiled an index to obituaries for 1880-1918. Specialist Indexes in Australia: a Genealogist's Guide, described on my Web site, has an address for Antonia, but it may be out of date. Can anyone tell me whether this index is available in a library? -- [UPDATE, 6 Jul 2012: I now know where the index is - and it includes deaths up to the 1930s!]

  • Emigrant Siblings.  Did your ancestor have a brother or sister who emigrated to Australia? Death certificates in our eastern States are extremely informative, and may give details that are not readily available in the UK or Ireland.

You will find more tips for family history in my other articles in this series. If the information and advice is useful, have a look at this page.