Lilian's Tree

 This year I've tried a structured way to research by setting a family line or task each month and I've found it has really helped. It is now December and my last wrap-up for the year. My December research was a mixed bag as I decided to continue with the research into my One-Place Study. I now have 67 names on the main cemetery data-base and of those only six are to recent to be able to obtain death certificates, etc. This leaves me with 61 people to research. I've found that the families seem to have inter-married, as the community was small. I'm adding the names to a family tree data-base and hope that this will give me a clearer picture of the connections. My Ancestry DNA, threw up several good, close DNA matches and I've sent time checking them out and adding them to my Ancestry Tree. I have also went back through the previous 11 months worth of research, double checking that all was correct. I've enjoyed my research, this year and the fact that I stayed fo...

 Ancestry has released their new Ethnicity updates and added a new tool for us to use. Now I don't usually dissect my results to closely but today, and with the new tool, I thought I would.  I first looked at my Ethnicity results and this time there was a change, interesting but I'm still more Scottish than Irish.  Now in September 2021, I was Scotland   - 47% Ireland      - 41% Sweden & Denmark   - 7% England & Northwestern Europe - 5% So what has changed, not much except I've 'lost' my England and Northwestern Europe bit but I can see where its gone.                                                                                                              ...

 As I mentioned in my post on  5 January  I wasn't setting goals and had picked the word RECHARGE for 2022. Since then my husband and I have had some time away, in a cabin on a farm and have come home refreshed and recharged. Our view. I read, took heaps of photos, we did go out and about, when it wasn't raining and also sat and looked at the view.  I'm looking at maybe doing a writing course BUT it has to be what I want, not a 'one size fits all' course and it won't happen until after I finish the two DNA subjects I start next month. They are something I'm really looking forward to. We had out youngest grandchildren, Master 8 and Miss 6 come and stay and they have become so independent, that it was lovely to see. They still love bedtime stories from Granddad and heaps of cuddles from both of us. I've been adding to my family tree, checking out Ancestry's ThruLines, sorting out months worth of emails and tiding up DNA matches on Ancestry. I feel good...

 I'm trying to spread my 'to do' list out but being tightly locked down, there isn't anything else to do. So, Tuesday I planted two large punnets of Pansies, in with my bulbs, cooked a Weetbix slice and finished a jigsaw. Haven't been for a walk since Saturday, lazy and my knitting is getting lonely. Last night I was on a panel, discussing further genealogical education., with the Society of Australian Genealogists. We looked at a variety of courses available, from a wide range of places.  I remember when I first started this crazy genealogical journey there weren't many places or courses available. SAG was my first place I looked, then the State Library of NSW and my local library, followed by the Royal Australian Historical Society. Tonight I'm attending a Q & A for a DNA course I'm doing, with Michelle Patient and Fiona Brooker. I haven't looked for George, for a couple of days but more about that on Sunday. So until Sunday, stay safe, have fu...

Our world,  in the last three months  has been turned upside down as a result of this virus. Everything has changed and while some countries are relaxing the restrictions, we still have a long way to go before we are able to function at pre Covid - 19 levels. And I think it could be years, not months before that happens. SO, I'm issuing a challenge.   WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED BETWEEN 1 MARCH 2020 AND 31 MAY 2020? It can be anything that is POSITIVE. Here is my list. Books read - 31. Craft - Knitted 1 jumper. Finished it.             Finished a cardigan. Started it last year.             Finished a scarf. Started it last year. Cooked. (don't count dinners.)    2 fruit cakes.                                                      2 cold tea cakes. (cold tea i...

In spite of the predicted cold temperatures and rain around 400 dedicated genealogists, descended on Castle Hill RSL, for the start of three days of talks on DNA. Registration was a very smooth process and very soon hugs were being collected, from old and new friends. 9.00am had us all settled into the main theater, for the start of the day. Blaine T Bettinger, the overseas guest speaker, started with, 'Understanding and interpreting your ethnicity results.' This wasn't something I fully understood and Blaine's way of explaining it had me going, 'I get it, now!' The rest of the day offered two or three different talks, with a variety of speakers. Kerry Farmer, was my choice, with 'Combining DNA with traditional techniques.'  Kerry is a great speaker and I've heard her give several DNA talks, over the years, all are interesting and today's was excellent. I have only just started digging deeper, with my DNA results and this talk re-enforced t...

It is still a waiting game, for relpies to my Ancestry messages. (Insert a sigh, here.) I had Shelley Crawford from Connected DNA, re-do my matches, but only as far down as 30 cM's and I'm thrilled with the results. This is what Shelley does, she finds connections. The first picture is what she did for me, back in January, using all of my Ancestry DNA matches, then.                                                                                                    This is 654 nodes and 1,524 edges. As you can see it is FULL of connections, making it difficult to see exactly what is what. This one is this week and only to 30 cM's.                             ...

Don't know what colour to paint the hall, bedroom or family room? Why don't you do as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands have done? The photo, below is from the magazine Hello, number 1595, 5 August 2019, page 84. To quote the article, " The most intriguing room is the DNA Room, homage to Queen Maxima's interest in genetic research. To decorate the walls, British-Dutch artist Jacob van  der Beugel used 60,000 tiles to create a work of art representing Willem, Maxima and Catherina-Amalia's DNA sequence." Something a bit different.

We are all made-up of DNA, unique and different but I was fascinated when I read this, in Kew Gardens.  I'll let the photos explain.

Blaine was a speaker at THE Genealogy Show, in Birmingham and he was gracious to answer several questions, that I emailed him, after the show. These are his answers.  1) When did you first use DNA and why? I ordered my first DNA test (an autosomal test, believe it or not) in 2003. I was a genealogist since middle school (about 1989) and was then in a Ph.D. program using genetics, so the advertisement I saw online for a DNA test combined the two things I loved the most. 2) Why do you think DNA is important for family research? DNA is no more special or important than any other type of evidence. It is simply another type of evidence we consider when doing thorough genealogical research. Just as we would consult a new book published about our family, we should consult new DNA evidence. 3) What have been the biggest changes, in DNA testing, since it first came into the family research. Almost everything! Probably the biggest changes since my first test in 20...

Well my countdown is over, as tomorrow I board a Qantas A380, for the loooooooong journey to Birmingham.  The past 10 days have flown by and I've been able to do all that I've needed to do, before I go. Paul saw the Professor, last Thursday and was told that he needn't come back, which was such a relief. Everything is good. He also had a follow-up visit, for his continuous  glucose monitor, which is really good. I love the freedom it gives us both and I can still check-up on him, in England. I've had a pedicure and a hair cut, so will be looking good! (How I will look after such a long flight will be debatable!) The last of my travel documents arrived. The best bit was the visit of our Victorian family and the Sydney family arriving too. We hadn't had them all together since Christmas 2017! It was wonderful to see them all together and the little ones were so happy to see their big cousins. Very blessed. I packed, early and have only to add two chargers to...

(names have been changed, for privacy.) Thirty-four years ago, I started this crazy, exciting, sometimes frustrating genealogy journey. This is part of that journey and one I am thrilled to have taken. My Dad, Matthew A, had been married and had three children, before he was widowed and then re-married, to my Mum.  Those three children have been a big part of my research, for most of that time. (They were all adults, when he re-married and I never met them.) During the 1980's I did meet the husband, Trevor, of one of the daughters, Patricia and two of their children, Kyle and Tess. I was then told that there were three other children, Maggie, Trevor Jnr and Alice, but they had been adopted out.  I spent many hours searching for them but being in the 'present', had no luck. Fast forward to November 2018 and the Society of Australian Genealogists, Lost in DNA weekend. Jill Ball said to me, you need to do an Ancestry DNA test, before you go to Birmingham, you will find...

Today is #GenealogySelfieDay and this is my second photo. Like Shelley Crawford said, ' If only I could participate in genealogy selfie day without actually posting a selfie.'  I fully agree with this statement!  The idea was to take a selfie and then write a blog. Here I am. I have been 'doing' my family tree for 34 years, last month and about two or three years into it, I met children of a half-sister. She was from dad's first marriage.  It transpired that she had given several children up for adoption. The children I met wanted me to look for them and while I could have done so, I felt it better if they searched for the siblings.  I heard nothing more. Fast Forward, to Wednesday 29 January 2019.  I have only just done my Ancestry DNA and ther are still matches coming through.   I also made a decision to skip over those, without trees and concentrate on the ones, with trees, first.  On Wednesday morning I hit 200 matches, a second cous...

Way back in October 2013, I took my first DNA test, with FamilyTree DNA and wasn't surprised by the results. In fact I was disappointed, until friends explained that it confirmed my paper trail. Ethnicity Estimate, British Isles    87% Scandinavia    10% Trace                 3% Nothing happened until RootsTech 2017 and a new testing company, LivingDNA, came on the scene. So in May 2017, I again scraped my cheek and sent it of for testing.  Again I wasn't really that surprised with the results. Ethnicity Estimate, Europe             98.8% Central Asia       1.2% February 2018, saw me take a test with MyHeritage, only to find that both FamilyTree DNA and MyHeritage use the same testing company. Something I wish I had known before I tested. My results weren't that different. Ethnicity Estimate, Europe      100%    Thi...

Sunday morning dawned grey and cool but nothing would keep intreped genealogists returning to the conference centre, for more DNA talks. I woke early, as is my habit and went for a walk along the forshore of Darling Harbour. This was my view and in amongst the trees, at the back of the photo I spotted this. I'm now on a quest to find out what is it about. The building, opposite my hotel has a very interesting design.  Early morning, on Sydney Harbour. Goat Island is to the right, the yellow shed and Bald's Head, is in the distance, Sunrise was peaking through the clouds and buildings as I made my way back to the hotel and to get organised for the day. Day two of our "Lost In' weekend had the room filling earlier than on Saturday, as we were all aeger to learn more. Heather Garnsey was today's chair and she also gave a short talk on how she broke one of her brick walls, using DNA, but did it?   Louise Coakley was ...

Now the title of this post might have you scratching your head and wondering, 'what is she going on about?'  But if you belong to the Society of Australian Genealogists,  https://www.sag.org.au/   you will know what I'm talking about. Twice a year the Society has 'Lost In' weekends, covering a wide range of topics, some are face-to-face and some are webinars. Both are great. This past weekend was held at the Portside Conference Centre, Sydney, on Saturday and Sunday. Some of the group, early on Saturday morning. The room was filled, both days. The topic for the weekend was DNA and whilst we aren't NCIS Agents, looking for a killer, we are still trying to find that elusive ancestor, who is just out of our reach. Or so they thought! Saturday was a warm, humid day in Sydney, just the sort of day you want, when digging for ancestors. The Society had put together a varied program, so that novices and experts were covered. Martyn Killion was our chair and sta...

                                            Next month I’m attending a two day seminar on DNA and as I know next to nothing about mine, I’m spending some time looking at my three DNA test results. This test was done through My Heritage and it didn’t give me any surprises. My paper trail shows English, Irish, Scottish and German heritage, so this is pretty close. (Not a full breakdown shown.) Europe                            100% North and West Europe           82.6% Irish, Scottish, and Welsh       60.4% Scandinavian           ...