This article is from the newspaper ‘Windsor and Richmond Gazette’ Saturday 14 January 1899. It mentions Gambrill and Gambrell – so which one is it? Match was between Blacktown and the True Blue team. Unfortunatley it doesnt have the first name initial, which would of helped alot.  This fella was a bowler whom took one wicket and scored 3 not out.

Going back through the generations below lists the surnames. Unfortunatley i havent gone back very far at all for mums side. Just to point out the obvious and say its the male names are the same. Gambrills go back thus far to mid 1600’s. My maternal line, well, lots to do there isnt it. If you wish to have a browse around my tree go to www.bobbyfamilytree.com and you can search top right hand corner by adding a surname.

I have her documents from ww2 which gave me some info to work with. A name – Hofler  (Höfler).  She was with this family the whole time during world war 2 according to the documents i have, thats around 4 and a half years or so. She would of known this family like her own, their friends, their habits, what they like to eat, what the children like to play, and so on – just like her own family that she never saw again in Poland. Outside communication, did that happen for Anna? Did she recieve or write any letters? Did she have any communication with her family back in Poland whilst she was with the Höflers? Where there any photos taken with Anna in them during these years 1940-1945 of ww2? One photo perhaps, just one. One letter, thats all i ask – was anything left behind when she left this family?

If i go back about a year and a half i did try to find out if someone is living at the Wetzendorfer Straße (street) 201 where Nan was and of course i was hoping Höfler decendants were there. I was initally helped by a kind Local (thankyou Walter) in Nurnberg whom did quite a lot for me, including door knocking and showing a photo of my gran around – Walter had told me the house is no longer there, its a car yard. Darn i thought, bugger. So what next? I made a few enquires to the Nuremberg archives regarding this address and the family that lived their. They gave me the following:

The Hoefler family residing Wetzendorfer Strasse 201 had five members:

Johann (father), born Feb. 3, 1900 in Wetzendorf, died Oct. 3, 1980, farmer by profession.

Anna, nee Boecklein (his wife), born April 10, 1893 in Wetzendorf, died March 1, 1966.

Johanna (daughter), born 1920

Konrad Friedrich (son), born 1925

Lydia Elisabeth (daughter), born 1929

The family lived at Wetzendorfer Strasse 201 since 1924. As far as it can be seen in the entries on the registration card (holding C 21/IX no. 1149), none of its members died during World War 2. Obviously the Hoeflers made their living by farming.

So i now had a bit more info and was also told that the housenumber hasnt existed since 1980 which backup up what Walter had told me.

So what next? – Skype, thats what - Höflers in Nuremberg. Most folks where understanding when i called them, i tried briefly to explain before they would hang up because they thought i was some weird english speaking person trying to sell something or preach or because they simply couldnt understand but i started to make progress. The elderly mostly didnt understand me but the younger generation, ‘no worries’ as we say in Australia – their english was good. Before long i made contact with a few of the Höflers relatives and most notibly Christina.

From what i can work out Christina is the greatgrand-daughter and so we exchanged an email or 2.  Christina had said that she thinks there is some photo’s/letters and she will look for them as well as making contact with others in her family regarding my gran – unfortunatley i’ve heard nothing from her. I did a followup email to her but no reply.

And so here i am today still trying, hoping to find something about my gran from the Höfler years. Google maps gives me photo’s and thanks to Walter whom has pointed it out as being where the car yard is ‘GTZ’ (obviously the land/house was sold for commercial)

I’m still hopefull that Christina will contact me or that another relative will see this blog.

I still have over 100 more images (census, birth, death, marriage docs and others goodies) to upload to bobbyfamilytree. I’m trying (easier said than done) to grow my tree more with photos/docs etc as i beleive a tree should contain less people and more proof of what happen/photos etc.

My 2 twitter accounts (bobbyfamilytree and gambrillhistory) are doing what they are supposed to do – the occasional tweet.

I havent progressed any more on my DNA testing so thus far i only have had the one test. Not sure when i’ll take this further.

The Gambrill BMD list (Link at the very top of page) which is a concise list of photo’s, birth, marriage and death and is just something i have done to show what i have for convict William Gambrills children/grandchildren (incl. Smith, Holden and Ross) and those in his paternal line that came before him. Currently i have 139 images with a further 260ish to get. Do you have any that i dont?

During 2011 i plan to find where (make contact with current owners, and/or/Dilnot decendants from this house) convict William Gambrill stole those watches in Woodnesborough, Kent, UK.

My maternal grandmother and grandfather come from Poland and Ukraine of which i’m wanting to obtain their birth documents this year.

Thankyou to all that have contributed over the last year from little snippets of info to documents, photos etc – without you my tree would be a shadow of itself. Hoping that the folks throughout this past year that said they would get back to me with goodies will do so – you all have crucial pieces to the tree.

Ciao for 2010.

George’s parents were John Adams and Sarah Lidimore.  John Married 3 times – Mary Ryan, Margaret Walmsley and Sarah Share. He had no children from the first two marriages, and 7 with Sarah, they are:  George, Henry, John, Jemima, William, Joseph and Sarah. Sarah Share had a previous marriage to George Witts. Children from this marriage were: Caroline & Anne (both died on voyage to Australia) & Thomas & Mary Ann Witts.

If you wish to purchase this book or for further info, email Larry Adams

Below is the cover (Click to see larger view)

So my questions is, whom are the other folks? (click on the photo for a larger view)

What i have below is what was written beneath the photo in the Westlake Courier.

He was charged on the 5^th September 1838.

He was convicted in Kent quarter sessions on 19^th October 1838.

William sailed from Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey, on 15^th May 1839.

Is anyone able to find and make of copy of where he is mentioned?

Below is items of Lionels from his time during ww2.

Haplogroup I, defined by a Y-DNA marker named M170, probably emerged in Europe about 28,000 years ago. Today, haplogroup I accounts for approximately 20% of Europe’s overall population with higher incidence in Scandinavian and Baltic regions. Currently, there are less than twenty known subgroups of haplogroup I.

I havent delved to much into my DNA results (series of letters and numbers) as yet, but in due time will get more testing done and i’ll also have work out where and how i’m going to have a Gambrill DNA webpage.

For now, just glad to have started with DNA.

Hilton John McCloughan

22 July 1911 – 08 August 2008

Hilton John McCloughan was born 22 July 1911 in a hut that stood near where the Hargraves Community Hall stands today.  At the age of 22 years, his world was shattered with the death of his father in an accident.  His father’s death thrust Hilton into the role of the man of the family.

As a young man he supported and fed his family working as a labourer on local properties, in shearing sheds out west, rabbiting, whatever it took to keep food on the table and to pay his family’s bills.  At the height of the depression, he gained a position on the Cudgegong Shire Council and, apart from serving in World War II; he worked on building and maintaining the roads and bridges in the hills and plains around Mudgee town until retiring in 1976.

Hilton John McCloughan

In August 1941, Hilton volunteered for service as a soldier.  He was initially stationed at the Wallgrove Army Training Camp.  Whilst in Sydney, Hilton met his future wife, Edna Gregory. In September 1941, Hilton was sent to the 5 Training Battalion at Tamworth in NSW, and in November 1941, Hilton departed Australia on the troopship Queen Mary, bound for the Middle East.

Hilton McCloughan and Edna Gregory – August 1941

After serving with the 2/13 Battalion in Syria and at the battle of El Alamein, Hilton returned to Australia in February 1943 and was discharged from further military service in February 1944.

Sergeant Hilton McCloughan NX43444

Edna Pearl Gregory nee Gambrill

At the time of first meeting Hilton McCloughan, Edna Gregory was living in Sydney, estranged from her then husband, Thomas Gregory. Following Edna’s divorce from Thomas Gregory; Edna and Hilton were married 23 July 1945 at Waratah, a suburb of Newcastle in NSW.

Edna and Hilton had six children; Leslie John, 21 October 1944; Ann Helen, 26 March 1947; Rodney Hilton, 13 July 1948; Raymond Keith, 19 February 1951; Baby Emaline, 11 February 1958 (died at birth); Paul Noel, 14 March 1961.

Hilton and Edna McCloughan

Hilton died 8 August 2008, aged 97 years; Edna died 11 September 1998, aged 82. They are buried along side each other in the Hargraves General Cemetery.

Parents

Hilton’s father was Kenneth Robert McCloughan.  Ken was born 26 September 1886 at Hargraves NSW.  His parents were John and Margaret Ann McCloughan.

Kenneth Robert McCloughan

Ken McCloughan married Agnes Emmeline Edwards, 10 April 1911 in Mudgee NSW.  Agnes was born at Triamble near Hargraves, 18 October 1886.  Agnes’s parents were John and Mary Elizabeth Edwards.

Agnes Emmeline McCloughan

Agnes and Ken McCloughan had seven children; Hilton John, 1911; Valerie M, 1913; Ronald William, 1915; Dulcie M, 1917;  Enid A, 1919; Melva E, 1921; Victor K, 1923.

Ken McCloughan was accidentally killed 27 February 1934 at Hargraves whilst attempting to rescue a horse that had fallen into a miner’s hole. He was 48 years old.  Agnes died 1 September 1956, aged 70 years, in Mudgee NSW. Ken and Agnes McCloughan are buried in the Hargraves General Cemetery.

Grandparents

McCloughan: John McCloughan was born in Molliville, County Armagh, Ireland in 1847. John, aged 19, came to Australia as an assisted immigrant on the ship “African” arriving in Australia 15 March 1866.  The date of his arrival in Hargraves is not known.  John McCloughan married Margaret Ann McCloughan, 6 September 1873 at Hargraves.

Margaret Ann McCloughan was born Margaret Ann McCloughan 1849 in County Armagh, Ireland. Margaret’s parents were Curry and Martha McCloughan. Margaret and John had ten children; Martha, 1869; Curry, 1874; Elizabeth, 1876; John, 1878; William, 1880; Isabella, 1882; Elsie, 1884; Hilton’s father Kenneth in 1886; Emily, 1889, Jessie, 1894.

John McCloughan, aged 60 years, died 17 July 1907.  Margaret died 28 September 1925 aged 76.  John and Margaret McCloughan are buried in the Hargraves General Cemetery.

Edwards: John Edwards was born 22 July 1842 at Jerry’s Plains in NSW.  John’s parents were Thomas and Margaret Edwards.  John’s father, Thomas Edwards, was a Sergeant in the Royal Mounted Police, Bathurst District.

John and Mary Edwards

John Edwards lived at Ironbark, west of Armidale, prior to moving to Hill End where he married Mary Elizabeth Reid of Triamble, 27 March 1876. Mary Edwards was born Mary Elizabeth Reid, 18 February 1851 at Triamble near Hargraves in NSW.  Mary’s parents were Isaac and Mary Ann Reid nee Revell.

John and Mary Edwards had nine children; Charlotte Augusta, 1877; Maria Mary, 1878; Harriet Elizabeth, 1879; William Isaac, 1881; Thomas John, 1883; Emily Alice, 1885; Agnes Emmeline, 1886; Kate May, 1889; Amy M, 1891.

John and Mary Edwards are buried in the Tambaroora General Cemetery.  John died 10 February 1925 aged 83 years; Mary died 15 February 1920, aged 68 years.

Earliest Settlers

McCloughans:

Curry McCloughan, Hilton’s paternal great grandfather, was born in 1825 in Ireland.  Curry married Martha Coyle in Ireland in 1849.  Their only recorded child, Margaret Ann, was born in County Armagh, Ireland in 1849.

Martha McCloughan, Hilton’s great grandmother, was born Martha Coyle in Ireland in 1820. Only her father’s name, James Coyle, is known.  There is only one record of a John and Martha McCloughan having a child, Margaret Ann, born 1849 in Ireland.

In 1854, Curry McCloughan, then aged 29, his wife Martha, aged 34 and 5 year old daughter Margaret Ann, came to Australia as assisted immigrants on the ship “Patrician”. The “Patrician”, a 1072 ton clipper, departed Plymouth 5 August 1854 under the command of C. Hare with 2 cabin class passengers and 355 immigrants, arriving in Port Jackson, 31 October 1854.

The NSW Birth/Death/Marriage records indicate Curry and Martha McCloughan and their daughter Margaret Ann were probably the first McCloughans to settle in Hargraves. The date of their arrival at Hargraves is not known, only that they had established residence before 1873.

Curry McCloughan died 7 May 1878, aged 53 years.  Martha died 5 August 1882, aged 62 years.  They are buried at Hargraves.  However, the location of their graves is not known.

Edwards:

Hilton’s maternal great grandfather, Thomas Edwards, was born 12 May 1811 in Leicester England.  His parents were John and Mary Edwards.  Thomas Edwards, joined the British Army 30 April 1827, aged 16 years.  Thomas arrived in the Colony of New South Wales with the New South Wales Corp.  Thomas was one of many NSW Corp soldiers who later transferred to the Mounted Police Unit.

Thomas was a Police Sergeant serving in the Bathurst District at the time of his marriage to Margaret Wilson in 1837.  At the time of their marriage, Margaret Wilson was just 13 years old.  Margaret was born 19 March 1824 in Paisley Scotland.  Her parents were James and Esther Wilson.

Thomas and Margaret had 9 children;        Mary Ann 1837; Elizabeth 1839; John 1842; Thomas 1844; Sarah J 1846; Esther 1849; William 1851; Harriet Rebecca 1853; James 1856.

Thomas Edwards died 7 September 1858, West Maitland NSW, age 47 years.

Margaret Edwards and baby James died 19 July 1856 at Muckerawa Creek NSW, age 32 years, giving birth to James.

Reid:

Isaac and Mary Reid traveled to Australia in 1840 on the “Argyleshire” landing 12 November 1840. Isaac Reid was born in 1806 in Newry, County Armagh Ireland.  His parents were Thomas Reid and Catherine Hannard.

Isaac married Mary Ann Revell in 1838 in Ireland.  Mary was born in 1810 in Newry, County Armagh Ireland.  Her mother’s maiden family name was Best. Her father’s name is not known.  Isaac and Mary had 5 children; Robert, 1840; Matilda, 1841; James, 1842; Thomas, 1849; Mary Elizabeth, 1851.

The “Bathurst Times” Wednesday 10 September 1873 reported Isaac Reid of Triamble near Hargraves NSW was found guilty of cattle theft in Bathurst Court NSW.  The issue related to cattle reported to be owned by Henry Suttor of Triamble.  Reid was remanded for sentence, 5 September 1873.  Reid died the next morning, 6 September 1873 in his cell in Bathurst Gaol. He was 67 years old.

Mary Ann Reid died 23 May 1877, aged 67 years.  Isaac and Mary Ann are  buried at Tambaroora General Cemetery near Hill end in NSW.

Isaac and Mary Ann Reid

Tambaroora Cemetery

My latest dilema is with www.Genesreunited.co.uk, which i have had my gedcom with them for quite sometime. In my settings on the genesreuntied website, i have living people set to hide, (as you can see in the image below) – which by all accounts you would think that your living information would be protected and kept private. However, that setting doesnt mean much. You see, everyone that is a paid member of genes reunited can see my living info despite this. This is what i was told through an email from support at genesreunited, i quote  “Please be aware that the privatised names will still be shown in search results to all members though” It does not say this in my settings.

When these websites take your information and use and abuse it they can compromise you as a genealogist and a person. I have always been careful about the living ancestry information that folks share with me, they rely on me to keep it private and through the shameless selfish action of some genealogy websites they take all that away and potentially make me look unreliable, untrustworthy and a dodgy character.

How dare you take my private information that i have spent thousands of hours to gatherup and keep private and then you open it up for everyone to see without my knowledge or approval. You had given me the option to hide my living relations,  i chose that and yet my private information was still available to subscribers.

I no longer post my gedcom to websites, only my own.

Damn you genesreuntied.

The way i do it is as follows:

A) First  the organizing of all the images, photos, documents, and all your bits and bobs associated with your ancestry. Before this gets to big and out of hand because of lack of organization, consider doing the following. Make a main folder called <PATERNAL>, then make subfolders with all folks (husbands/wives, children etc) with there very own folder, i usually also give a year of birth and death. You’ll make these folders gradually as and when you are ready to add the first peice of verified information for an individual.

Into his/her folder goes everything, birth, marriage, death documents, any copies of photos (if there are photos with many people in it, then make multiple copies of the photo), and anything relavent to this person. Pretty easy, once you have this system in place, then you’ll find it well organized and easy to locate individuals information. However, read below before adding any documents, photos etc to an individuals folder.

B) Adding information to your genealogy software program.  What i do is when i get new images, documents etc, i put them into my Paternal or maternal folder, not into a individuals folder yet. Any files that i see here means that they havent been delt with, its kinda like a holding bay until such times i have entered the details from that document into your genealogy program . So in other words, enter the details first, then once that is done add that image/document etc, into that persons folder. Easy. I find it best to do it this way because as your genealogy grows you have so much information, its easy to forget that you still needed to add some details of a document and if you automatically add images/ docs etc directly into a individuals folder, but if you have a holding bay area, that solves that problem.

1) So when you get a new document/Photo etc – put into holding bay.

2) Enter the details, or photo to your genealogy program.

3) You can now add image/document etc to the individuals folder

Backingup – very important. Currently i backup through an online service and also onto dvd’s. Make backups regularly, best to do onsite/offsite, that is – have backups at home, and away from home.

William married twice, first wife being Eleanor Lydia Baker of which they had 5 children together. Eleanor died in 1920 and William married again in 1921 to Ethel Ward and had a further 3 children.

In 1926 William passed away in Redfern, NSW. I’m looking for a photo of William Enoch Gambrill to add  to his webpage. Do you have one?

I’m looking for a photo of Susannah and husband Ross. Do you have one that i can add to their webpage?

Richard Ransley, Sarah’s dad, was the fifth child of a family of five boys and four girls. Three additional baptised children died as infants. Richard’s grandparents, William Ransley and Mary Clifton, were married on 13th June 1763 in Ticehurst, Sussex, England,22 a little village located slightly west of the Kent-Sussex border.  The village derives its name from Old English; there are two possible derivations. The most plausible one is that it means ‘wood on the Teise’ as the parish lies in the upper reaches of the river Teise; the second roughly translates as ‘the wooded hill where young goats graze’. William Ransley’s cousin, James Byham Ransley, had six children, two of whom, James and William Ransley were hanged 21st August 1800 for robbery. They were buried in the grounds of St Mary Magdalene Church, Ruckinge, Kent, England. Much has been written about these two.

An article from a Family Tree Magazine, August 1997, pages 19-20 titled “Terror on the Marsh” by John Douch records that:

James (1703-78) seems to have been a forceful character.  Summoned to appear before the Ecclesiastical Court, Canterbury in 1738 for not attending Ruckinge church on Sundays, he answered that the churchwardens refused to assign him a place and that therefore upon all occasions he went to see some neighbouring church.  This excuse was evidently not acceptable: within the next year he was summoned another 17 times.  Some years later, however, this did not prevent the cathedral authorities from appointing him as gamekeeper “of our Manor at Ruckinge during our pleasure and he is to serve us with game at the same rate as our other gamekeeper do”.

At that time, the family was very comfortable, as Ann Byham’s brother’s will indicates; money and land passes down to James (1748-1818) which is where the smuggling appears to have started.  Of his children … two, James (1774-1800) and William (1777-1800) were both hanged, Elizabeth (1781-1807) committed suicide, and Sarah (1783-1853) was run over by a locomotive…

One person, with whom I have been sharing research on the Ransley families, is Lynne Gillam. Lynne has compiled this account of the branch of the family connected with the two brothers who were hanged:

James Byham Ransley was born to James and Anne in 1748 in the small village of Ruckinge which sits at an entrance to the Romney Marsh.  On 11th October 1773, James married Mary Beney and the couple had at least six children.

In 1790 the family moved to Mersham, four miles south east of Ashford.  John Douch’s research reveals that the family soon earned the disapproval of the parish clerk and schoolmaster, James Finn.  He wrote in his diary: ‘The arrival of this family was from Ruckinge where much illegal traffic was carried on and every specie of vice practised, the Sabbath Day disregarded, heathenism and all immorality practised.  Cards, dice and dominoes in these smuggling retreats were the general order of the day.’

Finn describes sons James and William as ‘Fine looking young men, stout and tall, at most times mounted on high bred chargers.’  According to Finn, James Byham was also tall, while Mary was short and stout.

Several charges of burglary, theft and smuggling were brought against various members of the family but they were always acquitted.  John Douch sites a typical example from the Maidstone Lent Assizes in 1799 when James and his son James were charged with stealing ‘2 sacks value 4/-; 8 Bushells pease value 40/-; 1 gallon of wheat value 9d the goods and chattels of Edward Austin Esq (brother of Jane Austen) of ‘Godmersham Park.’

However, the family’s luck changes in 1799 when William was charged with assaulting Ann Wilson, the wife of the landlord of the Blue Anchor Inn at Ruckinge.  William pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months imprisonment, which he duly served.

Worse was to come when, at the Maidstone Summer Assizes of 1800, sons William and James were brought to trial for ‘Breaking and entering the house of John Gurr of Shadoxhurst; stealing one purse the value of two pence and twelve pieces of copper money called penny pieces to the value of one shilling … and that William Ransley did feloniously shoot at Elizabeth Gurr.’  James was charged as William’s accomplice in the shooting.  The alleged motive was revenge on Mrs Gurr’s having informed upon the brothers’ activities to a revenue officer.

Duly tried and found guilty, James and William were sentenced to death.  They were hanged at Penenden Heath, Maidstone, on 21 August 1800, along with two other men, one found guilty of sheep stealing, the other of rape.  The hanging was witnessed by a large crowd ‘particularly from that part of the country where the Ransleys had resided.’  Contemporary newspaper reports praise the brothers’ conduct upon the scaffold, claiming they behaved bravely, ‘playing and singing with great fervency until their last moments.’

James collected his son’s bodies from the scaffold, loaded them onto a cart and took them back to be buried in the churchyard at Ruckinge.  The wooden grave-board, long since bleached and scrubbed of any lettering, can still be seen in the churchyard.  It is said that James and Mary are buried beside their sons, together with daughter Elizabeth and James’ brother William.  Elizabeth was only 15 when her brothers were executed.  Apparently unhinged by the shock, Elizabeth took her own life, hanging herself, seven years later.

James and Mary probably also raised James’ illegitimate daughter Sarah

I have only found two children born to William Ransley and Mary Clifton and they are Richard’s father, William Ransley and his brother, John Ransley, baptised on 11th October 1767.

William Ransley, baptised 28th March 1764, Ticehurst, Sussex, England, married Richard’s mother, Mary Vidler, who was baptised 12th May 1765 in Ticehurst, Sussex. They had twelve children:

William Ransley, bap: 30th November 1785, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Mary Ransley, bap: 6th January 1787, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Ann Ransley, bap: 5th October 1791, Ticehurst, Sussex, England; d: October 1791; bur: 5th October 1791, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

James Ransley, bap: 11th November 1792, Ticehurst, Sussex, England; d: December 1792; bur: 9th December 1792, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Daniel Ransley, bap: 13th October 1793, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Samuel Ransley, bap: 25th April 1796, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Richard Ransley, b: 7th July 1799, Ticehurst, Sussex, England; bap: 8th august 1802, Ticehurst, Sussex, England; d: 11th June 1867, Chorlton, Lancashire, England; m1: 14th October 1826, St Nicholas, Church of England, Sandhurst, Kent, England, Harriet Chantler; m2: 16th January 1844, Wesleyan Methodist, Field of Mars, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, Sarah Hirst, Stone, nee Sutton.

Elizabeth Ransley(twin), born and baptised: 8th August 1802, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Jesse Ransley(twin), born and baptised: 8th August 1802, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Frances Ransley, b: 14th August 1804, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Barbara Ransley, born and baptised: 30th March 1807, Ticehurst, Sussex, England; d: May 1807, bur: 28th May 1807, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

George Ransley, bap: 19th March 1809, Ticehurst, Sussex, England.

Back to Richard Ransley; as it was customary at the time for marriages to be held in the bride’s native place, Richard married Harriet Chantle in the St Nicholas, Sandhurst parish church in Kent.  It is probable they were already Wesleyans when they married, but only Church of England marriages were legally recognised.

St Nicholas, Sandhurst, Kent, England

Harriet was a descendant of Percevall Chaundler, a farmer who lived in Sandhurst in 1566, and William Chrisfourd,the owner of a small manor at Ewhurst who died in 1520. (This last little bit of information has not been proven by me.)

Richard is the only known member of his immediate family to immigrate to Australia. His third cousin was transported to Tasmania in 1827. Richard was accompanied on his voyage by his cousin, Susan Kemp (nee Chantler), the daughter of his mother’s sister, Dinah Vidler.  Harriet’s sister, Jane Clout (nee Chantler) and a brother travelled with them on the ‘Roxburgh Castle’. Two of Harriet’s other sisters had come here ahead of them. Sarah Roberts/Robards arrived in 1839 on the ‘Cornwall’ andEmma Sonter immigrated to Australia on the ‘Maitland’ which arrived in Sydney 5th November 1838.

There are numerous accounts written about Richard’s third cousin, George, who was a member of a dangerous and successful gang of smugglers, based on the edge of Romney Marsh, at Aldington, between Ashford and Hythe, in the county of Kent. This gang worked the coast between Dover and Rye during the 1820s. The ‘Aldington Gang’ was also known as the ‘Blues’, perhaps from their blue clothing or from blue flares used for signalling. The leader of this gang was George Ransley, a strong and clever man from a family not unfamiliar with crime. Two second cousins, once removed, of George were James and William Ransley, known as the ‘Roaring Ransleys’, also involved in smuggling, but met their deaths on the gallows at Penenden Heath, in 1800, for highway robbery.

On arrival in Australia, Richard and his family described themselves as Wesleyans and Richard claimed they both could read.

Harriet, sadly, died on 5th February 1840, eight months after they landed in Sydney, and Richard remarried four years later. According to legend passed down through the family he returned to England, leaving his son in charge of a windmill in the Sydney area. Sandhurst Wesleyan records show that Richard was a bargeman.  The family story does not mention Richard’s second marriage to Sarah Hurst23, but he disappears from Australian records after 1844. I have found Richard and Sarah having died in Chorlton, Manchester, Lancashire, England.100

It seems that Sarah Hurst was actually Sarah Hirst, when she married Richard Ransley. My research has now revealed that her maiden name was Sutton. She was born to parents Peter and Sarah Sutton.101

Peter Sutton, b: 1775, Manchester, Lancashire, England; d: 1850, Chorlton, Lancashire, England; m: about 1795, Sarah (unknown) b: 1780, Manchester, Lancashire, England; d: 1843, Chorlton, Lancashire, England. They had five children to my knowledge. They are:

Henry Sutton, b: 1796, Manchester, Lancashire, England.

Sarah Sutton, b: December 1798, Manchester, Lancashire, England; bap: 16th December 1798, Manchester, Lancashire, England; d: 12th April 1891, Chorlton, Lancashire, England; m1: 11th June 1834, Manchester, Lancashire, England,102Joseph Stone, d: 1838, Chorlton, Lancashire, England.

(Sarah and Joseph Stone had a daughter named Elizabeth Stone, born 18th May 1836.)103

Elizabeth Sutton, b: 1801, Manchester, Lancashire, England.

Napoleon Bonaparte Sutton, b: 21st March 1803, Manchester, Lancashire, England; d: 1861, Hulme, Manchester, Lancashire, England; m: Barbara Bagguley, b: 2nd March 1806, Manchester, Lancashire, England; d: 1878, Burnley, Manchester, England. These two had eight children one of whom was Peter Sutton who married his cousin Elizabeth Stone.

Caroline Matilda Sutton, b: 1805, Manchester, Lancashire, England.

Sarah Stone, nee Sutton then married on 2nd February 1841, Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, England,104 Thomas Henry Hirst, b: about 1805.

The Index to Assisted Immigrants Arriving at Port Phillip 1839-1851 shows that Thomas Henry Hirst, his wife Sarah Hirst and her five year old daughter Elizabeth, listed as being by a previous marriage, came to Australia sponsored by A.B. Smith and Co. on board the ‘Nabob’. The 503 ton Barque sailed from Liverpool in England on 9thSeptember 1841 and arrived in Sydney 21st February 1842. On 16th October 1841 the ‘Nabob’ docked at Madeira for two days, then at Cape of Good Hope for five days, the voyage taking one hundred and sixty four days.105 Thomas’s occupation was given as a whitesmith; one who is a metal worker dealing with tin, light metals and white enamelled goods. This is the description of a tinsmith who would have worked for an ironmonger repairing plated metal and hollow-ware goods.

In the 1841 census, where Thomas, Sarah and Elizabeth are found living in Chester Street, Chorlton on Medlock, in Manchester, Thomas is listed as a tinplate worker and Sarah a butcher; a very unusual occupation for a woman of that time. Elizabeth’s age is stated as five years.

One would wonder if this was a marriage of convenience. Some Assisted Bounty Immigrants needed to be married to apply to be sponsored to work for property owners in Australia. This would have been ideal for both Sarah and Thomas to make new starts, especially as Sarah was a single mother at the time of her marriage to Thomas Hirst. The death of Joseph Stone in the March quarter of 1838, in Chorlton, shows she would have been widowed and on her own at the time of her second marriage in 1841. These two had only been married for seven months before embarking on their voyage to Australia and would have collected a sizable bounty payment.

The fate of Thomas Hirst is a mystery. Sarah was six years his senior, even though the shipping records show them to be both thirty seven years of age. This deception was possibly also due to the bounty payment requisites; paying more for those under forty years of age.

Sarah Hirst, late Stone, nee Sutton, now aged forty six, married 16th January 1844, Wesleyan Methodist, Field of Mars, Parramatta, Sydney, Richard Ransley, widower.

Some time after her marriage to Richard Ransley in 1844, Sarah, Richard and her daughter, Elizabeth, now about eight years old, returned to England.

Sarah’s daughter, Elizabeth Stone married her cousin, Peter Sutton, in 1854, who incidentally was a pork butcher, the son of Napoleon Bonaparte Sutton, Sarah’s brother. The story becomes even more involved. Elizabeth and Peter had five children:

Sarah Sutton, b: 1855, Chorlton, Lancashire, England.

Louis Napoleon Sutton, b: 1857, Chorlton, Lancashire, England; m: 1875, Manchester, Lancashire, England, Mary Ann Ikin.

Barbara Sutton, b: 1859, Chorlton, Lancashire, England.

Elizabeth Sutton, b: 1860, Chorlton, Lancashire, England.

Ellen Sutton, b: 1862, Chorlton, Lancashire, England.

Peter Sutton died in 1866 in Chorlton. Elizabeth then married John Brookes on 6th December 1868. John Brookes had been married before to an Ann Hughes. They had seven children, all born in Lancashire, England and were:

Jannet Brookes, b: 1849.

Mary Jane Brookes, b: 1850.

John Brookes, b: 1852.

William Meredith Brookes, b: 1854.

Selina Brookes, b: 1857.

Charles Henry Brookes, b: 1861.

Frederick J Brookes, b: 1863.

John Brookes was born about 1823 in Sheffield, York, England and died in 1893, in Chorlton, Lancashire, England. After the death of his first wife, he married Elizabeth Sutton nee Stone, then a widow.

Three of Elizabeth’s children and three of John’s children are listed on the 1881 census, together with a further five children, all born in Chorlton, from this marriage:

Elizabeth A Brookes, b: 1871.

Alfred Brookes, b: 1871.

Amy Brookes, b: 1874.

Edith Brookes, b: 1875.

Joseph Arthur Brookes, b:1878

They are found on the census, living at 39 Darncombe Street, Moss Side, Lancashire, England, along with Sarah Ransley.

One of Elizabeth Brookes’s children was named Sarah Sutton born 1855. On the death certificate of Sarah Ransley in Chorlton, England, the informant is her granddaughter, Sarah Brookes. Could this be her granddaughter, Sarah Sutton?

Her parents are William Gambrill and Sarah Etherden.

Anyone able to help me out here with some details about Elizabeth. Did she marry? Have Kids? What is the husbands name? Anyone have a photo of her?

William Card is the name of the child she had, however i have no confirmation of this. And why the surname Card? Does this child come from someone else other than husband William?

Sarah, what do you look like? I’m looking for a photo of Sarah to add to her webpage, do you have one?

He died on the 13th of July 1932 at Sydney Hospital. His home address at the time of death was 52 Sydney Street Marrickville, NSW. Witnesses on his death certificate are G.Gambrill, which possibly was his younger brother George Thomas. The other witness was G.Williams. The informant of his death was his niece Ethelene Australia Gambrill.

So i’m after a photo of Richard, do you have one?

Harriet had 9 children to John and she passed away on the 10th April 1920 at 8 Evans Street, Balmain South, NSW. She was buried 3 days later at the Congregational Cemetery, Field of Mars.

I have copies of her birth, Marriage and Death document and am seeking a photo of her and her gravestone.

Do you have a picture of her that i can add to her webpage?

Sophia died on the 17th September 1917 at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney,  and is buried at the methodist cemetery, Gore Hill.

I have Sophia’s birth, marriage and death documents – i’m now looking for a photo of her gravestone, and a photo of herself so that i can add it to her webpage.

Do you have any photos of Sophia?

Publication unknown and date of publication unknown.

The School complex at Morisset may not be as old as some educational establishments in the southern part of Lake Macquarie, but it has at least maintained a certain family tradition for almost 80 years.

Descendants of at least three families which provided the original scholars in 1891 have ensured an unbroken link, even to the fifth generation.

Two of the families have flourished and spread to many places throughout Lake Macquarie, their names being well known in the communities in which they have settled.

But School records available also show another interesting aspect of early settlement; just how many families migrate to other areas, leaving little or no trace.

For example, the original enrolment at Morisset Public School came from the children of seven families.

Of these, only three remain in the Morisset-Dora Creek district. There could be descendants elsewhere in Lake Macquarie, but inquiries and research were not productive.

A school at Morisset became necessary when a railway station was established there after the opening of the Sydney to Newcastle railway line.

Licensed Surveyor, Percy Cowley, marked out two acres of land for a school and an adjoining 3½ acres for a school paddock. The land was thinly timbered with gum, oak, mahogany and bloodwood trees.

On October 7, 1887, the surveyor reported; “Morisset is a village divided by the Homebush – Waratah railway and situated midway between Newcastle and Gosford, places about 52 miles apart”

“It is the nearest station for the trade of Cooranbong district and is certain to become populous and important. A school site is needed. That selected is elevated, central, accessible and suitable for building purposes”.

About this time there was a successful land sale at Morisset and people, mainly fettlers and timer mill workers, began to settle there.

An application for a school in August 1888 was refused on the ground that the small number of children available would not warrant its establishment.

On May 10, 1890 the Stationmaster (Mr. G.H. Manson) renewed the application of his predecessor to have a public school established at Morisset. He said 14 boys and 22 girls of school age were living within two miles of the preposed school.

Their names were: Annie Wellings, James Wellings, Isabel Wellings, Clara Wellings, Lily Wellings, Agnes Wellings, Edith Wellings,

Frederick Day, Austral Day Neva Day, Nada Day, Harry Day, Nora Day,

William Slater, Ester Slater, Bella Slater,

Frederick Stead, Lizzie Stead, Mary Stead,

John Hockings, Alice Hockings, Dorothy Hockings, Sarah Hockings, Willie Hockings,

Edward Parker, Arthur Parker, Louisa Parker, Albert Parker, Clara Parker,

Darcy Gambrill, George Gambrill, Ruby Gambrill and Pearl Gambrill.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(a line missed from the photocopy. From another transcription: (Mr. Inspector McCormack reported on the application))

mentioning that Morisset was an important railway station 26 miles south of Newcastle.

The surrounding land, divided into small allotments, had been “very successfully sold by the Government”.

He said a large timber trade was carried on and the locality had a population of 80, and was almost certain to draw to it many people from near places such as Cooranbong and Newport.

He agreed that 36 children of school age lived within two miles of Morisset but 14 of these lived but one mile from Newport Public School (non-vested).

He added: “They are children of fettlers and to reach Newport thy must either cross the side Dora Creek in a boat which they are without, or trespass on the railway line and bridge, which by public notice is forbidden.

“A suitable site of 5½ acres for the proposed school has been secured”

After the application was approved on June 12, 1890, tenders were called to erect a one-room school and adjoining residence designed by the government Architect, Mr. William E. Kemp.

Mr. Robert A. O’Leary successfully tendered for the work and declined to proceed because of “strike troubles”

This sort of trouble was by no means uncommon those days, even in what were predominantly rural areas.

As the iron rail pushed forward into these outlying communities, so also did the growing militancy of some working groups travel in the same direction.

Tenders were again called, and a Mr. Thomas Smith gained a £900 contract to erect a brick school, four room residence, plus kitchen and pantry. The school was completed on July 3 1891.

On August 4, Mr. John Roach was transferred from the public school at Barnsley to take charge of the new school at Morisset.

He was disconcerted to find that his salary, which had already been reduced because of decreased attendances at Barnsley following the opening of West Wallsend Public School, had been further cut at Morisset. He complained to the Department of Public Instruction that “my salary will not pay for food for my family”

His plea succeeded, for his salary was restored according to his classification.

He opened the school with six pupils, and the enrolment rose to 29 by the end of the year.

In 1894 Mr. Roach attributed his failure at inspection to the fact that most of the children had suffered from influenza and that the school population consisted mainly of “entirely new children”.

By April, 1897, the average attendance had risen to 40, and the school was graded as seventh-class, resulting in the teacher getting a salary rise.

But in December, 1898 – a dry season – the school experienced an acute water shortage. Relief in the form of a 600-gallon tank was provided.

Since Mr. Roach did not have the classification required for a sixth-class school, he …………………………

(more lines missing. From another transcription: (was transferred in 1899. In that year the average attendance was 54 pupils. Mr. A.J. Dransfield succeeded him. In October 1900 Mr. Dransfield made a re-)

-quest for a pupil teacher. Miss Minnie Butler, appointed in 1901, suffered repeatedly from bronchitis.

On March 21, 1904, the school reserve of 3¾ acres was permanently dedicated to public school purposes. The whole area was fenced in to contain horses ridden by children from homes up to five miles away.

A room was added to the residence and the school was repainted that year by Mr. R. O’Leary, of Cooranbong. In September, 1904, Mr Thomas McManus accepted appointment to the school.

He too had a successful tilt at the department over removal expenses. He wrote:

“Referring to my removal from Delegate in Morisset. It might be well to acquaint the department with hardships and privations which teachers and their families have to undergo and the losses sustained when travelling long distances.

I have suffered an irreparable loss in being obliged to sell all my furniture and household effects at a great sacrifice.

I brought only a case of books and two bales of bedding with me, in addition to ordinary luggage, so the expense in freight is very small.

The coach in which I travelled broke down at Bibbenluke between Bombala and Cooma.

I was obliged to leave my bedding behind and was transferred to another coach to catch the train to Cooma and thus avoid expense.

In consequence of having no bedding when I arrived at Morisset, I was obliged to sign at the local hotel for a week at lodgings and camped at the school for meals.

I hope the department will deal liberally in granting perhaps something more that the actual expenses for the loss I have sustained”

The department assessed Mr. McManus’s losses in kind and otherwise at £42/2/- and it was not recorded whether this amount satisfied.

He continued at the school till his death in June, 1908 and was replaced by Mr. Frederick L Breakwell.

On January 5, 1901, the school, Church of England, Mullard’s sawmill, School of Arts and several cottages were saved from a “raging bushfire” by the heroic efforts of James, Thomas and George Wellings, Thomas Clark, Thomas Field, H.B. Mullard, Walter Mullard and the teacher.

A record of the event mentioned that “their conspicuous bravery in protecting property was acknowledged by the department”.

In august 1911, approval was given to have a provisional school at Morisset East to serve children of hospital employees. It was built in 1913 on portion of the hospital estate, Grace Nolan was teacher.

In 1915 following the closure of Mandalong Public School, a conveyance subsidy was authorised for 16 children who enrolled at Morisset School. Some children from Morisset East School attended Morisset School during their teacher’s protracted illness, which caused the school to be closed in 1917.

In 1915 Morisset School had……………………………………………………………………………………

(more missing lines from the text)

19ft. The new room was not completed till 1916.

At this time the playground was improved by the introduction of gymnastic equipment and an enclosed flower and vegetable garden to aid nature study.

Miss Zella Lonsdale was appointed assistant teacher in 1925.

The new Headmaster (Mr. Charles Manuel) complained that Morisset was a “dusty and dirty” place, with temperatures exceeding the century for more than a month.

He deplored the absence of fly screens on the residence and complained that as previous teachers had commuted to school the residence had been allowed to fall into disrepair.

Moreover, it was situated only 60ft from two large mills “where bullock teams are constantly hauling logs to the mill, and clouds of dust make the residence one of the dirtiest parts of the town. Smoke from the factory blows right through the dwelling”

Mr. Manuel also recorded that his family was often disturbed by rowdiness issuing from a corrugated iron dance hall built 40 feet from the residence.

After one dance the lawn was strewn with empty beer bottles. But his complaints failed to reduce the rent assessment for the residence.

In 1926, Miss Simpson was appointed assistant at the school and two years later an extra classroom was built for the infants’ section.

Succeeding assistants include Miss Spence (1928), Miss Irene McHugh (1929), Miss O. Elam (1930), Miss Beryl Stinson (1913) and Miss Mary Walsh (1932).

Throughout the 1930s the residence was plagued by white ant infestations.

In October, 1952, seven new classrooms including manual arts and home science homes, were opened at a cost of £6,500.

This was the development of the central school at Morisset, which was replaced by a new modern high school in the same grounds a few years ago.

The Library in the primary school was used as a classroom more than 60 years ago.

………………..(there could still be missing text on this photocopied document)
In addition to this article there is another small inclusion on this page.

Newport, though on the 1841 map of Lake Macquarie, is now just a name in history – a history that had its colourful and, at times, somewhat doubtful periods.

It was the subject of land speculation in 1841, when some owners used enticing advertisements to attract buyers in Newcastle and Sydney Town, without success.

It was mainly a farming area, believed to be part of the large Eraring estate granted to Lieutenant P. Simpson, who sold it to clear debts.

Few living people remember it was Newport Township, but one is a pioneer of that area. Mr. C. Taylor, of Eraring, who recalls when it was Newport, then changed to Doree for a relatively brief period, and finally to Dora Creek.

Thanks goes out to Dawn Gambrill for the article and Gay Eunson for the Transcription.

Following the opening of the Sydney to Newcastle railway line and the establishment of a railway station at Morisset, licensed surveyor, Percy Cowley marked out two acres of land for a school and an adjoining three and a quarter acres for a school paddock. The land was thinly timbered with gum, oak, mahogany and bloodwood trees. On 7th October, 1887 the surveyor reported as follows:

• “Morisset is a village divided by the Homebush-Waratah railway and situated midway between Newcastle and Gosford, places about 52 miles apart. It is the nearest station for the trade of the Cooranbong district and is certain to become populous and important. A school site is therefore needed. That selected and marked out, containing two acres, is elevated, central, accessible and suitable for building purposes.”

It was recommended that the land be acquired for public school purposes.

About this time there was a successful land sale at Morisset and population – mainly fettler and workers at the timber mill began to settle there. An application was made for a public school at Morisset in August, 1888 but there were too few children to warrant its establishment.

On 10th May, 1890 the Station Master, Mr. G.H. Mason renewed the application made by his predecessor, for the establishment of a public school at Morisset. The application stated that there were fourteen boys and twenty two girls of school age living within two miles of the proposed school. Their names were as follows:

Annie Wellings, James Wellings, Isabel Wellings, Clara Wellings, Lily Weillings, Agnes Wellings, Edith Wellings, Frederick Day, Austral Day, Neva Day, Nada Day, Harry Day, Norah Day, William Slater, Della Slater, Frederick Stead, Lizzie Stead, Mary Stead, John Hockings, Alice Hockings, Lizzie Hockings, Dorothy Hockings, Sarah Hockings, Willie Hockings, Edward Parker, Arthur Parker, Louisa Parker, Albert Parker, Clara Parker, Darcy Gambrill, George Gambrill, Ruby Gambrill, and Pearl Gambrill.

Mr. Inspector McCormack reported on the application:

• “Morisset is an important railway station 26 miles south of Newcastle. The surrounding land, divided into small allotments, has been very successfully sold by the Government A large timber trade is carried on. The locality has now a population of 80, and is most certain to draw to it many people from near places – Cooranbong, Newport etc. Thirty six children of school age live within two miles of Morisset. but fourteen of these are also but one mile from the Newport Public School (non-vested). They are the children of fettlers and to reach Newport must either cross the wide Dora Creek in a boat which they are with-out, or trespasses on the railway line and bridge, which by public notice is forbidden. A public school is required at Morisset. A suitable site (51 acres) has been secured.”

Following the Inspector’s recommendation, on 12th June, 1890, that the application be approved, tenders were called for the erection of a one roomed school and adjoining residence designed by Government Architect, William S. Kemp.

Mr. Robert A. O’Leary successfully tendered for the work but declined to proceed because of “STR1KE TROUBLES”. Tenders were advertised once more and Thomas Smith was contracted to build the brick school and four roomed residence plus kitchen and pantry for nine hundred dollars. The school was completed on 3rd July, 1891.

On 4th August, 1891 Mr. John Roach was removed from the public school at Barnsley to take charge of the new school at Morisset. He was disconcerted to find that his salary, which had been reduced because of decreased attendances at Barnsley following the opening of West Wallsend public school, had been further reduced at Morisset. He complained that his present salary “will not pay for food for my family”. Consequently his salary was increased to that pertaining to his present classification.

He opened the school with six pupils but the enrolment had reached 29 by the end of the year.

In 1894 Mr. Roach attributed his failure at inspection to the fact that most of the children had suffered from influenza and that the school population consisted mainly of “entirely new children”.

By April 1897 the average attendance at: the school reached 40 pupils, the school was classified as a 7ih class school, and as a result the teacher received an increase in salary.

By December, 1898 the school was experiencing an acute water shortage and a 600 gallon tank was in.tal1ed.

As Mr. Roach did not hold the required classification for a sixth class school he was transferred in l89c. In that year the average attendance was 54 pupils. Mr. A.J. Dransfield succeeded him..

In October 1900 he applied for the appointment of a pupil teacher. The following year Miss. Minnie Butler was appointed to the position. She was not very robust and suffered repeatedly from Bronchitis.

On 21st March, 1904 the school reserve of three and a quarter acres was permanently dedicated to public school purposes and the whole area was fenced to contain the horses ridden by the children from homes four and five miles away.

A room was added to the residence and the school was repainted that year by Mr Robert O’Leary of Cooranbong.

In September, 1904 Mr Thomas McManus accepted appointment to the school. He received forty two pounds, two shillings and tuppence in removal expenses as a result of the following complaint to the Department.

• “Referring to my removal from Delegate to Morisset it might be well to acquaint the Department with the hardships and privations which teachers and their families have to undergo and the losses sustained when travelling long distances. I have suffered an irreparable loss in being obliged to sell all my furniture and household effects at a great sacrifice. I only brought a case of books and two bales of bedding with me in addition to ordinary luggage, so the expense in freight is very small. The coach in which I travelled broke down at Bibbenluke between Bombala and Cooma, consequently I was obliged to leave my bedding behind, and was transferred to another coach in order to catch the train at Cooma and thus avoid expense. In consequence of having no bedding when I arrived at Morisset, I was obliged to stop at the local hotel for a week at lodgings and camped at: the school for meals.

• I hope the Department will deal liberally in granting perhaps something more that the actual expenses for the loss I have sustained”.

Mr. McManus died in June, 1908 and was replaced by Mr. Frederick Breakwell.

On 5th January, 1901 the school, Church of England, Mullard’s Saw Mill, School of Arts and several cottages were saved from a “raging bushfire” by the heroic efforts of James Wellings, Thomas Wellings, George Wellings, Thomas Clark, Thomas Field, H.B. Mullard, Walter Mullard and the teacher. “Their conspicuous service in protecting property” was acknowledged by the Department.

By: P.A. Haslam  

Mr. Oscar Smith, who idles his days away pottering in his gardens at Morisset, often dreams of the short period in his life when he wore a silk hat, powdered wig, gold buckle shoes and velvet trousers and coat.

An Englishman, Mr. Smith did not experience lordly wealth in the land of his birth; it happened to him for the relatively brief period he was a carriage footman to Lord Dudley, Governor-General of Australia, whose residence was at Government House in Sydney.

Mr. Smith, born at East Angus 78 years ago, migrated to Australia in 1909 and was immediately attracted to vice-regal duty, having had similar experience in England.

He still remembers those days — the extensive stables on the site now occupied by the State Conservatorium, the expansive green on which he often played cricket with members of His Excellency’s staff.

For him, the life provided contrasts of hard work and colourful pageantry, especially on State occasions and the annual visit to Victoria for the Melbourne Cup.

“1 can hardly believe that once I rode around Sydney wearing a silk top hat,” he recalled.

“Of course, the whole staff went south for the Cup; it was quite an occasion particularly the Vice-regal drive to the course. There would the outside riders for the coach and two, postilions with watch footmen at the rear.

We were all done up in our glory, and quite a sight to behold. We would enter the course and travel down the straight, stopping opposite the Vice-regal box. After we unharnessed the horses, we were taken to a stand and given 2/6 by the V.R.C. for lunch.”

Mr. Smith went to the Cup in 19l0, won by Comedy King. He had had a bad day, doing two months’ salary in advance.

He remembers the glittering functions held by Lord Dudley and still has the daily menu card and cards for functions.

Lord Dudley, rich colliery owner, brought from England 48 cases of silver plate ware, sufficient to provide for 90 guests.

He also had a gold-plate service set for 12 persons.

Mr. Smith left Vice-regal employ and, after working in railway workshops, went to Morisset in 1912 and quickly got a job at the hospital, staying there till 1950, when ill health forced him to retire.

He recounted some early history of the hospital and Morisset district in a talk to Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society.

The first hospital block was opened on May 9, 1909, the site having been selected by Dr. Eric Sinclair; water for the institution was obtained from Pourmalong Creek, where a dam was constructed early in the programme.

The site was not truly virgin, for where the administration block stands there were the ruins of a selector’s home.

Despite inquiry, no information could be found and it was often assumed that this pioneering but unsuccessful settlement could have been associated with the era of Lieutenant Percy Simpson; who acquired land about this area 80 years earlier.

When the hospital first started it was visited weekly by a general practitioner from Gosford, Dr. Paul, who also went to the hospital when urgently needed. Dr. Samson was the first resident doctor, in 1912.

Mr. Smith said Parramatta section for the criminally insane, after years of being condemned, was about to be closed, and Dr. Hogg, Inspector-General of the department, decided to build a new unit.

He believed he had chosen a site at Wyee for the new block, and was shocked on a visit to Morisset to learn the institution was actually at Morisset, not far from the general hospital section.

Among early residents of Morisset were the Frosts, Gambrills, Mr. Roach (first schoolmaster) and Mr. Ashton, who had a small sawmill in the main street to cut firewood. This later became H.P. Mullard’s mill who has long since gone.

Mr. Ashton was the paternal grandfather of Mr. Percy Clack, of Morisset, who retired in 1946 after having been stationmaster at Morisset for 20 years.

Mr. Smith and Messrs. H.P. Mullard and J. Russell and a man named Myles, who was a director of Grimby and Co., merchants, could be regarded as the business pioneers of Morisset, mainly in sawmilling and farming.

More than 80 years ago an attempt was made to establish sugarcane at Brightwaters, part of Morisset Peninsula. A foreshore area was selected and timber obtained. A vast amount of shells was collected from around the foreshores of Lake Macquarie and burned to get lime, used to fertilize the sour ground.

The first season was a success, but the next year was a failure, owing to excessive frosts and the project was abandoned.

Mr. Smith said that for a long time evidence of the estate was seen in ploughed furrows

The advent of a railway meant much to Morisset, particularly for the timber men. Tens of thousands of sleepers were obtained from the Watagan Mountains and near Morisset, many going to South Africa.

By this time, traffic via Dora Creek had stopped; for many years barges had been towed by small steam tugs across Lake Macquarie to bring goods and take back timber. The first materials for the factory at Avondale were brought this way.

“Sleeper pass” day once a month was a big event at Morisset. The railway yard would be choked with sleepers awaiting inspection by a Government official. Once they were passed they were soon loaded. Almost every inhabitant took the day off for these occasions. Discreetly, the local policeman found important work to do on the other side of the mountains.

Mr. Bill Worley, who had a small store next to the hotel, put up shutters for the day.

In those days, fir trees grew outside the hotel, and were used to hitch horses.

Mr. J. Hutchinson, whose daughter ran the post-office and savings bank, kept horses and provided a transport service to the hospital, return fare 6d. He had sulky, buggy and coach transport.

“The long paddocks” in other words streets and thoroughfares, were often used to graze cattle brought from over the mountains. The owners deliberately created bushfires to make fresh grass when they brought in their overworked and poor stock in winter.

And it was considered a poor bullock that did not have calves after the muster.

Messrs. Mullard, Russell and Myles sank a shaft several hundred feet deep on the Cooranbong side of Stockton Creek. An 8ft thick seam of Borehole coal was found, but water seepage and inadequate transport caused abandonment of the enterprise.

The Buff (also Kendal Grange) was once owned by a Newcastle solicitor named Gorrick, who gave it to his daughter as a wedding present when she married Bert Bailey, of “Dad and Dave” fame. On her death it was sold to Lewisham Hospital for convalescents; it is now operated as the St. John of God School.

Whitehead Lagoon, near Myuna Bay was named after a man who came from France and with three nephews tried to grow grapes there.

Mr. Smith can remember an old lady from Toronto telling him that as a young girl she often bought grapes there.

He said people often wondered about the large amount of cockle and oyster shells found on top of the Watagan Mountains. He was prepared to accept the view of a forest ranger that often the Awabakal tribe, which frequented the shores of Lake Macquarie, arranged truces with the tribe from over the mountains when the latter needed salt water and fish.

It seemed the visiting tribe selected this one spot as a resting and eating place for the return journey.

Thankyou to Dawn Gambrill for the article to Gay Eunson for the transcription.

Basic and essential for each and every person in a family tree is a Birth/Marriage and death certificate, as well as a  photo. What i have below is a list  for all of William Gambrills 88 or so grandchildren, his 15 children and those that came before William (Paternal line and wife(s)) are also listed. So its my aim to get everyone a BMD doc and a photo. (Needless to say that some folks wont have a photo/marriage) . Just one more thing, the column for births – by that i’m refering to birth or baptsim, so i have either one or both of those, and in some cases (particularly older ones) the death may also refer to burial.

Please note that i may have mistakes or unfinished information please let me know (via email) or leave a message below. A big shout out goes to all that have kindly contributed to this list below, thankyou.

Y means i have it, N means i dont, NA not applicable. 

Approx total to get #400

Last update (14th Oct 2011) and total so far collected #149.

Below is Harris Street – but where in this street did he live?

She was born in Woodnesborough to Thomas Turner and mother Elizabeth. Top section of the document is where she is mentioned. Following on from her baptism, i cant seem to find her on any census in Woodnesborough, and previously i had her death date in 1864, but the Canterbury Cathedral dont have any info for her then so they sent deaths in 1869 and a few years after that but they seem to be incorrect. I have another document that maybe, and i stress maybe, of Ann’s husband George, and it says he is widowed and this document is from 1837 – now Ann had her last child i believe in 1831, so she may of died sometime between then.

Giving the next person whom will take over your ancestry a headstart when your 6 foot under with a few boxes of your very own goodies is more than they could possibly ask for.

Here are a few suggestions for your Ancestry box, some based on my own collection:

1) Speeding fines, and make sure you ask for a copy of the photograph.

2) Airline tickets – and bits and bobs associated with you trip(s)

3) Passports – keep them all.

4) School Stuff – reports, certificates, end of year school mag, etc…

5) Your children – start from newborn, the day they get the armband on in hospital put that away when you take it of the baby’s arm. Keep their hair from the first hair cut, keep their teeth that the tooth fairy is supposed to take away, stuff associated with birthdays, school stuff and so on.

6) Drivers license test,  keep your report (particularly if you failed) Any old drivers license or other types of (photo) ID etc..

7) Work references and any newspaper or paper media that you/your business were featured in for one reason or another.

8) Videos and Photos – throw everything onto disc. May need to re-check on whether computers in 10 or 20 years can read the format but i’m sure somewhere, somehow that will always be possible. At the moment my little one asks us everynight for ‘talking’ (his idea not ours) – this means at bed time one of us sits with him and he really opens up about his day at school, thoughts etc. This is something special and so we have started to video record each night.

9) Dairy/Letters and documents for kids/wife/husbands  birth/death/marriage/divorce etc, and also your house/car/boat/plane/rocket journey ticket stubs and wedding menu, guest list etc. Anything that could be of ancestry value when your long gone.

10) Kids christmas toy list/letter that they write to send to Santa.

Get one of those preserving boxes i think they are called, label the box and simply put all ancestry goodies into it and over the years you’ll have a fantastic collection of stuff.

Have you started?

I have written about Gambrill Lane before, of which you’ll see a picture of the sign, not just the post.

So who stole it? Some Drunkin nutter? A Gambrill? An Alien?  Who knows, but one thing is for sure, your now apart of Gambrill history. I just need your mugshot for the record so feel free to email me.

I had thought from time to time that it was just a matter of asking a archiver to find his death certificate and it would be no problem. I am due later this year to get his BMD details (and his wife Ann Turner b.1790 also) and hadnt really given much thought as to why no one else had his death details, so perhaps i would of just wasted my money.

A day or so ago i recieve a few emails regarding Gambrills from Cheryl, in one them she suggested she may of found George’s final resting place. Not in Woodnesborough, not in Kent nor the UK, but in ‘Van Diemans Land’,  Tasmania or Tassie as we call it.

I have done further research myself over the last day or 2 regarding what Cheryl suggested, and it seems a strong possiblilty it is him. A few documents later we have his name (spelled many different ways) and birth date, a ship and stolen pig.

Cheryl, well done. Every now and then i tried looking for George but always came up with nothing and then out of the blue your email came in with a possibility.  Now just to find that Woodnesborough/family connection. Once i have this, all will be posted on my website, under Georges Page

So i got myself one of these. ‘ The Ancient Arms of Gambrill ‘. The Gambrill name comes from Italy, it has been traced to Bologna (Bononia) in Emilia. It goes onto say ‘Nearly all European surnames have several spelling variations; because only scribes and church officials could read and write at the time , names where usually spoken, not written and therefore had no fixed spelling and were written as they were announced’. ‘ The names Gabrelli, Gabreli, Gabriele, Gabriele, Gabrielli, Gabrielini, Gabriellini, Gabbello, Gabello, Gabriel, Gabriele, Gambrielli, Gambrieli are all variations on the name Gambrill and share the same origin’.  I guess there maybe others, including Gambrell, which could of been the way my line is spelled but  in the mid 1800′s, the ‘e’ was dropped for a ‘i’.

Perhaps DNA could give some good indication for Italian roots, and whether or not my very own DNA has some Italian pasta or pizza in it. Watch this space.

Thanks to Geoffery whom dropped by the cemetery the other day and took some pics.

William & Sarah, where are you?

15 children between the 2 Sarahs – William, Harriet (looking for a photo), Richard (looking for a photo), Sophie (Looking for a photo), Theodore, Ruth (looking for a photo), Sarah (Looking for a photo), Elizabeth (looking for a photo), Mary (looking for a photo), Benjamin (looking for a photo), Susannah (looking for a photo), Henry, George (Looking for a photo), William (looking for a photo) and Frederick (Looking for a photo). Some photos may not exists due to the child dying at a young age.

Here are the woman linked to their pages……

Harriet Eliza GAMBRILL married John HOLDEN

Sophia Jane Martha GAMBRILL married John Julian SMITH

Ruth Alice GAMBRILL married Andrew CAREY

Sarah Ann GAMBRILL Married William WORSLEY

Elizabeth GAMBRILL i think she died at a young age.

Mary Jane GAMBRILL died at a young age.

Susannah GAMBRILL married George ROSS

email me or check out my site

So i started out by emailing German archives, and other relavent archival holders and receiveda few documents saying she was with Hofler family in Nurnberg at this specific street between 1940 and 1945. I made further contact with the German archives again, and they gave me information about the family my grandmother worked for. I subsequently found out that the house was now a car yard and that the Hoflers were long gone.

What i did next was to phone Nurnberg using the online German phone book. Fortunatley, it has an english version.

I searched Hofler, and it brought up quite a few pages. I chose a page at random and wrote down all the details of the people i was calling including writting a comment after the call incase i had to phone back later. If you have to make 20, 30 or 40 calls, then best be organzied or you’ll end up missing potential matches, or calling people twice.

I first tried this about 6 months earlier, but made no progress. I tried it again yesterday and this time it seems like i found relatives of the family my grandmother worked for.

You see, i’m just wanting more information about my grandmother from her time in Nurnberg, especially regarding her employment with the Hofler family.

Anyway, on my 7th or 8th call, it seemed the missing puzzle peice was found. I had to make a few subsequent calls as i was told to ‘phone my sister’, as she has better knowledge, and then i had to ‘phone my daughter’, as her english is better – but by the end of it, i had made contact with the family i needed to, and it seems they have some old photo(s), and a letter or something about Nana. They said they will go through the old stuff and send me ‘everything’.

Dont be worried about the language barrier, many do understand English.

In wrapup, Enter the surname your reseaching in the German phone book, and use skype to phone, very cheap. Make sure you have a bit of history in your head, or written down so you can tell them.

In the Estate of Jucy Jane Wilson, Deceased.

Administrators A/C

Payements

1950. Feb 21st

To Paid J.A Wilson £18.8.9

Reapairs to Mission Hall.

ditto Benhill Road 4.2.6

Commissioners fees 0.7.6 £22.18.9

Mar. 7th

To Southern electricity Board 6.4.6

Mar. 7th

To Dr.Firman Edwards – Professional charges 1.15.0

Mar. 7th

To Messrs.H.V.Talyor – Funeral expenses 29.7.6

Mar.14th

To Messrs. Wheeler Humphreys & Hurst War damage account 7.7.0

Jul.18th

To H.Pearman – repairs to Camberwell Properties (executed before date of death) 41.0.0

1951

Feb.13th

To Mrs.A.M.West in the repayment of Accounts settled on behalf of the deceased 17.6.6

1952

May To Messrs.Horne, Engall & Freemans costs and disbursements 40.12.7

To balance for distribution 365.4.4

——–

£531.16.2

Reciepts

1950

Feb 14th By Cheque of B.Goldstone – rent of 100 edmund Street £39.0.0

Mar 6th Chequeof J.A Wilson – Balance of account at the bank 300.6.1

Mar 7th By Cheque of Hanbury Buxton & Co proportion of rent to date of death re:- Camberwell Properties 3.8.9

Mar 22nd BY Dividend Warrant 2.5% Consols 1.13.5

Apr 4th By prudential Assurance Company Policy moneys £125.3.0

May 1st By G.P.O Warrant 16.19.8

May 1st By G.P.O Warrant 18.0

May 23rd By Cheque of J.A Wilson – proportion of Annutiy to date of death 2.7.8

Jul 29th By commissioner of inland revenue repayment of tax 37.7.0

1952

Jan 28th By Balance of annuity to date of death per Supreme court pay office 4.12.7

£531.16.2

Another document my grandfather, Wasyl had to organize for his naturalization. I’d like to locate children of Mr. Wolodymyr Zajac, hoping that maybe a photo exists of Wasyl that we dont have.

Here is what some of the document says:

Householders certificates (A) & (B)

(A) I, Wolodymyr Zajac (factory
hand), an Australian citizen and householder residing at block FG3, Greta Camp in the state of New South Wales, in the Commonweath of Australia certify that Wasyl Oleksiuk an applicant for naturalization as an Australian citizen, whose personal description appears in the following statory declaration, has been known to me for 6 years, and is a person of good repute.
Signed XXXXXXX
Dated 4th Nov 1957

(B) I, Percy Aubrey Smith (Postmaster), an Australian citizen and householder residing at Greta, in the state of New South Wales in the commonweath of Australia certify that Wasyl Oleksiuk an applicant for naturalization as an Australian citizen, whose personal description appears in the following statory declaration, has been known to me for 4 years, and is a person of good repute.
Signed XXXXXXX
Dated 20th feb 1958

The bottom part of the document the same info as above, except it was signed by a Justice of the peace named George, whom was a resident in Greta and was signed and dated by him on the 5/11/1957

Here is what some of the document says:

Commonweath of Australia
Nationality and Citizenship act 1948-1953

Renunciation of Allegiance

I, Wasyl Oleksiuk renounce all allegiance to any sovereign or State of whom or of which i may be a subject or citizen.

Affirmation or oath or allegiance
I, Wasyl, Oleksiuk swear by Almighty God that i will be faithful andbear true allegiance to Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors according to law, and that i will faithfully observe the laws of Australia and fulfil my duties as an Australian Citizen.

And the rest is details on the page is that of the local mayor, and a few more details about Wasyl.

Here is what the document says:

Australian Imperial Forces

19 January 1916.
In reference to my report on Sergeant Gambrill E.H for medical board.
I submit the following in answer to query.

This man as a bushman his ordinary avocation in civil life would have to use arm with his right hand. He would be able to take a light job if necessary he would be able, and probably would work in a singlet, which would mean no pressure on clavicles. He could do no work at all, at times if his injury got troublesome.

Whereas: as a soldier on active service he would have to march in full equipment with one shoulder strap pressing on injured clavicle while suspending long of his heavy kit & besides he couldnt always take it easy or do something when injury was troubling him.

Therefore he would be unfit for a soldier but quite fit for his usual occuaption as a civilian, or an easier one if it became available.

The article says:

Migrants say Many Reds in DP ship.

Sydney, Saturday. – Migrants in the U.S Army transport General Blatchford claimed today that many of the 1222 displaced persons aboard were communists.

The General Blatchford arrived in Sydney today from Naples.

None of the migrants from east european countries would say why or how they escaped.

They claimed that a number of “planted” communists on board would inform the authorities in the countries from which they escaped and their relatives in those countries would suffer.

Thirty per cent of those on board were former nazi slave-labourers, and the other 70 percent, claimed to have escaped from communist dominated countries.

One migrant, a professional man, said that he had escaped from the communists in Czechoslavakia. He claimed there were 30 active communists in the ship.

The communists are alleged to be Jugoslavs, Russians and Poles.

Here is a work reference he got in 1946.

Headquarters Battery 777th AAA AW BN (sp)
APO 124 U.S Army.

30 June 1946

The bearer Oleksiuk Wasyl has been employed by this organization for the past 10 months and has performed his duties up to all expected standards.

Robert G. Gadd
1st Lt. CAC
Commanding

The best K.P I ever had.

S/SGT Klarm – Mess Sgt.

Some of the original typing on this document appears to be less than accurate, so the transcription could contain errors made by me, as well as the document errors. As always, if you would like a copy, let me know.

The heading of the document translated as follows:

The information was extracted from the public health insurance card file of Nürnberg and transferred to Ansbach.
Form 10 is not required, because Form 7 is exhaustive. Polish.

Although headers for each column is not present, here it is:
Surname, Name, DOB and place, sex, unknown, occupation, years in Nurnberg.

Kunecki Waclaus 17.2.09 Kielce m. unbekennt Schmied 1941-45
K?nezak Anna 1992 ? w. unbekennt Magd 1943-45
Kunitka Matrtha 23.6.10 Uhlnimirserdung w. unbekennt Hausgeh. 1943-42
Kunka Emil 16.1.21 ? m. unbekennt Arb. 1942-45
Kunkiewiez Marion 27.10.23 Kumaczike m. unbekennt Umgohüler 1942-45
Kupack Boleslaus 15.2.23 Wolfsfürt m. unbekennt Arb. 1943-44
Kupik Johann 16.6.22 Bergelsdorf m. unbekennt Arb. 1943-45
Kuper Anna 14.4.19 Bulaschne w. unbekennt Arv. 1940-45
Kupida Anton 4.6.11 ? m. unbekennt Draher 1940-40
Kupinski Wilhelm 4.4.23 ? m. unbekennt Arb. 1944-45
Kubisirwicz ??????? 16.10.20 ? m. unbekennt Arb. 1940-40
Kurcat Anton 18..6.22 ? m. unbekennt Arb. 1942-42
Kugraueb Andreas 1.6.13 Sowling m. unbekennt Müllaufl. 1940-40
Kurdek Adelbert 31.3.05 ? m. unbekennt Arb. 1944-44
Kurek Egien 25.3.23 ? m. unbekennt Arb. 1944-45

15 names.
Nürberg 30.6.47
Allg. Ortskrankenkasse Mittelfranken Haupisteile Nürnberg

 

This above is a stamp, and says – Public Health Insurance Company of Middle Franconia: Main Branch Nürnberg; Benefit Payments Division.

Form 2
Land/Stadt Kreis Nürnberg
Gemeinde Nürnberg
Ausstellende Behords Polizeipräsidium
List of all persons of United Nations and other foreigners, German Jews and Stateless persons.
Nationalitat Polen

(1) Name (2) Christian name (3) DOB and Place (4) Sex (5) Usual place of Residence (6) Present Address (7) Place of Employment during the war (8) Type of employment during the war

(1) Kumik (2) Stanislaw (3) 2.1.16 Sidirow (4) m. (5) Sidirow (6) Heisteretrasse 13 (7) Nbg. (8) Menteur
(1) Kumik (2) Elfriede (3) 16.6.23 Warschau (4) w. (5) Warschau (6) Heisteretrasse 13 (7) Nbg. (8) Ohne
(1) Kuper (2) Anna (3) 14.4.19 Kulaschne (4) w. (5) Kulaschne (6) Wetzendorfstr 201. (7) Nbg. (8) Ohne
(1) Kupycz (2) Ulana (3) 17.10.19 Stara Sol Kr???nmb?r (4) w. (5) Krakau (6) Erherdstrasse 13. (7) Nbg. (8) Rudolfstadt als Putzfrau
(1) Kurasz (2) Alfred (3) 23.6.24 Zawice Plesc (4) m. (5) Kattowitz (6) Höfenenstrasse 150. (7) Nbg. (8) Lineburg Landerbeiter
(1) Kurezab (2) Andreas (3) 1.16.13 Sowlini Kne. Krakau (4) m. (5) Sowlini (6) Johannisstr. 88 (7) Nbg. (8) Arbeiter
(1) Kurezab (2) Maria (3) 1.1.15 (4) w. (5) Gorlice (6) Johannisstr. 88 (7) Nbg. (8) Ohne
(1) Kurilo (2) Andre (3) 29.9.10 Luzk (4) m. (5) Luzk (6) Austr???? 135. (7) Nbg. (8) Bäcker
(1) Küropas (2) Wlodimir (3) 1.8.27 Jaksmanice (4) m. (5) Jaksmanice(6) Sigmundetr 40. (7) Nbg. (8) Bodenmühle als Landerbeiter
(1) Kursenkowa (2) Maria (3) 8.12.23 Liwow (4) w. (5) Liwow (6) Weldluststr. 76 (7) Nbg. (8) Arbeitseinsatz
(1) Kusmyn (2) Sofia (3) 9.11.16 Turka (4) w. (5) Turka (6) Kochstrasse 33. (7) Nbg. (8) Gärtherin

Children under 15
(1) Kurezab (2) Barbara (3) 11.5.45 Nürnberg (4) w. (5) Nürnberg (6) Johannisstr. 88
Name and relationship guardian resp. where living – Kurezab Andreas

Nürnberg 20 Jan 1947

Form 2
Land/Stadt Kreis Nürnberg
Gemeinde Nürnberg
Ausstellende Behords Polizeipräsidium
List of all persons of United Nations and other foreigners, German Jews and Stateless persons.
Nationalitat Polen

(1) Name (2) Christian name (3) DOB and Place (4) Sex (5) Usual place of Residence (6) Present Address (7) Place of Employment during the war (8) Type of employment during the war

(1) Oleksiuk (2) Wasil (3) 22.4.13 Rodzon (4) m. (5) Rodzon (6) Roritzerstr. 27 (7) Nbg. (8) Heizer
(1) Oleschak (2) Severin (3) 23.10.14 Posen (4) m. (5) Posen (6) Veitsbronnerstr. 20 (7) Nbg. (8) Arbeiter
(1) Olewniczik (2) Barbara (3) 7.8.25 Warschau (4) w. (5) Warschau (6) Pestallozistr. 1 (7) Nbg. (8) Küchenhilfe
(1) Olijyk (2) Wasyl (3) 9.1.20 Kuti(4) m. (5) Kuty (6) Austr. 135 (7) Nbg. (8) Hilfsarbeiter
(1) Olijyk (2) Raisa (3) 13.2.19 Kuty (4) w. (5) Kuty (6) Austr.135 (7) Nbg. (8) Hausfrau
(1) Olszewski (2) Zygmunt (3) 19.7.18 Warschau (4) m. (5) Warschau (6) Sulzbacherstr. 121 (7) Nbg. (8) Schlosser
(1) Olubek (2) Hedwig (3) 1.8.27 Wyrka (4) m. (5) Wyrka (6) Bayreutherstr. 73a (7) Nbg. (8) Hilfsarbeiter
(1) Ortinsky (2) Michael (3) 18.10.21 Lucka (4) m. (5) Lucka (6) AlbrechtDürerstr 23 (7) Nbg. (8) Kolisch Arbeiter

Children under 15
(1) Olijyk (2) Wera (3) 25.2.43 Nürnberg (4) w. (5) Nürnberg (6) Austr 135.
Name and relationship guardian resp. where living – Olijyk Wasyl

Nürnberg 17 Okt 1946

Certified copy of an entry of death
Given at the General Register office, London.
Registration district, Edmonton.
1883 Death in the Sub-district of Hornsey in the County of Middlesex.
1. When and where died – Fourteenth September 1883. 59 Victoria Grove, South Hornsey
2. Name and Surname – Henrietta Ann Wilson
3. Sex – Female
4. Age – 54 years
5. Occupation – Wife of James Wilson. Cab Proprietor
6. Cause of Death – Phthisis Pulmonalis. Certified by T.Montague Miller
7. Signature, description and residence of informant – Alfred John Wilson. Present at the death. 43 Victoria Grove South Hornsey
8. When registered – Eighteenth September, 1883.

DX 460924

Death Notice

1. Name of Deceased – James Frederick Wilson
2. Birth place of deceased – Isle of Wight, England
3. Names of the parents of the deceased – Father James Wilson, Mother Lucy Wilson
4. Age of deceased – 42
5. Condition in life (occupation) – Motor Mechanic
6. Married or unmarried, widower or widow – Married in community.
(a) name of surviving spouse – Johanna Wilson
(b) name or names and approximate date of death of previous spouse or spouses. None.
7. The date of the decease: on 21st March 1922.
8. At what house or where the person died – Salt Pan Road.
9. Names of children of deceased, and whether majors or minors (stating seperatley those born from different marriages) (1) Hester Lucy Alice Wilson Minor (2) Ethel May Wilson Minor (3)
Jack Arthur Wilson Minor (4) Sydney James Wilson Minor (5) Frederick Douglas Wilson Minor (the above born of previous spouse Hester Wilson born Goosen) (6) Daphney Winifred Wilson Minor (7) John William Wilson Minor (the above born surviving spouse)
10. Whether deceased has left any property, and of what kind – movables over £300.
The deceased has left no Will.
Dated at Somerset West, this 24th day of March 1922.

If anyone has photos of James, i would love to get a copy.

Here is my interpretation of James’ Will and testiment.

This is the last Will and testamant of me James Wilson of 59 Victoria Grove Stoke Newington Middlesex. Gentleman I give and bequeath all my furniture and household effects unto Phoebe Eleanor Adams widow sister of my late wife absoloutely. And as to all the rest residue and remainder of my estate and effects of every nature and kind and wheresoever I situate. I give devise and bequeath the same unto my trustees hereinafter named their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns in according to the several natures and qualities thereof respectively upon trust to assign and transfer one equal third part thereof unto my son James Henry Arthur Wilson absoloutley and upon trust to assign and transfer one other equal third part thereof unto my son Alfred John Wilson absoloutley and as to the remaining equal third part thereof upon trust to pay to or permit the said Phoebe Eleanor Adams to recieve the net yearly income to assist therefrom as and when the same shall become due and payable during the term of her natural life for her own use and benefit and from and immediatley after her decease upon trust to assign transfer and divide the same into and equally between my said 2 sons as servants in common and i appoint my said son James Henry Arthur Wilson and the said Phoebe Eleanor Adams Trustees and exectuors of this my will and i revoke all former wills and codicils in witness whereof. I have herewith set my hand this third day of September one thousand eight hundred and eighty six – James Wilson.
Signed and declared by the said testator as and for his last will and testimonial in the presence of us both of us being present at the same time who in his presence at his request in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses – James E Sandiford, 3 Beatrice road Finsbury Park & Essex Gouldstone 41 Mount Pleasant road Hornsey.

On the 21st September 1887 Probate of this Will was granted to James Henry Arthur Wilson and Phoebe Eleanor Adams widow the executors.

“THE BIG FIGHT

OCTOBER 23RD 1942 AND OUR ‘CROWD’ WAS JUST INSIDE OUR OWN ‘WIRE’ ON THE EDGE OF THE “DEVIL’S GARDEN” (MINE-FIELDS), WAITING FOR ZERO HOUR, AND THE NOISIEST ARTILLERY BARRAGE THE WORLD HAD KNOWN TO THAT DATE. WE WERE TO ADVANCE AT ZERO PLUS FIVE MINUTES. ALL WATCHES HAD BEEN SYNCHRONISED AND AS WE CHATTED IN THE LEE OF OUR VEHICLES, ONE CHAP WHO HAD BEEN AN ANNOUNCER AT ALL-IN WRESTLING MATCHES BEFORE THE WAR, GAVE US THE FOLLOWING INTRODUCTION TO THE BATTLE OF ALEMEIN. TIMING IT TO PERFECTION, HIS ANNOUNCEMENT ENDED JUST AS THE BARRAGE OPENED UP. AND HERE IS HOW HE ANNOUNCED THE FIGHT:
“LADIES -SORRY- GENTLEMEN! INTRODUCING THE CONTESTANTS FOR BIGGEST FIGHT OF ALL TIME! A FIGHT TO THE FINISH WITH NO HOLDS BARRED, BETWEEN – ON MY RIGHT AT 220 lbs. (219 lbs. of brawn and muscle, one lbs. of brain) THE DESERT FOX ERWIN ROMMEL!! AND ON MY LEFT, AT 190 lbs. (160 lbs. of brawn 201bs, of steel and 10 lbs. of brain) THE DESERT MASTER, BERNARD MONTGOMERY!! SECONDS OUT OF THE RING, FIRST AND FINAL ROUND….” AND BOOM WENT THE HUNDREDS OF GUNS.

Cpl. S.J. Wilson, No. 140804 (V) “

“THE ‘GOOD’ ENEMY

A few weeks before the Battle of Alemein, I was transferred from the S.A.T.C. to the 1st R.L.T. Regiment as a Bren-gun Carrier driver. The Support Coy. section to which I was attached, contained quite a few individuals who made me quite sick of their continual talk of how wonderfully efficient the “enemy” was. My answer to all this was that “the only good ‘enemy’ was a dead one!” This phrase rankled my new ‘mates’ – but I was to prove my point, and it took the Alemein Battle to help me prove it.
The night of the Battle, T loaded two tons of Mortar Bombs and four Mortars into my Bren Carrier and followed my section into action. At the German side of the minefield, I was held up while my section advanced and took a position about a mile inside the German lines. A runner was sent back to the gap in the wire – where I was waiting- and I was instructed to go forward and deliver the Mortars and the Bombs to my Section. Given a star as a bearing I went forward in as straight a line as possible. Suddenly, in a bursting shell flash I saw a dead ‘enemy’ lying directly in the line of my direction. I swerved smartly to the right and around a slight outcrop of rock and then came back in line with my “bearing” star.
Well I delivered my ‘goods’ and returned to the gap in the wire, near which a temporary Coy. H.Q. had been established.
First light next morning and surveying the battle-field of the previous night, 7 casually followed the path of the tracks of my Bren Carrier, and could clearly see how I had swerved to avoid going over the corpse of the ‘enemy’. On closer examination, I saw to my horror that had I not swerved, I would have gone over a trip-wire attached to a ‘Booby-trap’ containing no fewer than four Teller land-mines! (I enclose a photograph I took of the mines) The dead man was not attached to the booby-trap in any way. He had been shot and had fallen in a position to save my life.
You can well imagine the chargin of the pro-enemy element of my Section when I proved to them that “the only good ‘enemy’, was a dead one”.

(Note to the Editor: To avoid unpleasantness, I have used the word ‘enemy’ and not German. The corpse was that of a huge fellow, a member of[ fire Afrika Corps and wearing the badge of the 90th Light Div.- Rommel’s crack Division in the desert. I spent two days and nights near him and grew quite fond of ‘Hans’, as I named him.
Sydney Wilson.“

The photograph of the mines that he refers to, i do not have, nor do i know where this was story was published, as it seems to have been.

My grandparents and aunt came to Australia in 1950, from Germany. Both Grandparents were in Nurnberg during the war working as forced labour.

They applied to the IRO (international relief organization) to leave Germany after the war, and to live else where.

A document dated 29th November, 1949 – is marked as Accepted, and this refers to being allowed to travel to Australia to start a new life. Whether they chose Australia, or it was chosen for them , i do not know. So shortly after, they made there way to Naples (with my grandmother being 3 months pregnant), along with plenty of other Displaced people and set sail on the S.S Blatchford on 18th January and arrived at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the 22nd of February, 1950.

According to immigration papers, the ship travelled with 1222 people, and upon docking, 2 people were sent to Hospital by central district ambulance – W.Williamsky, aged 3 year for pneumonia and Zofija Abelite, aged 74 years for Cardiac Arrythymia. The rest of the new Australians proceeded to the Department of Immigration Reception and Training centre, Bathurst, from trains located at Wharf no.13 Pyrmont at 9.10pm, 10.15pm, and 12 midnight.

“The passengers baggage was loaded direct from the vessel into luggage vans which were sealed by customs officers before being dispatched on special trains.”

“Certificates of exemption for a period of two years have been issued in favour of each of these new Australians, and handed to them.”

After Bathurst, my grandparents and aunt went to live at Greta Camp.

If your facing a situation where your not making progress, try something different – be creative, think left! If you want it enough, you’ll get it. Try different alternate methods rather than the regular ways…. whatever they might be. Have a postive outlook, always think that you will find what you are looking for, in the mean time dont just stare at your computer monitor, be proactive and do things. Cover every possibility, leave no stone unturned.

1) Look at the online white pages and write to every relavent surname in the area, if 50 letters are needed, then do it, you can also phone these people, use skype or something similiar. Between phoning and letter writing you should have just about every name covered in that area.

2) Post on forums, mail lists etc – thats pretty standard stuff. People can be generous with help, so ask. Use the internet to find phone numbers, addresses, names your searching and all the archival information available to you.

Subscribe to ‘google alerts‘ with some of the genealogy stuff your researching – this can bring in results from websites/blogs etc, that otherwise you might not of never found.

3) I recently had the success of placing an advert in an overseas community newspaper, and found a cousin and plenty of other new information. This was extremely successful.

4) Having an internet presence, a website and this blog has really helped me. It does bring in emails from interested people with queries and information…. and so on. In return, i’ll always share what i have.

Brick wall is a bad word, don’t use it.

1878 Marraige Solemnized at the Register in the District of the Isle of Wight in the county of Southhampton.
No. 33
When Married: 27 August 1878
Name and Surname: James Wilson, Mary Ann Alcock.
Age: 70 years, 55 years.
Condition: Widower, Spinster.
Rank or Profession: Landed Proprietor
Residence at the Time of the Marriage: Upton Villa, Haylands, Upton Villa Haylands, Ryde.
Fathers name and Surname: James Wilson Deceased, John Alcock Deceased.
Rank or Profession of father: Whitesmith, Householder and Proprietor.

This Marriage was solemnized between us: James Wilson, Mary Ann Alcock. In the presence of us: Edward T.P. Hawker and Thomas J. Midlane.

James Henry Arthur Wilson is the son of another James, and Henrietta Ann Moult.
Here is some of the text from his birth record:
Registration district Holborn
1856 Birth in the sub-district of St. George the Martyr and St. Andrew Western in the county of Middlesex.
When and where born: 23rd August 1856. 13 Robert Street.
Name, if any: James Henry Arthur
Sex: Boy
Name and Surname of father: James Allett Wilson
Name, Surname and maiden name of mother: Henrietta Ann Wilson. Formerly Moult
Occupation of Father: Cab Proprietor
Signature, description and residence of informant: J.(H) A. Wilson. Father 13 Robert Street.
When Registered: 3 October, 1856.
BXCC 799442

————————————————————————————————-
Registration District Isle of Wight.
1878 Death in the sub-district of Ryde in the county of Southhampton.

No.441
When and where died: 7 November 1878 Haylands Ryde
Name and Surname: James Wilson
Sex: Male
Age: 70
Occupation: Gentleman
Cause of Death: Dilatation of the heart. Congestion of the lungs.
Signature, description and residence of informant: J.H.A.Wilson Grandson in attendance. Haylands Ryde
When registered: 11 November 1878
DX 476218

A web page is easy to do, just copy the url, thats the web site address in-case you dont know, into the space provided, and choose you language – and hit ‘Translate’. The entire page will be done, although it wont be 100% correct – it should give you enough information to get the jist of what it is on about.

Text translations is the other option you have on Google translate. After you have entered and translated the text, you’ll have the option of ‘suggesting a better translation’ – meaning that if you know that something hasnt been translated correctly, you can correct it, the more we do this, the better the translations will become. As a someone whom uses google translate fairly often, i make corrections where i can. But the important thing here to remember, make sure that you know exactly what the spelling is if you decide to correct something. Submitting incorrect words wont help.

Merry Christmas 2008.

It happen pretty fast – the article was in on Monday, and it was only about 2 or 3 days later, i received an anonymous email telling me my grandfathers grand-daughter is living in Maly Rozhen, and i should call her. (they supplied the number) So, someone in the Ukraine phoned for me, as she doesnt understand english. Some calls were made and details exchanged – i now have another photo of my grandfather, and a photo of his son, that we never knew about, and his grand-daughter, Mariya Oleksiuk (Марія Олексюк), that we have many questions for.

The language barrier is there, and its not as simple as picking up a phone and calling or writing a letter, everything has to go through a translator, and this takes time and in some cases, money.

For those interested in researching, finding ancestors, relatives etc from the Kosiv area – go to the english part of the Kosiv forum, which is here. Its ideal because it location specific, its not a general genealogy forum, and i assume many of the people whom post in Ukrainian language, are from the area, or have some connection.

So now we are trying to find a Ukrainian speaker nearby where we live, so as to make a call with us to Mariya – My cousin is also trying to find someone. Hopefully, sometime this week we can call her.

A big thankyou to Stas for the translations, organising the article and his generosity. A thankyou to Lydia as well for her assistance – and to the anonymous emailer, for Mariyas contact details.

This is really a last resort attempt in trying to find Joe bloggs public that might have some details about my ancestry. Phone calls have been made, letters have been written, failing this article attempt – ideas for finding residents with information are getting very thin – but another angle, another approach will happen, it has to.

Of course there are those people whom have a dis-interest in family research, and simply dont bother at all to initiate contact – i’m just hoping in this case, that these are not the only people whom might have some details for me. I also haven’t as yet looked into phoning/letter writing for his first wife, Maria Hawryluk, but maybe this article will catch someones attention in this regard.

Hawryluk, Oleksiuk and Petrusiak are the names mentioned in the article, and are not rare surnames, so i’m hoping it gets more than a few people reading with interest.

I was fortunate enough that Stas in the Ukraine offered to translate and organize the article for print, so a huge thankyou to him.

Now to wait… fingers crossed!

The significance of the heraldic charges, as shown in the Arms and Crest, is:

The LILY, or FLEUR-DE-LIS, is the emblem of Purity, or ‘Whiteness of the Soul’, and is regarded, by the Roman Catholic church, as being the special emblem of the Virgin Mary.

The CRANE is the emblem of filial duty, inasmuch as it renders obedience and nourishment to its parents, and it is also the emblem of a grateful man.

The ROSE, as with most other flower’s, is strongly representative of joy and hope.

There appear to be more than one possible source of origin for this surname.

With its ‘Gam’ beginning, it could have connections ­with the Old Norse ‘gammall’, or the Old Danish and Swedish word ‘ gamal ‘ meaning old or aged. This gave vise to such surnames as Gambell, Gamble and Gamil.

Gam is also found in the Gambling, Gamlin and Gamely surnames where it refers to the ‘son of Gamel ‘ from the diminutive ‘Gamelin’, a common Scandinavian personal name.

In the reign of Cnut, a considerable number of immigrants from Scandinavia seem to have settled in England, some in the royal household and others employed as bodyguards.
Some of these acquired lands beyond the boundaries of Danish England, and Scandinavian names also spread to the southern and south western counties. In Lincolnshire, for example, where Scandinavian settlement and, influence was most intense, Scandinavian names outnumbered those of England.

The personal name Gamel occurs in both the ‘Domesday Book’ and ‘The Hundred Rolls’, and was often compounded with some other Domesday name, eg. appearing as ‘Gamel-bar’ meaning ‘old bear’.

The ‘ brill ‘ ending to the name could have some association with the parish Brill in Buckinghamshire. Whether the original bearer of the Gambrill surname was an old man from Buckinghamshire must remain open to question, as the evidence for this is unsubstantiated.

Other various methods of spelling have been adopted over the centuries due to local dialect, variations in pronounciation and differing written versions, as recorded by the scribe or official at the time.

Since the vast majority of the entire population, being unable to either read nor write, relied entirely upon the spoken word for communication, the scribe had only to travel but for a short distance, to another district, to find a different variation to a name. He would then, of course, record it exactly as it was pronounced to him.

1066 Gamel is recorded in the Domesday Book.
1086 Odo, son of Gamelin, was named in the Domesday Book.
1158 Gamel Auceps was included in the Yorkshire Pipe Rolls.
1202 Simon and Adam Gamel were noted in the Lincolnshire Assize Rolls.
1297 Jordon Gambel appeared In the Minister’s Accounts of the Earldom of Cornwall.
1347 Gamelyn de Cottyngwith was found in ‘A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds’.
1597 John Gamyll was in a Register of the Freemen of the City of York.
1625 John Browne and Margaret Gamblin were included in the Allegations for marriage licences, issued from the faculty office of the Archbishop of Canterbury in London.
1631 Robert Gamlin was included on a list of men to be transported to New England to live and work on the p1antations.
1640 Andrew Gemello was the burgess of Dundee.
1773 Samuel Gambling was buried at St. Dionis, Backchurch, London.
1889 John Gambling appeared in a police case at Bradford, Yorkshire on 3 January of this year. This case was reported in the Manchester Courier the following day.

My convict ancestor, William Gambrill was married on the 21st april, 1845 at the St.Bartholomews church, Prospect, New South Wales. The picture is the earliest one of the church i could get my hands on. Not sure when the church was built, but would like an earlier photo/picture…

The service was conducted by John Troughton, Chaplain, and witnessed by Samuel Walters and John Tassell. Consent was given by the Governor for the marriage to take place as William was still a ‘convict’. John Troughton was the first Minister of St Bartholomew’s and took up duties before 26 December 1841 and continued until about 9 November 1847.

This marriage to Sarah Ransley ended in 1856 when Sarah died from ‘Dropsy’, and she passed away at the young age of 29, leaving behind 5 children. William remarried about 1 year and a half later to Sarah Etherden.

By the way, you can go on a ghost tour of the place, with its surrounding graves, you never know what might be lurking around..

Trying to find information about the businesses he worked for is difficult. Although i have some names, it seems they have closed down. As they were privately owned companies, makes it more likely i’ll grow 2 heads before i can snoop around some documents that i shoudnt be looking at. But hey, my attitude is to always try, and disregard anything less than positve anyone tells me. As i have said before, there is always information out there – its just a matter of finding it.

Here are my grandfathers work dates:

• 31/7/42 – 9/8/42 Employed in Ruchsen – worked on a farm.

• 2/9/42 – Schnieglingerstrasse 286, Nurnberg.

• 9th or 11th /9/42 – Brunnengasse 11, Nurnberg. Employed by ‘Barth’ – hops. (I’m looking for information about this business)

• 29/7/43 – Deutshe hopfenverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.h. Nürnberg, Maxtorgraben 25. – hops again i assume. (I’m looking for information about this business)
  

I also have a name, Willy Ronnerberger whom employed my grandfather. Camerariussrt. 12 Nbg (which i assume is Nurnberg). A closer look at the address see’s the original first letter being a ‘K’ – and someone replaced it with a ‘C’. I dont have a date for this employment.

Anyone reading this has some insight in working with ‘hops’ – forced labour in Nurnberg during WW2, i would love to hear from you.

Firstly, i wrote letters in Ukrainian language complete with a photo of Wasyl (Василь), and a page from his world war 2 documents to 8 families with Oleksiuk surname in his village.Waited… and waited…. and no reply.

So next i phoned a few Oleskiuk’s in Rozen Maly, well, i didnt expect to get to far but you never know until you try – so i tried, and it really was a hopeless case. 

Then, someone offered to make phone calls to the locals in Rozen Maly, and this person is a Ukrainian, so no problems with the language but it turns out that there was problems finding someone whom knew of my grandfather.

As of now, the next step, which is in the process of being done, is to place an ad in the local community paper. I have written an article, and also have sent a photo of Wasyl to my Ukrainian contact – he’ll submit it for me. This surely should yield something, fingers crossed for this one. There are 5 people mentioned in the article, Wasyl, his sister, his parents, and his first wife – one of the names, dates, has to be familar to someone who reads it. 

Failing this latest attempt, i’m not sure what the next step is right now. I do have to make phone calls/write to Hawryluk’s in Cherhanivka and to Petrusiak’s in Babyn, which related to Wasyl’s mum, and his first wifes’ birth place. 

I suppose trying every angle, and retrying every year or 6 months or whenever until something gives, because it will.

She was born in Kulaszne, SE Poland in 1919 and in 1950 she was in Australia, as a displaced person – a result of World War 2. She didnt speak about Kulaszne. She lost her house, everything, it was burnt down by the Nazi’s, she was then sent to Nurnberg, Germany for labour in 1940. From that fateful day in 1940, her life changed forever.

She first lived in Greta Camp, New South Wales, Australia, a settlement camp for displaced people from WW2. She lived here for quite a few years until settling into a home nearby with her children and husband. Wasyl, her husband died in 1966, leaving her with the children to raise.

She never went back to Poland, she didn’t speak about her parents, grandparents, or the village she was from. All those memories, good and bad were not shared with her children or grandchildren, this i find very sad. The occasional word was spoken about her past, but few and far between. She did write letters to family in Kulaszne, and the Ukraine. I’m not sure if she ever phoned them, to chat for awhile, just to be able to hear her brothers’ voice, or knowing that whom ever she was talking too, was in her homeland.

If she was a bit younger, i would of tried to organzied a trip for her to the village of her upbringing and birth, Kulaszne, if she were alive, i would of organzied a phone call so she could speak to her living brother, if she were alive i dont know what i would do with the recently gathered information i have about her from WW2. “Nana, i have some papers about you from the war, will you talk to me about it?” – The chances of her speaking to me about WW2 might of been zero, but that i’ll never know, none of this matters, it’s to late.

She passed away in 2005 and took with her stories, memories, her own views, thoughts and opinions with her – and this will never, ever be known.

I phoned Rozen Maly (Малий Рожин) a few weeks ago, and wasnt able to speak to anyone due to the language barrier. I phoned about 6 numbers, but it was a hopeless case. Subsequently, i’ve been lucky enough that someone has offered to phone the Oleksiuk’s in the village, of this i’m very gratefull. So fingers crossed. XX

If the phone calls yield a big fat Zero, then i shall have place an advert in the local newpaper in the village, or do a flyer or something so that each and every house knows about. I’ll be looking for some assistance as this will need to be done via someone nearby Rozen maly (Kosiv area) so as to help with translation for the advert, and obviously how to go about it, whom to contact etc, etc ..

I’m also interested in knowing if something did happen in the village at the start of WW2. The movements of my grandfather i’m very curious to know and this might come about through something that did happen on a specific date that many from Rozen Maly (Малий Рожин) had to do.

I know very little about Wasyl’s parents, apart from their names, Hyrcko & Anna (nee Petryczuk / variations of), and a probable year they were born – which is according to Wasyl’s immigration documents is 1880 for Hyrcko and 1885 for Anna – whom was born in Babyn, which is a stones throw and a bit from Rozen Maly, as for Hyrcko, i making the assumption that he was also born in Rozen Maly, but its only a guess until such documents prove otherwise.

I have one photo of Wasyl in the Ukraine, 1 lonely photo, there has to be one or 2 or 10 more in someones photo album in the Ukraine. There has to be someone that knows something, there has to be someone that decends from Wasyl’s fathers, brother or sister, assuming he had siblings. Someone must of been buddies with him, and is still alive today. Someone had to of been his neighbour, and is still alive today. Being a village, people know history of the town, people know people – someone has to know of him.

Wasyl’s sister, Maria, went to Canada after WW2. Thus far no records of her being used for labour have been found so the assumption is that she stayed in the village and decided to move. Again, the same applies to her, someone must of been her neighbour, someone….

His first wife Maria Hawryluk, born in Cherhanivka (Черганівка) in 1908, not far from Rozen Maly is another route i will be taking to find information. I’ll be following the same methods to try and locate people whom knew her – i also have not seen a photo of her.

Both grandparents were in world war 2. My grandmother, was forcibly removed from her house in Poland, and was in Germany August of 1940. She remained with the same family throughout the war and worked on their farm which was in Nurnberg.

My grandfather, well he was in Germany in about mid-1942. From what i can work out so far, his first place for employment was at a farm in Ruchsen, then he moved onto Nurnberg where he mainly worked with hops i believe – He stayed in Nurnberg unitil his departure for Australia in 1950.

So now how do i find more info than what the archives can supply me with? I mean, the people that employed my grandparents are no longer around, the factories have closed down. Well i have tried other ways and means with some success… and a dogged approach.

Being in a another country where the language is different and a phone call or 50 can be a bit expensive, if you are not using skype that doesnt give you the excuse not to make calls – spread the calls out over a period or something. The issue of language can be a hurdle, but only a hurdle. After falling out from the phone calls because they dont understand you and vice-versa, next would be to find someone whom can speak the language and get them to phone for you. If they come to your house, make sure you’re well organised for whom the calls will be made to , questions are ready and the person calling has the basic information about your ancestor. Then go for it….

Forums/mail lists – these can be of great help. Join a few. An example of what i have done, and have had the most success with is to join a forum that is not about genealogy and post your questions, ask for help etc. I’ve had some great breakthroughs doing this, and can highly recommend it. Even if the site is not in english, this is still possible to register by either knowing the forum layout/format – many forums have similar/same regsitering questions, or by using google translations to assist in the register process.

After you have started a thread, make sure you subscribe to it so that you’ll recieve an email when someone posts, so that you dont have to keep going back to that forum when your thread becomes quiet. Be patient, you dont always get instant responses. If, after a few months, nothing is happening, post something else on it to bump your thread back to the top and it just might wake someone up to assist you. One forum i regsitered on gave me some help about 2 months ago, someone came back this week and offered more help by phoning the local village for me. You probably make more progress joining a forum that is local to where your ancestor lived, than through using a general genealogy forum.

If your researching a foreign language country, try searching through search engines specifically for that country as you will get different results from english google. For example google the words “search engine poland” or whatever country, and see what comes up, click away at the search engines and then add the surname you are looking for. Sometimes they have an icon for english, or else you could use google translations. My first contact with relatives in Poland was done through this method. I found the same surname as my grandmothers, in the village where she was from and there was an address to this person, i simply wrote a letter – and sure enough it was a 2nd cousin, my very first contact with relatives in Poland. This was a success only becuase i used a Polish search engine which gave me different results than google.com

Place an advert in the local community paper. If your stuck somewhere, looking for someone, or whatever the reason, place an advert.

Online phone books – not every country has the official one online, so find what you can and phone people with the surname your looking for. Of course then the option is to write to everyone with the surname your after.

I believe there is information out there for everything, its just a matter of finding it. The factories in which my grandfather was employed are closed down and i’ve had no luck at all getting anywhere so far. But just because people tell me they no longer exist, and they were a private company, doesnt mean i should stop looking – because i’m not.

Email address, i sometimes search for email addresses with the surname in it i’m looking for. If i find one, i’ll just send an email hoping that maybe, they might know what the hell i’m on about. I have a one success doing it this way.

I’m wanting more than the stock standard stuff from Archives, i want stories/information/photos – 2nd hand, or 3rd hand, that i can combine with the official documents that i have so as to paint a much better picture. With a vision to write about my grandparents time in Germany, i have/want to be as thorough as i possibly can.

If you really want to find information, and possibly more than what you could hope for, be dogged, think out the box and, really, just do it and doors will open.

From my research thus far, she was not used for labour during the world war 2, i have requested information from relavent archives, but they have found nothing, will try again in the future.

From what i have come across thus far, records/archives for immigration around this time (late 40′s, 50′s) are under wraps in Canada and i have not been able to find any death records, nor anything else after lots of googling. Did she end up staying in Cananda? Did she Marry? Kids – i’m really hoping she had children. Maybe she is still alive?

Why did she move to Canada in the first place? I’m assuming she was born in the same small village as her brother, Rozen-maly, or Malij Rozhyn or Малий Рожин – Ukraine. I’m also assuming she was single at this time, and had the freedom to move where she wanted to and for whatever reason, but it seems she wanted to be near family in Australia.

It unfortunatley wasnt to be.

Maria – what happened to you?