Saturday 31 August 2013

My Response to a Geneameme!

This Geneameme was created by Jill at Geniaus. What a great way to end National Family History Month for 2013! It’s been fun y’all!

1. What are the titles and URLs of your genealogy blog/s?

My genealogy blog is called Genealogically Speaking.  

2. Do you have a wonderful “Cousin Bait” blog story? A link to a previous blog post might answer this question.

In July, someone contacted me after seeing a post about my Great Great Great Grandparents Daniel Guyton Smith & Louisa Clementine Brister. She googled their names and my post came up. Turns out she’s also a descendant! Woo! Now we talk via twitter, e-mail and Facebook! :-D

3. Why did you start blogging? Is there someone who inspired you to start blogging?

I’m Gen Y, and growing up I have always had various personal blogs especially when I was in high school. I’ve had my personal Tumblr since 2009ish. Last year I just randomly decided I wanted to blog about my genealogy too. 

4. How did you decide on your blog/s title/s?

I knew I wanted it to have genealogy somewhere in the title, but I also wanted it to be clever & different. I was going back and forth with my boyfriend & in my head tossing up ideas. Somehow I thought of Genealogically Speaking & I absolutely love it!

5. Do you ever blog from mobile devices? What are they?

I’m yet to blog on Genealogically Speaking from a mobile device, but I probably will as I’ve recently acquired a new phone, a Samsung Note 2. The note taking facility on it is wicked, and I’ve also created a genealogy section on my phone.

6. How do you let others know when you have published a new post?

My twitter, and now more recently, my Facebook page.

7. How long have you been blogging?

I’ve been genealogy blogging since Nov 26, 2012.

8. What widgets or elements do you consider essential on a genealogy blog?

Definitely the tag function! It allows you to see any posts with that tag - a great way for discovering new blogs to follow.

9. What is the purpose of your blog/s? Who is your intended audience?

The purpose of my blog is to document & talk about my personal genealogy, and anything genealogy related that I find interesting! Intended audience – anyone that’s interested!

10. Which of your posts are you particularly proud of?

Hmm! There’s a photo I posted of my Great Great Great Great Grandparents graves that’s attracted a bit of attention, which was very surprising. 

But I really love the post I did about the Father/Daughter genealogy day I had with my Dad earlier this year. 

11. How do you keep up with your blog reading?

I’m a bit on the slow side with my blog reading especially when I’m really busy at Uni, but I’ve added the blogs I read a lot to my favorites. This new Paper.Li thing is really cool too!

12. What platform do you use for publishing your blog/s?

Tumblr. I did create a WordPress, but I found it too confusing, lol. 
[7 Feb '14 Edit: Now using Blogger!]

13. What new features would you like to see in your blogging software?

I’m actually not sure!

14. Which of your posts has been the most popular with readers?

The one I mentioned above – the photo of my Great Great Great Great Grandparents graves.

15. Are you a sole blogger or do you contribute to a shared blog?

Sole blogger, though I’d love to contribute to a shared blog one day!

16. How do you compose your blog posts?

If it’s a long one, I’ll write it in Word first, and then copy & paste, and add the pictures etc. Otherwise, I’ll create it straight from Tumblr.

17. Do you have any blogs that are not genealogy related? If you wish please share their titles and URLs.

I do have my personal blog, but as it is more geared toward my generation, I will keep it to myself for now ;)

18. Have you listed your blog/s at Geneabloggers?

Sure have!

19. Which resources have helped you with your blogging?

Geneabloggers definitely! They’re amazing. And of course those who read my blog, and share it on twitter – y’all rock! I just love being part of the genealogy blogging community! Oh, and I can’t forget the NextGen Genealogy Network. Their support is wonderful too!

20. What advice would you give to a new Geneablogger?

Definitely find a platform you feel comfortable using. You don’t have to be all fancy schmancy, and you don’t want to use anything too challenging – at least not straight away! Find your feet, just start blogging, and have fun!

I’m hoping that over the coming years, I can influence more young people into the world of genealogy! You’re never too young to start :)

Thursday 29 August 2013

An Assumption Confirmed...

In my video about my Great Great Grandfather David Croal, I assumed that he had been buried at sea after committing suicide by jumping off a ship, whilst he was travelling from Sydney to New Zealand.

A distant Croal cousin of mine has just found another newspaper article about David’s death, and according to the last sentence, he was buried at sea the day he died, the 13th of May, 1893.

Source: Papers Past

Tuesday 27 August 2013

Video: Why I Love Genealogy.

NEW VIDEO! 

I didn’t have topic planned, so I talked about why I love genealogy, how I caught the gene bug, and mentioned a few other things :)

Sunday 25 August 2013

Gould Genealogy: Don't Stereotype a Genealogist

I thought some of you might be interested in Gould Genealogy’s latest blog post about young people & genealogy. I even get a mention :)

Don't Stereotype a Genealogist | Genealogy & History News

I hope that many more young people become interested in genealogy in the coming future!


Sympathy Sunday: Christian Croal

The death & funeral notices of my Great Great Grandmother Christian Croal nee Alves, who died on the 31st of August, 1909, in Sydney, NSW. They were published in the Sydney Morning Herald on the 1st of September, 1909. Christian was the wife of David Croal, the subject of my latest video.

Source: Trove



Monday 12 August 2013

Hello everyone!

Finally, a new video!

WATCH IT HERE!

This video involves me talking about Scottish census records, the beginning of how I solved the 100 year mystery of my Great Great Aunt Jeannie Gow, an opportunity with Scotlands People & The Ekka.

Friday 9 August 2013

Exciting & slightly stressed times.

I am super busy at the moment with Uni & I’m also the Treasurer for a Student Society at Uni which I’m also busy with at the moment. I’ve got 2 assignments due in 2 weeks on the same day (ugh!), so I’m a liiiittle bit stressed.

I would hopefully like to have a new video up on Sunday morning. I’ve been dabbling away at genealogy every now & then this week…probably more than I should be, but it’s National Family History Month, so I have good reason for it! Hehe.

The exciting news I have though, is ScotlandsPeople would like me to e-mail them my article on how I solved the 100 year mystery about my Great Great Aunt Jeannie Gow, so they can publish it on their website and/or in their newsletter!!!! WOO!!! I seriously hope they do publish it. That would be amazing!

Those of you who are interested in my article, it is here. I do need to edit & jazz it up a bit though.

I hope you are all having a wonderful National Family History Month where ever you are! :)

Saturday 3 August 2013

Which Church did they marry in?

It turns out that my Great Great Uncle Robert Gow & his wife Mary Ryan married in the Catholic Church…

Marriage Certificate of Robert W. Gow & Mary A. Ryan
Purchased from the New South Wales BDM Registry

I suppose there was an increased risk for Mary being ostracized from her family if she did not marry in the Catholic Church. A risk that was greater than if Robert didn’t marry in a Presbyterian church I suppose. Hmm. Now I’d like to find out when Mary came to Australia & if her parents came with her too as I have’t been able to discover that as of yet…

National Family History Month, 2013.

On August 1st, I went to the launch of National Family History Month at the National Archives of Australia, Brisbane Office. My video about it is HERE. If you would like to read Shauna Hicks’ speech & blog about it, go here. Shauna mentioned me in her speech, and said I was the first person to talk about National Family History Month on YouTube! Woo! She also said I’m pretty much the face of young people & genealogy in Australia. ^_^



Alice & Edith.

My Great Great Great Grandmother Alice Gill nee Wright & her daughter, Edith Amy Gill, buried in Box Hill Cemetery, Melbourne, Victoria.

Grave of Alice Gill & Edith Gill, Box Hill Cemetery, VIC. 
A lovely lady on the Australian Genealogy group on Facebook sent me a few photos of their graves! YAY!

Alice’s husband David Gill is buried in Wondai, Queensland. I still have no idea as to why they went their separate directions regardless of the fact that they had family in Queensland & Victoria to stay with.

Someone in Melbourne, most likely a descendant, has been kind enough to give Alice & Edith a new headstone. :)