Lilian's Tree

Back on 23 January 2017 I did the following post and today 17 February 2021 , thought I'd have a look and see how many more I've found and also where they came from. Updates are in RED.   Some of my friends have worked out how many  direct ancestors  they have found, back to  10 generations.  I looked at mine and knew that I couldn't go back that far, so worked out how many, to  7 generations.   I don't think that I have done to poorly, in tracing them. I know that some don't want to be found and some , most likely, never will be found but it is fun trying.  GENERATION RELATIONSHIP #IN GENERATION # IDENTIFIED % IDENTIFIED 1 Self 1 1 100 2 Parents 2 2 100 3 Grandparents 4 4 100 4 Great Grandparents 8 8 100 5 Great Great Grandparents 16 16 100 6 3x Great Grandparents 32 10  now 17   31.25  now 53.12 7 4x Great Grandparents 64 2    now 9     3.125   now 14.06            ...

Halfway through this series of posts and I hope you have found them useful. This month is actually three books, with a common theme, History. The History of Scotland by Neil Oliver. This book has 11 Chapers and gives a good idea of Scottish history, from the earliest of times until modern day. A Concise History of Germany by Mary Fulbrook. Containg eight chapters outlining the history of the country, we know as Germany BUT there has only been a country, called Gremany, since 1989 and unification. The Course of Irish History by T W Moody and F X Martin, editors. Twentyfour chapters by different authours takes us from prehistoric Ireland, to the start of the 21st Century. Our ancestors didn't live in isolation so we need to know the history of the homeland, the reasons why they might have left and how it shaped them. These are just three of my history collection and have helped me understand they places they called home.

This was an indulgence, of mine, when I saw this secondhand copy, of the second edition, published in 1995. It is, as it says an atlas of Parish Registers, for England, Wales and Scotland. Wonderful for finding, exactly where my ancestor's  parish is situated and what the neighbouring ones are, has lead looking just a bit further, on the chance that I might find them. Now up to the third edition and also avaliable as a PDF, but I'm not sure if it is the full book.  It can also be searched on Ancestry and Trove has listings of which libraries, in Australia, have copies to use. To quote, " For each region, listed below, the Atlas contains (unless otherwise stated) a map of the pre-1832 parishes, and a topographical map from James Bell's A New and Comprenhensive Gazetteer of England and Wales  of 1834. " The Index, at the back lists all parishes and information about, deposited original registers, local marriage indexes, etc and the years that ...

These are a body of church (kirk) elders, in Scotland who presided over a parish and its congregation. These records cover interesting information, like those asking for poor relief or being reprimanded. Chris Paton’s book, ‘Down and Out in Scotland, researching ancestral crisis.’ Has some information on what these records could hold.

The Bissland Family Bible.   This post is asking for a bit of help and I know the answers to what happened to the family, as I have researched them.   I was asked for help, via Facebook and it went something like this. J; ‘I have this bible I found 1988/89, belonging to the Bissland family. Can you find any relations etc?’ This was followed by several messages, photos of the relevant pages. L; ‘ I can’t make out the details can you email them to me, please?’ Email arrives with six photos attached. L; ‘How did you get it?’ J; ‘I was working with the Salvation Army in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, in 1988/89 and they were going to toss it out. It has been in my bottom drawer ever since.’   This family is very interesting and I’ve had fun researching them and now it is time to find family, who want the bible.     John Graham Bissland and Caroline Jane Alder married 25 th April 1860. John was born in Paiseley, Scotland, 28...

    With  Christmas and New Year over, my thoughts are turning towards my trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, For RootsTech. I hope that there will be snow, like last year. It was my first experience of snow and I loved it! I'm really looking forward to catching up with friends I made and also making new ones. This year there will be a large Australian contingent and it will be great to catch-up with them and enjoy the Commonwealth Dinner. There are so many interesting and wonderful sessions, that picking just one for each slot it becoming very hard. Several of the ones on Scotland have caught my eye and there is a new one on Ireland as well. Decisions, decisions, decisions.   I know from last year that some are just promoting a product but that others, with vague titles were fantastic! I'm also working out what I need to research.   It is always good to go to any research facility with a plan and going so far, this is a must. I will be bloggi...

Simon Grant. Other than Simon's arrival, at Port Phillip, as an exile, on 9 April 1846, these two notices are all that I have found (so far), about Simon. He was my Great-Great-Grandfather. Born in Scotland c1829, he was only 17 when he arrived here. His crime was theft. What he did between his arrival in 1846 and his marriage, to Ann Cameron, in 1850, remains a mystery. One I hope to solve. Bye for now, Lilian.

If you ever get a chance to come to RootsTech or just researching at the library, take it up. I am spending my down time trolling through microfilm, after microfilm and having a ball! Monday's results were great as I was able to sight and confirm leaves on the tree. Today's have been not as good as my schoolgirl German and spider scratch writing has caused me to pause the German side research. Going to consider my options.  After lunch, I'll go to Scotland and confirm those leaves. The library is five floors, with England, Scotland and Ireland in B2. This has been my haunt. B1, is International and the the upper floors, USA. More later, Bye, Lilian

I've a busy day today with five sessions and two keynote addresses. Joshua Taylor starts the day with, his keynote address on Connecting Across Past, Present and Future. Then my sessions start with Jenny Joyce covering Wills from England and Ireland. Then onto Scotland, with Paul Milner. Ireland is next with David Rencher followed by lunch and then Richard Reid's keynote address. My afternoon is Scotland with John Blackwood and the Helen Smith talks on Friendly societies. A good way to end the day. Going to get breakfast and call my darling husband.  More later today, much to busy during the day to blog, will fill in details tonight. Bye for now, Lilian

For those Genealogists, reading this, you will know the excitement of having a brick wall finally fall and the other questions that this event brings. Nearly 30 years ago I started researching my family tree. Things were very different then, microfiche, microfilm, waiting for weeks for certificates or replies letters and endless questions waiting for answers. I knew my Mum's Dad, Grand pop, and with a bit of detective  work was able to find his birth and then his parents marriage, both in Victoria and his brother's birth, here in New South Wales. Mum's birth and her parent's marriage date were known, good, things were falling into place. Now all I had to do was find the deaths of Arthur and Maryanne Galbraith. How hard could that be there aren't that many Galbraith's on the microfiche, I should have this 'done' in a couple of weeks!  1560 weeks latter and I finally have the answers for both Arthur and Maryanne! Arthur Galbraith was born in Ayr, Sco...