~11th September 2002 ~  

MEETING DATES 2002

11 SEPTEMBER 2002 - KEITH JOHNSON - Sydney Burial Ground
9 OCTOBER 2002 - CATHY McHARDY - Did your ancestors live in the City of Sydney?
13 NOVEMBER 2002 - JOCELYN POWELL - Publishing your family or local history
11 DECEMBER 2002 - SHOW & TELL Plus Christmas Party

Tracing your Irish Ancestors seminar 25th October - Reminder

The Library has organised on behalf of the Group to hold a special seminar as part of the Fruits of the Hawkesbury Festival later in the year. The Guest Speaker will be reknowned lecturer Dr. Richard Reid. This event will take place on Friday 25th October 2002, from 10am to 3pm and will include a light lunch 12noon-1pm. There is no fee however bookings are essential. This is advance notice and bookings are being taken as of today. Bookings at the Reference Desk in the Library or phone 4560-4460.

Oldest person in Australia dies

Jessie Hurley nee Stubbs passed away on the 7th August 2002 aged 112 years, the oldest person in Australia. Jessie Stubbs was born in Riverstone in 1890, the daughter of Joshua & Mary Stubbs. She married in 1908 to James Robert Hurley and they had 6 children. Her father and her husband were both employees of Riverstone Meatworks and the children attended Riverstone School. The family moved to Burwood in 1939 and the couple divorced in the 1940s. Jessie lived on the Central Coast for the last 30 years of her life. She had 47 great grandchildren and 56 great great grandchildren. What a remarkable life! (See the Blacktown Advocate 14-8-2002 for more details)

Surfing the internet**. Sites for family historians

The Library has free access to the internet, contact 4560 4460 for bookings. Richmond also has access, phone 4578 2002.

INTERNET ADDRESS

Irish Convicts to NSW 1791-1820 http://www.pcug.org.au/~ppmay/cgi-bin/db/search.cgi

Australian Maritime Museum - Pathfinders Guides http://WWW.ANMM.GOV.AU/LIB/SUBJECT.HTM

Deciphering and interpreting old British records.
Patterweb : Early Modern English Dictionaries Database Search Utility
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/english/emed/patterweb.html

Pioneer Portraits (Australian) by Dianne Carroll http://www.angelfire.com/my/pioneer/

~ Let us know of any new addresses, that you have tried with (or without) success ~

New Items added to the Local Studies Collection * check out the following:

Turnbulls on the Coromandel : Hawkesbury River Colonists /TURNBULL at RL929.20994 TUR

The Family & Local History Handbook 2002 RL929.10941 FAM

Tracing your ancestors in the PRO RL929.3 BEV

Last month's party

Michelle has several bowls etc that were left in the room after last month's party.

New Publications - now available for sale

WINDSOR & RICHMOND GAZETTE NEWSPAPER 1916-1920 INDEX TO BIRTHS DEATHS MARRIAGES INQUESTS OBITUARIES PROBATES ETC - NOW AVAILABLE
It contains 5600 entries on 130 x A4 pages, and is the first in the series of indexes to this Hawkesbury newspaper which will eventually index back to 1888 by newspaper archivists Rod and Wendy Gow. This is a must for Hawkesbury family & local historians!! Copies are available at $28 each (postage free within Australia). Send a cheque or money order to the address below, and the authors will be pleased to send one out to you. Rod & Wendy Gow ~ 50 Ferry Lane ~ Cundletown 2430

A NIMBLE FINGERED TRIBE : CONVICTS OF THE SUGAR CANE, IRELAND TO BOTANY BAY, 1793 - NOW AVAILABLE
This book reconstructs the lives of the 164 prisoners who arrived on the Sugar Cane in 1793. Each convict has a biography giving details of physical description, character insights, social structure and family details. Many included established themselves in the Hawkesbury including Bridget Eslin (& Robert Hobbs) Daniel Fane who lived with the highwaywoman Catherine McLean, Catheine Barry & James Dunn. Others only stayed for a while & then moved on. This book is the 2nd in a series of 5, the first was A desperate set of Villains and continues Barbara Hall's excellent work on the Irish transported to Botany Bay prior to 1800 and is a fascinating source for anyone interested in Australian History. The cost of the book is $50 which includes P & H. Send cheque/money order to Barbara Hall, 8/35 Byron Street Coogee 2034. Credicart accepted ring/email for order form telephone (02) 9664 6938 email beehall@hotlinks.net.au

Member's Profile

We have been featuring a section called "Member's Profiles" providing details of members. More are needed. Details required include a bit about yourself, your background, and your interest in family history & importantly the names you are researching. We will keep featuring this article as long as members contribute. To date we have featured Ian Brothers, Del Swain, Des Nicholson, John Norris, Hazel & Bill Reidy, Grace Douglass, Don & Jill Mills, Sue Bennett, Laurie Hession, Laurel Legge, Michelle Nichols, Ernie Byrnes, Judith Norris, Elaine Greentree, Graham Thom, Wendy Stalker, Trish Moon, Robynne Winley & Geoff Ford.

No members profiles received this month. Any takers for next month?