Australia has a rich history, and it tells the stories of both its indigenous peoples and the immigrants who settled on its shores. Australia was initially merely a penal colony for the British government, and most of its early, colonial settles were criminals or convicts who had been imprisoned in spite of their innocence. It is quite fashionable to have a convict in ones ancestral lineage these days, in fact the Australians consider having more convicts in your lineage makes …
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The internet has definitely taken genealogy research to a new level – both in popularity and regarding ease of research. The wealth of online information is a blessing to genealogists, and constant gratitude should be given to the army of tireless and dedicated volunteers who transcribe and digitize historical documents. Never before has the pursuit of family history been so accessible to the general public, and many who may not have otherwise known how to go about tracing their ancestors …
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I have just been reading Val Greenwood’s The Researchers Guide to American Genealogy, in which I came across what I think is a very interesting point. She said; “Perhaps the one thing that would improve the quality of research being done, more than any other single factor, would be a concern for complete families rather than just direct lines.” What she meant of course was that more research should be done regarding collateral kin and associates, but this of course …
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I recently had the pleasure of visiting with some of my relatives in Bolton, England. The weather was a bit gloomy as the English weather can sometimes be, but Bolton is a city rich in history, and with a formidable industrial past, that couldn’t help but warm my heart. It’s a blue-collar city, and the inhabitants reflect that hearty down to earth character that makes it a pleasure to tuck unto a rich beef stew or share a few glasses, …
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